simple smile of the week

There are those moments where you feel like the whole weight of the world is on your shoulders. You figure, what's the point in celebrating making this deadline when there's another deadline on the way? Essay topics start to mingle together, teacher's college applications seem repetitive and redunant, and you just lie in your bed for the whole day, waiting for the day when life will get easier. Unfortunately, it doesn't get any easier. But you can surround yourself with those people who will make the burden a little more easier to bear, who will make life worth living, who will give you reasons to smile.

{found via weheartit.com}

This week, my simple smile is all of you. Each and every one of you who did a guest blog for me -- thank you for keeping this place from becoming a wasteland and for sharing great tips and stories and important lessons about life. To every single one the Caffeine Addicts -- the new ones that have just popped up, and the ones that have followed me for a while. I would love to have a coffee date with all of you.

I've been in such a severe funk lately. But thinking about interacting with all of you again and finally catching up on all your blogs made me smile, because it does make life better, as cheesy as that may sound.

So ... I want to give back! No matter what you celebrate this December, I would love to give you a card for the holidays in the mail :) Just a way to say a big thank you to all of you awesome people in the blog-o-sphere.

If you'd like a holiday card, e-mail me your address at betterthancoffee[at]gmail.com!

All of your addresses will be complete confidential & you'll get a beautiful card :)

I'll send them out by December 15th, so let me know by then!

And once I hit 100 followers + finish the last contest winner's prize = a giveaway, yay! Hope you've all been having a good November and I can't wait to catch up on everyone's blogs!

What are you looking forward to in December? 

For me? It's December 9th -- a month off from school, whoohoo!

P.S. How weird is it to see a blog entry that doesn't start with "guest blog"? Haha :)

guest blog #6: better than coffee?

Note from Nikolett: I was seriously waiting for the day where a guest blogger would make a post like this, and so I give major props and love to the talented and amazing Rhianne for doing this! As of right now, this'll be the last of the guest blogs for a bit, so I'm coming back! The next two weeks will still be busy but I'll be here in all my ... glory? Ahem, yes. In the meantime, enjoy this post that takes my blog title and spins it into the things in life we all love! 

I was really struggling for ideas for this post until I thought abut Nikolett's blog properly :) So here are a few things I think are better than coffee!

10 more minutes in bed...

{by -noisette-}

reading a good book...
{by m00nbugg}

Holding hands...
{found here}

dancing in the street...
{by Melodishqiptare}

puppy kisses...
{by Flphotonut}

What would you say is better than coffee?
Rhianne

So true that there is so much out there better than coffee ... so I love this post. For me personally, it's puppy kisses and holding hands/snuggling in bed that do it for me! Plus, seeing New Moon tonight will hopefully be better than a dose of caffeine, haha. Hope you all have a great rest of the weekend! :)

guest blog #5: the importance of girlfriends

Note from Nikolett: This week has been brutality. Today alone I missed buses, showed up just in the knick of time for a presentation that I blubbered though, didn't eat a decent meal until 3pm, and then there was the event to top it all off. While in tutorial, I sat down in a chair and when I got up, a classmate tapped me on the shoulder and told me there was something odd on the back of my pants. Turned out that the chair was 1/2 covered in a sticky/melted cheese that stuck onto my dress pants and jacket. I felt like crying but instead I complained to my girlfriend through text who immediately offered to meet up and have dinner. You gotta love girlfriends, like Andhari who gave me some blog lovin', and the amazing Adele, who graciously did a guest post for me about girlfriends! Enjoy!

{picture found via weheartit.com}

Friends come in all shapes and sizes. And if you happen to be a relatively decent human being with some likability and an ounce of EQ, chances are you've had one of those in your lifetime.

There are friends you've known since you could crawl, and will probably still know on your deathbed. They are the lifelong ones. There are some that have for some reason or another, because of the theory of 6 degrees of separation, or mutual friendships, have become a permanent fixture in your life, even without you purposefully maintaining the relationship. Sometimes we make seasonal friends, they appear during a particular period of your life, make a huge difference, then disappear as the season passes.

