I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Michael Buble has stolen my heart. Not only does he have the male version of my name - and the name of my first crush - but he has me listening to his new single every day.

The song is called "I Just Haven't Met You Yet," and is heart-lifting ditty about how whipped Michael would be if he could only find the right girl. Not that I would be whipped, but I think part of the reason I love this song so much is that I relate to it. I just haven't met him yet. Sometimes it gets annoying to listen to love songs all the time when the person I love most right now is my cat.

I loved this song so much that I actually bought the entire album on iTunes (and I never pay for my music). The only other time I've used the online store was to buy two Rachael Yamagata songs and a Hanson album. (Don't hate, they're a great band).

The first time I heard this song was on Oprah. She was singing along, like she always does, and all the middle-aged women in the audience were swinging their hips, having the best times of the lives. I was copying them on my couch.

Then I looked up the video and found that not only does it match the happiness I feel when I listen to the song, but it is set in a grocery store. That is only my favourite place to go, second to a restaurant.

Michael Buble, you have stolen my heart.

Red Hot Hands

Ok, so I thought the last of my Remote Stylist articles had gone out, but today another appeared! Check this one out here.

The Zeidler Effect

Christina Zeidler comes from a family of architects, her father has shaped Toronto, and she has left an impact on all the little hipsters in town. She is the brains, talent and power behind the Gladstone Hotel and pretty much my new hero.

Zeidler came to talk to one of my classes yesterday and left a big impression on all of us. The story of her hotel reads like an endearing children's story: Girl has a dream. Girl finds a run down building. Girl helps all of her new friends that live in the building find new homes. Girl turns the building into a community-oriented, artist decorated, wildly successful hipster hangout/ hotel. Girl lives happily ever after.

Only her happily ever after consists of fighting for Parkdale's community rights.

Just a few weeks ago I went to visit a new friend at her apartment in Parkdale. It was an amazing artist loft across from the Drake Hotel, with high ceilings and windy hallways. We were invoking ghosts and getting our palms read, yet this building's future was already told: it is getting torn down to be replaced by condominiums.

This is exactly what Zeidler is fighting against, or rather, offering different solutions to the problem. She is part of an organization called Active 18 that is bringing the locals of the Parkdale area together to demand a say in the revitalization of their area. Already they have made strides, winning a building by ArtScape that is going to be inhabited by 70 local artists and is structurally made for artist folk; meaning high ceilings, big rooms and cheap rent. While this is great, they are still concerned with the hundreds of people getting pushed out of the area for commercial gain.

If you would like to help Zeidler in her fight for local rights, you can join Active 18 and go to local meetings. Or you can help out with the West End Food Co-op.

Also, take a look at XBlog, it focuses on the art community in Toronto. So, if you really are not too concerned about the Queen West area, but are focused on a wider scope, you can get some ideas there!

Back to Being a Plain, Old Student

Lately when talking to friends I've realized something strange: I forgot I was a student. This may sound weird, but it's really true. I think I was trying to be too many things at once, and trying to do too many things at once. I was going to school full time, working in retail, working as a writing intern, and freelancing on the side.

Last week I went to LG Fashion Week and while doing the social once over between shows I was faced with some tough questions. I didn't know what to tell people when they asked me what I do.

I write. I'm a writer. Well, I guess I'm still in school. No, not for journalism, I dropped out of J-school. Why? Well, good question. I'm in Arts and Contemporary Studies now. What does that mean? Good question.

What I came to realize is that I was trying to be too many things at once, which tends to lead to doing things at a sub-par level. My school work was suffering because I would forget that I should be doing readings on a regular basis. My articles were not getting enough interviews and I ended up quitting my retail job out of complete exhaustion.

And I promised everyone I could handle it at the end of the summer.

A few days ago I also resigned as an intern at Remote Stylist, which was a very difficult thing to do. It was an amazing opportunity, but I was afraid that if I continued I was only going to burn bridges because of my identity crisis. Death by good question. One of the last articles I submitted there came out today, and made me realize once again that it was a worthwhile experience.

So now what is left for me? I quit my job, my internship, but not writing altogether. I'm back to being a student, and I know what arts students do best: they write crappy, emotional fiction. It's time to join them!

Sittin' on Top of the World

Atlas Shrugged

I was watching an episode of Mad Men last night and had to pause for a Wikipedia break. I'm a latecomer to the show, so I am still on the first season. One of the characters suggested that one should read Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand's dystopic novel written in the 50s. I've heard of this novel many times and always wondered about the title. That inquisitive wonder quickly turned to actual wonder.

Apparently the novel depicts the protagonist "stopping the motor of the world," or reorganizing a corrupt, rationally-based society. The title is in reference to the mythical figure Atlas who is said to hold the world on his shoulders. So he shrugged. Which shook up the world. It's brilliant.

I guess I'm a sucker for a good play on words, which could explain why I like Mad Men so much. It was neat, though, that I was just explaining to my roommate Ali how rational thought is the basis from which much of the corruption in the world stems. Then I watch a very stylized show and find that I have another novel scribbled onto my list of must-read books.

Then I shrugged and the world remained the same.

That's Jokes