Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 28.6.2013


Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ Heading to Ohio! By the time you read this, I should already be in Cleveland. I'm going for the long weekend, to shop, check out museums and spend time with my mom and a family friend. Should be awesome!

♥ Tush and I went to an advance screening of Despicable Me 2 on Wednesday night. Fun! I really want a minion of my own.

♥ Slowly starting to hit my blogging stride (again).

The Socialexis website is up! I'm thrilled to celebrate my first anniversary of being part of such an incredible team of freelancers, founded by Innovator-in-Chief (and all-around awesome person) Alexis Grant.

Super-mega love for:

♥ Friends who postpone beach trips when you're out of town, so that you'll be able to go too. I love you, Chana! :) ♥ Good hair days. ♥ Looking forward to Canada Day. ♥ Cherries. ♥ Using a new lipstick for the first time! ♥ 'Killer Queen'. ♥ Amazing news for LGBTQ Americans! ♥ Feeling inspired. ♥ Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars. Where have these been all my life?! So good! ♥ New, super comfortable sandals. Bonus: they were insanely cheap. Seriously, don't rule out Walmart's footwear-- sometimes it's amazing quality, especially for the price. ♥ Ke$ha. ♥ Wendy Davis' bravery, resilience and cute pink sneakers. ♥

Link Love:

Hillary Clinton being a boss is one of the best YouTube videos in existence.

I'm not impressed with Facebook's addition of hashtags. Neither is The Hairpin. (#thissucks #sobad #amirite)


Kimye leaked a fake baby picture. Brilliant and sneaky!


Lastly: Over at The Teacher and the Traveller, Lin and I blogged about 6 Frugal Ways To Celebrate Canada Day & Fab Summer Frocks Under $75.

Enjoy your weekend!

In Favor of Angry Feminists

I sometimes wonder whether it's worth it to be as outspoken as I am (especially on the internet). Is it worth it to make enemies because I feel the need to discuss my life, my feminism, my stance on abortion?

But nights like tonight make things crystal clear.

Here's what went down:

There’s this bill that they are trying to pass in Texas that would make it illegal to get any abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and would make it very difficult for abortion centers [even general health centers that happen to offer abortion-related services] to continue doing what they do. Governor Rick Perry has already said that if the bill makes it to his desk, he will sign it. And Wendy Davis said fuck no that is not happening.

So she’s filibustering it. That means she asked to talk on the subject at 11:18 this morning, and if she can continue talking about abortion until 11:59 tonight, the bill won’t reach Governor Perry, and they would have to start all over with the bill next time they meet- 2 years from now.

But Wendy has to keep talking. She can’t pause for even a minute, not for food or a sip of water or to go to the bathroom or sit down. She can’t even lean up against anything, or she’s out [source].

Senator Davis had to speak for hours on end about a woman's right to bodily autonomy, following the rules to a 'T'-- until the Republicans decided to vote at the last minute. After midnight. Illegally.

They claim they began voting before the stroke of 12, but the 170,000+ people watching know that's not true.

And then protestors were arrested. Forcefully.

So following the rules only applies if you're not a white, straight, cis-gender, Republican man? Interesting.

This is about more than abortion. It's about more than Texas. It's about more than America. 

This is about women's rights. This is about human rights. 

I can't stay silent. I won't stay silent.

Senator Davis, you are a superhero. My fellow angry feminists on tumblr (with whom I've been speaking all night), I love you.

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 21.6.2013

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ My mom had a week and a half off work, and it's been great having extra time to spend with her.

♥ Coffee with my best friends is always the highlight of my week.

♥ Getting excited about attending an advance screening of Despicable Me 2. It's not just for kids, y'know! :)

Little things which made me smile:

♥ This photo of Ellen and Portia's shoe closet ♥ Apparently it's weird to have a favourite verb tense. (Mine is subjunctive, by the way). ♥ Sunny summer days. ♥ Nectarines. ♥ Demi. ♥ I'm not sure if this is real, but it made me laugh. ♥

Link Love:

Alexandra Franzen is the best, and this recent article of hers is no different: How to get what you want (and earn karmic bonus points!).

Whenever you open your mouth — or place your fingers on the keyboard — you have an opportunity to add to the love in the world, or subtract from it.

This oven has a 'dedicated pizza drawer'. I think I need it.

5 restaurants with cheap wine in Toronto.

This made me laugh.

DIY satin cord bracelets are chic and look easy to make.

If you have pets, this is required reading: How to keep your furkids safe this summer. Plus, check out the adorable pictures.

Lastly: in adorable news, this cat saved a Japanese train station.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Fat Girl Takes On the Mall

Summer is the perfect time to rock a cute crop top or fun short shorts that show off your great legs. I always look forward to this season of barbecues and beach days and (fashionable) fun in the sun.

But this year has started out a little different.

"My shorts don't fit."
"Neither does this pair."
"All my skirts are too small,"

I complained to my mom, tossing item after item out of my closet. That's when I realized it: my endocrinologist had said PCOS can cause continued weight gain, even during treatment. I'm still gaining weight. Fuck!

