Dreaming of Spring

"Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?
My mind keeps saying,
Run as fast as you can.
Oh oh oh..."
- Olly Murs, Troublemaker

The "big snowstorm" we were expecting in Toronto yesterday turned out to be a big, slushy, wet mess. It also meant that the roads were (generally) not as busy; meaning that malls would be fairly quiet. So, on my lunch break, I headed over to the Eaton Centre, the largest mall in downtown Toronto.

Shop windows were full of Spring attire. As I fantasized about nicer weather, I headed over to my favourite store ever, Dynamite. There I picked up a Beaded Dress for work and a lovely blush Girlfriend Blazer to compliment it.

As soon as I got home, I had to try it on.

Now, normally I don't take photos of myself au naturale, let alone leave the house without straightening my hair. But, it's only fair that you guys get to see what I look like without the help of photoshop, fake tans, makeup and my flat iron (which I totally need to write a review about). After all, there's nothing sexier than confidence.

Unfortunately, the weather isn't nice enough to go outside in such a nice outfit, and my apartment isn't big enough to take good photos in, so I had to strut my stuff in my hallway, with my digital camera.

Anyhoo, you get the point. I love the outfit and I can't wait to wear it to work!

Anyone have any suggestions on what else I could wear the blazer with?

Wordless Wednesday

"My arms get cold, in February air.
Please don't lose hold of me, out there."
- Lights, February Air

Taken from the car window this morning.

Um, My Face is Up Here..(& a quick sunless tanner review)

"I want to scream and shout, and let it all out.
We sayin' oh wee oh wee oh wee oh."
- Will.i.am ft. Britney Spears, Scream and Shout

(I seem to have songs that make me want to dance, as my theme, lately).

For some reason, Blogger thinks it is appropriate to make the thumbnail of this picture:

...a picture of my chest. Well, Blogger, no. No, it isn't appropriate. It may have scared some people and for that I apologise. I definitely didn't intend for it to scare anyone (or for the thumbnail to show up that way). It's just one of my favourite photos from a photoshoot I did a few months ago. As you can see though, I've changed the picture.

For anyone wondering how I got my "tan" it's from one spray of Sally Hansen Airbrush Sunless Body Tanner (which I can't find in stores anywhere now. I can only find Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, which is not the same) and from two days of applying Balea Sunless Tanning Lotion.

I love Sally Hansen's Airbrush Sunless Body Tanner. It's easy to apply, smells good and actually stays on for a couple days. It does leave some streaks however.

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs is completely different. It's more like foundation in a bottle. It's great if you want to use a quick cover up but do not wear it if you're planning to hit the beach/swimming pool. It will come off as soon as you get in the water.

Picture taken from:
From Runways to Realways

Balea is a gradual tanner, but it does the trick. It also leaves a few streaks and it's hard to tell where you've applied it. During the summer, you can find it at Shoppers Drug Mart for about $8. Considering the price, you can't go wrong. You just have to have patience and make sure you apply it carefully and everyday, until you get the colour you desire.













For anyone who is going to get hit by the big snowstorm tonight, stay warm! We're expecting 15-20cm of snow here in Toronto by tomorrow morning. It's not that bad, but it'll make commuting tomorrow morning a bit of a pain. Bundle up, everyone!

All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy

"All I want to do is have some fun.
I got a feeling that I'm not the only one."
- Pitbull, Have Some Fun

Growing up, I was a bit of a workaholic. At the age of 15, I got my first job. Since then, I've always been employed. Before I graduated, I almost always had at least two jobs and a full course load. I was fortunate enough to land a full-time, salary paid, job right out of University. It felt so rewarding to be able to put the part-time job(s) life behind me. But, more on that another day.

I strongly believe that it's important to go out and enjoy yourself. Life is too short to spend it working all the time (unless that's what makes you happier than anything else).

This weekend, we definitely went out and enjoyed ourselves!

