A few years ago, you couldn't have found a person more in love with living alone than me! As an introvert, I loved the fact that home was a safe haven; safe from social interaction (not that I don't enjoy it, but I need an escape) , certainty that everything was in its rightful place, and somewhere I could unwind and decompress at the end of the day... and mentally prepare at the beginning of the day, for that matter.
When my girlfriend K. and I moved in together in September, my biggest worry was that I'd be lacking alone time. I worried that home - although I knew it would still be a safe haven - would no longer offer enough solitude or time and space for decompression.
But what I realized is - and I'd like to assume this is the reality of a great relationship - time with K. feels like alone time. It's relaxing, rejuvenating, energizing... sometimes quiet and peaceful... and it always brings me to that place where I feel most balanced and capable. That's a testament to K. and to our relationship. Either way, the alone time I get randomly here and there, or during the work day, in combination with time spent with K., suffices well.
So what made me talk about this now? Well, K. left on Sunday (today is Tuesday) for a 39-day (who's counting?) stint in St. John's, Newfoundland. We haven't been away from each other for 2 or maybe 3 nights since we moved in together, and the void she's left is palpable. I get to join her in 17 sleeps, I'll spend 9 nights with her, and then in another 10 days she's back at our home. SO... it's not horrible, but like I said, it's palpable.
I miss her a lot, and I'm not delighted to have all this alone time because I've been getting along just fine without it, BUT... it's amazing how my living alone behaviour looks now that I have a little perspective.
For example, when I came home from the airport on Sunday after dropping K. off, I immediately took out a pad of paper and a pen and started writing a to do list. Random stuff, like "Watch Apollo 13". Yeah... it's weird, but I used to do that all the time. As I always say, when I have nothing planned, it's because I've planned to do nothing. I like to have control over my routine and schedule and I feel reassured when I'm able to complete things and move through my day with a sense of accomplishment, even if it's by crossing out "Shower" on my to do list.
But it's not something I do now that I live with K. I do it when a day is full of activity, or of course I use to do lists at work, but not for personal stuff. But suddenly K. is gone and I feel the need to steady myself with a to do list.
I also went to bed really early on Sunday night. It's like I had to just close the book on that day and sleep until a new one came along... bringing me closer to seeing K. I used to go to bed really early back when I lived alone in Port Hope. Like, really early. 8:30 was not an unusual bedtime for me. K. and I are medium-to-bed, medium-to-rise... 11:00 pm ish to 7:30 am ish. I went to bed at 9:00 pm on Sunday night, just trying to will the time away. With K. my life is full and exciting and we try to get to bed at a decent hour, but we always have each other's company. Alone, I felt the need to just get the day over with (especially since I had accomplished what I'd set out to do).
It might sound depressing, but it's not! I'm just introspecting and I'm fascinated by how quickly we slip into old patterns of behavior. It seemed normal in Port Hope, but it doesn't any longer. So yesterday I got outside, spent time with my parents and then my sister, came home and read for a while, had a beer, got myself ready for the work day, and went to bed at 11:00 with a clear head and my cat Spoon snuggled close by.
I will survive!
Currently reading... Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Posts to come... My thoughts on Onward, Howard Schultz's story of Starbucks, and then another post on CAA and how great their service is
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Saturday, May 4, 2013
The reading challenges mattered
So get this: the reading challenges mattered.
Let's start from the beginning. In May 2010 I gave myself a challenge - The Reading Challenge - which was to read 8 books by the end of August. 4 months, 8 books. I gave myself this challenge after I was done my undergrad, to fight my fear that now that I was no longer pursuing an English degree, I would stop reading. With all the possible ways of filling up leisure time these days, I wanted to ensure a longtime hobby of reading didn't suffer.
The result of the challenge was that I finished 8 books by September 5th, so for all intents and purposes, it was a successful challenge.
Working off that success, I thought: let's do another. So Reading Challenge 2 (or rc-2) was to read another 8 books over a 4-month period (September - December 2010), but the stipulation was that 50% of the books had to be classified as fiction. In the end, I finished the challenge on February 19, 2011, but again - so what, who cares?! The whole point was to be reading, and I was. Even better, 100% of the 8 books ended up being fiction!
Then there was rc-3, which overlapped with rc-2, and the challenge was to read 20 books in 2011. I read 17.
rc-4 was the same - read 20 books in 2012. I read 12.
