I have a confession to make. It's been a long time coming. I feel like you guys know me well enough. You deserve the truth.
I have an unhealthy love of mugs.
I don't know what it is, but I absolutely love mugs. Collecting them, drinking out of them, even taking pictures of them. I'm obsessed guys. And today, I thought I display some of the evidence of this obsession by showing you some of my favourite mugs.
I bought this one very recently from a store called Pier One Imports. I think it's really cute and it's very autumnesque (yes I know this isn't a real word). I haven't actually had anything to drink out of it yet; I'm waiting until I'm over this cold.
My friend Kara brought this one back from Paris
with her (only slightly jealous). I love the detail
on the mug and the little spoon beside it is just
adorable. It's not too large, so it's perfect for a
mug of something when you don't have time to
curl up with a good book or when you don't
want a big cup of something.
This one is also from Kara. It's a little early for this one, but in a few weeks, when the snow's falling and there's a fire in the fireplace and my Mum's got Amy Grant playing on the stereo, I'm sure this will be filled with hot chocolate and lots of marshmallows.
Ooh, I love this one. It's got a quote by C.S. Lewis on
it that says, "You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a
book long enough to suit me." It was given to me by my
friend Sarah when I had my concussion. It's really big
and perfect for curling up on the sofa with a book.
This one was a gift from my Grandparents when I was pretty young. Maybe six? I don't use it too often anymore, but I think it's really cute. Definitely one of those things that you keep to look back on later. My siblings and I all have one and every once in a while, we'll pull them out and all have a coffee or hot chocolate together.
Another mug given to me by the amazing friend Kara. You think she knows me? It's got two faces, one on each side. We have this thing with Spongebob and Spongebob's faces and I grin like an idiot every time I pick it up.
I found these mugs in a cute little store where we were cottaging this past summer. They were on the bottom shelf and obviously had been ignored due to a little chip on the edge. I bought them both for a dollar.
This one was given to me by my other wonderful friend Hayley. When you pour hot water in it, the TARDIS disappears from the street and reappears in space.
So what have learned from this post today? We have learned that Sarah is obsessed with mugs and she has friends who know her very, very well.
So one of my favourite bands released their new album about a month back and it's beautiful. It's so raw and real, I'm in awe of the songwriting. I'm going to do a review of my favourites ordered by their appearance on the album, although that's going to be very, very hard because literally every song is my favourite. However, I thought you should all have a bit of backstory before you listen, so you can appreciate the beauty and pain in this album.
Basically, "Astoria" is the past four years for Josh and the highs and lows that he went through. Having Call Me Maybe become huge, being nominated at the Grammys, going on arena tours and getting engaged. His mother being diagnosed with Dementia, his fiancee leaving him, spending lots of time in and out of the hospital, losing his motivation and drive. This album is pretty much his diary of the past two years. He got tons of people who had been there with him in the crappy parts to actually play and sing little bits on the album. If you want to find out more, the video below goes into the making of Astoria (there is a bit of swearing in it, be forewarned).
If you know Marianas Trench, you'll know that their opening songs and their closing songs are always the best. This one is no different. It's a medley of a whole bunch of different styles and really intense and it definitely sets the scene for the rest of the album to follow. 3:00-4:30 is the best part of the song in my humble opinion, because minor key and his falsetto. Language warning if you don't like that kind of thing.
I heard the chorus first on a little preview and was immediately grinning. It's totally got the 80s party vibe and his high notes here are beautiful. I love, love the cockiness in the line "Don't say you don't miss me that much, don't say I don't still make you blush". It's about a relationship that maybe it's going the greatest. Then the guy is saying, "Is this really that bad? Are you really going to call this off? You can see the chemistry we have, don't deny it."
I can relate slightly to this one and it's another upbeat song. The way I see it, it's about two people who used to have chemistry, who would banter a lot. Then they moved away and kind of lost touch, then when they'd see each other again, they'd be all polite. They'd ask each other how they were doing and ask about their lives. But the chorus is talks about missing the bantering, the chemistry, the "war". It's fun. I like it.
Don't even get me started on this one. Ugh, it's so beautiful and simple and I love it so much. It's just a ukulele and a violin. It's him singing about his relationship with his fiancee. It hits me right in the feels every time I listen to it. The bridge is the best part of the whole song because it has references to all of the songs he wrote for her. If you're not a Trencher, I've written the lyrics of the bridge below, and bolded the song references, just because you have to see this. It's amazing.
