thoughts; reflections on phil. 4:13

song of the day: the bird and the worm, owl city

sorry i haven't had much to say on fashion or beauty as of late. even though i've stayed with my commitment to never take a day off style, my outfits have been a lot simpler in recent days. (although i will put up pictures soon of the aforementioned french connection dress!) but this is something i've really been mulling over in the last couple days, and i realized i had no place to publish it. but i mean, all that i believe is as much a part of my style as anything else, so why not? here's what's on my mind.

as i was thinking about school, and everything else i'd taken on this year. i've only ever been thinking about what i can do to make it through. i mean, i though it all figured out when i was reminded of this verse: "i can do all things through christ who strengthens me." (phillipians 4.13)

i wrote it down in my agenda and made it my mantra for the last couple weeks. but in my typical self-absorbed fashion, i only focused on the first part: i can do all things. i can do 23 hours of school, 16 hours of church stuff and 10 hours of work cause the bible says i can. makes me sound like i could be superwoman or something.

i didn't even realize i'd totally manipulated the verse until a few days ago. when i went to read it again and i realized that it isn't just a line, that's not all that paul said while he was writing his letter to the people of philipi. so often i take bible verses completely out of context when it wouldn't make sense to do that anywhere else. like if you opened up a random book, took one sentence out of it and tried to live your life by it, it would seem completely ludicrous. and yet that's what i did.

so i read the whole chapter twice (it's not that long) and it's got some really great stuff. it touches on being humble, working joyfully, pressing on towards goals, though not in the way i thought it would. phillipians four, contrary to what i thought, isn't offering advice on why people are strong. it's not so much a pep talk not for me, but for god. it starts off by thanking god for all he's done and who he is. it's an argument for why god has given paul everything he needs. quite obviously, it's the latter, not the former part of verse 13 thats the important part. and check the message translation:

¹² i've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. ¹³whatever i have, wherever i am, i can make it through anything in the one who makes me who i am.

kinda puts a new spin on things. i look less like superwoman and more like myself. usually, i tend to ignore these, but today i checked out the accompanying verse my bible tucked in at the end there. “my grace is all you need. my power works best in weakness.” so now i am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of christ can work through me.(2 corinthians 12:9b, NLT)

so i will not complain, but boast in my inadequacy. i'll do it right now. i know that between taking first, second and third year courses on a major i've just switched to, and leading a youth choir (something that i know nothing about) i'm in WAY over my head here. but i'm warming up to the idea that even despite all my to-do lists, organizers and freaking out, god's already got this.

i feel, or rather i know, that god's been behind all the decisions i've made. like calling me into communication studies, and telling me that yes, those four extra hours a week doing youth choir are what i need to be doing right now. so i don't know what i would even think that he would just abandon me now. even if you don't believe in god per se, i feel like when things get stressful we seem to forget we're never completely on your our own. it is so like our culture to muscle through things by ourselves. you know?

but for me, i'm proud to say i am unable to handle all of this on my own, and i'm super glad i don't have to. anyway, that's all for now. the textbooks are calling!

xoxo
-B.

got the picture from here.

love your life;

song of the day: fireflies, owl city

sorry i've been MIA in the last little bit. i am still adjusting to my new incredibly busy schedule. mondays are the most intimidating. as i'm compiling this week's to do list, it looks like there's no end in sight, and this past weekend wasn't nearly as restul as i needed it to be. so before i do anything else, i'm taking a minute to catch up on the things that have been making me terribly happy as of late.

1. baby news
2. bouncy castles
3. when my dad cooks dinner
4. karaoke
5. headbands
6. chow mein
7. new friends
8. getting under crisp sheets at the end of the night
9. playing disney music while i'm at work
10. getting a french connection dress for $3! (thank you sales, discounts, gift cards and winners)

and how have you been?

got the photo from here

catalogue; fifteen

occasion: world premiere of whip it
blue striped blazer: forever 21, $10
white bubble dress: garage, $15
red quilted flats: aeropostale, $6
bag: h&m, $15

snapped this picture just outside the red carpet. this weekend and the last i managed to cram in two trips downtown for TIFF (toronto international film festival). last sunday, me, L and A checked out the world premiere of whip it and i LOVED it! it was really funny and sweet! if only i was cut out for roller derby...