Highlights of the challenges? Encouraging myself to read more + the following books: Sex Drugs & Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman, By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham, The Girls by Lori Lansens, No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod, When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, and In One Person by John Irving.
But there wasn't and hasn't been an rc-5. What was my reasoning? I guess not completing my second two challenges wasn't super encouraging and so I thought, why not take the pressure off, stop writing about it, and just read? Well that's great, and I stand by it, except... I'm reading less than ever. Granted, it's been a busy first third of the year, but I've read two books!!! Grace by Grace Coddington, and just the other day I finished The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. Great books, and THIFB was a hefty read, but still. Two books in four months? I can do better than that!
So I don't think I'm necessarily going to give myself a new challenge, but I guess I just wanted to acknowledge that the reading challenges mattered, and that for me, blogging about my goals helps me achieve them, because you - whether you know it or whether it's an active thing that you're doing - are holding me accountable.
Let's start from the beginning. In May 2010 I gave myself a challenge - The Reading Challenge - which was to read 8 books by the end of August. 4 months, 8 books. I gave myself this challenge after I was done my undergrad, to fight my fear that now that I was no longer pursuing an English degree, I would stop reading. With all the possible ways of filling up leisure time these days, I wanted to ensure a longtime hobby of reading didn't suffer.
The result of the challenge was that I finished 8 books by September 5th, so for all intents and purposes, it was a successful challenge.
Working off that success, I thought: let's do another. So Reading Challenge 2 (or rc-2) was to read another 8 books over a 4-month period (September - December 2010), but the stipulation was that 50% of the books had to be classified as fiction. In the end, I finished the challenge on February 19, 2011, but again - so what, who cares?! The whole point was to be reading, and I was. Even better, 100% of the 8 books ended up being fiction!
Then there was rc-3, which overlapped with rc-2, and the challenge was to read 20 books in 2011. I read 17.
rc-4 was the same - read 20 books in 2012. I read 12.
Highlights of the challenges? Encouraging myself to read more + the following books: Sex Drugs & Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman, By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham, The Girls by Lori Lansens, No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod, When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, and In One Person by John Irving.
But there wasn't and hasn't been an rc-5. What was my reasoning? I guess not completing my second two challenges wasn't super encouraging and so I thought, why not take the pressure off, stop writing about it, and just read? Well that's great, and I stand by it, except... I'm reading less than ever. Granted, it's been a busy first third of the year, but I've read two books!!! Grace by Grace Coddington, and just the other day I finished The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. Great books, and THIFB was a hefty read, but still. Two books in four months? I can do better than that!
So I don't think I'm necessarily going to give myself a new challenge, but I guess I just wanted to acknowledge that the reading challenges mattered, and that for me, blogging about my goals helps me achieve them, because you - whether you know it or whether it's an active thing that you're doing - are holding me accountable.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Energy gain/drain: a few words on introversion
I'm not sure if I've written much about introversion on this blog, which is surprising because it's a topic I think about quite a bit. I won't write at length right now, but I will share a neat item my friend shared with me: Dr. Carmella's Guide to Understanding the Introverted.
I generally agree with the way she's mapped things out here. I don't necessarily think of myself as living in a hamster ball, but I get the principle of it.
However, there's a concept that I never really thought of here -- extroverts sapping the energy of introverts. Or really anyone sapping the energy of introverts. Actually, it's not even that, it's the idea of introverts giving their energy to others.
I've often thought about the fact that as an introvert I gain energy from downtime and that social situations drain energy from me. But I never thought about the fact that I give energy to people. It makes sense though!
And then I can't help but think about how much the giving/draining of energy varies from person to person. My girlfriend K, for example. We live together and I rarely think of her as someone who drains my energy. I certainly give my energy to her, and am happy to, but there's a number of factors that keep me from feeling drained. (1) We live together and I gain so much of my energy from being in my home surroundings, so there's a comfort there. (2) Now that we live together and spend so much time together, I've begun to think of our time together as "alone time", despite not being fully alone. Alone time gives me energy for sure, so I'm able to still gain energy while with K. (3) She gives me so much energy back, so there's an exchange that keeps me from feeling drained.