And then there are those that you've build a bond with so strong that even despite losing touch for years, a chance encounter sparks off a reunion so genuine, that you remember fondly till the next time.

I've had my fair share of all kinds of friends, but the ones that I know I'll literally spend my whole life with, happen to come in 4 pint-sized girls whom I like to call second-generation friends or "friends-by-default" (;. You see, our parents have been friends since their younger days, and as far as I can recall we've spent quite a few birthdays/holidays/gatherings/sleepovers together. It's funny how despite having different personalities, giftings, interests and beauty regiments, taste in boys, and currently living in different parts of the world, our like-mindedness in values and beliefs and the simple fact that we love regardless makes us perfect for one another.

Girlfriends are indeed important - and sometimes (dare I say) even more than boyfriends.

Afterall, boys can't really help you in a crap-i-need-a-tampon situation (:

xoxo
Adele
 

So true ... I would be pretty boggled if I found a guy carrying tampons haha. Though it's sweet to see guys go out the local grocery/pharmacy to get a girl what she needs during those dire times haha. But yes, ya gotta love your gal-pals :) Thanks for the post! I have about 1-2 guest blogs still planned and then I'll be back and (hopefully) not letting school drag me down. Thanks everyone so much for your understanding :)

guest blog #4: one life lesson

Note from Nikolett: Well, this weekend has been dedicated to my teacher's college applications and my multimedia portfolio (maybe I'll show it off to you all if enough people want to see it!) as well as movie-watching to prevent insanity and to keep me happy. And today's guest blog is definitely motivation to be happy -- it makes me happy because it comes from Ramblings of a Fab Brunette, aka Margarita, aka my older sister! Thank you for guest blogging, and enjoy this heartwarming and true message about getting by in life - happily.

If I Can Pass on One Life Lesson

 

{image found via weheartit.com}

 

Growing up I was always eager to get on with the next part of my life. I was never content with where I was, I had dreams - huge dreams of being famous or rich or living in Paris eating macarons or partying in Manhattan or becoming an author. My dreams always were carefree, money was never a worry nor a want, in my dreams my world exists of happy people, no one out to get anyone, everyone living in harmony, supporting everyone's dreams and accomplishments. There would be sadness, but the sadness would easily be converted into a creative outlet - art, writing, music - everything would be inspirational. I might even be a muse to a rock star in my dreams.

 

But then reality hits, and you're in a part-time job, never saving money, and none of these dreams would most likely come true. So I started making my dreams more realistic, shoving my luxurious dreams in a back corner in my mind only to come out when fantasizing about certain vampires who are also rock stars in my dreams - my realistic dreams are not as far-fetched. Get married. Buy a car. Travel. Get a good job. All proper goals that your parents will be proud of, but they seem a little, well, soul-less to me. Dreams should come from the heart, right? And no matter how insane they might be, it's what matters to you, it's something you strive to be, and if you put that away for a 'normal' goal, you're no longer making yourself happy, you're trying to make those around you happy.

 

You will never be happy making others happy. Maybe at first, but after you will feel empty, like you did everything you could do for someone else, and not for yourself.

 

We are lucky we live in a day and age that we can do things on the side, art or writing or website layouts, and have a place to sell them (etsy, your own site), and someone from halfway around the world can see your talent and you can make money doing what you love. It is such a good feeling to be getting paid for baking, painting or creating logos. It really is. And if that's something you love, then do it. You will doubt yourself, you will fail, you will be lazy, you will try again, and you will succeed, although not always in that precise order.

 

If I can pass on a life lesson or two, it would be to always make yourself happy. Let every choice be made with the outcome of your happiness in mind. It's great to help friends and family, it's awesome to support others, but when you decide to do something that you know in your heart is not for you, just to appease others, then you are destroying your own will. You will not be happy. And that is the truth.

 

Never let your dreams die, fantasize as often as you can, and one day your fantasies will become reality.

 

Enjoy your life. It's the only one you have, and you deserve to have a happy one.

