We Are The World 25 For Haiti (YouTube Edition)

Whilst on YouTube today, I came across this amazing video. I found it when I was watching the "celebrity" version of We Are The World that was recorded to help raise money for Haiti. This particular video is put together of 'amateur' singers that have their own YouTube pages where they post videos of themselves singing, and it's like YouTube's version of the star-studded We Are The World recording. As I was watching it, I kept getting absolutely amazed at all these fantastic singers that had recorded their version of the song to be edited into this massive collaboration video. All of them are fantastically talented, and there are a whole bunch of them that I would run out and buy a CD of right this moment if they had any! So, naturally, I had to share this. Not only is it a compliation of amazing singers, but it's a beautiful song and it was recreated for an absolutely worthy cause. So, check out the video, and share it with all of your friends, too!
If there are any artist that you just absolutely have to find out more about, you can click on their image in the video, and you'll be taken to their YouTube page. Or, if you actually go to YouTube, there are links for all these singers posted in the info bit underneath the video.

Apparently, the video is no longer available... but it is. So follow this link to see the talented people singing!

Über-cool and super chic

So the other day I was at the mall to hand in job application number 36 (!) and since I was there, I figured I'd just make myself feel a little better about the no job situation, so I popped into a few shoe stores. Nothing cheers a girl up quicker than pretty shoes! Guys, you might wanna take note of that... I'm just sayin'.
Anywhoo... I wander into Bianco, and these fantabulous shoes that glitter under the store lights overhead catch my eye. They are super sexy shoes, covered in golden glitter and they make my heart smile. Not only will they be fabulous with an LBD throughout the upcoming holiday party season, but they can glam up a pair of jeans quicker than you can correctly spell Manolo's last name! To my great disappointment they only have a size 36 left in that store, and I'm a 38. So I'm forced to leave, dreaming of the glittering shoes all the way home and throughout the night. The next day, I jump on a bus to the city, determined to find the shoes in my size, and prepared to scour all the Bianco shoe stores in the area. I hit the first store on my list, and the sales lady tells me as I happily try on my right size that they just got in a new shipment. I'm telling you, I almost hugged the girl!
So, now I have the fantastic shoes, and I didn't have to spend hours in the freezing cold hunting them down all over the city. Yay!



The glorious shoes. I mean, how chic are these?!





I know this looks like it's like plastic glitter, but that's not so. Just my picture taking that sucks.



Not so chic, or...?

What started out as a sore throat has now decided to turn into an almost full-blown cold. We're talking runny and stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing and more Kleenex's than you can shake a stick at. And no matter how hard I try, I just cannot seem to disguise my red nose - I'm totally rocking the Rudolph-look, and it's not even December - or the way my eyes seem kinda glassy with the slightest look of "pity me" in them.

Alors, la question du jour est ceci - how do you rock any kind of chic with a reindeer nose, glassy eyes and a voice that sounds ever so slightly like Kathleen Turner?

Okay, the voice part can be kinda sexy, I'll admit to that, so I guess the voice isn't really non-chic. In fact, the voice is definitely chic; that kind of slightly hoarse, low-pitched and soft whisper-like come hither bedroom voice. I can rock the heck outta that.
I'm guessing the problem is the Rudolph the Reindeer nose and the kinda glassy eyes. And yes, thank you, I already did the make-up thing. That worked just fine with the nose, until I sneezed and needed another Kleenex. Wiped away the concealer and powder along with the yucky stuff. Okay, TMI, I know!
The eyes can be fixed I guess with some mascara and possibly a little white liner around the lash-line to make them seem more open, but the watering part might make non-waterproof stuff slightly tricky. And since it's not sunny, sunglasses might not be the way to go. My regular glasses however can draw some attention away from the glassy eyes and instead focus on the nice frames. At least, I like to tell myself that's the case!
When it comes to clothes and keeping warm, that's easy now that it's pretty much late November and it's been snowing here and the temperatures are definitely keeping below zero. A sweater dress and tights with warm (and fuzzy, should you so choose) boots, paired with cute hats, scarves and gloves are easy to rock. So all in all - maybe I actually can rock a chic look even with a cold? As long as the makeup stays put, and I manage to control the violent sneezing..!

On a slightly different note, yet totally still on the same subject - anyone got any good cold remedies?! Seriously, kids, I'm in need of some good old family recipe concoctions that will help stop the runny nose and the never-ending sneezing..! Any and all tips/remedies/grandma's brew of herbs and brandy recipes are very welcome!

