Q U I R K Y E X P L O S I O N

so long.

2012-01-24T05:13:00.000-08:00

Hello, glorious human beings!!!!

So... I know what you're thinking... "Oh, look. There's Lexy... She's done it again... Just left her blog. Abandoned. Rotting. All alone... Lazy bitch."

Well. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO THAT? HUH? DO YOU? You think you know me soooo well? Well, guess what? You don't. Yeah. That's right. YOU REALLY DON'T. For your information, I'm in Morocco right now! HAH! Sucker.

*Audience (you) waits in silence, anticipating the usual "just kiddingz" to follow.*

Except it won't. Be followed. With a just kidding. Because it's not a kidding. It's pure truth, babyyyy!

Ahem. I don't know why I am being so awkward about this. Basically, hi. I am in Morocco. Surprise! If you remember my previous posts' elusiveness attempts... yeah... it was about that. In fact, I've been here for about two and a half weeks. And I'll be here for another two and a half months. And then I'll be in Europe for a month after. Surprise, surprise, surprise!

When I decided to embark on the good ole "gap" year thang, this is exactly what I had in mind. Traveling and experiencing and exploring and living. I'm living with a Moroccan family, volunteering with kids, and exploring when I have a chance, it's scary and crazy and exciting and... an adventure, really!

For all you beautiful strangers (but friends, all the same), thank you so much for joining me on the ride thus far in my life. But now, it's time for me to say "Ma as-salaamah" (Goodbye), as the next chapter of my life unfolds. I may be back in a few months... who knows? Life is crazy. Nothing goes as planned, especially when you're going with your heart. (Awww! Cheeseballs!)

Life has been beautiful, but I still have so much to learn and experience and discover. I'm growing up! I don't know where I'll be in a month, a few months, a year... but I'll find out. I'll figure it out.

Thank you so, so much for being there! Really. I can't imagine that it's much fun listening to the confused and incoherent rambling of an obnoxiously colourful teenager... but you've been there. Thank you. I hope all you're wildest dreams come true. I really do. Smile rainbows and love lots! Life is short. Shoot me an email sometime, yeah?

Colourful kisses!
Lexy xxxxx

P.S. Hey, it ain't over yet! Check out my mini trip blog and maybe even spread the word... itslexyland.tumblr.com

medicine is such a weird concept to me

2012-01-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

(illustrations by me - pen & ink, watercolour)

Half finished projects and I have a pretty strong relationship. A bond, if you will. As in, we are often found together. As in, we seem to always be attracted to one another. Like magnets. (Much like medicine, I find magnets rather peculiar... HOW DO THEY WORK?! dun dun dun!) As in, yes, I started these illustrations 4evz ago and just finished them. As in, GO AWAY DON'T JUDGE ME. Ahem, enough of that...

I've been having a wee bit of a creative block - my doodles are lacking character and jazz and poo poo. Nonetheless, I thought I'd share these little fellows that I've finally gotten around to pasting on backgrounds. As you, glorious friends, may know, my doodles tend to rock an underlying theme of "ugly" people in beautiful situations. I don't know why I find that concept for romanticizing and whimsical and amazing. Likewise, my worlds are always filled with clouds and stars and rainbows... why not?

Anyways, I'm hoping to doodle and draw and create more. It is good for the soul.

What do you wish you did more of?
xoxo I will talk to you all soon... adventures are a' comin'... (ooh! cliffhanger!)

excuse the selfies... i am just 2KEWL4U!!!!

2012-01-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

Insert generic message ringing in the new year.

Yeah, sorry it's a tad late. You know me, I've been partying and partying and partying and then puking and then partying and then puking and then partying and then passing out and then being hungover... TYPICAL.

Except for, you know... not. I had a handful of high school friends over for New Years and our night essentially consisted of wearing pjs, making pizzas, playing Apples to Apples, making party hats, watching Strange Sex, and general catch-ups. Considering the fact that I haven't seen most of these human beings since October or even June, it was nice to "reacquainted" and jazz. We are all dorks, so a dorky NYE was fitting. Don't judge! It was nice, brahhhh! YOU JEALZZ!!! A lot of the night, however, consisted of exchanges of university stories - both funny and are we seeeriously talking about meal plans or email set-ups or student cards for three hours?! - where I sat in silence due to my decision to take the year off and my consequent inability to contribute. It was then that it all kind of just sunk in - realizing how we are all on different paths - only a few months after graduation - and how we really do carry on in our different ways with different experiences and dreams and... yeah. Life goes on. It was just realizing... that.

I think 2011 will be my year of "goodbyes." I haven't had many experiences in the "goodbye" department, so the whole graduating thing and then just quitting my job thing has really made me think about "goodbyes" and relationships and the nature of moving on. I know that this is just the first of many, but I guess 2011 will be the year of "my first of goodbyes." Or something. That being said, 2011 has been a spectacular year and I feel like I've experienced immense amounts of fear and joy and excitement over the past year. 2011 was filled with experiences and emotions I didn't foresee happening. Amazing.

And now it's all, BAM! 2012! Say what! I have a good feeling about 2012. This year, for the first time in my entire existence, is filled with complete uncertainty. I have a general outline for the year - but the details are completely unknown. Completely. I don't know what kind of experiences I'll have, what kind of people I'll meet, what kind of challenges I'll have to overcome, what kind of person I'll be. It's completely, totally and utterly frightening... and exciting. I have a feeling that I'll look back on 2012 and think, "Wow, that was one hell of a year." Or, at least, I hope so. Mark my words: to a crazy year to come!

I don't usually reflect that heavily on New Years. Often times, it is just, you know, ANOTHER FREAKING DAY AND TAKE A CHILL PILL, WORLD. But given the nature of my future, reflecting is just in my bones. (Oooh! Spooky! Mysterious! Oh my!) I'm not setting any concrete goals for the year. Instead I'll be ~realistic~ and ~grown-up~ and ~abstract~ and say that I hope to spend 2012 learning. Learning to take-risks, learning to love and love and love, and learning about myself. Life is a ginormous evolution and I feel like 2012 will be filled with growth. Oh, the joys of becoming a young adult...!

Happy 2012, kiddoz! I hope you have a fantastic year with much adventure and love and growth and peace! Kisses!

How was your 2011? How was your new years? What are your 2012 hopes and dreams? INFORM ME!

word verifications on tinypic are now real words/ mini-sentences/ hilarious

2011-12-29T23:04:00.000-08:00

Here's an outfit I wore a jolly long time ago. Like, way back. Like, I KNOW I DON'T UPDATE MY BLOG ENOUGH SO GO AWAY. (But stay. You make me feel ~special~). Despite the length between present day and back-in-the-day-when-I-wore-this, I still remember the process clearly. I.e. I stared at the mirror approximately 189 times before I went out. (And, hey, I'm a narcissist (duh. exhibition: this blog.), but even that's pushing it.) My palms were sweating, my heart was beating. "Is this too much?" I asked myself, bottom lip trembling in fear. However, I held my head high. My chest back. My feat stomping it. And to my utter surprise, I had a surprisingly GLORIOUS FEEDBACK. This involved a "Girl, I love your SWAGGG" high five from a wonderful random on the street and an indirect lead towards a new job offer. WHAT WHATTTT. The moral of the story? Risk taking is glorious. The end.

By the way, this smashing sweater of mine (my cousin claims it could be an awesome "ugly sweater party" sweater, but I enjoy it delightfully) now boasts a glorious story. Which goes by the name of a woman once offered to pay me $50, yes $50, for it. (Side note: considering it cost me a few coins from the kids section of dear ole' Value Village, an "um, fo shizzz" chimed in my head. Unfortunately, I was working and I'm fairly confident that "stripping down and selling personal attire" is a breach of contract. Or something. OH POLICIES ARE SO RESTRICTING AND SOCIETY WILL BURST INTO FLAMES ETC ETC.)

Moving on from severely outdated stories and onto more relevant things... Good-byes suck. Today was my last day of work at f21. (This was due to incredible adventures happening in due time that will, surely, be talked - ahem, blogged - about shortly.) HOWEVER, yes. It was a last day. And it was sad. Where in the world did four months go?!?! I remember when I first landed a job??!!? What is this?!?!? I don't bid well with good-byes. I mean, I know we have the good ole "I'll keep up with you on Facebook" or "Post pictures and status updates" or the general crutch of modern-day connectivity... it's not the same. I know we'll "keep in touch," but human interaction is far more beautiful. It's sad because I find we don't realize how precious human beings and experiences and connectivity are until relationships begin to deteriorate or fade with time and life and that's-just-what-happens.

Considering my alleged social-awkwardness, my ability to actually communicate with human beings and, like, make friends (zomg!) has been, um, awesome. I feel so spiffy, being all, "Oh yes, hanging out with the coworkers after work." I have come to absolutely love my coworkers (they're the best!!!!) and I'm sad to be going. Oh, boo. Now let me start bawling my eyes out about next chapters and moving on and lost connections here, all over my computer, at good ole 2:47am. I don't even know how coherent I am at this time - after an 8 hour shift, MIGHT I ADD - and how my fingers are even managing to type words without that ungodly red squiggle underneath it. (I'm amazing, I suppose.)

I guess, the moral of this story, is just that: good-byes suck. I'm thankful for all the beautiful people I've gotten to meet. It has been a wonderful delight. I feel like coating this with more cheese, but I am sincere when I say that I've had an incredible last few months with awesome people. Kisses and hugs and I'll miss yas!

Oh, life...

What are times when you've had to say "good-bye"?

(Jacket - Value Village $3.50, Sweater - Value Village $3, Shirt - Value Village $3, Pants - Vintage/ Iceland, Shoes - Salvation Army $7, Bow - Value Village $3)

to spontaneous four hour skype sessions!

2011-12-25T19:14:00.001-08:00

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Consequently, Y'ALLZ SHOULD LOVE ME. As I've been absent. For a sufficiently long time. And now? You appreciate me. Yeah. You're welcome. This wide gap of posting was not, ahem - NOT, a result of sheer laziness or procrastination. Psh, no. This was a well-thought out, political blogging move. You know. I'm brilliant...

I hope that you all have had a wonderful holiday season. I, myself, have. I'm a complete, total and utter holiday dork. I pass by window displays and clap like an idiot. I literally skipped home the other day when I saw about 2mm of snow on the ground! Heck, I even listen to Christmas carols at home. (AND I WORK IN RETAIL. They play that crap for all 8 hours of my shift.) So MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL! (That would be in red and green to emphasize my love for the holidays. But let's face it, I'm a lazy blogger.)

I've recently been waking up and just thinking to myself, "Wow. It's just amazing to exist." I've been feeling fairly nostalgic these days. It's something about Christmastime that makes you do that. It's like a tradition. I'm completely enthralled and scared by the speed in which life is whizzing by. My past four months in Toronto have been amazing - and ridiculously speedy. My eyeballs have seen much and I'm feeling very lucky to just BE ALIVE. Maybe it's naivety speaking to me?

I have a lot on my mind. But it's all winking dreams and excitement and adventure. I want to wish on every star in the sky and send you all peace and love and harmony. I don't know what 2012 will be bringing, but I know that it is very exciting.

I wish I could say that I'll be back to regular blogging, but I've been a busy bee. I have been spending lots of times with family and loved ones, and that's all I could ask for. I'm trying to learn how to exist with gratitude and energy and love because life is too short for anything but.

I know this post is a little jumpy-pumpy, but I guess I just want to say this: I truly hope you are all have a beautiful holiday. I hope you are spending it with friends and family and yourself and taking the time to live and love. I hope you are happy to exist. We are very lucky creatures. The world is a beautiful place. Happy Holidays!

P.S. Aside from, ahem, the strategic politics of my lack of posting (er?), another reason for the posting delay (you know, a subtle one) would be a result of CHRISTMAS GOODIES. I love anything crafty and figured my time off school would be a perfect time to indulge in some snipping and clipping and sending out itsy treasures to beautiful people I've gotten to know during my high school experience (ah, my youth...). Enjoy! I would send one to each and every one of you, if I could. There's something about handmade cards and carefully written letters and mailing that I wish existed more. So I was all, IMMA BRING 'ER BACK. What a leader!

Happy Holidays, beautiful creatures!

subway delays are no fun

2011-12-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another addition of OutfitsLexyWoreALongTimeAgoAndIsFinallyPostingThem where we celebrate Lexy's inability to post on time! Ever! Procrastination! Boo yeah! That's right! She's just popped out of the womb as a keen high school student and has graduated onto merely being a sufficient and adequate and lackluster individual! (Except for not really, because if Lexy were lackluster, how did she receive Forever 21's Employee of the Month? Har, har. BRAGGG BRAHHH.)

I call this my "teacher" look because BAM! look at that MATURITY. I'm just RADIATING grown-up-ness. Which is appropriate... because it's my last week of being 17! EEEK. Yes, my birthday is in less than a week. Which means I really need to tick off some major defining and illegal and criminal moments ay-sap - i.e. killing a creature - before this week comes to end, otherwise adult records aren't as forgiving as jeuvie ones. If anyone has suggestions for how-to-rebel-and-bend-the-law-before-I-am-legally-an-adult, I would very much appreciate your suggestions! (I kid, I kid. This is me thinking I am being sly and clever and facetious.)

(Trench - Value Village $7, Shirt - Value Village $3, Skirt - Vintage $5, Shoes - Vintage $35, Scarf - Gift, Belt - Thrifted $1)

As par tradition, I will undergo the usual Birthday festivities - i.e. none. But, this got me thinking, if I were to ring in the big 1-8 with style (sorry, I don't know why I said that so cheesily/ attempting to be a cool mom-y type of way), What would Lexy do? Thus, world, welcome to my dream party because I'm 17 and young and can still tap into my inner dreams! And stuff. What is wrong with me? Anyways. It would go something like...

Hello dearest friends and family! Welcome to Lexy's birthday party! I know it's cold and winter-y, but at this party, it is sunny and warm! We're all in a park! With big trees and open fields and no one in sight, but us! And we're all dressed up! But not in the generic tight clubwear (the amount of tight, shiny, sparkly dresses at work that actually sell never seizes to amaze me). We're talking girls in beautiful vintage dresses, complete with big hats and gloves and stockings. And boys in suspenders and bow ties because OMG THEY ARE AMAZING. (Seriously, if I were a boy, that would be my attire errrday. It just makes things better. Why don't they SEE that?!) There would be live music. Maybe some sort of old school, jazz stuff. So we could all do some cheesy bopping around. Which would be fun, as we'd all be fancy shmancy and crinoline-d out. Everyone would be responsible for bringing either a craft or a board game because those are the two funnest and most underrated/ ignored experiences of being a human being. We'd be creative and old school for hours and hours, and it would be wonderful. (Cell phones would be strictly prohibited.) And we'd eat ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. At night time, we'd light candles and look at stars and talk about dreams. It would be beautiful...

The end. I hope you have a fantastic week, folks! I really can't get over how quickly time ticks by. Last week of being 17? I'm COMING to GET YOU!

What would be YOUR dream birthday party?

nibs are yummy

2011-11-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

Dearest friends of the world wide web,

In conclusion, I suck. Now that we've moved passed that awkward confrontation of holy-moly-its-the-freaking-last-day-of-the-month-and-i-haven't-posted-in-weeks, we can move on to more productive things. Like clothing attire. OMG EXCITEMENT ENSUES AS IT'S LIKE NOTHING'S EVER CHANGED YEEEHAWWWW GOODTIMEZ.

Evidently, these photos were taken awhile back, as made clear by things like LEAVES. I actually had a mini-heart-attack this morning when I realized it was the end of the month ALREADY. Time is a flyin', we are a livin', things are a happenin', what am i a sayin'?! And speaking of the end of the month and general redundancy, aw shucks, I have to drop another $99 on a December Metropass. (Fun fact: I make my Grandma buy my Metropass because she has a handy advantage called "senior discount." There is a student discount, but I'm not in school/ a student right now. Consequently, I'm BRINGIN' OUT THE GRANDMA. Using a senior discount when I'm not a senior? Going against the system? YOU KNOW IT BRAH. Because I live on the EDGE like that. Because I'm a REBEL like that. Because YOU BETTER WATCH OUT. (You better not cry! You better not pout, I'm telling you why! Lalal. I don't care what people say, I freaking LOVE Christmas music.))

As I posted this, I remembered that a lovely woman photographed me in this outfit and BAM! I came across it. I don't know how I just remembered that I was photographed, because I'm fairly certain that it blasted my smile and my ego about 718 degrees higher that day. But then again, you know, I'm used to it. I'm like a celebrity. BOW TO ME BITCHEZ. (I kid you, I kid you! I will use my celebrity powers (i.e. being on, like, three blogs and a twitter) to merely date Joseph Gordon Levitt and adopt babies with trendy names.)

(Jumpsuit - Vintage $5, Blazer - Value Village $4, Denim Shirt - Mum's from the 90s, Bracelets - H&M, Shoes - Vintage $34, Headband - Value Village $3)

On a completely different note, I've recently been having a bit of money struggles. Not in the sense of lack of money - but in the contrary. I know it's ~tacky~ to talk about money, but I'm a ~tacky~ one, so I'm just going with what I got! Frankly, I'm a lucky girl. It's not like my family is farting dollar bills or throwing change in garbage cans (Daniel Meade, that means you! Ugly Betty reference that no one will get because that show ended, like, 6 years ago. Yup, I'm still obsessed). But, yes, I have been incredibly lucky growing up. My family isn't, like, ~loaded~, but I have been really fortunate to have really incredible opportunities - such as an amazing education and travel experience - that I know a lot of people don't have. And sometimes I feel guilty.

I'm working with people that are paying for their own rent, their own university tuition. While I'm obviously not going to be financially dependent on my parents for my entire existence, I know that they would be willing to help me out to ensure that I get the education or the opportunities I need for personal growth. And sometimes I feel guilty. My parents work hard. They both came from low class families and worked hard and continue to work hard to provide for me and my sister. But it's like, What did we do to deserve this? Why are people my age fighting for things like education or a home? Things that I've generally taken for granted? Why do I get this lifestyle? And sometimes I feel guilty.

I find myself trying to compensate for my fortunate upbringing by trying to help others. I try to volunteer or feed the homeless or do anything that I can do because I can do it. I can definitely attest to my parents for ingraining the value of money and the importance of helping others in my mind. But still. I work hard, and I will always work hard, but I also know that my parents are able to support my dreams - education, traveling - financially, which is a definite luxury and I feel incredibly lucky but also incredibly torn. Because WHY? Why do I deserve this?! Why do I get this luxury? And I know that I'm a good person and I'm not a spoiled brat and I don't take my things for granted, but I also know that I have and I've had a lot of things and opportunities and experiences that people my age simply don't have because $dollaz$ don't grow on trees.

I've always been aware of the discrepancy between our Western lifestyle and one in a developing country, but I'm also becoming more aware of the discrepancy between my own upbringing and that of many other youth. It's just this bizarre battle between gratitude and guilt, intertwined with questions of why?

That's all.

PHEW. This actually took a lot of time to write because my mind has been rumbling and mumbling and broiling and battling and I know that it's an uncomfortable or sensitive or controversial topic. I didn't know whether to post this. But guess what I did? Yeah, I posted it. Obviously. You are reading this. Duh!

THOUGHTS? What kind of financial upbringing did you have? How has it affected you?

Ahem, so until next time! (Let's be frank, WHO KNOWS WHEN THAT WILL BE?!) I hope you all have a really splendid day/ week/ life in the meantime! Hugs and kisses!

13-year-old "couples" are hilarious.

2011-11-16T08:02:00.000-08:00

Dear friends! Howdy, hello, you know the drill! I was mentally scrummaging through old photos - MAN THERE ARE A MULTITUDE - and I figured it was time to post. And the rest was history... Not really. But I'm posting now. Because I have a lot of pictures to post. (And so the circle of Lexy's rambles begin...) Particularly since this number boasts BARE legs, a concept that has been struck foreign due to blistering winds and chilly weather and general winterisaroundthecornerness. I.e. Yeah, welcome to an outfit that was worn awhile back! Hip hip hooray! But whatevz, brah. Vintage is in. Or something. Okay, awkward-ness still exists, so I'll just power on...

As you, dear stalkers - ahem, regular readers (LUV U), are well aware (i.e. refer to, um, every outfit post, pretty much), I have the tendency to overwear these dear flowers. As in every day. As in, "Wow, Lexy, you really like those flowers" - voice in my head (I wanted to write coworker because it seemed like a plausible comment. At last, by magic, no one has ever made that comment and I didn't want to be a LIAR to you folks). Story time, children. Once upon a time, I was walking downtown and realized that the turquoise one was missing. I was a little gloomy. Sad face. The end. THAT'S RIGHT. My dear collection has been dwindled down, but I have my fingers crossed that maybe a small child or a wondering soul or maybe even a homeless man has found it is doing something wonderful and creative with it. Hip hip hooray for lost treasures being found? PLEASE?

Not much is going on over at this end. Or, on the contrary, much is going on over at this end, but not much worth droning on and on and onnnnn about. I've recently been thinking about relationships and chemistry and what kind of people I'm generally compatible with. I find myself more hip-hip-hooray-yadda-yadddaaa around more mild/ timid people, and I'm more mild/ timid around really outspoken/ loud people. I DON'T KNOW, whhadddup with that? My personality can certainly be quite bi-polar and extremist in that sense. I also do not gel well with people that whine. It's something to do with my obnoxious peppy-ness that doesn't seem to vibe well with negative thoughts. (Seriously. The most commonly used word in the Dictionary of Lexy's life is "Yay." I am a five year old, really.) I guess I'm just like, you know, a lost soul trying to find my tribe. I probably never will, just because I just said, "I'm a lost soul trying to find my tribe." Who says that? Besides 80-year-old hippies on acid? Are they my tribe? Should I Kijiji that shizzz? WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME? I need to eat breakfast. Peace owwwt, lovely people. Peace.

What kind of people do YOU generally get along with?

(Dress - Vintage $5, Shirt - Thailand, Broaches - Nepal, Belt - Thrifted $1, Socks - Dollarama $0.50, Shoes - Salvation Army $7)

christmas decorations in november are ridiculous. (but secretly make me extremely joyous)

2011-11-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!!!! Today is sunny. I'm going to make a super speedy post so I can get a dose of that sparkling goodness, before shimmying my way to work for a closing shift. Hip hip hooray! I'll be frank (but in an elusive, clever, somewhat mysterious-can-you-solve-the-puzzle?-oooooh-way) (perhaps defeating the whole "being frank" thing, but I've always liked that as a bold transition/ sentence starter): you know how, back in the day (read: September), I boldly proclaimed a drawing a day goal? And you know how I'm, like, not the most prompt with posting? BAM! This post in a conversion of these two elements. A fusion, if you will. Simply said, here are some-not-so-prompt-postings-of-pictures-painted-in-Ptember. (By "painted," I mean "drawn." And by "Ptember," I mean "September." There was this alliteration thing going on and I didn't want to ruin the rhythm. You know it, brah!!!)

Skimming through these doodles, I see that there's a major "star" motif going on in my drawings (pfft, stars. What self-obsessive drawing-whores!) Fact: I'm a huge sucker for stars. In short, THEY ARE ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS EVER. I love looking up in the universe and just realizing how fucking insignificant we are. But not in a, "ZOMG I'M INSIGNIFICANT" kind of way, but more of a "ZOMG I'M INSIGNIFICANT SO I MAY AS WELL DO WHAT I WANT IN LIFE" kind of way. I love that feeling. I find it very empowering. To me, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there are other worlds out there. It'd be almost selfish to think elsewise. We have our own star (the sun) and our own galaxy. But looking at all the stars out there, it's like, "Bam! There are a billion of stars, that are probably suns, that have their own galaxy, with their own beautiful moments and creatures and whatttt?" One of my favourite memories of my entire life is being on a mountain in Nepal and the entire sky was twinkling like... I can't even describe it. I couldn't stop pinching myself, asking, "Is this real life?!" My two friends and I just camped out in our sleeping bags and talked about life and existing and, seriously, such a beautiful moment. We basically concluded that life was short and we should do what we love.

Also, when I was little, there was nothing more I wanted than to have a star of my own. Seriously. I honestly believed that I could pluck a star from the sky and keep it in my closet. I had a vision that, in the middle of the night - when I couldn't sleep, after a nighmare, or just because - I would open my closet and light would radiate from a fish tank that carried a star. Every year, I am more and more disappointed that this cannot be true...

Anyways. What a spontaneous, blabby post! I fully intended to have an awkward blurb (refer to: awkward blurb at beginning of post) and then a "Have a beautiful day xxx!" to end it. So I guess we've reached that point.

Have a beautiful day! Smile to strangers! xxxx
Tell me about a magical moment in your life!

if you are looking for a sign to clean your room then THIS IS IT

2011-11-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

I've just completed cleaning my room and my satisfactory level has increased EXPONENTIALLY. Looking around at my CLEAN vacuumed floor and CLEAN neat shelves and CLEAN straight closet simply makes me feel GLORIOUS. Like I'm, you know, THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD. NO BIG FREAKING DEAL. Oh, and, just by the way, can you tell that I have no life? Whatsoever? Whatever. You make fun of me. I'm just basking in the cleanliness of my clean room SHBAM. Hear that? It's the sound of ENVY. Your envy.

