Blogs on More

I love reading blogs. In fact, that’s often what I do when I’m procrastinating. So today, I’m going to dedicate this post to More.ca fans that have their own wonderful blogs. Here are some excerpts worth exploring in full (many of them with a nod to Mother’s Day).

Blog: Life — The Flip Side
“In a few short day’s I will be fifty years old. I feel it is worthy to look back at the last decade and give it proper burial.

Notably the best decade of my life so far, I mourn its passing. Like anything else in life, I will look back and find what I can be grateful for and then move on.

So, what did I learn in the past decade? [Read more]”

Blog: Year Ache…The First Year of Missing Mum
“I’m on the cusp of the two month mark. The approach of Mother’s Day is making my sadness & loneliness feel even more raw – if that’s at all possible. I feel like an outsider looking in on a beloved milestone that was always a highlight on my calendar.

I don’t begrudge others who are noting this day with their Mums – not at all! – I just wish that mine was here for a bunch of warm hugs, another day of being spoilt and one more opportunity for me to tell her how much she means to me. I even have a card – one that I purchased a few months ago – that I would have given to her this coming weekend…[Read more]”

Blog: The Re-Stylist
“How to shop for tummy-hiding tops: My aunt happened to be wearing a tiered ruffle top from New York & Company, and started raving about the variety of tummy-camouflaging tops she had found there. She liked this one in particular because of its slight A-line cut and loose tiers that cover the belly [Read more, including top photos].”

Blog: …Unless I Change My Mind
“Ah, the accursed full-length mirror. It’s like a bad relationship; it crushes your self-esteem, but you can’t seem to stay away from it. It’s the time of year when thoughts of vacations to warmer climes or optimism for an early spring lure women of all shapes and ages before this “teller of hard truths” where they stare, horrified to imagine themselves donning the most revealing of apparel…the bathing suit. Whether you’re trying to fit into that new string bikini, or trying to cover as much of yourself as possible, chances are you are feeling self-conscious.

In every woman I see one of two scenarios…[Read more]”

Blog: Freeshopper Deals
“Since it is that time of year and Mother’s Day is just around the corner, I have decided to make a post to help all the moms out there, not just at Mother’s Day, but all throughout the year…

My very own dear mother helped me at a time in my life when I needed it due to an accident I endured, and I would like to share it with you. [Read more]”

Do you have a blog? If you’d like to share it and it’s appropriate for the More.ca audience, please come leave a link in our comments.

-Helen

This week we folks here at More.ca have a veritable pile of leaves being turned over, so to speak. Jenn Gruden is back blogging in this spot (catch her latest post on getting caught in the the sandwich generation), and she’s launched a writing project for 2011 called the 99 cent novel project.

Do check it out, here. I’m really cheering her on. As I familiarize myself with the content she’s written for this site, I never fail to find something interesting and well-crafted. I’ll link to a bunch of her articles further on.

Another leaf-turner over here is our web producer Simone C. She’s off to be a web editor for another site and this is her last week. Simone does a lot of the “heavy-lifting” as we sometimes call it, which allows me to do stuff like write this blog. If a new story catches your eye on our homepage today, chances are that Simone formatted and posted it. Simone has been a fun, warm and hard-working colleague — I’ll miss her.

And so, another leaf. Which is Grace M. T. joining us as web producer. I got to know Grace when she was interning for Styleathome.com, and I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. Welcome, Grace!

And now, some vintage Jenn Gruden content:
7 career killers to avoid
10 cheap ways to be happy
6 great 40th birthday party ideas

Enjoy!
-Helen

We’ve read your amazing Firsts after 40 entries, narrowed them down, and now it’s time to vote on the 100 online finalists for the Reader’s Choice Prize portion of the contest. (See the rules for a refresher on the details.)

Voting is easy, and you can vote on more than one finalist. Just read these inspiring entries, find one or more you think should get your vote, and click the stars above above the entrant’s photo. The more stars you award them, the more you like the entry.

Vote here…and spread the word!

This is really neat: Cassie Boorn has made a call to women to write letters to their 20-something selves and share them with her (she herself is a mom in her 20s, and looking for some inspiration). If you have time to pop over and share I think that would be great – but I also think it would be great if you do, if you can share the link here too. Or just comment here and hopefully Cassie will see it.

I’m going to share mine here and then send her the link:

Dear 20-year-old Jenn:

1. You look much better than you think you do. That being said, skip the grunge phase. Also, don’t waste any money on Hypercolour t-shirts. Trends really do come and go, some faster than others.

