It Might Be Time for A New Laptop

28 October 2016

personal

It Might Be Time for A New Laptop

Okay. Before I get straight to the point, I need to say this: I am fully aware that this is my fault. There is no blame being directed elsewhere. I am just clumsy Nessa, and I guess it finally caught up to me...
Damn.
In the worse way possible to. 
I think I messed up my macbook pro bad. Like really bad to the point where I myself cannot fix it. And, if you know me, I'm the type to do/fix everything I can myself before going to someone for help.

Long story short, as I was getting ready for work a few days ago, I had my coffee in hand as I began to sit into my desk chair. My laptop was already opened, and was set up to continue watching, How to get Away with Murder (interesting show by the way!).
I think you could already tell where this is going...
Somehow, as I placed my coffee mug onto my desk, it tipped over and spilled onto my table. It took me maybe 10 second before I realized that some of that coffee spilled onto my laptop as well.... more specifically, on the right hand corner of my keyboard. And, it spread... quickly.
I took a clean towel to clean the area as quickly as I could. I even placed the laptop upside down. But, when I looked at the time, I noticed I was starting to run late on time, and I needed to get to work. I quickly check my trackpad and keyboard by going onto safari and typing in a random web address. It work, and so I gave myself a pat on the back, and left for work.
I came home later that evening, and BAM. I couldn't log into my laptop. Every time I typed in letter, 4 other characters would appear as I was entering my password. Only a few letters were acting up.
Don't ask me how, but I was able to have a window pop up where I was able to type in the letters to strategically type and erase characters in order to access my laptop. It worked. YES. Okay, next step, was to do research and figure out how to get my keyboard to work. Believe me when I tell you, after hours, I couldn't get it to work. In fact, I think I some how made it worse.
My laptop later died, and once it started back up, my keyboard was just no longer functioning and I was so devastated. I never realized how much I depended on my laptop... I mean, my entire life is on their - from pictures to documents to just about everything... you name it, its on there. And, I just got scared.
At that point, I was willing to drop money just to have my laptop fixed. But, thank goodness for my calm sister who told me to try connecting an external keyboard. IT WORKED.
Opps... so, I know I said "long story short"... but, I swear I'm almost done.
So, right now, using an external keyboard is a temporary solution. I just don't know how practical it would be to carry both my laptop and a keyboard around, especially from class to class when I start up school again in January.
I definitely love my macbook pro, so I wouldn't want to stray away to other laptops. It's now comes down to deciding whether I want to buy a used laptop, a refrubished, or  a new one altogether. A lot of things I have to decide. At least I have a good 2 months to decide and save!
Now I'm done. :) I just needed to vent about this.
Have a good weekend!
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I Blog For Me

26 October 2016

blog

I Blog For Me

This past weekend was quite relaxing. I had the weekend off from work (thank you Jesus!) and I was just able to catch up on a lot of errands and much needed sleep. Oh, I was also able to read up on a lot of my favourite blogs that I didn't get a chance to read through over the past couple of days weeks.
As I was reading through some of my favourite blogs, I realized that I'm slowly turning my attention away from the "How to make money on your blog" or "how to get more followers/comments/traffic" type of posts. I'm a little more interested in reading about my favourite bloggers and how they are doing in life. I like feeling I can connect with a blogger through similar experiences. It's just a great reminder that we all go through sh*t.
And, it got me thinking, here I am on my blog without any updates on my life. I slowly began to feel a bit pressured into writing a separate post saying I'm sorry for not posting. Or at least not doing anything exciting in my life that is considered blog-able.
Then it hit me.

I started this blog for me. 
I created this space that was mine to share my experiences, my favourite memories, and about anything I wanted.
When I first started this blog, it became this fun thing I loved to do on the side during school and work during a rough time in my life. I actually enjoyed it. Then, as I began discovering more blogs, I felt my focus was starting to go in a different direction. All of a sudden, I felt like I had to make posts that would help drive traffic. That I was doing something wrong because I wasn't making money. Then, blogging wasn't fun anymore.
I didn't start my blog to make money. This is definitely not a career I want to pursue full-time (at least for now, who knows what the future holds). I also didn't start my blog with the hopes of having millions of followers.
Who says you need to make money from a blog? Or get a lot of comments? If I do receive a comment or two, YAY! Thank you! If I don't, then that's okay, I really won't cry.. But, it's just not a priority for me to make money on here.
So, I want to go back to where it all started for me. I want to focus on what I want to blog without the worry or stress about creating posts that would attract the most traffic.
For now, I want to blog for me. Not for money. Not for traffic. For me. Maybe one day I will build up that traffic of readers who visit my blog on the daily to justget to know me.

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Currently in October

24 October 2016

currently

Currently in October

I really didn't take the time to stop by on my blog and write about what's been going on in my life. So, I thought it would be to finally check in and let you know what I've been currently up to.
But, to be honest, I wrote this post ahead of time. So, as you are reading this, some answers may seem odd, for instance like how I said I'm getting ready for bed even though this is being posted in the morning... 

