awkward smiles and drunk confessions…

Blue Joe Fresh Cardigan. Brown dress pants. White Costa Blanca blouse. Heart and pearl necklace (from Claires). Bow rhinestone bobby pin. Not pictured: white ballet flats.

Can you believe it’s almost September? Summer has just flown by, and part of me feels like I didn’t do much this summer. Fall is one of my favorite seasons (especially when it comes to fashions) but for some reason this fall is freaking me out. It’s partially the fact that I’m not going back to school for the first time since I was three (excluding, of course, the year I took off between high school and University) while most of the people around me are. And then there is the fact that I’m turning 23 in a month and a half, and number which strikes complete fear into my heart. I have no idea how I’m going to handle this birthday what-so-ever. Twenty was hair, twenty-one was weird. Twenty-two was surprisingly okay. But twenty-three? Eek. That’s all I can say when I think of that number. Eek.

So I’ll wrap myself up in my favorite sweater (see above) and live in the world of denial where the skies are always neon pink and nothing bad ever happens.

Out of all the things I inherited from my mother–moodiness, sensitivity, fashion-sense, and extreme work ethic–one of the things we share the most is that we love to change up our looks often. Especially hair.

I’ve always been kind of crazy when it comes to changing my hair. What I love about hair is that nothing you ever do to it is ever permanent; it always grows. So that is definitely reason why I’ve never had any fear when it comes to changing up my look.  Bangs, hair dye, layers, chopping it all off, wearing it up. Whenever I get bored, I always seem to do something to my hair before anything else. I remember in High School, I used to drive my journalism teacher crazy because every couple weeks I would come in to class and my hair would be different.

I was really excited to cut my hair, and when I did it last summer (for the first time) I was really craving a change. It had actually been a while since I had done something new to my hair, excluding coloring it a couple months before, and a new set of bangs around the same time. But lately, lately I’ve been wanting a change in the other direction. I miss my long hair. My long, long, long mermaid hair. The thing about short hair, at least chin length hair, is that it’s higher maintenance than me. Because of my wavy hair, it takes time, patience, and a willing to wake up extra early, blow dry and straighten if you really want it to look nice. I’m more of the throw in a ponytail and go kind of girl, and always have been.

So while hair extensions are too pricey, meaning out of the question, I am going to let my hair do it’s thing and grow long again. I know that most of the people in my life will poo-poo my decision as they’ve been telling me since I cut it short they love short hair on me, and I totally love it too. But I miss my long, rockstar hippie hair. It’s just more me.

But trust me–the Shannon hair years are epic, and never ending, so I’m sure once I have my nice long hair again, I’ll eventually get bored and do something new and different. Highlights, perhaps. My hairdresser (slash good friend) has been dying to put caramel highlights on the underneath of my hair for a while now. Who knows what will come next.

Now click for your chance to see the very exciting Shannon hair years:

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Grey dress pants (I think from le chateau, but tag’s been cut out). New green Razzle Dazzle tank top (I love their clothes). Navy Blue Joe Fresh cardigan. Claire’s Peacock Feather bead earrings (feel in love with them the second I saw them).

The Christmas before last, Andrew gave me the most beautiful pair of diamond earrings (in the most romantic way possible, but that’s another story entirely) and for a couple months I was terrified to wear them. I mean diamond earrings. They’re pretty much the most expensive jewelry I own. It took some coaxing, but I put them in (for daily wear) and have been wearing them constant for almost 2 years. So when I started working at Claire’s, I wasn’t sure what to do. I wanted to wear the earrings we sell but I love my diamonds. Thankfully I have my ears pierced more than once, and  so last week I decided to move my diamonds to my second holes and have been working on rocking the merchandise. First it was oversized hoops (blame it on watching Buffy) and today I thought I would pull off these peacock feather earrings. They’re funky, and fun, and while I adore feather earrings I just don’t think I could wear actual feathers on my ears. All I can see is my babies when I look at them.

Now it’s off to work. My head is aching slightly, so I’m feeling a large coffee. It worked well yesterday, and I’m hoping it’ll work again today. Plus: espresso… delicious.

Green vintage pajama shirt (thrifted from Mom). New Joe Fresh cropped pants with flower design. Peace Charm Bracelet (from work). Not pictured: black peep toe wedges.

