Tattoo story, Utter Brilliance

This story is so awesome and gives one of the most hitting-the-nail-on-the-head answers to anyone's prejudice against tattoos. 

“There is a short story about a man who worked as a palaeontologist or archaeologist and was leading a tour group through a museum as part of his summer job.

He had a large and prominent tattoo in a visible place, probably an arm or leg, and it was exposed. Not anything obscene or even particularly challenging. A person in the tour group, a middle aged woman, if memory serves, was persistently very snippy and dismissive of his lecture and when he finally confronted her about it in front of the group; she said she couldn’t take him seriously because he was tattooed.

He replied “this isn’t an ordinary tattoo, you see,” while slightly tilting the tattooed extremity, almost as if he expected it to beam a glint of light back at the viewer if cambered just right. “This tattoo is magic.” he said with a twinge of mysticism in his voice.

“If I hold it just right, it exposes the prejudice and ugliness of small and petty people.”

Coffee Critique? My Starbucksidea.com Experience

As a blogger who's had her share of negative responses, I am not sensitive to backlash. However, I couldn't help but feel a little ostracized for expressing a concern, and posing a suggestion to Starbucks, of all places. I was expressing my "desire" for something gluten-free at Starbucks. (my "desire" as my critics called it. I do not choose to eat gluten-free, but clearly my need for something to eat with my coffee is not a necessity) I was not suggesting Starbucks go completely gluten-free, but perhaps they could accommodate some of their diet restricted customers?
Anyway, the criticism, from people who would not be affected in any way by this, was quite rude. These seem to be the same kind of people who join forums just to disagree and argue with other well-meaning writers. I found the whole thing a little funny, so I thought I would post them here for your enjoyment, my original post included. The last comment was my response to my nay-sayers. :)

We all want a better, gluten-free Starbucks.

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Posted on 3/8/2012 12:37 PMby whitb 

After reading the many, many requests by my fellow Starbucks customers for more (read: any) gluten-free food options, I feel like a broken record. But, here it goes. As one of many, and our numbers are growing, of the sufferers of a gluten/wheat allergy, I feel we have a responsibility to provide patronage to those cafes and shops which provide us with aggreable dishes. Starbucks, unfortunately, falls a little short in this category.

I use my Starbucks card deligently, and I frequent the one at my college, however, I feel somewhat betrayed by the lack of attention to customer service that Starbucks fails to provide to its diet-restricted clientele.  Starbucks would do well to listen to the overwhelming demand for more gluten-free food options. I can also attest to the lack of employee knowledge on storing and packaging in keeping gluten-free products free from cross contamination. 

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Sharlsie 3/8/2012 1:03 PM

Uh, guess again. Not all of us.

1yogagirl Top CommenterIdea Launched3/8/2012 1:43 PM

I'm all for offering alternatives for people who need them.

lilmissykato Top Commenter3/8/2012 3:04 PM

I dont want them. I dont mind if you have the ability to have them, but i want my glutten..

Cafeslinger Top Commenter3/8/2012 4:11 PM

This is a very limited need. Rather a desire. Snacks are not a need. And, there are plenty of places to get them from.

lilmissykato Top Commenter3/9/2012 10:05 AM

Ya know, ive been agreeing with slinger ALL week. Must be that solar store everyone was talking about around her. Tis a good thing.

Cafeslinger Top Commenter3/9/2012 3:46 PM

lilmissy. i know you have a hard time understanding what you read. So let me lay it out for you: lots of stores offer this. Those who need these items have lots of places they can get them from. Starbucks does not sell gluten free well. But there are still plenty of stores that offer them.

lilmissykato Top Commenter3/10/2012 6:10 AM

Slinger, i was agreeing with you...... nothing to lay out. chill.

1yogagirl Top CommenterIdea Launched3/10/2012 8:36 AM

I think there is more than a limited need for gluten free being that many stores now are carrying a whole section of gluten free products.

nmk1986 3/13/2012 5:26 AM

People with wheat/gluten allergies are customers too, it would be nice to have a treat with your coffee. Who wants to go to a bunch of different places for coffee then snack.

whitb 3/13/2012 11:20 AM

I love all these supportive comments! To be honest, this feels a little, "if it won't affect you, there's no need to share your opinion." I wasn't suggesting Starbucks go completely gluten-free (don't worry lilmissy you'll still have your glutinous treats). Speaking from solely my own position, and in no contempt to anyone who does eat gluten, I was merely expressing yes, my desire if you wish, to be able to enjoy a Starbucks snack with my coffee. It's fine to disagree, but what harm would it do to keep negativity to yourselves? You're all entitled to your opinion. As am I. Equally so, I believe I'm entitled to enjoy a bite to eat at the same establishment as the rest of you. If that's alright.