Friday night, Andrew, Chris, Randy and I went to Dave and Busters (my favourite place ever). In my opinion, it's a Chuck E Cheese for adults. It's also 1000x better than Chuck E Cheese. It has tons of arcade games, games where you can win tickets (to redeem for prizes) and it even has skeeball and basketball. It is missing a ball pit though. Although, I'm not sure how much fun that would be as an adult. You've got to be pretty miserable to go to Dave and Busters and not have a good time (or just really hate games). It's a little slice of heaven for me.

Me, Randy and Andrew; intently focused on a game

Dave and Busters was followed by Chili's Grill & Bar, which once again, I was disappointed by. It tastes great in the States, but not so much in Ontario.

On Saturday, we had one last lunch together before Chris and Randy headed back to their hometowns. Andrew and I took them to our favourite little spot on Yonge Street, just north of Dundas: Made in China. It's an "Asian fusion" restaurant, which is attached to a Korean Grill House. Made in China has a Hot Pot option, which we haven't tried yet. We mainly go because they have weekly specials that start at $5.99. The specials come with unlimited tea and one soft drink. The portion sizes are big too! You seriously can't go wrong with that price.

Our last group picture together before the boys headed back home

Shortly after lunch, Andrew and I had to say farewell to our dear friends (who I'm sure we'll see in the summer). After we finished shedding our tears, we met up with Jerome and headed to Casino Rama.

Andrew and I don't gamble. At all. We went to Vegas in November and spent a maximum of $10 on gambling. But, we enjoy watching Jerome lose win lots of money.

This was in the foyer of Casino Rama, to celebrate Chinese New Year. I thought it was gorgeous!

Oddly, after being at Rama for two hours, when we moved to a new roulette table (the third of the night), the three of us were ID'd. The dealer made kind of a big deal about it and mumbled to a player at the table that we should take it as a compliment. I wasn't too impressed. We were ID'd at the door. Why are we getting ID'd again? Has anyone else ever been ID'd at a casino after getting in?

We left late enough that the only places that were still open for food were drive-thrus. We hit up an A&W on the way home (we had coupons for it, of course), which didn't sit too well with my stomach the next day. Still, Jerome and I hit up the gym on Sunday and got a good two and half hours in.

I went home and decided to make a big batch of chili. This weekend left my wallet on the lighter side, so I've vowed to not eat out at all this week. I love chili because it's easy to make and it's cheap! Not to mention healthy as well.

I added pieces of chicken thighs, tomatoes, salsa, corn, two cans of mixed beans, an onion (chopped) and chili powder to mine. I threw it all in the slow cooker (not in that order) and let it sit for four hours. Top with cheese and you have a yummy meal for days!

Misty came over for a quick visit. She definitely wanted in on the chili action. Sorry, Misty. It's not for dogs!

Andrew enjoying his chili (and teasing Misty with it;
gotta love how she's sticking her tongue out a little)

Second City: The Meme-ing of Life

"And let me lose my voice / Singing all my favourite songs
.....
And baby I'm living louder,
And dreaming longer, tonight.
And baby I'm fighting harder,
And loving stronger tonight."
- The Cab, Living Louder

Randy, who lives in the middle of nowhere with his wife (seriously, they live really far) is in Toronto for a couple days, for a conference. Chris, being the good friend he is, decided to piggyback on Randy's hotel stay. Which, evidently, meant Chris had to come in from Montreal to spend time with his favourite person ever: me. Oh, and Andrew. I guess. Unfortunately, he didn't bring his wife, Vic, with him. Which just means we'll need to have extra-long Vic time when we finally get to see her again (or they should just move to Toronto *hint hint*).

Before my current job, I was fortunate enough to work at a couple great hotels in Toronto. I got a good feel for the city that I live in and love. When tourists would ask me what they should check out while they were here, I always said Second City. It is by far the best comedy club you'll find anywhere (besides the original one in Chicago). Granted, some of the jokes are jabs at things that have happened in the city of Toronto, and you have to be aware of the news to understand them; but you can still appreciate them.

So, of course, we had to take Randy and Chris there.

The show we saw last night was called The Meme-ing of Life. Now, in case you don't know what a meme is, it's those silly little pictures I sometimes put on my blog.

 

Yeah, like that. It usually gets passed around from one internet user to the other, as explained by the definition found on Google.

