Day 2: Blank Space

Bonjour my internet friends,

Here we have a prime display of friendship. Taylor Alison Swift and Abigail Lauren Anderson. Can we just make a quick note of Abigail's hair colour? Okay, now proceed.

Day 2: Gingers and Taylor

For some strange reason, I have always associated gingers (specifically girls) with my lovely queen. I don't know why but that lady up there may be to blame. 

You see, in October of last year I started school, specifically PE or gym class, and I met this girl. She's a year younger than me and is super nice. I didn't know anything about her other than her name is Kristen, she's a ginger, and loves Taylor. She hadn't told me that yet actually. I just got a vibe from her that said 'SWIFTIE'. 

You may be asking, so was I right or wrong?

I was 100% correct. 

Kristen is a huge swiftie! 

We bonded so much over that lady and 1989, it was great. (And we are still great friends, can I say).

I also never thought much about it either but my aunt. Yes, previously mentioned aunt. Rachel. Hey.

She is and always has been and will be my number one partner in Swift. 

I also have to say my uncle too because we always talk about music together. Especially Taylor because I love her and he says she's a good performer. (He is a producer, photographer, and lead singer of the band Yuca, you can get their free single here: http://www.yuca.ca/#limitless.)

Also, more close to Taylor, Ed Sheeran anyone? Another name he is known by is Ginger Jesus? ;) Haha, despite that, Sweeran is the cutest friendship and make awesome music, separately and together. 

That's honestly all I can think of but shoutout to all the redheads and gingers of the world. 

You guys rock. :)

Keep smiling beautifuls, 
Naddy xoxo

Day 1: Welcome to New York

Bonjour my internet friends, 

As you may notice, my title is capitalized (shocked whispers go throughout the crowd) and that Taylor Swift is yet again making an appearance on this blog (outraged shouts come at me). 

Hey hey, calm down. This is special! As you may also notice, it says 'Day 1' up there. 

This is for my 13 Days of Swift. The next 13 days leading up to 1989 Vancouver (including the day of). I am so excited! This is the first one so I hope you like it. 

Day 1: Discovery 

I discovered Taylor first when I was about 10 or 11 in ukulele camp. We learned Love Story and I was hooked. I loved it. When we performed it, I did my very best for Taylor. After that week, I downloaded Fearless onto a CD and listened to that for ages.

As it turned out, my aunt (hey Rachel!) was a fan of Taylor herself well before myself. She saw Taylor when she was itty bitty and an opening act for Rascal Flatts, I believe is what I've been told. She has been a fan for a while and we sat on the couch today singing Taylor Swift (album), from Picture to Burn to Our Song. It's hype for the concert! I mean, she is the one taking me. That was awesome. 

Anyway, back to my story. 

I was in and out of love with Taylor for these next years following. I believed the rumors and thought she was a terrible person and all about dating (I know, shame on me!). But that was 12 year old me. This is 15 (almost 16) year old me who knows better. 

I finally realized how much her music meant to me about a year and a half ago. I listened to her relentlessly and got myself so hyped for 1989 which is now my favourite album. 

I am so proud of her and everything she's done. I feel like I relate to her on a personal level. We are just about exactly 10 years apart. (1989 to my 1999). She loves New York more than I do which is a lot. 

She is my biggest inspiration and when I write songs, I channel her as much as I can! I could never speak ill of her and am part of the forever Taylor Swift defense squad. 

Love you Tay. <3

Keep smiling beautifuls, 

Naddy xoxo

city love (new york city, oh and a review)

Bonjour my internet friends, 

It's time for another book review. 

I just completed City Love by Susane Colasanti. 

Now this book made me feel a lot of things but lonely was not one of them. 

Summary: Sadie, Rosanna, and Darcy are all roommates living together in a homeshare for UNY. Sadie has lived in NY her entire life, Rosanna is from a poor family in Chicago, and Darcy is from kind of higher up in SoCal. The story moves from each of their points of view into their love lives and friendship. 

Before I get started, if you plan on reading the book then do not read this review. Because damn, do I need to get out my feelings and I will be spoiling some huge information. So I repeat, stop reading now unless you don't care and just want to see my opinion. Then, thank you. 

ANYWAY.

We are going to start with my girl Sadie, because I related to her most from the very start. 
Sadie is on the search for love. She even has a quote above her bed "just around the corner". She goes to her internship for home design and meets this guy that she totally connects with. 

Okay honestly, he's pretty much perfect. He and Sadie have so much in common it killed me to read about her so happy. 

I fell in love with Austin alongside Sadie. They were just so perfectly meant for each other. With only a few years between them. 