Graffiti nails

Last weekend, I tried out the new graffiti nails from IsaDora and I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome! I used the IsaDora Wonder Nail Gold Sparkles as my base, and momentarily had nails that glimmered deliciously in pretty gold. Definitely a fun nail polish to use (on its own) if you're wearing an all black ensamble at a Christmas party - glitz up your nails with the gold, and you'll be sparkling all night long!
Anywhoo... when my base had dried, I swiped a coat of IsaDora Graffiti Nail Top in Black Tag on over the gold, and within seconds (it says 30 seconds on the bottle) it dried and cracked up to reveal the gold polish underneath. The result was actually pretty cool! One note though, you need to do the Graffiti Nail top in one stroke. If you don't, the crackling effect won't happen, and it'll just wind up looking like you have a watered down black polish on over the base coat. Not that hot - trust me, I made the mistake. And had to do two nails over. :) But the brush is really quite wide, so one stroke does the trick. And if you fudge up, there's always nail polish remover so you can start over again! Also, I do recommend putting on a top coat of clear polish over top of everything. The one I used (Black Tag) dried up to be a kind of matte surface, but with a clear coat over top, it was shiny again.

It's a really cool way to jazz up your nails if you're going to a party, and you can be sure that you look fabulous down to your funky nails. You can use any base colour you want, and they do have six (I believe) graffiti nail tops you can use: Black Tag, White Art, Masterpiece Pink, Yellow Crew, Spraycan Blue and Subway Green. So get to polishing!



Looks funky, and definitely worked as fun party nails!



More of a close-up of the graffit nails... not the best pic, but you get the general idea!

So cute..!

I just adore this super cute beanie from Topshop! It comes in this stone colour, a chocolate brown and black, all with the pom pom on either side to look like little furry ears. And yes, the pom pom's are in faux fur, so no animals were harmed for you to look ah-dorable! ;)

Sneaking Christmas spirit..

It's no secret that my very favourite holiday of the year is Christmas. I'm not much of a winter person, but I do love me some serious Christmas festivites! :) I love everything about Christmas... the sounds, the smells, the beautiful way that Christmas lights glow in the winter darkness, and that people always seem to be happy. So I've started a little early this year... today, it was cold out - like frost on the roof of the neighbour's house cold - so I grabbed some hot chocolate, clementines and I found my Christmas playlist on my iPod. When Christmas is over, I don't allow myself to listen to my some 100 songs on the Christmas playlist on my iPod, and now that it's almost mid-November, I just couldn't resist anymore! I'm almost tempted to light some inscense, but I can't take it too far. Even though I'd love to start decorating right now! :) I mean, the stores are doing it, so why can't I? Mainly because I currently live with my parents, and they'd be a little disturbed that I started decorating already. I think next year when I have my own place again, I'll have to really hold myself back so I don't start decorating mid-October! lol
I'm a grown woman, and I'm as excited as a child for Christmas to get here. It's not about the presents, but about spending time with family and friends, and just having a great time. It's about the fantastic Christmas dinner, all the candles and fire roaring in the fireplace, it's about hot toddy's, baking and all the Christmas lights shining like little stars all over the city. I know one of my friends is as eager as me to start decorating, so I know I'm not alone! :) But I will pace myself, and not start too soon. First things first - get a job! I've an interview on Tuesday, so everybody keep your fingers, toes, arms, legs and eyes crossed that I get it. Or just send me happy "you'll-nail-it-and-get-the-job" thoughts. That works too, in case you're in need of your arms, legs, hands and all that. ;)

What do I want to be when I grow up...

So, Im currently looking for a job, and so far having not very much luck. Hubby is still in the US, finishing up his school, and I came back here early to get a job in order to prove that I can financially support him whilst he's here applying for a visa. It's a whole long story, but in short I need to have a job that pays a certain amount of money a year, and also a place to live. I've applied for some 28 jobs, and not one. Well, that's not entirely true, I have been to a couple interviews, but no real offers. Which is starting to drive me nuts. And during one interview, the interviewer told me that I struck him as a very intelligent woman and that if I could just really figure out what I really wanted to do, I could go far. Totally struck a nerve, because I don't really truly know what I want to do. So I've applied at jobs as a receptionist, office assistant, secretary and for jobs working in stores. I really don't know what it is I really want to do... all my "dream jobs" are stupid things that I've seen in movies. Like The Devil Wears Prada, I would LOVE that job she has as the assistant. Trouble is, it's fiction. Not to mention that if I really wanted that kind of job, my chances would be soo much more improved if I actually lived in New York, or anywhere like it. You know, a city that actually has a fashion district.

