THE GOODS BLOG: Erika's Precious Little Life - February Edition

January was most definitely what I would refer to as a quiet month and I have no problem with that because we are trying to lay low and save money. And also it's absolutely FREEZING cold here and I have been happily hibernating.

We got home from Christmas/New Years in London and shortly after that it was my birthday! Thanks for all of the sweet birthday messages you guys! I may be 33, but things are still going generally according to plan, so I can't complain.

This was ma face!

Tim made me breakfast in bed. Then he wanted to take me to get the tattoo done that I wanted, but that didn't really work because it was more of a situation where I needed an advance appointment and to speak to an artist first. So then we went to an exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts that I had been wanting to see called From Van Gogh to Kandinsky, which was really good. Then we got dressed for dinner and Tim took me to a place called Bar Ariel which was on my to-try list and it was pretty good. They had a really delicious cheese board and oysters. Then Tim gave me some presents and that was pretty much it! It was a good birthday!

We snuck off for a weekend in Toronto, which I knew about last month but didn't mention because it was a surprise visit. Bestie Colen in Toronto is about to have her second baby, and the Toronto girls and I wanted to throw a little somethin' for her! It worked out so well! She didn't know that I was coming to town and we totally surprised her!! She cried! It was excellent. One of the very best things about moving back to the east is FOR SURE how much more time that I've gotten to spend with my life's original friends. 15 year old Erika never wanted to leave Toronto in the first place, TRUST ME. (But in the end, it was a good thing that I did.)

While in Toronto, Tim and I also went to an exhibit at the TIFF Bell Lightbox that we had been wanting to see called Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition. It was SO COOL seeing all of the movie props from some of our favourite films.

Very sad news though, our ferret Twiggy died while we were away. We had noticed that she had stopped eating and wasn't acting exactly like herself and then she died only a few days later. So at least she went fast and it wasn't a big drawn-out thing with her suffering for a long time. She was nearly 6 years old, which is getting close to the average life expectancy of ferrets, so it seems like it was just her time. I really hope that we gave her a good life. It's weird without her. :(

People have asked if we'll get another pet, but for now we're pretty okay with just the cat and sugar glider.

Once I knew that Tim was intending to buy me a tattoo, I started looking into great parlours and artists (which in Montreal, should be easy). And it was easy! I found a super cool girl named Jessi Preston from California at a parlour called Two Horses (voted one of the best in the city) to do my tattoo. So I booked her and got it done. It's just a small wrist tattoo on my right wrist of the OM symbol. It's a very complex symbol with a lot of meaning, but mostly it signifies everything - all of creation, all of consciousness. It's a very meaningful symbol in yoga. So for me, it symbolizes a lot about what I'm about... Including the universe... Which I'm a part of... And how it all terrifies me... And my struggle to be at peace with all of that...

Tim and I have also seriously been discussing getting a couples tattoo, and I think that we've finally decided on a design concept that we both love and that means a lot to both of us. The fact that Tim was won over speaks insane volumes about how good the idea is, trust me. We're hoping to get them in the spring. I don't want to describe it and spoil it, but I will say that our names are NOT involved in them and that the tattoos definitely go together to make a more complete message, but can also stand alone. Much like the two of us as individuals.

You guys probably already saw the VIDEO that I made?! It was really fun to do and people seem to like it! Thanks to all of you who offered encouraging words and shares and support!! I can seriously do anything with you guys at my back. SO, I think that I definitely WILL make a new video each month of me attempting to cook. It would be great if Bon Appétit magazine took notice and elevated me to stardom. Ha ha! I have considered doing vlogging (lots of people have told me that I should) but I've always felt that everything to vlog about has already been done. Which is true. And I realize that it'll need to be more than one video a month if I want anything to come from it... But that's why my overall vision for becoming an internet sensation includes both a blog AND funny videos. Mixed content. One of my biggest goals and dreams for this year is to get my food blog up and running at long last - super professional, with a cohesive look and matching artwork. I really want to do it right or not at all.