K is definitely a special person when it comes to the energy gain/drain, but I feel that way about my other closest friends, too. They give me so much back so I never feel as drained after spending time with them (especially if it's at my place) as I would, say at a random acquaintance's house party. All those new people and the unfamiliar turf; it makes for an energy drain. It doesn't mean I can't do it, nor does it mean I can't perform well, but it's definitely a drain.
Anyway, gotta love some morning food for thought...
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Do you beliebe?
I'm going to be frank with y'all: I'm a belieber... or at least, I have been. Now? I don't know what to beliebe.
We all knew about Justin Bieber when he came onto the scene. An overnight sensation like no one before him, you couldn't help but know his name and at least be able to hum one of his songs. Whether you liked him or not, you'd heard of him.
Brilliantly managed and marketed, he experienced a frighteningly fast climb to success. In the face of it all, he seemed to manage it well himself. You might not want to call him an artist, but he sure could perform. Beyond that, he has a certain charm, too... charisma, even, and not just in the "tween" sense. Have you ever seen him on "Chelsea Lately"? Check out the video below. He's not very articulate, per se, but he holds his own, and is funny (and even, dare I say it, smart!) in his own way.
So what did I think of him when he was first thrust upon us? Not much, really... I was indifferent... I mean, although there is something unique about his rise to success (YouTube discovery, overnight sensation, etc.), it's just the same old story in a new context, isn't it? I wasn't a hater, I wasn't a fan, I was just aware... and maybe curious... and maybe a teeny bit proud that for once an enormous star was Canadian? Or maybe more angry at the fact that Justin was calling himself the first interesting thing to come out of Stratford.
So what did I think of him when he was first thrust upon us? Not much, really... I was indifferent... I mean, although there is something unique about his rise to success (YouTube discovery, overnight sensation, etc.), it's just the same old story in a new context, isn't it? I wasn't a hater, I wasn't a fan, I was just aware... and maybe curious... and maybe a teeny bit proud that for once an enormous star was Canadian? Or maybe more angry at the fact that Justin was calling himself the first interesting thing to come out of Stratford.
I became a belieber though when I watched "Never Say Never", the documentary
That brings me to now.
I'm not sure if you keep up with the Justin Bieber news, but he's been acting a fool lately. There's been issues with his friend caught speeding in his car, photos surfacing of him smoking marijuana, getting kicked out of a London bar on his birthday, passing out on stage at his own concert, starting a concert two hours late, walking around shirtless, swearing at paparazzi..... Bieber is not 13 anymore.
So he's 19, and the old smile for the camera paired with a flick of the hair doesn't really work for him now. That's fine. Performers have to evolve with their age and with time. Look at Justin Timberlake (I certainly enjoy looking at him); he started as a curly-haired, frosted-tipped boy bander, and now he's all dapper in a suit and tie singing us brilliant R&B.
But this isn't about a performer evolving, it's about an individual experiencing some growing pains, and the thing that I struggle with is: can we just chalk this up to a 19 year-old acting his age? Does he have to be held to different standards because he's a massive celebrity? Does any of it matter? 19 year-olds all over the world are doing this and much worse (minus what the money and fame afford him), but his discretions are displayed for all the world to see. What does it all mean?
The funny thing is, I don't really care about his music. Some of it is pretty catchy, but just because I call myself a belieber, you won't be finding me buying his albums and certainly not attending his concerts. What I liked about him, as I said, was his earnestness... his charisma and hard-working nature. I'm just not seeing that anymore.
However, as a belieber, I will hold out some hope. I'd like to see Justin Bieber elevate to the levels of Justin Timberlake one day... maybe it'll never happen, but...
NEVER SAY NEVER.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Halifornia
I went to Halifax last week. It was a brief business trip - about 48 hours - and it was a really nice experience.
The trip started last Wednesday morning; I cabbed from my apartment to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. I rarely take cabs in the city but since I had luggage - albeit light - and since it was business, I thought I'd treat myself. It's too expensive though. I took the airport shuttle and subway back when I returned to Toronto.
I went to the airport much earlier than I needed to, as I had a conference call placed awkwardly in my day - too close to the flight to wait until after the call to head to the airport... too early to be at the airport to take the call there. That said, I'm of the "early is never a bad thing" school of thought, plus I love the lounge at the island airport, so early I would be.
Porter refers to its service as Flying Refined, and it really is. I sped through security and arrived in the lounge with time to spare - enough time to get a coffee, some almonds, and set up shop for my call.
