i think i know what not to do next year

I didnt shower yesterday
I didnt wash my hair since last week
theres no makeup/lotion on my face
my pjs are getting worn out
i had a bag of chips
a couple of gingerales
kept my retainer in places it shouldnt be
(get your head out of the gutter)
i feel itchy
i forgot what my best friend looks like

i hate you university

its been a long time

..shouldn't have left you.
Well, it is almost the end of the year and well, I don't know how far I can look back and say I did something different this year.
Well I did learn new things in journalism, get two new jobs, have my first phone plan, join the gym and quit, got into a new TV seris--Fringe and oh, plan a trip to India.
Well the last one I didn't do myself, but I am going to India woo.
I wish I could blog my weeks there but internet will probably be a problem.

Once again, no point. bye

Odd Spa Treatments Without the Human Touch

By: Arti Patel

The above image thanks to The Globe and Mail.

If you asked someone to pick up a snake and put it around their neck, they might hesitate and eventually try it out. Now, imagine asking someone to lie down and have six different sized snakes slither all over their body---for relaxation. How many takers do I still have?

There is a recent trend hitting the spa market that has a unique way of maximizing customers’ desires and relaxation levels, while using alternative living-things and even objects for pure satisfaction.

A slithery offer:

A spa in Israel owned by Ada Barak offers snake massages as one of their most popular services. Six non-venomous snakes unwind and slither over the spa-goers body. For $80, Barak believes her hissing helpers provide a “kneading sensation.”

Not too fishy:

In Malaysia, Sampuoton Spa offers a pool-massage with hundreds of nibbling “doctor fish.” The fish work their way around your uncovered skin and eat away at dead skin cells. The fish treatment is completely painless and some people even find it ticklish.

Hot-ball service:

However if you are thinking there isn’t something more geared toward males, you are wrong. Even though spa treatments are very popular among men, some companies have catered services especially for them. Endulge, a spa based in Illinois, offers hot-golf ball massages for men for $150 for 80 minutes.

The worry about jobs being replaced by robots seems out of the ordinary now, especially when one of our most favourite features of touch is suddenly replaced by snakes, fish, golf balls and other odd spa treatments like Nightingale dropping and 24-karat gold facials.

With the art of massaging that once required the use of talented human hands, they are now used as the supporting roles. As trends change so do the massagists. People will pay money to feel what they think is the ultimate relaxation treatment, even if they are under the care of reptiles or objects they once took for granted.

So the next time someone scares you with a snake story, close your eyes, sit back and indulge yourself in the feeling of ultimate comfort.

tough idea from a soft cookie

That title made no sense but guess what does?
I will be doing mini-features on people that I know (exciting) and pretty much learning how to be a better interviewer and detailed writer.
(I got the idea after I asked people what I should blog about for a journalism assignment and they said, "me")
So maybe weekly, monthly, daily, pretty much when I feel in-the-mood or when I have the time, I will write!

Do you want me, to write about you?
Leave a comment superstar.

this is what heaven looks like

I found this picture on the globeandmail website.
Pretty cool...right?
Besides the whole weather warning issue and probably a high alert of fog, this picture just gets to me so artistically.
Feels like this man, is just stepping onto the clouds, with the whole world under his feet.
What a feeling.
I should say that I have not blogged for a long time (to my one reader) because I have become a lazy teenager with no will to write for fun latley.
Why? TV? maybe.
Therefore it is safe to say that I am starting a new "system" I call it "the system
This system I have includes a 'change of lifestyle' I should say, that relates to my diet, school work, work work and how I spend my extra time.
Day 0 Offical countdown.
Hope this works.

-a-

A new year = new plan?

Fall is coming...
Well, it is supposed to be coming, I don't understand why we have 30 degree weather in September...but we are all going to die from global warming, but let's not kill any spirits here.
It's a new year, a new wallet, a new plan, new teachers, old friends (I know I am such a softy) and everything else in between.
There is some change I wanted to make this year, I've been saying it all year, but maybe I can finally fufill this for myself.
Classes: ?
Online journalism, pretty good so far, we finally learn the techinical aspect of things, which I love! Western tech, you finally came in handy!
Excited: ?
Going to India DEC 17! so so so so times infinity excited, I cannot wait!


this is it for now.
the year so far is good.
frosh 2008 was amazing.
i love you blog.
goodnight.

I missed you

So I started to write for a new website
www.glamboulevard.com
check it out :)

Tipped

So here is another thought I had to mention.
What is up with me and restaurants? There always seems to be a problem.
So a few days ago some friends and I went to 7 West, on Charles, great place, nice food, nice people...so we thought.
So the meal was good, service was alright I guess, atmosphere was quiet, it almost felt like a perfect night.
As we were leaving, we hear a loud "excuse me" coming from up the stairs and footsteps running down towards us. It was our server...with our bill. So puzzled we stood there thinking we didn't pay her enough and I even stood there taking out my wallet.
So she counts our money again and says we didn't leave her enough tip.
Wait...what? Servers are allowed to do that? They have the right to tell you how much you are supposed to tip them and when you didn't tip enough?
So we just stood there like, what the hell and then she makes the problem worse.
She makes a big deal about how it looked like she didn't do a good job? (All you did was give us food and we didn't ask you for anything.)
And it wasn't even like we DIDN'T tip her, which everyone around us was probably thinking as they stared at her surrounding the three of us.
So we are still standing there, looking at one another with awkward faces as this server complains about her job. My friend then says, "that is all we have," and this server has the nerve to say, "well for the future, bring more change and have more money."
We just turned around and left.
My friend called the manger the next night, he said he knew who would do that and this would be the first and last time.
Too bad if she lost her job, in the restaurant business you can easily be replaced.

