Sick day photos PLUS a warm winter drink

Some snapshots from my sick days



And finally - here's my documented second attempt at making a Hot Toddy. It was Lauren's idea and I had to try it since I remember the one at Trader Vic's being quite amazing. My first attempt was all eye ball guessing measurements since I guess I thought I had been gifted with the power of eye-balling measurements correctly since I had watched Food Network for most of my sick days. Turns out, it was a complete fail and even I couldn't handle the extreme boozy-ness of it. LOLWUT. So, I sucked it up and found some directions via the interwebz and actually measured out my ingredients which yielded a pretty darn good cocktail. I don't think my meds agreed with the booze but it made my chest feel a lot better (and warmer).



Here's the recipe I used:
1 oz brandy, whiskey, or rum 
1 Tbsp honey 
1/4 lemon 
1 cup hot water 
1 tea bag 
Super simple!  And non-threatening!  And let me tell you - tea was the key!  I used hot water in my first attempt and it felt like it was missing something.  Lo and behold, it was tea.  

What's your favourite Winter drink - sick or not sick?

PS - Photo #4 looks like soap suds in a coffee mug, right?  Wrong!  It's actually warmed vanilla Rice Dream that has been blended with my immersion blender for my first homemade cappuccino in forever!  I'm not a big milk or soy fan so Rice Dream is perfect for me!  And because it's already flavoured with vanilla, it needs minimal sweetening with coffee.  Try it!

When you're sick, sharing does NOT mean caring PLUS NaNoWriMo progress

Apparently after the Summit, my body wants to go into shut down mode so I've been home sick the last few days with a pretty bad sinus infection.  I'm back to work today for the first time since last Wednesday and let me tell you, I still feel awful.
It's no surprise that it's something I picked up at work since I've been running my body ragged the last month and all the parents I work with have been bringing germs to share with all of us!  Lucky for me, my body didn't go into shut down mode until after the main event, so...there's that.
Either way, it was a great opportunity to get cracking on my NaNoWriMo story for this year.  I'm up to 22,653!  My best and highest word count yet!  Go me!  I don't see me finishing it by the end of the month BUT this will be one story that I don't abandon.  I have a tendency to do that because since I started participating in NaNoWriMo in 2009, I've written a new story every year and every year, I tend to forget about the characters I've created for that year and by the time next year comes around, I have a new set of characters to hang out with.  This year will be different, though.  I can feel it.  The story I'm working on is really quite close to my heart and I'm hoping this will be the first story I will have ever finished.  EVER.
That's right - I've NEVER finished a story.  Sure, I've had writing assignments in school and all that but I never ended them with a solid "The End", it was always a kind of open-ended "The End...?" or maybe an unfinished extra credit script or short story here and there.   Nope, I've never been able to finish even a short story.  Why?  I have no idea but I am determined to finish this one - even though, technically, there's no ending. 
So why this one?  Why now?  One word: Closure.

Is anyone else participating in NaNoWriMo?

Post-Summit Hangover

What a weekend!  Actually, the last few weeks have been pretty hectic and I can honestly say that I am SO glad it's over.  What's over?  Oh, you know, just a *small* 3-day convention that my job holds for owners, managers and instructors from all over the world.  What is it?  Check out my promo video here!
Have I been stressing out about it?  Yes.  Have I lost sleep over it?  Of course.  Am I glad it's all over?  You bet your sweet ass I am.  And to prove it, I took the following three days off to recover.  Was it enough?  No but I am very grateful to have had that time off.  It feels as though last year was really easy and harmonious but I guess that must've been Beginner's Luck since last year was my first time and this year was quite the challenge.  Sophomore Slump?  Perhaps.  Either way, it was still a success.
Here are a few photos from the craziness...



1 and 2: Working on audio edits with Michael for the videos featured in 3 and 4 / 3 and 4: Class opener test run and class opener during class / 5. Set up for Power class / 6. The Testimonial Team gathering testimonials for me / 7. Event In Progress / 8. Kick class / 9. Holy crap - I actually posed for photos at the post-party! / 10.  A visit to Lady Rainicorn at CNN Center (there's a long, hilarious story paired with this but I'll spare you - unless you really want to hear it)

The videos in 1-4 are like my little babies.  I worked really hard on them and I was such a nervous wreck during playback for rehearsal and during class playback because all I ever really want is for people to enjoy the things I've made.  I got lots of compliments on it but as an artist, my work is never really done but these are going in the books as a success!

Happy Halloween!

