Brand New Shoes, Walking Blues, Climb The Fence, Books And Pens

Fall just isn't the same without back to school anticipation...this song desperately makes me want to go back.

How Did It Get So Late So Soon?

It's Labour Day already. I have articles of white clothing that have yet to be worn. This, my friends, is a major bummer.

Every now and then, I will come up with money-saving schemes which range anywhere from "pure genius" to "holy crap, not only was that a total waste of time, I actually spent more than I saved." This last category tends to include buying in bulk from Victoria's Secret and Costco and being inexplicably drawn to "Buy One Get The Other Half Off" sales.

My money-saver for the fall is off to a rough start - I bought a magazine about money saving, The Vogue Fall Fashion Issue and a really cute Volcom flannel shirt from Tergesens in Gimli. As luck would have it, my boyfriend/fiance/common-law husband/life partner/etc was at the till when I got there with said shirt, and, reasoning that it would look killer at the Pearl Jam show in a couple of weeks, purchased it for me. Awww. Problem solved.

As for the magazines, I see those more as necessary investments in this falls budget. I have been diligently scouring the 800-page Vogue Issue for looks that I think are practical, stylish, and most importantly, can be brought together using only the wardrobe that I currently have. That's right, no buying clothes until, oh let's say the new year? An obvious exception to this rule is a Winnipeg Jets jersey. I've decided that underwear, socks and pantyhose are not included either. But seriously, that's it.

This is by no means an original or groundbreaking idea, but it should be interesting given my addiction to accumulating random crap every time I pass by a store.

I plan on posting photos and commentary every day that I can make this work. So if you don't hear from me for a while, you can safely assume that my plan is an abject failure and that I'm washing windshields on the corner of Stradbrook and Osborne for a new pair of pumps.

I Think I Think Too Much

So I suck at blogging. I mean, I am really, really terrible at keeping up the frantic pace that a successful blog requires.

It has occurred to me that my problem as an amateur blogger doesn't stem necessarily from lack of interesting things to say, but more from a desire to publish thoughts and posts that are original and entertaining.

But I am not The New York Times.

As such, I will endeavour to employ my new strategy of "more posting, less thinking" on a more regular basis.

Hold on to your hats.

Satellite Radio

I subscribe so that I can listen to Richard Marx and Jon Secada, on full volume, with my windows rolled up.

I defy you to think of a better reason.

Black Keys, Hippies, Apologies

So I've been too busy having fun to blog about the fun I'm having...incidentally, I use the same excuse for photographs on vacations (or lack thereof).

Summer in Winnipeg has been beautiful thus far, and while not at the lake, I've been fortunate to have some pretty fabulous events to attend...

The Black Keys

I actually remember where I was sitting and what I was eating when I learned that this band was made up of two white dudes from Ohio because I think I fell out of my chair. These guys are scary good, and their show at the MTS Centre was no exception.


Winnipeg Folk Festival

Blue Rodeo, Jayhawks, Imaginary Cities and Jeff Tweedy (just to name a few) were all such a treat to see, and the venue? Well, it simply can't be beat. And though I didn't camp this year, rumours of a naked wedding in the festival campground certainly have my curiosity piqued for next year.

NHL Winnipeg: How We Got Here

This makes me cry...Go Jets Go!

Twitter Fight

Perhaps the question: 'How out of the loop am I?' is fairly redundant, given that I've just started a blog (welcome to 2003 seems to be the resounding theme of feedback from friends who've read it).

My naivety in dealing with the World Wide Web was evidenced yesterday when, much to my surprise, a person who I had never met engaged me in a war of words on Twitter.

Really?

Maybe I've completely missed the mark on the whole idea behind Twitter, but it was always my sense that it was a platform for expressing ideas, thoughts and opinions to people who were interested in what you had to say (hence the term 'Followers'). I certainly wouldn't be surprised if one of my friends or colleagues took issue with a chirpy comment of mine, but to have a complete stranger challenge me on my lack of research into issues surrounding the Air Canada strike? I know there are some odd ducks out there, but I guess I'm still shocked that there are people who troll the Twitter News Feed, looking for random people to fight with.

By the way, here's the chirpy tweet and subsequent reply...

I'd show you more, but she deleted her subsequent posts. @PyperJayne - #winning

Lunch at Grace Cafe

I was treated to a lovely little lunch today at the Grace Cafe at City Hall (formerly Partner's Deli). The staff were friendly, the food was delicious and the courtyard that we ate in was full of flowers, fountains and adorable children. How I have managed to work in downtown Winnipeg for three and a half years without coming across this little slice of paradise is a mystery to me, but I have every intention of making up for lost time and lunches over the course of the summer...and you should too.

So I Have a Blog...

I'm just going to come right out and say it: I have always felt that personal blogs were, by and large, outlets for narcissistic people seeking attention in the wake of some seismic life event.

All that said, I have started to come across said blogs that are entertaining and, dare I say, even offer helpful advice from time to time. If I'm able to provide either of these benefits to people who come across this, well, bonus. Still not the reason for starting it...

Simply put, I am bored. I lack stimulation. I am without a creative outlet. It is my hope that through regular posting on this blog, I will regain my ironic sense of humour, my ability to present my thoughts in an articulate and entertaining way, and, last but certainly not least, the capacity to spot things of beauty, intrigue and general interest in the world so that I may share them with others.

Or maybe I'm just a narcissistic person.