"Every masterpiece I'd write again You'll always be my porcelain I crossed my heart But I stuttered too So truth or dare Was I good to you Haven't had enough of you all to myself Still right beside you In sickness and health For ever after You will be my home And there's no place like home"
This one is beautiful. It's the one that you get your lighters out for when they play it live. It's slow, but not soft. There's a different sort of vibe, less put together. I don't know how to describe it. It's more... messy? The guitars aren't perfectly mixed and it sounds so good. The song's about being in a relationship and slowly growing apart. The slow fade. The chorus talks about how they're young and it should be the time of their lives, but they miss each other.
I tear up every time I hear this song. My parents can't listen to it without crying. Basically, don't listen to it unless you're ready to feel all the feels. Josh wrote this song about his mother and how she's slowly forgetting him. He says he isn't ready for it all, he still needs his mum, but he's going to be there for her. He'll help her back into the bed and be her forget-me-not. It's beautiful and so sad.
Kay, I love this song for so many reasons. First, so many references to other songs in other albums. Porcelain, Masterpiece Theatre, Ever After, Celebrity Status, they're all in there. And it makes me so happy listening to it because I feel like so many artists kinda throw out their old music when they make new stuff, almost ashamed of it. With these guys, they embrace it. They make it part of who they are today. Second, I absolutely love the medley, the way they managed to combine so many different styles of music into an amazing piece of art. Just when you think it can't get cooler, it does. Then I love the lyrics and the meaning. It's all about not forgetting your past but moving on and saying goodbye. He's saying goodbye to the past couple years of his life, his "Astoria". He's grown up, he's moved on, he needs to say goodbye to his past. The first song sang "Tell me I survive you, Astoria". Then this one sings "How did we survive you, Astoria?" A conclusion. An ending. I could literally copy and paste the entire song lyrics here, but I've narrowed it down to three lines that I absolutely love.
"I'm so afraid of trying something new
Cause every start begins with saying goodbye to you"
"(How did we survive)
We went through hell in Astoria (How did we survive) We lost ourselves in Astoria (How did we survive) I gave in to sickness Can you find forgiveness For a dear old friend So Astoria can end"
"I hope you know that I don't blame you my dear friend
Always will love you still But Astoria must end"
Anyways. This album is amazing and beautiful and this was possibly the hardest album review I've had to write because there are ten amazing songs I didn't even include in this list. You should all go listen to it, because it's priceless.
When I was growing up, we had a bunny. Her name was Roxy and she was pretty much the devil's spawn. She was the daughter of two wild bunnies and as such, was never tame and had a habit of running away. There were many nights spent in the backyard with the badminton net trying to trap her. She was more of an experiment of a pet. She died about three years ago and we didn't replace her.... until recently.
My brother and mum were at the local animal shelter when my brother saw a big, furry bunny in the window of one of the rooms. He wasn't moving around much and when they asked the volunteer about him, she said that the bunny had lost half of his front leg in an injury.
They felt in love with him immediately and two days later, he was ours.
After a vigorous voting process with many name options (Ramsy, Floppsy, Elliot, Yeger and Mr. Nosey were the top five), we eventually landed on Elliot.
So, if you're like me and may or may not be part of the 5SOS fam, then you know that they may or may not have released a beautiful masterpiece a little while back. And if you're like me, you may or may not have sobbed and laughed and been ridiculously proud all at the same time. So! If after reading that description and you've decided that you ARE in fact like me, then stick around, because I'm about to dive head first into the Sounds Good Feels Good album. I'll list my favourites in the order they appear on the album.
1. Permanent Vacation
This one seriously reminds me of the song "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" by Alan Jackson. It's got the whole, "Screw what people say. I'm doing things my way and I'm taking a break" vibe going on. It's fun. It's peppy. It's upbeat. But it's definitely a step up from She Looks So Perfect.
2. Waste the Night
In my humble opinion, I think the best part of this song is the chorus and the interlude. It's kind of sappy, I'm not going to lie, but I still like it. It's about needing someone's love and not wanting to make the same mistakes as last time by leaving them. Last time they wasted the night and they don't want to do that this time. The interlude is just pretty. I have no idea what they're saying, but it's pretty.
3. Castaway
This one probably has the rockiest vibe on the album, even if it's not the heaviest. The lyrics do nothing for me really, I just love the beat, especially in the pre-chorus. The pre-chorus lyrics are pretty good too actually, so I retract my statement. They're about how someone left them with nothing but empty picture frames. It's got a vibe of another band, but I can't quite place it. Anyone have any ideas?
4. Broken Home
I could go on for ages about the beauty and pain in this song. And I'm pretty sure like many other people, it took me a few times before I could listen to it without breaking down and sobbing. It's about a girl who's grew up in a home where her parents were always fighting and screaming and she was dying. She's looking back on her time there and it still hurts. The chorus, ugh, the chorus. I'm tearing up as I think about it now. It's her talking directly to her parents. It saddens me to think about just how many people can relate to this song. Even if you aren't a 5SOS fan, listen to this song. It's really beautiful and real.
