Old Sock Drawer

Currently listening to: “Air” – Hair 2009 New Broadway Cast

I woke up yesterday morning and gazed out of the window of my 13th floor Gage Towers apartment* to see streams of tidily colour-coded first years traipsing across campus trailing behind MUG leaders with aptly-named signs. Then I took a mental moment to silently welcome them to a new adventure – and paused to think, “oh, the little ones!” And then realized that they were probably all taller than me. Nevertheless! I hope everyone had fun- it sure sounds like it, from what I’ve gathered! (Pep rally for the win!)

*We will talk about moving some other time. Suffice to say, I’m in one of the newly-renovated towers, with lovely hardwood floors, and it is all quite lovely indeed. And yes, I did forget a ridiculous amount of assorted items (toothbrush, Mary? Really now?) and did the predicted bus ride back to North Van to retrieve said items. Anyhow.

Kick-starting second year with baking cupcakes for our Imagine Day booth with the rest of the French Club executives was definitely a great way to start the year. We made over 50 mini-cupcakes, decorated prettily with a dollop of icing in the middle, and then covered them liberally with colourful sprinkles allsorts. They were delicious, if we do say so ourselves. The lovely weather yesterday was definitely a nice change from the past few drizzly days…and today’s bout of miserable on-off leaky faucet in the sky rain.

In completely unrelated news!

Jack Layton will be speaking at the SUB Party Room (2nd floor) tomorrow (September 10), so if you’re interested, do come by and take a listen! He’ll also be at the Gallery in the SUB at 7 pm, so that should be cool too.

On to dinner-making; I’d forgotten how much effort cooking for oneself requires. Eggplant and tomato bake, here I come!

Tags:   baking · Imagine Day · Jack Layton · residence life4 Comments

Currently listening to: “Opheliac” – Emilie Autumn

*Incoming first-years, this is a fine example of how not to pack. This is also a fine example of digressing from one topic to another.

I’m moving on campus this upcoming Sunday, and the packing process is a just a tad like the aftermath of the French Revolution at the moment – messy, complicated, and with the potential for murderous acts of frustration. My kitchen supplies at the moment are lying in a pile, and they number the following: one green rubber spatula, two glasses, three kitschy mugs, three shotglasses, and a pile of vintage coasters. Oh, and a strangely deformed tin, with which I have no idea what to do. The growing need to look into acquiring pots, pans, and (proper) tins for cooking and baking (!) is starting to nag at me.

Currently, I am also contemplating which coffeetable books shall be moving into Gage with me. Confirmed items are the Spring Awakening pictorials, and the re-print of original Howl manuscript; aside from that, we shall just have to see how the Patron Saint of Rubbish Packing decides to meddle. Maybe the West Wing pictorial, if we have any room left after Larry the travelling gnome is packed…

This is Larry, chilling in Montréal.

Because, obviously, literature and tacky dollar-store gnomes are more important than other life necessities, which still need to be considered and placed into packing boxes. I can’t imagine moving from abroad, or out-of-province: right now, the thought that I can simply bus home and pick up things I’ve forgotten is keeping me sane and happy.

Tags:   residence life4 Comments

Currently listening to: “Manchester England” – Hair (2009 New Broadway Cast)

This is a bit of a throwback to Phoebe’s blog entries (one and two) from ages ago, with regards to campus trends and sartorial choices. A new school year is coming up in two (!) weeks, and what better way to celebrate/mourn (take your pick!) than with a bit of a wardrobe revamp? Having spent the past week doing a spot of wardrobe cleaning-out (and looking for quirky pieces to replace those discarded), I’ve decided to compile a list of fun, affordable, and sustainable outlets, to satisfy all end-of-summer shopaholic tendencies. Being a shameless and unapologetic vintage/secondhand/thrift junkie, my list definitely will not feature American Eagle or Banana Republic – but I do trust you’ll have fun rummaging through piles and piles of frothy fabric and delightfully pre-loved one-of-a-kind pieces looking for a new home!