And no, I'm not posting pictures of my room or anything. That snidbit was way irrelevant. I'm just bragging so you guys remember just how ~awesome~ and ~beyondcool~ I am. Obviously. What I am posting (smooth transition, you dig?!) are outfit shots! HOORAY! I wore this outfit awhile back, but posting is occurring now. I'm prompt like that. (Sorry!!!)

There's something about this obnoxious combination of patterns that reminds me of kaleidoscopes. (Can we please just take a second to praise the KALEIDOSOCOPES?! They're freaking genius. A simple idea, yet HOURS of joy. Nope, just me?) I guess you could say that I'm satisfied with this connection.

I'm obsessed with rainbow nails. THEY COMPLIMENT MY OUTFITS SO WELL HOLY MOLY I FREAK OUT EVERY TIME. I'm such a five year old at heart, it's borderline a problem. Borderline. Give it a five years when I'm beginning a "real" career and becoming a "real" adult and my finger nails are still every freaking colour of the rainbow. I'm so going to be one of "those" grown-ups. (You know, like Ms. Frizzle. I loved her.)

Today was a good day. I was sitting on the subway, smiling to myself. I have the tendency to do that. Just smile at myself. Like I'm a pedophile. Smiling at children. Small children. BUT I'M NOT!!!! PINKY PROMISE!!! Ahem. So now that we've determined that I was smiling to myself, yet I am not a pedophile, I will continue with my (not so) remarkable story. I was smiling at myself because today was a good day. Why? I'm not entirely sure. In theory, it really shouldn't have been: it consisted of waking up early after little sleep (the whole closing-shift-and-opening-shift-the-next-day-and-one-hour-commute is not an appealing combination, TRUST ME) to a seven hour shift and no evening plans. And that's essentially all that happened. (Of course, we later found out that cleaning my room was on the agenda, which simply elevated the whole "good day" thing.) (We get it; I HAVE NO LIFE.) It was a friendly day, chatting to costumers, and running around, and it was fun. I've really realized how much happiness is in our control. I woke up thinking, "You know what? I'm going to have a good day" AND I DID. Magic! It could have been grumpy and grouchy and long, but I decided to turn into a cheery little muffin top and the day passed by! WOOHOO!

As I was basking in the goodness of the day, I thought to myself, "You know, it's the outlook that determines the outcome." I really thought I was getting at something. Heck, the words "future" and "Oprah" came to mind! THE OUTLOOK DETERMINES THE OUTCOME. Lexy, you're brilliant! I was going to preach my genius new proverb on the blog when I thought, "Ho hum, perhaps I should Google it in case of some-other-genius-already-said-this-profound-saying-before-me." Turns out, someone did. I guess my brilliance just transcends through the ages. WHATS UP WITH DAT?! Nonetheless, I completely believe that an obnoxiously positive and optimistic attitude is - perhaps naive - but totally the way to go! Negative thoughts do no good. The other day, a woman was bitching about the lateness of the bus and I just thought to myself, "Well, golly, woman. Your bitching ain't going to make the bus come any faster!"

In conclusion, be obnoxiously chipper. It's fun. Life is too short to dwell on things beyond your control and to be a grumpy grey cloud. xoxoxo TILL NEXT TIME.

What are your happiness philosophies? Would you say that you are a "happy" person?

(Blazer - Value Village $3.50, Shirt - Value Village $3.50, Skirt - Value Village $5, Shoes - Vintage $15, Broaches - Nepal, Hair bow - Vintage $3, Rainbow nails - Visit to Shoppers Drugmart and pretending to test out their different colours $free)

polka dots make me happy

2011-10-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hello friends of the internet, meet the new inspirational collages on the wall of my room at my grandma's home. Hello new inspirational collages on the wall of my room at my grandma's home, meet my friends of the internet. AW LOOK AT THIS CONNECTION SUCH A BEAUTIFUL FUTURISTIC MOMENT EEK SQUEAL TIMEZZZ.

Um. Anyways. As made obvious by that unawkward and totally natural encounter, here are some new collages. That are inspirational. That are in my room. At my grandmas. The end.

1. "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman. Many virtual high fives and possibly even a McFlurry to the supremely smashing Sarah (check out that amazing alliteration?!) for introducing me to this quote. I am now obsessed. JEEZ THANKS. I mean, really, thanks. I love it. It makes me feel good and optimistic and feeling good and optimistic is always GOOD... and optimistic. I need to stop. I find that I'm always writing in roundabouts on this blog thing... But really, people who are alive have a special aura that we should all try to obtain and radiate. It's beautiful.

2. "I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it." - Groucho Marx. I've posted this. Multiple times. I think we can conclude that I love this quote. It just encapsulates life. This was my motto for the entirety of my senior year and GUESS WHAT? Yeah, that's right. I'M BRINGING IT BACK BAYBAY.

(Collages by me. Made from various materials. By "various" I mean National Geographics. And threads. And pens. That is all.)

So yeah. There we go! Collages! Hooray! Hip! Hip! Hooray!

Aw, geesh! Have I overused exclamation marks AGAIN?! Oh, I must be in a good mood today! OH WAIT. You are just way to freaking intelligent, girrrrl! (Um, did I just talk to myself? By saying "freaking intelligent"? And "girrrl"? This is getting awkward...) Um, as I was saying, I am in a good mood today!!!!! (extra exclamation marks to detract from awkwardness of post thus far) Why? Because I just had the most fabulous afternoon that I just want to snip out of my life and linger in for a few hours longer PERHAPS. Guess what I did?! I spent three hours watching paint dry! OH SNAP I FOOLED YOU. (This is a sneaky tactic on my part. By introducing you to a "lame" or "cliche" option, any other alternative is relatively "cooler" and, consequently, my afternoon automatically sounds awesome. I'm clever like that.) (It's like in that Lizzie McGuire episode when Matt tried to buy some sort of scooter or something and he started off by listing more expensive items to his parentals so the scooter or something ended up looking relatively cheaper, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT I AM REFERENCING? Lenny, his silent friend, was involved in that episode. Oh gosh, I will smooch you on the lips if you understand what I supposedly think is really important to reference and include and just pretend it is YEAH.)

ANYWAYS, my awesome afternoon consisted of going to the Kensington Market (a neighbourhood with amazing vintage shops and bohemian hippie vibes in Toronto) on PEDESTRIAN SUNDAY. This is probably the best idea I've ever encountered in the existence of the universe. It's the basic equation of really good looking and individual people + vintage shops + cafes + creativity and dancing and live music and costumes and free roaming on the streets and OH MY I COULD NOT CONTAIN MYSELF. (Literally. They had this amazing band (seriously, the term "band" doesn't even cover the awesomeness of this ____'s music) and I turned into one of those freaks in bright colours dancing by myself like a lunatic. But the POINT is, there were other freaks in bright colours dancing by themselves like a lunatic and THAT is why this day was awesome.) Anyways, I think my smiles surpassed normalcy today and that's a good thing. I wish we had more days of freedom and individuality and expression and creativity and love. It was basically like a pigment extracted from my perfect world. Seriously, so many moments of "IS THIS REAL LIFE?" That's the best. (And I should have taken pictures. But I didn't. Yeah, I suck, get over it, etc. Just Google it. Or Bing! it. As my dad says. Who uses Bing!? My dad. That is all.)

ANYWAYS I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A SMASHING WEEK AND HAD A SMASHING WEEKEND AND YEAH YOU'RE ALL BEAUTIFUL CREATURES. (Disregard all the caps. I know they hurt your eyes. I'm just to lazy too retype all that again in itsy letters/ proper grammar. Irony: my exclamation is about 2.32 times longer than that sentence I could have easily retyped but didn't because I'm too lazy to, yet I am typing this ridiculously long exclamation and SERIOUSLY WHY AM I STILL SPEAKING?) yeah, xoxo.

What has been a recent highlight in your lifetime?

of course i wish on 11:11

2011-10-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

It's been over a week. I get it, okay? I suck and let's move on. Oh, but before I move on, I may as well sputter my excuse. Trust me, it's a good one: ahem, I've been wayyy too busy attending multiple high class fashion parties filled with sparkling champagne and hobnobbing with exquisite guests. Yeah. I'm a fancy girl. NO BIG D. Oh, and, um, just as a side note, by "multiple" I mean "one." And by "fashion parties" I mean "high school reunion." And by "sparkling champagne" I mean "water." And by "hobnobbing" I mean "catching up." And by "exquisite guests" I mean "ex-classmates and teachers." But you know. Surely, the principle is still there? Glamorous parties and high school reunions? Pfft, practically synonymous if you ask me. Go ahead. Thesaurus it. I DARE YOU. (No, really. Please don't.)

That's my really long-winded way of saying I went to my high school reunion yesterday. It's rather hilarious since we've only been apart for, like, a week. (And by "a week" I mean "four months.") (Are you getting sick of my inability to just get to the freaking point already yet?!) Okay, I'll just get to the freaking point already... This is what I wore.

I was actually really excited about the whole "semi-formal attire" thing that was required. Because contrary to what my awesomeness may lead you to believe, I do not, in fact, get invited to many swanky parties and glamorous events. I KNOW. CALM YOURSELF. Is that a heart-attack I see coming your way? COMMENCE YOUR HEAVY BREATHING EXERCISES NOW. It's a SHOCK for all of us! It's okay. I've discovered that human beings are simply jealous of my awesomeness and are intimidated. I'm powerful like that. I'm still as cool and swanky and fancy as you all think I am. (Woah! Dream big! Go fly a kite!) (That was a Juno reference. Neat-o.)

This dress is way awesome. Do you know how awesome it is? Once upon a time, I stumbled across it. I thought, "this dress is awesome." However, the price tag read $50 and sadness ensued. BUT, OH, THERE IS A SILVER LINING. For two months passed and BAM! The awesome dress was marked down to $16. In conclusion, I'm psychic and channeled my inner "patience is a virtue." Evidently, my wisdom transcends way beyond my years of existence. Some say I'm the next Oprah. Oh, and another irrelevant/ boring thing to note about this dress is that it used to be about one foot longer. I kid you not. I looked like Belle in it. As in that Disney princess with the ridiculous dress. I thought it was fun. Unfortunately, the 1800s is, you know, not existing today so, at last, some snipping and stitching ensued and bam! here we are today! And now you know a lot about this dress and it's possibly getting awkward in a "should I unfollow this chick?" kind of way. Um. Basically, thank you high school reunion for giving me the opportunity to get fancy and wear this dress. (That is, until, those swanky invites come my way. One day.)

Seeing high school people was weird. I mean, I know it's only been four months, so before you get all, "it's only been for months," my golly I KNOW IT'S ONLY BEEN FOUR MONTHS. But still. Given that I've been with many of these people for at least four years, four months of separation is weird. And coming back together is also weird. I guess graduation day never really felt completely, totally the end since I always knew that I'd be seeing a lot of these faces again at this reunion. But now? Now it's the end. Screw swanky fashion parties, I never even went to high school parties!!! Consequently, I wonder how many of these people I'll actually keep in touch with? See again? It's a hard concept to grasp and I'm very aware that we're all moving forward and high school is a blip of the past. It's weird. I guess I'm realizing that my school environment has defined me for essentially all my life; I mean, I spent more than forty hours a week in that thing! I guess now I'm in the process of figuring out who I am outside of the school community? I honestly thought that I'd be sputtering out rainbows of joy upon reaching the end of high school. But I guess I'm realizing just how much it has defined my life so far. And how much it really has given me. (Again, I think I'm only remembering the good bits. My sister was doing functions homework this weekend. MATH NEVER AGAIN PUHLEASE.) Right now, it's about moving forward and growing from the past. It's scary, but exciting. I think being in high school made me a dreamer; it ignited the "there's gotta be more than this" in me. Yesterday made me remember that. I'm ready to dream away again!

On a side note, I don't know how many of my readers are in high school, but if you are, here it goes: take a deep breath and CHILL OUT. It's high school. It will be over before you know it. But I don't think it's something that you just want to "get over" - it's something that you should enjoy, or try to enjoy. The people you meet are going to disappear from your daily life before you know it. So don't give a fuck what they think. Find something you love that's removed from social drama and social circles and go do it. Do the things you love and don't do the things you don't feel comfortable with. You don't know who "you" are yet and it's tough. So just go with your heart. Do what feels right. Not what the media or your peers says is "right." Your heart. And, really, this is the biggest one: talk to people. High school is filled with cliques and generalizations and stereotypes and I won't lie, I was a victim of that. Generalizing people, giving people labels. Don't do that. The most valuable thing I've taken from high school is we're all just human beings. Finally, in senior year, I tried to talk to a lot of people individually - find out what they're about, what makes them tick - and I'm really glad it did. I found that when people were removed from their friends/ social pressures, they were actually all just... humans. Everybody is going through the same shit you are and everybody is struggling and everybody is just trying to have a good time or fit in or move forward. Please. Get to know people before you judge. They will be gone before you know it. Everybody is human. High school is a weird, toxic environment and know that there is life beyond it. Chin up. Make the best of it; it says a lot about your spirit.

Phew. I feel like I'm the Breakfast Club or something. Hooray! If you read all that, we should totally form a clique of simply AWESOMENESS. Yeah. THE END.

What did you take away from high school? How has life changed post high school? If you're still in high school - HAH! SUCKER! (kidding), How are you liking it? How do you picture life post high school?

(Jacket - Value Village $3.50, Dress - Vintage $16, Tights - F21 $10, Shoes - Thrifted $1 (!!!!), Bow - Value Village $3, Jewelry - Assorted)

Have a great week, darlings! I have a lot of outfit posts lined up. But I think we've both determined that I suck, so *fingers crossed* for prompt posting. Till next time... YOU'RE ALL BEAUTIFUL CREATURES.

pop tarts are delicious

2011-10-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

HOWDY PARTNERS! Ahem. Howdy? Partners? Seriously, Lexy? SERIOUSLY? Whatever, western is very 'in' and things and I JUST WANT TO BE A COW BOY GOSH DARNIT.

Ahem. Again. Well, this is sufficiently awkward as you now question whether my disappearance was due to being a bad blogger or, seemingly more likely, being placed in a scientific experiment that makes human beings stare at microwaves too long and, consequently, become insane (according to my mom. she's anal like that). Or something. Ahem. Again, again. Can we just *smooth transition* it over to the pictures? You all cheer an hallelujah and a hip hip hooray and we transition and SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT! We all share a collective sigh of relief, kind of like that moment when you're squatting over the toilet after copious amounts of pee-dancing and uncomfortable wiggling and seriously WHY AM I STILL TALKING?!

My family is a giant dork. I don't know if that sentence makes grammatical sense, but that is the best word to describe us: dorks. A euphemism might be "cute," but that's in the "aw, you guys are so dorky, but I want to be a kind soul, so I'll just say cute" sense. This theory could be proven with various events, such as family game nights and Thanksgiving hikes. I wouldn't have it any other way! DORKZ 4 LYF, BRAH.

Here is the sibling and I. The sibling looks like Where is Waldo. HAH! She always comes up with strange analogies for my outfits (namely, just raised eyebrows that say OH SO MUCH), so now I'm being the witty one here. Please laugh. Or nod. Or something.

And I know it's tradition to start off a post with apologies and excuses but HEY NOW! I'm a non-conformist! I go against the grain! Therefore, I will end my post with apologies and excuses and stuff because I turn things on their head LIKE THAT. HEAR ME ROARRRR. Bitchez.

Ahem. Yeah, so, I've been non-existent due to things such as 1) laziness and 2) being artsy and going to poetry slams. THAT'S RIGHT. This week is kind of a big deal over here so I've been committed to the ART. Aka I'm the biggest stalker/ groupie zomg it's scary. You know how there were always the cool kids in school and you wanted to be friends with them, but the closest you could ever get was being graced in their presence? (Hypothetically, of course. Because we're hipsters and non-conformists and things and this never occurred.) This is totally like that. You know what they say: If you can't join 'em... follow 'em (?). Sure.

I think the greatest things about poetry slams is the vibe. Everyone there is so freaking passionate and genuine and someone described the experience as "like watching a sportsgame" and it really is like that and zomg it's amazing. And the poetry is amazing, too, of course, because it's all "DANG, that's so what I was thinking, but wtf you say it so beautifully"-ish. I have this irrational fear of going up to poets and complimenting them due to the collision of contradictions being 1) my awkwardness and 2) the fact that they are extremely, extremely eloquent. So I will just watch from afar and hope one of them comes up to me in a "nice skirt/ thanks, it was my mom's in the 80s/ vintage, cute!" way. (Mean Girls reference, ANYONE?) It feels like all the poets there have found their niche and I'm all like THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND WHERE IS MINE.

What is your "niche"? Super duper curious - DO LET ME IN ON IT! (lexy's definition of "niche": place/ time/ scenario where you feel most happy/ most like yourself/ most alive)

Have a splendid day!

I like my orange juice with pulp

2011-10-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

FRIENDS AND THINGS! Yeah. Hi there. I hope you're all doing jolly and good and what not. I am. Doing jolly and good and what not, that is. THANK YOU FOR ASKING. (Kidding. I'm not being sassy. I know you'd ask me "Are you doing jolly and good and what not?" if we were in real life and, for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Insert sappy tears and oscar speeches and what am I even talking about?)

ANYWAYS. The weather the past few days has been, quite frankly, MARVELOUS. (These photos aren't a reflection of that.) Seriously, I have had a perma-smile on my face the past little while due to the blue skies and sunshine and things. Honestly, it wasn't until I moved to Toronto a few weeks back when it occurred to me that, hey, maybe I'm a wee bit of a tree-hugger. I find myself prancing at Toronto's abnormal city pace (IT'S ALWAYS ON HIGH SPEED. NOT NORMAL) and thinking to myself, "Well, I kind of miss my bike and the parks and the trees and the stars and can I please just become a bird already?!" Apparently I'm a closeted hippie forest creature or something? Time to start playing the harmonica and burning incense and wearing hemp and knitting grass? Okay, sure Lexy...

The other day (Friday, that is) was BEAUTIFUL. I spent the morning walking along the harbour and reading books and doodling and sleeping and eating grapefruits and blah blah blah. The point is, I skipped into the mall, thinking, "Well, yippee! Today will be an easy day as no one will be shopping as it is beautiful outside as ---" That thought? It never finished. Why? There I was. Stopped. In my tracks. Mouth? Dropped. People? EVERYWHERE. I basically spent the majority of my Friday shift hating the customers just a little bit. Sure, I maintained my friendly smile and annoyingly chipper, "Hello! How are you today?" while, really, I was thinking, "Hello! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU VOLUNTARILY INDOORS? GO RIDE A BIKE OR GO ON A WALK OR SIT ON A HAMMOCK OR SOMETHING." I don't understand people. There is much irony in the fact that I am working in a mall at a big, corporate store. I'm telling you, hemp making and grass knitting is an industry that I should be a part of. (Or invent. Does grass knitting exist? It should. Eco is very chic and I reckon it would do well this season.)

Oh, and remember when I was in high school and applying to programs and making portfolios and things? Yeah? Probably not, because I never really posted much from my art portfolio, so maybe I'll get on that. IN THE MEAN TIME, here's a relevant image? One dem portfolio applications called for a "fashion illustration of a favourite handbag." (Looks familiar? Scroll above! Har-har, NOW do you see the whole "relevant image" thing?) Quite frankly, I thought drawing an inanimate object was a pretty dry/ dull task, so I thought I'd give it a dose of fun and humour. But then I was all, "zomg thatz so nawt fashiony enuff but I dunt have time to change it! freakoutzzz!" Somehow I ended up with a 100% on the illustration portion of the portfolio, so I will have a belated celebration (i.e. right now) by watching Ugly Betty in a sleeping bag while outside. Maximization of joy and comfort and laziness. I AM EFFICIENT, KIDS.

(Illustration by me, water colour and pen & ink)

I've been having oodles of fun here so, like, yay me and what not. I took advantage (I took advantage? That's such a "grown up" phrase) of the beautiful weather and ventured off to Toronto Island on Thursday which was the BEST DECISION. If you're in Toronto, I suggest you channel your inner hippie and go to the other side. It's beautiful. I felt like I was trapped on a dessert island and I reckoned that I would do quite well surviving on sunsets and stars and beautiful scenery. Now, I'm heading home to see the family and eat food and enjoy Thanksgiving. Which brings me onto the whole HAPPY THANKSGIVING, CANADIAN READERS thing. Yippeee! To everyone else, I hope you're having beautiful weather or, at least, a beautiful day!

xoxoxo I am now off to grab my sleeping bag and go outside and watch Ugly Betty and maybe eat a grapefruit. I'm being completely serious. THANKFULLY. (What a let down it'd be if I wasn't...)
What's your favourite way to spend a day?

(Shirt - Value Village $3, Dress - Vintage $5, Tights - Unknown, Shoes - Salvation Army $7, Pins - Nepal, Bag - Random gift from my childhood that I salvaged from a garbage bag of donations, Hair elastic - Dollar Store $0.25)

it's getting chilly

2011-10-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

A sleeping bag is currently suffocating my entire body. It is wonderful. The weather is getting chilly. Scratch that. Freezing. It's not idealistic for a child who's living out of a suitcase at her grandmother's house*, but it does make for a good excuse to spend a chilly Sunday night lounging around in sweats and eating muffins and not exiting the room and knitting and finally updating the blog and rediscovering the wonder of Ms. Betty Suarez of Ugly Betty. Yes, THIS IS THE LIFE. (I'm not even being sarcastic. I am a crazy soul, I tell you.)

*Oh, and speaking of being a "child who's living out of a suitcase at her grandmother's house" (really, Lexy? did you just quote yourself?), there's irony in that statement. As in, even though I am lacking in attire HERE at my grandma's house, my closet, back at home, is lacking in attire EVEN MORE. Shbam! Cool story, bro! The point to this fascinating story is this: lack of clothing results in creative dressing. I was home a week or so ago and the lack of attire at home resulted in my scrummaging to make an outfit out of shenanigans that normally inhabit the bottom of the black hole of my closet. So yeah, if you haven't seen any of the items I'm wearing in awhile/ in your entire lifetime, then that is why. Mystery closed. I'm, like, Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew or Scooby Doo or Detective Lexy or something.

The detailing of this top is simply MARVELOUS. I was hesitant to purchase it because of its colour - OR LACK OF. Har, har. But the scale-like texture was far too enticing and enough to make me swoon and overlook its colourless tendencies. Thus, cha-ching. (This was, like, four months ago. Refer to the whole "clothing inhabited in the black whole of the closet thing.") (I see. Quoting yourself again, Lexy? You really must stop doing that. It's lame.) Oh, and in case you're like the 2 old ladies that asked me about it (on separate occasions!), I DON'T know how I am going to wash it. I JUST DON'T KNOW. CAN I PLEASE JUST LET IT BE STINKY AND LET NATURE TAKE ITS SENSUOUS STENCHY COURSE?! Mmmmhmm. OKAY.

By the way, you know how I'm really fierce and stuff? Yeah, I'm really fierce and stuff... I mean... DUH.

I've recently been pondering about really deep, emotional, and political subjects. An exemplar of one of these subjects - probably near the top of the list with respect to gravity and intensity - would be MY AWKWARDNESS. Academic terms associated would include things like "evaluating my weakness" or "seeking room for improvement." I, however, prefer something along the lines of, "LEXY GET YO ACT 2GOTHER GURL." I've discovered that I'm not awkward... really. I mean... like, um... I'm eating candy right now! (Kidding. I'm trying to be, like, ironic by exaggerating my alleged awkwardness. And thus proving I'm really, in fact, not awkward. Because attempting to be funny and ironic is so, like, nawwwt awkward. Right... I don't even know where I'm trying to go with this reverse-psychology mumbo-jumbo and what my point even is and whether I've concluded whether I'm really awkward or not awkward.)

But really. Socially, there are certain aspects of my personality that I'd like to, you know, tweak. For instance: I am terribly shy in large crowds, I am not the best for standing up for what I believe, I fear what other people will think of me, I don't want to sound silly in front of the wrong people... I've never thought of myself as insecure... but maybe I'm insecure? I'm sure these can all be attributed to "growing up" and will, hopefully, disappear in a cloud of purple dust one day! But until then... I'll just continue to eat my candy and eavesdrop on conversations and things and attributing it all to "awkwardness."

(Blazer - Value Village $3.50, Shirt - Thrifted/ Vintage $5, Pants - Value Village $4, Shoes - Vintage $35, Headband - Ophelie Hats, Bangles - gifted)

Sorry for this mumbo-jumbo of a post. But... better a mumbo-jumbo than nothing at all? Sure. Have a beautiful week darlinz! xxx

What are some things that you'd like to change/ improve on yourself?

is it bad that i hate showering? (ahem, don't worry, i shower. i just, you know, hate it.))