Although last night's show started off by talking about meme's, Second City failed to have a plethora of jokes surrounding them, which slightly disappointed me (I love when their show relates to their title). They did a satire skit on how addicting Youtube can be, which was cute, but not much else in the way of Internet/meme related jokes.

They did, however, make a jab at Republican Todd Akin's idiotic remark about women not being able to get pregnant from rape. It was one of those, "Did they just go there? They really went there. Awesome," kind of moments.

For the record, if you don't know what I'm talking about in regards to Akin's idiotic remark, you need to start paying more attention to the news. This would be a good time to start. Google, "women can't get pregnant from rape" to easily find out more about the Akin story.

As for The Meme-ing of Life, I'd give it 3 out of 4 stars. It still produced side-splitting laughter, like every good Second City show does, but there were a few skits that could have been improved on. Still, I absolutely recommend going to see it. Second City never fails to provide a fun night out!

Us at Second City
From left to right: Chris, Randy, Andrew, me
Top picture: Selfie taken from Chris' crappy iPhone
Bottom: Taken from my awesome Blackberry

To This Day Project - Shane Koyczan

"We made it."
- Shane Koyczan

If you haven't already, please take seven-minutes to watch this amazing video (below) by Canadian poet, Shane Koyczan, as part of an anti-bullying campaign.

As someone who was bullied for the majority of her childhood, this video definitely brought out some emotion in me. I had to take a few deep breaths to prevent myself from tearing up while watching it. Koyczan did an amazing job creating this and his narration couldn't have been better.

If public school taught me anything, it was that kids are mean. I didn't wear the latest trends or expensive clothes. My hair was short and a bit of a mess. My mom didn't enforce a bed time for me, so I was constantly tired and went to school pale, with puffy, dark circles under my eyes. There also was never much in the way of food in my mom's house, so I was abnormally skinny. I was also shorter than I should have been and took quite some time to start developing. All of that equaled a recipe for me to be the perfect target for bullies.

It didn't matter what grade I went into: I was targeted.

I was called everything from poor, to dirty, to "you dumb nerd." Although the first one was true, the last one never made any sense to me. I remember crying. A lot. I also remember my mom telling me to never cry, "It only gives them more ammunition to pick on you." In hindsight, she was absolutely right. But, I was too stubborn to listen to her and instead wished I could take my own life. Now, I wish I had been stronger.

When I was nine, I was told I'd need glasses. I was excited! I went out and got the biggest, ugliest glasses you could possibly imagine, despite my dad begging me not to get them. I don't know why, but I liked them!

As soon as I got to school the next day, I wish I had listened to my dad.

I walked into the school yard, beaming from ear to ear with my giant, ugly glasses on. And then I heard it. A snicker here. A snicker there. Then full-on laughter. What was going on? I looked around. Everyone was staring at me and laughing. I had never been more embarrassed. I'm pretty sure that event - and being called "four-eyes" - traumatized me. The day I discovered contact lenses, I never went back to wearing glasses. (If you've seen me wear glasses it either means I'm too tired to care or I'm really comfortable around you.)

Long story short, despite the years of bullying and sadness I endured, I made it through it all. Thankfully, I made friends with fellow "nerds" along the way and had very supportive teachers. In grade 11 and 12 (in my second and then third high school), things really began to look up for me and bullying started to become a thing of the past. By the time I got to University, I was able to put being bullied behind me and discover how awesome life could be is. University, by far, was the best time of my life. Even now, I'm still extremely happy.

Koyczan stresses that despite the bullying, you will make it through.

I couldn't agree more.

Let's Talk About Goodlife Fitness

"It's a good life out there. Open up your eyes."
- GoodLife song

I think by now, most Canadians are familiar with the catchy GoodLife Fitness jingle (and their commercials). Not only are they catchy, but I also find them effective.