After putting it out there that I was going to be Marceline, the Put a Bird On It folks or recycling a costume or two from last year...for this year's Halloween, I've been struck by costume gold.
I had seen the trailer already but it came and went like the changing of seasons.
What am I talking about?  The movie GOLD that is THE FP.
Oh, you don't know what I'm talking about?  Educate yourself



That's right - a post apocalyptic Dance Dance Revolution movie. Fuck. Yes.
Yes, I played the game and yes, I like to think I was pretty good but my brother can THROW DOWN just as well as JTRO and the rest of The FP crew.  So?  Mix a little happy hardcore and hard dance from my trusty Digitally Imported app + part of my Killjoys outfit and BOOM - instant FP costume!



This is all I can show...for now. The rest will come later.  We have 2 rehearsals before the little office party starts.
Too bad I didn't share this gem with my coworkers earlier. It would've made an AMAZING group costume.

What are you going to be today?!

UPDATE:
This happened



And here's a quick peek at my costume



Major fangirling right now! Too bad I have a 6a call time tomorrow or else I'd go to Lala's party and share in the fun. Oh well. Maybe next year?

Quick Update!

Sorry for the blog silence the last few days!  This week has kicked me in the face - HARD.  Work is ramping up for our convention in less than two weeks and I have TONS of videos to prepare for that and we're filming on top of that so...let's just say things are pretty hectic and there's no sign of slowing down until AFTER the convention (which will be mid-November).  That means: no energy to watch Project Runway All-Stars (what the?!), barely being awake to watch American Horror Story, not realizing my other fave shows are back like Happy Endings and Modern Family and I don't have my Marceline fangs yet.  Oh well.  I'm too tired for this shizz.
So - in light of all this, I probably won't be updating this blog for a little while but I do regularly post on Instagram, so if you want more antics like this, follow me!

Project Runway: The Finale Part 2 - The Recap!

Okay - so I TOTALLY called Dmitry's win!  Damn, I'm good.  Err - damn, Dmitry is good.  But dammit - Fabio took my breath away!  His collection was EVERYTHING to me.  I loved everything about it!  I loved everyone else's too, don't get me wrong, but when it came down to it, Fabio and Dmitry definitely deserved those Final 2 spots.

But - before I get into my Fabio / Dmitry love-fest, let's talk about mah boo Christopher and his super beautiful pattern.


Personally, I loved this collection. Like I said, I love the print and I think it was a strong statement but I feel like it could've been more.  Either way, I thought it was a wonderful collection - even though he was being Queen Bitch talking shit about Melissa, ripping the tulle out from under the finale gown and pouting the entire time.  Don't worry Christopher, I would be like that too.  That's a lot of pressure and you should be proud of this collection!  Personally, I want looks 2,3,5,6,8,9, and 10.  Actually, you can give me ALL the looks!

On to Melissa's.  First off, I'd like you all to know that she styled her models with MY MOndo Fantasy Hair style and I'm totally jealous!!  The hair is FABS.  Okay, on to the looks.



You could definitely tell she was designing for women like herself and she killed it! Everything was wonderful here - especially that Blood Orange / Red dress. Christopher was cracking us up with, "Blood orange? How pretentious, it's RED". Calm down and put the cat claws away, Christopher. It'll be okay. I think the bathing suit would've worked better if it had been shown next to the shorts but overall, this collection was great. Definitely very commercial. Another one that I would love to own all the looks!  Especially the blood orange / red dress.  That thing is lovely.

On to my Final 2.  Seriously - Fabio KILLED IT.  I LOVED EVERYTHING in his collections.  EVERYTHING.



I remember saying to Lauren that the looks Fabio presented last week were "effortlessly chic" and I almost freaked out when MK said the same thing.  It's true, though.  And Heidi loved everything here as well.  The colours were so light and airy and just the total opposite from what everyone else did.  The hair was on point with those double french braids that turned into a single one down the back and the makeup made the ladies look like beautiful fairy princesses floating on a plane different from our own.  Personally, this was my favourite.  Sorry Dmitry!

Speaking of Dmitry, here's his winning collection.



I thought Heidi was going to jump up and make out with him after she announced he won! Damn! I wonder when we'll be seeing her wearing his clothes on the red carpet somewhere...
Okay - so here's my thing with this collection - I hated that fringe jacket. It looks like a weird flamenco / matador jacket to me and the weirdest part about it is that the judges loved it so much, the all wanted to have babies with it.  The styling with those crazy eyebrows was horrible.  They chatted with him about making his models look too old and those crazy eyebrows certainly did that.  I mean, look at them!  Those poor models look like the evil witch from Hansel and Gretel or something. Or someone from another TV show...
 

Okay, okay, that might be a little harsh but...I hated those eyebrows. I love me a strong brow and all but DAMMIT those were insane.  The last dress was tight and right though.  I'll give it that.  Even though it was borderline costume, it was still gorgeous.   And the dress before it was lovely too.

Congratulations Dmitry!

I don't think I've ever wanted anyone to win this more since my beloved Mondo.  I hope to be seeing WAY more from you and Fabio and Christopher and Melissa and Gunnar and pretty much everyone from this season in the near future!