If you're only on forums to disagree with anyone simply expressing themselves, then you are a sad lot. 

Have a nice day!

P.s. thank you nmk1986 and 1yogagirl; it's nice to know Starbucks has a few positive customers! Maybe the others hadn't had their coffee yet before posting ;)

Potato Potahto

The brainstorming begins; I need to find that little writer inside again. I feel more apologetic for being AWOL than anything right now. I think the biggest struggle is continuously finding interesting things to write about. Or more likely, remembering the interesting things I know in time to write them down. To be fair, I've had a ganglion cyst on my wrist for the past four months...TMI?

Okay my latest obsession is potatoes. 

pause for reaction. 

Courtesy of my dear friend Della and her subscription to National Geographic, I have discovered that there are over 4,000 species of potatoes. What have I been doing eating russets and baby potatoes when I could be eating something called Ashes of the Soul?! I swear I haven't felt this deprived since they discontinued my favourite flavour of gelato....(pumpkin pie)

I think these little gems top my Favourites list right now. I haven't had the chance to try any of these morsels yet but so help me, I will. If ANYONE knows a restaurant/market/shop/old lady's basement where I can sample these varieties, please let me know! Makes the Daughter-in-Law Cry needs to be tasted.

if you don't believe me..google it bitches.

F-f-friday!

At last! This week could not end soon enough, let me tell you. School is giving me something of a headache lately, but upon reflecting on previous semesters this seems pretty normal for me at this point. I find it usually takes me until almost the end to finally get it. Not sure why, my lack of good studying habits is probably one if the culprits. I think my ego is likely another factor; I tend to be hardest on myself on things I (according to others) did fairly well on.

Since that's not going away (I've accepted my stubbornness and consequential personal mediocracy) I guess I'm just going to have to buckle down and crawl through the rest of the semester. I think the bright light that is my Italy trip will help light the way. (and for those who think I have the means to vacay in Italy, please don't. This is a wonderful half semester program. Thanks Langara!) Only 6 1/2 weeks until departure!

Hope you all get out to enjoy the weekend! I know me and my rain boots will :)

xoxo

{via}

ps. I realize it's been a while since I did some baking posts; more soon I promise! I'm due to conduct a perogie making session in the near future! Stay tuned! 

It's a sunset, somewhere.

A lazy Wednesday morning...and some random ramblings.

are you a romantic or a classicist? 
Where's your sense of bad timing, when you're always early?

 You're a ray of dusty light through the knoll in my barn house/ you're a little beam of sun spit/a little bit of somethin' else.

If you let your little light shine/don't forget to let it flicker/let it waver in the musk/let it breathe, not cough and sputter.

Hold your hands tight/you're just a little ray of sunshine/a little beam of dusty light/a little bit of somethin' else. 

les livres sont etonnants

It's a late, rainy night and I've decided to prematurely put my tax refund to work. I haven't bought any new books in a long time and I've recently lusting after more from Colum McCann. I just finished Let The Great World Spin. Ironic that I loved it since it was assigned for my english class. Anyway, my Amazon account is getting some lovin' and I'd love some input on some great reads!
I loved Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy (no I won't see the movies.)
And Chuck Palahniuk is also a fantasic, cynically good read.
Gabriel Garcias Marquez is genius.
Margaret Atwood will always be close to my heart.
Yann Martel's Life of Pi is one I have read at least 5 times.


{I'd love to be perched reading here...}

A Tuesday of Thanks

I just wanted to give a little shout out to all the recent support and blogger-friendliness that I've been receiving. When I started blogging I wasn't sure who I would attract and what kind of blogger I wanted to be. I'm not going to peg myself as anything i particular, because that's something I've never been able to do. So like me, my blog likes to dabble and ramble sometimes. Anyways, just a big thank you, I feel very humbled to be a part of such a positive community of bloggers. you all make my day, every day. <3

To all my followers, I love reading your fellow blogs and sharing feedback.
To my friends who constantly tell me how they love reading what I write, it's extremely heart-warming.
To everyone who passes by here, if only for a second. Thanks for letting me be a part of your day :)

Life in Material Loves

My lusts in 223 objects.


{materialism is only narcissistic if you can't justify it with extraordinarily long words}




{visit my Svpply}


bags.books.shirts.shoes.art.furniture.teacups.kettles.candles.satchels.mirrors.paintings.rings.earrings.necklaces.sunglasses.beauty.lingerie.boots.beds.wine.food.waffles.plants.boxes.antiques.frames.herbs.pillows.bowls.mugs.blankets.laptops.hammocks.nailpolish.albums.dresses.shelves.wallets.gadgets.bracelets.brushes.boots.cups.stags.cameras.glasses.tables.lights.coffeetables.lotion.