 

xoxo

Fab Brunette

Too true ... when I think about all this homework and how much it weighs me down, all I have to do is remind myself that I want to be a teacher -- it's for me, and to help whatever future students I have. And of course, I have my crazy dreams of going all the way around the world and publishing novels. Never afraid to have dreams :) Thanks for the reminder, big sis! And here's a quote that I love just for some more inspiration. Hope you've all had a great weekend!

guest blog #3: How not to suck as a patient!

Note from Nikolett: I've been taken to a state where I don't even have time to log in to blogger to put up a new guest blog! Can't wait until these next two weeks are over (though hopefully by late next week I'll be back and ready for action)! First guest blog was about witty quotes about coffee and conquering dragons; second guest blog was a key on how to be like Lady Gaga with some very fashionable pieces; and now we have a tidbit post from *Notes From The Toothfairy*, who is adorable and always a pleasure to read. Since she is a dentist, she though she'd share ways on how not to suck as a patient at the dentist! Thank you (I think I do most of these haha).

BOOH!
Hey, it's Shirley aka The Toothfairy from *Notes from the Toothfairy*! I'm guest posting for our lovely Nikolett, because she needs times to focus on school. We all know how not cool, but yet important school is, so send her some luck, everyone!

After reading this post, you'll know how to act or not act as a patient at the dentist.
This knowledge is all gathered from my own experience, working as a dentist for almost 2 years.

Read on, and learn!

Try to brush your teeth before the appointment

Not a must, but absolutely a pre. Even if you don't brush your teeht on a regular base (yes, these people exist), please try to do so when you have to attend to a dental appointment. I don't think I have to explain how disgusting it is, working in a mouth that is not clean.

Try to come on time

Appointments are made for a reason. Dentists work on quite a strict schedule. IF all patients come one time, there's a lower chance for us to be behind this schedule. Meaning you don't have to wait so long. True, most of the time, we do run behind time, but there's always a reason for that, we don't like it either. It's really giving us more pressure and stress. So please, bear with us.

Do not bring cookies or candy

No brainer you might think. Well, apparently not to all human beings out there, because I've seen it many many times. Patients even let their kids eat them in the examination room, while I'm watching them... Just to remind you.

Do not bring McDonalds either

No brainer as well. Like I said before, this is all based on my own experiences. The times (is 2) I've caught a patient eating McD in the waiting room, I had my assistent to ask them to brush their teeth. Not being rude, but I'm just not a fan of picking meat and fries between the teeth.

Do try to spit in the spittoon
This means not on the wall, not on the floor, and not in the garbage can either. I know, it's hard sometimes, because your mouth is numb. But please, please try to spit properly. It's no fun for the assistents to wipe your spit of the wall. My assistent is darling enough to do so, but I know other collegues, who will give you a tissue and ask you politely to clean the wall yourself. LOL
I'm not brave enough for that...

Pay your bills

You work for your money, we work for our money. You don't work for free, well, we don't like to work for free either. You might think, it's easy money, working as a dentist. Big money, doing some check ups and all.
I can tell you this is not the case. The job is both physically and mentally heavy. My back, neck and shoulders are hurting, and my left hand might need operation due to overburdening.
 

So, do not ignore your bills, it's not cool. If you can't pay, just try to get some arrangement, so that you can pay in smaller parts. But please, pay the bills!

Remember, we're not here to hurt you

Last but not least! Dentists are scary people. I understand that, I'm scared of them too. Therefore, we (or at least, I) will always try my very very best to comfort you and put you at ease. Try to trust us! It will work out just fine. Smile..

Hope you've learned something from this... Haha!
Love my job, a lot of dentists do too. So don't be afraid to go come see us, we're here to help you!

Good luck to Nikolett on her school things!

Loves,
Shirley
*Notes from the Toothfairy*


pic credit: weheartit

Can't believe people bring McDonald's to the dentist, haha! But thank you for the lucky Shirley, and everyone make sure to check out her blog for amazing pictures and personal stories! Hope you've all had a great and more relaxing week than I have :)

guest blog #2: being gaga

Note from Nikolett: This next week is going to be hectic for sure, so another round of applause goes to all the lovely guest bloggers you'll see this week! I have two 2,000 word papers, a presentation about a flash project, and a portfolio due just in the next five days alone. Meep! And now I have to assign some homework to you, lovelies: watch Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" video before reading this amazing post from Erika. I've been a follower of hers for as long as I can remember blogging and adore her fashion tidbits and incredible finds. She's going to teach us a few things about Being Gaga.