I just wish that I had sat down and really figured out if it is secretary work I want to do, or to be involved (somehow) in fashion and all that. I mean, I can do office work for fashion magazines and all that, but I meant more like "regular" offices. Right now, I'm just applying for everything, and maybe that's not so smart. I mean, if I really knew what I wanted to do, I could focus more on those jobs instead of just taking whatever. I don't want to (continue to) be the person that takes a job, and figures out like four or six or eight months later that "nah, this really wasn't for me after all" and then quits. I've never stayed in a job longer than maybe 14 months in one place, and after that I've just had various assignments through temp agencies. And those vary very much in length, so it's starting to show on my CV that I really have no idea what I want to do, and I don't think a company takes that as a good sign I'll be staying with them for long either. My parents seem to think that it's perfectly okay for me to just take whatever job and then quit if I don't like it. But I hate that, and they don't understand that I can't do that anymore. I'm 27 years old, and I should know by now what I want and all that crap, but I don't. And I don't want to be that person that if a company hires me, they'll always be insecure about my staying power. "Is she gonna stay another week, or leave? It's been six months, will she stay a full year, or leave?". That's what my parents doesn't understand. My mother says that it's okay to leave if you don't feel it, but I'd rather not start at all then if I feel early on that maybe this job isn't what I want but I'll take it anyway. It doesn't work that way. And it's driving me absolutely, certifiably bonkers. So here I am, very dangerously close to 30, still wondering what I'm supposed to be when I grow up?

Tony Curtis

I woke up this morning to beautiful weather outside. I go to the TV room to do my My Fitness Coach: Dance Workout workout for the day, and then I go upstairs. I check the news online, and I find out that Tony Curtis has passed away from cardiac arrest early Wednesday.
That is really sad because I always liked Tony Curtis - he was a great actor, and an absolute joy to watch. One of my favourite movies is Some Like It Hot, and it wasn't very long ago that I was another movie he was in. It was Little Miss Marker, in which he gave an excellent performance as always. And he "only" had a supporting role.

Anyway... rest in peace, Bernie Schwartz, movie land has lost another great one with you.

Tony Curtis

With Jack Lemmon and the gorgeous Marilyn Monroe from Some Like It Hot

Pictures of my flea market find!

So I finally managed to figure out this Bluetooth thing and how to work it on this ancient desktop that my parents have.. which resulted in me being able to transfer the pics from my (semi-ancient) phone onto the computer! Now, I cannot vouch for the quality, the pics were taken with my old Samsung U600 phone and its "awesome" 3,2 mega pixel camera! At the very least, it'll show you the damn book! lol

Back of the book. Title reads (in English) "Famous Love Stories"

Front of the book. All the pages have been edged in gold, so it looks all kinds of fancy!

Hooked on music

So this morning I was up early, and around 7.30 this am it was actally below zero outside! That didn't last very long, as the sun is shining here today from a gorgeous blue sky. My only grief about the day - my iPod earphones were absolutely killing my ears! lol Yes, I have managed to somehow break the good ones I had from Sony, and I was reduced to the plain white ones that come with the thing. I have ordered new ones, and they should be here probably before the weekend (yay!), but whilst I wait, I have to either use the ones that have no sound in the left plug or use the ones that work properly, but kill my ears. I know that going without music a few days is an option, but if I'm going out walking or something, I am totally and completely dependant on music to keep me company! I have no idea who those Apple iPod earplugs were meant for, but my ears are too small for them, and after using them for more than five minutes straight, it hurts like a mother pearl. So now, I'm impatiently waiting for my new Sony ones to get here in the mail, and using Grooveshark to fill my day with music!
Love, love, love that website. There's no restrictions on where you're located to use it (like Pandora sadly is), and you just type in what artist you wanna hear, and they give you all the songs by that artist. And then all you gotta do is hit shuffle (unless you prefer them in order) and play, and turn up the volume. For me today, that artist is the very talented and very cute Michael Bublé! Such a pleasant voice on such a lovely day.

