The best no aluminum under arm deodorant ever!

Okay, so I need to promote a product for a moment. I have a particularly strong sense of smell. My boyfriend's is even stronger! And perhaps like some other people by the end of the day I'm smelly. Sometimes I hug people low just to keep my arms down. I'm not scared to admit it, it's just fact. But I still smell, and my deodorant is just not working for me anymore. So I've been trying to find a better deodorant. It's also important to me to find a more natural one that doesn't contain heaps of nasty chemicals in it.

After a lot of research and reading reviews I decided on one called Lavilin. No aluminum or alcohol. But check this interesting part out... It's supposed to last 72 hours. Ya right! I decided if it worked at all and lasted a day I would be thrilled. So I went to buy one at my local health food store and the only downfall is the hefty price tag. I paid $17 for deodorant! Seriously! But after using it for about a week, I don't regret it for a moment and will continue to use it until it stops working for me! The smell is amazing and not too strong, I got the stick and it goes on smooth. And I haven't exactly got up to 72 hours but I have got up to almost 48. I put it on Monday morning and by Tuesday night I still smell pretty good.

So if you're looking for a new deodorant check this one out!
http://www.lavilin.com/products/deodorant/roll-on-deodorant.html

A new life has begun

Life is interesting.  It can change in an instant.  5 months ago I had had enough of online dating, I didn't trust people, and I just wanted to get out of town.  So I did.  I left the city for two months, mostly just to avoid winter.  

2 weeks before I left, I met someone.  This great amazing man who swept me off my feet. Who in a span of 2 weeks completely turned my life around.  It was totally unexpected to say the least. 

2 days after I got home from my trip, he had moved into my 1 bedroom apt.

How on earth did this happen?  People always say when it's right you just know.  I thought that was just an annoying cliche.  Turns out they might have been onto something!

So here I am.  May 2014.  New partner, new business, new life.  

Am I happy. Yes. 

Am I exhausted. Definitely!

I love this man, but people forget to mention that shacking up with another person adds a whole other set of rules and responsibilities to your life.  Not to mention, twice the plans, twice the amount of grocery shopping, and more than twice the decisions that need to be made. 

I'm really tired.  I'm so tired I'm struggling to finish this post!  

I think I'm going to rinse out this dye from my hair and then go to bed early tonight. 

Perhaps I'll write more when I can function a little bit better. 

xoxo

Lonely on Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians.  I hope your life is filled with many wonderful and happy moments and incredible people who love you.

Now, on to my regularly scheduled blogging.

So, don't get me wrong, my life is amazing! In fact it's freaking awesome! I have a great home, friends who love me, a wonderful family, I'm a good cook, and I have enough work to survive, I get to travel, I live in an amazing country where I am mostly free to make my own decisions about my life, I have my health, and there is so much more I am incredibly grateful for.  Life is good.

But as I sat on my balcony this evening eating the delicious Thanksgiving dinner I made for myself, listening to Meet the Parents ('fill those awkward silences during dinner with these cool, dad approved songs from the '60's, '70's, and '80's') playlist on Songza, staring at the beautiful sunset over the water, I was happy and grateful for such a good life.  I recognize how lucky I am and do often even on days that aren't Thanksgiving!  Yet, there is something missing in my life. I feel lonely. I try not to think about it often, but I suppose when you think about what you do have, it's hard to also not think about what you are missing.

I sometimes wonder if I've ever really known love at all.  I know I felt like I was in love, but when I look back, I've know infatuation, I've know lust, I've known very strong like, I've known heartache, but when I think about my past relationships, I've never had anyone who has shown me what I think love is.  There hasn't been anyone who has fought for me, who has respected me always, who has made me first or even third priority in their life.  Perhaps the reason I am alone is because what I'm looking for just doesn't exist.

I could write a 50 paragraph blog on how I feel about love and loneliness, but I don't really feel like it right now.  Perhaps I'll revisit it at another time.  For now I'll leave you with this song while I go wash the dishes.

Kanji - Sushi Restaurant & Sake Bar

Kanji - Sushi Restaurant & Sake Bar

1346 Queen St. W.

Toronto ON M6K 1L4.