2011-09-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

Hello bluebirds and sunshine teapots! Oh, look at me! I'm being so jolly and dandy! And oh! I wonder why this is! Am I in looooove? NO. Am I prancing outdoors? NO. Gosh, I guess it's merely because it's a BEAUTIFUL DAY TODAY. Yippee! The weather has been utterly glorious and I feeling like being in love and prancing outdoors and calling human beings "bluebirds" and "sunshine teapots" but, you know, I am doing none of that. Instead, I get the fantastical privileged of being indoors, all day, getting my werrrk' on. In the mall. All day. Hooray? Whatever, the weather is pretty and I'll just act all cheery and obnoxious and yeahhh because nobody likes a gloomy cloud to pounce on their sunny parade.

In other news, adventuring and exploring Toronto is working out nicely. I have discovered that my fan-base lie in are-they-homeless-esque-old-bearded-men. Seriously. In the past month, I have had half-a-dozen conversations with this demographic. It's okay. Despite the initial doubt and subtle inching away, they turn out to be interesting and harmless creatures. (You know, until the end, when they give me their number with the prospect of showing me the "good bars around town" or kiss my hand when I am saying goodbye but, you know, pffft.)

I've also attended my first POETRY SLAM because I am so ~poetic~ and ~artsy~ and yeah, just wanted to check it out. It ended up being lots of fun; the atmosphere and vibe is very honest and passionate and beautiful and connected and all that good stuff. Therefore, I'm totally sold. While I wish I could become all ~wow, I am a poet and I didn't even know it~, the reality is, you know, ~I'm not a poet and I did even know it~. I really admire all the poets out there. SLAM. (See what I did there? That added ambiance is a play on SLAM Poetry? Damn, maybe I do have a talented way with words! Check itttt!) I've also made this, ahem ~profound~ connection that some people use poetry and words to express themselves while I use clothing to express myself. Look at us! We're all just human beings trying to find ways to be honest and expressive and connected and things.

Oh, by the way, we interrupt this program briefly to introduce you to the BEST SHOES EVER. They make my feet happy. I've taken to wearing them to all the grand events I'm so often invited to (read: dance parties... with myself... alone... in front of my... mirror. JEALOUS?!).

In other not-as-grand news, lately, I've been feeling a little uncomfortable and guilty for loving fashion. Sometimes, it feels as though I am living in a perpetual paradox where loving fashion and aspiring to be part of the industry and dreaming fashion dreams converge with hating fashion and recognizing its frivolity and insignificance and questioning how involved I should really be with it. It's hard to articulate because, obviously, I love it. I have aspired to be apart of the creative/ fashion industry since I was a wee little one. It makes me cry, it makes my heart pound, it makes me dream. On the other hand, it makes me want to hurt things. We attach words like "art" to it and strive to search for meaning in it and put it on a high pedestal but... is it really all that?

I guess I find myself very uncomfortable when people ask me what I want to do. I feel like I'm searching for justification for my passion. I feel like there are other things I could lend my heart and time and talent to. Who knows what the future holds? I guess I just want to die knowing I made the world a better place than it was before I left it. I know that creating things makes the world lighter and more beautiful and full of dreams... but I can't help thinking about the kids around the world that would give anything for a basic education and basic health and the basic needs we fucking take for granted. Maybe I should lend my heart and time to that instead. Until they have the opportunity to dream and create and enjoy the lighter side of life to. My heart seems to stretch out a lot... #confusedteenager

Do you ever feel guilty for loving fashion? How do you deal with those feelings? (I know it's not good to assume but, yeah, I am totally assuming you kids are all fashion lovahhhz az diz is a fashion blawggg, ya dig?)

(Shirt - Value Village $3, Shorts - Vintage/ Iceland, Socks - H&M $2, Shoes - Consignment Shop $12, Lipstick - Revlon 038)

xoxoox, have a beautiful week, darlings.

rainbow fish

2011-09-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Just so you know, my parents are pretty kewl. (Yes, cool with a k. And an e. And a w. DATZ RIGHT HOMESLICE.) I mean, my dad spends all his free time doing math puzzles, watching mandarin movies, and/ or attempting to play basketball with university kids approximately a quarter of his age. My mom, on the other hand, enjoys fascinating subjects like childhood obesity statistics, adult ballet classes, and being incredibly anal about tidiness. IF THAT DOESN'T SAY "KEWL," THAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES.

However, perhaps THE kewlest thing about my parentals lie in their birthdays. I.e. THEIR BIRTHDAYS ARE ONE DAY APART! BAM! I know what you're thinking: ZOMG Wayyy kewl. I know. Please, calm down. STOP JUMPING UP AND DOWN AND FREAKING OUT!!! Don't worry, kid. I understand. Not only does that make them the kewlest parental crew, but it's also, well, beneficiary for me. I mean, what's a better pick-up line/ ice-breaker than, "Heyyyy youuu, so, uh, my parents' birthdays are one day apart. (optional winking involved)"?! Yeah. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT! WAY KEWL! Oh, and also the fact that I can give them a combined birthday present doesn't hurt much either. You know. Side note.

Speaking of their present... oh, what do you know? Here it is!

(watercolour & pencil; by me)

I'm not great at rocking portraits and, consequently, I enjoy blasting to the past instead. But you know. Facing fears and things. My parents are the best. Really, I love my family so much and I would be no where without them. Xoxooxox.

Also, on the note of facing fears and things, I have faced my fear... and things... as in BAM! Video! As you may be aware, I suck at making videos. It's okay. I'm not emotionally unstable or wildly insecure about said predicament. It is merely a fact of life. You know, classified with the likes of E=mc2, Lexy sucks at videos, etc. In conclusion, yeah. Hi. Here's a video of me being awkward and, as I note in the video (multiple times), I have just completed an 8.5 hour shift of work and returned home around midnight. While I could have cacooned myself into my sleeping bag and called it a night (as my heartstrings were telling me), I SUCKED it UP and made a video because I CARE about YOU. I'm basically a saint. You're welcome.

i'm wearing clothes and you get to see it! from quirky explosion on Vimeo.

Yeah. Sorry this post was a mish-mash of randomness. I promise that future outfit posts will involve two-dimensional images that do not talk and make awkward blabbing. Yay. We all breathe a sigh of relief.

Have a beautiful day, sugar plumz!
Describe your fam-jam (family) to me! Your current one. And the future one your brain cells envision.

i just want to watch modern family

2011-09-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Good news: Woke up really early (read: 9:30 am. it's relative, folks.) with the intention to walk around and look at people and attempt to be social and do things.

Bad news: It is now almost 1:00 pm and the only time I've left the room is to pee and eat raisin bran.

This is a problem. The good news that comes out of this bad news is that I'm finally posting! I'm informing you all of my life! You get a dose of my sparkling goodness! In short, yeah. Hiiii guys.

I wore this outfit sometime in the past history of my life. I remember a customer came up to me and said something along the lines of, "I love your look! So colourful! You should have, like, a photo shoot and take pictures of, like, your outfits. It'd be so cool!" I was all *awkward giggles* "Hahah, yeah, like, maybe lolzlialdkadaldsajd" *iamsoawkward*. When, really, I was mentally thinking: D00D IF ONLY YOU KNEW HOW MANY PICTURES I HAVE OF MYSELF STORED ON MY COMPUTER'S MEMORY LIKE THE GOOD NARCISSIST I AM DOT DOT DOT... Yeah. 'Twas a perfect exemplar of a real life blog plug-in/ self promotion. Like, "Oh? You want to see this as a picture? You like my style? You like pictures? You like ME? (awww!) If so, then check out QUIRKY EXPLOSION." But I thought it would all just get too awkward, so this infomercial-esque plug-in will merely be a blimp of my imagination. An idea that will never be real-ified. A mere dream in Lexyland. How sad. The end.

But really. I always feel so happy when someone's complimentary and smiley in real life. Albeit my awkward acknowledgement ("Oh, ahhahaha, yeah. Um. I really like colours! Yeah. Rainbows are fun! Hahahah. Yeah! Yeah..."), it makes me happy when people are happy when they see me all obnoxiously bright and damaging to ones' eye sockets. If I can make someone smile, then it makes me happy too. In conclusion, HAPPINESS IS A CIRCLE OF LIFE AND CAN WE ALL JUST SMILE AND MAKE IT GO ROUND AND ROUND AND SPREAD THE JOY AND YEAH.

I also get a lot of, "I could never pull that off" comments. I really don't understand those. I mean... I just put on clothes. There's no magic or formula or rocket science behind it. I just wear things so I'm not, you know, naked. We all do. I don't believe that style has a shape or a size or a gender or a trend... It's not calculated. It's not hard. Just rock clothes that make you happy, regardless of whether you see it in fashion magazines or if you think you "can't pull it off." YOU CAN. My usual response to this comment is an "If you can dream it, you can do it!" We (the complimenter and myself) both share a (fake) laugh at my lameness. Little do they know that I'm actually being serious... In short, just smile and have fun and be confident and spread love and joy and wear whatever you want! Smiley face!

Anyways. That was my *preach.* I'm now going to proceed to leave my room to pee and maybe eat some cheesecake and then perhaps I'll shower/ read/ draw and continue to spend my day as a hermit in this house. Because we all need in-house hermit days that are filled with too much Internet and anti-social hobbies and the likes? Right? RIGHT? Right! (That series of inquisitions were all directed at myself to make me feel better. I'm encouraging and supportive like that.)

xoxoxo. Have a beautiful day, bluebirds.
What kind of styles are you drawn to?

P.S. Just as an irrelevant side note that I feel is completely unnecessary to this post, but I will include anyways... Have you guys ever observe old people answer the phone? Maybe it's just my azn (asian) grandma, but it's hilarious. I know it's a product-seller (what are their names?!) that is calling when I hear the usual "WHAT? HELLO? ... NO! DON'T NEED IT!!!! *phone slam*" Check out those rebellious genes I originate from! You're all so lucky that I'm as polite and charming and lovely and classy as I am...

(Blazer - Value Village $7, Shirt - Value Village $3, Pants - Consignment Shop, Socks - Dollarama $0.50, Shoes - Salvation Army $7, Bangles - H&M, Ring - TheEx $5, Broaches and Hat that I wear way too freaking much - Nepal, Lipstick - Revlon 038)

that ain't no etch and sketch. this is one doodle that can't be un-did, homeskillet

2011-09-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hello friends. Remember me? Yeah? Hi? My name is Lexy and I run this little thing called a "blog" on this little nook of the world wide web. Now, now. I know it's been awhile, but I have a perfectly adequate excuse: I've been too busy PARTYING IT HARD OVER HERE. Like, you know, really hard. With, like, illegal substances. And nudity. And stuff. I am actually really hungover right now, so if I'm not making sense then, you know, ha! there.

Just kidding. That was a joke. Oh, well, gosh. It looks like I am using humor to mask the reality of my life (like a band-aid, if you will). The reality lies in the simple equation of Lexy + Toronto = No sibling = No pictures = No outfit posts = No posts = Lexy pretends she's off partaying in the clubs with dem cool kids because she's cool like that. Really, it's basic math.

I've become alarmingly aware of how my cuh-razy partaying antics (read: none) is seemingly strange and unique and perhaps even un-normal. Because Hi, I'm Lexy. I'm 17 years old. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. Apparently this is weird. I've never tried it. Well, just a bit of Crystal Meth and -- no, I'm totally kidding! But I've never been drunk or high or pregant or whatever. Sometimes I wonder whether I should subscribe to these things, or at least give them a try. Because, you know, everyone else is doing it! It's fun! It's normal! It's no big deal! Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out. But then it's like, d000d, I'm just a kid still!11!11 I can have fun other wayz !11!! I just want to make art and follow the law and not grow up too fast!11! But it feels like there's no one here to enjoy life in this simple manner with me!!! Aw, boooo!1!! :(!!! In short, I guess I'll just spend my teenage years s0b3r and al0n3 f0r3v3rz. AM I ALONE IN THIS PLEA? Please tell me I'm not. PLEASEEE.

Ahem, now that I've shared that desperate cry for... sobriety (?), here are some more things I'd like to share. (Ah, smooth transition. Good work, Lexinator.) (I just called myself "Lexinator." This is embarrassing.) I've literally had the idea of doing a "drawing a day" for about the past 365 days of my existence. Alas, both my senior year and summer have passed. HOWEVER, September 2011 is still calling my name! Woot woot! Thus, I am determined to doing a drawing each day for this dainty month. Here is a handful of them goodies.

(Doodles by me, Pen&Ink)

Yeah. So there's a dose of my recent doodlin'. Yippee! I've been really into drawing conventionally "ugly" things in beautiful situations. I don't know. It's fun, I guess. And for the 0.03% of you (read: my one formspring question) that cares, I WILL be posting more. (so I say.) I went home yesterday and lugged home the clothing items and accessories that I've recently worn for the sole purpose of the presence of my sister and thus the ability to photograph them so I can post them on the blog and entertain/ blind you all DON'T SAY I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU. xoxox. In other words, yeah. Outfit posts will occur soon. AW YAY.

Stay safe, stay in school, have a beautiful day!

Do you party hard-y or are you mellow... like a cello? (#becauseitrhymes #iamsolame #sorrybrah)

this is currently my most favourite thing in the world wide web

2011-09-10T19:25:00.001-07:00

Resurrecting the Kessler - Lacey Roop

I've watched this an abnormal amount of times. It is perfection. I could say more but, really, I think the video says it all. Sosososobeautiful.

(Oh yeah. Real post with actual content and pictures and words and excuses and monsters will occur tomorrow. I pinky promise.)

the sun will come out tomorrow

2011-08-29T22:36:00.001-07:00

I would apologize for not posting in over a week but that's, like, sooo mainstream. Rather, I'll enlighten you all on the minute details of my life. I.e. I AM EMPLOYED. I have now enter the realms of adulthood. DUN DUN DUNNNN. I have acquired a job at Forever 21. I received the job on the spot, so I'd like to extend a ginormous 'thank you' to my obnoxious, ahem, unique style and inability to stop smiling/ talking in nerve-racking situations. You "quirks" have done me well. Awww cute.

My job is treating me well, aside from the fact that the hours are goofy and the mall hurts my head. Aside from that, all is well. Toronto is treating me well, as well. (How many times have I utilized the word well?! Jeez.) I find these folks far more responsive to my style, which is snazzy. (Although I have garnered the occasional, "Is that seeeeriously what you wear on a regular basis?" - new coworker.) The weather has been beautiful. It's fantastic how that works, hey? Beautiful days? Spent inside in the mall? Yeah. Oh well, shmo well.

Toronto is turning out to be a fun place. It's nice venturing out on my own. There are, of course, some things I hate about it (how rushed/ disconnected people seem, the number of smokers, et cetera). There are also, of course, some utterly wonderful things about it (I've had multiple conversations with wonderful strangers). The point is: Big city > Small town any day, mwahahah TAKE THAT HOMETOWN. (more city observations are for another post. granted.)

Starting out a job is weird. It feels like I'm the new kid in school. A lot of this whole experience is, in fact, reminiscent of being in school (minus the boring classes/ and I'm making money, chaachhhinnng!). I'm not sure what to think of this, but I'm enjoying the people, so it's good...

Anyways. I'm working in a few hours. (Until 10:30. Pm. At least. #messedupmallhours). In the meantime, I'm going to try to find a park and read for a little and maybe find a bubble tea store and perhaps I'll chat with a stranger. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES IN A CITY!!!! Ah, tehe.

I hope you all have a smashing day!

What was your first job? What is your current job? Tell me your job history!
(If, of course, you are part of the WORK FORCE. Sorry. That word gives me a kick. It feels very military-esque.)

calling all TORONTONIANS!

2011-08-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Hello fanciful creatures of the internet!

I hope you're all being marvelous and chipper and what not. I'm super chipper. Why? Because it's thundering outside and I just LOVE IT. It ruined a bit of today's plans, but now I'm just curled up on the computer and knitting indoors (seriously. I am an old lady. All I need is 24 cats and I'm set.), so I'm feeling dapper. Just so you know.

Anyways, I was inspired to post these pictures because they were taken on a rainy day and today is a rainy day! EEK CHECK OUT THAT CRAZY COINCIDENCE! SO COOL! Not really. But I really love these pictures and have been kind of hoarding on them. I don't even know if that sentence makes sense, but yeah. I hope you enjoy their presence, as well!

Now, I'm not usually directly inspired or influenced by people or pictures when I'm getting ready. It's generally based on whim of my mood/ the weather/ life. But bam! Fay Leshner proved me wrong. One of her quotes that really resonated with me went along the lines of, "People say I don't wear black and white. No. I make black and white look like colour." When I heard that, I was like DANNNG GURL. Such an interesting concept! But then I was like I WANT TO TRY IT. So I did. Ever thought you'd see Lexy in (almost) head-to-toe-black-and-white? Me neither.

Now, these photos were taken awhile ago. (CUHLEARLY. Inside joke between myself and those inhabited in Southern Ontario. What would happen if I wore this outfit out these days? I WOULD MELT ITS SEW HAWT I WANT FALL!!!! lolzkatz. but really.) But I do remember the day I wore it. I went to Ikea with the mum and the sibling. As I got out of the car, I noticed my sister was walking away from me. I walked towards her. She walked faster. I walked faster. She walked faster. "Are you embarrassed by my outfit?" I inquired. "Not gonna lie," she replied, turning around ever so slightly, "Yes." I thought it was hilarious and made it my goal to smother her with a loving hug. It was a really beautiful moment of pure sisterly love.

(In my sister's defense, I really don't blame her. I'm kind of vibing the likes of optical illusion. or monochromatic throw-up...)

By the way... Do you read my blog? Do you live in Toronto? If so, give me a SHOUT! Sorry. I was channeling "The Infomercial" in my writing style. But I decided to stop. Because it's lame. And kind of creepy. The point is, Hi friends! I've kind of spontaneously decided to stop by Toronto for the week! Yeah! I'm living with my grandparents and job hunting for the week. I'm a little nervous, but also excited. I would love to meet any one of you! (PLEASE I AM BEGGING I NEED FRIENDS YOUNGER THAN SEVENTY YEARS OLD) If you inhabit in Tdot or nearby, please send me an email - lexyht[at]hotmail[dot]com. I'd love meet up! I am friendly and easy going and... wow. I sound like I'm on a dating website. I think I should stop now.*

*I am not this creepy in real life. I assure you. Despite the fact that I am wearing creepers. (HAHAH. Sorry. I thought that was witty and maybe even laughed out loud at my seeming wittiness. Just maybe.) Also, ignore my creepy pose below. It's not there. Your eyes are playing tricks.

(Full body suit - Value Village/ Thrifted $7, Shirt - Value Village/ Thrifted $3, Tights - H&M $5, Socks - H&M $2, Shoes - Value Village/ Thrifted $7, Balloon Bib - Homemade, Gloves - Europe/ Gifted)

Have a smashing week!
What inspires your outfits?

it's fun to bike in the rain.

2011-08-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

Coming home from vacations? Yeah, it's no fun. You re-enter your mundane life. Your mundane life that is filled with rooms left messier than you remembered leaving them (so disappointing), and days left boring-er than you recalled (ughhh), and cell phones left… somewhere that you can't seem to locate (shh, don't tell my mom!) (seriously. my face will be damaged if she discovers this information…). By the way, the "you" in this case is, in fact, referring to ME. As in, I am home from vacation and oh PHOOEY, I don't like it!

However, one thing that DID make my coming-home blues all the less blue was knowing that a marvelous package would be awaiting my arrival… and it WAS. Both awaiting my arrival AND marvelous! Misikko contacted me a few weeks ago wondering if I'd like to maybe test out and review their flat iron. I hummed and I hawed. I weighed the pros and the cons. Kidding. I didn't really do any of that. As soon as I received the email, my fist pumped to the air: "YESSS" I shrieked, "I'VE MADE IT AS A BLOGGER." (Hi, I'm Lexy and I'm a total over-dramatic/ excitable dork.)

I opened the box. I heard the bells! Ding-dong! As in, LAKDJLASKJD AMAZING. It was like Christmas! But in August! HOW COOL IS THAT?! The box was filled with an array of amazing goodies. As in, hello I knew you were going to send me a straightener, but make-up and flowers and nail files? Oh my! Hint: Happy dancing was involved.

I must admit that my sibling and I are what you could call hair-straightener virgins. However, despite our lack of credentials, I will confidently say that BAM! this straightener is FABULOUS. Don't take my word for it? How about our before and after photos? From messy-bedhead-coupled-with-a-sweaty-day-spent-with-the-hair-pulled-up to va-vaaa-voom-sliiiick? Yeah. THAT'S RIGHT.

It's really quite glorious. The straightener glided down my sister's waffled hair. In went kinks then BAM! out went the kinks. Needless to say, the first word that was sputtered after this DIY magic show was "wow." I could do a play-by-play of the straightening event, but essentially consisted of variations of "wow" and "woah" and "zomgitworkzsowell!!!!!" In the midst of our childlike "we're so cool" excitement, we managed to sputter many 'pros' regarding this magical machine. And struggled with our 'cons.' In conclusion...

Pros:
- It works. Really, really well. I don't have much (read: any) experience with flat irons, but it flattened my hair. Fast. Really, really fast. This is kind of the whole point of a flat iron, so YAY.
- Heats up extremely quickly
- Different temperature settings is a snazzy touch
- Attractive

Cons:
- We couldn't figure out how to get it to curl. But we're not the most hair-saavy, so we're werkin' on it.
- Pricey

So there! You have it! This straightener is fabulous! So fabulous, in fact, that I had to indulge in some IWhipMyHairBackInForth meets Pantene Commercial-esque photos. C'mon. It's swooshy hair. I can't be held accountable for my dorkiness.

(Disney top - Thrifted $1, Skirt - Value Village/ Thrifted $7, Swooshy Hair - c/o Misikko)

Thank you Misikko for sending me their fabulous product! It is super snazzy. As my sister stated, "OMG I AM SO USING THIS! PLEASE! PLEASE! I think I'll straighten my hair the FIRST DAY of school. Yeah. Yeah I will!" Yep. That's right. This product is worthy of my sister's first day of grade 11. Obviously this speaks volumes to the gravity of our love of this straightener. (Really.) Make sure you check out Misikko and all they're products - irons! and dryers! and oils! oh my!

Have a swooshy day!
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

robots need love too

2011-08-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a shocking fact for you (sarcasm): I've never been a sports person. In fact, I can go as much as saying: I used to hate sports. Yes. Hate. When I was a kid, this hatred stemmed from the idea of "losing." Not me losing, per se. (I wasn't much of a sports kid.) But the other people, the other team. I would watch basketball on television with my dad and cry for the losing team. I felt so bad for them. All the hard work! All the hours! All the dreams! All the hope! For nothing?! I came up with the best solution: coaches and team members on both teams should always have a secret agreement to always just tie. Agree to ensure the scores were even. Agree to ensure that they played at the same pace. Then, nobody would lose! Everybody's a winner!!!! Duhhh! went the lightbulb in my seven-year-old brain.

Today, I wouldn't say that I hate sports. Like art, they are filled with passion and talent and dedication and dreams and all those things are very beautiful. But, still. I'm a total child. Why can't everyone be a winner? Why are we so caught up in winning and losing, anyways?

The video and song below propelled this memory. It's magnificent (and by a Canadian musician! boo yeah, Canadian pride!). I couldn't believe it but, at the end of the song, I had tears in my eyes. Really. I'm a total dweeb.

I don't know why we always fight with hate. Love is so much more beautiful, so much more powerful. Live and love.

I hope you all have a beautiful day.

the thunder was insanity last night

2011-08-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

KABOOM!

What? Why am I starting this post with a KABOOM!? Why, my friends, I am now THUNDER. KABOOM! HEAR ME ROAR. Bahah. I kid you. I am not thunder. But I have experienced a fair share of thunder over hare (yeah, so it rhymes), so, surely, there's some similarity or... anyways... A few nights ago, the weather was absolutely horrendous - and I mean that in the best of ways. I've never heard thunder so loud. It was explosive. It was scary. GAH I LOVED IT. (I totally dork out at thunderstorms. They're my favouritezzz!!!! Yeah.) I also felt very lucky to be under a roof and in a bed and I was crossing my fingers that no one was trapped outside...

Aside from or including the storms (whichever way you roll), the weather has been really glorious. Right now, I'm outside getting my tan on. Just kidding. 1) I never say "getting my tan on." (I just don't think I can pull that phrase off.) 2) I'm so over tanning. SPF is where it's at. Unprotected sun-worshipping is cancerous and uncool, folks.

My sister informed me that I looked like a picnic blanket. Aw, don't you love sibling honesty?! Lalala. Yay.

(Before you proceed with the usual ramblings, I feel like it is necessary to note that 1) these photos were not taken in Alberta, but 2) I am currently in Alberta. Kapeesh? Kapeesh. Clarity is our friend.)

Typical pre-August dialogue that has, indeed, occurred typically:

Person: What are you doing next month?

