A Libra Spin on Summer

Now that summer is officially upon us, (okay, I'm a few days late, but I'm on Pamela Time - always a little behind schedule),  I thought I'd share some of my favorite things about the season and some stuff I don't particularly care for. Because, you know, I just have to balance everything out in that annoying Libra way of mine.

What I love:

• Heat. When I first moved to Toronto from the East Coast, I couldn't bear the sticky humidity of the city. Over the years, I've learned to love, well, tolerate it at least. Now, I laugh at all my East Coast kin when they complain about 30C-including-humidity-temperatures. I've earned that right seeing I'm now a know-it-all Toronto snob, haven't I?  
• Sun. What's not to love about it? It shines, brightens everything up, makes the flowers bloom and the birds chirp. People all over the world have composed soulful melodies inspired by the wonder of it's rising and setting. Others worship it. Yes, the sun definitely rocks.
• Summer wardrobe. There's nothing better than kicking off those heavy winter socks (after a nice manicure, of course) and schlepping around in some cute summer sandals. It's so freeing to leave the house sans jackets, boots & other cold weather gear, not to mention how much easier it is getting the boy out the door for daycare in the mornings.
• Summer beverages. Ahhh, Margaritas, Sangria, Pina Coladas, Mojitos - take your pick. These exotic and tropical drinks not only sound divine, they go down so much smoother on  those sweltering summer evenings on the patio.

What I don't like:

• The oily greasiness that is my skin. Seriously? By this age, I thought I'd be well beyond the teen acne that seems to plague my face not only year-round, but on a exacerbated level come summertime. Even armed with facial blotting papers and a compact, it's a losing battle this time of the year. 

• The Sun. I know, I know, I just said the sun rocks. But it also keeps my kid up until almost 9:30 at night and wakes him up much earlier than I'd like to get out of bed. Same thing for the birds. Their damn chirping has roused me awake far too many mornings before 6:00 a.m. Go squawk somewhere else you annoying feathered freaks. 
• Bickering over the AC. I'm talking about the bickering between hubby and I about when to turn the air conditioning on and off. If it were up to him, we'd never turn the blasted thing on. He's always going on about how expensive it is to keep it running and that I turn it up too high. He forgets how I threatened to leave him back when we didn't have it a few years ago. (In my defense, I was pregnant and highly emotional.) I am very cranky when it's too hot. I refuse to cook. I become easily frustrated. He shouldn't mess with me then. It's dangerous, I tell you.
• The frizzies. Yes, ladies, many of you know what I'm talking about. The big hair. The no-matter-how-much-product-you-use-can't-avoid-the-afro-do. It's so far beyond a "bad hair day" you might as well just give up and chop it all off. This is my ultimate least favorite thing about the summer. And for all you silky, straight-haired bitches babes who never have to fuss to tame your locks, I have only one thing to say to you - Bite Me!!

No amount of anti-frizz serum, or hats, hair bands, etc. can control it!

Cult of Personality

In my last post, I dished quite a bit about my Libra characteristics and pondered over whether or not my birth date had anything to do with who I am. To sum it up, I don't follow my horoscope regularly nor do I believe the stars can predict my future, but it is uncanny just how many Libra traits I feel describe me perfectly.

I also believe that there are certain personality traits we're born with, inherited no doubt, from our parents. Also, there's the nurture factor - the influence of our surrounding environment. It makes sense to me that both DNA and environment play a huge part in determining our personalities.  But, I'm not here to debate the whole nature vs. nurture theory. What do I know? I'm no psychologist. Maybe I should have been, though.  I do enjoy trying to figure out what makes people tick!

A work friend recently sent around an interesting personality test that had some of us amazed at the results. It's called the HumanMetrics Jung Typology test, based on the Carl Jung and Isabel Myers-Briggs typological approach to personality. Turns out I'm an ISFJ - Introvert, Something, Feeling, Judging.  I think. Oops, I already forget. What I do remember is that I apparently have the same personality as both George Bush Sr. and Mother Teresa. Who knew?

If you find these kinds of tests as intriguing as I do, try it out when you have a few minutes. There are 72 yes or no questions, dealing with how you feel, act, or perceive certain senarios.

And, just to balance things out ('cause that's what us Libras are all about) I'm throwing in another quiz for you  courtesy of Oprah.com. It's called Who Am I Meant to Be? and it supposedly helps you find your striving purpose. It's not quite as long as the HumanMetrics quiz, and although I'm not exactly sure how accurate it is, I was quite pleased to find out I'm an Intellectual, striving for knowledge. 