mm, about the outfit. i love that i bought that dress and waited until after labour day to wear it.
but i love breaking the rules! wish i had taken better makeup pictures, cause i attempted to curl my hair, kinda sorta. and i was wearing this really sweet blue eyeshadow (though i used it as a liner) and a new red lipgloss. oh well! maybe next time! meanwhile, check out pics of drew barrymore and my gorgeous friends. heading off to school now! have a happy monday!

how to; manage your time

song of the day: one day like this, elbow

hello there! it feels like i've been MIA today, i've got so many blogs to catch up on, comments to leave. i hope september is treating you well. mine has been, in a word, hectic. and it's looking like it's only going to get worse...

i write these for me as much as i write them for you, as i hung up the phone the other day i realized i'd taken on another commitment without even realizing it. then i went to jot down all i've taken on from september to december and i may have started hyperventilating a bit. here's what i've signed up to do:

• school, of course. i spend 14 hours a week in classes,
• not including travel time, idle time or homework
• work 10 hours a week at the party place
• be the fundraising co-ordinator for my friends' theatre company
• helping with the editing/publishing of two books
• sing on a worship team every other sunday
• lead vocal sectionals every other week
• assist with a youth choir
• lead worship for our jr. high and high school youth groups
• not to mention, i'll be taking part of my own youth group
• i may be leading a small group this year
• and possibly joining a dance troup?
• and keeping up this blog!

i calculated. with a schedule like that i'll be at my church/doing church things for a total of 16 (unpaid) hours a week. and it's not that i have a problem with that, i LOVE what i do. but do i have time for it all? (show the progress on my list, how helping mary doesn't take much time, etc) so i scoured the interwebs for some helpful tips on how to manage your time and get everything done.

» make to-do lists. but it's more than just making lists, prioritize them! i tend to go overboard and write things like "do laundry" or "paint nails" that yes, are essential, but only add clutter to an already busy list. only write down the stuff you really need to do. if i organize things by the time in which they need to be accomplished i'll be much better off.

» put the tough stuff near the top. get the yucky stuff out of the way, i've found that putting it off just makes it worse.

» break things down into manageable tasks. seeing "TERM PAPER" at the top of your list can seem daunting, break things into smaller steps and tick them off as you go.

»multitask. but do it the right way! organize things into types of tasks and work on them all that way

»make use of idle time. on your commute, waiting in lines or in waiting rooms, idle time between classes. making use of those little blocks of time can really add up. regardless of how crowded the bus is, i'm always that girl taking up the extra room with a textbook spread out across her lap. love me, hate me. whatever gets the job done, i say.

»cut down on distractions. turn off the tv. put your phone on silent and only have on application going at a time. i certainly plan to start doing that last one. i'm guilty of opening multiple applications when i boot up my computer and leaving them there till i'm done. i swear, internet tabbing is the best thing that ever happened to me. i'll be working on my paper and when i get stuck, i'll quickly refresh facebook for some inpsiration. i'd be doing myself a favour if i let the word app be the only thing keeping my attention.

»set timers. if you've given yourself 20 minutes to dawdle/facebook stalk, set your phone alarm or osmething so you know when that task is supposed to be done. i usually take tv show breaks, and as soon as that shows over, i know it's back to work.

but don't forget...

...to give yourself breaks. i think it's good to unwind a little, to have something to look forward too. make them a part of your schedule, and make sure you take them.

...to be flexible. there are some people who think that rigid scheduling is the way to get everything done, but i prefer to just make a really organized list, that way it's not such a big deal if something comes up and changes things. i think in life you gotta go with the flow!

...it's okay to say no. so here's some advice i need to follow. it's like "no" isn't even in my vocabularly! but i guess letting people down after you've said you'd do something is just as bad as not doing it in the first place.

...to stop and look back on what you've accomplished. take time to check those items off your lists and survey your good work. it'll fuel you to do more.

anyway, i'm off again! have a happy thursday!
lovelovelove
-B.

clock pic from here.

love your life;

song of the day: the show, lenka

i hope our weekend was as fantastic as mine was! but in consequence, i didn't have time to write ANYTHING. and i do feel awful about! and sadly this week looks even busier than the last, i'll see how things turn out.