I understand her point of view, servers do not make minimum wage and their wages depend on tips. But the problem here is not only was tipping our choice, we did tip her! What did she expect like a 25% tip? They say minimum is 10% and I am sure we gave close to 10% if not less, big woop, don't run down the stairs..

thoughts on this?

all my ex boyfriends/girlfriends

Tila Tequila, Myspace's biggest explosion ended her season finale of "A Shot at Love 2" with her heart broken, again.
The final two last night came down to Bo and Kristy. While Tila thought she was making the right decision this time and choosing a woman, Kristy rejected her offer and Tila was the one left broken-hearted.
The bisexual bachelorette brought in 15 boys and 15 girls from all over the country, all with an equal chance at love.
As the weeks went on, two by two people were sent home. Then there was the show "drama" Bo getting his jaw broken, Chad sent home, some two girls kissing (I don't even know their names), a guy showing his..., Chad farting from both ends and Tila's visit to the remaining four's houses.
It all seemed so raunchy as the final two came down to Kristy and Bo Bear.
Bo, a high school football coach from Ohio showed his sensitive side, got his jaw broken and was pretty much a well-rounded guy for Tila.
Kristy was the only bisexual on the show and told Tila from the beginning that she was not sure or ready to be Tila's main woman.
So Tila didn't listen and yeah boo hoo.


Clearly shows how fake this show is, when Tila keeps making money over and over again. Then she cries about it, oh why me, what's wrong with me, what am I doing wrong? You want to know what you are doing wrong? Making a show out of love and breaking every body's hearts as you boot them off one by one. Go and find someone yourself, nobody should have to break a body part for you, that is not clearly love. If love is not a game, don't make a game out of it!

the start of summer 2008

It's that time again! To take out those flip-flops, put on some sun screen, shave those legs and other areas, and of course buy a pair of sunglasses. (you got that? buy glasses for the SUN).
It's summmer time again (well technically my summer started in April but that was like a long spring break so anyways), and I have been wondering/planning what to do this summer.
Here is what I have so far:
-Host a bbq at the beach
-start that work out plan!
-work work work till I get sick of it
-plan one trip to Buffalo
-get out of Toronto for a weekend
-jogging/biking at High Park

Oh this reminds me of an article I read in the Star yesterday about someone putting poison delibertly in water at a 'off-leash' area in high park. So far two dogs are dead, eight were poisoned and racoons have been found dead today. Like what the hell, what kind of person goes around throwing poison into water? I am so disgusted and was when I read the article. Appreanlty, it was antifreeze that had been placed into a water fountian. To make the mystery even greater, the city has be debating weather or not to get rid of the 'off-leash' area or not.
Wait a minute so while writing this I was just reading the racoon death article and appreanlty (WTF) someone was playing around with the dead animals, putting flowers and dead squrrills around the dead racoons...

"It might be someone testing the poison on the raccoons, and then they just know now I can use it on dogs."

-Det. Suzanne Pinto

no really wtf! I won't even rant about this because it will go on forever. This is disgusting and people need to stop hurting helpless animals and making a joke out of it.

does my butt look to big in my size 00 jeans?

Fake breast, small ears, less tummy, more butt, straight nose, bigger, brighter cheek bones--the last thing a teenager needs to worry about--right?

But with society driven by plastic surgery targeting self-esteem issues and body image solutions for adults, teenagers are also listening.

So that boy who had "dumbo ears" in elementary school or the girl who was afraid to shower in gym class because of her "lopsided breasts," can "swiftly fix" these problems with an ear-pinning and breast implants.

ParentCentral.ca states that 87, 600 surgical operations were done on 13-19 year olds in the last year, mostly for male breast reductions and nose reshaping. This equals a five per cent representation of overall procedures as a whole.

It all seems so simple by just saying it, but even thinking about surgery at this age represents the bigger problem of fitting in. Frederick Lukash, a plastic surgeon from New York who specifically specializes in adolescent surgeries, says that teens are mostly looking to fit in rather than stand out.

"Adults who want plastic surgery are interested in rejuvenation. Kids largely want to be part of the crowd, not to be picked on or bullied. Every parent wants their child to rise above the crowd. But first they have to feel part of it and they can't do that if they are tormented," Lukash told Reuters.

Lukash believes that plastic surgery can actually make a difference for a patient, even though he sometimes recommends psychological help to his younger ones. Lukash tells ParentCentral.ca about a 14-year-old girl who had saggy breasts and developed an eating disorder. After Lukash performed a breast lift, the eating disorder went away.

Ann Kearney-Cooke, a psychologist and body image expert says that surgery will not solve any low self-esteem problems.

"Self-esteem is not just about how big your ears are. Instead of rushing to the plastic surgeon, let's help these kids develop skills so they can be effective at handling these situations or saying 'don't talk about my ears like that'," she told Reuters.

Kearney-Cooke says that kids have always been pressured to fit in, but now they are more focused on their appearances and image making all together.

"We need to help boys and girls figure out what are their signature strengths and how to play them up," she says.

However Lukash still believes that appearance is important.