Me: Um, well, I'm off to Alberta to see family.

Person: Hah, what's there to do in Alberta?

Me: Lots of fun stuff, like, um… JKZZZZ. There's nothing to do!

Note: I'm not saying this to be offensive to Alberta. I'm really not. In fact, I'll let you in on a lil' (not so) secret. When I was a wee little one, I had dreams of living here! (Well, particularly because my cousins were living here, but HAR, that's besides the point!). But really. In the town that I'm staying in, it's even smaller than my wee little town in Southern Ontario. Can I just say BAM! that's saying a lot? BAM! That's saying a lot.

But really, I do love it here and consider it a "home away from home." 78% of the family on my mum's side lives here, so it's this big, ginormous, loud azn (asian) family. WOOT WOOT. What I've been acutely aware of is how crazy these generational gaps are. We have my grandma who's seventy-something. And then my little cousin who's 2 years old. There's offspring of offspring. Families of families. I don't know. It's freaky to realize how all my parents and aunts and uncles were once me and my sister's and my cousins' age. It's freaky to realize that will, at one point (hopefully), probably quickly, become my parents' aunts' and uncles' current age. There's a weird sense of nostalgia, of realization. Time goes by really freaking fast...

(Shirt - Value Village $3, Skirt - Value Village $3, Belt - Thrifted $1, Shoes - Salvation Army $7, Broach - homemade by the Sibling, Bag - Gifted)

I hope you all have a glorious weekend with glorious weather with glorious colours and glorious people! xxx

What time are you looking forward to?

spending way too much time with the sibling brainstorming ideas for our future bubble tea franchise (if we're failing at life before we hit thirty)

2011-08-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Dearest children,

Hello there! I hope you are all glorious. I, myself, am quite glorious - thank you oodles for inquiring. I've had a solid past coupla' days filled with marvellous goodies (save for early morning screaming fits from small infants we call "family") (consequently, we still manage to love them, despite the fact that their vocal cords could blow up the roof). For instance, today I purchased the most pyschedlic shoes EVER. I'm so excited to flaunt them. Hint: If the 70s and Bratz had a shoe baby, my new shoe would be THAT shoe baby. AW YEAH. It sounds hideous, but trust me, well, yeah... it is. In the best way possible. (My brain likes to think.)

By the way, here are some collages that I snipped and pasted out a week or two ago. Backstory: the door to my room is embarassing. It consists of red-carpet images circa '04. Real high class, too. There's some Paris, some Lindsay, some *siiigh* I cringe. So, about 4.4 years later, I've decided that it's time to axe those bad boys and replace it with something a little more... enticing? Yeah. Solution? New collages with my favourite quotes! Can I get a "boo yeah"? Oh, no one says "boo yeah" anymore? Well, BOO YEAH.

1. "Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert the integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the common place, the slaves of the ordinary." - Cecil Beaton. P.S. I feel like it's important to say that BAM! I love this quote. I've quoted this quote multiple times on this good ole' "blog" thing. In fact, I even used this as the quote in my yearbook bio. Yup. YEARBOOK BIO. That's how much I am intensely in love with this quote.

2. "Most of us go through life as failures, because we are waiting for the “time to be right” to start doing something worthwhile. Do not wait. The time will never be “just right.” Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along." - Napoleon Hill. This one just really resonated with me because DANG! it's so true. I find that people are always so full of excuses as to why they didn't do something. It's sad, really.

3. "You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself." - Alan Alda. I'm always up for authenticity and intuition and following the heart and all that cheesy stuff with heartshape sirens and bubbles and what nattt. This makes me feel at least decent for being up in the clouds.

Anyways, I hope this post granted you with enjoyment. Sorry. That was really awkwardly worded. Nonetheless, what I really DO hope is that you're having an incredible day. I really do. I hope you're all waking up smiling. I hope you're all happy and fearless and filled with dreams. Kisses!

What are YOUR favourite quotes or motto?

(Who knows? It may end up snipped and pasted into a collage that is then snipped and pasted onto my door. WHO KNOWS.)

not a fan of the overpriced drinks, but free wifi is enough to make me stay!

2011-08-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

So... do you guys remember when I posted approximately a billion posts in one week? (This is a guesstimation, of course. But you get the principle.) (You say, "YES. Of course I remember!") Therefore, my previous diligence in blogging means that I can go almost a week without posting and YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING! Nah-nah-nah-boo-boo!

Ahem. Sorry. That was weird. Here is an outfit post from last week. I wore this to meet a designer. Dressing up was a bit of a challenge. I wanted to go with a more muted version of myself to echo the designer's designs... but it also had to be all, "SHBAM I'M STILL LEXY." Here is what I came up with.

LOOK AT MY CUTE HEADBAND...

... Yeah. You hoodlums know the drill... Do you like this headband? Do you want one for yourself? If so, check out my etsy! Woohoo. *Insert peppy cheers and pom poms and rah rahs and pyramids and the likes.*

Oh by the way, it really pains me to say this... but... well... I guess I'll just spit it out... There was an unfortunate incident involving Daisy (my dog) and, well, small children with sharp objects... Let's just say that we were lucky enough to salvage the non-bloody parts of her beautiful white mane and create a bag that will celebrate her doggy life forever... Her soul may not be with us, but her flesh and fur always will be. <3 (Note: AH I AM ONLY KIDDING OF COURSE. Knock on wood and cross fingers and all that jazz to ensure that this silly story never equates to reality. PLEASE.)

(Blazer - Thrifted $1, Shirt - Vintage $7, Skirt - Homemade, Shoes - Vintage $15, Tights - F21, Bag - Gifted, Ring - Thailand, Headband - Homemade)

I hope you're all having a glorious summer filled with summery things and the likes. I'm soaking up the last few weeks with, um, screaming babies and crazy cousins before reality sets in. DUN DUN DUN! (i.e. wahhh, I need a job!)

What would be your *dream* (but realistic) job?

"aside from your weird socks, your outfit is actually... nice" - my mom

2011-07-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

"All people dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind, wake in the morning to find it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they dream with open eyes, and make the come true."
- D.H. Lawrence

(Dress - Vintage/ Iceland, Shoes - Vintage $15, Purple Sock - H&M, Pink Sock - Dollarama, Hat - Nepal)

Dreams: exciting and scary.
Chasing dreams: even more exciting and even more scary.
dlakjsldj EEEK. The future is exciting but so scary what am I doing with my life I just want to eat celery just kidding celery is mediocre. (mini reeses pieces cups, on the other hand, are extraordinary.)
Really, I just want my dreams to come true. And that's scary. But exciting.

This is the shortest blog post in my entire existence.
What's the biggest risk you've ever taken?

P.S. I'm off to Alberta tomorrow! Small-town Alberta! Small-town country Alberta! Lots of fun? ahem, um, anyways... It's a family thing, so heck, IT IS LOTS OF FUN. Big Asian family and uncles and aunts and grandma and cousins and little cousins and ME OH MY. It will be good to be with the family and get my head out of the future for a little while. Aside from family shtuff, there's literally NOTHING to do there. So I'm quite confident that blogging schedule won't be far from normal. Hello Starbucks-and-over-priced-food-and-drinks-but-free-wi-fi. Hello.

^^Yeah. Sometimes I feel bad for what my sister and I put our dog through...

penelope pickerman and her marvelous mind

2011-07-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hello folks! I hope you're all having a marvelous day! Oh, well, gosh! Speaking of "marvelous," I have something to share with you. It involves the word "marvelous." It is entitled "Penelope Pickerman and her Marvelous Mind." (Check out that smooth transition? Yeah. coughfail.)

So yeah. I was scrummaging through old junk from this past year. It was kind of sad, actually. There were many moments of, "Aw. Well, I'm never going to have to do a Quadratic formula in my life ever again." and "Shucks, this is the last Shakespeare Essay I'll EVER get to write." Wait - who am I kidding? Sad? These discoveries left me ridiculously elated. MWAHAH SUCKERS I'M DONE HIGH SCHOOL.

Ahem, ANYWAYS. I came across this children's story I wrote for my Writer's Craft and I thought I'd share it. The project was supposed to be a 3000 word short story and a 10 minute screenplay, but I somehow convinced my teacher that a kid's book and some accompanying illustrations would be the equivalent. I am talented and manipulative like that. WATCH OUT WORLD. I definitely don't consider myself a writer, and definitely not a poet, but this was fun to write. I think it really represents my views nicely. It's fun to read aloud. Though you may encounter strange looks, so maybe not. It's kind of lengthy, so you can do the whole skip-through-nice-drawings-xx-comment-thing. I hope you enjoy! xxx

Penelope Pickerman and her Marvelous Mind
Children's story by, er, me

Penelope Pickerman has a marvelous mind,

Ask her how she is – she’s never just “fine”!

“I’m flying over rainbows, so I’m filled with elation!”

Everyone just sighs, “Penelope, please! Get out of your imagination!”

In Mr. Bland’s class, they learned about numbers and how to divide,

But Penelope got bored of remainders, so she took them for a ride.

With one as a surfboard and four as a wave,

She used her numerical powers to find the skeleton cave!

But Mr. Bland interrupted, “Penelope! Penelope! Now, where is your head?”

“Off to magical waters, saving YOU from the dead.”

Mr. Bland rolled his droopy, bland eyes and started to scold,

So Penelope turned off her thoughts, and did as she was told.

Her day didn’t get much better, as history and science brought droning words to her ears,

She’d much rather be meeting colorful dragons than analyzing past years!

But Mrs. Grey didn’t understand Penelope’s need for an adventurous sensation,

She simply cried, “Penelope, please! Get out of your imagination!”

At lunch Suzie was deciding whether she liked Kyle or Stew or maybe JP,

But Penelope couldn’t bear to be engrossed in such dull normalcy.

So she escaped to a land with castles, dinosaurs, and orange robots –

“Who do you think is cuter?” Suzie’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

Penelope was tired of leaving her magnificent adventures behind,

“I’m Penelope Pickerman,” she declared, “And I have a marvelous mind!
It’s meant to chase zippy gremlins in a far away place,

Not to analyze numbers or JP’s bony face!

I have places to be and stories to write!

While you discuss boys, I’m winning a fight!”

With a final puff, Penelope looked up from her proud proclamation,

Only to blank stares that cried, “Penelope, please! Get out of your imagination!”

And that’s how it was, day in and day out –

So Penelope stopped listening to things she could do without.

Who cared if she could recite the multiplication table?

She could create new worlds without 50 channels of cable!

While her peers tried to copy the stars on TV,

She was happy being herself – Penelope!

But then, one day it all came to a stop,

When a girl came in that made Penelope’s tummy drop.

It began like all other Monday afternoons,

The kids were reading books, Penelope writing tunes

When, all of a sudden – BAM! In comes a girl,

With a gap-toothed smile and a big, red curl.

She wore stripes with spots, and not one clip, but eight!

“I am Zooey van Eerten,” she declared, “And I am your new classmate!”

The kids all stared, mouths dropping in a trance

And, for some reason, Penelope couldn’t break her glance.

For Zooey was exotic, from England, a true Brit!

She was zany and kooky and full of wit.

She shared far away stories from her foreign home!

She lived in a castle with a pet dragon and gnome.

The kids were dumbfounded, they oohed and they ahhed

And Penelope couldn’t help but feel her interiors go mad!

Who was this girl and how dare she just enter?

Sharing all her petty stories like she was the center?

She’s no princess that lives in a castle –

She’s just a vivid, fibbing, little rascal!

Penelope puckered her lips and rolled her green eyes,

“Thank golly this interest will soon minimize!”

But to Penelope’s dismay, Zooey’s tales continued to be told

And everyone – even Mr Bland- loved to see these adventures unfold.

So begrudgingly, Penelope listened with her peers

Even though Zooey’s squeaky voice brought pain to her ears.

But as time passed, Penelope’s feelings subsided,

She just sat on the carpet, listening, all quiet.

All her zany antics soon… just… diminished!

She left her kooky creatures behind and her adventures unfinished.

Like the others, she would write in cursive and borrow and divide.

She raised her hand in class and actually tried!

She did as she was told, no questions asked.

Could it be that her marvelous mind was a blip of the past?

One day, Penelope was silently writing in her black binder,

When she suddenly sensed somebody behind her!

It was Zooey van Eerten who just had to declare:

“Black licorice is stupendous – just like your shiny hair.”

Penelope accidentally rolled her eyes not once, but twice.

She couldn’t take Zooey seriously, even in her attempts to be nice!

And then… BAM! Without warning, she couldn't suppress her feeling anymore!

“You’re a gibberty glopping fibber and I hate you! I hate you to your core!”

Zooey let out a gasp, and Penelope did too.

She was supposed to be proper, nice and not at all rude!

But Zooey’s zesty spirit didn’t seem to descend:

“Penelope Pickerman, it’s just that you’d make a magnificent friend.

I may be a bit kooky, but I’m not at all blind –

Beneath your “normalcy,” you, too, have a marvelous mind!”

Zooey looked up, her eyes exploding with hope,

But Penelope just shook her head in denial, “Nope, nope, nope!”

But Zooey persisted, insisting, “There are signs!
Like your rainbow socks or your squiggly lines!

You must dream of far lands where magic exists,

And life is scattered, not confined to lists.

I know you have it in you so, please, let’s be heard!”

But Penelope sat there in silence, not uttering a word.

Zooey continued, not ready to quit,

“They say I’m zany and kooky and full of wit.

And it’s true, I share my stories and my mind prevails.

But the thing is, well, I’ve never heard any marvelous tales!

Oh Penelope, Penelope, don’t you see?

There’s stories with you and stories with me!

But why keep them apart? Together, let them run!

For two marvelous minds are better than one!”

Zooey looked up, hoping for a reply,

But Penelope just let out an irritable sigh.

Finally, Zooey meekly concluded her passionate declaration:

“It’s just that all my life, I’ve been told to get out of my imagination.”

And with that, Zooey walked away, her shoulders drooping down;

Penelope didn’t move – she just sat there with a frown.

And then! All of a sudden! A smile erupted!

“Oh golly,” Penelope cried, “How my mind has been corrupted!”

For I’m Penelope Pickerman and I have a marvelous mind!

And it will have even more marvel with Zooey’s intertwined!”

And so a magnificent friendship rapidly emerged,

As their marvelous minds finally converged.

And from that day on, they cherished their wondrous creations,

Happily living in the world of their combined imaginations.

---

If you read all that, I salute you! Free unicorns for all of you! xxx

What do you think makes a person intriguing?

frolicking

2011-07-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

It wasn’t until I actually looked at these pictures when a marvelous realization came to mind. (“What?” you inquire.) The Sibling and I are both referencing the 70s! WOAH! CHECK OUT THAT GENE POOL OF SIMILARITIES! WHAT A COINKY DINK! (Coinky dink? Ahem. I promise you: I never say that in real life. Ever. I don’t know what’s gotten into me…) My sister’s sleeves just scream “70s,” while the print of my skirt is all “um, 70s disco partayyy, ANYONE?”

To be honest, the 70s isn’t a decade that I’ve given much thought. I fawn over the 60s… then I tend to fast-forward to the 80s. Nonetheless, there are some select memory packets that percolate when the decade comes to mind. For instance:
1. I totally had a 70s themed Bratz doll. Her name was Felicia (or something) and she had marvelous flippy hair. She came with flared jeans and a belly shirt. (In retrospect, those dolls are utterly horrendous. I'm a little embarrassed. For them, of course. Not the fact that I played with them up until seventh grade. NOPE NOT AT ALL.)
2. My sibling and I used to own a dandy Fisher Price tape machine. It was plastic. You could put a tape (aww, tapes!) in and record yourself. We would often team up with our childhood best friend to have some snazzy singing sessions. One of our favourite tunes was “Stayin’ Alive.” However, I must admit that, at the time, I didn’t realize we were singing “Ooh, ooh, oooh, ooh, stayin’ alive.” I was fully singing, “Oooh, ooh, ooh, oooh, stain glass.” Awk-ward.

Once upon a time, Mimi bought this dress. Once upon a time, I was shocked. We both decided that this dress is completely out of her character. And that it desperately calls for some grass-woven headbands and dream catcher necklaces and maybe even a ukulele. Nonetheless, it’s cute.

When I was eating breakfast, my mom excitedly informed me, “The weather is cool outside!” I felt like a child on Christmas: I was prancing and dancing and praising Hallelujah! Seriously. (If you lived in my region then YOU’D KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT.) The weather here has been so humid; I take my animal for a pee, and come in looking like my dad when he drinks soup on a hot day (disgustingly and oddly sweaty). Pretty picture in your head? No. Now you understand my excitement at “weather” and “cool” in the same sentence. Unfortunately, that wasn’t QUITE the case, as my sweaty legs and body informed me. Ahem. Anyways, moral of the story is, “The weather is cool outside” should really be “the weather is cool outside relative to what it was earlier” i.e. you can tolerate outside only if you’re in the nude. In conclusion, Southern Ontarian weather ain't good times.

#selfiesrock #thisweathersucks #wewillsuckitupforthesakeofbeingtotalcamwhores #WERENOTTWINS2every1asking

(On Me (Lexy): Shirt - Value Village/ Thrifted $3, Flashdance-esque Skirt - Homemade, Tights - Pacific Mall $5, Shoes - Salvation Army/ Thrifted $7, Belts - Thrifted $1 each, Bangles - H&M, Ring - Value Village, Balloon Bib - Homemade)
(On Mimi (younger sibling!): Dress - Topshop, Shoes - Iceland, Bag - Vintage Dooney&Bourke)

I love how distinct the fashions of past decades were. I adore pouring through coffee books and fawning over the goodies of the generations before me. I miss the days when people used to just dress up for the sake and fun of dressing up. I’m not dissing today's fashions, by any means. Today, there’s undoubtedly a huge amount of freedom and availability and equality that makes dressing up today oodles of fun, too. Maybe even more fun because we don’t have as many societal restrictions. Yet, the majority of people I encounter seem to be all drab and blah. That's okay, too, of course. Whatever rock your boat. But still, it makes me wonder what the streets would be like in the old days...

In conclusion, I’ve decided that my future boyfriend will wear bowties and suspenders. On a daily basis. Willingly. Because he’ll just be swell like that.

What do you think of them fashions of today?

the land of ice

2011-07-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

I'm BAAAACKKK. Did you sugar plums miss me? Were you bawling over your computer, highly anticipating this post? Tears trinkling down your face as you sob, "Leexyyyyy, whereeee arttt thouuuu"?

No, you say. No? NO?! NOOOO?! *Dramatic cries. Thunderous screaming. Maybe some hyperventilation for good measure. Like a storm. Then I calm down. Like the calm... after the storm? (Okay, I know it's all about the "calm before the storm." But I think the "calm after the storm" is equally sufficient and realistic and anyways, that's besides the point.)*

Oh, right. Silly me. You probably forgot I was gone. You probably didn't even realize. Why? Because I still posted! Because I planned it all out! Because I CARE! Don't you say that I don't take CARE of you! (That's my dad's favourite line. He utilizes it whenever he performs godly tasks for me. Most recently? He smuggled three chocolate chip cookies from his conference in a napkin and stuffed it in his pocket and gave 'em to me for the plane ride. He's a saint. I love him.)

Anyways. I thought I'd divulge a handful of the, um, 1200+ photos I took over the past week. Iceland was a really beautiful place. Different from what I expected. (No, I didn't picture it as, well, a land of ice. NO, NOT AT ALL, DON'T BE LUDICROUS.) (Okay, FINE. But my sister and I bonded over this likeliness in thinking. I AM NOT A WACKO. Or maybe, we both are. You know. Genes and things.) It was a really beautiful place - very vast. There's something like 3 people for every 1 square kilometer. There's something about the vastness and beauty and just... THEREness (?) of nature that just screams, "dude. you're just an insignificant human being on this gigantic planet." I don't mean that in a bitter way. In fact, quite the contrary. I almost like this feeling. Yes, it makes me feel small and worthless and hey-you'll-die-one-day-but-nature-will-still-be-there (or so I freaking hope. hear that people? love the earth!). But there's also something about this feeling of insignificance that ignites thoughts of, "DUDE. You are so insignificant! Your actions don't have a huge impact on the world! Therefore, DO WHAT YOU WANT." It's a little marvelous.

Right now, I'm kind of in a limbo of anticipation. I have no idea what the next year will bring. But I guess a lot of moments of this trip sparked thoughts of, "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE."

I swear, kids, my head is always up in the clouds.

Where do you see yourself one year from now?

----------

Oh, and here are some of the many, many, many pictures from Iceland. We got to go do a lot of fun and crazy and memorable and beautiful things. My mom books a lot of tours when we travel (i.e. every possible time slot). She is anal like that. I hope you enjoy. I was going to commentate these photos, but I realize that I'll probably start sharing stories about how I tried to smuggle pretty poisonous sea urchins home with a six-year-old girl or how I secretly attempted to send my horse off the path for a wilder ride... so I think I won't. If you have inquiries and things, send them this way. There were many marvelous "this is like a postcard" moments. xxx merry days and stuff.

Click here for more photos! Oooh...

If you scrolled through all that, yippee! Hope you enjoyed and the likes.

strawberry shortcake banana split

2011-07-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another edition of a scheduled post! These freak me out. I feel slightly godly, like I'm capable of controlling the future or something. SHABAM! KAPOW! RAVEN! My pulse is racing, my adrenaline pumping, I'm dancing in the air, I'm... getting excited about scheduled posts? Awkward, as we all conclude "well, Lexy is a major dork."

Swift transition to outfit post, shall we?

I love both of these prints dearly. It reminds me of childhood books and the likes, so it's fairly wonderful and dreamy and ooh la la-y. I love that feeling.

We're interrupting the scheduled program to WORSHIP THIS BAG BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING. My mom kindly gifted it to me when I stumbled upon it at an outdoor art show in Toronto. By "I stumbled upon," I mean to say, "I started jumping up and down and squealing LOOK AT THESE BAGS THEY'RE SO COOL. LOOK AT THEM! MOOOM! LOOK!" Same thing, basically.

Please look at my animal's face in the right picture. Her eyeball is about 3 millimeters away from popping at out of the socket and being shot like a cannon into space. It's hilarious. We have a great, loving, healthy relationship. Obviously.

This outfit actually reminds me of the sixties. This is dandy as, hey, I adore the sixties! If I could go back an era, I think I would rewind to the sixties. It feels as though there was an incredible energy and spirit at that time. The kind of energy that I feel like we’re incapable of having in the future as we’ve entered a technological era and, well, revolutionary acts don’t really happen unless it involves phrases related to technology.

For instance, the whole “Ipad replacing print” thing? That type of revolution? Freaked the bejeezus out of me. I’m such an old grandma when it comes to technology, cursing it with my quivering fake teeth and slamming my cane on the ground (not actually). I know this is ironic as I have a blog and am engrossed in technology and what not but, meh. It really freaks me out.

Take Facebook. I’m very intrigued with Facbeook. Not addicted (thankfully!), just intrigued. They say that it makes us “more connected.” Sure, it does. If I want to, I can see where my friends from elementary school are going to university. What my camp friend from six years ago is doing this summer. In that shallow, vague, creepy way, yes, I am connected. But I think that it’s also very dangerous. People are beginning to replace virtual connections – messages via “wall-to-wall” – with real life conversations. And quite frankly, they’re nowhere near on the same level. It freaks me out. I just want to sip tea and talk about the weather with friends. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR?

(Ohhhh, the irony! Do you kids want to like me on Facebook now?)

1. What era would YOU like to live in? 2. Thoughts on technology? Facebook? Connectivity? The future?

(Shirt - Vintage $7, Shorts - homemade, Shoes - Value Village $7, Hat - Nepal, Gloves - Vintage $2, Hairbows - Lens Mills, Amazing Bag - Guy Incognito, Dog - Some Farm)

witnessing awkward back hugs makes me giggle. and feel slightly awkward.

2011-07-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

Everybody knows that the first step in overcoming an addiction is admitting you have a problem.

Insert dramatic pause. Nervous shuffles. Maybe even some heavy breathing exercises.

Hello. My name is Lexy, and I am addicted to StyleLikeU. Phew. There. I said it. I’m addicted. I’m not sure when this addiction began. I can’t pinpoint the exact date, the exact moment. But all I can say is: this addiction was STRONG. Right from that moment – whatever “that” moment was – I was completely, totally, and utterly hooked. I watch videos daily. I go through pages and pages and pages. It’s dangerous. Time-consuming. I’m worried. I, Lexy, would like to overcome this addiction.

WAIT. Backtrack. WHAT? “I, Lexy, would like to overcome this addiction.” Dear Lexy, you are wack. This is a marvelous addiction for an even more marvelous site. For any fashion lovers out there, I invite you all to worship the brilliance of StyleLikeU with me. It’s a magnificent hub of videos that celebrates people who celebrate creativity and individuality and style and art and AH IT MAKES ME SO EXCITED.