The Salvation Army
Ah, the classic one-stop for pulling something, anything – ranging from a vintage University of Saskatchewan sweatshirt ($2.99) to a green high-waisted satin pleated skirt ($7-ish? a while back). You must have one in your nearby vicinity, but every outlet is a new adventure! Other fun things include SLR cameras and Poloroids.
Best find: A white halter minidress with ink-sketched scenes of Paris on it ($7.99)

Value Village
The discount department store, indeed. I still can’t quite decide whether I prefer Value Village or the Salvation Army, but Value Village definitely trumps the SA in terms of collection and diversity. One could very easily spend hours sifting through countless racks and countless pieces. Some of those pieces look right out of an 80s movie, or a 60s hippie commune. And it’s not just clothing – you can find tons of wonderful junk such as typewriters (!), spools and spools of yarn, garden gnomes, jewellery, and board games as well.
Best find: Large fuzzy grey cardigan ($5.99)

Mintage Vintage
With two branches, one on Commercial Drive, and one on 4th Ave, Mintage is fairly accessible. Home to tons of gorgeous vintage ranging from 70s gowns to old cartoon print T-shirts, Mintage can be pretty pricey, but it is also known for its wicked sales, such as the $4.99/pound sale, and the $5-a-bag sale. In the former, a pound of clothing quite literally costs $4.99, while in the latter, a bag is purchased for $5, and the shopper stuffs it to the brim with as much as one can possibly endeavour to carry home. Either way, they both sound like pretty good deals to me.
Best find: Toss-up between 60s floral print dress ($1.00) and black velvet blazer ($1.00)

In Again
Just two or three doors down from the Mintage branch on 4th Ave, this tiny little consignment store is crammed floor to ceiling with fascinating pieces. As a matter of fact, I was just there today, and spotted some quirky items, such as a dark red crochet sheath dress (lovely, but not quite my size – but it is 50% off right now!), and a hot pink fringed blazer (wicked detailing, but not quite my style). Naturally, I came away with my latest…and best find…
Best find: Neon 60s mod minidress ($16)

Deluxe Junk
Located in Gastown, Deluxe Junk houses a startling range of vintage dresses and tops. All pieces start off fairly pricey ($30 – $50 ish, with exceptions). By the time a month or two have rolled around, prices drop by nearly 50%, so patience is advised – but you wouldn’t want some other grubby hands snatching up that twenties-inspired flapper dress you’ve got your eye on – so constant vigilance is key! I haven’t bought anything there yet, but I’ve got my eye on several hats at the moment, so we’ll see how that comes about…

Used
Conveniently tucked away on Granville St., Used has an absolutely delightful collection of oddities, including a great hat, tie, jewellery, and shoe collection. Fun fact: around Halloween-time, Used has tons and tons of crinoline, so if you require any for costuming purposes, check it out. They’re fairly decently priced, all things considered. I have yet to purchase anything there (hello, screaming wallet, do stop that dreadful din!), but my frequent visitations are always a fun interlude to an otherwise busy and stressful week.

Shopping secondhand is terribly fun, for it’s always a new adventure. Sure, it’s unpredictable, and perhaps not the best idea if you’ve got a very clear mental picture of exactly what you intend on purchasing, but if you’re simply looking for a quirky addition to your wardrobe, there’s no better way to go. You can be sure your outfit will not be a carbon copy of squalling high-schoolers’; there really is something to be said about originality and creative assembly of one’s daily attire. Besides, what better way to do a tiny part for our overburdened, overstretched planet by re-using perfectly good items, while indulging in a little frivolous materialism? So, to shop or not? It’s your call. But if you ever come across any gorgeous 70s swing dresses, you know where to find me.

Tags:   vintage2 Comments

Currently listening to: “Dance Anthem of the 80s” – Regina Spektor

I emerge from my self-imposed hermitude (?! is that a word? I don’t really care, because it looks rather wicked) to dash off a brief – and haphazardly thrown-together – blog post. Self-imposed hermitude is not due to the usual anti-social tendencies. Instead, it’s due to the French Club website that I’m trying to throw together, to no real avail. *insert string of Québécois words inappropriate for this medium* But on to other cheerier topics, and the apparent schizophrenic nature of this update! Wheeheee.