"It's why we shower and get a haircut. It is hard to deny out of hand the individual's right to be improved."

the new year

Found this picture on NDesign, pretty cool and full of life?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy new year! AKA the new birth year
every year you are one year older, so why not take it as a new year?
Well my last hour of being 18, so far so good I am stocked up on homemade-salsa and corn chips and watching classic Indy movies.
Besides that, I read an article about the 'life list' in last months Flare, where Hannah Sung talked about peoples' life lists and what they want to accomplish, well in thier lives.
I don't think I have time for a life one, maybe some other time, but here is the cheaper version of the year list (being 19)

-Save money for school, grad trip, travelling, aborad internships, clothes
-clean up my diet
-continue working out and not getting lazy
-watch a new show and get into it
-get my first medi and pedi
-cut le hair with something new
-water water water daily
-start learning how to cook everything but Indian food
-paint my room
-buy new shoes
-buy and MP3 player finally
-new phone plan
-smile =]

later!

cheetahs in the homeland

The Disney Channel took a spicy spin as they just announced the release of the third Cheetah Girls movie, "Cheetah Girls: One World," in India.
Whoa, wait a minute, the girls in India? Exciting right? Well why shouldn't I be, finally 14-year-old girls can see what India is all about. Pretty skinny girls dancing to Indian music while wearing long pink Sarees. Colourful markets of food and jewelry while everyone else lives in huge palaces with 40 maids.
That last part probably gave away the sarcasm but here we have young kids who think of paki-dots and smelly curry when they probably think about 'Indian' and now get to see first hand what India is "all about."
The movie apparently is taking a Bollywood musical aspect, because that is what we do in India all day--sing. The girls all try out for a Bollywood movie (in real life this might happen since most of Bollywood thinks they are Western anyways,) and dun-dun-dun the girls find out the have to fight each other for the role! Oh no! I can already see the entire plot and ending to that one.
It doesn't bother me that much yet since I have never seen the movie, but I guess when I finally see the exploitation of Indian culture, I might just build this argument further.
India is not like that, we once were, but sadly we are not like what we see in Bollywood movies.
But big-ups for choosing India we got money in the end anyways!
P.S the blogging dictionary doesn't have the word 'Bollywood' ...thanks.
P.S.S they don't have Raven in it this time!

27 failed attempts

It almost seems that way, the times you liked someone, stalked someone, loved someone, pretending you loved everything they did, all in the same period of time before getting dumped and eating a tub of chocolate-chip ice cream alone on a Friday night.
We see it on TV, on movie screens, with celebrities, how the average Joe, or should I say Jane should be living their love lives. The romantic proposals, make out sessions, extravagant weddings, you name it, a place to be is on TV.
I just finished watching 27 dresses, for the second time, and usually I am not a fan of the romantic comedies or anything with lovey-dovey plots.
But I fell for it. The charming/good looking male characters, the flowers on random occasions, the wedding dresses, the proposals, the gifts, the sexy journalist, even the apartment's decor! (The last one was lame but I have a hidden passion).
Can this all be true? Is Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now really in his Toronto Star office writing stories about weddings and stalking me while I attend my one wedding every two and a half years? No, probably not.
Love stories like those happen only once a year while all us women and some men are told to believe it can happen to us. We will find our knights in shining armor one day as he lifts us off our feet. Or when our princess comes and saves us from the ugly twin sisters? Why does it always end up that way for the ladies?
Doesn't everyone just wait for that Hollywood moment when they innocently walk to the grocery store and see that one person that blows the away. Everything around you freezes, a wind machine appears out of no where, blowing your way, your dress moves around, the sun comes out, flowers bloom, doves fly and breathing just got a bit harder. You stand there, eyes connect, eyes blink, eyelashes look five times longer, was that it? Was that love?
You rush up to him, palms and face sweating, slow motion of course, you need to feel like you are running, grab his face and kiss him so passionately, that the bystanders around you feel it, was that it? Was that love?
Ten years down the road, you are married, have 12 children, a farm, a pond, a house and a minivan. That must be it right, love?
Well the truth is, from my perspective is, snap out of it! Reality check we all feel love, one way or another, to that sexy celebrity who plays a prisoner and wants to escape, or even the first glass of freshly-squeezed juice in the morning, I guess we can love all that too right?
I will still wait however. Maybe I am one out of the million women who will be swept off their feet and stalked by a crazy man who you end up loving? And since when was stalking even counted as romantic?
But like I said, just maybe.

I wish my life was this exciting

As much as people believe The Hills is fake and somehow I seem to agree...I can't stay away from the drama drama drama!
Oh their lives, watching it is so exciting. It becomes a lunch topic, an e-mail discussion, a Facebook obsession and not to mention the reason you stay up Monday night.
From season one till now (and shortly season four) the girls and boys have seem to grab our time and minds to tune into the g-l-a-m-o-r-o-u-s.
So yesterday night was season 3.5's season finale and this time around I was shocked. What Spencer are you kidding me? Go find a job you homeless man. Get off your sisters couch and do something with your life. So he finds out Hiedi is in Vegas with her bosses doing work related stuff, and what does this man do? He drives his ass to Vegas to stalk her and bring her home!
Buddy please, this isn't some movie where you will win the girl's heart over. Wait, reality check, he did. Sad...so sad.
So then there is the Lo, LC, Audrina drama. (and just to mention I ma very pro-Audrina).
So the girls buy a huge mansion looking house that they can probably afford and end up being roommates. However LC and Audrina begin to drift apart as Lo comes into the picture. Okay first of all, LC is blind as hell because it is CLEAR Lo is doing it on purpose. She acts dumb around Audrina conversations, always gets hungry when she's there, picks on Justin, (YES Justin, F you Lo) and always finds a way to tell LC how Audrina really shouldn't be there. Well I hate Lo and yeah well that is all I can say.
Well there was no point to this, I just love love LOVE The Hills, the fashion, the drama, their lives...if only I had rich parents and the chance to be famous over my love life!
Oh by the way, horray for us Canadians and our after show! We rock some U.S socks!
Oh and yeah, you go Whitney, you are too cool to talk about.

time tells stories right?