READING... Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

PLAYING...  BrainWars on my phone, very addicting 

WATCHING... Haters Back Off! on Netflix

TRYING... to stretch out my back 

EATING... shortbread biscuits 

DRINKING... homemade peppermint tea 

CALLING... for Penelope 

TEXTING...  my sister  

TWEETING... about it being Monday 

GOING... to bed shortly 

LOVING... how organized my agenda is looking!

HATING... the back pains 

DISCOVERING... braces, and everything about them...

THINKING... getting back into the eyelash extension flex

FEELING... happy :)  

HOPING (for)... positivity 

LISTENING (to)... Hey Girl by Lady Gaga ft. Florence Welch  

CELEBRATING... the hours I have for work this week; my pay check is going to be blessed

SMELLING... my vanilla scented candle 

ORDERING... nothing!! :) 

THANKING... the God for this life

CONSIDERING... which book to pick up next

STARTING... to appreciate the work life  

FINISHING... up my tea, yum

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Lady Gaga - Joanne Listening Party

21 October 2016

listening party

Lady Gaga - Joanne Listening Party

Last night I went to my first listening party, and I couldn't be any happier that it was for the fabulous Lady Gaga! Although she wasn't physically there, we were still able to watch her perform on live stream where she was performing live at another listening party in the States. 
It was such a cool experience. We first got an email saying we won passes to to Lady's Gaga listening party at a secret location. Once we confirmed our attendance, the address of a bar downtown was sent to us, and what time the doors would open. It was drizzling outside, so I was not too impressed that the doors didn't open when they said they were. And, the line to get inside was just too long, and unorganized. But, I guess that was because they had to check for our names on the list. 

The secret location was a bar/club and there were only a few tables and chairs to sit on. So, if you were late, you would be stuck standing the entire time. Also, those who got to sit on tables had more access to the free food they were blessing us with. 
No complaints from me! I didn't eat beforehand, so I was happy with all the free food! They, also gave us tickets to redeem free drinks, and you already know I took advantage of that! The drinks were good and I was happy I didn't spend a dime hehehe. 

Today her album, Joanne, was released and made available for purchase on iTunes, and at last night's listening party, we were able to listen to all of her songs. I have to say, this album was absolutley soulful and amazing. There was a bit of a country vibe, which I did read beforehand that she was moving in a different direction. It was different, but it was perfection. You can literally hear stories within each song. 
We were able to listen to the entire album twice before she went live stream. And, during her live stream she performed 5 songs, and spoke to us a bit mentioning the inspiration behind each song. She sang Diamond Heart,  Just Another Day, A-YO, Million Reasons and Grigio Girls. 

After listening to the entire album, I was hoping she performed Come to Mama and Hey Girl (ft. Florence Welch). These were just a few of the songs I absolutely enjoyed from the album! 
Her voice was absolutely powerful. I've never been to a concert of her's, but after last night, I think I might have to! 
It was an amazing experience.  Follow

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October Goals

03 October 2016

monthly goals

October Goals

Hello October! I don't know how you got here so quickly, but you're here and I am here to embrace you with open arms! September was a great month for me both here on my blog and out here in my real life. I'm really hoping for more positivity and fun to come my way as we, dare I say it... come to the end of 2016. The new year is approaching us way more faster than I expected. 
But, for now, let's just focus on October, shall we? 
September Goals Revisited:

1. Reply back. Believe it or not, I actually replied back to ALL of my texts, comments, tweets, everything you can think of. Okay, maybe not one... but, I am going to reply back right after I finish this post.
2. Read a book. Oh, yes I did! I read, and finished, two books. I'm a slower reader, I'll soon increase my number of reads per month in time.
3. Complete more than half of blog-tember challenge prompts. I WAS SOOO CLOSE! There were 30 prompts, and I only ended up following 13 of them. The last week of September just got hectic at work, and I found no time, or maybe no will, to type. I'll get 'em next time! 
4. Hit the gym. Kinda, yes and no. I'll (somewhat) explain a little more below, because I have a new type of goal I want to complete that relates to the gym.
5. Take photos. oops. I didn't. But, I did find myself taking a lot more videos in September than I normally do. But, then again, snapchat makes that easier nowadays. 

October Goals!

1. Work and save. 

This month, my goal is to make as much money as I can, and save as much as I can as well. As you all know, I start school back in January. And, I am go fortunate to have parents to pay for both my sister and I school funds, but I still want to help out. I've been working towards this goal for months. The ultimate goal is to save up to pay the entire tuition, but making at least half would be great as well!

2. Update old posts.

During one of the prompts from the blog-tember challenge, I went through my old posts and found a few that I want to update and edit a bit, and a few where I just want to straight up delete. Although I would love to keep some of my pasts posts the way they are, I feel like they are also the most many readers keep coming back to... Definitely want to be on my A-game for everything. 