I've been a member of GoodLife since November 27, 2012. I'm lucky enough to have a small gym as part of the amenities in my apartment building, but that's just it; it's small. If I was really going to start working out, I didn't want to have to wait 30 minutes to use a set of weights or run on the treadmill. A lot of my friends are members of GoodLife and they'd constantly tell me how great working out felt and how GoodLife is a good choice to make. After hearing horror stories from other friends who were members of other gyms (stories such as being charged even after cancelling their contract, being charged more than they should have been every month, etc.) and nothing but good things about GoodLife, I decided to check it out for myself.

GoodLife's no pressure sales approach worked for me and I signed up the same day I went in for a tour. I figured I'd try it out for a bit and then cancel my membership within 30 days if I thought my own gym was a better choice. I didn't cancel though. I'm now a regular (going at least three times a week) and I love it. I've noticed a huge difference in the way I look and feel, since I've joined. I have more confidence and energy. Both of which lead to me being happier. If I am stressed, I find hitting the weights and the treadmill a perfect way of blowing off steam (not to mention the amazing runners high I get after being on the treadmill for a while).

Now let's talk about price and service:

I have the "youth" plan. After tax, I pay $28.25 bi-weekly for my membership (which is $56.50 a month or $678 a year). I know it sounds like a bit much, but when it means I'm taking care of my health and happiness, I see it as an investment. After all, I'm 25 now. My metabolism isn't going to stay as fast as it has been forever... unless I take care of it (by working out and eating right).

Some GoodLife locations also have unlimited tanning, which is ridiculously cheap. After tax, it comes to $7.91 bi-weekly ($15.82 a month or $189.84 a year). If you're interested in the unlimited tanning, you have to sign up for a minimum of three months (making it $47.52 for those three months). That's still a steal compared to any other tanning place, anywhere. But, more on tanning later.

The nice thing about my GoodLife membership is that it allows me to use it at any location in Canada. Considering that there are a few GoodLife's within a stones throw of my office, this benefits me. However, after trying different locations, I've become committed to just one.

One thing I found above all at this location, compared to others, is the staff. They're always friendly and eager to help. The girl who I signed up with still remembers my name and will say hi to me when she see me. I find this very impressive!

That was... until last night.

Back to the tanning for a second.

The location I go to only has one lay-down tanning bed (and either one or two stand-ups). Part of the reason I once became addicted to "fake-and-bake" tanning is because I found it so relaxing: laying down, fake sun beating down on my body while I listened to music. Ah, how calming. It was easy for me to close my eyes and pretend I was at the beach (which is why I prefer lay-down beds to stand-up ones).

You know the saying, "You get what you pay for"? That rings true for tanning at GoodLife. As someone who worked at a tanning salon for over a year, I can tell you that these beds are not great. The staff isn't trained on them either. I've asked more than one person, on more than one occasion, when the last time the bulbs were changed and my answers vary from, "recently" to "I'm not sure." It definitely doesn't seem to me like the bulbs have ever been changed "recently."

Another gripe I have is that the only music control is on the wall. It doesn't let you change the music station either (it plays the same music GoodLife is playing in the gym area); it just lets you change the volume. But even at its loudest, I can't hear the music once the bed is on.

My absolute biggest gripe though, is that I honestly don't think the staff cleans the beds after a tanner leaves. For one, I've never seen anyone go in and clean the rooms. Two, if they are cleaning the beds, they're doing a terrible job as I've seen sweat, tanning lotion and even lint, still on the tanning bed after another tanner has left. There's almost always a spray bottle in the room, which is why I ask for two towels when I go in: one for me and the other to clean the bed with. Which I really shouldn't have to do. If I wanted to clean tanning beds, I'd still be working at the tanning salon.

This brings me to my story of what happened last night.

Last night, I went to GoodLife for my usual Tuesday night workout. While I was there, I asked to cancel my tanning membership. In order to cancel the tanning, the (male) GoodLife employee asked me for my GoodLife membership card. I handed it to him (along with my keys, since the card is on my key chain). I then waited quite some time, as the employee wasn't sure how to cancel the membership. Finally, he gave me a paper to sign that confirmed my tanning membership will end on such set date and sent me on my way.

I did my workout, then went home.

Without my keys.