Cut-out butterflies on green and pink construction paper travel their way down the sidewalks of 10-year-old Holly Jones last steps.
Family, friends and community members gather around the young girls home, waiting for Jones's mother to come out.
It has been five years since Jones's disappearance form her west-end neighbourhood in Toronto, and yet the community does not seem to forget.
A parent's worst nightmare came true when the 10-year-old was kidnapped and murdered by 35-year-old Michael Briere, after he watched child pornography and snatched her off the streets in daylight.
Today, we should not only remember the outcomes of Holly's story, but to see how this story can influence and change the outlines of our laws and protection for children in the future.
I hope this story can encourage our government to put strict rules against child porn and the release of it on the Internet. I never want to see this happen again.
R.I.P.

watching other people is so much more fun

I don't know what it is, or why it happens but I am such a movie buff lately. Alright let's say past three years now, high school years, Arti Patel needs to watch movies to survive.
More of the horror than the comedy, more of suspense thrillers than watching someone fall in love, the fake and never believable stories and documentaries all have that same feeling.
Feeling of love, attachment and addiction.
Kind of freaky? Maybe.
Ever get that feeling when you just had something to eat that was SO good, like a great meal at your favourite restaurant? And then you wait and wait for the next time you go back, just to eat that meal all over again? That is how I feel when I hear of a sequel coming out.
Maybe because I like stories I am addicted to the fact that something is being told, a problem that needs solving, a joke that needs more laughing, a murderer that needs to be caught, for some odd reason I feel like I am the one.
This connection, with characters, what they wear, their houses, how skinny they might be, their lives and situations...all seems so fun when you are far away.
And horror, oh how I adore it. Killing, knifes, blood, guts I am talking about the whole deal. I usually don't get too scared, so yay me.
I don't know what the point of this post is, maybe it was a cheat-scape way of listing some upcoming movies, somehow I find myself doing that often.
Well to break it all down, I love movies, I love downloading them and going to the theater for the in-your-face experience.
It's pleasure and excitement baked into a sexy chocolate cake.
enjoy.

COMING SOON: (in order of release dates)
The Fall (I have no idea how good it will be but the trailer/visuals will blow you away)
Dark Knight (Do I even need to talk about this one? Bat fucking Man period.)
X-Files movie (yeah cool I know brings me back to grade five and being scared of Agent Scully's alien baby.)
The Mummy 3 (I think I just peed my pants, sucks they don't have Rachel Weisz though.)
Saw 5 (because watching guts and blood can be fun, even for the 5th time.)
and dun dun dun
Transformers 2 (OH YES BABY, the first one just blew me away I think I watched it 100 times by now, hope this one has less car ads, no U.S army values and more transforming! [hahaha].)

get your happy face on

I am done school.
I got jobs.
Braces are off soon.
Finally seeing the Doc.
Writing and writing.


Yay me. One more thing left.....G cough 1

don't come knocking at my door

Racism in Toronto.
In journalism they tell you to never assume.
Well lately Kevin and I have been assuming some racists thoughts coming from certain people.
Well you see, Kevin was supposed to buy a place near lakeshore. Nice view, nice condo, kind of far but whatever. So I go with Kevin to see his place, ALL the way across town (well school) almost getting lost and losing our metro passes.
We get there and the sun is shining, houses are beautiful, hot man walked his dog, camera-clicks every five seconds, fresh lake, clean sidewalks, it felt like stepping into Utopia for a broke teenager.
Oh and did I mention there was a canoe over our heads?
Anyways so we get there before 7 p.m. (meeting time) and wait... and wait.. and wait.
We called the owner several times and even left messages.
15 minutes pass by;
More calls. More messages. And 33 new pictures to add on Facebook.
Where could this guy be? Did he get lost in his own house?
So we are sitting there, like two little immigrants in Toronto for the first time, and just watched the cars drive by.
That's when it happenened.
A black car filled with some men drove by just STARING at us. My friend had figured out the ages of the house owners and by the looks of it we were staring right at them.
The watched us and left.
We looked at each other and left.

Still I have that small 2% hope that I shouldn't be assuming...
but whatever!

Why would you not want to live with an Asian?

How to travel alone on the TTC at night

After a GREAT night with my two best friends, one gave me the idea of how to keep yourself SAFE and in one PIECE while travelling on the TTC at night.

1. Put a hood on. Now people might get the idea that, "Oh you are hiding something," WHAT A GUN? Oh no scary! mysterious. All these thoughts and more will come in favour of the oh-so-clever hood wrap.

2. Make funny noises while sitting alone. If that doesn't scare the stalkers away, what does? Like seriously who would want to mess with one making random sounds everytime they hear 'The Next Station is _____, ______ station.

3. The best move to pull to avoid people from following you is to always stay in your seat, until the subway door ALMOST closes. This way with suprsie you can run out and if the stalker follows you know they need a punch in the mouth.

4. Always carry a hot cup of steaming coffees for obvious reasons. If you really don't want to spend the money, carry a thermos, with hot water. Once again, for obvious reasons.

5. Try sitting near people who might look like they MIGHT be related. This way it doesn't look like you are alone and therefore there is a less chance that you might be followed. I heard relatives make good shields. HA HA no.

Wow top 5 at 130 AM. These steps will surley help you be more safe riding alone at night.
toooo much love tonight, I love you TTC, Please do not strike.