1. sunshine on skin
2. celebrity sightings (i saw drew barrymore, ellen page and kristen wiig last night! too much fun!)
3. the front seat of his car
4. dive diners with amazing french toast
5. baby hands
6. the first time you write in a new notebook
7. the novelty of driving
8. catching up over coffee
9. when magazines come in the mail
10. cocktail rings

boo. i'm already exhausted, and i'm only at the beginning of what looks to be an exhausting week! wish me luck!

-B.

beautiful pic from here.

current obsession; colorstay ultimate

i've fallen in love with a new lip colour. before there was nail polish, i was obsessed with lipsticks/glosses and averaging about two a week. thankfully, i've got that under control. but then i saw this revlon colorstay ultimate lip colour peeking out of my mom's makeup bin...

here's what it promises, straight from the revlon website:

• food-proof lipcolor with a built-in, ultra-conditioning topcoat
• one-step application: no topcoat required for comfortable wear
• stays comfortable and wears beautifully for up to 12 hours
• does not feather or fade; no touch-ups required, even after meals
• available in 20 full-coverage, soft satin shades
  

and i think it very nearly lives up to all it says it will be. i think it's a really interesting combo, it has a wand like a lipgloss but feels really lipsticky when it's on. it does last a REALLY long time. ridiculously so. you need to give it a minute to dry (no talking!) and then it stays in for the long haul. like, the only way to take if off is with a strong makeup remover.

but it's totally kicking the butt of the lip colour i bought at sephora last month. i have it in #1 nude and premier plum (the shade i'm wearing in the pic). the temptation to buy this in EVERY colour possible is tempting! but i've got a budget to stick to, and school books to buy.

it's super important to apply it to bare lips. my only qualm? it would be awesome if it had just a little more moisturizing. even though there's not top coat required, i tend to stick on some c.o. bigelow's lip butter to keep things soft. but it's a bit of a compromise, even though it feels a little dry, it looks really natural when it's on because it's not all that glossy. i've been wearing it every day for the last two weeks. anyone else ever tried these?

-B.

catalogue; fourteen

occasion: first day of school/jonas brothers concert
chain necklace: forever 21, $7
purple plaid tunic: sirens, $17
skinny jeans: aeropostale, $20
burgundy flats: aeropostale, $6
(book) bag: h&m, $15

you read that right, i am a repeat outfit offender. but i don't mind =) i think this was a great choice for the first day of school. even consiering that my creative writing prof went rogue and took us outside for classes and i totally got mosquito bites / grass stains. (sounds a lot like my first day of second grade, haha). it was still a good day! i got to catch up with the friends i'd forgotten over the summer and i finally got the nerve to talk to the boy that i always seem to bump into on the way home. fun!

but i want to hear your back to school story! what was it like? what'd you wear? meet any one exciting? how was it?

i'm off to choir practice.
later my lovelies!
-B.

love your life;

did everyone have a good labour day weekend? mine was good but way too short. school starts tomorrow. so for me, i'm eating icecream for breakfast and watching cartoons, for this one last time. i woke up early to see my sister off for her first day and i was about to complain about how early it was it occured to me, i'd be the one waking up this early pretty much from now until next april! i am excited though.

when i was rewatching the season premier, i picked up this bit of wisdom from glee: the only life worth living is one you're passionate about. if you're not passionate about your about, maybe you should shake things up?

this week, here are the ten things making me terribly happy
1. when you seperate your chopsticks in one clean crack
2. the sound plastic makes when you tear into it (i love new things)
3. dinner dates with my mom
4. homemade smoothies
5. shopping downtown
6. unlimited texting - i just got it and had no idea what i was missing
7. singing
8. baby shoes
9. when someone offers you a ride home, even more so when it's out of their way
10. late night denny's runs with old friends

that's all for now!
xoxo
-B.

best of; aug 31-sept 4

super random finds this week. but this week, on the whole, has been pretty random.

♥ check out this list of the 99 most influential fashion blogs. there were SO many i hadn't heard of but now i've got a TON more to check out. fabulous stuff, really.

