It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
2016, the year of some of my highest highs (Coysta) and lowest lows (November 8). I sure am glad this year is over. Let’s put this thing to bed.
Good Vibes Only
Wintersleep
Drake
Whitebrow
Ellie Goulding Tragically Hip (no pics but they did happen)
WayHome!
Reading Rainbow
I got through 15 this year. Take that, Goodreads. In order from most to least favourite:
- Modern Romance, Aziz Ansari
- American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
- My Life on the Road, Gloria Steinem
- So Sad Today, Melissa Broder
- Sweetbitter, Stephanie Danler
- Belgravia, Julian Fellowes
- The Nightengale, Kristin Hannah
- The Witches, Stacy Schiff
Honourable Mentions: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Tiny Beautiful Things, A Stolen Life, Bossy Pants, Exit, Pursued by a Bear, All My Puny Sorrows, Is it Evil Not to be Sure?
Heaps of memoirs and non-fiction with a few novels here and there to keep things light. Reading with the kindle makes things so much easier because I can hold it in one hand on the subway and a pole in the other so I don’t fall over. Not as easy to do with a book. The future is now, friends. I also discovered the timer at the bottom so I can see how many hours and minutes are left in each chapter/the whole book and that motivates me to finish things faster.
I Like Sports and I Don’t Care Who Knows
Jays, Raps, Argos, Team North America etc. etc.
Is there anything better than October baseball?
One Tough Mudder,
One O-Course,
One Ping Pong Tournament, Two Half-Marathons, Two Obstacle Courses,
Four MEC races (the greatest deal of all time).
The fitfam is alive and well.
Costa Rica – The Best Week of my Life!
I graduated from university in 2010 and college in 2012. Then I sat down at a desk and didn’t move for four years. I was long overdue for a vacation and I finally got everything that I wanted and more. My sister Kay and I picked Costa Rica (which we have been affectionately calling Coysta since Kay spent a month there in high school) because it seemed like the perfect blend of the beach front/all-inclusive scene together with the hostel-dwelling/backpacker travelling experience.
We escaped to Tamarindo for a whole lotta sun, sand, surf, and cervezas.
I know what you’re thinking. Yes, we did spend the entire week reenacting Blue Crush at every possible moment. I left my heart in Tamarindo and I will need to go back sometime very soon to collect it. Everybody moves a little slower and everyone is happy and free! Nobody rushes, stray dogs are friendly, life is beautiful.
Pura ♥ Vida
Election 2016
File under ‘worst experiences of my life’. If you were looking for a wake up call, this was it. I was living happily in a bubble, surrounded by people who act and think like me and it was a very rude awakening. The only thing to do now is move forward and keep fighting for the causes I love and support. We can’t fix everything. We can’t help everyone. We can pick one issue and throw ourselves into it. Scream from the tallest buildings. Write letters and emails. Show up. If you are an ally, make it known. Vote. Participate. Be an active citizen and protect the Canada we know and love. We can’t let this happen again and we cannot let it happen here.
Anything and Everything
December is always exhausting and I’m really looking forward to recalibrating and resting in January for a hot minute. 2016 was the best and the worst for so many reasons! The days are long but the years are short, so they say.
Did I accomplish any of my new year’s resos from last year? Nope. My only resolutions for this year: read more books and be a good person.
Paper Clips 