Seriously. This site is so incredibly inspiring. Whenever I watch some of those videos, I have a moment where I channel my inner tribalness, as I call “I’ve found my people” and pound on my chest like Tarzan/ hyena.

There’s hundreds of videos (as an addict, gosh, I don’t even think I’ve seen them all. I’m getting there, don’t you fret!). But since I’m a good citizen and what not, I’m going to share some of my personal favourites. In no particular order, these are some of the goodies that I keep bookmarked and watch obsessively because I have a life like that. (Note: This is a scheduled post. Finger's crossed that the links work. If not, just click on the names and jazz.)

1. Fay Leshner. I think this was the first video that I stumbled upon. She is such a visionary. She makes me want to create and experiment oodles. It’s incredible.

Fay Leshner for Stylelikeu.com from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

2. Rachel Tratchenburg. This sounds creepy, but I feel like she’s like a soul sister. (Except for not really as I find that term rather bizarre.) I feel like we’d get along marvelously. And I’d steal her swell collection of colourful dresses, eeek.

Rachel Trachtenburg for Stylelikeu.com from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

3. Rinat Welsing. AH THIS GUY HAS AMAZING ENERGY. We are like the same person, only he is a boy and much cooler than me. I literally squealed at his voodoo doll keychain look alike - I do the same. We are the same.

Rinat Welsing from Stylelikeu.com from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

4. Natalie Gibson. There’s nothing more I want right now than to BECOME this woman when I am older. She is so dreamy. That sounds like I’m describing the chizzled male actor posters in teenie magazines. But I think that’s the word. Dreamy, whimsical… It’s amazing.

Natalie Gibson from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

So there you have it! I have a billion other favourite videos that I’ll undoubtedly indulge in soon and potentially post. Whenever I watch these videos, I instantly flash-forward my life to me stomping the streets in New York City in layers of fantastical clothing and indulging in creative goodies everyday with people who are doing the same. I get so much comfort from these videos, that it’s bordering ridicule. Bordering.

1. If you’re a StyleLikeU fan, who are YOUR favourite muses? Send links!
2. What’s your favourite website?

I've seen the first Harry Potter movie! That's the extent of my relationship with Harry. Guilty. What? You're unfollowing me?

2011-07-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

This was a fun outfit to wear. Fancy hair pieces and gloves make me feel like a fancy shmancy girl. Like, I should be sipping martinis and owning a Blackberry and gossiping on the set of Gossip Girl and swooshing my hair and partying with Paris and flashing my crotch and um, yeah. Of course, the fifty cents socks and orange skirt may detract from my inner socialite persona. But still. The principle's there.

I got this headband for Christmas. AH IT IS BRILLIANT. I love it so much! I desperately wanted to wear it to school one day, but I foresaw the "omg you look like a duck" references, followed by a page 7 for "detracting from the integrity of the school's uniform." So I used my judgement and things. Ohhh, back in high school. (I think I've said that... way too many times. It just doesn't get old!)

Biggest surprise of my life: my SIBLING made me this broach! It's awesome and so "me"! (Literally. It's my name. HAH.) She's also made me two other broaches! She's the best! She loves me so much! Just kidding. We both (the sibling and I) know that her creation of goodies for me is really code for "my mom thinks that the sibling has a newfound hobby and passion, though it's really just an excuse for her to hibernate in her room and watch Bones." She's even more of a homebody than I am. Whatever, I'm benefiting greatly from her addictive tendencies, so hollaaa! I support this motion!

The debut of the ORANGE puffy skirt. I really wanted someone to comment something like, "Wow. That skirt makes me happy." and then I could be all, "then ORANGE you glad you saw it?! BAHAHHA. GET IT?!" At last, I didn't even leave the house that day (except to go driving with my mom. I made her nauseous. #icantdrive). This is probably a good thing for the sake of my dignity and ego and things.

(Shirt - Thrifted $3, Skirt - Homemade, Socks - Dollarama $0.50, Shoes - Vintage $35, Headband - Ophelie Hats, Gloves - Vintage $2, Broach - Homemade via the Sibling)

Current musings. Skip over? Keep reading? Pop popcorn and enjoy the show?

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about CREATING yourself.”

When I first heard this quote, my life changed. I stopped in my tracks. Took a deep breath. Reevaluated my life. And then, like magic, BAM! Transformation.

Kidding. That was supposed to be an intriguing lure, in a “Wow, Lexy, you are such a fascinating creature and I want to know more about where you’re going with this” kind of way. Or make me seem like a lunatic. Either or. The reality is, well, not that exciting. Rewind. When I first heard this quote, I tuned it out. This was my guidance counselor's mantra for my graduating class. I.e. it was blown up on a poster in the hallway with groovy flowers blossoming in the background so you automatically label it as “lame.”

But I’ve recently been pondering it and, well, heck, it’s so true. Throughout my life as a teeniebopper, teachers and parents and romantic comedies and clichés and et cetera have shouted, loud and clear, the whole “be yourself” thing. Be yourself. Simple enough. Except for, you know, the minor fact of, oh, Hi, I’m a lost and moody teenager and, well, I don’t actually know myself very well, at all, so, um, how am I supposed to be myself when I don’t know who I am?!

Consequently, a viable solution isn’t about simply being yourself, but also looking ahead. Becoming yourself. Looking at the things that inspire you, that make you tick, that make you happy. Envisioning the person you want to be, the future that you want to have. And then BAM. Creating it! As a dreamer that spends a great deal of my time in my imaginative future, this concept strikes me as simply wonderful and feasible. After all, I’d like to think that life is more than soul-searching. It’s about evolution and growth. And always being a little dreamy so you can work towards those dreams and visions.

Obviously, I could go on and on about this quote. Weigh the pros and cons about creating oneself. Conduct a survey. Create an accompanying bar graph. Analyze results. Make a backboard. (Okay. I’m getting this confused with science fair.) But I think I’ll leave it for today. I think it just all goes back to the idea that we are in control of who are. We shouldn’t let seeming genes, or mental roadblocks, or society or whatever warp who we want to become. I’m sure we’ve all had instances of, “I would love to be that girl, but…” NO BUTS. We CAN be that girl.

That being said, No, I haven’t found myself, I haven’t created myself. I like to think I have a strong grasp of who I am and what I want. If I’m honest, I have no idea. Right now, I’m an extremely-giggly, overly-excited, socially-awkward seventeen year old mega-dreamer. Will I be the same when I’m thirty? Gosh, I hope not! I’m working on creating myself but the thing is, I’m not sure who I want to be. I have a lot to learn. I’m just going with the wave of my heart. Let’s see where this takes me?

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about CREATING yourself.” What kind of person would YOU like to be? What characteristics, attributes, lifestyle, etc? Please allow yourself to be a little dreamy…

P.S. So I'm off to, um, Iceland to day. You know, just a typical day trip and aldjlakjds SCREW IT! I'm going to Iceland! I'm so excited! Whenever people find this out, the response, 87% of the time, is along the lines of "WOW! I've ALWAYS wanted to go Iceland!" Iceland doesn't really strike me as travel cliche, so it leaves me giggling and tempted to call bluff. It's funny. I'm excited. I'll be gone for a week. Don't fret, I have posts sprinkled out for your enjoyment. It's funny how maintaining the blog is part of my pre-travel/ going away routine now...

Happy week, friends!

hearing hinder's "lips of an angel" makes me very nostalgic because it reminds me of awkward middle school slow dances, awww.

2011-07-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

I have an I-think-it's-funny-but-maybe-you-had-to-be-there story to go with this title. Once upon a time, Lips of an Angel was randomly playing. (Very random, now that I think of it. That song is ancient.)
Me: Aw, this song makes me super nostalgic... they used to always play it as the last slow song at Middle School dances!
Friend: It makes me sick.
Me: Why?
Friend: Because it's about incest.
*Awkward Pause*
Me: Um. No it's not.
Friend: Yeah. Have you heard the lyrics? "My sister's in the next room, sometimes I wish she were you."
Me: Um. No. It's "my girlfriend's in the next room."
*Awkward Pause*

Yeah. I take that back. You definitely had to be there. But now this song makes me giggle, because of this. Don't you love when songs remind me of something or somewhere or someone or sometime? It's fabulous. (By the way, this friend also thought that Arthur was a freaking mouse even though the entire universe knows that he's an AARDVARK... A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K. Just saying.)

Er. ANYWAYS. *insert smooth transition here to counteract the awkwardness of that unfunny story* ... I thought I'd share my newest sewing concoctions!

1. A skirt. Specifically, A NON PUFFY SKIRT. WHAT IS THIS? BRANCHING OUT? DIVERSITY? I'm such a risk-taker, gosh! Pleats are much more unforgiving than just shoving an elastic at the waist. Especially as I became obsessed with matching the swirly pattern on the pleats of the skirt, hereby making the whole situation significantly more complicated. And then the whole, "Hey! You might as well handsew it all so there's no seams!" Bad idea. Whatever. It's in the past. It worked out. I am joyous!

2. Yay! SHORTS. I was also tempted to make a puffy skirt out of this fabulous pattern. But mother dearest was all, "You make to many of those puffy skirts." I started to argue. But then... I really couldn't. A billion and two camel-toe problems later... ta-da!

My brain seems to think that I know how to draft patterns. It is sadly mistaken. I have no idea what I'm doing and I DESPERATELY want to know. What I'm doing, that is. The whole sewing process generally takes a lot more frustration and pulling-my-hair-out feelings than necessary. It would be really magical to be able to be all, "SHABAM MAKE THIS!" and then OOF. It just POPS.

Unfortunately, that's apparently unrealistic or something. Until I can convince my sister to be an inventor and create a genius solution as such (PFT AS IF SHE'S SMART ENOUGH) (jokes, sibz), I definitely want to master the art of sewing, so concoctions can be made without huge reliance on Mr. Stitchripper. They'll call me "Magic Sewing Hands That Doesn't Need A Stitchripper EVER." Or not.

Nonetheless, I'm super content that creative juices have flowed back into my bloodstream. I've been waking up all, "AH! I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO EVERYTHING!" which is, legitimately, one of my very favourite feelings to wake-up with! Seriously. It's bizarre. On days when I'm like, "Wow! I have nothing to do today!" It's more of an, "AGRH. I have NOTHING to do today." So this is good news. My bedroom floor - or lack thereof, harhar - is a testament of my creative gremlins. Or maybe just my inner pig. And this is just my bedroom floor.

Shabam! Goodies to come. Outfit post soonsies. Pinky promise!

What's something that you'd like to learn more about or maybe even master?

my dad is so in the know with modern celebrity culture. he totally referenced justin beaver. yes, beaver.

2011-07-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Speedy post here, snookums. Just thought I'd share some recent creations. I did these just for funzies. I'm calling this "The Red Balloon Series." Because that's not at all obvious and very creative and endearing. (hi, sarcasm.) Do you like them? Oh really, you do? Well, gosh, maybe you should PURCHASE THEM. Maybe. If you want. (See how classy and discreet I am, just casually mentioning how they are at a very reasonable price over at etsy? High quality prints? Very unique? I am annoying? Yes, yes, yes, yes!)

(Watercolour, pen&ink)

But I hope you like them. They were fun to create! I'm obsessing over this line/ shading style. I used it for my play posters and have been abusing them ever since. In a good way. I think.

These fellows all link up to their listing (i.e. just click and buy! simple pimple!) or you can check out the rest of my shop here.

Anyways. I thought I'd shoot you all another hypothetical question because I'm a dork and I get a real kick from your answers. (Oh sweet golly. I just said "I get a real kick." Remember when I said "I'm a dork"? Yeah.) By the way, these questions are stolen from "Klosterman Questions." To be honest, I don't know oodles about them. But I picked up one of his books at the library today, so I'll be giving it a whirl shortly. (Along with approximately 214lbs of other books that I picked up. My arm is no longer in its socket. I learned how to work the dewey decimal system. All by myself! Aw, I'm growing up! I was going to ask an attractive male to help me (because nothing's hotter than knowing the dewey!), but there weren't any attractive males present in my vicinity. Or any other people, really.) ANYWAYS. Question time!

You can listen to this beautiful song while pondering the question. I am caring like that.

In long... You have a brain tumor. Though there is no discomfort at the moment, this tumor would unquestionably kill you in six months. However, your life can (and will) be saved by an operation; the only downside is that there will be a brutal incision to your frontal lobe. After the surgery, you will be significantly less intelligent. You will still be a fully functioning adult, but you will be less logical, you will have a terrible memory, and you will have little ability to understand complex concepts or difficult ideas. The surgery is in two weeks. How do you spend the next fourteen days?

In short... You are having an operation for a brain tumor in two weeks. You will be a fully functioning adult, but significantly less intelligent (less logical, terrible memory, unable to understand complex concepts). How do you spend the next fourteen days?

Have a Thuper Thursday! (That's "Super." With a lisp. Because that creates alliteration. I'm really obsessing over childish alliteration. This is not a good thing. I'm very in tuned with the grade six Lexy. And that's just weird.)

(If you don't have etsy, but you are interested in buying these prints, please contact me: lexyht[at]hotmail[dot]com. We'll werkkk it out.)

buying chocolate covered raisins from bulk barn is rather satisfying

2011-07-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a special edition of "Lexy's Go-To Summer Outfit" featuring, well... Lexy's go-to summer outfit. (Is it just me, or did that sentence lack a zesty ring? Shh... Just... pretend there were corresponding tunes. And show girls. And jazz hands. (lots... lots of jazz hands.)) Basically, here's a variation of what I typically throw on in the summer. (Well, minus the blazer. The blazer is thrown on for the purpose of outfit interest (ah, I'm a fraud!). And to fight off the mosquitoes. There are many pesky little creatures in my region during the evening. The blazer shields my arms from their sucking of blood. Apparently it's magical like that.)

My outfits have been feeling uninspired lately. It's essentially a patterned skirt here, a patterned shirt with similar colours there, some accessories la la la... then BAM! KAPOW! EXPLOSION! Out pops a... mediocre outfit. I don't like to play the blame game, so I won't.

On a completely unrelated note, the weather has been extremely humid and energy-sucking. I am not blaming the weather for my outfits' mediocrity these days. This is just a completely random, irrelevant fun fact that I - completely randomly, of course - decided to share.

After two years, you'd think I'd be tired of this darn puffy skirt style. But let me tell you - YOU'RE THINKING WRONG. Mwahaha. (This evil laugh is code for "Yes, I've already made two more this summer. One features sea creatures. The other features oranges. Yes. Summer heat waves are melting my brain cells only a little bit. (A lot.)")

I just stalked my old post. It was funny. This is what I wrote: "I'm somewhat addicted to making these skirts... I've made six in the past month and I bought fabric for two more! Anyways, I figure I'll get so sick of making them, that I won't make anymore." - Lexy circa 2009. Oh, well. Gosh. That was awkward. Because, you know, I never got sick of making them. So much for my Raven tendencies. You failed me, Raven Baxter. You too, Lexy circa 2009. YOU DIDN'T EVER REALLY KNOW ME, DID YOU?! Failures.

Like I said, I'm OBSESSED with this little fellow. I attached him to my necklace. They make a pretty fly couple, me thinks. Full of swagger and things.

(Shirt - Salvation Army $3, Skirt - Homemade, Blazer - Value Village $4, Socks - H&M $2, Shoes - Salvation Army $7, Hairbow - unknown, Keychain - cne, Jewelry - Nepal)

Anyways. Not much to say (SAY WHAT?!). I was going to rant about things, but I decided not to. I was going to write about how I went to the dollar store, but, well, now you know. I went to the dollar store. (OOH STAY TUNED. I made something. It made me laugh. My sister responded with disgust. Picture a pig-like facial expression, followed by a "That's psychotic. You're not actually going to wear it... Please. Don't wear it." #honesty #siblinglove #oohintenseareyoustokedforafuturepostnow)

Have a merry evening, friends! Tomorrow I have my first in-car driver's class. As in, I'll be driving a car. If you live in ~~my town~~ ~~Southern Ontario~~ ~~Canada~~ ~~the Universe~~ EVERYONE, don't go outside tomorrow at 10:00am. I cannot be held liable for any serious injuries that may result from my driving inabilities. (I'm really not kidding. I can't drive. I fully fulfill all stereotypes involving young/ asian/ female drivers. Sorry for reinforcing them. I can't drive.)

I am sleepy, but be assured that I'm sending virtual smiles your way xxx

What is your summer "go to" outfit?

blawgerz rule 1.0: flying a kite

2011-07-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

Okay. So. I know what you're thinking. (Just kidding. I don't. I don't know what you're thinking, that is. I've always found this saying rather peculiar. It's this awkward transition where people try to pretend that they're inside your mind when 98.3% of the times that someone has told me that they "know what I'm thinking," the rest of the sentence does not correspond to what was inside my mind. Aka, that was awkward... you didn't know what I was thinking. ANYWAYS. I'm being awkward. Let's move on...) SO, I know what you're thinking... "Lexy, why does this illustration say "flying a kite" when the girl in the illustration is not, in fact, flying a kite?" (If you were actually thinking that, do inform me. I think I'll chuckle a little longer than necessary.) Well, to answer you're inquiring mind, it's my very first blogger illustration! Meet the fabulous Amy from Flying a Kite.

(All images: Flying a Kite)

I've been ~~stalking~~ loving Amy's blog for a few years now. It's incredibly different from mine - but I still adore it. When I first stumbled on it, I read it to the very first post. (Yes, that shows just how incredible it is. And also how I really didn't have a life. But we'll ignore the latter bit.) Seriously. Visiting Amy's blog is like entering a whole new world: a world of unwavering love, and dreams, and happily ever afters. I think the word that I would attach to it is magic. And really, if magic existed in real life - or even in cyber space - Amy's blog would be its definition. She makes the world beautiful. She evokes such a dreamy energy that immediately transcends onto me whenever I visit. She makes me love the world. In fact, I would say that you can't not love the world after reading her blog, her words, her world. It puzzles me: how she, somehow, is able to create a beautiful world through the simplicity of words and photos. She must be a fairy. Or magic. Magical fairy? I don't know what I'm saying. Her blog is beautiful. Check it out! (Don't just look at the pictures. Read the words. MAGIC, I tell you.) Also, she is Canadian, shops at Value Village and is born on December 13th (my birthday!), so we're basically twins. I sound creepy.)

Close ups:

(Watercolour, Pencil, Pen&Ink.)

It was fun doing this illustration! Amy's world is so dreamy and I let it inspire me. It was splendid.

Hope you all have a Marvelous Monday! (And rest of the week!) (I just put that in brackets because it broke up the amazingly awesome alliteration (hah? see what I did there?) of "Marvelous Monday." You get it.)

xxx
---
Question for today:
(Note: If you answer this, we are automatically best friends. Regardless of your answer. I'm not sure if anyone will answer this/ read the whole question. But DO. I heard it on Wiretap (my favourite radio show!) and I thought I'd give it a "go." Hypothetical questions are oodles of fun. This could be fun. It is fun. Do it.)

In long... At long last, someone invents "the dream VCR." This machine allows you to tape an entire evening's worth of your own dreams, which you can then watch at your leisure. However, the inventor of the dream VCR will only allow you to use this device of you agree to a strange caveat: When you watch your dreams, you must do so with your family and your closest friends in the same room. They get to watch your dreams along with you. And if you don't agree to this, you can't use the dream VCR. Would you still do this?

In short... If there was a VCR that could record your dreams but you were only allowed to watch the tapes with a roomful of people -- would you still choose to do this?

a rum pum pum pum

2011-07-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

HOWDY PONIES AND GUMBALL FILLINGS!

Just kidding! I don't know what I'm saying. Theory: if I start of this post totally wack, you might think to yourself, "Well, golly, Lexy is simply cray-cray (read: crazy). She must be having a super wack-a-doodle summer filled with cray-crayness (read: craziness)!" To which I will chuckle to myself, as if I have a little fun secret, almost as though I am reaffirming what you have come to assume. (Rather than the reality of the fact that I've spent the past four days in a itsy room with fresh-faced 16-year-olds learning about vehicles and driving and also reaffirming my notion that I should never be allowed to drive since I know, um, nothing about driving. Driver's training. Yup. More on that later. Or maybe not.)

Instead, let's pretend I've been splashing in the sunlight and dancing with the flowers, shall we? We shall!

Bought this _______ (I don't know it's technical name; cardigan, I suppose, but I feel like that name evokes grandma knitting and that I simply won't allow) earlier this summer. It's MARVELOUS. It's so light and airy and perfect to spin around and dance and act like a fairy in. Plus it's vibrant and summery and dreamy and, well, yeah. I quite enjoy it's presence in my life.

The tag also claims it's Oscar de la Renta. I just thought that it was cool, bro.

This little lad has been making an appearance in a lot of my outfits, as of late. He's a quirky little fellow. Pretty hardcore (note: ONE eyeball. Yikes!). He won't tell me how that happened, so I figure it's something madly intense. But he'll keep smiling through the pain of being half-blind. He's a kidder like that. A jokester, if you will. We get along great. (Side note: Sad that I treat my creepy keychains like they're my bff? A little... A lot.)

(Dress - Vintage/ Stolen from my Mum, Cardigan thing - Vintage Oscar de la Renta $30, Shoes - Vintage $15, Belt - Thrifted $1, Jewelry - Gifted, Keychain fellow - cne)

Just because I feel like letting you all in on my irks and tummy-tossers, here's a deep one for you. It's really profound, mind-boggling, and dire. It leaves me unable to sleep, pulling out the roots of my hair and squeezing my eyeballs in utter horror. How can I solve it? I toss. I turn. I mutter. I sputter. Ready for it?! (You cry, "All aboard!" And then salute me. Just because I think that would be neat.) Alright. Here it is. My major irk. Problematic, earth-shattering, world spinning... When I get comments that are all, "NICE BLOG :) I'LL FOLLOW U IF U FOLLOW ME _____link." Ahhhhhh! #Ohtheproblemsoftheworld!

Joking. About the direness of this "problem," that is. As I know it's not really a problem - not even in the slightest. It's just a wee little irk. I'm feeling annoying, so I may as well translate my annoying energies into a rant about non-issues. It would probably be classified in the "Irk Archives" with, say, flies. You know. Like that one fly that buzzes around everywhere, but you can NEVER seem to locate it, only it's bzzzzzzing. And you try to swat it away and you maybe mumble some curse words all like MUTHERF@CKER Y CANT I GET U but, at the end of the day, it's like... "Meh." You know? Like that. So this is a meh problem. A temporary, momentous irk.

Do you find these styles of comments irking, too? For me, I think that blogging should always be about self-expression, sharing ideas, communication, having fun and all that jolly stuff. Sure, it's dandy to know that I have a party of awesome readers to accompany the ride (like, meh, whatevz) (OKAY, GUILTY: I dance a little whenever I get a new follower! A lot. I dance a lot. BUT THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT.) Blogging isn't about numbers and followers and numbers of followers. It strikes me as silly when people try to do virtual bribery with followers. If I like your blog, if you're a loyal reader, etc... I'll follow you. If you leave me a generic comment... I won't even comment on your blog OOH WHAT NOW. Yup.

Recently, blogging has proven to be a strong medium for getting your face out there and maybe even achieving so-called "fame." Because of this, I feel like blogging has maybe gotten less organic and raw and heartfelt and that maybe people are just sticking to formulas that have been proven to equate to blogging success? Whatever that may be? What is "blogging success" anyways? I find the nature of blogging - and the newfound potential for "fame" that comes alongside - quite interesting. Ho hum.

Anyways. *End temporary irk rant and now we can pretend we talk about more worldly, profound things... politics, anyone?*

Thoughts? What are your blogging pet peeves?

eggnog is icky

2011-07-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

There are two options: 1) be bitter, be a quitter, be a “that didn’t work so I’m moving on”-er or 2) be an imaginative dreamer and pretend that business is booming more than ever! Note: I will go with the latter…

I am happy to inform you all that the Etsy business is thriving more than ever! (wink, wink!) Already featured in countless notable fashion archives (such as QUIRKY EXPLOSION), critics (such as family members) have been raving about both the beauty of this new phenomenon (such as Sibling, who enthused, “Dude, I want one. Make me one.”), as well as the unforeseen sales that have taken place (read: zero) since the unveiling only a few days ago. THRIVIN’ BRO. Anyways. Fingers crossed!

Here are some more goodies. I will personally give you a personal virtual bear-hug if you spread the word (OR EVEN BETTER, PURCHASE ONE!!!). And I’m not even a “huggy” person. This is a thsuper thspecial offer, brah. Smooches, snookums.

Click on pictures for the actual listings of bib necklaces. Or click here to check out the rest of my store!

we'll solve any crime... by dinner time!

2011-07-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

For a lot of people, a "fashion risk" would involve wearing an assortment of barf-inducing colourful explosions. For me, it's quite the contrary. As in, OH HI LEXY IS WEARING, um, TWO COLOURS? (yes, black and white are shades.) (did you ever have that incident as a child where you'd be all, "so, what's your favourite colour?" and someone would respond all, "black," and you'd be all, "BUT BLACK IS NOT A COLOUR, IT'S A SHADE." Your face would be red with horror, yet you'd also have a huge smile plastered on your face as you'd be beaming with pride upon realizing this person's uneducated error, thus you felt incredibly intelligent and Mary-Kate and Ashley circa Amazing Adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley. You know? Maybe I was just a weird/ obnoxious child. Probably.)