♥ i've truly enjoyed finding out "what hipsters hate." funny funny stuff.

♥ i've also enjoyed - and cringed at- people of walmart.

♥ i love all of the new bloggers on college fashion. but i gotta love zepyhr too. check out her 25 reasons to dress up everyday. as if i needed one.

♥ here's a collaboration i'm happy about. garance dor is teaming up with the GAP. i'll keep you posted on that one.

♥ i'm a word nerd. i can admit it. i got excited about the words being added to the dictionary this year. frenemy? why yes i think so.

♥ mission to learn gives some times on finding time for everything.

♥ check out some great labour day deals via the budget babe.

that's it for me. still trying to scrounge up someone to go to a gig with me tonight! have a happy rest of the weekend!

-B.

quick tip;

don't forget to get your computer ready for school by deleting old/unused programs and files.

je t'aime;

just posting about a blog i'm loving lately. i love karen's style and her blog wheredidyougetthat. i'm totally experiencing skirt envy right now. check out her blog for more pics.

current obsession; fall tv

song of the day: anything i'm not, lenka

this is probably going to sound weird, but TV is kind of like the second religion in my house. missing an episode of house on monday night, is kind of sacriligious. so now that we're into september, i need to know what times i'm going to need to work shows into my schedule. these premieres are just another reason fall is my favourite season.

got all the dates and info via tv.com. a very helpful feature! and you'll want to double check things with your local listings as well. it's awful when you go to watch your favourite show and discover it's moved to a completely different day. i found a cool site that does it for all the major canadian channels.

here are the ones i'm most excited about.

glee (sept 9, 9pm). it feels like it's been forever since they showed the preview episode for this show in the spring. it seemed like a cruel idea but i don't know if that was there best move. now there's a LOT of pressure for the show to be good. but i'm pretty sure i'll stick this one out for the whole season.



house (sept 21, 8pm ) have you been following house/seen the previews for this? i was hoping the tail end of this season would just be someone's horrible dream! but apparently not so. this whole mental hospital thing is going to seriously set back my "huddy" plans though.



gossip girl (sept 14, 9pm). to be perfectly honest, this is not my type of show. but after two seasons, i know i would not miss a single juicy episode. it's so addictive >.<





wow! it was hard to pick just three. here are the other premieres i won't be missing, i've put links to the newer/lesser known ones.

fringe (sept 17, 9pm. i can not WAIT for this show to come back, but i'm not happy about the time slot. thursday is a cutthroat night)
bones (sept 17, 8pm), the office (sept 17, 9pm)
the beautiful life (sept 16, 9pm)
heroes (sept 21, 8pm),
smallville (sept 25, 8pm. not looking good this is like the burial ground.)
snl (sept 26, 11:30pm. megan fox is apparently hosting the premier. odd choice, she doesn't strike me as funny),
ncis (sept 22, 8pm),
the mentalist (sept 22, 8pm. who doesn't need more simon baker in their lives? this tuesday time slot is only for canadian channels, and will change in october).
flash forward (sept 24, 8pm),
lie to me (sept 28, 8pm),
the jay leno show (sept 14, 10pm),
v (nov 3, 8pm),
community (oct 8, 8pm),

i have NO idea how i'm going to fit all this in. my friend T says i could always just give up on sleep. that's what he does. anyone else as serious about tv as i am? anyone else cry during the writer's strike? no? okay. that's cool. i know, my tastes are ALL over this place. so for you, what's that tv show you will not miss?


-B.

weekly resolve; school year resolutions

you know what's weird? i make resolutions at pretty much all the time, except at new year's. too busy having fun. haha. but every school year, i always keep in mind a few things that i want to do. i'm actually really excited to start my third year. i've finally switched my major to something i LOVE and i can't wait to start my courses. but at the same time, i'm feeling the pressure to do well because my parents weren't too happy about the switch.

here's what i'm looking to take on this year.

• eat breakfast. how many times have i heard about the benefits of eating breakfast? and felt it for myself? when i eat breakfast, i don't end up binging in the afternoon or feeling quite as cranky. and yet i never make time to do it. this year, i'm going to give it a real try.
  