4th Day of St. Valentine's

It's been a bit of a hectic day, so here's some pictures of animals kissing. It's cute and love-themed. 

Enjoy! <3

Ended with a beluga..'cause they're amazing, gentle creatures with hearts of gold and enough blubber to fuel enough lamps for 200 Chanukahs. (I have no idea if that is true. But roughly 80% of facts are false anyway) 

Day 5 of St. Valentine's

Short and sweet today: continuing the countdown to Valentine's Day, and in an ironic circumstance the most beautiful things sometimes grow out of hatred. When you realize who is really an important presence in your life, and who is not worth your time, it's easier to put everything in perspective. 
Staying true to what you believe in, and what you love is beyond any negativity anyone can throw at you. As overused some words are, their meaning is never lost when they're the words you need to hear. 
Love, for all things, is beyond what makes us cry, angry, or afraid. On that note, I thought a multilingual post on the ways people say, "I love you" around the world. :)


Je t'aime - French


Te amo - Spanish


Ich liebe dich - German


Ik houd van u - Dutch


Ti amo - Italian

Eu te amo - Portuguese

I ngrá leat - Irish Gaelic 

Et vull - Catalan 

Volim te - Croatian

seni seviyorum - Turkish

szeretlek - Hungarian

mwen renmen ou - Haitian Creole

Jeg elsker dig - Danish

Lazylazy January

The end of the month reminded me of the New Years resolutions that I haven't even come close to. Running hasn't started. But in my defense I have thought about it almost daily..the guilt factor is slowing building up! Soon I might even consider the idea. Also haven't taken photography lessons. That is a matter of funds..my plane ticket doubled in price so that's going to have to wait for a while. Okay, I also haven't been doing any more geocaching or reading. Baby steps though, I am verging on midterm season and need to stay focused. I also don't think I picked very interesting resolutions this year. I just don't feel the prolific urge to complete them. So, maybe some simpler, more inviting tasks will get me in the mood.
Anybody got any good ideas?



It's gonna be a long day
if you can't even get off
the couch
to look for the remote.

Especially when
you can see it
lying on the table
right by your feet.

Sunday Housewifing

              

Sunday Housewifing, another success. Vacuumed, dishes done, drank copious amounts of coffee and watched backtobacktobacktoback SATC. And I might as well have a toddler, considering my dog is the canine equivalent. Throwing-up. Twice. In two days. Same spot on the bed. My duvet cover is undoubtedly upset about this...a new one might be needed.
To cheer myself up from this infantile-infused Hell, I looked up some gorgeous home ideas that would be really awesome. A big bedroom lust I have is a closet. As I have about half of one...So here are some lovely closets that I would trade my snowglobe from Paris for. (FYI I love that thing)

{and some beautiful beds}

images from weheartit

The Naked Chair

Do you ever feel more inspired
when you're sitting naked
after your morning shower?
Sometimes it's just easier
not to wear clothes.
They stifle my creativity.
I need the zen-like presence of
my nakedness
to bring forth my genius.
My chair must feel pretty lucky.
That, or I'm just using him
for his body to write silly
little poems. Naked.

My chair is from Ikea.
He's nothing special, really.
and his Swedish name doesn't sound dirty.
Torbjorn.
Maybe he was a
Swedish diplomat in another life.
Or a train conductor
with a mustache.
Whoever you were, Torbjorn,
Your destiny in this life,
is to be my naked chair.
Thank you for living out
your dreams,
Torbjorn.

Guilty Pleasures

So when we're not thinking about that cuticle that just won't behave, or if we took our birth control today, or even if you'll maybe floss tonight, we all have those little guilty pleasures that get us through the day. Even if we only have to have that extra french fry, or sneak a narcissistic glance at ourselves in every window we walk by. Here's a couple that are just so good, ya gotta do em.

Cruising The Superficial for half an hour. Okay an hour and a half..

Listening to Ke$ha. Yup Tik Tok is in my rotation and sometimes I just like to wake up feeling glittery and a little bit of a hot mess..

Baking a double batch of cookies just so you can freeze some of the dough to snack on later.

Making To-Do lists of stuff you already know you're going to do right away, just to get the satisfaction of crossing them off.

Feeling productive by watching 5 back to back episodes of Sex and the City. 

Always eating the foam off your latte. Even in public. 

Wearing a lot of mascara. Always a sure way to make you feel like a million bucks.

Pigging out on veggies. Okay so it's not a totally guilty pleasure, but feeling full and healthy is always good.

Watching junk TV. The Biggest Loser, Hoarders, My Strange Addiction...TLC in general.

Anybody got some good ones you feel like sharing?? 