So, yeah. IN CONCLUSION, I temporarily gave this (relatively speaking) minimalistic look a "go" as a stab at my own fashion risk. It's weird - I always feel a little incomplete without a party of colours blinding all innocent bystanders. But I think it brings out another side of me. Plus, the dandy thing about reducing colour is that it upduces (you know, the opposite of reduce) (busted: made-up word) the concentration of patterns. And I love patterns, so this is solid. Hah. Get it. Solid. Well, it's nothing really to "get." Except for patterns and solids are, like, opposites. Bahaha! Hilarious! (Wow. I need to sleep...)

Again. OBSESSED WITH SOCKS. These ones are particularly awesome because the lace allows breathing space for my sweaty piggy toes. I've also decided that HEY IF THERE ARE ANY STORES THAT SELL SOCKS/ TIGHTS, WHY HAVEN'T YOU GIVEN ME FREE THINGS ALREADY?! I will be very enthusiastic!!! (note the multiple exclamation points. yeah.) And wear them all the time! And name drop you whenever people comment on the gloriousness of my fancy feet! Go free socks!

Oh... and you like my headband? Really? ... oh... You want it yourself? Aw well, *Lexy awkwardly giggles and blushes and* OH WAIT! OH SNAP! OH CRACKLE! OH POP! You CAN have this headband! ...Why? Because I'm selling it on ETSY, of course! We erupt in a fit of giggles before you proceed to purchase this marvel for yourself.

Click the photo below to be led to this EXACT SAME HEADBAND IN MY SHOP. Snazzy how that works eh!

Here is my fabulous elephant bag. I am trying to come up with a name for him. For some reason, "Eli" (pronounce EE-LIE) keeps coming to mind. But I feel like that might be a little five year old of me. You know? Eli the elephant? Really? Like my bunny named, um, bunny? Or my bear named, um, bear-bear? Or my blanket named, um, blankie? Yeah. My teacher's report card comment said that I was "creative dynamo." YUP. I've obviously fulfilled that title!

(Blazer - Vintage $1, Shirt - Value Village/ thrifted $3, Skort - Thrifted $5, Shoes - Vintage $15, Socks - Thrifted $5, Ring - Gift, Eli the Elephant Bag - Nepal, Headband - homemade)

Summer is the perfect time for fashion risks! I don't know why. I feel like that's a saying or something. But I'm going for it! I hope you're all wearing weird attire that brings out another side of your personality. And makes you want to dance in. Clothes should always make you want to dance.

What's the last "fashion risk" you took?
(and if you don't remember - tsk, tsk. that's tomorrow's task!)

she's a kook

2011-07-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

I wish I could fly. I know this is the biggest cliche of the universe, but it doesn't make it any less true. I don't know if any of you folks are familiar with Canada's Wonderland, but I recently went on Skyflyer and it was AMAZING. It's so krazy (yup, with a k! ooooh...). When I was a young 'un, I would see that ride and be all, "I'm never, ever going to go on it!" And bam! Living proof that you should never say never! (Because, you know, I went on it...) I like asking people what kind of animal they'd like to be. Me? Aw. Thanks for your inquiries. I usually go for something like "chameleon" because I like change/ am hipster like datz. But screw that persona! I'm sticking to the cliches! I WANT TO BE A BIRD AND I WANT TO FLY. Especially since I've semi-experienced the ~~life~~ two minutes of a bird (with straps and wires and announcements and screams but shhh.)

Sorry. That was really random. I guess jumping and flying are synonymous in my books? As in these photos reminds me of flying? No. Um. Enjoy an outfit post...

I'm obsessing over mixing the same types of prints. I.e. clashing flowers with flowers, dots with dots, et cetera. It's fun. It looks bad. But it's FUN. So hah! I guess I'm doing it because I AM BAD. What? No, seriously, Lexy. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? I don't know. Go prints! Boooom.

I'm also obsessing over SOCKS. This is so weird because I'm so not a socks person. When I had to wear a uniform (ah, back in high school...), I would immediately kick off my socks as soon as I (and my feet alongside) entered the car. I enjoy letting my feet breathe, as opposed to being soaked in puddles of sweatbuckets. That being said, sweatbuckets are fun now! Or maybe I just I like how they (socks, that is) add an unexpected twist to the outfit. And they make me feel like a child. I like that.

Some photos of the sisters...

(Romper - Salvation Army/ Thrifted $5, Blouse - Singapore, Socks - H&M $2, Shoes - Salvation Army/ Thrifted $7, Broaches - Nepal, Bag - Value Village/ Thrifted $5, Jewelry - Assorted)

And now! Another episode of "Lexy's Rambles!" *Theme song rumbles, cheesy dancing alongside doo-doo-dooo-do-dooo* (The tagline, of course, would be "Feel free to skip over!" but probably with some snazzy alliteration. Please use your imagination. Viewer/ boredom discretion is advised.)

My brain has been on vacation, but it has recently risen from its hibernation and is now continuously musing over the question of: How do you create a life with meaning? Seriously. My brain is getting obsessive with this concept and I just don’t know how to deal with it! Dear brain, I want to write to it, I don’t know how you create a life with meaning! I don’t know!

“Brain,” if you haven’t figured it out, is simply a safe way of saying “I.” Yes. I’ve been musing heavily over this idea of life and meaning. It’s the kind of thing that, I’m sure, comes with age – or maybe it never comes at all. Maybe it’s one of those things that you never know.

It scares me how quickly time passes. How quickly moments slip beneath our fingers. Memories vanish, days blur. Our time here is so short. How do we make the most of it? And even more so, how do we show that we were here in the first place? I want to leave the world making it better than it was before I came on it. But HOW?

Maybe, I sometimes think to myself, that is why fashion is so important to me. Maybe, by wearing bright colours and crazy clothing, I can (without saying a word), tell people to stop taking life so seriously, to have fun, to be individual. Maybe. (At least, that’s what I like to think.) But is that enough? How can I do more, change more?

A lot of “Hows” have been running through my head. How can I inspire others to be and do good? How do I spread happiness and hope? How do I live a life with total, utter contentment? How can I touch and influence and inspire others? How do I live with purpose? How can I be the best I can possibly be? HOW?

I want to grow as a person, but I feel so constrained in my surroundings. I want to live each day to the fullest, but I simply don’t know how. I want to be friends with unicorns, but that’s just not possible. I want to do and create and change so much, that I’m left lost and scared. How?

How do YOU create a life with meaning?
Ah, don’t you guys loving picking into the brain of a kind-of lost, silly small town 17-year-old girl…

blue crush

2011-07-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Summer weather = scorching = minimal layers + lots of jewelry. I thought I'd give a go at the monochromatic trend (even though it's so anti-my-personal-style AKA Lexy's only wearing one colour? Say whhaaat?). This look reminds me of oceans and adventures...

Summer is also a dandy excuse to pile on layers of jewelry. I used to be the BIGGEST jewelry junkie (aka the only way I could spice up my uniform!) (but then, of course, it would always "detract from the essence of the uniform" thus giving me a uniform infraction. Ah, back when I was in high school...) Except for the ring, all these pieces are from Nepal. The jewelry there was absolutely stunning. I love wearing exotic jewelry because it has a whole other story behind it. Plus, it gives me seem very wordly and jet-setting-y and all that eloquent jazz.

(Dress worn as shirt - Thrifted $1, Shorts - Old Navy $5, Ring - Gift, Jewelry - Nepal)

I'm really craving an adventure. Summer has been lazy. Lazy is good, but I'm also wanting a bit more. I seem to have forgotten how ridiculously boring my city is. "City" is a bit of a stretch, especially during the summer when all the university students are gone. My town? Large village? Sims creation? (I don't know what I'm saying. But hey! Sims is great! Especially when you set your house on fire and send the grim reaper to your virtual family's death. And, er, irrelevant/ creepy/ will stop going off topic.) Whatever the case, there is NOTHING to do around here. I've been bumming around. I was trying to identify this feeling. I figured it out: BOREDOM. This is a foreign feeling to me. Seriously. I always try to busy myself with a billion projects because 1) it's fun and 2) as I've discovered, boredom is no-fun-dom (that's possibly the lamest thing I've ever said. sorry.) I know it's summer and I should be living it up, but le siiiiigh. I'm just not feeling inspired. I want creative juice and fun projects, but I feel drained. And bored.

I need to get out of here. I need to feel inspired and zesty again. KAPOW! That's what I want! Can anyone give me an amennn? Or maybe just a great adventure idea? xxx

What do you do to cure boredom?

On a happier note, HAPPY CANADA'S DAY! I'm super proud to be Canadian. (Except for the fact that the entire Twitter universe seems to think that "Canadian" and "Justin Bieber" is synonymous. GET OVER IT. There's 33 000 000+ of us here too!) I hope you're all rockin' the reds and whites and watching oodles of fireworks. I know I'm not. But I am in spirit and that's what counts! BAM! (Check out my virtual firework? Yup.)

P.S. Shameless self-promotion (dude, you're on MY blog. you best be expecting it!): 1) Like me? Why not LIKE me? i.e. join me over at Facebook! and 2) Check out my new Etsy and maybe buy something or spread the word! Would mean a billion cazillion.

pretty little things

2011-06-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

I OPENED UP AN ETSY STORE!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!! How obnoxious, ahem, ENTHUSIASTIC was that?! Don’t you see that I’m bursting with EXCITEMENT? And now, AREN’T YOU EXCITED TOO?! Yes, yes, YES! To all those questions! Give me an E! a T! a S! a Y! What does that spell?! [LEXY HAS] ETSY!!!! WOOOHOOOO!

I’m sorry if reading that hurt your eyeballs. Here is my marketing theory. You are now super excited and will immediately proceed to check out my new ETSY STORE. Please confirm this theory? Thanks. You’re a doll face. ☺

It was a lot of fun making these goodies and even more fun to photograph them. Enjoy!

----

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away...

Inspired by the whims of imagination and the beauty of life, why not sprout some flowers in your hair? Channel your inner little girl – the little girl that loves to dress up, to look pretty, and to imagine. Imagine you are a dancing flower, a dainty fairy… or maybe just yourself, with an extra, pretty accessory.

These headbands are 100% unique – just like you! (awww.) Created from fingers of love and care, it can be ensured that no one in the entire universe has a headband like this one. Elements are hand-sewn with careful attention to design, execution, and love (of course).

This is a versatile accessory that can be worn with anything – from jeans to princess dresses! From grocery shopping to tea parties (oh, don’t we wish…)! Be weary: side effects include sparkling individuality and glowing smiles.

BLOG AND SAVE!
(I’m really tempted to add some marketing jargon. Limited time only! Act fast while offer still applies!)

Do you like pretty headbands? Do you like to save money? If so, then this offer is perfect for you! Get 10% off your first purchase just by blogging about QUIRKY EXPLOSION’S new etsy store!

1. Must include at least three pictures from this post.
2. Must include a link to my etsy and a link to my blog.
3. Email me (lexyht[at]hotmail[dot]com) a link of your post so I can take note of your kindness!
4. Get 10% off your first purchase from this line of headbands! (not including shipping)

I would really appreciate it if you could spread the word! Tweet! Text! Facebook! Tumblr! Formspring! Blog! Xanga! Myspace! Livejournal! Netflix! (Ah, don’t you love modern technology?) Thanks so much for all your support.

I’m really excited and nervous about this new endeavor. I have my fingers and my toes and my intestines all crossed for good luck. I would be intensely grateful if you could check out my shop. And even better, please make a purchase! If all goes well, then I will have oodles of new things up. xxx smooches!

Feedback?
(I’m not fishing for compliments. If you have any ideas of how I can improve my store, what I should add, etc. please gobble it out!)

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for...
Visit my shop!

sponsor quirky explosion

2011-06-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hello friends, followers, and future sponsors! (Hah, see what I did there?)

I'm a classy girl. So classy, in fact, that I'm going try my best to be super discrete when I ask you for your money. (Hah, see what I did there?) I put hours and hours into this blog each week. It's becoming a little job of mine. But a cool job. Because it's fun! The only thing is, oh gosh, darn, I'm not making any money. Consequently, I've decided to start looking for sponsors.

If you are interested in sponsoring QUIRKY EXPLOSION please send an email over to lexyht[at]hotmail[dot]com or click here for more details!

Have a stupendous day, folks!
- Lexy

P.S. I'm legitimately stoked for my next post. AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO. Dun, dun, dunnn...

Vee Vee

2011-06-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Value Village. And spent freaking $120!!! Ahhh, can you believe it? Dropping that much money? During one little shopping stint? On granny attire? Ahhh! Money woes! Woe is me! OH WAIT. I just remembered! Oh, silly me! I didn't spend $120. My clothes were valued at $120. BUT, I only spent $60! Yup, that's right - Value Village has decided that I should be their model citizen and they're giving me free clothes!!!! Hah. How I wish... But still. Pretty much the next best thing AKA it was the Value Village 50% everything sale!!! AKA one-of-the-best-day-in-the-entire-duration-of-summertime-thus-far (the only other day that rivals today's awesomeness would be a Canada's Wonderland trip with the friends).

I'm so completely giddy that I've TWEETED and FACEBOOKED about how giddy I am! Yup. The whole world wide web just needed to know that my mannerisms have dropped any level of sophistication and have been replaced with the likes of a five year old child. Holla! I am now going to proceed to brag about the joys of consumerism.

My personal process for thrifting involves:
1. Grabbing anything that catches my eyes. ANYTHING. As my ~~personal chauffeur~~ sibling demonstrates in the picture below, I am a fan of quantity. Hey, you never know what looks good until you try it on! I tend to gravitate towards anything with bright colours or funky prints (surprise!). I usually start with the blazer section. I don't know why, exactly, but it's my absolute favourite section and I wish it were named after me (or vice versa. as in, hi, my name is blazer. okay. maybe not...)
2. Trying things on. I try things on in bundles. I.e. skirts, then dresses, then shorts, etc. I keep piles of "nos" and "maybes". It's also a complete bonus if 1) I snag the giant dressing room for wheelchairs (i.e. eager shoppers like me who lug their whole ridiculous cart into room nevermind the crying babies and hunched elderly) or 2) I manage to convince my sister that shopping at smelly Value Village will be fun for her and she becomes extremely bored of clothing she abhors and she sorts my things out for me because it's more appealing than watching old men try on fedoras.
3. Elimination. Apparently I'm not very decisive. Somehow my maybe pile is continuously monstrous in comparison to the measly no pile. This is a problem. It helps to set up a budget (mine was $50). I always start with definite "yeses" and work from there. I know that I really love something if 1) I pretend that I already own it when I'm trying it on and imagine the many ways that I can rock it or 2) I start jumping up and down like a child and forget about a little thing some people call "dignity."

Success? I'd say so! After a few hours of extreme grabbing, speedy trying things on and life-shattering decision making, I left the store skipping along, bellowing to all passerbyers, "VICTORY IS MINE MWAHAHA." Except for not really. But just for the record, yes, VICTORY IS MINE. Evil lolz.

I know the suspense of "Eeeek, what's in the TWO GIANT BAGS?!?!" is tearing your heart into a billion pieces. I could let the blood ooze and hurt your intestines. But I am a nice person. Therefore, hey! Wanna see what I got? (I did this solely for the purpose of the blog. Psh. I never try things on a billion times and prance around the house in my new clothes immediately after I buy them. Psssh.)

1. The bottoms. Debating whether I want to hem up those wacky floral pants into shorts. Ho hum. (That's another thing I keep in mind when thrifting: how can this be altered? A bit of snipping and hemming can go a looooong way. All those os emphasize the loooooongness.)

2. Tops. I decided I wanted to pick out a few tops for the summer. Five tops later... Oopsies! You should have seen my original pile of "maybe" tops. Actually. Maybe you shouldn't have. It was rather frightening. It could have exploded in your face.

3. Blazers! AH I KNOW. I feel like I should back this picture up with a "forgive me father for I have sinned." For the record, YES, I am aware that it is the middle of the summer and my face basically melts off when I go outside. For the record, YES, I am aware that I have 20+ blazers already and my wardrobe legitimately cannot deal with more. But you. Yes, YOU. Are you aware of this? Blazers. 50% off. $3.50 each. (I CANT BE TAMED.) Please keep your fingers crossed for semi-chilly weather. There's a good chance that my over-eager self won't be able to resist not wearing these and, consequently, the probability of me toasting into a piece of coal is highly likely.

Pheeeew! My dad asked me what I did this afternoon. My reply went along the lines of, "YAY VALUE -- ahem, doctors." He figured it out. "Why can't you be like your father? You don't need much! You don't get much! Ahh!" sighed my exasperated father. I pretended I needed to go pee.

Also, in case you were all, "So, Lexy... What were you WEARING?" do know that I've got you covered! As in, here are some photos. Cool beans. Shopping in separates is usually a good call, otherwise you might run into the unfortunate, "Hey sibling, look at this top I've tried on but, um, I was in a dress, so, like, um, I'm in my underwear and this top right now and uh..." It could get awkward.

My mom kindly complimented me with a: "You look nice! I like your combination today. Sometimes it can be very, um... different." I'm not sure what to think of this, but I'll pretend that I don't know that it's mom-code for "you normally look like your spewing heinous colourful barf." Thanks, mom!

(Shirt - Value Village/ Thrifted $3, Skirt - Homemade, Belt - Thrifted $1, Shoes - Vintage $15, Hat - Nepal, Bag - Nepal, Jewelry - Gifted, Two VV Shopping Bags Filled to the Brim - PRICELESS (unless you really had to put a number on it. then it would be $120. Kidding! $60. I love today.))

I hope you've all started your week smashingly! I, obviously, have. Have a sunny, warm week! Or a mildly chilly week if you have seven new blazers and desperately want to wear them! (Hypothetically, of course.)

Do you like to thrift? What has been your favourite thrifting experience/ find?

ooh la la

2011-06-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Eeek. Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. This is problematic. Not only for you guys (hullohhh, how do you go days without seeing my beautiful face? my melodic writing? pshhh...), but also for me. I have a billion things I've been meaning to post but OH SHEESH I HAVEN'T. Consequently, I have an accumulation of drafts eating at my computer screen and seeping into my brain and it will come and HAUNT YOU IN YOUR SLEEP. Mwahaha. (Sorry. This is symbolic of how I should get to sleep. I've been staring at the pixels on this screen for far too long.)

ANYWAYS. Apologies. I've been busy revamping my entire blog! Like it?! Just kidding. I know that there are hardly any changes. There are many things that could be put to blame for the changes - or lack thereof- but, ultimately, they point to the fact that I can't deal with technology for my life. Screw the tech era. I WANT TO DRAW MY BLOG LAYOUT AND MAKE IT POOF INTO REAL (tech) LIFE. Awshuckz.

So instead of revamping my entire blog (pft, makeover are, like, sewww overrated) (this is code for: HELP ME FOLKS!!!), I decided to revamp my header! Yay! Because I can deal with cutting and pasting and gluing and taking a picture of it and then posting it! And not only a picture of it, but also a video of it! As in, OH. Cool! A video of me making the header! How fun! (slight sarcasm, shh.) Enjoy! (P.S. Remember when I said I suck at technology? Hahhaah. The angle is awkward. And part of it is cut off. But it's the thought process that counts. Right...?)

oh HEY, new header! from quirky explosion on Vimeo.

I know what you're all thinking: "Lexy [your blog is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and oh, gosh, why would you want to revamp it?]" Well, to answer your question... I thought it'd be fun because QUIRKY EXPLOSION'S 2 year bloggerversary just passed! Eeek! We're growing old! See those wrinkles?! See them?! Of course you don't! It's a computer screen! It's flat! Oh, gosh. I almost tricked you there! I'm a kidder! (Seriously. Bed time. I should not even publish this post.)

All kidding aside (how awkward-teacher-speech-transition is that?), YOU GUYS ARE ALL THE BEST. Seriously. I'm trying to find the least generic way to tell you all that I started this blog with little expectations and I can't believe it's gotten this far... Hey, how was that? Hah.

I started blogging as an awkward, fashion-loving 15-year-old and now... well, now I'm just an awkward, fashion-loving, 17-year-old. But with 520+ of my CLOSEST FRIENDS JOINING THE RIDE. (seriously? where did you all come from? why are you all so awesome?) My blog has become my little love child. Which sounds a little silly, but I'd say it's true. I don't even want to calculate the number of hours I spend on this little thing each week. But hey, that's what you do for your [virtual] love children! ...Right?

I feel like QUIRKY EXPLOSION really has been instrumental in the growing up process. Blogging has undoubtedly helped me find and cherish and enjoy my wack-a-doodle style. In real life, I'm constantly inundated with raised eyebrows, eye rolls, and whispers. In virtual land, I'm fed enthusiastic compliments. Consequently, virtual world pplz .> real life pplz. i.e. I love you guys.

Blogging has pushed me to be more crazy with what I wear and, consequently, how I act, what choices I make, etc. It's given me an avenue to express myself. To write my thoughts (even though they can be really incoherent/ jumbled. exhibition RIGHT NOW). To share my creative doings. To prance in my kooky clothes. I'm the kind of girl that will spend an hour getting ready... just to walk the dog. Because it's FUN! And it's nice to meet other people who don't think it's that ludicrous!

It's also oodles of ~~embarrassment~~ FUN to go through old blog posts. Yes, they're cringe-worthy. Yes, it's there for the whole WORLD to see. But hey, it's life! We evolve, we grow, we change. And I think that I can, personally, look through my blog as a testament to all the growth that I've endured these past few years!

Blogging has been an awesome ride. And I certainly couldn't have done it WITH OUT YOU ALL. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST. (Awwwww!) Seriously. You know how celebrities are like, "My fans are the best out there"? But they always say it with a fake smile and forced publicity? I am completely, totally, utterly genuine when I say that YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST. I want personally crawl through my computer and hug all of you in real life and then take pictures and then blog about it. But. You know. Technology can be a bit restrictive, so can we please just have a \virtual hug\.

Thank you for scrolling through pictures. Thank you for actually reading what I write (maybe? do people actually read what I write? Anyone? ANYONE?) Thank you silent lurkers. Thank you COMMENTERS! I'm a total dork with comments. You'd think that you'd get used to comments after two years. Nope! I still have a huge grin and the desire to smooch all your cheeks after reading your comments. THANK YOU. Mwahhhh! *pull out the tissue, emotional sobs, etc* Anyways. I think I'm reaching Oscar-speech territory. This is a dangerous territory. So I'll just STOP.

(I intended to end the post there. You know SUDDENLY to emphasize the STOP. But I figured I could just tell you about my initial plans and then proceed to say: You all rock. Don't ever change.)

And to end this gushing post, here's some generic blogging questions that I've always been curious about:
1. How long do you spend on your blog each day/ week?
2. Favourite and least favourite thing about blogging?

P.S. If you're good at technology/ know how to resize the picture gadget in the sidebar then PLEASE DON'T BE SHY. Let me know! Legitimately! Message boards are not my friend. But you are!

P.P.S I'm a fail at social networking. That being said, HAI JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK! For exclusive videos and secret giveaways and gossip sessions and hot boyzzz! And, and, and! Okay. Possibly none of that. POSSIBLY ALL OF THAT. All I really know? It will be a good time (GT, if you will). So I'd really LIKE you if you could LIKE that page. Hah.

so back when I was in high school...

2011-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

LAUGHING OUT LOUD. So do you guys, like, remember when we were in high school? And we had that one thing... What was it? We thought it was a big deal? "P"-something? Oh, yeah... PROM! Hah. Ohhhh [insert melodramatic sigh] hiiiigh schoool.

So that was last week. It feels like forever ago! (I find myself thinking, "haha, remember high school, Lexy?" It's quite humorous/bizarre.) I was mentally musing about how cool it would be if my blog was a movie. And posts had trailers. And this post had a trailer. Just so I could insert a crapload of fabulous jargon to make me feel like a big deal and what not. In a really deep, manly voice. (That I obviously don't possess. But for the purpose of my happiness, please imagine that I do.) "The much anticipated PROM POST!" or "The wait is now OVER!" or simply "Dun, dun, dun...."

But, you know. I'm just some ex-high school student and here's some pictures and words from that prom thing...

I sketched out the design and then my fabulous mother sewed it for me. It was a really idealistic process. I picked out the fabric, the design, etc... and then like a FAIRY MOTHER (haha, get it? Because she's my mother?) (awkward/unfunny joke) BAM! Out it came out! (hah. that also sounds like I'm describing an idealistic birth of a child. weird.) Just kidding. It was actually a long process of back and forth and titter and tatter...