Sadie kept a secret the entire book, even from the readers, and finally told Austin. I was waiting for her to say something and when she did, it seemed like they were suddenly closer.

But NO. 

See, I was expecting some sort of falling out. Probably over something stupid. But this was on another level. 

Spoiler: Austin had a wife. 

He was married the entire time he called Sadie his girlfriend.

When you read about this, it's hard to imagine. But I know. It would be hard for someone to know another person going through that, let alone being the person in that situation. 

(Pardon my French but) Austin was a complete dick. He ended up being a horrible and rude human being. Thank god, Sadie is on another floor at their work. 

Well, I guess we need to go on to my girl Rosanna. I related to her very well also. She's the shy girl who is a counselor at camp just wanting to make the world a better place even with the little money she has. 

She makes a friend with one of the other counselors, Mica, and they really hit it off. I was not expecting something to happen between them. On to that later. 

Mica takes Rosanna to a party for the counselors at both the districts of the camps. Rosanna has a weird encounter with one of the other counselors who spills her drink on Rosanna's shirt (she's never met this girl before). She then meets Donovan, or D. 

She doesn't know how she feels about him at first but she sees the connection and props to her for recognizing it. 

The only problem to her is their different worlds. Rosanna is from a poor, loving, and happy family from Chicago working at a kid's camp. D is from a rich, loving, and happy family from Manhattan working at Wall Street.

They couldn't be more different. But it was so evident that D loved Rosanna a lot. They clearly connected and he always seemed fascinated by her. It was beautiful to read. 

And to read about her having a reason to feel uncomfortable getting so close to a man but not saying it, kind of killed me. All these little secrets. But that's what kept me reading. 

She didn't feel comfortable telling D at any point in the book but she did reveal how she was molested as a young girl when one of her campers showed signs of a similar situation. 

In light of her and Mica, the girl at the party (Addison) actually told Mica that she knew Rosanna from high school and that she said all these nasty things about her. But Rosanna has never met Addison in her life. Mica didn't believe Rosanna and they had a serious falling out. Which kind of made me cry. I didn't like it because they had such a good connection. I hope that it turns out better.
 
Rosanna fascinated me. I found her endearing and interesting. She was a lovely character to read from the eyes of. 

On to the final and honestly craziest roommate, Darcy. She is a year older than said previous ones (who were fresh out of high school) and a very free spirit. She took off a year to backpack around Europe. Now that is a goal right there. 

Darcy interested me. She was so hardcore that I think she forgot to just let go and think for a moment. And just be. Breathe. 

She lived a life of luxury but still was able to keep herself grounded. She still spent money a bit recklessly but kept in mind what was important. 

She told her secret story very soon into the novel. About how no boy can keep her grounded due to the breakup she had recently encountered before leaving for New York. 

But then she meets Jude and he's all she could ever have hoped for. They are kindred spirits and connect but she makes it very clear that she is not going to be tied down. 

But over the course of the novel it is clear things change. She still is a bit reckless and has a hookup with a guy in a Gap changing room but her character development is there. 

I don't have much on Darcy to be honest. Her story didn't really resonate with me or have the same twists and turns Rosanna and Sadie's did. 

Overall, I loved it so much and am so glad I own it. I will read it again and again. Over and over. 
The whole novel just reminded me of Taylor Swift. Welcome To New York, The Lucky One, Red, Enchanted, all songs that came to mind while reading the novel. Especially when the title was blatantly stated in the book. ;)

I feel like this novel is a Taylor Swift novel because New York City, love stories, twists and turns, and amazing writing. 

Susane Colasanti has done it again and I want to thank her for her hard work and amazing novels. Because without her, so many of us would be stuck reading something else. 

Keep smiling beautifuls, 
Naddy xoxo

gracefully grayson (review)

Bonjour my internet friends,

I recently completed the novel, Gracefully Grayson, and it was definitely heart wrenching and beautiful.

A short synopsis:
Grayson is a sixth grader and has been holding a secret in his entire life: being born in the wrong body. He knows in his heart that he is very much a girl. His story tells of the acceptance, bullying, and friendships that Grayson encounters in the trial of seeing who Grayson really is.

Now to use proper pronouns for this character.

I really felt connected to Grayson as she navigated the sixth grade, continuously being misgendered and teased. Her journey is a tough one but what makes it amazing are the people who don't bat an eyelash or question Grayson's true identity.

I loved the idea of putting To Kill A Mockingbird and The Myth of Persephone as literary references to how she's feeling. Especially as it reveals the true opinions of some minor characters.