"Hey mum, hey dad When did this end? Where did you lose your happiness? I'm here alone inside of this broken home Who's right, who's wrong Who really cares? The fault, the blame, the pain's still there I'm here alone inside of this broken home, this broken home"
5. Invisible
Yet another beautifully written song. Man, these guys really surprised me with the depth in their lyrics this time around. I mean, I knew they were good writers, but we went from them writing songs like Don't Stop, to this. This song is about not knowing who you are and being torn between your dreams. The chorus is, "Who am I? Who am I when don't know myself?" I don't know, it's a very relatable song, especially when you're having to choose between stuff that you love. And the violins at the end are just gorgeous.
6. Airplanes
Michael. Just Michael. He's on fire in this song and I'm so proud of him and he sounds so good. My Dad listened to this and said it reminded him of a band he listened to growing up, so that gives you an idea of the vibe. It's really cool. It's totally different than anything they'd written before. It's a very lyrical song. In a weird way, it kind of reminds me of Mary Poppins? I don't know. Just listen to the song.
This post is about a month overdue and the truth is, I completely forgot about it. I was scrolling through my photo library, looking through the photos from the past month and realized that I had a whole bunch of photos from Thanksgiving weekend that I'd never posted!
Back in July, my family and I bought tickets to see Marianas Trench at Norfolk County Fair. Closer to the date, we thought, "Why don't we just spend the weekend up there?" Let me tell you, it was really fun to tell people who were having dinner with their families for Thanksgiving that I was going to see one of my favourite bands and spending the weekend in Norfolk. It made me feel like I was part of the dangerous, rock band loving family. Oh shush, let me live happily in my delusion. My family is totally dangerous and rock band loving. ;) Anyways, I didn't actually get to take any good pictures of Marianas Trench because I wasn't allowed to bring my good camera in, but I'll give you a crappy iPhone picture, just so I can say that I was there.
Ta da! I was there! They were incredible, again. Definitely going to see them perform on their next Canadian tour. Astoria songs anyone?
This was heavenly. Truly beautiful. It was a poutine with pulled pork and fresh cheese curds. The gravy was just salty enough and the fries were crispy and I'm drooling just remembering it.
You know you're small when...
He was so cute and flopsy.
This little guy was just two weeks old and he was so cute and soft. Smelly, but very adorable.
I love bird eyes. They're always so alert and round. That probably sounds really weird. I'm not a creepy person, I promise.
Is it just me, or does he look remind you of a vampire? Dracula or something.
Ferris wheels are very picturesque. They remind me of Grease and the Notebook.
It took me a zillion times to get this picture because I had to get the sun flare just right with the people and the merry-go-round. But I'm really happy with the way it turned out.
Again with the Ferris wheel. ^^
My Grandy is very pretty. I really like this picture. It captures her quiet personality and her artist side at the same time.
Ahaha, no family outing would be complete without a ridiculous picture from Jonathan and I.
Sunset out the hotel window the first night.
On the Sunday, we visited Chudley's Apple Farm to grab some apples. My family all went to get the bags, I went to go get the pictures.
This was the second weekend in October, and it felt like the beginning of September.
I really need a macro lens.
Gorgeous, gorgeous flowers.
The beginnings of fall colours.
Late on Monday night, we did have the typical, traditional Thanksgiving meal. Turkey, ham, brussel sprouts, green beans, squash and more.
So it's been a while, a decently long while. I'd say it won't happen again, but let's be real, it probably will. If you're still here and reading this, hello friends! If not, I hope you're enjoying your life wherever you are.
Back in September (so long ago, le gasp!), my sister Victoria, my Dad and I all went up to Massasauga Park to go canoeing and spend the day up there. It started off being a rainy, kind of gross day, but it ended up be being really pretty. Have some pictures.
The water was so calm, it was like a mirror.
I'm actually rather fond of our canoe. It's very pretty.
Gotta love those names though.
The sky started to clear up around lunchtime.
I don't know what those little green ball things are, but they looked nice against the backdrop of the canoe and the water.
This was where we stopped for lunch and snacks.
Hello Mr. Caterpillar.
I'm quite proud of this picture. I think it's pretty intense.
First star to the right and straight on 'til morning...
We canoed a bit more, stopping at different banks to drain the canoe (it got a leak) or grab snacks or pee. On one of the banks that we stopped at, the ground was covered in these tiny mushrooms.
There was also a little toad who decided to join our party.
This picture feels very Tumblry. We stopped one last time at the place we ate lunch so Dad could go swimming and Victoria and I could grab something warm to drink.
The view from the campsite rock.
The sunset on the way home was gorgeous. The sky was on fire.