But BAM! The day before the big event (literally) out popped the dress! Ta-daaa... #mumsiesareawesome

See the lavender exploding from my legs? BEST. THING. EVER. This is the only part of the dress that wasn't made by mum. I bought this crinoline at the Kensington Market the weekend before and OH MY EEEEK. I feel like doctors should prescribe crinoline for patients in need of a dose of happiness. Seriously. You cannot be sad if you are wearing that. Point: I had exams that week. Ew. But then! Genius! I wore this around the house whilst reciting study notes! IT WAS AMAZING. (Except for the fact that I got a little distracted by excessive spinning. So yeah, it had to go. But the point is: HAPPY. Me. While STUDYING. This is an unknown combination. Unless, of course, you have CRINOLINE. Wahhh!)

Also, it's 60 yards of fabric. 60 YARDS. You could look up my skirt (in theory, of course) and all the goods would be hidden. Heck, I could stuff an entire WATERMELON up my skirt and no one would know. I'm feeling very passionate about this crinoline business and maybe that's a problem/ weird so maybe I'll stop, yeah...

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES AND BLURBS.

I also had an explosion of pleather flowers adorning, well, my entire body. I felt like spring time. It was wonderful.

I couldn't find any shoes, so I ended up wearing these Fleuvogs. I've worn them to a billion other fancy shmancy events, but they're awesome. They have a fat heel, so spinning and dancing (see crinoline skirt) was not only a do-able, but an utter MUST.

Here is my friend/ date. He got a lot of compliments on his bow tie and boutonniere (fancy word for flower thing boys wear). I would like to go down in history as being responsible for both those accessories. Yup, GURLZ RULEZ. The boutonniere story is actually quite funny:

(Evening before prom)
Friends: Blah blah blah corsage blah blah boutonniere blah blah buy blahhh
Me: WHAT? Are we supposed to buy the boys boutonnieres?!
Friend: Well, um, I think people usually coordinate it with their date...
Me: Aw, shucks.
(Later)
Me: Date, I'm I supposed to buy you a boutonniere?
Date: Well, um, yeah...
Me: (mentally) @#*&^ awkward.
Fortunately, the perfect solution laid in the fact that I woke up early the next morning and a snip snip here, a glue glue there... and BAM. Lookin' all shmancy and matchy and date-like and what not.

Here's the whole crew. By "whole crew," I am not referring to my closest friends or clique or anything. NO. Whole crew = entire grade. Plus their out-of-grade dates. Remember how my high school is nothing like the movies? SERIOUSLY. The picture below is a total testament to that as it contains MORE than my entire graduating class. MORE.

The beautiful ladies! As someone that is always but ALWAYS overdressed, I get such a shot of adrenaline when I see everyone dressed up. I think that was my favourite part. The whole squeal/hug/OMGyouresoopretty thing. I can't believe I'm one of those people. I'm not even going to try to be nonchalant or hip; I totally AM one of those people.

Here's me and the sibling. She's wearing my dress. She looks good with me. I'm such an airhead. I ensured my entire family was dressed to compliment what I was wearing. I mean... I'm not an airhead... I'm, um, responsible. I look in the future... plan out what... YEAH. Screw it. I wanted my pictures to look good. Therefore, Mimi's wearing lavender!

Together, my sister and I are the biggest Prom junkies ever! You know how you might skim through a few "PROM" albums that pop up on your Facebook news feed? Yeah? No. Not us. This "Prom Facebook stalking" is an event we bond over. Literally. Spent a few hours on a Saturday night staring at her computer. Conversation snidbits went along the lines of, "Ohhh, she knows a lot of people... she might have commented on someone's prom album! ...YES. She did! ...Aw yeah! Open profile!... Okay, let's stalk this random's prom photos!... And SHE commented on someone's Prom Album... Oooh..." We are the reasons why you should always be safe on Facebook. Privacy settings are a must. (Hi, have I mentioned that I have no life? Yeah. I have no life.)

Overall, prom was a lot of fun. Okay. "A lot" might be an exaggeration. But it was fun. This dress is probably the best thing I've ever worn. EVER. And, surprisingly, I had zero sarcastic reactions. ZERO. I was so excited to mentally recall all the ridiculous/ hilarious comments that I usually get... But nadda! They were overwhelmingly positive. I guess people were intimidated. I mean... I obviously look super badass. I KILL YOU WITH MY FLOWERS. Mwahah.

It was a good evening to chat with some friends and take pretty pictures and to spin around a little too much. (SERIOUSLY GUYS. I would totally list crinoline as one of those "keys to happiness" things. Have you been feeling sad? Do you need something to lift you up? Then buy CRINOLINE!) The psychological effects of clothing is phenomenal.

I'm realizing that I've spent basically the entirety of this very lengthy post talking about my dress/ my date's outfit/ my sister's outfit/ my prom facebook obsession. And you know. Very little about "Prom" itself. Basically went like this: Preparty then Prom then After Party. Oh yeah. That's right! I just partied it up until the wee morning! Except for literally. Except for maybe not the "partied it up" part. My ride ended up staying at the After Party until 4AM. Huh. It was my very first and very last "dope" high school party. I'm actually really glad I went. It was a solid confirmation that I haven't been missing out on much by not going to these "dope" high school parties. It also confirmed my awkwardness, particularly around intoxicated teenagers. I honestly wanted to just sit on the side, be very passive, and watch everyone... so I did. It was entertaining, but I was over it after an hour and desperately wanted to sneak upstairs, find a TV, and sip hot chocolate. Unfortunately, that could be weird. So yeah. I'm, like, sewww over high school parties!

Anyways! This was one mouthful of a post! I hope you enjoyed these pictures! And if you read these words then, you know, PRAWPZ BRAH. (give me a virtual pound!)

How was your prom? What would be your ideal prom dress?
(OH EHM GEE. Can we please squeal over expensive, pretty dresses? Send me links! Descriptions! Floor plans! You bet I was one of those girls this prom season. What are you wearing? How are you doing your hair? Your nails? I'm such a prom nerd. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD END UP LIKE THISSSSS! waiiiilllll where did i go wronnggggg? I just get a rush at pretty, fancy things... I PROMISE I HAVE DEPTH. *Insert profound quote here to show my level of depth and stuff*)

i really love milk

2011-06-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

Fictional high school lovers
Ballpoint black pen

Say Yes to the Dress taught me that High School Sweethearts actually do exist. (Yes, I watch Say Yes to the Dress! I'm not ashamed! Randy is way charming and I love him.) I totally didn't know that. About the High School Sweetheart thing, I mean. And actually existing. And all that fictional jazz... is not fictional? (That being said, I totally didn't know that the whole football/cheerleader thing actually happened in real life. Oh heyyy, small town small school!!!)

I'm actually quite cynical of young love. I have ~~fond~~ humorous memories of boys asking me to go to the daytime Middle School dances via MSN and I would be all, "um no thanx lol srry." I was totally on a high horse. Very, "ZOMG. Like, I'm nawt going to, like, MARRY him. Why would I want to go to a dance with him? Like, he might think I want marry him, like, zomg." My mindset hasn't changed all that much, but I'd like to think that my eloquence has, at very least, developed. We're young! We're free! We should all just be bestiezzzz and not worry about bfdramz! (Remember what I said about eloquence? ...Yeah. Maybe not.)

Consequently, it strikes me as wack when people have been together forever. By "forever," I mean since HIGH SCHOOL. (Basically the same thing.) It just seems ludicrous. People, surely, aren't the same during and post high school! People, surely, can't be in love with the same person for all that time! But it's also a very sweet. I never had a high school sweetheart. Boys these days are smelly and boring. Aw shucks!

Therefore, make me love love? Spill the beans about your high school sweetheart/ first love/ current love, YAY GO LOVE!!! LUV U ALL. xxooxoxoox

P.S. Prom post scheduled for tomorrow! Virtual pinky promise.

and they all lived happily ever after

2011-06-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! How are you all? Anything new? Nothing? Meh, everything's the same over here, too... Oh wait... there is one thing. I totally just remembered. I mean, it's not a big deal or anything. Nothing to freak out about or anything. It's only that, you know...

I'M DONE HIGH SCHOOL 43V3R, SUCKERZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!! (Mature non-high school student right here!)

So yeah. That's all. And how are you? *Now, imagine us talking in a relaxed pace. We'd exchange stories back and forth, sharing little anecdotes and giggles along the way. People would look at us with a knowing smile and nod in approval, silently thinking, "Ohhh, friendship."* (But since this Blog Post is currently a one-way street (hah, suckers) you just get me rambling about. This is a warning.)

So, yes. I officially graduated on Friday. We had a solid ceremony. We got to wear big, black gowns (BUT NO FLAT HATS, WHAT IS THIS?!) (another reason why my high school experience felt nothing like the movies, wah!). It was hot. Very hot. I think I was sweating. Yup. Despite my shiny face and soaking wet hair (kidding. kind of.), it was an awesome way to end the year/ years/ HIGH SCHOOL. I actually ended up winning a handful awards, which was funny: Geography Award, Visual Art Award, Spirit Award and Head of School Award. I got some books and a cool plaque out of it, so I guess I feel nice and legit and what not.

I think I'm most excited about getting the Spirit Award because I allegedly "spread positive energy in the school" or some equally awkward description like that. I entered high school as a totally shy human being. Like, I have no recollections of interacting with anyone outside of my grade. Ever. (Oh, except for there was a grade 12 who tried to ask me to prom. It's actually a really long/ hilarious story that I've generally mentally blocked and won't go into. It involved slide shows with his face photoshopped onto my Facebook pictures. And lots of flowers...) I don't think I talked to boys, either. Or girls, really. Bahahha. Now? I've had a totally rad senior year. I mean, you know, for someone who's socially awkward at heart, I think I've done well. I've chatted with a lot of people and I feel happy that I've at least I've had conversations with people I'll probably never see or talk to again. Plus, I've totally lost my dignity legitimately rapping in front of the school for an Arts' night promo (LHIZZLE WASSUP), so I'm obviously a social queen or whatever. I think this growth is symbolic of just that: growth. I like it.

My friend put it best when she said, "I'm scared I'm going miss all this." Pumped with the adrenaline of graduation, I confusedly responded, "This?" Then, I realized she meant this. This - the people I've surprisingly grown close to and, hey, might even miss! I'm scared that relationships I've forged over 4+ years will soon deteriorate to, "Happy birthday! Miss you!" on Facebook. From eruptions of laughter at lunchtimes to annual virtual happy birthdays? It seems plausible and that, too, scares me.

But, I've realized that I can't live life in fear. And I don't want to live in the past. Gosh, despite the hundreds of exclamation marks I've attached to sentences in these past weeks regarding FINISHING HIGH SCHOOL!!11!!1!!, there are parts of it that I certainly will miss. However, I've made the conscious decision to not perceive it as such. It isn't about the end of an experience. It's about the start of a new experience. (Aw, cheeseballs!)

As for a new experience, this begs the golden question: What will I be doing next year? This is the question that has been on everyone's mind, blasted on covers of tabloids, and even featured on ET! yesterday. Jokes. I think I've had about three people virtually ask me about this, which is a refreshing change of pace from the continuous, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?" that I've been with inundated with in real life over the past few weeks. To which I've responded awkward variations of, "I've decided to defer from Parsons the New School of Design to take a year off to work for a few months and then travel/ work/ volunteer abroad for a few months." Oh, hey! That came out fast!

Yep. NOW YOU'RE IN ON IT.

More of my life story? Throughout the entirety of high school, New York City + Fashion was (and still is) the ultimate dream. I would sit in the corners of classes, staring out the window, awkwardly feeling alone, thinking to myself, "I can do it. I'll show them." (I actually found my Careers "portfolio" from grade 10. It's shocking and amazing how things don't change over the years. Same dream...) The years whipped by faster and faster. Soon, it was Senior Year. My Senior Year!

This year has been a whirlwind. In retrospect, I have no idea how I did so much. (With the exception of third term. I bummed around while Science students were up to their noses with culminating labs and stuff. I only felt a little bad.) I was basically working on four very different portfolios with little overlap (SERIOUSLY), along with practicing on an intense field hockey schedule, creating costumes for the school play, working on student council initiatives, maintaining a 92% average and a bunch of other random things that my keen self actually enjoys doing. PHEWWW. (Seriously. Now you guys know how keen/ nerdy I am. I really had an awesome senior year. Albeit exhausting, I love the feeling of busy-ness and accomplishments.)

I think that most seniors would agree that there's this null between final marks (or, in my case, portfolios being sent in), when you 1) have zero motivation to do any work and 2) are waiting in desperate anticipation for that letter (or email - hollla, modern day technology!) to arrive deciding your fate. It was awful/ I was in denial. I finally got them and, yay, got into all my programs! Awesome feeling.

^ we jump in our school's pond when we graduate. it's thrilling. swimming in the pond was legitimately the only thing about gym that i enjoyed. (before i quit it. in grade 10. the earliest year you can quit gym. hated it!)

For the longest time (i.e. all of high school), I had a vision. Graduation. Then BAM! New York City! Fashion Design! Time to make dreams come true! In fact, getting the acceptance was a dream come true in itself. However, to my surprise, there was this new, unanticipated complication. After coming home from Nepal, I had an inkling: I should take the year off. In fact, I remember thinking to myself, while trekking up the gorgeous Himalayas, "Lexy. If you get into Parsons, take the year off. Do it. It's the right thing. I know you'll really want to pursue your life long dream and you'll be uber excited and what not, but this feels right. It feels right."

And then it happened! I got into Parsons! Literally the most exciting feelings ever! I'm probably one of the most easily-excited people EVER (literally, my sister gets so embarrassed; it's hysterical), so you can just imagined all that AMPLIFIED. It was amazing. I couldn't wait. A DREAM COME TRUE. Seriously.

But there was that gut feeling. That feeling turned into a lot of humming and hawing. Should I take the year off? A lot of different opinions were given to me, a lot of pros and cons charts were written by me. In the end, I went with my gut: taking the year off. Deferment form set. Dream isn't over - just diverted for a year.

So I sit here (well, actually, I'm lying on my bed, but that's besides the point) - a newly graduated high school student with a whole year, future ahead of me. It's a little daunting. Besides the knowledge that I'll spend the next year making money and then using it to travel (my other passion, along with fashion, of course), I have NO IDEA what's in store. I keep on telling people that I want to go to a french speaking country in Africa for a few months, but nothing's even remotely close to being set in stone.

Oh, Lexy. What will happen in the next year? What will you do? Who will you become?

A lot of my friends are pursuing their interests in relatively local universities, which I think is fantastic. But it's not for me. I've considered studying, say, psychology at a university an hour or two away. But that path? It's just not me. All along, I knew I would have to pursue my NYC + Fashion dream because that's what it is: a DREAM. And dreams are so beautiful because they keep you going. And even more so, they can become REALITY.

But then, a new dream came into play. A gut feeling. Something I couldn't ignore. So I'm going for it. I'm taking the year off. In a keen school, this is essentially unheard of. But still. It feels right, it feels like it's what I need to do. This isn't to say that I'm not going to pursue Fashion in NYC. It's to say that I'm putting it on hold to go with my gut. Because, for me, that's what's important. Being authentic. Being a dreamer. Maybe a little crazy, a little unconventional, a little unheard of... It's okay. For me, I crave FULL EXPERIENCES. I want to live honest to my heart. I want to live 100%. I'm so against mediocrity, it's both a strength and a crutch.

I guess the moral of the story is if you see me on the streets of NYC as a starving artist in debt from traveling, please remember I used to be really lively, young dreamer and maybe give me a dollar or a Happy Meal or something. Kidding (kind of).

I guess the moral of the story is BE AUTHENTIC. Follow your heart. Do what your gut tells you, even if society tells you it's "unstable" or it's "unconventional." Hell, that's even better - prove 'em wrong! Life is so short. I know that there's probably "smarter" or "steadier" options ahead. But hey. I don't want to be smart or steady or normal or safe or mediocre. I don't want to live thinking, "If only I did this..."

Seriously. Please, please, pleaseeee. I beg you. Live your life true to who YOU are and what YOU want. I've seen people push away their dreams because it feels "impossible," or they conform to mediocrity because it's "safe" or it's what their parents want or whatever. For me, I don't see it any other way. If there's something you love and something you want, why not go for it? It seems so simple: do what your heart wants. Be HAPPY.

Yes, I know that I'm freaking young and naive. Yes, I see those stares of, "Oh? You're not going to school?" or "Oh? You want to go into... fashion?" (this is coupled with a fake smile and eyes that read, "You're a failure!"). YES. I know that the future is unclear and life is complicated and I'm overly optimistic and blah blah blahhh.

But fuck it. I'm young. I'm going to dream. And actually FOLLOW those dreams. And be poor and broke and happy.

Anyways. So yeah... does that answer your question? ;)

(I know I say this for every long ramble I do, but it doesn't make it any less true... if you read all that, YOU'RE A SUPER STAR. I really don't know what power my words have, but hey, I'm being 100% genuine in what I'm saying. #dreamer4ever)

Thoughts? Dreamers out there?

papa bearo

2011-06-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

There's no way that I can beat my mother's day ~~awesome~~ awkward introduction, so I won't even try. Therefore, pretend I just said something super witty (though "awkward" may be a more accurate adjective but shh...) and now we're giggling together, having a moment, you know, and I discreetly transition on to say HAPPY FATHER'S DAY. Because, you know, today is father's day.

So yeah. I know that I don't have a lot of male readership (y dnt n e boiz lyk meee?), let alone any fathers reading this. But, nonetheless. Let this blog post be a sort of telepathic message to all the daddys out there. Dads? I'm telepathically telling ya'll: you go, dude! Or. You know. Something.

Anyways. Here's what a made for my dad.

1. My dad has the weirdest antics out there and you REALLY can't appreciate it unless you live in my house hold. Literally. All he does is: watch Mandarin movies (F), do math puzzles (A), "pump iron" (T) (legit. it's quite disturbing/ hilarious), play basketball with his "chinesey" friends (H), nap (E), and work (R) (xray). Obviously, I get a lot of genes from him... (sarcasmlolz.) He's legitimately the weirdest human being I know, and I say that with utmost love and respect... He's the best! :)

2. Rip off of my mom's gift? Errr, not at all... But aren't we cute? And more importantly AREN'T HIS GLASSES CUTE? (while I'm being sarcastic, I actually do love Grandma style glasses, so augh, gosh, I don't know! I am just oh, so torn! How do I really feel? What am I do with my liiiife? melodramz wailing ensues.)

So yeah. I hope you all had a marvelous Weekend, and an especially splendid Sunday with "the old man." (I put that in quotations in case my dad ever reads this. (he won't. I definitely get my "I fail at technology wahhh" genes from him.) HI DAD, YOU ARE NOT AN OLD MAN. That is merely an expression!)

How was your weekend? What were you up to?

lickity split lime

2011-06-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Grr, I'm beyond exhausted, so I'll keep this short and sweet. (Pft, who am I kidding? I never keep it short and I ain't sweet.) (Ye boi, datz to sai i am a bad ASS.) (But that's so far from being relevant to anything right now/ true.) Anyways. Grr, I'm beyond exhausted. Yet, I have oodles left to do! It's quite pathetic, actually. I was bumming around all afternoon. I'm trying to think of anything significant that I accomplished, or even did. The only thing that comes to mind is buying a bike lock. (Yup, life of a PARTY.) Then, at 11pm, it occurred to me: OH GOSH, NO, I HAVE TO MAKE 20 TEACHER CARDS FOR TOMORROW. With heartfelt messages inside! EEEK. Insert mini-freakout and stuff. So that's what I've been doing. Because I'm a ~~sneaky little brown noser with a hidden agenda~~ caring student like that! (Also, amidst what SHOULD BE a rapid fire of card creating and filling, I'm getting really distracted by PROM PICTURES on Facebook. This is a problem. I have a back story to this. Maybe I'll share it later.)

Basically. Um, here is an outfit post, no profound thoughts attached.

(Jacket/ Blazer - Thrifted/ Value Village $7, Shirt - Singapore, Skirt - Value Village $3, Hat - Nepal, Bag - Mom's, Flower Ring - Gifted, Shoes - Vintage $15, Belt - Thrifted $1)

And oh gosh. I am officially GRADUATING tomorrow. These past few weeks have been a series of lasts. Like, oh hollaaa "Last high school classes EVER!" or "Last set of high school exams EVER!" (which you've all joyously read about if you haven't stopped reading my nostalgic/bitter-sweet musings) (don't blame you if you have.) (stopped reading my nostalgic/bitter-sweet musings that is). But tomorrow is when it's officially over. When I'm officially done high school. DONE HIGH SCHOOL. This is so wild.

My thoughts I currently up in the air. I spent a really, really long time writing about them in my journal. (Yes, I write a thorough journal. And I write a blog. Seriously, folks. We've gone over this before: I have no life.) I think bitter-sweet would be the word(s) best associated with graduating. Except for maybe in a different order. I'm feeling very sweet-bitter. (i.e. sweet. and bitter. but more sweet than bitter.) I want to elaborate more. But I know that, once I commence, I will not stop. And this is not good for my eyeballs, beauty sleep, or cards that I'm desperately trying to write in for my teachers.

Therefore. Tomorrow. I will be DONE HIGH SCHOOL. This is so wild. The end. (My thoughts towards this will remain UNHEARD OF. because I'm mysterious and stuff and stuff like that.)

How did you feel after YOU graduated high school?
Unless, you haven't. (OOOH AWKWARD!)(not really) In which case, How are you enjoying high school?

P.S. Prom was really fun. Excited to share pictures soon. Are you excited to see them? Is that desperate to ask? Totally is. It's like me asking, "Am I fat?" Speaking of which, Am I fat? LOLZ JUST KIDDING NOT ASKING ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS. Sorry. Please excuse me. I sometimes pretend I'm funny. (Also, this confirms that I need to sleep. Like. Now.)

tonight was my last athletic banquet. ever. why do i go every year? the opposite of "lexy" is "athletic." ooh, AWKZ.

2011-06-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

My mum is black's number one fan. Yes, black. This isn't code for some sort of rodent or sporty figure or ninja or anything. Simply black. The colour. BLACK. You know how they say it's best to lead by example? To inspire others through actions? Her utmost support of black - i.e. SHE WEARS IT ALL THE TIME - is exemplary of these notions. Whattta leader!

The point of this pointless story is to place you in my shoes. Picture this: Mum always wears black. Mum buys awesome bag. Bag has COLOUR. Lexy is shocked. Lexy wants to steal bag. Lexy uses bag (and therefore plans to steal the bag, duhhh). COOL BEANS. Basically, I just wanted to brag about this awesome bag that is practically my own. I enjoy it's shape and circular pattern. YUPPERZ.

ALSO WOAH DUDE CHECK OUT THE CLASP? (okay, admittedly, the clasp isn't on properly. the clasp on the zipper is supposed to attach to the clasp on the bag, so it acts as a kind of "lock" and all that fancy jazz but, oh gosh, sheesh, i forgot to clasp it. um, I MEAN, i wanted to stimulate your minds and provide you with intellectual inquiries. like a puzzle. figure it out. BAM.)

(Bag - Mum's (aka soon-to-be-mine-as-I-will-steal-it)/ Vintage)

Anything else? Um, not really. Actually, quite a bit. Like PROM tomorrow. I'm actually really giddy and excited. My dress is possibly the most ridiculous thing I've worn up to date. Seriously. I erupt into a fit of giggles every time I wear it. I'm excited. It's wack that 24 hours from now, it'll all be done. I hope I have oodles of fun. OH WHO AM I KIDDING. I will be spinning the entire night away, so of course it'll be fun. Even if I'm a lone spinner on the dance floor. *Oh, giggle giggle, as I'm sharing an inside joke with, er, myself....*

But enough about me. It's more about YOU. Why? Because it's the much-anticipated vlog, OF COURSE! (Gosh, I know you were just kidding with me! You've been counting down the days!) (Kidding, but this is to stimulate some sort of "ooh la laaa" and "let's watch this oooh" et cetera et cetera.)

Apologies for 1) extreme awkwardness and 2) potentially wasting your precious time.

Untitled from quirky explosion on Vimeo.

so friends. see you on the flipside.
Response to the content of the video?
(If you saw that video than consider yourself a part of the ELITE group.) (i.e. me and my dog - the two only ~~human beings~~ creatures that witnessed such ~~glory~~ awkward embarrassment.)

personification, yo.

2011-06-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

Lexy is wearing three colours. Lexy is wearing THREE COLOURS. Wut iz diz?! LEXY IS ONLY WEARING THREE COLOURS. Someone call the papers! We have a sighting! Lexy is only wearing THREE COLOURS!* (See how I think I'm a big deal? Hiiiiii.)

*Edit: by "three colours," I mean that I'm slightly under-exaggerating/ apparently blind.

I really want to add more hair ribbons into my life. They're such a fun, playful accessory. I wore one with my uniform the other day. My teacher asked me if it was a special occasion. His exact words, "Lexy, so what's with the uhh... [awkward gesture towards ribbon]. I'm not going to get mad at you for your uniform infraction... I'm just wondering... is there, like, a special occasion? Some kind of protest or a statement for something?" I laughed. Oh, golly. Nope. Just for fun. (I don't protest. But if I DID, I would totally be getting naked for the environment. Kidding. I wouldn't. No, really. I wouldn't. I just linked that to show you that I saw that. With my own eyes. My poor, virgin eyes... R.I.P.)

