stuff white people like

I watched ‘The Royal Tenenmbaums’ for the first time in several years last night. It’s terribly hipster of me to say so, but I had forgotten how this film makes me feel. Wes Anderson is simply brilliant, and I always end his films feeling creatively inspired.

The melancholy throughout the film feels almost tangible, and sends all of my emotions into a flurry. I allow myself to stew in my thoughts after I watch a film like this.

The colours are brilliant, the soundtrack is affecting.

…and speaking of Wes Anderson, he’s got a new movie coming out this year!

magical snowfall in oxford

Waiting for the bus last night, the fluffy snow was falling and Oxford looked perfect.

I thought the snow on the lens added to it, rather than ruined it

google places interview + top yelper in the same week!

Google Places London featured me in a “meet your neighbour” interview on their blog, AND Yelp London featured me as a “Top Yelper” in this weeks newsletter.

Not bad for a London newbie, eh?

Mum would be proud

….Apparently I know how to eat AND talk about it. Special skills indeed!

3 months in england: What I’ve been up to

Well, internet, I’ve been back in the UK for over 3 months now. Three whole months! It’s flown by. Since arriving back on this side of the pond, I’ve been up to some pretty neat stuff.

I had my first Christmas in the UK, I turned 22, I made a ton of friends, and been job hunting for a social media gig by day. I’ve been going to meet-ups, travelling around the UK a little bit, making a ton of friends (thanks, internet), and generally getting settled here in England. Also, as I mentioned in the last post, I’ve been writing for the wonderful Bitcbuzz.com. I also recently started contributing to DorkAdore.com, and additionally, I’ve been blogging my little heart away about tech/social media on my own site… and getting to part in an XBOX UK campaign and getting to ride the London Eye with Microsoft. It’s been fun!

Anyways, a bit more of what I’ve been up to.

In no particular order.

Going up the London eye and seeing the gorgeous city from above

Eating at the brasserie atop the OXO tower with a spectacular view of Londontown

Randomly stumbling upon the Canadian High Commission on my birthday, and being allowed inside! I was officially on home soil on my 22nd birthday. A silly but wonderful little moment.

Meeting a ton of twitter/internet friends in real life. You’re all amazingly wonderful! Thank you for helping me feel so welcome in London.

Going to the Lord Mayors Year’s Day Parade

Walking through Greek Park on my birthday and feeling a sense of overwhelming happiness and clarity

Finding wonderful little cafes in Oxford to while away the job-hunting afternoons

Going boozing in Shoreditch on New Years eve with one of my besties

Lazily wandering Notting Hill on a sunny saturday

Eating myself to death at Borough Market

Being touristy

Showing Canadian visitors around London. This is us in the Natural History Museum!

And again

Drinking alot of beer

Drinking alot of champagne

Being even more touristy

Celebrating my first UK Christmas

Wandering the countryside and making friends with sheepies

Falling even more in love with this old loser

Falling in love with little bits of London even more

Life is good.

feeling the bloggy itch

Well, hello there, my neglected little journal. I had truly forgotten about you, little scrapbook.

I haven’t posted in six whole months.

In this little space, I’ve documented my moves around the globe from Montreal to Oxford to Vancouver…and since the last time I graced this little blog with words… I’ve moved back to the UK.

It’s been quite a whirlwind lately.

I guess I just didn’t have the energy to keep any sort of personal journal inbetween my 2 million other internet pursuits.

I’ve been a busy lady on the internet, writing about tech, the web, social media & gadgets on BitchBuzz.com, DorkAdore.com & on my own little technology-and-social media focused blog, too.

And I’ve been twittering. And flickring. And tumblin’. And pinning.

However, this specific cyber space is special to me, as it houses some cherished memories. I look back and reflect on words I’ve said in the past, or adventures I’ve gone on…and it helps me remember how much I’ve grown in the last few years.

And how much of this beautiful world I’ve seen.

And how much I’ve loved and been loved.

And so, I shall once again come back to this little space to share my personal adventures. To document my adventures as a Canadian expat in the UK. I always want to have some sort of haphazard personal journal, aside from my 140-character mental ejaculations on twitter.

So yes, I’m back. For now. I’m feeling the urge to document this newest chapter in my crazy life.

But tonight, my friends… I’m too bloody tired to write a 6-month recap..so, here’s a “new years” blog post that I stole from my tumblr.

“Yes, this is another new year/year end post. 

All of my other personal blogs sort of ceased to exist in the last few months as I shifted my blogging focus to tech & social media, so I thought I’d use my tumblr. I need somewhere to house my thoughts on the year gone by & the year ahead.

I’m kinda hungover from my new years eve festivities, so please don’t expect this to be particularly eloquent.

 2011 was a great year, in retrospect. Yeah, some months I was broke, some months I felt crappy….but some months were amazing.

A quick recap of 2011:

January-April

I finished up my year in the Interactive Design program I was enrolled in at a University in Vancouver. I learned more about web development, design and user experience.

April-May

I spent 3 amazing weeks in California. I stayed in Santa Cruz with a wonderful friend,and spent alot of time in San Francisco. On my way down, I saw the gorgeous countryside of Washington & Oregon, on a 30-hour train trip. It was a trip I’ll never forget, and I’d happily go to San Francisco again (it’s amazing).

June-September

 I worked part-time at a corporate type office. It was boring, but it paid well. I spent my evenings freelancing, exploring and enjoying Vancouver.My sister came to visit Vancouver in July and we hiked, biked and climbed mountains. It was amazing.

October

I packed up my entire life in 1 suitcase and I went home to visit my family in Nova Scotia for a few days. At the end of the trip, I boarded a plane to London, England to start the next chapter of my life, as an expat. (My partner is English, and he’s been in Canada…so, it’s my turn now…)

Nov-Dec

I lived in Oxford, UK with my partner’s family. We’re staying here for a little while whilst we get sorted with jobs, visas and flats over here. I had an amazing first Christmas in the UK, and had so many amazing times in London- my favourite city in the world. I found more focus in my goals for the year ahead and gained clarity and confidence from the support of loved ones.

I rang in 2012 on the Millenium Bridge in London with a paper cup full of bubbly and best friends at my side.

…

2011, despite it feeling transitional and awkward, was wonderful. It sounds cheesy, but I feel a bit older & wiser. 

In 2012….

 I will turn 22 (in 3 weeks, actually).

I will move from London to Oxford, I will get a new job, make new friends, see new countries and enjoy life.

I’ll keep laughing, loving and keeping a sense of humour.

I won’t sweat the little things.

I WILL NOT diet, but I will incorporate more fresh food into my life.

I will not be weightloss driven, but I will move my ass more and have fun doing so.

I will be homesick, but I’ll get over it.

I will try my best to break into a career & an industry that I enjoy.

I will have successes.

I will also have failures.

I will learn how to walk in high heels.

I will hit bumps in the road, as always, but I WILL NOT care what anyone else thinks.

I’ll hold my head high and walk confidently towards my goals.

I’ll keep learning and growing.

 I’ll eat alot of cake.

I’ll have another amazing year.

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012″

 

Also,  here are some photos of life from the last few months. In no particular order.

A long overdue life update is coming soon.