“J’adore Vivienne, habillez-moi

Gucci, Fendi, and Prada.

Valentino, Armani too

Merde, I love them Jimmy Choo.”

Lady Gaga, Fashion

Lady Gaga may have dropped countless names of fabulous designers within the opening bars of her runway-dedicated Fashion; but darlings, regardless of such a doing, I was unsure of just how into “fashion” the gorgeous Gaga truly was, until I saw her walk in Alexander McQueen’s hoof-inspired 10-inch stilettos – shoes which look far more futuristic than functional – in the music video for Bad Romance. But I digress; that’s beside the point. The fact that Miss Gaga-licious herself was even able to don such a fantastic bit of footwear only made it clear in my mind that oui; she was a fashion lover of the most remarkable kind. Her voguish style strides also made me come to the conclusion that, deep within my soul, I long to be Gaga – as I’m sure many of you do.

Hush kittens. Don’t say a word. Your silence speaks volumes. I see the way your eyes are dancing about like the flame atop a candle. Face it, you may be as preppy and polished as Blair Waldorf; but underneath that shy, oftentimes snarky façade, I see it lurking…a craving to let loose and be as bonkers and maniacal as Gaga herself – at least in terms of appearance. So do it! I am not telling you to deck yourself out in bubbles or wear bows atop your head fashioned out of human hair; one does not have to go completely wild to mimic Gaga’s look. All you truly need are a few key pieces to subtly channel the bombastic seductress.

The Eyes – If you want to feel like Gaga, the one thing you can never be without is a pair of killer sunglasses. Please keep in mind that:

a) The sun does not have to be shining to wear these.

b) Feel free to wear them indoors.

c) The more outrageous…the better!

Sunglasses are one of those accessories that you can have fun and be playful with, just as Gaga does. Don’t feel intimidated by pieces that sparkle and shimmer like champagne, these only serve to make you feel more Paparazzi-ready. For the amateur Gaga wannabe, sunglasses are the preemptive piece to kick off your style tribute, as they are easily removed should you feel intimidated while donning them. Jeremy Scott for Linda Farrow Vintage are the true goggles Gaga accouters herself in; but should the $300 price tag be out of your budget, H2W’s  Poker Face Just Dance Sunglasses are ideal for that stunna style at an absolute steal!

The Hair – Teeny tiny bows hardly visible to the naked eye gracing headbands are so last season. Okay, so maybe that’s going slightly too far; but if Marc by Marc Jacobs showed us anything during Fashion Week, it was that big hair bows are haute! Lucky for you, they’re also a trademark of Gaga, and incredibly simple to incorporate into your daily wardrobe. Just remember, it’s all about the attitude. Don’t feel insecure while donning such a large hairpiece – it’s not juvenile in any way, shape, or form; quite the opposite, in fact. A big hair bow is loud and ostentatious, two things that will make you come across as boisterous and full of life – the two things which make Gaga so appealing. Bebe’s Big Bow Headband in either Fuchsia or Black, or Nasty Gal’s Just Say Bow Headband in Ivory, Black, or Fuchsia are unbeatable choices – pair them with a flirty black frock for a girls night out; the perfect time to play dress up, if I do say so myself.

The Hands – Cocktail rings may sometimes speckle the petite digits of the Lady in question, but even more prevalent about her hands are gloves. Not any pair of gloves will do, of course. Cut-out, fingerless, motorcycle gloves are the object of the hour – accessories that are just as blingin’ as a bauble; while retaining a classy, understated appeal which is both sophisticated and seductive. The key is locating a pair that is fitted to the contours of your hand, as opposed to embracing it in the form of a mitt and/or the protective gear our parents forced us to wear as children when we were simply going for a short bike ride down the street. Three pairs that will instantly transform your fingers into Gaga are Kiki de Montparnasse’s Driving Gloves, Nasty Gal’s Cyndi Fingerless Gloves, and Free People’s Chain Zip Fingerless Glove. Allow your fingers to flirt like that of a superstar’s, darlings!