See how my foot is bulging out of that shoe? Kind of like how Pillsbury dough just bulges out of the can? (OMG HOW MUCH DO YOU GUYS LOVE THAT? Seriously. I just want to squish Pillsbury's lil cheeks. Cutest. Dough. Boy. EVER.) Anyways. The story about my bulging foot is pretty lame. I had a bruise that was literally purple and covered approximately 80% of my foot's surface area. I know I tend to exaggerate, but rest assured - I totally am not. It was disgusting. DISGUSTING I TELL YOU. On a brighter note, these shoes are way awesome.

(Dress - Vintage $12, Shirt - Thrifted/ Value Village $3, Shoes - Vintage $15, Socks - Thrifted $5, Belt - Thrifted $5, Hair Ribbon - Easter Bunny wrapped a gift with it. Or something. Magic.)

We're there. We’re reaching that time of “misses.” Like, “aw, gee, I’m really going to miss _____.” Just in case you needed clarification. I’m CONSTANTLY getting the, “Lexy [you’re the best person I’ve ever met and let’s fly to pluto together on a rocket ship of your awesomeness and] I’ll miss you next year.” To which I’m forced to respond, “[aw, really? You think I’m the best? Pft, I’ve been told that a lot this year, it’s so weird but] yeah, I’ll miss you too.” (Even though we all know that I won’t. Kidding, friends-that-don’t-read-my-blog, I’ll miss you.)

This whole graduating thing is really starting to trip me out. Five more days. WHAT FIVE MORE DAYS!&%!$!!!11!! Here's the low down: LAST high school exam EVER >> LAST athletic banquet (slash anything related to athleticism, for that matter) EVER >> First and LAST high school prom EVER >> First and LAST TIME GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL EVER.

Goshhh. Everything has happened so fast. It feel so surreal. I haven't even had time to process my feelings. I was going to talk about all my good times and what not, but I think I'll save that for a diary so I don't bore you all. (By "save that for a diary," I really mean that I'm super exhausted and it's time to sleep. So I will get onto my droopy eyelids' desires. Because I RESPECT my eyelids like that. Brah.)

Life is freaking crazy.

What are you currently missing?

P.S. Sorry for the lacklustre updates but BOO, I TOLD YOU. So, really, I'm just saying "sorry" out of courtesy because I'm lady-like and have swell etiquette like that. But seriously... SWANKY posts in store, so it's totez werth it: vlogging is back in the his-houuuuse, inevitable prom post and an awesome project that I'm peeing-my-pants excited about! 'Till then. Next time you hear from me, I'll be DONE ALL MY EXAMS AND THEREFORE BASICALLY DONE HIGH SCHOOL WHATTTT. (That obnoxious enthusiasm really doesn't get old.)

it's that ancient love that you won't outgrow

2011-06-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year. Yes, THAT time. “Oh, what time is that?” you ask, your eyes blinking with wide-eyed feigned interest (thank you, I appreciate your falsity.) “Oh,” I respond, a huge smile plastered on my face. “Just the start of EXAMINATIONS!” I say this with a toothy grin and an extra dose of enthusiasm, much like an annoying flight attendant. On a sugar high. Exuding false cheeriness. (This acts as a juxtaposition to the reality of the situation. It also shows that I’m sarcastic, and therefore able to make light of situation/ basically hilarious.)

Sorry if updates are on the low-go. Blame the boring books. (Check out THAT alliteration? Eh, ehhh. I hear the gents line up for that kind of literary eloquence.)

In the meantime, enjoy being blinded by this even-more-obnoxious-than-usual outfit. It was fun!

Um, are these gloves not the greatest or ARE THEY NOT THE GREATEST? I was wearing my plain-jane black leathah gloves, when my mom came home all, “Here you go.” I obviously started doing the chicken dance on the kitchen counter out of passionate enthusiasm. Just kidding. I obviously didn’t do that...

But, yes. I love the vibes of the gloves. It’s like, “Yes, I am part of the CIA and here are my serious leather gloves to divert your knowledge of my criminal undertakings but OH WAIT. I’m still really fun because there are colourful circles sprinkled about. KAPOW, I’m a superstar.” I seem to think that a bullet-shooting water gun would compliment this concept quite nicely.

I don’t usually wear pendants, but I borrowed this from the Sibling. I’m really liking the dot motif. It reminds me of my prom dress. *oooh, everyone gasps at the mention of prom, secretly inquiring, will she say more? WILL SHE SAY MORE? There’s a hushed whisper. But, at last, Lexy is far too mysterious and remains silence, thus leaving a trail of intrigue behind her...*

Today was the last day of high school classes. EVER. It was weird. Like, WHAT THE HECK?? I’m actually... DONE HIGH SCHOOL CLASSSES?! FOREVER? WHATTTTT?! Picture me freaking out, by myself, in the bathroom. Yup, that happened. I feel like I’m pregnant. Emphasis on “feel like.” Note to all those damn tabloids dissecting my blog - I AM NOT (leave me alone! I just want to be human!). I just FEEL pregnant. In that, you know, I have a whole rollercoaster of emotions. On one hand, I’m overjoyed, shouting “I’m donnnnne!” down the hallways (yup, that happened.) But I’m also freaking out. Like, seriously. One week, right now... I will be DONE my exams. Done high school. Ahhhh.

Oh gosh. I know that it’s only “upwards and onwards” from here but, still. WTFWHYCANTIJUSTBEAUNNICORN.

(Blazer - Thrifted/ Value Village $4, Dress- Thrifted $5, Skirt - Homemade, Hat - Nepal, Shoes - Vintage, Pendant - Sibling, Gloves - Gifted)

Wish me gumballs of good luck on my examinations that mean nothing to me or my future. (But, I’m a total nerd and I’ll be a little blue if my mark descends.) I’m currently in complete denial of exams. Like, I have a World History and English exam tomorrow? Pfft. Today, we had a review class in Advanced Functions. I knew nothing. I’m not even stressed. At this point, exams are some annual senior practical joke that aren’t actually happening. Yup, it’s a problem.

Going off to force myself to study things I don’t care about. Later.

Dreams make me happy. Exams do not. Therefore, make me happy:
What would be your dream job/ future?

yearbook bios are sew not a big deal, but it totally feels like it

2011-05-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. I know that this is a terribly unoriginal way to start a post, but I have a legitimate excuse: I’ve been too busy being social!* And then recovering from being social!**

*By “being social,” I mean to say that I’ve spent a Friday night NOT, you know, listening to Wiretap online (any other Canadian fans? I love Howard zomg) whilst doing collages and the likes. This is shocking. I am, like, Lindsay Lohan on the PARTAY scale. That’s right. Partayyyyy. ONE WHOLE FRIDAY OF THE ENTIRE 2011 SPENT WITH PEOPLE. The sad thing is, I'm totally not being sarcastic lolz #ihavenolife.
**Recovering isn't code for "hungover" or anything. It's simply stating that a whole week + 5 hours of social activities = phew! Lexy needs an entire weekend of hermit-esque living styles to balance out her extreme social life. lolz #ireallyhavenolife

Wore this outfit sometime last week for my school’s “Civvies” day, i.e. “Dress down day”. (Yes, we’re weirdos.) It was my last EVER “Civvies” day at school, which was kind of, well... whatever. I was going to muster something up about being a cold-hearted bitch, but then I realized that that would make me sound like 1) a cold-hearted bitch and 2) a total and utter freak. Thus, I will leave you with a “whatever.” Because, really, that’s what it was.

It’s interesting to think about how my confidence regarding my style has increased. In grade 9, I was terribly awkward (nothing’s changed) and always wore eccentric colours (nothing's changed). However, I would go through the day with my head bent down and my feet tiptoeing about and becoming invisible and just kidding, I was never invisible. But still. You get it: scrawny child in bright colours mousing around, exuding awkward "I'mInBrightColoursAndLookDifferentFromYouAllButPleaseDontStareAtMeeeeIWantMyUniformBack."

Now? Now, I’m pleased to say that I’m totally happy to be wearing my granny clothes at a brand-whoring school, stompin' down the hallways like I PWN it. That’s right. Pwn. It's a blast. I want a disco party.

To me, that’s all that fashion/style is about. Having fun, wearing what you want, and wearing it like you’re a SUPERSTAR. It always strikes me as utterly ridiculous when people come up to me and they’re all like, “Woah! I could never pull that off.” Kids, YES YOU CAN. All you have to do is feel freaking awesome and BAMM! You will exude that freaking awesomeness. Am I calling myself awesome? Not going to lie, yeah, I’m reaching that level of awesomeness when I consider my own self awesome. Boo yeah for narcissism/ thinking I'm way cooler than I actually am.

It’s actually fun to stand out in clothes at my school. Personally, I don’t understand why you WOULDN’T want to. Like, 1) you can be totally boring and blend in with the crew or 2) you can have fun and be different and WE ARE ALL SPECIAL SO WHY NOT SHOW IT WAHHH.

It was fun wearing this outfit. I felt very 60s, like I should be protesting for girl power or something. KABAMPOW YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING. People have gotten used to be coloruful antics to the point where comments have just gotten really sarcastic/ completely subsided. Or not. But now, I just find them way hilarious, rather than awkward/what will this person think/ why hasn't anyone said anything/ i feel stupid/ that's rude. It's fantastic to reach a point of wearing clothes just for the sake of my own pleasure. Because, really, it's FUN. Anyways. I diverted. Here’s one of my favourite comments from the day: “You look like a cartoon version of yourself. Like Lexy, BUT LARGER THAN NICE.” It was neat. I really wanted to become a Power Puff girl at that very moment.

(Blazer - Thrifted $1, Dress - Mum's (WTF, so random. She always wears black. She never wears this dress. Officially stealing it, boooom.), Tights - H&M, Shoes - Value Village $7, Bracelet - Gift, Ring - Thailand, Belts - Thrifted $1 each, Earrings - Thrifted $1)

I will only wear my uniform approximately 11 more times in my entire life OH MY GOSH WHAT IS THIS. That sentence was intended to smoothy transition me from talking about clothing to me freaking out about how I'm almost graduated. Yup, that's right. It's so surreal that I could go on for six point two paragraphs about how surreal it is. But, you know, I won't. AHHHHH.

In conclusion,
1) Stay beautiful and unique and funky fresh
2) I'm almost done school and let's freak out together, boo yeahhhh.
(3) this is going in brackets because I talk too much about the weather. But weather, if you're reading this, PLEASEEEE, anything besides 16 days of grey clouds/rain with one extremely hot and humid day intertwined would be appreciated. Just saying. xoxo)

How has your style/ style confidence/ confidence evolved?
(aw yeah, check out that evolution of thought.)

Have a beyond superb week, my pretties!

i wish i had a mango tree in my backyard

2011-05-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

My approach to rainy and down days? Aw, well thanks for asking. It really is a rather basic remedy: WEAR BRIGHT COLOURS. And patterns. And basically pretend it's spring in your head. Seriously. I wish everyone had bright rain jackets and patterned umbrellas. Instead of waiting for the rainbow on rainy days, we could BE the rainbow. AWWWW.

This outfit was composed of lots of patterns and colours and the mentality that it was spring. It reminded me of being a kid and getting excited to whip out my pink and purple rainboots and splash in all the puddles. When did we stop splashing in puddles? And why? I like puddles. (People that know me would fully support the thesis that I never really grew up.)

Also... Hi, my name is Lexy and I’m socially awkward! People? What’s a “people”? (Kidding. I obviously know what people are. I’m socially awkward, not st00pid. REMEMBER?)

Seriously. You know that person who, when you’re around, you just feel… uncomfortable? It recently dawned upon me... I AM TOTALLY THAT PERSON.

Socially awkward situations that I just can’t deal with:
1) Big groups. I just can’t do it. I really can’t. There are a few exceptions. But when people are being all jolly and chatty in a giant group, my mouth refuses to speak. I don’t like big groups. I really don’t. I can’t even imagine being at a proper high school party. With dozens of people in a confined space? Um, no thank you.
2) Strangers. I like the idea of spontaneous conversations with strangers. It’s… charming. But, um, I have to be, like, mentally prepared to meet a new person. Like, “Okay, Lexy. You are meeting someone new. You have to savage your dignity and learn to, you know, converse and talk and stuff. YOU HAVE TO TALK AND STUFF BUT WAIT… STOP SPUTTERING OUT GARBAGE WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU AWKWARD BEING?!”

Consequently, the equation shouldn’t be hard to picture:
Lexy + Strangers + Big Group = HiThereMyNameIsAwkwardIMeanLexyHahhahahahIWillNotSpeakNow.

Anyways, I fully support my hermit lifestyle and I’m okay with just watching people and imagining our interactions rather than, you know, actually interacting with them. That being said, I think it would be beneficiary if I learned to, you know, be less awkward and things.

At one of my favourite parks, there’s always a group of monkeys. And by monkeys, I mean university-students-doing-these-way-cool-balancing-trick-things-on-trees-and-stuff. Picture this: There are several trees. They have seat-belt-esque straps that they connect them with. They spend hours walking on them. All the time. IT’S SO COOL. Obviously, way out of my league.

I decided to suck it up and you know, be a man and be all cool smoooooth (like I am). So biked in that area. And stared at them for, like, ten minutes. (Literally. Sat there on my bike. Staring. Smoooooth, I tell ya!) One of them invited my to try it – it was a lot of fun. I AM A NINJA. Just kidding. I almost literally disjointed the guy’s fingers I was relentlessly clinging onto with all the strength of my life. He was nice about it.

I think that this could have been one of those, “See, Lexy? You’re not really socially awkward” experiences. But it was more like, “Woah, Lexy, you haven’t voluntarily interacted with strangers in so long that you’ve forgotten how awkward you are! Hahaha, sucker.” You know. Baby steps.

(Sweater - Value Village $4, Shirt - Value Village $3, Skirt - Homemade, Scarf - Nepal, Tights - H&M $5, Shoes - Winners, Ring - Gift, Belts- Thrifted $1 Each)

Anyways. I am fully aware of my social awkwardness. My sister, father and myself enjoy sitting in corners of Christmas parties, continuously stuffing our faces with food. This gives the essence of, “Oh hey. It’s not that we don’t want to socialize, but MMM we’re just supporting the chef over here and bonding (with each other. Even though we live in the same household) and stuff.” (Partygoers probably think that we’re freaks.) I also have this problem that, when I’m in big groups (for example, at lunchtime), I’m like, “Damn. Would it be weird if I just, like, sat in the corner and drew a picture of a unicorn?” (“Yes,” often comes to mind. So I just pretend I’m really engrossed in creeping grade 9s.) (I really AM engrossed. They’re actually quite fascinating to watch. I am so ridiculously glad that I’m not in grade 9. Mediocre times, ehhhh.)

Anyways. I am awkward. I’m okay with it. I’m sure it’s one of those things that I have to just “grow into.” (Haha. Sounds like I’m a 13 year old girl receiving my first training bra. Also mediocre times.) But if you have any suggestions as to how to speed up the process, that would be helpful. (Of being less awkward. Not the training bra thing. Just clarifying.) It’s not like I want a billion friends or desire to be with people all the time because, quite frankly, that’s unhealthy. I enjoy being alone.

It’s just that I encounter so many strangers in a day. And it’s like, what if I’m missing out on something? With our laptops in front of us, our phones in our hands, we have these screens. They shield us from existing and interacting with one another. It feels disconnected. It feels like I’m maybe missing out on awesome people. I think we all are. I think people aren't as bad as a lot of us like to make them out to be. I think we all, if we really tried, really could get along. But that’s just a whole other post.

How would you rank yourself on the social scale? Tips for chatting with/ befriending strangers?
(ex. Compliments? Asking for the time? Spilling coffee over them? Pick up lines? Plucking their boogers? SO MANY OPTIONS. All great. Obviously.)
xx

Edit: Just in case you were wondering, I totally just had the most glorious walk in the rain. (Alone. Yeah. 2 kewl.) I discovered a few things: 1) my rainboots are not waterproof, as puddles + wet feet showcased and 2) once you start looking for earth worms to play with, sticks look surprisingly similar to your new favourite creatures. I just thought these observations could redeem me and showcase my utmost coolness. Werrrd.

disco dance party hardy

2011-05-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

Inspiration for this outfit: Oh, hey. It's raining. AGAIN?!?!?! GrrZomgWtffff. Rather than succumbing to wearing blacks and greys that parallel to the dark clouds, I REBELLED. That's right. And I didn't wear just one colour. Or two colours. Or six colours. I wore, like, EVERY colour. Bad ass? Pretty much as BAD AS THEY COME. Beeeyotchezzzz. I will no longer EAT MY VEGETABLES just to emphasize how BAD I AM. That'll show them, mom!

I had no idea what tights to wear with this dress. Should I go for the hot pink? The purple? The two tone? PSH, WHY NOT THE OBNOXIOUS TIE-DYE ONES TO GO WITH THE ALREADY OBNOXIOUS DRESS? And so, I reached for it. Fingers wobbling in nervous anticipation. My heart was pounding through my chest. My legs shaking as the tights rose up my thighs. My mind blank. The only route it dared to venture to was: Will it work? (in a whisper, of course). My eyes looked up (in a mirror, but that breaks the flow of my eloquent writing). I smiled. It worked. (So my brain likes to pretend... so tell your dizzy eyeballs to SUCK IT UP AND PRETEND TO LIKE IT TOO.)

SO. MANY. GREEN. ANIMAL. JOKES. CANNOT. HANDLE. Seriously. I dare you guys to try to make fun of this awesome creature of a bag. I DARE YOU TO SAY SOMETHING. To my FACE. (You can be anonymous; c'est the beauty of the internet and yadda yadda.) Seriously. I've gotten IT ALL. (Or, more accurately, my lover/ bag. Poor guy is a victim of bullying.)

(Dress - Vintage $5, Blazer - Value Village/ Thrifted $3, Shoes - Salvation Army $7, Tights - H&M, Gloves - Gift, Bag - Gift, Hat - Nepal)

And this is where Lexy's daily ramble continues. Enjoy your stay?

Words that aren’t fun for a high school-er to hear: Guest Speaker. For me, these two words are synonymous with the likes of Boring, WasteOfTime, and UghTheyMovedTheEntireScheduleAroundSoWeDontMissBoringClassesAndOnlyOurLunchHour. (I’m normally not this pessimistic. But twenty-thousand mandatory “Guest Speakers” AKA UniversityRepsFromScienceSchoolsThatI’llNeverGoTo later...) I was seriously plotting my great escape: Can I hide in the basement? The art room? With the horses? (I’m not going on a weird tangent - my school really does have horses and farms as its backdrop. We so country, y’all!)

In conclusion, I’m really glad I sucked up my ShortTeenageAttentionSpan and went. Drew Dudley. (That was the speaker. Not some, like, new abbreviation or something.) It was really amazing. It was one of those presentations where I was like, “Lexy, remember everything this dude is saying. REMEMBER IT.” He is literally the most quote-able person. Ever.

One thing that really resonated with me is what he was saying about Lists. How everyone has this mental checklist in our head. And it is this list that holds us back.

It’s so true. I definitely carry a mental list. Things I want to do. Things that, after I do them, “I will be happy.” I think that THAT’S a huge part of our problem. I think those words are so dangerous... “Then I will be happy.” I think our lives are too conditional. We get in these traps where, after we achieve the next thing on our list, “then we will be happy.” (So we tell ourselves.) We’re rarely happy with what we have, right now. We’re always looking for more. Something better. Something that will make us MORE happy. That’s not healthy. I think that true happiness is simple: don’t be okay with what you have - be happy with what you have. Now.

Happiness is all in our head. Happiness comes from how we see the world. How we choose to respond to situations. We blame happiness on others, events... never us. “Gosh, I would have been so happy if that didn’t happen.” I’ve posted this quote before, and I’ll post it again. If you want to be my twin, you can even copy it on a sticky note and post it on your mirror! And we can recite it together, every morning, like a cult of happiness! Or, you know, something.

“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it" - Groucho Marx.

I’ve kind of diverted from the Drew’s words. But I guess that this is my response. It’s been raining cats and dogs here! (Literally.) (Kidding. Not literally.) (Pet peeve: when literally is incorrectly used. IT WILL NEVER BE LITERALLY RAINING CATS AND DOGS FOOL.) Um. Yes. But despite the bullets of raindrops, I’ve been happy. Maybe it’s the fact that the end is almost here. Everything seems more irrelevant than ever. But that’s okay. I’ll do it. That’s another thing Drew was talking about: we measure ‘success’ by the grades we get, the bills in our pockets. It's BS.

I’m a goal-oriented person, for sure. But to be honest, the only thing that I REALLY want in my life is to be happy and to be self-sufficient. As long as I’m working toward something I love, as long as I can pay for a roof over my head... that’s all.

I’m going to try to live my life with as much laughter and positive energy as possible. My newest goal is to smile to strangers(and random kids in hallways) as much as possible. Why not? Everyone loves smiles! I’ve also decided that that’s a great reason to wear colours: colours make me happy, colours make others happy (or they stare at me and giggle “wtf is she wearing?” but HEY, giggles are better than frowns.)

I think we all just have to let life be. And be happy in it.

So cheers to Lexy talking too much! I actually have a billion more thought bubbles in my head, but I will spare you the details.
What do you think the key to happiness is? How do you go about each day?
xx sorry, my comment responding has been lackluster. Pop an email over at lexyht@hotmail.com if you want to chat a bit more.

may flowers

2011-05-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

This title - and outfit for the matter - boasts a fun sort of irony to it. You know? The kind of thing that you silently smile at? Thinking to yourself, Oh, well that’s not hilarious or laughing out loud or anything. But it's something. Something deserving of a smirk. Because it’s oh so ironic. Becaaaaause, contrary to the “May flowers” of May, there have, in fact, not been many “May flowers.” Rather, there have been many MAY SHOWERS. Isn’t that hilarious?! No. It sucks.

(Note: I did not photoshop the sun into these photos or anything. They were taken last weekend. When there was sun. DO NOT BE DECEIVED.)

I go through blazer phases. I’ve been wearing this floral blazer for about a week straight now. (well, on top of my uniform. So not really “wearing”... but that’s besides the point). It just screams SPRING. Which is a good thing, because the weather isn’t! (Screaming Spring, that is.) (Hah? Did you all check out my good-nature stab at weather? We’re so flirtatious.) Thought I’d pair Mr. Floral Blazer with attire other than the blues and greys of my uniform. Diversity, baby.

Actually, that’s one thing that may interest your brain (probably not): I have an uncanny obsession with blazers. It’s not a matter of wants. Nor is it a matter of needs. It’s simply a matter of I CAN'T BE TAMED. Also, Value Village is having a 50% off sale on Monday. This is both an exciting and nerve-racking prospect for both my money bag and my blazer collectionthatiscompressedinanincreasinglyconfinedspace. (See what I did there? Made all those wordsCONFINED. To EMPHASIZE my point. Sew sneaky.)

Ooh, what do we have here? New friend? YUP. He shoots arrows at nerdy boys that deserve luuuuuuuv.

Continuation of the flower motif. I feel like you kids should be sending me flowers, or something. With love notes that will make my cheeks flush pink because, hey, I enjoy feeding my ego.

OPI, if you ever read this, do you want to send me some of your "cracked" nailpolish? I borrowed it from my friend, and it's seriously beyond rad. I will endorse you forever and wear you forever and maybe even write you a haiku while whispering sweet nothings into your ear drums. It will be beautiful. (Like you! D'oohhhhh!)

(Blazer - Thrifted $1, Shirt - Value Village/ Thrifted $3, Skirt - Value Village/ Thrifed $5, Socks - Vintage Store $5, Shoes - Urban Outfitters $10, Cupid Friend - Cne PRICELESS, Bangles and Red Bow - Gift)

In other news, I have about a month to decide what I’m DOING FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. Well, by “rest of my life,” I mean next year. (We pre-graduating highschoolers are so dramatic.) It’s one of those decisions that I’ve got to make on my own terms, so I will be vague and mysterious and what not (because, you know, I obviously am. Imagine me with red lipstick and a puff of smoke exhaling from my mouth. Also, I'm in Sepia/ dim lighting.). They’re both total dreams come true. I will keep you posted.

I'm feeling a little lost. But probably in the best way possible. I really want to ride my bike. Sun, come out?

Describe a tough decision you've had to make?
(In 500 words or less. Include proper sentence structure. Spelling and Grammar will count.) (Sorry. Those words in the previous parentheses are a lie. I was just trying to be, ahem, witty as my question is very essay-like. Thus, I was structuring it as though it was an essay. But it is not. It was simply a strategic move to prove that I am witty. Get it?)

Also, just for funzies... based on ma 'lil blawg,
What do YOU see me doing next year? Or in the next five years?
This will be FUN STUFF.