Don't get me wrong: I love being fat. I love my body. And I consider myself a fat activist. Learning to love myself means accepting myself at any size, whether it's a 2 or a 32. But growing out of your clothes at a rate that feels unhealthy and puts a dent in your (already half-empty) wallet? It's hard to cope.

So off I go to the mall. The biggest mall in the biggest city in Canada. I have limited funds, since my disability means I can't work as much as I'd like to, but I'm sure I'll find something.

Wrong.

With multiple floors and hundreds of stores, you'd think there'd be at least a hundred that carry sizes over 16.

Nope. Not even 10.

Let's count them:
1 Forever 21
2 Reitmans
3 Sears

Three stores. In an entire mall. The scary thing is that I have more luck at the Eaton Centre than I do at other malls in Toronto.

I'm fortunate that I can sometimes fit into a 16 or XXL, the largest straight size available, so stores like Old Navy and the Disney Store are not entirely off limits. Still, who wants to squeeze into t-shirts and cotton dresses, crying "I'm so lucky this blouse is cut big!"? And as a fat woman, I'm already not taken seriously in the office, so do I really want Tinkerbell's face on everything I own?

I'm glad the three fatshion- friendly stores above exist. But... why aren't their plus sizes mixed in with their "normal" clothes? Why is the fabric quality superb in straight sizes and so-so at best, ghastly at worst in plus? Why should fat girls wear low quality clothes that cost more, just because they're bigger? And why are the few stores in Canada that specialize in plus sizes extravagantly priced and rarely in malls?

We're being punished for our size. We're being punished for eating 'too much', for having illnesses like PCOS, for our genetics, for happening to have double chins.

Do I begrudge my slenderer friends their fast fashion, their hundreds of stores, the breeze that shopping is for them? Not at all. I just want my experience to be as good as theirs.

Image source: Reitmans (one of the few stores at Eaton Centre which caters to plus size shoppers).

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 14.6.2013

Happy Friday!

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

Lots of family stuff is my highlight this week. I feel very fortunate.

♥ Dinner with my Dad.
♥ My little brother won a prestigious athletic award. What a way to finish high school!
♥ My mom has a week and a half off, so we've been working on our side hustles, sipping frappucinos while reading magazines, and just enjoying each other's company.

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Rebel Wilson's photo spread in Glamour UK. I especially adore the photo at the top of this post! ♥ This happened. Isn't my mom the cutest?! ♥ Purple nail polish ♥ Grapes, cherries and peaches. They taste like summer! ♥ This ♥ Sweet texts from friends. ♥ Listening to the Tangled and Lilo and Stitch soundtracks on repeat ♥ Jack McBrayer ♥ My freshly steam cleaned- living room. ♥ Cherry cola lip gloss. Smooch! ♥ 'Veronica Sawyer Smokes' (flawless song! flawless). ♥ I bought this dress & can't wait to wear it! ♥

Link Love:


Ever wondered what your favourite Shakespeare play says about you? Flavorwire has you covered! I found this accurate. You?


This is interesting: Mashable lists the top 10 things millennials ask the internet.

DIY animal jar tops are so cute, you'll want to make them yourself!

This Free Self-Love Kit is adorable! (Thanks for the link, Maman!).

Enjoy your weekend!

Image: Rebel Wilson in Glamour UK

Things I Love Friday // Link Love // 7.6.2013


Hey, sugar! How was your week?

Mine was pretty good, so TILF time? I think so! (and then scroll down for this week's best reads!). 

Gratitude is a vital part of healing, mental health and wellness. Once a week, we compose a list of things we're most grateful for. You're invited to share yours in the comments below.

Best of the week:

♥ Lunch with Tush, who's so much fun to be with and the best listener ever.
♥ My mom noticed that I've been doing little things to make her feel better, like making dinner as soon as she gets home, always asking how she's feeling and running errands. That makes me feel good.
Sick Puppies' music video for There's No Going Back just came out, and it's absolutely amazing.

Little things which made me smile:

♥ Listening to Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts on repeat all morning. ♥ Hot chocolate. Yum. ♥ One of my favourite books, Le Petit Prince, is about to become an animated movie. Crossing my fingers, because I hope it's incredible. ♥ Looking forward to summer street festivals in Toronto this summer! Read about some of them here. ♥ Reading about Miami and the Florida Keys. ♥ Hawaiian pizza. ♥

Link Love:

How do you feel about this list of the top 10 fictional boyfriends? I've always loved Ron Weasley...

You've gotta love Gob Bluth and his $3000 suits... Come on!

Fellow Twitter nerds, you'll enjoy these posts from Thought Catalog: If Twitter Bios Told the Truth & Your Twitter Timeline Probably.

I was happy to discover an article about Torontonian musician Lights in a local newspaper (and you can read it online).
“There’s so many things that I feel like I’ve already done. It’s frustrating, but I just have to rediscover myself once again, and then triumph.”
Have a wonderful weekend!

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