The Shoulders – Now ladies, please don’t go all eighties on me here. I am not reinforcing the big, teased hair seen on Dynasty; I am, however, allowing you to be over the top with big shoulders. Balmain brought big, brawny shoulders to the runways; but Gaga has been embracing them via blazers and blouses since she first emerged on the scene, and giving them a great big bear hug yourselves is bound to assist you in tapping into your inner Gaga – if only by a hair. Start small in the beginning with a design such as Torn by Ronny Kobo’s Jayne Long Sleeve T-Shirt with Shoulder Pads, a piece in which shoulder pads are present, but certainly not overbearing. If you’re more comfortable with the look go a bit bolder with Alice + Olivia’s Short Sleeve Tee with Shoulder Pads. While the style is ever so slightly masculine, Gaga and Balmain have made it daringly – and oh so divinely – feminine.

The Legs – Playing it safe is always a cinch, but it most definitely doesn’t allow us to step out of our comfort zones; thus, do like Gaga. Ditch the standard smoky shades of leggings and allow your gams to devour the sweet taste of design. Gaga is known for wearing many outlandish pieces about her legs; your mission is to take those looks and transform them into easy to wear bits that will showcase your style without making you stick out like a sore thumb. Slip on Sass & Bide’ Beast Rats Leggings in Bronze Print with a flowy black tank that hits at the hip; pair David Lerner’ Ripped Leggings in Black with an ebony-hued cardigan that stops just below the derriere to add a little punk to your prep; top Velvet’s Kaela Leggings with a skintight LBD. Be creative, be wild, be willing to take chances – your legs will thank you!

The moral of the story? Gaga-fy yourselves, dolls!

Fashionably yours!

Thank you so much Erika! Definitely in the mood to dress a little gaga now (oh boy, I'm terrible with puns). Make sure to check out her blog Café Fashionista for more fashionable posts! And I hope everyone has a great weekend :)

guest blog #1: witty quotes & fantasy

Note from Nikolett: Well, this week has definitely called for some time away from the computer (and you have no clue how much that devastates me - if you follow me on Twitter, you'll see I barely have time to update that either!). But I loved reading all of your experiences with serendipity and fate, and hope I inspired you to watch some movies, too! Our first guest blog comes from Alexis, a girl who does some amazing photography and reads a great deal of fantasy books while also struggling with university! Definitely check her out, and I have a few more guest blogs in store, so thank you to them and thanks for being patient while I'm off tackling another essay. Now, here's Alexis!

Like Nikolett, I'm also in university and this week was full of the exciting adventures that come with my school's online enlistment process. JOY!!

But, as what usually happens with me when I encounter crazy happenings, I end up finding all the crazy things that tend to happen this week very amusing. Like when the school's computer system decided to change my course from Humanities to....Industrial Economics. Yikes!

Also...it retained my previous subjects which made for an amusing contrast in information on my student information sheet. Since when do Industrial Economics courses include subjects like Visual Arts, Classical Greek Plays, Asian Literature, Film Theory and philosophy based subjects? O.O

Right then...how about let's distract ourselves from the craziness of the University life for now?

I've always like collecting witty quotes, which I either post in my regular blog or just write down in notebooks. I like quotes on reading, writing, coffee (of course!) and other random quotes like from my most favorite tv show ever, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or my favorite books like Anne of Green Gables and fantasy books by Neil Gaiman and the like.

Aside from my photography, which you can see in the most recent entries of my blog, I also like playing around with digital scrapbooking using Photoshop. The quotes below were made using Photoshop and some downloaded digiscrap freebies. :)

credits: paper from Colorfall Papers by Becky Vosburg, fonts: SP Coffee Break (quote)
& Avalon Quest (author)

I love coffee, and this quote perfectly describes how I feel anytime I see my mug filled with coffee. :P I haven't read the Discworld book this quote is from, The Fifth Elephant, I only found it when I was searching for quotes about coffee. Have any of you read it?