3. Beginners Yoga.

I've decided it is time I start something new. And that something new is Yoga! I actually have legitimate reasons why I want/need to start yoga. So, please, don't think this is a phase I'm going to start and finish. I've been having back problems over the past couple of years, to the point where I feel my spine isn't straight anymore. Scary, I know. But, yoga is suppose to help with my posture. And, I'm hoping with this, it will be the first step to getting a strong and healthy back and posture. 

4. Read (of course).

Remember I mentioned that I have a reading goal of 20 books for 2016? Well, I've finished 14 books so far, and I am more motivated than ever to continue this. I actually like reading. It brings me joy, and my eyes like it so much better than staring at the bright-lit screen of my laptop or tv binge watching shows. At least, reading is helping my mind stay active. 

What are your October goals?

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Book Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

25 September 2016

blog challenge

Book Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

My Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: fiction, humour, contemporary, mystery, chick lit, adult fiction 

Summary Back of the book:

When fifteen-year-old Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, her fiercely intelligent but agoraphobic mother, Bernadette, throws herself into preparation for the trip. Worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Bernadette is on the brink of a meltdown. As disaster follows disaster, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces. Which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together emails, invoices, and school memos to reveal the secret past that Bernadette has been hiding for decades. 

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is an ingeniously entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are, and the power of a daughter's love for her imperfect mother.

My Thoughts 

Where do I even begin?

First off, I've read a lot of reviews giving praise to Where'd You Go, Bernadette. These are the type of books I gravitate towards, especially when it has such a cute cover. I actually bought this book at a used book store a while ago, and left it on my shelf since. It wasn't until recently something change my course of interest when I decided to sway away from the love stories and found myself picking up this book. 

I wish I read this book the moment I brought it home. 

I loved everything about it! It was also more hilarious than I expected. The stereotypes here and there (esp. about Canadians hehe) made me laugh out loud on the bus. I loved the positivity of the book, and I especially loved the relationship between Bernadette and Bee. That was evident throughout the entire novel. 

The writing style itself was also interesting. It was a timeline of documents and interchanging emails  between various characters, collected by Bee, with the addition of her comments to fill in a few gaps. So, although you're reading from the perspective of Bee, you basically have a full story (and not a one sided version) because of all these compiled documents. Quite interesting if you ask me. 

And, lastly... Bernadette. I did not expect to like her character as much I did! I think that maybe because of my background in psychology. I really like the fact that her character was a spot-on reflection of someone with an anxiety disorder. Like common... she hired a virtual assistant in Delhi just to avoiding dealing with others. How can that not be interesting to read about? 

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It was a great mix of quirky and mystery. I usually don't read mystery books, but I might have to pick one up soon because this novel was a real page turner.

Favourite Quotes:

• "That's right,' she told the girls. 'You are bored. And I'm going to let you in on a little secret about life. You think it's boring now? Well, it only gets more boring. The sooner you learn it's on you to make life interesting, the better off you'll be."
• "Maybe that's what religion is, hurling yourself off a cliff and trusting that something bigger will take care of you and carry you to the right place."
• "I can pinpoint that as the single happiest moment of my life, because I realized then that Mom would always have my back. It made me feel giant. I raced back down the concrete ramp, faster than I ever had before, so fast I should have fallen, but I didn't fall, because Mom was in the world."
• "What's this?" She pulled out a card and half it away from her face. "I can't read what it says." I took it from her and read it aloud.

     1. Beeber Bifocal

     2. Twenty Mile House

     3. Bee

     4. Your escape

Fourteen miracles to go." 

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DIY: Cellphone Charger Holder

24 September 2016

blog challenge

DIY: Cellphone Charger Holder

Hiya! It's finally Saturday, and I thought it would be fun to start off the weekend with some type of creative output.  You know those cute DIY projects you always see on Pinterest? Well, I decided to pick a cute one (one I'd most likely put to use) and recreate it. As you could tell from the title of this post, it's a cell phone charger holder! 

As I mentioned, this is not my idea. I actually first saw this creation on Kristyn's blog, where she created a cellphone holder using fabric, ribbon and a curtain grommet. It looked so cute, but I didn't have an extra curtain grommet laying around in the house so, I went on Pinerest and I surprisingly found many cute alternatives. 

I found others who created cellphone holders using an empty lotion bottle, or an old pair of jeans. There are a lot of different ways to go about this, and I decided to note from the pair of jeans method but, instead use old clothing I no longer wear. 

What you Need:

• Fabric or an old piece of clothing 
• Your phone
• Scissors 
• Needle and thread 
• Ribbon (optional)

First, lay your phone on top of the fabric, and mark the dimensions you want (i.e., how high you may want the pouch part of the holder to be). I personally eyeballed this part.

Next, sew the two pieces of fabric together, from the inside, leaving the top side open for your phone to slide through.

For the handle, you can use ribbon and easily sew it to the top of your pouch, or cut and use another section from your material. 

Voila!

There you go! Not only was this easy to create, but now you have a cute spot to keep your phone (and wires!) while it's charging. 

What I love most about this, is the fact that your little animal friends won't have the temptation of nibbling on hanging loose wires. Penelope has a tendency of doing this -- I've gone through way to many chargers. It's time I keep just one. 

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