The flight itself was lovely, too. Tell me - why do I instinctively crave tomato juice on planes?
I got into Halifax around 3:00 pm and was at my hotel - the Westin Nova Scotian - in downtown Halifax by 4:00. For the record, I am not an extremely experienced traveller and I haven't stayed in a lot of hotels, but I've stayed at the Westin Nova Scotian twice now, and it's the best hotel I've ever been to. I feel special there. It's fancy yet not too pricey. During my stay, I had two delicious breakfasts at their restaurant, Elements; room service for a late dinner, which was a total treat; watched cable in bed on the big screen TV; had a bath; had two glorious sleeps... it was heavenly. I highly recommend staying there if you get the chance.
Earlier that day I tweeted that I was going to Halifax and asked the Twitterverse whether anyone had any recommendations for restaurants. Though I'm not pretentious enough to call myself a foodie (nor do I think the label necessarily fits), y'all know I love food and good restaurants, so I wanted something great. At least two people recommended The Five Fishermen, so I made a reservation online and around 6:45 pm I walked over.
My desire was t ohave a quiet, luxurious, and delicious evening out, and that desire was mostly fulfilled. They had a table for one near the fireplace ready for me; there was no awkward removal of a second place setting. Much appreciated. The Five Fishermen nailed service and ambiance; it was quiet, had a great vibe, and no one made me feel like I was there too long (I was there for two hours). I had a great time there. I took my time, had a delicious glass of Nova Scotian wine, ate lots, started a new book (The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb), and deliberately kept iPhone use to a minimum. However, the disappointing part? The food! I know! Unexpected. At the time I was totally satisfied, but I think I was full on great dining... not great food. Maybe my mistake was that I didn't order a main. I didn't want to spend too much, so I opted for wine + access to the mussel and salad bar ($25) + bread and butter + clam chowder. The mussels got cold really fast and the cowder was very bland. I finished with dessert, which was really delicious. I had coffee and sticky toffee pudding (yum!) with their housemade icecream (YUM!!!). All in all, it was decadent, but if the food had been better than the rest of the experience..... well, I might not have left Halifax.
Regardless, I was in a coma on the way back to the hotel. After a bath and a dose of cable, I was out like a light.
My colleague and I met for breakfast at 9:00 and enjoyed delicious eggs Benedict (and he informed me that it was St. Benedict's Day... how about that!). I then retreated to my hotel room for a few hours of peaceful and quiet work.
Business trips are great, for so many reasons. I don't have to travel much, so they're still a novelty. I keep busy enough these days that sometimes I forget I've got a trip coming up, but I really enjoy it. It's paid travel and related expenses, a break from the routine, a chance to see a different city... but for me it's also an opportunity to slow down. It's a chance to treat myself, a chance to catch up on emails, a chance to read, a chance to go for walks and see new things, a chance to do work that on any other day might seem tedious, but somehow in a hotel room feels therapeutic... the list goes on.....
I don't know if traveller's guilt has anything to do with Catholic guilt, but I have small cases of both. I'm grateful for traveller's guilt when it's not too extreme though because despite how lovely a day spent in a hotel room might seem, TG kicks in and I know I've got to get out and do something.
I did a little searching online and learned about the noontime cannon at the Halifax Citadel. For at least 100 years they've been firing a cannon at noon to set the city clock by? Sounds pretty cool to me. At 11:30 I left my room and walked the very inclined route to Citadel Hill. I got to the Citadel and it was really cool and quiet; nothing was really open, but a nice staffperson told me a great spot to watch the firing from. See the video below to see what it was like. Definitely a good excuse to leave the hotel, and a neat touristy thing to do. I also learned my iPhone is on perfect GMT.
I walked from there to Pizza Corner (another Twitter recommendation). I'm not sure if that's the actual name of the joint or if it's just called that because it's a pizza place on the corner. I was told to try the donair... it was delicious. Next time I'd like to try a big slice of donair pizza. Yum!
I walked back to the hotel to rest, work, and get ready for the whole point of my trip - an event on Thursday night. More work, more TV, more relaxing, a shower, and off I went to the event.
I held the event at the Split Crow. That's where I held the event last year; it's a popular spot among Dalhousie students and it worked well for what I'm trying to do. It was a good event this year, too, but I don't think I'll hold it at the SC next year. The staff was okay but not very accommodating, and sometimes even aggressive. It was well worth the trip though; it was a great event!