Mondays are never easy..

I woke up today with one intention; going out to purchase a Wii game called My Fitness Coach: Dance Workout, and then go home and give myself a dance workout! I get home, I dig out the Wii from the various boxes of stuff I have stored in my brother's old room and manage to find all the cables and whatnot. I even manage to set it up, connect it to the TV and all is well. Then I decide I need to find the controller, because without it, I can't do much. I find the nunchuck, the balance board but no controller. So I text my hubby (who's still in the US finishing up his school year), asking if he remembered whether or not my brother borrowed the controller along with most of our games before we left for the US a year ago. He texts me back, saying he doesn't remember. We used to have two controllers, but during a rather trying game of Punch Out hubby accidentally broke it when it hit the wall. So, I text my brother, asking if he has our one controller, which he quickly confirms that he does. He says he'll bring it along with all the games he and his girlfriend borrowed some time this week. Which is really nice of him, considering he lives in the city and on his scooter it's about half an hour's ride. And he works full time (another thing he has accomplished before me! lol), so I said it was no rush. But I really wanna dance workout! And so now, I'm seriously considering getting a lift to the mall with my mother when she goes for her spinning class, buying another controller (we do need a second one, anyway) and walking home to finally, finally get a dance workout!
What's probably going to happen is that I'll be too tired by the time I come home, so I'll just leave the whole thing until tomorrow. I'm good like that.

Flea market find

I sadly didn't find any vintage treasures at the flea market today. Perhaps because we got there about an hour or so before they closed shop for the day, and we all know that all the good stuff go first on Saturdays. I did however buy an old book, entitled "Famous Love Stories", with a handful of short stories about love. I have to admit, the only one I'd heard of before was "Carmen", and I pretty much only knew that one because of the opera. But anyway, the book was in pretty decent shape considering it was published here in 1952, and I paid like 5 NOK for it (just under a US dollar). It will look nice on my future bookshelf, and I might even read a love story or three!

I do have a picture of it, but since my little notebook doesn't have a Bluetooth connection and it refuses to register my phone when I connect it by USB cable, I have not posted it for you! If I actually can figure out a way, I'll add it. It's really nothing that spectacular. The book has a red cover, and the pages are all edged in gold, which is kinda sweet.
I definitely think I need to get there earlier and on the first day if I have any hope of finding any lost treasures, as I am sure those are amongst the first to go! Fear not, I shall keep you posted on how that goes, too.

Enjoy the remains of your Sunday, knowing you still have at least a few more hours of freedom before Monday once again hits!

Excellent Sunday activity - flea markets!

On an otherwise grey and boring Sunday, an excellent activity to keep busy is going to flea markets! Usually in September there's a lot of them (at least here, it is), and if you're lucky you can find some really nice things. Maybe even a few vintage pieces for your wardrobe, or some cool accessories to sass up your style. I will probably going to a flea market today with some friends, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I might return with a few treasures. Should that happen, I will definitely keep you all posted and maybe even try my hand at posting a picture or two! Well... as long as I can find the USB cable for my phone. But fear not - I shall look for it before I leave! 

Maybe if I'm lucky I find something that might be worth millions... I would just love that, and my bank account would definitely get a kick out if it!

In the beginning...

In the beginning, there was an empty site and various backgrounds and styles to choose from. Then, when that was all done, the task of actually filling the empty site with words and pictures and all other things came after. And as they say, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step (or something very close to that), so here I am, at almost 2am on a Saturday night writing the very first entry to my newly created blog.

I've been down this road before, with about three attempts at blogging that failed at some stage or another. Mostly because I started off well, and then just forgot all about it... or worse, completely forgot my login ID and password. But I start anew with this blog, hoping to change once and for all, and actually follow this thing through properly this time! Ah, yes, I can hear the collective sound of eager little readers leaning forward in their chairs with bated breath, just waiting for my next move. Will she keep her word and follow through, or fail blog number four? There is no telling just yet, the excitement lies in the wait. Right? Are you buying it? No, didn't think so, really.

Like my previous attempts, I will try to write about what I love - like fashion (clothes, shoes, accessories ++), music, movies, books and all the other things I love - and maybe I'll sometimes write about things I'm not all that fond of. Only time will tell, and maybe, just maybe, I will manage to turn it around this time. They say fourth time's the charm, no?