Another day, another going-to-work-outfit. And, again with the color. This is becoming something of a pattern with me, and I like it.This shirt is one of my absolute favorites as it was thrifted from my mother and is as vintage as you can get: late seventies and oh-so-fabulous. Technically, it was a pajama shirt. Oh details. Who pays attention to those details? In fact, I think it just makes the shirt more interesting.

The pants are my new black dress pants and I’m kind of in love with the flower detail of the material. Black dress pants are just kind of boring, but I love these because of the texture. I don’t know, they just make me feel like I’m putting effort into an outfit, and that I’ve created a look even if I just pair them with your basic t-shirt. Plus they are adorable and cropped, and I don’t have cropped black pants.  The only thing I worried about was will they still work in about a month when the cold returns and summer is gone?

I’m getting very excited for fall fashion. Maybe it’s the fact that the clothes are already popping up in stores–we’re selling Halloween already!–but fall is one of my favorite seasons, clothing wise. Winter is horrible, and spring is just wet. Summer is great, but sometimes it’s just too hot. But fall? Not too warm, not too cold. Perfect layering weather, and you know how I love my layering. Oh yes, I’m very excited for fall.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: season two picture taken from the chosen two gallery.

I know I’ve written here before about my obsession love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and briefly hinted at my reasons for that love. But as I rewatch seasons 1 through 7, I’m reminded again and again why Buffy is still my hero. Before I had best friends, before I had a boyfriend who loved me, I had Buffy. What I always loved about this show is the fact even though Buffy was beautiful, witty and smart she wasn’t really popular. She was quirky (vampire slayer) and she was a little awkward, but I related to her and the rest of her scoobies because I knew what it was like to not feel normal, to feel like an outsider. I may have never been a vampire slayer (although I wrote plenty of stories where I discovered my calling) but I knew that feeling and I related. And that’s why, even after all these years, Buffy still relates to me. And why no matter how old I get, coming back to this show fills me with nostalgia. And why I adore watching this show over, and over, and over again.

(just incase you haven’t figured out, this is my random Shannon-is-bracing-for-a-hurricane-post written on the off chance I currently have no power. That, and I apparently have no idea what to write, and when I have no idea what to write I write about Buffy.)

I haven’t done a questionnaire in a while. Being that it’s Friday, and I want to write, I figured that I would answer one of these instead of a ramble. Okay, not a ramble. Another ode of love to Andrew. Lately I’ve been feeling completely lovestruck–like I’ve fallen in love with him all over again. All I want to do is lie on my couch and make out like I was seventeen again. Maybe that is strange that I love just wrapping up in his arms and kissing for hours until our cheeks are pink and flush, but there is just something about kissing that I love. Not saying I don’t enjoy… other things. Just that making out, pure and simple, is a nice retro change.

So in honor of lover boy, a survey about love.  Because, all you need is love, am I right?

All about Andrew

1. What’s their full name? Andrew.
   
2. How old are they? Twenty years old
3. When is their birthday? May 12th
4. What are their hobbies? Computers. Comic Books. Cooking.
5. When did you start dating? October 2003.
6. Do you two have a song? “Fly me to the moon” — Frank Sinatra.
7. Do you know their middle name? Yes. Charles.
8. What perfume/cologne do they wear? None, and he doesn’t need it because he always smells amazing.
9. How did you two meet? My best friend introduced us. Then we started chatting online and became friends. And then I realized that no other guy had ever made me feel like he made me feel just through talking.
10. Do you notice the little, cute things about them? If so, like what? His dinosaur face when he’s “angry”. The way he looks at me, and just smiles. How excited he gets over television programs at intense moments (like, Trueblood, for example). And a million other things I don’t want to share because I love keeping them to myself.
11. What about them caught your eye? His smile.
12. Do you like their friends? Sometimes I have more fun hanging out with him and his friends then I do with my own.
13. Do they like yours? For the most part, yes.
14. Were you into this person before you knew they were into you? Oh yes. I was completely and utterly smitten.
15. Do you love this person? With my entire heart. More then I’ve ever cared about anyone in the whole world.
16. Have you told them? Everyday.
17. Do you consider this person the right one? I consider him the right one, the only one.
18. Would you want to have kids with this person? We’ve talked about it… someday.
19. How old do you want to be when you get married? In all honesty, I could marry him now or fifty years from now. As much as I want to make that commitment, either way we know how we feel about each other and that’s what is important.
20. Would they make a good husband? The best.
21. What about a good father? Oh yes. Someday. Far from now.
22. Do you think they’re the perfect fit for you? Yes. He understands me, and loves me still. He gets my quirks, understands my craziness, and still loves me. There is no one else in this world that would fit me as much as he does.