Shopping Green While Seeing Green

With a cold bitter winter wrapping up, it is time to put away that heavy-wool coat and salt-covered suede boots and take a sniff of that fresh air lingering outside.

With an eco-conscious fashion industry taking way, everything from reusable bags to t-shirts with clever sayings like “save the earth,” stores today have new approaches to make sure fashion is safe for both the Earth and us. Here are a few ideas to take on spring 2008 with a new tree-hugging spin:

H&M has been able to take fashion to a new cause by offering pieces made by music artists to help fight AIDS in Africa and this time they are introducing clothing made from organic cotton. With neutral greys and soft-whites, women’s tops will be for one’s comfort while trying to rock rose-coloured dress as well. These pieces will not only fit the blooming spring lifestyle, but also keep our environment shiny. H&M is also offering 1, 500 tonnes of this cotton this spring alone, according to their website. The pieces also come in men’s clothing and as well children. Why not take the whole family on the green-mobile?

Eco-friendly totes, for reasonable prices, take a new stand at Forever 21. From cute phrases like, “100% Home Grown,” to “Think Green” with a green light bulb printed under, these totes will sure to have spring feeling even warmer. Also made from organic cotton, these white-toned bags will have both space to carry your goods, but at the same time be eco-conscious. And remember, white always matches, how can you go wrong?

And for the really high-fashion junkies, designer labels have also taken a dip into the green coloured pool. Clothing designer Linda Loudermilk has only a selection of textiles made from anything like soya and bamboo. This haute couture diva has been able to put together pieces for casual to dressy wear, with not even a pair of yoga pants in sight. Loudermilk’s collections are inspired by nature and oceanic surroundings she told organicclothing.com. Another great way to look great without stomping on any leaves.

If all fails and you still want to be savvy and chic, always say no to the plastic bag.

typical MTV

So I am watching this show called the "X Effect" which is pretty messed if anyone has not seen it before.
So there are two couples and one person from each couple used to date one another.
For exam A+B was a couple and so was C+D HOWEVER, A once dated C and B and D are the new ones.
Okay so the show goes like this, the Exs stay with each other while the O's (others) get to spy on them.
And we all know MTV is fake and rehearsed (sorry if I crushed your dream) but at one point of the show the O's can plan a date for the X's.
Alright so I am thinking, if my partner is with their EX and I get to choose a date, wouldn't I want to choose something non-fun? So they hostess comes and gives them two choices. One is always romantic and the other is always lame. Here is the catch. You can only spy on them if you choose the romantic date... and you see nothing if it is lame...
SO why is it that every couple (okay, beside it being all fake and rehearsed) would they choose the romantic one? Yes you want to spy, why on a romantic date?
I don't get it, if you can already see the exs into one another, why send them on a romantic getaway?
But like I said, fake!

BTW School is over :)

i don't know why

some people on the subway decide to put music from their cell phones like out loud, so the whole world can listen to whatever they are. SO ANNOYING. It's called headphones, go to the dollar store, buy them and then use them! Why blast music in a public space, the subway, it feels like i'm losing privacy (Yes, in a subway, the closure feeling is gone; all I hear is rap). And no, this isn't freedom of speech or expression, when you pratice something like that, it comes with repsonsibility.

my last article for class.

I never thought I could compare a porn magazine to a weighing scale. I knew what it was going to say and yet I couldn’t help but to take a little peek. The curiosity from Playboy’s best sex tips and seeing how far that red pin passed 100 suddenly had the same pleasure.

I was 117 pounds when I started Ryerson University. I didn’t have temptations to eat food or watch my weight, since I was a commuter and friendless, I would go home after class.

A few weeks in, I made some close friends, ones who never said no to eating. As the money in my pocket and their pockets began to disappeared, the numbers on the scale increased.

My friend told me it was called the “freshman 15,” a first year student at university who gains about 15 pounds.

A boundary that was in my disadvantage was the university’s location in downtown Toronto. As I got off Dundas subway there was a Pizza Pizza, before I crossed the street there was a hot-dog stand, when I got to a building another hot-dog stand or Tim Hortons would be there. It felt like these places watched me, all the time.

Then there was Salad King, the “have to be place” at Ryerson, a friend once said. I would find myself there more than two times a week trying to decide from their almost 10-dish vegetarian menu. I would always order the spicy tofu with extra cashews at the end, even after 10 minutes of deciding. I figured out then that something I ate had to be well thought-out because the taste of that spicy tofu would be in my head all day.

As this new pattern of buying and no appreciating food was attached on me at school it continued to stick to at home. Being a junk-food addict, I would always have something hidden on my computer desk’s narrow shelf behind a collection of Bollywood CDs. I would usually hide Hershey’s dark chocolate because I had a 14-year-old brother who would eat it if he saw it. The black desk that was once used for homework was now covered with cranberry granola bars, four or five cups of orange juice, almonds and even a plate from whatever I had for dinner that night.

The desk was almost like a storage space to me, as I now found every spot useful to store food. When I had essays due, I would keep plates of pasta or whole peanut butter and bread with on the sliding section of the desk that was once used for a keyboard. I thought my reason for eating would be stress from school, but at the same time eating food was more experimental. The smell of peanut butter on the bread still didn’t have the same taste of texture as a banana slices with strawberry jam.

When exams started and I was 125 pounds, I would have group study sessions in Kerr Hall’s lounge at Ryerson. The black leather chairs would be cluttered with bags of chips, orange-juice containers, chocolate bars, trail mix, water bottles, coffee and anything else that could keep us awake. We wouldn’t sleep or think about going home, even when it was close to midnight. We would eat and eat until we lost the taste for food.