My take-away on these personality tests? People are complex and can not be categorized by answering a few questions on a computer.On the other hand, it can be entertaining and maybe even give a wee bit of insight into your life. What are your thoughts? Have you tried taking these or similar personality tests? Did you learn anything about yourself that you're willing to share?

Getting to Know Me - Part One

Psst! Wanna know some secrets about me? Stuff I've never shared with anyone else? Well, if you are reading my posts (and hopefully someone out there is) I thought it might be a good time to reveal a little more of myself and maybe dish the dirt, as they say.

As you've probably noticed, my astrological sign is that of the Libra. Born October 1, 19-none-of-your-beeswax. Kidding! Sort of. It's way too depressing to go there. Anyway, other than reading an occasional horoscope for entertainment, I really don't take the whole zodiac thing very seriously. I find it hard to believe that your date of birth somehow predetermines the kind of person you'll be.

I will admit though, that many characteristics I've read about Libras describe me pretty darn accurately. For instance the whole Needs to find harmony in every situation. I must weigh all sides of an argument over and over before coming to any kind of conclusion or decision. It does not help that my husband is also a Libra cursed the same flaw trait. You would not believe the amount of fence-sitting that goes on around here. A typical conversation goes something like this: (Disclaimer: this conversation took place pre-baby).

She Libra:  What should we do this weekend?


He Libra:  I don't know. What do you want to do?


She Libra:  Maybe see a movie?

He Libra:  Sure, if you want. Which movie?

She Libra:  Hmm, how about (insert non chick-flick, non action-film, something-we-might- both-enjoy movie title here)?

He Libra:  Doesn't matter to me. I'll leave it up to you.

She Libra:  Early or late show?


He Libra:  When do you think would be good?


And on and on it goes until we eventually hammer out the details or get overwhelmed by too many options and give up on trying to plan anything. This also explains why haven't gotten around to buying a house yet. We've literally spent years trying to decide on which neighborhood to live in. 

The next Libra characteristic that I possess is Being neat. Yes, I am was a neat freak before having a little boy who colors and smears food on the walls and a cat that likes to barf everywhere. These days, if there are no puke or chocolate milk stains on the carpet I'm happy. That being said, I do tend to arrange and rearrange the same household items to the point of borderline obsessive-compulsiveness.

Other things Libras are supposed to like:

• Beauty - Sure, who doesn't?
• Subtle colors & textures - Sounds lovely
• Haute Couture - In my dreams, definitely
• Gifts - For me? You shouldn't have - but I'm really glad you did!

And some stuff Libras dislike:

• Noise - Not a big fan 
• Confusion - No love for bewilderment here
• Sloppiness - Is there anything worse?
• Dirt - In a word, Blecch!
• Being rushed - One of my biggest pet peeves. Ever.

Okay, so these aren't exactly earth-shattering revelations, but now you know a bit more about me and maybe about Libras in general. What about you? Does your astrological sign match your personality? Do you think it's possible that our fates have already been decided by the stars? Or do you think it's all hogwash? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Next Time on My Life as a Libra - Stay tuned for Part Two to find out even more about me (who say's Libras are narcissistic?) and perhaps learn a few things about yourself with an interesting personality test!

A Blog of My Own

I am super excited to have finally created my own blog! After years of worrying about whether or not I'd have anything worthwhile writing about, I decided to just do it! I mean, why not? I've always loved writing as a form of self-expression and had pretty much given up journaling when my son was born almost *gasp* 4 years ago?!

When I returned back to work after mat leave, I took a job as a copywriter which, unfortunately, did nothing to satisfy my creative side. I mean, I love shoes as much as the next woman, (in fact, maybe even slightly more - just ask my husband) but really, how many different ways can you describe them? They're shoes - you buy a nice pair in your size aaannd you wear them on your feet. The end. On the plus side, shoes are much more interesting than say sink faucets or self-watering plant containers. Yes, come to think of it, I've reviewed & written about way more boring things than shoes!

Now here I am with my very own blog, over which I have complete creative control! This is completely awesome! The best thing is I already have tons of things to talk about, all inspired by my somewhat crazy everyday life. The challenge for me will be finding the time to post them all!

I can't wait to tell you all about my cutie patootie, ladybug-loving, washing machine obsessed, Ciaran, Daddy Tony and our very charismatic (ok, not really) tabby Acci, otherwise known as Dr. Acula.

So, feel free to drop by anytime and peek in at this wonderful cast of characters, not to mention my work (and life) in progress!