<3 

Product Favs

So once again procrastinating and lolling about the house before French class, I got to thinking about my favourite things. As far as products go, I'm pretty low maintenance. I don't wear a lot of make-up, more because of the lack of need than not liking it. I did go to Blanche MacDonald for a while, so I know my way around a brush kit and bronzer. Also, having had two bouts with skin-related antibiotics, I'm hesitant to be brave when it comes to new make-up. However, I do have some favourites, and for good reason!

My favourite mascara to date is Maybelline Falsies, in Blackest Black. It goes on so smooth and silky, and really separates your lashes for a wide-eyed, non-clumpy look. For daytime, I sometimes prefer their Brownish-Black, it's a little less dramatic than black mascara but still gives your eyes a needed wake-up.

For foundation, I'm loyal to Marcelle's Sheer Tint Fluid Moisturizer. It has SPF 15 and is hypo-allergenic. it's light enough to wear daily, and blends really nicely into the skin. They have two varieties, one with a bit of light-reflecting highlight that's so dewy for summer, and one that has more of a matte look.

I'm a big fan of Almay's Liquid Eyeliner right now! The bottle is small, making it ultra portable. And the tip is firm enough to draw straight but soft enough to work like a fine brush. It works great for sensitive eyes, and contact wearers.

My favourite compact foundation right now is the Mineral Powders from MAC. Light and easy to carry, I highly recommend if you're already a fan of MAC!

Another skin-friendly fav is Clinque's Redness Solutions. It's a mineral-based light wear powder that's a pale yellow, which counteracts with skin's redness. I love this for summer and winter to combat a little too much sun, or to prevent looking red-faced in the cold. Unfortunately, no SPF in this one. It is allergy tested, and 100% fragrance free.

Lip balms are an absolute necessity for me! I love Burt's Bees Honey lip balm. Their Pomegranate flavour is my version of lipstick. Again with the skin sensitivity, I've had some bad run-ins with lipstick/gloss.

If anyone has any favourites, please share!

No posts this weekend, off for a trip to the island to visit the boyfriend!
<3

thequickbrownfox

The quick last-minute post-thoughts:

Feel alive, no one else is going to breathe for you.

live life through every cliche. Those words were original once.

inspire yourself every day.

if nothing else, think you're fabulous and the world will catch on.
you're only as ____ as you think you are, don't let anyone tell you any different.

Be cheesy, it's all that's left. If that fails, be outrageous,
as long as you're smiling they can't take it away from you.

Penny Pincher

3 months, 19 days. 

Scratching my head, thinking up ways to make some extra cash for Italia...

Any Thoughts?

Babysitting: If you have young ones that need minding, I am known to be somewhat entertaining, unmedicated and believably responsible.

Pet Walking/Bathing/Sitting: just as good with the furry variety.

Car/House/Garage/etc Cleaning

Bake Sale: actually I could probably make a good sum of cash selling my delicious baked goods...

(Yes I am aware of what I am qualified to do (massage therapy, make up artist..) but the funds to support both of these are not available...licensing, product...)

Donations also accepted :) I will repay you with the best Italian pepperoni I have ever tasted, direct from Florence, Italy. Also in baked goods :)

No matter what you do, never forget to dance.

Welcome 2011

So to recap and not gloat in the awesomeness that me and my boyfriend had on new years last night, I will spare you all from feeling intense jealousy and give only the key highlights:

1. Kicked ass at Crainuim (I did anyway)

2. Skipped maad lineup outside club. It pays to know people who know people.

3. Spent less than sufficient time taking coupley photos <3

4. Midnight kiss (duh)

5. found 20 dow lah on the floor (!!!)

6. bailed on Granville St. My baby helped me with a trusty bandaid

7. Ate amazing Poutine with Garlic Lovers dip

8. Cabbed home with our free 20 bucks.

9. In bed by 1am and completely satisfied with the awesomeness of our new years eve.

Hope you all enjoyed yours! Here's to a year that maybe we all finally get off our asses and accomplish something. As per usual I have a few resolutions. The more you set, the less chance you'll be disappointed that you didn't complete any. I like to set some that I like to call, "Tequila Resolutions", cuz you know when you make them, they're a sure thing...if ya know what I mean...(I know it's not just me that has a randy relationship with tequila, common people.)

1. take photography lessons...artsy photo blog you will be my bitch.

2. Go to Italy (annnd T.R. numero uno)

3. Run ___km. yup I'll decide how far I think I can go if and when I start running again.

4. Geocache at least 5-10 in my area. And to get boyfriend as hooked on it..

5. Read 10+ books. (Another never-fail Tequila Resolution)

Cheers everyone! Hope your resolutions are just as enlightening, feel free to share :)
oh and also, I will bake more. Got a new Gluten Free cookbook for xmas....solid gold!

Truth.