This Is What Unemployment Looks Like

tee {Gap} - jeans {American Eagle} - shoes {TOMS} - necklaces {gifts} - sunnies {Oasap}

I spend my days juicing fruits and vegetables in between buying more fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or buying furniture I don't need from the thrift store. In other words, I'm your grandmother.

Things to note in this otherwise pointless post. The juice is pineapple, apple, pear and mint and is what dreams are made of and that chair up there swivels.

I do plan on giving this chair a paint job and making a cushion for it. Hmm, a DIY project....still your grandma. Did I mention the chair swivels?

j.

Back on Canadian Soil

tank {Gap} - jean jacket {thrifted} - maxi skirt {Joe Fresh} - necklace {gift} - watch {Target}

Everyone keeps asking me how it feels to be back in Canada. Quite honestly, I want to tell them it feels like I'm on vacation because I haven't started to do anything un-vacation like. Next they ask me if Calgary is way different than NYC. Well, yes. The first word that came to mind as I was flying into the city, was sprawling. It's just so wide and open here. It's also cold, green and quiet. Cold, in a non-humid, sort of way which is winning in my books. The absolute silence is kinda freaking me out though. Someone just honk their horn already!

I'm still figuring out the whole job situation which is fine with me. In the meantime, I've taken up juicing as a hobby. I'm borderline obsessed and have somehow convinced my Dad to start a 3 day juice cleanse with me tomorrow. I'm really excited about it but have full expectations that I will be a monster for the next 72 hours. Be thankful you don't have to be around me.

j.

Good Bye New York!

Goodbyes still suck. Today, I am saying goodbye to NYC. The place I have called home for a year and a half. NYC was a lot of things to me. I came here partly broken and pretty lost. This city ignited in me the creativity, passion and life that I had been missing for quite some time. I learned so much here, about fashion, what I want to do with my life but most importantly I learned about myself. I found myself again in NYC. In a word, this city saved me.
 
In my last goodbye post, I explained that Calgary has my heart because my family is there. I also said that Victoria has my soul. Victoria will always be a special place to me because I had so many great experiences there. I have very fond memories of my time there, but I also have painful ones. NYC has taught me that nowhere gets to keep your soul. That stays with you, wherever you go. I think that was an important distinction for me to make. The place doesn't make you, it certainly can shape you but it's not your identity.
 
I have made so many rewarding connections here. I have made friends for life. I have met mentors and people I could ask advice at any time. As amazing as NYC has been, I've gotten what I need out of it. I came here at the right time but it's now time to move on. This city can wear on you, chip away at your spirit. Before I had made the decision to leave, I felt it trying to do that to me but I wouldn't let it. I wanted to leave this place on my terms, with a positive memory sitting in my mind. I am excited for this next chapter in Calgary. I never in a million years thought I'd say that. But it feels right. As corny as it may be, I have realized that home truly is where your heart is. I don't expect it to be easy, at times I may question my decision but in my heart it's where I want to be. I've lived elsewhere for almost ten years. A whole decade. It's taken me that long to come back and that's okay. 

Although I leave today feeling completely at peace with my decision, I am going to miss this crazy beast of a city and all of my amazing, wonderful friends who came with it. I have a New York family and I know this is not goodbye but rather see you later. 

Good bye New York, it's been a slice!

j.

New York Warp Speed

Photo by the lovely Leyla.

With only 9 more days left in NYC, I find myself appreciating all of the little things that this city and my life here have to offer. I take an extra deep breath when walking past my favorite corner flower stand. I smile smugly to myself when I run for the train and jump through the doors right before they close on me. I'm even enjoying some of my final projects (well, really just one and it's only because I'm really nerdy). In my last social commerce class yesterday, our prof had us think of a mentor we have had and then on a piece of paper write down the qualities this person possesses. After a few minutes, she told us to flip the paper over and write down what this person has taught us. Now, I'm not going to lie, there was a lot of eye rolling going on in the room during this exercise, especially because it wasn't to be handed in and rather just for us to keep. But being the goody goody I am, I obliged and started jotting down what my mentor (who I met at Parsons) has taught me. There are only a few people I've met in my life that I felt the need to impress, and maybe that's not quite the right word. Perhaps more accurately, they have inspired me to do my best work and then some. From the moment I met this person, I had this feeling. He imparted a fraction of his knowledge and experience onto me and because of this allowed me to grow in ways I never thought imaginable. His confidence in my skills and collaborative critiques have given me the ability to think that much further outside the box and push that much harder against what I thought I could do or become.

He led me to my current internship at a PR agency where I have had the most rewarding experience. Even though I have only been at this agency for four months, I feel like I have learned more than most people learn after years at a job. It's like I've all of a sudden realized just how far I've come and how much I've grown over the past year and a half in this city. What could have taken years and years at a mediocre job (and maybe not even!) to achieve has happened to me here, in this short time. I feel confident in the direction I want my life to go and I have a much clearer picture of what I want my career to look like. I owe that to a lot of people, including myself for taking this chance, but I also owe it to this city and the warp speed that it runs at.

j.

Camo & Excuses

 striped tee {Jacob} - camo pants {Gap} - sneaks {Sanuk} - necklaces {American Eagle & F21} - bracelet {flea market}

I kind of have a lot going on right now so please forgive the radio silence that just happened and may continue to happen. Turns out finals and moving back to Canada give you a lot to do. This week is crazy busy for me but in fun ways. One of my really good friends from Uni is here and he's taking me to a hockey game tomorrow night. I am so excited! Obviously, I'm really sporty and because of this the first thing I did upon hearing he had bought the tickets was to go buy myself a NY Rangers t-shirt. Once a fashion girl, always a fashion girl...or something like that. I'm also volunteering at a fashion show and going to a dinner party requested by me thrown in my honor (thanks Ley!). Only two more weeks of school and interning and then shortly after that I am back to the homeland.

Until next time....

j.