In an effort to blog more, I’ve decided to start trying a weekly post on Fridays: The Friday Five. It’s exactly what you think it is: every Friday, I’ll write a five point list about… well, whatever the heck I feel like. We’ll see how long I manage to keep up with this. You can place your bets with the bookie down the street.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving: or, as we Canadians call it, “Thursday”. That means one thing – today is Black Friday, also known as “that day we all drive across the border to shop and wear 11 shirts, three hoodies, two pairs of pants, a hat, mittens, and brand new sneakers back across the border with a flat screen TV hidden in the spare wheel well”.
Sidenote: who actually SAVES money on Black Friday? I mean, it’s not really “saving” if you’re spending it, now is it?
Anyway, in honor of this completely self serving, materialistic, and shallow day I bring to you a comletely self serving, materlistic, and shallow post:
5 Material Things I Can’t Live Without
1. My car. I got my first car when I was in second year university. It was a hand-me-down from my parents that had been collecting dust in the garage for three years. I’m on car number three now, and don’t tell the others, but it’s probably my favorite thus far (although it is lacking many of the spiffy features my last one had). Even if it wasn’t my favourite, my car, in general, is one of my most important things. Call me a princess, but even living in Toronto I can’t imagine not having a car. I love being able to go where ever I want, whenever I want, whichever route I want. I don’t have to depend on the TTC or other peoples schedules, and I can easily go home to my parents, head for an impromptu weekender, or visit friends in other towns.
Meet Teddy.
2. My childhood stuffed animal, Teddy. She was a gift to my mom before I was born, and I still have her today: though this was no small feat. Teddy has been lost more times than I can remember. Once, I put her in a garbage can at White Rose. My mom went back and found her. Another time I left her on some random person’s front lawn, under a sprinkler, because “she needed a bath”. I’ve left her in the fridge, at school, under the bed, and at friend’s homes. Most famously, I once ut her in the wrong shopping cart at the grocery store. I cried for three days. My mom was SURE she was gone forever, but kept asking the store every day. On the fourth day, the cashier told my mom someone had brought Teddy back in. An eldery lady had returned to the store, and said the bear looked “well loved” and that she was sure a child was missing it. <3 Crisis averted. Needless to say, I’m smarter now: she stays safely tucked away in one of the drawers in my bedroom.
3. My iPhone. I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m addicted. If I forget my phone at home, I actually turn around to get it. It’s not even the fact it’s a phone: it’s my daily camera, my social media connection, my online banking tool, my budget, my photo album, my calendar, my music, my emails, and my entertainment (games galore!) all in one. It’s also my backup e-reader, thanks to my Kindle app. I’m so busy I’d be lost without my calendar, and as a self-proclaimed photograhy nut I love to have a camera (even if “just” the iPhone) at my side at all times.
4. My DSLR Camera. See “self-proclaimed photography nut” above. I love taking photos, love taking “fancy” photos, and love being able to look back on the memories days, months, and even years later. My Canon T2i is my baby, and for the longest time I was scared to take my camera anywhere interesting: New York City, Burning Man, the Beach, etc. because I was worried about breaking it or losing it. Finally, my dad pointed out to me that there was zero point in HAVING a nice camera if I never took it anywhere. He was right: it’s been to Burning Man twice now and still is in fine condition.
5. Clothes. Before you tell me this is a cop out, because “we all need clothes unless you’re a nudist”, hear me out. I’m a total shopaholic, which is why I avoid malls, outlet stores, and really any kind of store that will sell me clothing like the plague… unless I absolutely need something or am PLANNING to shop. I own more clothes than I know what to do with (although just last week I cleaned out my closet and drawers and have a giant garbage bag of items to donate). I love to shop, love to buy interesting clothing items, and love to try to piece together outfits – it’s just too bad I’m not always that good at it! I especially love tank tops and tee shirts, but don’t get to wear them nearly as often as I was I could since, you know, that little thing called a “career” sometimes gets in the way of my tee-and-jeans-every-day dreams.