This next quote explains one of the reasons why I love reading, especially fantasy books. If you were to look at my GoodReads list, 145 out of the 329 books listed are fantasy. And the remaining 184 are divided among a whole bunch of other categories. I'm starting to feel like I read entirely too many fantasy books...must find others....

credits: paper from Abrielles Romance Papers by Pam Lefors Designs,
fonts: Avalon Quest (quote) & Windsong (author)

So...what are your favorite quotes about your likes or hobbies? What quotes cheer you up when you feel overwhelmed and in need of a laugh?

Alexis of The Magick Box

Thank you so much Alexis! I'm off to defeat some dragons/assignments now.
And I hope you've all been having a great week so far, I'm spending tomorrow catching up!

serendipity on a sunday night

I'm a bit of a weirdo. I'm the type who can reread a book or rewatch a movie over and over again, always looking for new details and never getting bored or tired of it (unless I hate it). It started when I was young with 101 Dalmations. I would watch it every day when I got home from kindergarden. My grandpa, who was visiting from Poland at the time, even apparently said, "These damn dogs again?!" after about the fifteenth time of watching it. Sorry grandpa!

Another favourite? Serendipity (a.k.a. Cutest Movie Ever). You've got your John Cusack, you've got your Kate Beckinsale, and you've got your plot all based on a girl who doesn't believe in fate but then is proved wrong. This movie taught me that:

1) The ideal place to meet someone must be New York City, since there's a bajillion people there (that fact might be slightly exaggerated).
2) You're automatically cooler if you have freckles/beauty marks on your arms in the shape of constellations.
3) John Cusack is awesome.

But it also made me wonder about serendipity, this thing we call fate. The way that I met The Boy was almost serendipitous. We met on a bus after a night class, and we smiled -- and he got off the bus. But then the next week in that night class, I realized he was in my class, and I was glad he wasn't a total stranger. I left class early, and he happened to be the last person who got on the bus. We smiled again, I took out my earphones, and he came over and said 'hi' ... and just like that, boom, instant clickage. Not sure if I'd call it fate, yet I couldn't help but adore the odd and random way in which we had met each other.

Tonight, I watched (500) Days of Summer, which will probably go on the rewatch list. It's not the typical romantic comedy, and I think that's why I enjoyed it. The main girl is a bit of a heartless biatch. But the film wasn't afraid to question the audacity of love, of fate. The protagonist, Tom, goes into the film so sure that you can find your perfect soulmate -- and (SLIGHT SPOILER TIME) -- Summer pretty much takes that idea away from him but then ... adapts it to herself. I didn't like the way her character did a whole 180 at the end, but I think that's meant to show how unpredictable life can be. (END SLIGHT SPOILER TIME) And there's so many more movies like this. My Sassy Girl (both the English and Korean version), You've Got Mail, heck, even Lord of the Rings (what if Frodo Baggins never got ahold of the ring?).

Either way, this all got me thinking about serendipity, fate. What we're meant to do with our choices, and if we're even in control of them. I know this is a little heavier of a subject than I usually take on, so sorry if it's not what you're used to. But based on Wikipedia (oh boy, my university professors would frown on this sentence), I found that whether or not you believe in serendipity, you can't be looking for it.

You know that cliched line of thought, you'll find it when you least expect it? I found it can be true. Scenario 1: Girls and guys go out for a night on the town in a club hoping to hook up or find someone to be with there. Girl or guy might be expecting it. But say you do find that certain someone -- what if you went to a different club that night? What if you arrived at a different time? What if you didn't decide to hold your bladder when your favourite song came on, and when you were dancing to that certain song and still holding onto your bladder, there came that one that catches your eye? That, my friends, is a fortunate accident. (By the way, that picture is the weirdest result I found for clubbing dancing on Google Images haha).