Hurricane Juan approaching Nova Scotia (picture taken from Wikipedia page)

On September 29th, 2003, Hurricane Juan hit Nova Scotia early in the morning. I remember that day, and the days that followed quite clearly. We lost power for two days and in those two days I had more fun than I ever thought possible: standing outside with my sister and parents in the storm, watching the winds, then watching as the eye came in, everything turning weirdly calm.  Walking around in the complete darkness at all hours. We played a game of truth of dare that lasted until we went back to school. I took too many cold showers. We had a grilled cheese making competition that I definitely won.

And I met Andrew. Twice, actually.

So to say I have a soft spot for big storms (like Hurricanes) is an understatement. I’ve always been a storm person–at eight I knew almost as much about tornadoes as meteorologists. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but during a tornado warning years back, my parents came to their 12 year old daughter to grill her on what we should be doing to prepare in case we were hit. I like storms. I find them exciting. And while for other people, they hear the word Hurricane, they probably get scared. Worried about their houses, and cars, and own safety. Not me. I will always have positive associations with Hurricanes. Hurricane Juan hit, I met Andrew, therefore Hurricane’s awesome.

Now the reason I share the story from my past is because Hurricane Bill is being watched just in case it comes close to Nova Scotia. Right now the powers-that-be are saying it’s going to brush past us, possibly not very close at all. It all depends on the jet stream. But being the apparent crazy person I am, I kind of hope that Hurricane Bill comes close enough to Nova Scotia for even a brief wild ride. Now I don’t want anything to get damaged or people to get hurt (which, I know, is silly to ask considering I want to be hit by a Hurricane). I just love storms so much, and what is even more exciting is that the storm is supposedly going to occur when my parents will be in Northern New Brunswick. Which means not only will I be riding out the storm (regardless of how big, or small it is) with just my little sister, but it also means that I can invite the boy I met during my first real Hurricane over for a Hurricane sleepover. And sorry, but that excites me.

Now I know I’m probably building this up in my head too much, and it’ll probably pass right by without a squeak, like many Hurricanes I’ve gotten excited for in the last 6 years have done. Regardless I’ll stockpile my extra batteries and hope for a light show in the sky, pounding rain, and a remembrance of six years ago, and the first time I saw that Andrew’s face in the darkness of Colby. Sappy, maybe. But I’m a sappy person.

Blue swirly Smart Set dress. Big clunky white ring (from Claires). Not pictured: White Platform Wedges.

For the most part, my going-to-work outfits have consisted of black and white with only splashes of color off and on. I think, for the most part, I’ve been trying to blend in–I’ve yet to let my personality come out. I’m new, I’m shy, so I haven’t really had the chance to let my inner fashionista flourish.

The other day, however, one of my co-workers commented on how quiet I was, and how it was time to come out of my shell. I kind of just laughed it off–“I talk.” I commented–but I thought maybe the easiest way to prove I am not just the quiet, shy girl everyone thinks I am is by letting my personality come out through my clothing. And what is easier than one of my favorite dresses and a pair of fabulous shoes. It’s time to put away my black dress pants (and peep toes) and feel a little girlie. Plus, with it being hot as heck outside (26 degrees at nine in the morning? So not used to it.) This dress will keep me cool while I’m making my way to work, and won’t make me freeze in the extreme chill of the air conditioning.

I kind of missed my happy-blog-anniversary post yesterday.

Between feeling the effects from a night of drinks the day before, working, and the heat I just didn’t have any words. A lot has happened in the 366 days since I started this blog: I left one job, and started a new job. I decided once and for all that I was no longer going to eat poultry. My Uncle James sadly passed away, after a long, long battle with cancer. I graduated from University, wearing a fabulous dress, and crept towards the “real world”.  I spent a lot of time trying to find the me I used to be (and I think I’ve done a pretty good job). And a million other things (well, 140-odd entries worth of things) happened all within the course of this last year. It’s kind of crazy, when you think of it, but it’s also kind of nice. No matter what happens, I’ll have my memories documented forever.

Here’s to another year of memories, and random thoughts… of drunken nights, and cloudy skies, and randomly inspired outfits. And most of all: of love, and friendships, and stories to be told.