I don't know what it is about them, but I love nostalgic songs. Songs that talk about the beauty, the struggles, the innocence of times gone by. Songs that make me ache for times past. I love those songs. I have a whole playlist of them and I thought I'd share some of my favourites with you.
1. Acadia by Marianas Trench
First off, this song is by one of my favourite bands ever, so that's pretty great. It describes the teenage and young adult years and growing up in a small town with your friends. The chorus says "Every memory comes on, when I hear that old song that we used to sing with the words all wrong". It talks about that old town being gone and how you can't return, but you have the memories. Beautiful, beautiful song.
2. Anne Leaves Green Gables by Hagood Hardy
Ever notice how songs don't have to have words to be nostalgic. This song is one of those songs. It's a soundtrack piece from, well, Anne of Green Gables. It's sad sounding, but beautiful sounding as well. I can't help but be taken back to years ago when we'd spend our summers at my Grandparents' farm.
3. Autumn Leaves by Ed Sheeran
This song is one of his lesser known songs, but I really like it. It's the perfect song to fall asleep to. It's a bit deeper; I can't tell if it's about the end of relationship or about the end of a person's life. "Float down, like autumn leaves. Hush now, close your eyes before the sleep. And you're miles away, and yesterday, you were here with me." It's a really pretty, soft song. Kinda sad, but definitely brings back the memories.
4. Old School by Hedley
I love this song so much. It's got to be in the top three favourite nostalgic songs. First of all, Hedley's Canadian, so that makes it ten times better. ;) I love the feeling of this song and the way the lyrics are written. It's so beautiful. "Why don't you meet me, down behind our old school? We'll waste away the weekend with perfect regard for how cavalier we used to be, that beautiful insanity. The apathy surrounding me, don't close your eyes or we'll fade away." Gahhh, amazing.
5. The Last Goodbye by Billy Boyd
I don't know if this one gets to me so much just because I'm a huge Lord of the Rings fan and Pippin is the one who sings it. It's almost folkish and the way it builds is so beautiful. I know I keep using that word, but they truly are beautiful songs. Pippin's, ahem, Billy's voice is so whimsical and the mix of the guitar with the violins and piano is gorgeous. It makes me teary every time I hear it. "And though where the road then takes me, I can not tell. We came all this way, but now comes the day to bid you farewell."
6. Vienna by Billy Joel
This one's an oldie but a goldie. It's about slowing down and letting yourself relax because your life is always going to be there for you. Your life waits for you, so there's no point in getting super stressed out about it. Which technically doesn't make it a nostalgic song I guess, but it makes me feel nostalgic, so it gets included in this list.
7. 18 Years by Daughtry
"18 Years" is quite similar to "Acadia" in my mind. It's about remembering the wild, fun teen years in your little town. You move on, you move away, but you never really forget the times you spent there. "We were young, we were wild, we were halfway free. We were kids on the run on a dead end street. Looking back in the rearview mirror, you know the view used to be much clearer. But we'll laugh and we'll cry 'til there's no more tears. Yeah tonight can we just hold on to those 18 years?"
What are your favourite nostalgic songs, if you listen to them?
It’s just so full of hidden meaning, things that aren’t out
in the open. Because if you have to clarify that “nothing happened”, it means
that someone was expecting something to happen. And there’s so much that
actually happens behind a “nothing happened”.
He stares at you, makes you uncomfortable. He leers and you
wish you could escape, run from his gaze. He chuckles and you feel
uncomfortable. You point him out to someone, and they look over.
“Did he do anything besides stare?”
“No, nothing actually happened.”
You’ve been fighting so much. Tonight was going to be the
night that you guys made up, became friends again. You miss her, you guys
haven’t talked in ages. But she ignores you, doesn’t look at you. Someone says
she doesn’t want to talk to you.
“What happened? Did you guys make up? Are you guys okay
now?”
“No. Nothing happened.”
Your parents are fighting all the time. They scream and yell
at each other. The house is always full of tension, underlying currents of acid
stream through the atmosphere. You tell your friends about how nasty things are
at home.
“Does he hit her? Are they getting a divorce?”
“No, nothing really happened. They’re just fighting.”
You like him. You think he likes you. Everyone thinks you
two would work great together. Every time you guys hang out there’s so much not
being said, so much that is lying just beneath the surface. Every time your
eyes meet, it’s charged. Your banter borders on something that’s not “just
friends”. People wait with baited breath, waiting for something to happen
between the two of you. But you and he grow apart; you stop talking.
“Did anything ever happen between you?”
“No, nothing happened.”
I hate “nothing happened.” Because something always happens.
I found these mugs in a cute little store where we were cottaging this past summer. They were on the bottom shelf and obviously had been ignored due to a little chip on the edge. I bought them both for a dollar. 