Eating wasn’t even about stress anymore; it would now give me comfort. If I had a rough day in class, if I did well on a test, or even if the weather was nice outside, I would go eat something. This comfort made eating my new hobby. I would love trying out new restaurants and dishes like the Green Mango’s lemongrass tofu, Pickle Barrel’s roasted vegetable, pesto and smoked gouda wrap, Spring Roll’s fried Shanghai noodles and even trying olives and hot peppers on my tofu hot-dog from a near by stand. More food however equalled to higher triple digits on the scale.

When the New Year rolled around and I was 130 pounds, it seems like everyone was in the mood to loose weight. Fitness centres in the area started to offer trials and discounts, newspapers had articles on how to cut calories and the Women’s Network played re-run episodes of weight-loss shows all week. It felt like a sign. I had to put in the effort; I had to beat the freshman 15.

I joined Ryerson’s gym with a friend for $35. At first it was an adrenaline rush, I would run two kilometres, do 50 sit-ups and even climb 10 floors on the stair master. No matter what, I was still hungry at the end.

I remember working out with a friend once and deciding to eat a salad because I thought it would be healthier. Two hours after the salad, my friend and I were so eager to buy popcorn from Kernels, hypnotized by the smell of fresh popcorn and melted butter; we gave in.

Then it hit me; it never really was about losing weight or beating the freshman 15. I loved eating food. The taste of Thai food after class or even dipping my celery in peanut butter or melted chocolate seemed much more important. It was all about presentation, how it looked and how food felt when I took a bite. I guess I will be a freshman forever.

j-o-u-r-n-a-l-i-s-t not that confusing right?

Wrong.
Maybe I shouldn't be so confident being in the program and all but what is it with people and their perceptions of a journalist. Being brown and all yay I stepped out of the social norm, but that is over-played now isn't it? It might not be the largest population, but there are South Asian journalist hitting the scene. Why have some Indians not figured that out yet? So I am covering a networking event and this man comes up to me asking what I am doing in university. So yes...he got the picture...journalist...so then he says am I becoming a weather girl at the end? WHAT? A weather girl a journalist? Okay, maybe when she is covering all of the news and has to add weather on the side, or maybe if she takes over the job, or even starting out as a weather girl working her way up to full news, I am not going to school to be a weather girl. Reporting, a reporter, it's a whole different story. We write, report, produce and pretty much make the news. Then I have relatives talking about the money and how I won't get any where in life as a journalist? Well, yes money make the world go around, but I rather be happy with what I am doing than sitting at a desk all day with a big-fat fake smile on. I am just the type to do journalism because I like it, so go away.

P.S IT'S SUNNY TOMORROW!

the line got too long.

Don't you just hate it when you are at a restaurant and random peopple come up to you, in a line and act really rude? Like today for instance, I went to the TAKE OUT section with a friend, to pick up TAKE OUT. Makes sense right? Take out? As in, you are not sitting at a table, you are taking the food and leaving. So we are standing there today, come through a crowd of people, since it was full house, go to the take out section and wait. This random man comes along, comes right in front of us and says, "Back of the line." WHAT? What line is what I am thinking. "Go to the back of the line, go now." There is no freaking line, it is a take out space and this random guy is waiting for a seat. So we tell him we are taking food out in a nice way and he replies with, "Yeah you better." Like honestly, some individuals need to use that small little head and THINK before the begin to spit out words. And at the end he has the nerve to come and say it was his first time at the restaurant. Oh, well I didn't know you acted rude every time you went to a new restaurant...freak.

a small world compressed to become even smaller

BLOG SIR, I feel like I am like inside a rubik's cube, just one block of it, 1/30 or whatever the amount is, on the left side, maybe the colour red.

What a long, long, long day!
So first the day starts off as I sleep in and miss class, just a tutorial, it's kind of boring anyways.
Next, I am almost late for reporting when I realized that my Metropass is gone. OHEMGE. My life! My love! How could I lose you? Who ever has it now and is using it around like some cheap and typical Metropass, THEY DO NOT KNOW; it's Arti Patel's.
Well if the yelling and mocking by my mom was not enough I have to spend money now on stupid tickets. THAT ARE COMPLETELY over-priced. Like shit, we are young adults and technically considered students still. Yes, we still go to school, so why not lay off and give us cheaper tickets/passes? Do we ask for a lot? Like, we spend half our pay checks on fast food joints anyways, maybe someone out there might have some pity on our transportation home.
Next thing, so reporting is quite long and hectic--like normal. We did obits and I thought it was super cool, the only thing I might change the clock...like 5 hours back. So then with quick food, mall and jokes with Kevin and Sara (pronounce it the brown way now please), off I go home.
WAIT before I actually get home, I am on the bus with Kev, and this freak-perv man like drops on my legs! On purpose? Yes! I think so! gross. I don't need to experience that kind of crap, after sitting my butt down after a long day. Good thing Kev acted like the superhero he is, we were out of there!

America's Next Top Model:
Ok so Lakshi kind of hinted, no wait let's just say she said: "I can't believe she didn't shave." Ok, so I had to watch this episode. So um, Fatima, one of the contestants, goes on her photo shoot...with nice, crispy, long armpit hairs. Now what I find weird is, the whole time, while she is shooting, nobody notices the hair? Like what the hell are you looking at? It was the most exciting thing on her photo! So she got critiqued for not taking the modelling industry serious, just because she didn't shave. Oh please, I bet you like half those girls never shave, oh well at least I saw some goodies. LOL no scary. OK bye.

xo

Hug a patel day

How can we not hug Patels?

shouldn't it be 10,000 BCE?