I left the pub earlyish and walked back to the hotel. Wanna know a secret? I've never gotten room service! I have one memory of getting it as a kid - I think - but no vivid memories, and I've definitely never ordered it myself. Or, at least, I hadn't before... I have now! I got back from the event and after getting into PJs, I ordered myself a pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries and a pop! Absolutely divine! It came on a tray which I sat right on my bed and enjoyed while watching an episode of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". Again, heavenly.
Another delicious sleep, and back to Elements for breakfast. This time, I had eggs, sausage, and homefries. Then I booked a cab with the concierge, went to my room to pack up, and off I went to the airport.
All in all, a great trip.
The trip started last Wednesday morning; I cabbed from my apartment to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. I rarely take cabs in the city but since I had luggage - albeit light - and since it was business, I thought I'd treat myself. It's too expensive though. I took the airport shuttle and subway back when I returned to Toronto.
I went to the airport much earlier than I needed to, as I had a conference call placed awkwardly in my day - too close to the flight to wait until after the call to head to the airport... too early to be at the airport to take the call there. That said, I'm of the "early is never a bad thing" school of thought, plus I love the lounge at the island airport, so early I would be.
Porter refers to its service as Flying Refined, and it really is. I sped through security and arrived in the lounge with time to spare - enough time to get a coffee, some almonds, and set up shop for my call.
The flight itself was lovely, too. Tell me - why do I instinctively crave tomato juice on planes?
I got into Halifax around 3:00 pm and was at my hotel - the Westin Nova Scotian - in downtown Halifax by 4:00. For the record, I am not an extremely experienced traveller and I haven't stayed in a lot of hotels, but I've stayed at the Westin Nova Scotian twice now, and it's the best hotel I've ever been to. I feel special there. It's fancy yet not too pricey. During my stay, I had two delicious breakfasts at their restaurant, Elements; room service for a late dinner, which was a total treat; watched cable in bed on the big screen TV; had a bath; had two glorious sleeps... it was heavenly. I highly recommend staying there if you get the chance.
 |
| The view from my hotel room of the Halifax harbour. |
My desire was t ohave a quiet, luxurious, and delicious evening out, and that desire was mostly fulfilled. They had a table for one near the fireplace ready for me; there was no awkward removal of a second place setting. Much appreciated. The Five Fishermen nailed service and ambiance; it was quiet, had a great vibe, and no one made me feel like I was there too long (I was there for two hours). I had a great time there. I took my time, had a delicious glass of Nova Scotian wine, ate lots, started a new book (The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb), and deliberately kept iPhone use to a minimum. However, the disappointing part? The food! I know! Unexpected. At the time I was totally satisfied, but I think I was full on great dining... not great food. Maybe my mistake was that I didn't order a main. I didn't want to spend too much, so I opted for wine + access to the mussel and salad bar ($25) + bread and butter + clam chowder. The mussels got cold really fast and the cowder was very bland. I finished with dessert, which was really delicious. I had coffee and sticky toffee pudding (yum!) with their housemade icecream (YUM!!!). All in all, it was decadent, but if the food had been better than the rest of the experience..... well, I might not have left Halifax.
Regardless, I was in a coma on the way back to the hotel. After a bath and a dose of cable, I was out like a light.
My colleague and I met for breakfast at 9:00 and enjoyed delicious eggs Benedict (and he informed me that it was St. Benedict's Day... how about that!). I then retreated to my hotel room for a few hours of peaceful and quiet work.
Business trips are great, for so many reasons. I don't have to travel much, so they're still a novelty. I keep busy enough these days that sometimes I forget I've got a trip coming up, but I really enjoy it. It's paid travel and related expenses, a break from the routine, a chance to see a different city... but for me it's also an opportunity to slow down. It's a chance to treat myself, a chance to catch up on emails, a chance to read, a chance to go for walks and see new things, a chance to do work that on any other day might seem tedious, but somehow in a hotel room feels therapeutic... the list goes on.....
I don't know if traveller's guilt has anything to do with Catholic guilt, but I have small cases of both. I'm grateful for traveller's guilt when it's not too extreme though because despite how lovely a day spent in a hotel room might seem, TG kicks in and I know I've got to get out and do something.
 |
| Beautiful Halifax buildings that I saw on my walk to the Citadel. |
I walked from there to Pizza Corner (another Twitter recommendation). I'm not sure if that's the actual name of the joint or if it's just called that because it's a pizza place on the corner. I was told to try the donair... it was delicious. Next time I'd like to try a big slice of donair pizza. Yum!
