Terrace House: The Reality TV Show You Didn’t Know Your Psyche Needed

As a long-time veteran consumer of reality TV – the good, the bad, and the very ugly – I understand the war such entertainment wages on your psyche all too well. The primary appeal of this trashy television genre is that it requires zero effort on the viewer’s end. There’s no witty banter or complicated plot line to follow. There’s just not-so-subtle innuendo, questionable fashion, and best friend betrayal. But if you think this fluff doesn’t leave an impact on you once you stop watching, you’re incorrect.  Continue reading

Life Lessons: Privacy Please

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A few weeks ago an odd occurrence brought me to my elbows, perched in front of Google and primed to ask some questions. I typed, ‘Is my smartphone listening to me all the time?’ followed shortly by ‘Should I convert to asceticism, move to the woods, and bury my iPhone in a shallow and forgotten grave?’. I’ve heard the myths, read the unsubstantiated claims in semi-reputable publications, and delved deep into the extensive reddit threads, but I have never actually thought my phone was eavesdropping on me.  Continue reading

Your True Self(ie)

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The Jekyll and Hyde of the 21st century is not a mad scientist struggling with split-personality disorder, but more likely, a savvy millennial struggling with whether or not they should post something online. I often feel that there’s an inner battle taking place in my psyche — between the part of me that strives to be an enigma, and the other, that’s cool with oversharing even if it’s TMI. The past few months have been justifiably hard for me, and during that time, I felt this uncomfortable disconnect on the regular. This feeling of wanting to share what was going on through a photo, or post, but finding that my finger stalled as soon as I actually had to click ‘share’. Continue reading

Where Is Your Safe Place?

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To be displaced is to be moved or removed from a usual position. To me, this can mean many things. It can mean physically being removed from your home for whatever reason. It can mean you were replaced with someone else. Or it can be a displacement that occurs in your psyche. No matter the cause or condition, displacement is unsettling. I have recently undergone all manners of displacement and can attest to its unpleasantness. When the rug is pulled out from under you, and your world is turned upside down, no matter the displacement, you must seek a place of comfort. Continue reading

Greetings from the Unknown

unknownheader-e1467041729669As a society, we can’t help but have a fascination with the unknown; it’s human nature to want to be able to answer questions we don’t (or won’t) have the answers to, and use every tool at our disposal to break down those walls and remove any uncertainty. Spoiler Alert: I don’t profess to know what the hell I’m talking about, but if I were to hazard a guess, perhaps it’s because the unknown scares us – it takes away that sense of control we so love, and leaves us at the whim of the forces of nature. Whether it’s pondering the ever-expanding universe or why your newest crush has yet to text you back, the unknown always has the one up. While I’m currently burdened with many unknowns, the one that is burdening me most is, cancer. Continue reading

The Power of Glitter

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Deep down and #nofilter, I definitely shine bright like a diamond. However, upon first glance or even after our first handful of encounters, this diamond status may not necessarily be apparent. My shiny brightness doesn’t always make itself known – even if I want (or need) it to. I guess you could say I’m an introvert whose eccentricities are sometimes muffled by occasional social anxieties. I have witty things to say, but can’t always get them out. I have bold opinions, but I may not be able to express them in more than a whisper. I have big ideas, but they may sit on a shelf, at the back of my mind, collecting dust until I’m in the right mood. Continue reading

Style Guide: The Choker

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An air of nostalgia? A good dose of edge? Yet, still overall chic? Not always an easy order to fill. In fact, achieving the perfect balance of all three components is quite tricky and surely would take a good amount of time spent standing in front of your wardrobe and praying you have A Beautiful Mind moment – when the right combination just jumps out at you. Or – you could make things real easy for yourself and just start wearing chokers. A choker may in fact be the most perfect accessory (though not for the faint of heart). Not only does it instantly take your look to je ne sais quoi level, but it ensures your status as one sophisticated, bad ass bitch.  Continue reading

3rd Annual Oscar Superlatives

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Last night the 88th Annual Academy Awards took place…annnnnnd there’s nothing that remarkable to report. As per every year I made a point of watching all the nominated movies in the best picture, acting, and directing categories to prepare myself for Oscar night, and just like every year I realize that my tastes strongly differ from the old, white man opinions that represent the Academy. Typically I’m abuzz with excitement for the Oscars, and my brain is whirring whilst I watch, creating quips that I can remark on the following day, but this year was especially lacklustre. I felt that many of the nominees were nothing special, that a good handful of the winners were undeserving of such profound recognition and that the show itself was quite devoid of personality. However – my Oscar superlatives have become somewhat of a tradition, so I shall put my wit and observational skills to the test, and produce my own compilation of ‘Best Of’s. Continue reading

Gal Pal V-Day Tunez

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Continuing on the Galentine’s Day train of thought I thought it might be good to focus in on the *spontaneous dance party* portion of your celebration. This is a necessary component to any top notch Galentine’s Day party – well, actually, to any party worth its salt. Spontaneous dance parties are good for the soul and create a bond with your friends like no other. A true spontaneous dance party will have your friends exhibiting dance moves and behaviours you’ve probably never seen before – this is their true silly selves – take it all in and join in the fun. The sheer joy of letting your guard down, dancing your little heart out, and laughing your ass off when you look up and realize the trance-like state of jubilation your pals are in surely will add years to your life. I’ve compiled a list of tunez to help you and your girls get their dance on – so go forth, do as the old adage from our tweens says, and dance like nobody’s watching! Continue reading

Galentine’s Day Bingo!

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Whether you’re single, betrothed, or completely against the entire capitalist Valentine’s Day agenda – one thing is certain – there is no reason why you shouldn’t celebrate Galentine’s Day! Galentine’s Day is a day for ladies to celebrate their friendships, perhaps dish on their latest romantic forays, curse love, and/or guzzle rosé bubbly. Whatever it is you choose to do, it’s a fun and fabulous excuse to get together with your gal pals and make some memories. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching – so be sure to make some time in your calendar for you and your squad to share in some fine charcuterie. I’ve created a bingo card for you to make use of during your Galentine’s celebration. Each time something on the card happens, mark it off. First person to get BINGO? Well, you can come up with a glamorous prize, or you can just accept that as winner you will receive my undying respect – a priceless commodity. Enjoy your Galentine’s Day m’dears – YA YA! Continue reading