Life hasn’t been overly exciting as of late. I’ve worked twice, done more shopping then maybe I should have, had an awesome day hanging out with Alicia, and have lacked in both tidying and organizing (my bedroom is a pitiful mess) and writing. But the thing is: I want to write. I want to tell stories. It’s just that everytime I try to think of something relevent and amazing to write about, all I can think about is how lame it is and then the computer screen remains blank. I don’t know when I started to care about what other people think of what I write. I write for me, and only me. That’s why I started this blog in the first place!

Now my fictionpress stories on the other hand… that is a completely different story.

Anyways, to keep myself writing, here is a basically summary of all those things going on lately. Like, I said, life isn’t a whirlwind of excitement right now, but that doesn’t meaning I’m living the life of a nun. So, in no particalar order–my life:

• Speaking of starting this blog, on Sunday is the official one year anniversary of the beginning of this blog. I’m not sure if I’m going to do some kind of special post on it, or what, but I can’t believe it’s been almost one year since the beginning. Also, I can’t believe it’s been a year since the events of last summer.
• I’ve done quite a bit of shopping lately. Not an excessive amount, but I have bought quite a few adorable things (and thankfully, on great sales). However, one of my biggest splurges has been these shoes. While I tend to be subdued in my shoe choice pretty often, I fell in love with those shoes the moment I saw them (a couple months ago) and I’ve waited and waited and waited to buy them. I almost didn’t get them–they were all sold back. But when I found them, and tried them on, it was like Cinderella and her glass slippers. The perfect fit. Also: I managed to work over three hours in them, just after buying them and I didn’t feel like killing myself. Always a shoe bonus.
• Some of my cousins from PEI came to visit this weekend. The three girls–Kara, Kacey and Jenna–are busy, busy, busy but it was so great seeing them. Kara and Kacey were born here, when I was eleven (almost 12) and are turning 12 the 21st of August. Kacey was the first newborn baby I ever held and now the two of them are going into grade seven this fall! Doesn’t make me feel old, or anything…
• I’ve restarted Buffy the Vampire Slayer from the beginning.  Shows about vampires in love with humans are a pretty big trend right now (Twilight, Trueblood, the new show coming out on the CW The Vampire Diaries) but to me Buffy will always be the best of the best. It may be campy, and cheesy, and some of the fashions are… interesting. But this show will always been my ultimate favorite. I can watch it over, and over and over.
• Yesterday I went grocery shopping with Mum and found Glutino Spinach Soy Cheese gluten-free pizza (with brown rice crust) for $5.99. Now while I tend not to eat prepackaged foods often–especially those which are processed and higher-fat foods–I couldn’t pass  these up. In fact, we bought two, just because these things tend to go quickly. Oh, and they are amazing. It’s been a long while since I’ve had a quick pizza like that. Definitely not something I could eat a lot, but perfect for once in a while (especially those lazy days when I want pizza and don’t feel like making my own). Another amazing new gluten-free and dairy-free discovery: these Purely Decandant ice cream bars. Mine were made with coconut milk, which I couldn’t find on the website. But none the less: yum yum yum.
• Speaking of food, Katie from Chocolate Covered Katie is hosting a give away on her blog for a Spirializer. And oh my god, do I want one! I’ve been seeing these on the food blogs I frequent, but her recipes this week have been so yummy looking. I’m not a pasta person in the least, but I do love my spaghetti sauce a lot. Usually, I eat it on it’s own, or with spaghetti squash. Being able to make noodles out of zuchini? Oh, it would be so perfect. My fingers are crossed that maybe, just maybe, I could win. But if not, trust me, I’ll be buying one of these anyway.

And that’s pretty much my life right now. Besides enjoying the last few weeks of summer, and trying to decide what to do once September comes, there isn’t much going on. Hopefully, the room gets clean, and I get organized sooner rather than later. A couple more mornings waking up at 6am, and I may just get it done. I’ll be a tired, cranky, mess. But at least my shoes will be organized.

Oh, and one final thing: I have a cousin leaving for Afghanistan (actually, he may have already left) and all I ask is that you keep him in your thoughts. With all the news of young soilders being killed, I get more and more scared for him. He’s a month older than me, to the day (September 15th) and currently has a baby on the way. All I can pray is that he returns home swiftly, but more importantly, safely.

Clinton, my thoughts are with you.