I walked back to the hotel to rest, work, and get ready for the whole point of my trip - an event on Thursday night. More work, more TV, more relaxing, a shower, and off I went to the event.
I held the event at the Split Crow. That's where I held the event last year; it's a popular spot among Dalhousie students and it worked well for what I'm trying to do. It was a good event this year, too, but I don't think I'll hold it at the SC next year. The staff was okay but not very accommodating, and sometimes even aggressive. It was well worth the trip though; it was a great event!
I left the pub earlyish and walked back to the hotel. Wanna know a secret? I've never gotten room service! I have one memory of getting it as a kid - I think - but no vivid memories, and I've definitely never ordered it myself. Or, at least, I hadn't before... I have now! I got back from the event and after getting into PJs, I ordered myself a pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries and a pop! Absolutely divine! It came on a tray which I sat right on my bed and enjoyed while watching an episode of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". Again, heavenly.
Another delicious sleep, and back to Elements for breakfast. This time, I had eggs, sausage, and homefries. Then I booked a cab with the concierge, went to my room to pack up, and off I went to the airport.
All in all, a great trip.
Monday, February 4, 2013
RuPaul's Drag Race: Reviewed & Analyzed
I don't need to tell you that I love "RuPaul's Drag Race". I've written about it before. For a while I've been wanting to write a post, reviewing and analyzing all the queens who have been on the show, seasons 1-4. We're now in a new season (the fifth), so I want to finish this up before another season passes and I have new queens to review.
Without further ado...
Most-Loved (By Me)
Queens:
These are the queens who I've enjoyed the most.
Ongina & Nina Flowers (s1), Pandora Boxx, Jujubee, Raven (s2), Yara Sofia, Alexis Mateo, Manila Luzon, Raja (s3), Jiggly Caliente, Chad Michaels, Sharon Needles, Latrice Royale (s4)
“Moment” Queens:
These are queens who had their moment on their respective seasons. I liked them well enough, but they had one particular moment where their light really shone brightest.
These are queens who had their moment on their respective seasons. I liked them well enough, but they had one particular moment where their light really shone brightest.
Jessica Wild - Jessica was a great queen, but her best moment had to be her appearance as the chicken in the episode where they had to do a commercial. Unlike Raven (who really sucked in this episode), Jessica went all out and her chicken character was hilarious!
Stacey Layne (Bryant) Matthews - Stacey never really impressed me, except when she was Monique on the Snatch Game. The character couldn't have been a better fit, and thank God she ended up doing Monique instead of Anna Nicole Smith. She stayed in character perfectly.
Dida Ritz - I thought Dida was an overall pretty sickening (good thing) queen, but her best moment was when she had to lip synch for her life and turned it out to "This Will Be" by Natalie Cole. She worked it out and showed her true fierceness. It was a great moment.
“BLAH” Queens
These are the queens who I neither hated, nor loved, nor loved to hate. They were just blah and never left much of an impression.
Alisa Summers, The Princess, Victoria “Porkchop” Parker, Akashia, Jade, Nicole Paige Brooks, Mystique Summers Madison, Sonique, Venus D-Lite, Phoenix, India Ferrah
Less “BLAH” Queens
These are the queens who made an impression, and were fierce, but still don't fall into the "Most Loved (By Me)" category.
Bitchy/Whatever
Queens:
These are the queens who made a lot of noise, threw a lot of shade, had huge personalities, but never made themselves all that likeable... at least not by me.
Shangela Laquifa Wadley - I know Shangela made a lot of noise on her season
(especially with her dramatic return to the show after being the first
eliminated on season 2), but she just didn’t really excite me on season 3. She had her catchphrases and some decent
moments, sure, but having heard so much about her (from friends who'd watched this season before me)olujhyi, I definitely expected
more. And for the record, I don’t
consider her a Bitchy Queen as much as I think of her as a Whatever Queen.
Tatianna - Ugh, Tatianna. She had a few decent moments, too (case in point: her Britney Spears impression on Snatch Game was pretty good), but she
really bugged me throughout most of season 2.