Scenario 2: You've found yourself without a vehicle on the one day that you needed it the most. You find yourself puffing and panting and realizing how out of shape you are (story of my life) as you rush for the nearest bus or subway. You pile onto the vehicle, forgetting how uncomfortable public transportation is, and hope to find a seat but with no luck. There's a slight bump, and you almost lose your balance so you reach out for the nearest bar, sturdy wall, anything. Well, you happen to grab onto a guy's shoulder. He turns around, and he's pretty frickin' handsome. He smiles and says, "Having trouble balancing? Here, hold onto me and then we can fly away to Hawaii." Yay, fortunate accident. (And okay, maybe that last sentence wouldn't happen.) 

Since I adore Serendipity, I always find myself wondering about the word itself.

What do you think about serendipity/fate?
Does it exist? Am I simply crazy? (haha, please don't answer that last one)

Guest blogs are coming soon, just wanting to leave some food for thought instead of a recipe of the week this time around. And I think it's a combination of too much homework and watching movies as a 'reward' that's gotten me thinking way too much. Either way, I'll still try to keep up with all your blogs because they fill my days up with happiness. Hope you've all had a great weekend :)

{Images found via Google Image search.}   

famous ... in bed

When I'm stressed out, I have a tendency to do a few things (besides reading blogs, keeping in touch with friends, and cuddling with either my dog or my boyfriend) -- and that is eat food or exercise. Seems a bit bizarre, doesn't it? I love comfort food (though I try not to go overboard) and I love exercising, but don't have the time/the moola for a gym membership at the moment. So, instead, I work out at home and put a gazillion and one exercise DVDs on hold.

Yesterday though, was a 'eat food' day, and as an early year-and-a-half celebration with The Boy (since we both knew we wouldn't have time to celebrate in two weeks) we decided to hit up the Mandarin, a buffet restaurant. Eating delicious food there has motivated me to work-out today, for sure. It was an amazing time full of laughs and luuurve.

Lunch + dessert + The Boy = yummy times, haha.

Then came the fortune cookie part that comes with the bill. The last time I went to the restaurant, our server told us to add "... in bed" to our fortune for a little funny spin. I dare you all to try it, too ;) It's sort of stuck with me ever since so as I cracked open my cookie, I waited in anticipation to see what I'd add "in bed" to:

That's right, folks. My destiny is to be famous ... in bed (meep!). The Boy didn't approve of his fortune and said he'd much rather have one that said, "You will have a Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 dropped off on your driveway tomorrow" ... I told him fortune cookies didn't work that way, though (heehee). All in all, I think it was a much-deserved escape ... I really needed it.

1) I give total credit to Kym for her 'in other news' segment of her blog posts for this 'in other brews'!

2) Thanks so much for all your feedback and lovely comments, you have no idea how much it means to me. You're able to make me laugh, make me think, and made me feel warm & fuzzy! *HUGS* I heart you all so much.

3) My weekend will be full of sending out overdue packages to friends, and finishing up websites. I really wish I could've gotten to this sooner!

4) Oh, and it will also be full of homework. Joy.

And, I have to ask:

Would anyone like to be a guest blogger in the next couple of weeks?

I've been slacking in the whole updating aspect which I hate and have about twelve projects/essays/presentations in the next few weeks alone (which I also hate). So if some of you want a spot here to ramble, talk about how much they love/hate coffee, or anything at all just leave a comment or e-mail me at betterthancoffee@gmail.com. I'll be back soon, I promise, I just need time to focus on school and teacher's college applications.

Besides that, I hope you all:

Have a beautiful weekend :)

hola & gracias!

Muchos gracias again for all your well-wishes -- I'm better now! And what better way to recap the weekend than by doing it backwards? (err, what?) Sunday was spent fishing with The Boy, where we caught a whole lot of lil' fishies and sent them all back to the lake. But I finally know how to cast off so I considered it an accomplished day haha.

Then Saturday, of course, was Halloween and my close friend's birthday combined! I told you all that I was going to be a Mexican senorita named Rita and that The Boy was going to be my Mexican man. Well, we couldn't find a poncho but I thought we looked pretty darn good! It was my first time wearing false eyelashes and a bright red lip, so even though I didn't look Mexican, it felt good being all dressed up.