Review? I found it pleasing.
The movie did have some tweaks to work around, like how the main actor, Steven what's his face, is like...white..yet everyone else in the tribe looks very Asian/Native like. And Camille, her eyes, just could make the pupal a bit smaller just for realistic reasons.
The travelling, I am sure nobody walked from the bitter cold (In like rags showing nipples) and back to the desert all in like one day.
HOWEVER, seeing the mammoths and the action scenes was pretty cool as well. Don't want to spoil it BUT one part, that will probably give you nightmares, has to do with the 'enemy.'
In this case, it is an Egyptian prince? or god-like figure who believes he is god. He has some long, gold nails, a veil covering his head and if that wasn't freaky enough, he was like freakishly tall. AND the scariest part of all, all these albino slaves? WHAT the hell is up with that?
Not only albino...but like...blind.
I don't know something like that just freaks me out.
Well I recommend the movie for just the action and graphics.
Story line? Um typical
Acting? It's getting there

7/10

bye bye first year

The year is almost done. My biggest worry? the G word.
I feel to embaressed to say it here.
Good year, cool friends and profs.
Can't wait for summer 08/working time.
Maybe vaca this summer? Probably not, G1 yes for sure.
and I turn 19.

!

Ride The Rocket, and then complain about it

I guess this would be a good time to mention that 'The Rocket' is the TTC.
Rush Hour: the most despised time for all Torontonians who take the TTC. It's not just the fact that one usually has to wait for three to seven trains to go by before getting on to one. It's not the fact that we all have to huddle onto these trains and squeeze near the doors, while people in the middle of the train stand around like the world around them has just stopped. It is not the fact that people start touching you, on purpose, or not, I don't know. And lastly, it is not only because we start to get really hot and sweaty, even in the middle of a -30 winter.
It is all of it. It is then definitely the manners people have inside the bus/subway and how they control themselves in this hot and miserable situation. The kids, the adults and seniors all play a role, in keeping your transportation either a calm journey home or a ride on the rocket to hell.
I was on the bus a few days ago, going home, around rush hour and like usual the bus was pretty packed. So about six teens walk in, carrying their bags and talking loudly to one another. Not just talking but swearing. Oh fuck this fuck that, bitch, ass motherfucker, all the crap in between those lines. So a man turns around and says, can you people shut up and learn some manners. So what do the teens do? Do they respect the adult and say sorry, or do they answer back with even more swearing? Surprise. Surprise. The next 10 mins was yelling and cussing back and forth,
"Why the fuck are you yelling at kids"
"I hate you kids and your stupid knapsacks"
"Yo fuck off and don't lay your hand on me"
"I am going to call the cops so your asses can go to jail"
On and on and on and the funny thing was, the man didn't even stop. He just kept going on and on trying to defend himself. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but when I am coming home from a long day from school, working, slacking, whatever it may be, I don't want to hear seven people yelling in my ear. So please, have some respect while on the bus, I could complain about the TTC for hours and it will still be the same at the end. Think of it this way: would you want someone yelling in your ear randomly when let's say you are at home, doing bed-business? No, probably not!

Someone stole my maple leaf

The pride and joy of being Canadian.
I don't know what it is, or how to explain it, but sometimes you are just walking down the street and thinking "woo I am Canadian and America smells." And being Canadian with Canadian pride, involves more than just chugging down maple syrup or putting up a Maple Leafs flag on your window, even though you KNOW the Leafs won't win the cup in another 100 years.
Well there is the Canadian entertainment. And yes, I know it doesn't exceed over a few channels and films but we have some excellent talent here. Canada has known to be the friendly-nice-guy country and this is why we SHARE our entertainment to our neighbours down south. You know, I am talking about the States and their usage of Degrassi: The Next Generation.
It wasn't so long ago, when Toronto kids were all happy and cocky thinking yay, I got Degrassi it owns all those U.S shows. And yay our actors are way hotter and etc. etc. Not so long ago, did we gossip about Degrassi's drama and all the places we recognized when we watched T.V., like Oh the C.N Tower! Or who could forget the actors and their relationships to us, like "Oh, did you know Jimmy from Degrassi, went out with my friend's friends best Friend?"
But now, season 7 has started, hot as ever, and yet the U.stupid.S decides to run Degrassi BEFORE us. Not only before us my friends, but they are two episodes ahead of us! Now you might think, Oh Arti who cares! Well, like I said, my pride of loving Degrassi as a Canadian just dropped about 65%. Even though I enjoy it and still watch it, I still shed a tear, when I think about people on other websites, saying how good the NEW episodes were.
Whatever. Yesterday I went ahead and watched the American airings online. Those fools, can't stop us smart Canadians.


(: [Oh and if you are a fan ask for the link to the episodes]

another love story to catch my attention

Dear cakemate.
Well I am not the most romantic person is the world, but sometimes you hear those corny love stories, about the first date or the first kiss and you are left in a big mush of stomach butterflies. Sweet isn't it, how some people meet. How they propose (Whoa slap in the face from the Indian post), so with my week of endless television and staying home for the past week, I got into Ellen. She's fun and well funny. The content is pretty much the same stuff as we see everywhere but at least she dances people say.
SO there is this wonderful story about a woman named Amy and a man named Dan. (I think). So Amy and Dan are both on a flight and Amy has to use the restroom. She gets near the door when the flight attendant stops her because of the beverage cart going through the aisle. God that cart must be her life saver. There, she meets Dan, sitting on his seat, mingling with his colleagues and noticing a certain Amy looking his way. The two talk for 35 mins and Amy goes back to her seat. Thinking about Dan until the flight ends, Amy waits outside the plane, pretending she is fiddling with her phone. Dan on the other hand is also thinking about Amy while he is on the plane, so he put his business card in his pocket to give it to her again. The two then both get out of the plane, see each other, but Dan leaves. (seeing that his boss was looking at them, stupid Dan). Weeks pass by they are still thinking about each other. Then the both of them rely on their own friends, who tell them about Craiglist's "Misconnections." (pretty much you place ads about a person you like, but you lost the chance, aka connection) So, Dan posts something AND AMY REPLIES! The two started talking again and fell in love. Months pass, and Dan told Amy to go on Craiglist to look for a Condo sale. As Amy reads the ad, it said [AMY, I lost you once and I don't ever want to lose you again, will you marry me?]