2. Your friends right now are some of the best you’ll have. Years from now you will re-find them on Facebook and regret that you didn’t keep in touch. So keep in touch. Try this thing called…email. Don’t sweat the differences in your paths after graduation; later those won’t matter as much as they do now.

3. So far, you don’t have a credit card. It’s best to keep it that way for a good long time yet. But scrape together some money and buy shares in Microsoft. Also, when some friends-of-friends approach you to invest in their little card game called Magic: The Gathering, borrow money and do it. Ahem. If you look at something and say WOW, chances are good other people may be saying the same thing. This won’t be so true in your 30s.

4. Don’t put off that road trip across the U.S., or you’ll never do it. On that note: Travel more. Don’t be in such a rush to settle down. Once you’re settled it can be a bit hard to get unsettled. Actually, just don’t rush into most things, except love. That one turns out okay. (However, please don’t get the wedding dress with the massive bow on the butt, because The Bow will own the pictures for all time.)

5. Don’t be afraid to admit a mistake and change direction. Teaching seems like a really secure great idea with “time to be creative in the summers” right now, but be prepared that it may just not be a good fit. Also on that note: No matter what everyone says you probably won’t regret skipping the PhD (or MA, for that matter). And yes, you will be part of the “slacker generation” and no, you won’t be stuck working those minimum wage jobs forever, even if it feels that way. And the minimum-wage jobs will teach you some useful soft skills.

6. Do not drive your Ford Probe (which you will soon own) too fast on the ramp to Niagara-on-the-lake in the rain. Trust me on this one.

7. Floss. Use sunscreen.

Love, 39-year-old-Jenn

No, I don’t mean THAT kind of intimacy (but see Midlife sex: The new normal if that’s what you were hoping for!)

I mean the question of whether having instant messaging, Facebook, Twitter, etc. available at work and, in some cases, just about everywhere is actually creating more intimate relationships with our closest friends and family. You’ll find the YouTube video that got me thinking about it (courtesy of Laura over at 11D) below.

I attended a launch party for the new Sympatico.ca portal last night. (Congrats guys!) It was a very web-oriented crowd, of course, and that pretty firmly placed me in the camp of older attendees by… quite a bit.

I’d also had a lively discussion earlier in the day about the new Fame movie. More than any other remake lately, it’s made me feel a bit – nostalgic. I think it’s because when the first movie came out I was – well let’s say young enough that my parents wouldn’t let me see it, but I managed to do so anyway. (Sorry mom.)

So yes, I was feeling my age. A tiny little bit. Maybe.

That’s probably why Judith Warner’s column at the New York Times caught my attention this morning. She talks about a moment of realization — listening to the Fame soundtrack — that her 12 year old daughter has all that driving ambition ahead of her. I relate! But then I read the first comment: “Trust me: you get over this.” (From Rand Careaga) and I laughed.

It’s so true. All I have to do is take a look at some of the recent stories on the site — Canada’s war artist; Belinda (Stronach) unbound — to be reminded that even though there are these “Man, I may not be old, but I’m definitely not young” moments, who cares?

Seriously.

So here’s what happened after my moment going up to the bar: I ordered a gin and tonic, and someone (younger, better looking) next to me commented that she felt wimpy ordering a beer compared to my “real” drink. I had to confess I’d had just a moment when I wondered if mine was a dated choice. And then we laughed together and enjoyed the party.

It’s always nice to have one’s taste confirmed by others. For the longest time I’ve had Gwen Cooper’s “Night of the Hunter” bookmarked, but I was just a bit unsure about sharing a tale that is, in the end, about a cat. I think it’s a great story, but I’m partial to pets so my opinion is suspect.

But today Cooper’s book about the same, amazing, blind  cat, Homer’s Odyssey comes out in stores, so here’s both my excuse and my justification to share it today.

It’s also an excuse for you to share your tales of amazing pets in the comments!

Ah, summer. A time for languid days by the lake, a few novels, and just maybe – summer love. So here you go; Isabelle Allende on passion (and creativity, and 4 minutes of fame). Oh, and with a little feminism thrown in.

A beluga whale has rescued a diver in north-east China, according to The Sun (UK).

I’m just a little skeptical, but that’s me. And the unexpected – whether a rescue or an image – is often inspiring. On that note here’s a link to Smashing Apps’s 23 breathtaking moments.

I hope you get an unexpected pleasure today!

There’s something about taking the forlorn and turning it into interesting pictures that buoys my spirit. I love people who find beauty in unexpected places. So today’s site is Abandoned Planet – a gallery of pictures of abandoned places. And it’s even got Canadian places!