It was my friend's big 2-1, so we headed to her house for pre-drinks and yummy pizza and cake while we waited for the limo. Well, the limo came 15 minutes late. The birthday gal got us onto the guest list with no cover, but only if we got there before 10pm. No chance of that happening now!

The limo trip there was fun as we blasted music and a bunch of gals took tequila shots (the b-day girl had 10 altogether!). I figured I'd drink more at the club -- never tried tequila, and I don't know how I'd handle it!

So we get to the club and the first thing we notice is a huge line-up that goes all away around the side of the club, and people were standing against the wall. We go up to the front and apparently there is no more guest list, the club is almost at full capacity, and we'd have to wait ... at the end of the line, outside. It was freezing and I had left the faux-fur coat my mom lent me in the limo, so we were all forced to cuddle up to each other; I kept quoting Without A Paddle: "Let's huddle together for warmth. This never leaves the cave!" Then we'd all start singing random lyrics from songs we were listening to.

Some more pictures for your entertainment - this story is a long one!

[from left to right: back of my dress, a bunch of the girls, me with the b-day girl, and the Mexicans!]

The line barely budged, and then, the birthday girl got sick -- four times, all over the pavement. It was rough going and I felt so bad for her! We tried to keep her steady, but it was clear she wasn't feeling well. I was determined that if we didn't get into the club in half an hour than we'd call for the limo to pick us up. Three of the gals with us decided to go to a line on the other side of the club to see if they could get in with their good looks.

As we rounded the corner with the club in sight, the b-day girl got sick again, the winds got stronger, and then ... Captain Jack Sparrow came up to us. He said, in a slight accent, "Ladies, my friends got into the club but I did not. I do not have cell phone. It is very sad." There were a group of girls in front of us and we all started ganging up on him and telling him to go to the back of the line, since it was clear he was butting. He kept saying, "You are all being very rude. I could hit about five of you ladies." We kept telling him to go, the b-day girl was screaming, "If you don't get out of the f-ing line I'll puke on you!" and I even quoted The Lion King and said: "Leave now. And never. Come back!" Which was pretty ingenious (although whatever buzz I had from the alcohol was gone at that precise moment).

Eventually he left, and then we were bombarded by a bunch of guys from high school, one of whom labelled me as "so-and-so's ex-girlfriend." Two guys with them were dressed up as Mario and Luigi and I stole their bomb, passed it around, and the birthday girl threw it to the ground. It was pretty funny. By that point I had already called the limo driver (who was INSIDE the club -- douchebag could've gotten us inside ... and I really hope he wasn't drinking) and he was coming to get us, and then I had to run over to get the three girls and tell them we were going.

At this point, the birthday girl passed out on the limosine seats while the other girls (besides me and my awesome friend K) were talking about going back to our city and partying at a nearby club -- after a pee break. He stopped at a gasoline station and I got some water and Doritos (lifesavers!). At the end of the night, it was most of the girls going off to partay, while the few that were left took care of the birthday girl, made sure she got home, and then we went home ourselves. Pretty interesting night, overall! It would've been nice to dance it up in a club, but I was too concerned about the gal who had one-too-many-tequilas. Still a fun night, though!

Then Friday night was a fun dinner with a few friends (two whom I haven't seen in a while, and one was the almost-birthday-girl haha). It was such a great time, we hit up Turtle Jack's and we were going to go see 'Paranormal Activity' but the only show was at midnight and we didn't feel like being creeped out at that time. So we hit up some bubble tea and played crazy eight countdown, 'cause we're cool like that!

The N.Y Butter Sauce chicken wings were to die for and inspired this week's recipe of the week. And if you couldn't guess, this whole weekend is my simple smile of the week. The randomness, the dressing up, the reuniting, the fishing, the good times, and the weird times ... I love weekends like these.

Unfortunately, this month is hectic with essays/projects and my TAs in my university have gone on strike which means delays on getting into the university due to picket lines and yeah ... it's going to be chaotic. But you can guarantee I'll be here when I need to escape. Sorry if I scared some of you with my blog being private, it's up and running now! Now I'm off to relax/do homework ... seems like an oxymoron.

How were your weekends? :)

Great, I hope!