I guess this segues pretty well into work. And what the heck I'm doing.

So Desigual. Remember how they wanted to give me a job and how I was supposed to contact them after Christmas? Well now I'm not feeling so hot about this idea. They even called me out of the blue yesterday to try and offer me a job again. So I mean, at least it's really nice that they see so much in me and were so impressed that they are pretty much harassing me to take the job. It feels like dating all over again. (The exact same thing happened with Anthropologie in Edmonton, when I once decided that I should get a second job (while working at SONiC), applied, did a dazzling interview, and then decided that the whole idea was ridiculous. They phone-chased me around for a few weeks too.) Okay, so why am I feeling this way? It's not that I don't want the money - I do. It's just that working in retail is terribly annoying and even though the store is super cool and I love the clothes and the people seem to be fun... I'll still be stuck answering to someone and bound to a schedule. Working part time (at probably close to minimum wage, $10.35 in Quebec) will only get me a couple hundred bucks every few weeks. And what will happen to that money? Oh I'll tell you. It won't get saved, that's for sure. It'll get piddled away into nothing. I'll buy clothes at the store and other inconsequential nonsense. I know myself well enough. And while that would all be awesome and fun, my eye is truly on the prize of all of the big ticket items (travel mostly) that I want to do this year. And part time money isn't going to help with that. I also dislike the idea of getting stuck working evenings and weekends, because that's when Tim and I hang out. And I don't want it to disrupt my yoga schedule. And I DON'T want to have to do public transit in the miserable winter. And I DO WANT to be able to up and leave town for a week whenever I feel like.

I'm pretty conflicted because I feel like I should just "try it" but right now the cons are looking annoying and plentiful.

So what DO I intend to do?? Well, I have a plan. Remember how in December I participated in a clinical study? It was a really positive experience and even though it seems like a "weird thing to do," it was fun for me and I see no reason why I shouldn't do another. In fact, I have another one lined up at the end of this month that pays $3,200. Big lump payments like this WILL afford me the things that I want to do, because instead of a useless hundred bucks here and there, I'll be able to book/pay for entire things at once. In one go. Done. Plus I can choose to do studies exactly when the timing works for me - like in the winter when it's gross outside anyway. Why not stay indoors (like I would be doing anyway) and make a bunch of cash? So basically... I figure that if I do 3-4 studies over the course of the year, I'll easily be able to afford everything that I was hoping to do without even dipping into Tim's salary. It'll just be for this year. We're planning to start trying for a baby next year, so obviously I will no longer be participating in studies then. And in the meantime I'll be able to work on my internet domination! Also, I want to start volunteering at my yoga studio (5 hours a week), which will get me FREE yoga, which is like making money because we would have spent the money on yoga anyway.

That's where my head is at. Once baby stuff starts happening I won't be able to fly by the seat of my pants anymore... So I should take advantage while I still can.

As for the rest of February...

We're going to a Stars concert on Thursday! First time seeing them in their home town!

Nothing much major planned otherwise. Maybe something for Valentine's Day.

I'm very much in a robotic "must stay warm, must make lots of money" mode right now.

THIS MONTH'S SHOUT-OUTS!:

February 9th is Laura Young's 29th birthday!

This is such a big year for you Laura! It's your last birthday as an unmarried lady! I hope that Matt spoils you a lot and that you have the perfect day. You've always been such an amazing friend over the years and I will definitely never forget our hilarious inside jokes that mainly revolve around Chris and Jadd. Oh Jadd, how were you even a person? Getting to go to your wedding in June on Vancouver Island is honestly the thing that I'm looking forward to THE MOST this year. For serious. I feel like it's my soulplace and we regularly try to come up with ways to move there. Ha ha! I love you with all of my heart and I can't wait to see you next as the most gorgeous bride!!!

February 18th is Candice Weingartner's 3rd wedding anniversary!

Your wedding in Saskatoon was a lesson in winter weddings done right! We loved celebrating it with you guys and I hope that you two have an extra special anniversary planned for this one!