It wasn't until I got home that I realised the employee forgot to give me my keys back. I called GoodLife to confirm they had them. The same employee that I dealt with earlier answered the phone. When I said I was calling because I thought one of the employees forgot to give me my keys back, he said, "Alexandra?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Oh, yeah. That was me. I forgot to give you your keys back."

No, really? We already established that.

He apologised and said he "knew" I left so he put my keys aside with my name on it.

Here's what I don't get: Why didn't he just call me? My phone number is on my account. If he had called me, after my workout, I would have heard the voicemail and got my keys back before going home.

Needless to say, I was upset and disappointed. If it wasn't for Andrew (and my neighbour who kept me company while I waited for Andrew) I would have had to spend 40 minutes going back to the gym to get my keys and another 40 minutes to get back home.

This still isn't enough to deter me from going to the gym (or leaving GoodLife) but it has taught me to always keep my eyes on my keys. Again, the employees are friendly and they mean well. We all make mistakes. I just wish they had called me instead of just putting my keys aside.

Long Weekend Just Not Long Enough

"Let me show you a few things;
All pressed up in black and white.
And you're dressed in that dress I like;
Love is swinging in the air tonight."
- Justin Timberlake, Suit and Tie

(Didn't think I'd like that song as much as I actually do).

It's back to work, Tuesday! I hope everyone had a nice long weekend.

Andrew spent most of it studying, while I spent it sleeping in, lounging around, playing video games and cooking.

Andrew doesn't eat beef or pork, so our freezer is full of chicken (and our fridge full of fresh veggies!). I decided to whip up a chicken and rice dish over the weekend, throwing things into it that I found in the pantry. It was actually really good! I'll post the recipe below.

Other than a couple circuits around the airport with Clem and Andrew (followed by a feast at Red Lobster. Fyi, their $18.99 four-course meal is back. Yum!) the weekend was fairly uneventful. Honestly, Sunday was just too cold for me to go anywhere (it was -16 degrees Celsius outside, without the windchill). When the weather starts to warm up, that's when I'll venture outside! In the meantime, here's a picture of us before we took off:

Oh, and Andrew and I watched Silent Hill: Revelations before going to bed one night. Probably not the best idea to crawl into bed right after watching a scary movie; your mind starts playing tricks on you. For the record, Silent Hill: Revelations is a weird movie, that I took too seriously - as a lot of things didn't add up, which caused me to question the TV from scene to scene (I'm not like that when I go to a movie theater, I swear). I think the video game spooked me more.

Now for the recipe (as promised):

  

Alex's Mexican Chicken and Rice

1 lb. ground chicken

1 Tsp. vegetable oil 

1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup of medium or hot salsa (depending on how spicy you want it)

1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup frozen corn

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 cup (and a handful) Tex Mex Shredded Cheese

1 cup of rice, cooked

Directions:

Brown the chicken with chili powder and cayenne pepper in large deep skillet, until cooked. Drain any excess liquid.

Push the chicken to the side of the skillet and add oil and onions. When the onions start to brown, stir them in with the chicken.
 
Add salsa, corn, beans, rice and a handful of cheese; stir well. Remove from heat.
 
Top with remaining cheese. Let stand, covered, 5 min.or until cheese melts.

Happy Family Day Long Weekend!

"The sun goes down.
The stars come out.
And all that counts,
Is here and now.
My universe will never be the same.
I'm glad you came."
- The Wanted, Glad You Came

It's finally here! The time that I count down to every month: a long weekend!

Don't get me wrong. I love my job. But, I also love sleep. And what better way is there to celebrate a long weekend than by sleeping in? Okay, so maybe I can think of a few better ways, but sleeping in is pretty awesome too. Rumour has it that once you have kids, those days of sleeping in become a distant memory. So, I might as well enjoy it while I still can! (Note: I'm not planning on having children any time soon. No need to worry!)

I'm off to hit the gym right now and then I plan to sit back and relax (and eat some yummy Valentine's Day leftovers)!

Hope everyone has an enjoyable long weekend! Oh, and if you don't live with them, try to make some time to see your family. Or at least call them. It's a Family Day long weekend, after all!

Quite possibly how my weekend will go.

Happy Hallmark Holiday!