& they lived happily ever after the end.

Domenico is Back For Love

Well I was able to stand all of Tila Tequila's "Shot At Love" a few months ago and I am sure anyone watching that show had some reaction towards Domenico. The funny Italian, who was always wearing.. um almost nothing. Who loved his Italian food and loved his women even more. Who could forget his accent, or when he used to rat people out to Tila. He was Tila's big teddy bear.
WELL! Domenico is back, and taking a shot at love himself.
He has his own reality TV show, with MTV (surprise surprise) called that's amore.

Cute as sounds, he will be looking for his AMERICAN woman, to bring to Italy to meet his family. I know we all wanted to see his family on A Shot at Love, but Tila didn't take him that far into the race.
The show will probably do better than Tila's. (I added a Video of him on the side.)

This *new* South Asian Generation

So I am talking to my friend yesterday, who is Indian, and well, let's just say she is in the marriage boat floating to India soon.
Bad enough as it sounds, it's so incredibly true. Let's just get some facts out there, most Indian girls that I know, we all have to face this dilemma of 'marriage' and 'filling in the role of a typical Indian wife.'
So funny as it sounds, I have created the "Surviving Life as a South Asian Girl" satirical list.

1) Indian women MUST be able to cook full Indian meals. No boxed or canned foods, everything must be made from scratch.

2) An Indian woman MUST have a proper education, mainly in science, medical, or the business field. (Rather science and medicine, because woman do not do well in business). They must then only obtain these careers, to make sure their family status is never ruined.

3) Indian women MUST marry in their own religion and race. Last names are exceptions, but one must never marry another race, religion or be homosexual.

4) Indian women MUST always serve their husbands. No exceptions.

5) Indian women MUST have children if they are able too. (Adoption is also out of the question).

6) They MUST be able to dress appropriately when inside the house and out. No showing unnecessary skin and they have to be able to put on a Saree.

7) They MUST not date men. They must only find a husband and get married.

8) Indian woman MUST also not drink alcohol, smoke or go out to bars and clubs.

9) They MUST let family approve on marriage and life.

10)Most importantly, they MUST be able to carry on tradition forever.

*Well, the point was after all to point fingers and laugh. More of a satire, I hope everyone got that. Sad to see women go through this, I hope it changes. And if you are fine with it, hey, that is your point of view, I am just stating mine.

Thinking Just Thinking

Hmm, well some thoughts have been flying around and I am thinking about creating an online blog/magazine sort of thing where I can get people to just write around, including myself, but yeah... something is out there. I'm just thinking.

12-year-old ANF Girls

Dear Bloggy,
So I am in ANF today with my trust side-kick shopper Kev, and while he spent his time checking out ridiculously over-priced jeans with holes, I couldn't help but to walk around admiring something I MIGHT have had. And what do I see, a group of girls from ages 10-12 the most, carrying their designer LV and Coach bags (they were real I can tell), holding starbucks in another with Uggs on, and of course swinging one of their 14 shirts they bought. It's not the fact that they are buying clothes from the store, I won’t hate it; it looks good at times. Yet one of the girls 12 the most was wearing mini shorts with a low cut tank-top showing her "cleavage" while her friends talked about how sexy and hot her she looked. I don't know if I can relate to this, or even comment on it, (remind you that I was not looking in a perv way thank you) but I find it so odd when these little girls walk, talk and dress like they are 10 years older. Look at these influences out there, no wonder girls this age want to look the "best" with the "best" clothes around. So then after Kev makes me wait in line for 15 mins, we head to Hollister. (This is after he makes me look like an idiot in front of the change-room guy). What do I see there; yes more 10, 11 and 12 year olds but now I see 2 girls and a father. So the father is just standing there, white, looks rich, no wonder he brings his kids there, so yeah they are just staring down the bathing suits. They are bikini's (I am here thinking okay I see no boobs) and a two piece. So while the two sisters, (looks like it) try to wrestle out which colour looks better and crap the dad is just standing their encouraging their daughters to buy it saying "Oh that looks cute." WTF. maybe because I am Indian and my parents are strict as hell, but I don’t remember the last time a father telling his 10 year old daughter she would look cute in a two piece. And knowing his schedule, he was probably just baby-sitting and spoiling his children, probably on his lunch break.

Alright that's all for now, you think I would've shut up by now?
Arti

Grammar Exam

It is 1:30 p.m. (CP STYLE) just about 4.5 hours left until my exam. Well I have failed once already, going in for the second time. What is with Ryerson. We are known to be 'best of the best' at this whole journalism deal, yet I failed the grammar test. I myself, and I am sure everyone in my program probably thought we had excellent grammar. [Like how the hell did we get accepted] But when it comes down to it, grammar is key to our lives, especially if you want to report, interview and write. I would say hopefully I pass this time, but studying I learned that hopefully doesn't mean to hope for.


xo rt