She was bitchy, not always that fierce, and just relied on her
fishyness. Oh, and her dumb segment on All-Stars, “T with Tati”, was extremely stupid, too. Whatever! I’m so glad she didn’t make it into the top 3
like Rebecca Glasscock did before her.
Speaking of which…
Rebecca Glasscock - Rebecca
Glasscock… just plain bitchy, and made it far but just never got me especially
excited. Whatever.
Phi Phi O’Hara - Phi Phi WAS bitchy,
though I found I was more sympathetic to her than to Tatianna and Rebecca. She was young, clearly putting up a front,
and had some tender moments (for example, giving Chad her phone call so he
could call his partner). And then, as a
queen, I saw her have some amazing – never mind fishy – moments on the
runway. However, she overall gave me a "whatever" feeling. She deserved to be in
the top 3, but I was just kinda bored by her at that point.
“AAAGGHHH” Queens
These are the queens who you just wanted to slap across the face and say "Snap out of it!"
Tammie Brown - Occasionally I found Tammie Brown inexplicably magnetic, but the same moment I would realize she's bat s**t crazy. She has got some kind of bizarre drag, and I was happy to see her go (both times... how she made it on All Stars is beyond me).
Mimi Imfurst - She is just plain annoying! A weird queen, a bad actress, a cry baby, and a general annoyance.
(Kinda but not really) Madame LaQueer - Reminded me of Mimi Imfurst in some ways. Her acting skills were also brutal (remember when she tried a British accent... hers was almost as bad as Yara Sofia's, but 10 times less funny).
Mimi Imfurst - She is just plain annoying! A weird queen, a bad actress, a cry baby, and a general annoyance.
(Kinda but not really) Madame LaQueer - Reminded me of Mimi Imfurst in some ways. Her acting skills were also brutal (remember when she tried a British accent... hers was almost as bad as Yara Sofia's, but 10 times less funny).
Queens who didn’t deliver on “All Stars” like I wish they had:
Self-explanatory.
Latrice Royale & Nina Flowers
It was really a shame; considering how much I lived for these queens while they were on their respective seasons, I really expected more from them on AS. In Nina’s case she had a brutal partner (Tammie), but Latrice had no excuse. Oh well! That's what separates fierce queens from All Stars.
Queens I wish were on All Stars:
Ongina
Queens I wish were NOT on All Stars:
Shannel (even more so than Tammie & Mimi, because at least they were eliminated quickly... only Chad could carry Shannel that far).
Winning Queens I didn’t get too excited about:
BeBe Zahara Benet & Tyra SanchezDon't get me wrong - both of them are fierce queens, and I'm not saying they didn't deserve to win, because I think they probably were. Both of them were fierce, funny, and delivered consistently. However, they just didn’t excite me in the way someone like Latrice or Jujubee did.
Most-Deserving Crowned Queen
Sharon Needles – I wasn’t always a Sharon Needles fan during season 4. First I didn’t know what to make of her, and then even when she was consistently amazing, I was still more excited by Latrice (mostly personality-wise). But as it became clear that Latrice wouldn’t – and didn’t deserve to – win, I was rooting for Sharon.
Runner-up: Raja – Raja was just so incredibly fierce.
FAVOURITE QUEEN OF ALL
If it wasn't slready clear...
Miss Latrice Mothaf**kin Royale – Latrice hands-down gave me the most joy, happiness, laughter, and emotion of all the queens to grace the runway. I realized – especially during “All Stars” – that she wasn’t the fiercest queen of all. She had her rough moments, bad wardrobe choices, etc., but she was the realest queen on the show, and I loved her.
FIN.
Friday, February 1, 2013
#Swoon4Spoon
I have a cat.
I've never had a real pet before in my life. By "real pet" I'm referring to anything that lives outside of a cage or a bowl. My mom is nervous around cats and dogs, and so we never had them... and truthfully, I was pretty nervous around cats and dogs, too. Maybe I imagined having a pet in the future, but not really... I can maybe remember dreaming that I'd one day have a dog, but as I moved into my twenties it wasn't part of my future plans. Pets just seemed like too much work, and they represented permanence. In the past 8 years I've had 6 different homes... permanence isn't something I've felt for a while.
But the more serious I got with my girlfriend, the more I realized that I'd likely have a cat one day. My GF has had cats for her whole life, and so I accepted that a cat would be in my future... I just didn't expect to have a cat so soon. That's how life goes though... here's how it went down...