  
• eat better on campus. i can't tell you how many times i fell victim to the taco place by my film class. i think this is gonna mean i prep/pack lunches from home. i think that's it on the food front. i'd make a fitness goal, but i know i wouldn't keep it.
  
  
• make new friends. saying that aloud takes me right back to second grade. (check me out on my first day, at right) but i mean it. as i said, i am switching my major, and even though i'm staying at the same school, it's a completely different program and a completely different campus. it's like coming super late to a party. everyone will already know everyone else, but i will fight my urge to fade into the backgroud. in a dream world, i'd join a club or something, but i really don't have the time.
  
  
• stick to my budget. i finally tabulated what i spent for the month of august. i was far, far from the goal i set. but i did take a sizable chunk out of my visa debt! i need to do even better in the months to come though.
  
  
• make time for everything. i think i'm pretty organized, but i'm awful with time management. there's a lot i plan to do this year: helping to get a book published, youth group, two different singing groups, and keeping up this blog of course! not to mention all the tv i can't live without. i'm going to resolve to stay on top of things so my school work doesn't get lost in the mix. i know there's a way to make time for everything, i've just got to find it.
  
  
• never take a "day off" from style. this is actually more of a lifetime goal. with a little work, i think you can let your own personal style shine through in just about anything. i hate those days where you wake up late and throw on the first thing you see and walk around miserable for the rest of the day. so i resolve not to have any.
  

but more important than the goals you make are the steps you do to . i think if you're going to do this you should put it in a place where you can see it. i'm going to try vision boarding. i'm turning my computer's desktop into a visual reminder of all the things i hope to accomplish this year. (so i'll see it before i load up firefox and spend careless hours checking up on blogs =P)

you don't have to wait to make goal. a and rememer... "it's never too late to start the day over." (-michael franti)

so what are you hoping to do this school year?

-B.

top ten; fall trends

song of the day: haven't met you yet, michael buble

happy september! i don't know about you, but it's a part of my fashion philosophy to splurge on a wardrobe full of essentials and then pepper it with seasonal items i'll buy on the cheap. here are trends i plan to endorse this season. then check out my picks on shopstyle! most of them are >$50.

1. band jackets. if i hadn't bought a fall coat last year, i'd totally be cashing in for one of these right now. i LOVE this look. i can't stress it enough. it would be awesome if i could find a real vintage marching band jacket somewhere. fingers crossed! motorcyle and military jackets are also in for the fall.

2. leather. it's easy to wear this trend anywhere. motorcycle jackets are also popular. and there's no better way to master girly grunge, glam than with a leather mini.

3. full minis. this season's skirts are all about interesting full shapes and patterns. look for skirts that incorporate ruffles or zips. and pair them with paired with black tights to finish off the look.

4. something plaid. i've already gurgled on about plaid. it's one of those fall fashion staples that just keeps on coming. look for plaid oversive shirts and tunics.

5. destroyed denim. bleached, shredded and distressed jeans are all in for fall. try pairing it with a cardigan for an interesting contrast.

6. plum lips. this is another fall staple. try adding a plum lip colour to your regular fall makeup look.

7. leggings. yep, they're STILL here. and i'm thinking i'm nearly ready to venture out of my plain black cotton ones. they are popular with sequins, in lace, with patterns. but the same rules apply. denim-look leggings (i've heard them called "jeggings" but can't bring myself to use the term) are also popular.

8. over-the-knee boots. make sure the pair you pick fit close to your leg at the top. gapes are a no-no. other popular footwear: (peep toe) ankle booties,

9. animal prints. you can use them as a neutral to anchor your look. they also look cute as accesories.

10. cuff bracelets. when it comes to jewelry this fall, bigger is better. from the looks of things, bangles and statement/bib necklaces are also fall essentials.



i posted this o'er the weekend, but don't forget to check out pantone's choices for fall colours! did i miss anything? what trends are you loving this fall?

-B.

je t'aime;

hey there! so i've received an award from little red over at the redhead fashionista. i'm so excited! check out her AMAZING blog if you haven't already.

i'd also like to pass this award on to:

Clare's Closet
Lola Loves Makeup
Mermaid in a Manhole
Carrots and Chocolate

and thanks again little red!