This all along with the loss of her parents. Being raised by her aunt and uncle, she had a different childhood than expected. Later in the novel, it is revealed her mother Lindy was very supportive of Grayson's choices to be "girly". But her aunt Sally was not so.

I will try not to spoil too much but there is just such an interesting dynamic and my favourite character other than Grayson and Paige (Grayson's new friend) is Grayson's younger cousin Brett.

Brett is only in second grade and is perfectly innocent. Every time someone questions something about Grayson's identity choices, "why? What's wrong with Grayson doing that?" It was truly eye opening. Because yeah, why *can't* Grayson do that?

It just makes me wish that we all still had the innocence and blindness we did as children. Clueless that according to society and adults, these things are wrong.

But they're not.

That is why I think this novel is so beautifully and brilliantly written. Well done, Ami. I applaud thee.

Keep smiling, beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo

a work in progress (by connor)

Bonjour my internet friends, 

On May 12th, 2015 around 12:30pm I put down my copy of A Work In Progress on the table in my English class and tried to busy myself as everyone else continued silent reading. I read the beautiful book from cover to cover and do not regret it. 

"Connor Franta is an American YouTube vlogger, Internet personality, writer and entrepreneur. As of March 2015, his self-named main channel on YouTube has more than 4.4 million subscribers." [Wikipedia] 

Connor's memoir, A Work In Progress, debuted in stores on April 21st, 2015. He announced the great news on March 9th, 2015 on his youtube channel. 

I was so excited for this novel, I couldn't help myself but go to Indigo as soon as I could to pick up a copy of my own. And on May 2nd, I did. I held the copy in my hands and nearly cried. There is was. A work in progress by Connor. 

I couldn't put the book down. He wrote it very well and from the heart. I really have to read it over again (after passing it around to my friends of course) and annotate the pages. Pulling out good quotes and making notes. 

I loved how personal he got. I loved reading the letters from his parents and reading about his high school days. It was really cool for me to read about how he felt moving to LA with the O2L boys and the road trip he went on with Ricky and Jc. 


I can't sum up the book into a few sentences. It is his life in 224 pages and that is absolutely amazing. Connor worked so hard for this and I never thought he of all people would write a book.

As he said, it is like his Instagram in book form and that's totally magical.

keep smiling beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo

getting distracted (procrastination and avoidance)

Bonjour my internet friends,

So it's been a while now hasn't it! Ah, well I apologise. Now let's get on with it.

Distraction.

dis·trac·tion

dəˈstrakSH(ə)n/ noun

1. 1.

   a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.

   • 
     

     
     
2. 2.

   extreme agitation of the mind or emotions.

I have gotten easily distracted lately.

Especially from posting my thoughts here on this beautiful blog, my outlet. (You could also consider it avoidance or non-creativity or even, no inspiration.)

I have found that there are many things I can do to avoid and distract myself from something I do not want to focus on or address. For example, watching a movie when I should be studying or reading a book when I should be writing a new article for a magazine I am a part of.

Distraction can also be a part of procrastination.

You know that moment when you really don't want to do something so you do something else to avoid doing that one thing. Yeah, that.

I have honestly been distracted from this blog because I have been living my life.

Since I last wrote out, I have visited the Calgary Zoo, went to my family's annual Easter Egg Hunt, hosted a quiz night at my youth, and plenty more.

I have plans to go out on certain weekends in the next month. I am going to be busy.

Which sounds weird coming from me.

Wait, hold up. What does this all have to do with distraction?

Exactly that. I got distracted and sidetracked. Yikes. Shows you what I've learned.

But I challenge you, dear reader, to do something you always seem to avoid or try not to get distracted from something you are trying to accomplish.

keep smiling beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo

spring breaking

Bonjour my internet friends,

Today marks the first day of the two break anointed upon teachers and students in my area (and others I think too).

I have some plans for the following two weeks but other than that, I am a lost bird.

Oh well.

I am travelling somewhat. I am quite excited to visit my family. Even if they are only one province over.

I am also going to see The Duff with one of my school friends and then shopping (maybe) with some others for one of their birthday's.

See, I am not completely socially awkward.

I just hope that Diva and Lego don't completely drive me crazy. Kitty should be alright.

I mean, the two girls will be gone at a day camp next week. So it will just be myself and Lego, chilling.

Also known as watching youtube, reading, going online, playing games, and maybe doing some overdue work. Oops.

Spring break is such a great time for me.

I get to catch up on my sleep and just have fun, most of the time spending more time with my friends than usual.

It's like a two week long weekend. Pure bliss.

I've got to go enjoy this. I'm going to try and update more.

keep smiling beautifuls,
Naddy xoxo