Welcome, new additions to the Blog Squad! Welcome to the wordsmithing and general madness! Feel free to talk to any of us – we don’t bite, I promise. Unless we are in starving university mode. Speaking of biting…

The Vancouver Zombie Walk yesterday was craaazzzaaaaay. Watch for my Ubyssey article on it…yes, the one that I have yet to start writing. I’ve been playing back the interviews, trying to do transcripts and such, and I officially hate my recorded voice, which is vapid and annoyingly high-pitched. Please slap me if I sound like that in real life.

Lest this entry be all pointless prattle…
I’ve just finished Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges, a splendid treatise on our modern-day addiction to one-minute soundbites, mistaking sensationalism for news, scripted wrestling for sport, Twitter for literature. He rants about the downfall of literacy and the death of critical thinking, amongst other things. I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s really a fantastic book, and I’m definitely going to check out his other books (When Atheism Becomes Religion: America’s New Fundamentalists, and American Fascists). Suffice to say, if you’ve ever wanted to know why those who hold power in society do, well, there is an excellent chapter on the Ivy League, and our modern plutocracy.

That being said, I chanced upon a book at work today, Idiot America, which seemed like an excellent complement to Empire of Illusion. I have yet to begin it, but it looks like a biting criticism of ignorance, and people’s pride in remaining ignorant…a fact I can’t quite argue with, given the emergence of fake town hall protests and the like in the States…but that is a whole different story entirely, which I shall not proceed into, lest it turn into another massive rant!

I shall elaborate on Idiot America after I am done with the book; perhaps you all have some views on the abovementioned you’d like to share? I would love to hear what you’ve got to think on the subject! And keep the book recommendations coming, guys. I really appreciate them! :D

Tags:   books · Indigo · Ubyssey10 Comments

Currently listening to: “Camping Ste-Germaine” – Les Cowboys Fringants

In my previous post, I mentioned reading two books lately, one of which was reviewed and discussed in the last entry. After having rambled about blogging earlier, today’s entry focuses on university education…of sorts. Having briefly flipped through The Unlikely Disciple at work the other day, I was intrigued. The concept is simply quite funny in and of itself. Kevin Roose, previously an Ivy League university student, takes on a semester at Liberty University, America’s holiest evangelical Christian university, in order to gain an insight into this growing youth demographic, and writes this tell-all exposé of his exploits there.

I find this book particularly fascinating because it opens up an entirely different can of worms altogether. Consider this: an entire university where courses, residence guidelines, students’ behaviour, even political affiliation, is based on fundamentalist Christian doctrine. Founded by Dr. Jerry Falwell (who holds socially reprehensible views on issues such as terrorism and homosexuality – Google him, he’s either adored or despised), Liberty University is a veritable bastion of the Christian Right (in fact, one part of the book mentions how not a single liberal or socialist is hired there). If any other religion tried to open up a school in the States proclaiming that the purpose of the school was to encourage fundamentalist [whatever-religion-it-is] doctrine, espousing specific political views, it would probably meet with intense disapproval and scrutiny from most parts of government and society. Yet here Liberty University stands, every aspect of the institution linked to Christian moral and doctrinal views. Roose starts off the book with a bleakly humourous anecdote about a dorm mate who risks expulsion for partying. Yes, all aspects of students’ lives, including hair length, relationships, and political affiliation, are to adhere to “Christian doctrine”. Failure to meet “expectations” results in demerits and monetary fines. Now that’s not even quite as terrifying as a particularly frightening chapter, where Spring Break takes the students proselytizing at Daytona Beach to Spring Break partiers from other universities, ranting about their souls and eternal damnation (a very reluctant Roose follows along and endures reprimands from his fellow students about not being hardcore).

Roose then goes into descriptions of some of the courses he is taking – a mixture of Christian morality and Western philosophy, Creation Studies. And then some. Add to that residence life – dorm RAs who give reprimands for using the word “hell” in a non religious context, gay-bashing en masse, and the rush to get married within the undergraduate population – but wait, he is torn! How can all this co-exist with perfectly delightful people who have ambitions of their own, and who have done nothing but treat him with utmost kindness? And most importantly, does Roose return to Brown University with a changed perspective? Read the book to find out. It is brilliantly-written and articulate – not to mention terrifying and hilarious, all at the same time. Yes, you will rant and you will rave; you will laugh and cry and maybe you might be so irate you’d throw down the book in a fit of rage. But oh, so funny.

Tags:   books5 Comments