9-to-5-ish

Fashion Week has come and gone. Really? Did I blink? Such fun. OK, I'm kind of lying. Well, perhaps it would have been fun, had I not been clenching my teeth together (a reaction to anxiety) the entire time. I feared botching blogTO's coverage. But I'm over it. I'm not even going to read the comments. And a few of my quasi-journalist peers were at least complimentary. (Oh, and p.s. my OR by Angela Chen review is up!)

[ photo by blogTO partner-in-swag-crimes, Dennis Marciniak ]

But if LGFW was a triple-layer buttercream-iced gateau with spun-sugar bows (yum-yum-yum!), this week is a Kellogg's Pop Tart in comparison (ho-hum). OK, melodrama is one of my (non-resume-worthy) skills but if I was really exaggerating, I would have said Wonder Bread. At least I'm tossing in a little strawberry(ish) filling.

 

[ ummm, too early to renew my vows? ]

I am waking up at six. I am commuting over an hour in each direction. I have a physical in-box. The office coffee isn't free. It's not all bad, though, and I have some seriously exciting career-news to share shortly (yes, more changes), so I'll survive.

In the meantime, I'm going to need to find time in the non-working-hours for me-me-ME. It's all about balance.

Oh, and planning!

And follow-through!

Oh my. I need to rediscover my organized self after a year of making my own schedule and keeping late hours. I need to be that super meticulous and "together" person that I am in my head. Putting it to practice is challenging, but in the works:

 [photo via: Things Organized Neatly ]

I have:

1. Organized closet into "work" and "play", and by type (skirts, blouses...); purged fugliness = easier coordination of outfits while half-asleep
2. Committed to night showers = shaving a good 20 mins off of my morning routine (and not waking Alex with the blowdryer)
3. Bought new tupperware = making healthy lunches in advance, reducing risk of meals built around expired desk-pudding
4. Sorted out commuting activities (my NY Times Crossword book, that Vonnegut novel that Alex recommended, that small biz book that I still haven't read) = productivity during new-found idle time
5. Bought new work bag (well, mum did) = room for #3 and #4
6. Broke news gently to affected parties = Alex is aware of his new housewife role, and is adapting nicely (his Tuesday involved dog-poo management and laundry)
7. Google mapped every possible route to work = saved myself $5 per day (and several calories) by adding a 20-minute walk (albeit through a woodsy/industrial area, frequented, I can only assume, by search parties, rapists and various victim-types)
8. Bought actual alarm clock radio that is not my phone, despite overwhelming ugliness = lowered sleep-in potential and increased waking-up-to-Shakira potential

Excellent.

I'll stop now before I "accidentally" spill the beans. Oh, and because it's 8pm and I need to be in bed soon.

LG Fashion Week

So, Alex is away yet again ("1st Wife" business), and I've been busy-busy with Fashion Week stuff - I'm co-covering it this year for blogTO. Gotta say, I felt like a bit of a phony getting front row seats at almost every show. Sitting among real journalists. Scribbling madly. I haven't mastered the art of just watching and absorbing, taking the odd note. Nope, I need to record EVERYTHING. I suppose it's helpful for my first real run (my LGFW experience is limited to volunteer work and guest tickets). I only took on six shows this time, and my reviews are posted on the blog:

Chloe Comme Parris

Pink Tartan

Bustle

Comrags

David Dixon

OR by Angela Chen - coming soon!

I'd share highlights, but really? Do I have to double my work? Read! (The Chloe Comme Parris piece is probably my best of the bunch)

(Diva moment coming on)

Beefs: The media "lounge": would it kill to have slightly more of a barrier from the chaos? Oh, and I will never consume another Special K product again! OK, maybe I will. I did score 3 free boxes of cereal this week. I just might need a break. Show times: get it TOGETHER, people. Waiting over an hour past the scheduled time for a show to start? Not fashionable.

Woo.

Seriously loved it though. Good commotion, awesome people-watching, great design. Also, these people are so the-bomb for keeping me company this week, too: Mona (the best thing to happen to street style since, uhh, streets?), Dennis (moral supporter and teacher in the art of getting good free stuff), and Karolyne (Toronto Life intern, fellow front-row gossiper, and streetcar sidekick). Big love.

I was lucky to be able to negotiate a later start-date for my new day job, so that I could cover the shows. It's funny that I still don't feel very legit, even though I've been a regular contributor to blogTO for a whole year. I'm hoping I can keep it up while I'm finally employed. Balance, baby. 

p.s. I was caught by street style photogs today in my WORST outfit of the week. Really? Really? You couldn't have snapped me Wednesday in my adorable green pants and my very favourite shoes and my polished top-knot? Nope - H&M dress and bad hair. Ugh. Kinda hoping I get cut. 

Photos by Istoica, via blogTO.