"Your hand fits in mine, like it was made just for me / But bear this in mind, it was meant to be."
- One Direction, Little Things

Ah, Valentine's Day. Yet another commercialized holiday brought to you by retailers everywhere.

Valentine's Day has never been a day of the year that I've been excited to "celebrate" (nor, have ever made an effort to). After talking to friends about their Valentine's Day plans (and gifts they plan to give their loved ones), I started to see why some people enjoy the hype. Then I thought about it: it's not fair to punish my better half just because I think Valentine's Day is stupid. So, I went out and put together a little something something for Andrew. He'll find out what it is tonight. /smiles

Last night, I bought a couple cupcakes from Prairie Girl Bakery to surprise Andrew with (as part of the Valentine's Day spirit, of course). I got one regular size Carrot Cake Cupcake and two mini Red Velvet Cupcakes (both topped with cream cheese icing). Andrew and I each had one of the mini cupcakes and we both took a couple bites of the Carrot Cake Cupcake. Boy, were they good! But, I don't think my stomach agreed. Shortly after taking my third bite of the Carrot Cake Cupcake, my stomach was in knots. It stayed that way for the rest of the night. I'm pretty sure it went into caloric overdrive and was pissed off at me for eating so many sugary calories in one sitting. Needless to say, neither of us could finish that last cupcake and it's now sitting in our fridge.

In other Valentine's Day related news, my office building also got into the Valentine's Day spirit. This morning I was greeted with chocolates and a rose (as well as a guy singing love songs).

Pretty roses!

Definitely a great way to start the morning!

Happy Hallmark Holiday everyone!

Toronto "Kissing Booth"

"Kiss me like you want to be loved /
This feels like we're falling in love."
- Ed Sheeran, Kiss Me

With Valentine's Day tomorrow, it's hard to avoid anything related to it. Newspapers, in particular, love promoting this "holiday."

While reading the Toronto Star today, I came across an interesting article: Valentine’s Day: Toronto shop sets up 3D kissing booth

Now, I'm not one to give up a reason to kiss my sweetheart (PDA aside, of course. Seriously, that's gross. Don't do it) so I was intrigued to find out more. In case you don't feel like reading the whole article, I'll sum it up for you.

It's a pop-up event that was started by Hot Pop Factory. They teamed up with Draft Print 3D, a 3D print and scan service, and the clothing store Untitled & Co, in order to come up with the idea. Basically, the "Kissing Booth" allows couples to capture their affectionate moments with each other, in the form of a 3D image. This image is made out of plastic and can be produced in forms such as a bobble head or statuette. For a cost of $50-$90 a pop.

If you're interested, but would rather have a 3D image of just yourself (or you and your friends), don't be intimidated. It's not just for couples. As the Star states, it's open to "anyone willing to strike a pose."

You can find the booth at 717 Queen St. W., inside the Untitled & Co clothing store.

Maybe if Andrew and I are in the area, we'll check it out. I can't see us going out of our way for it though. If they could take images that have already been taken and turn them into statuettes, I'd consider it, as a cute gift idea. It looks like Draft Print 3D might be able to, but the 3D Printed Friends they advertise on their website don't look all that appealing to me. The Two-Story Spec House looks awesome though!

Image by Draft Print 3D {link to: http://www.draftprint3d.com}

Two Fathers; Two Tragedies - Count Your Blessings

"Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one."
- John Lennon, Imagine

It ceases to amaze me at the types of minute "problems" that people complain about. For instance, losing a $5 bill when you still have a $20 bill in your wallet (and lots of money in the bank). Yes, it's a bummer that you no longer have an extra $5 in your wallet, but really, it's not that big of a deal. There's no need to lament about it like the world is going to end.

Let me give you two examples of things that just happened that one has every right to consider a big deal:

As you probably know, on Friday, parts of the world were hit were a big snow storm. This storm caused traffic delays, accidents and even a few deaths. One of those was the death of an 11-year-old boy, in Massachusetts.