Our friend L. fosters cats through the Annex Cat Rescue, so she'll take care of a cat for a few months and help find it a "forever home", even involved in the screening process of the potential new owner. Back in November, L. started fostering a cat named Spoon. My GF went to visit the l'il guy and fell in love. She gushed about Spoon when she came home that day, but that's where the story could've stopped.
Two months later, L. posts a photo of Spoon on Facebook and says she'd love to find him a forever home, and would prefer that he go to a friend. K. (my GF) was so hoping our home could be Spoon's forever home, but I needed some time to consider this. I wasn't at all opposed to having a cat... I wasn't even concerned or nervous... just apprehensive, perhaps. I needed to ask a lot of questions - weird ones! "Will I be surprised a lot, i.e. will the cat jump onto random places, frightening me?" "How much will it cost?" "Are cats inherently evil?" And so on, and so forth... After a lot of discussion, and a lot of patience on K's part, we decided the next step was to meet the cat.
When I met Spoon, I had to hold him. He's just got such a great demeanor: cuddly, mellow, sweet, friendly, etc. We cuddled with him, asked L. lots of questions, and then afterwards, when we got into the car, I told K. we should go for it.
That evening, K. called the Annex Cat Rescue and had a screening, wherein she answered some questions, and then was approved on the spot for adoption! The next day we went to Petsmart and bought everything we could possibly need to care for a cat (including a few special things to enhance Spoon's life). A week after our initial meeting with Spoon, we came back to L's place, armed with our new collapsible cat carrier, allowed L. to say her goodbyes, and then brought Spoon into the car to take him to his forever home.
We've now had Spoon for almost two full weeks. It seems like he's been here forever... in a good way. I thought I'd need to sleep with the bedroom door closed for a few weeks before I was comfortable with him having the run of the apartment... turns out it only took one night! I love having Spoon around. He's so funny and cuddly and sweet and I couldn't believe how quickly I fell in love with him. I frequently find myself lying on the floor petting him... I've brushed him for 10 minutes before (he loves it!)... I love knowing that he sleeps near me (or on me)... and I love how happy K. is to have a cat.
So... I'm a pet owner, and there's no going back now.
I've never had a real pet before in my life. By "real pet" I'm referring to anything that lives outside of a cage or a bowl. My mom is nervous around cats and dogs, and so we never had them... and truthfully, I was pretty nervous around cats and dogs, too. Maybe I imagined having a pet in the future, but not really... I can maybe remember dreaming that I'd one day have a dog, but as I moved into my twenties it wasn't part of my future plans. Pets just seemed like too much work, and they represented permanence. In the past 8 years I've had 6 different homes... permanence isn't something I've felt for a while.
But the more serious I got with my girlfriend, the more I realized that I'd likely have a cat one day. My GF has had cats for her whole life, and so I accepted that a cat would be in my future... I just didn't expect to have a cat so soon. That's how life goes though... here's how it went down...
Two months later, L. posts a photo of Spoon on Facebook and says she'd love to find him a forever home, and would prefer that he go to a friend. K. (my GF) was so hoping our home could be Spoon's forever home, but I needed some time to consider this. I wasn't at all opposed to having a cat... I wasn't even concerned or nervous... just apprehensive, perhaps. I needed to ask a lot of questions - weird ones! "Will I be surprised a lot, i.e. will the cat jump onto random places, frightening me?" "How much will it cost?" "Are cats inherently evil?" And so on, and so forth... After a lot of discussion, and a lot of patience on K's part, we decided the next step was to meet the cat.
When I met Spoon, I had to hold him. He's just got such a great demeanor: cuddly, mellow, sweet, friendly, etc. We cuddled with him, asked L. lots of questions, and then afterwards, when we got into the car, I told K. we should go for it.
That evening, K. called the Annex Cat Rescue and had a screening, wherein she answered some questions, and then was approved on the spot for adoption! The next day we went to Petsmart and bought everything we could possibly need to care for a cat (including a few special things to enhance Spoon's life). A week after our initial meeting with Spoon, we came back to L's place, armed with our new collapsible cat carrier, allowed L. to say her goodbyes, and then brought Spoon into the car to take him to his forever home.
So... I'm a pet owner, and there's no going back now.
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