Telephone:416-536-8448

Website

Menu

Extravagant Dinner for 2 - $60

Rating: 4 out of 5

Since I don't really enjoy working - as a general rule, I tend to do things that will help me save money while still living the lavish (by lavish I mean living in my 1 bedroom flat in Toronto that I don't have to share with anyone while still going out to eat and traveling on credit) lifestyle that I'm accustomed to.  To put it simply, if I lived in the US, I would totally be one of those people on extreme couponing!  That shit is wicked!!  Unfortunately due to our coupon rules here in Canada, we can't really do that here. So I've had to rely on the awesome daily deal websites to help me save money while doing super rad things and eating great food!  So a few months back, I had purchased a voucher for Kanji since the menu on their website looked ridiculously delicious!

My friend and I walked up to the door to Kanji which from the outside is pretty unassuming.  We walked in and down a hallway which looked like it went far down and around a corner.  Later, after we ordered we decided to go for a walk to see what was down the hallway only to see that the hallway didn't exist and there was a mirror on the wall.  I felt tricked!  But it was kind of awesome as it made the place look really huge and spacious. 

The service was awesome!  Even though our server was slammed with a large party in addition to his other tables he was on the ball and really friendly and helpful when we asked for suggestions.  Sometimes I go to restaurants in the city and I feel like I'm being a burden on our server.  Pardon me for going out to eat and making you work!  But not here!  Our server was a cute Asian guy who I might have even considered taking home if I was into Asian guys!  But.. I'm not.  So out of the kindness of my heart I let him finish the rest of his shift instead.  

I'm one of those people who asks for recommendations from servers.  Why?  Because they work there, and if they haven't tried the dish itself, they at least know what's popular. So, Cute Asian Server's number one suggestion was a dish called Treasure Island.  It consisted of assorted fish on avocado, topped with fried leeks, caviar, and miso mustard sauce.  I think the fish was tuna, salmon, and maybe butterfish.  The avocado was half an avocado with the seed taken out and sliced while still sitting together as though it were one half an avocado.  The fried leeks were so unusual and added a great texture, and the sauce.... wtf?!  Seriously, this was probably one of the best dishes I've eaten in a while (at least since the Spiced Ash Hamachi with Bruleed Lime & Coconut Dust from Cocktail Parlor.)! I couldn't get enough of it!  If I didn't think I would've embarrassed my guest I would have licked my plate clean! I even dipped some of the other roles in the sauce because it was just that freaking delicious!  

The other roll that was excellent was the sweet potato roll.  I wanted to just shove the entire thing in my mouth it was so delicious!  I'm pretty certain Kanji puts crack in their food!  I honestly felt like I was super high when I was eating.  

The other item we ordered that was delicious was the Seaweed Salad which I believe they make fresh in house. My friend doesn't like Seaweed Salad but decided to try a bite of it anyway.  She certainly ate more than half of it that's for sure.  Bitch.  It was awesome.  And fresh.  And awesome!

I'm a big fan of mango, so we also ordered the Golden Dragon roll which is shrimp tempura topped 

with spicy tuna, mango,  avocado, black caviar, eel sauce, and mango sauce.  It was good.  Nothing mind blowing or out of this world, but good.  Also, we got the Crunchy Mango Shrimp roll.  Skip it. 

For dessert we decided to share the Yuzu Citrus infused Crème Brûlée. I loved the taste.  There were a few little pieces of rind that I loved chewing on, although my friend didn't like that part at all.  The problem was that it wasn't set properly, which ruined it a bit for me.  

All the dishes were presented beautifully with so much incredible detail.  My friend that I was with doesn't own a cell phone.  I know!!  Weird and a bitch.  I didn't want to be all camera phone annoying in front of someone who just wouldn't get it, so I avoided taking photos of the food, but darned I really wanted to!!!

I would absolutely go back to this place again!  I'm still dreaming of the Treasure Island dish when I close my eyes.  If you are craving good sushi, let this be your next stop!

I love this song and I love the video.  I sometimes forget the strength I have to say no when I'm not being treated as I deserve.  It feels really good to stand up for yourself!

My Fear

What I've realized, is that I have forgotten that eventually I have to grow up and start being an adult.  I have to start being responsible for myself, and my life which includes my health, my finances, and my household.  I am terrified.