The boy and his father got their car stuck in a snow bank. The boy tried to help his father shovel the snow, but got cold. To warm up, he went inside the car and his father started the vehicle for him. Unfortunately, the exhaust was covered in snow, which caused the fumes to enter the car. This resulted in the boy becoming overwhelmed by the fumes. He eventually died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

(Read more here: http://www.globalmontreal.com/world/boy+sitting+in+running+car+dies+from+carbon+monoxide+was+helping+dad+shovel+snow/6442806195/story.html).

Meanwhile, in Manitoba on Sunday, a father took his two sons and their (nine-year-old) friend, Dawson Pentecost, for up for a flight in his Cessna 210. Later that afternoon, Dave Pentecost, the father of the young boy and a volunteer firefighter, received a call that a plane had crashed. He was the first one to respond to the wreckage. There he found all on board dead, including his own son.

(Read more here: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/02/11/man_three_boys_killed_in_manitoba_plane_crash.html).

In both of these tragic stories, a father has lost his son. Not only that, but both fathers will possibly spend the rest of their lives blaming themselves for the tragedy. In the first, the father thought he was doing the right thing; warming up the car for his son. In the second, the father had complete faith in the pilot (and his friend) and never thought something as horrible as (the plane crashing) could happen.

As a parent, you believe that your child should never die before you do. I can't possibly try to understand the pain that these fathers are going through at this moment.

To make matters worse, the pilot who passed away in the crash, was a single father. He leaves behind a daughter. His daughter has now, not just lost her only parent, but her only siblings as well.

Tragedies like these make you seriously count each one of your own blessings. I hope it makes people think twice about their own complaints within their lives. Is it really the end of the world that your brother took the last slice of cake? You really want that new game that just came out, but you can't afford it. Is your world really going to end if you have to wait to buy it?

Everyone needs to vent sometimes. I get that (and that's fine). But there's a difference between venting (and then letting it go) and constantly complaining about something that you should just let go of. Moreover, if someone is happy with what they're doing, don't tell them how to live their life. Just because you think it's wrong, doesn't mean it is. If they're not hurting anyone and they're happy, then why does it matter so much to you? If that person has come to you and said they want your help (or just complained about being unhappy), that's different. If their happiness is the result of something dangerous, such as an alcohol or drug addiction, then definitely step in. If they aren't hurting themselves though (or those around them) or have asked you for help, then let them be.

Find happiness in everyday. After all, you only get one shot at life. Let it be a good one.

Where Art Thou Rock Band?

"'Cause it's nine in the afternoon / And your eyes are the size of the moon / You could, 'cause you can, so you do / We're feeling so good, just the way that we do / When it's nine in the afternoon."
- Panic! At The Disco, Nine In The Afternoon

I woke up with this song in my head today, which is strange because I haven't heard it in over a year. As I was racking my brain, trying to determine the significance of this song to me, it hit me: Rock Band.
This was one of my favourite songs that Rock Band would allow me to sing off-key and still give me a good score on (to the dismay of everyone in the room, of course).

This brings me to an important point: What ever happened to Rock Band?

Rock Band was amazing! When it first came out, you'd constantly be at your friends' house who had it, and your friend knew that's what the two (or three, or even four!) of you would be doing. Now, most people I know who have Rock Band have locked in up in their storage units to collect dust (as someone who has a small apartment, I was never too impressed with how much space it took up). If you want to go out and buy Rock Band now, you'll have a bit of difficulty. It's easy enough to find the expansions for it still, but not the actual system itself.

A quick Google search brought me to this article: Activision Bails Out of Guitar Hero

It turns out that although Guitar Hero and Rock Band were developed by the same company (Harmonix), they were distributed by different companies (Guitar Hero by Activision and Rock Band by EA). When sales for Guitar Hero started slowing, causing Activision to bail, it in turn caused Harmonix to end their contract with MTV Games. Thus, ends the saga of an awesome series.

The good news is that you can find Guitar Hero at some arcades now. The cool ones, that is, like Dave and Busters and Disney Quest. Yes, Disney Quest is in Florida, but if you're ever there and you enjoy video games, check it out!

If you're still cringing for a game that allows you to interact with songs, at least we still have Just Dance!

Oh, Freddie Mercury.