The Diaries

January 22, 2017January 22, 2017 / riainthecity / 2 Comments

I am thinking I should split my diary like content from bloggish things by tagging all my personal ramblings with “The Diaries” – though isn’t everything on here, technically, my personal ramblings?

Anyways, weird week. I decided to say goodbye to something I perhaps, in retrospect, should have said goodbye to a long time ago because I was clearly not appreciated. To me it felt like I have done everything I possibly could to set it up for success but apparently I am a disappointment because I am leaving after having dedicated 3 years of my life to it as a volunteer. (I hope you can hear my eyes rolling to the back of my head) Ah well you can’t please everyone now, can you?

I wonder if years from now I’ll look back at this and laugh because it won’t be significant in my life at that point. It does happen to me a lot… When I read my old diaries, a lot of the stuff doesn’t even make sense to me anymore.
Of course that could be due to the fact that I chose to write with a fountain pen in my old diaries and the ink has simply vanished in many places.

Also I used a lot of aliases for people in my old diaries – just look at me referring to my journals as old diaries, as if I am an author or something.

Anyways, as I was saying, I used a lot of aliases and frankly I don’t remember half the people who were mentioned in those entries. Will I forget more as I age? I am not even that old, I am only 29!

Maybe I should choose an alias for myself for now so it can help me forget that I am upset. And then when I forget the alias, I will also forget the fact that I was / am upset at this point in my life.

Side note: Writing always helps me focus and calm down. So I am hoping to get some done over the weekend so I can just relax and be back to my normal self.

Currently Reading: Virginia Woolf in Manhattan by Maggie Gee

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPixM29FuhO/?taken-by=roastedkeyboard

The story revolves around a 21st century author who wills Virginia Woolf back to life. Actually, Woolf just materializes out of thin air in New York Public Library one day and she is a hoot and a half!
Not only does Virginia has to get used to modern life, she has to figure out how to earn money and get a room of one’s own.

I am halfway through the book but I have no idea what the ending will entail and I am trying not to let curiousity get the best of me – so I can enjoy the ride.

What are you currently reading?

10 Things I am Grateful For

January 16, 2017January 16, 2017 / riainthecity / 2 Comments

I was chatting with my mom last night and was complaining about something and mom said, instead of complaining about things that you don’t have or things that are going wrong, be thankful for things you have.

That really made me think. We get so caught up in things that we don’t have that we forget all the blessings bestowed upon us on a daily basis.
With that in mind, here is my list of 10 things I am grateful for. I’d love to see your list too 🙂

1. My family
Family is always first. Mom, dad, Hubster, Sisbug…I love you all more than I can ever express and I am extremely thankful to have you in my life.

2. Health – seriously health is everything

3. Good Friends
I am blessed with so many wonderful friends in my life.

4. Love of learning
My parents have instilled a love of learning in me that I am extremely grateful for!

5. Life experiences
I have lived quite the life in my 29 years on earth and I am thankful for every single experience, both good and bad.

6. Books
I mean for real though! Thank the lord for this!

7. The ability to feel
I am an extremely emotional person but I am beginning to realize that is a strength and I am embracing it fully!

8. Career
I have a great work fam and a career I love!

9. Food, Water, Safety

10. Love
I love therefore I am.

P.S: I am back from Vegas! So I will be getting back to my normal blogging schedule – all day errry day!
Should I do a Vegas recap post on here?

2017 – Day 1 – Noisy Neighbours, Locking my Husband Out, TBR pile and more!

January 1, 2017January 2, 2017 / riainthecity / 6 Comments

Last night, my neighbours threw a kegger and were at it till 6:30AM. I am an old soul and it is really not my sort of thing – so obviously I was royally pissed off.

I mean, 6:30AM? COME ON! First rule of living in an apartment building is to keep the noise level to a minimum. Hopefully this is a one time New Year’s thing only. Here’s to hoping.

I also ended up locking my husband out on the balcony at 2 am because I was super annoyed and slammed the door too hard… OOPS!
Thankfully I was able to pry it open after 15 minutes or so. Though in my head I was like, “FUCK! now I will have to call the noisy neighbours for help or the fire department!”
I was extremely relieved when the door opened up. PHEW!

Started the day off by taking a nice warm shower because I am worth it! :p
Here are the 3 songs I listened to first thing today!

I met Indiana, an incredibly talented Australian singer in 2013 at Canadian Music Week and she is just the best!

Luca is a German singer whom I also met at Canadian Music Week 2 years ago as well and her songs have stuck with me ever since then!

Ooooh these were followed by Who Run The World! because obviously!

In short, at least musically, I feel like I started the year off on a high note! (pun intended :p)

Afterwards, we left for brunch with a few friends and then I came home and crashed! Because let me tell you, Ria ~~cannot~~ can barely function on 4 hours of sleep.
And here I am after a 4 hour nap… ahhhhh bliss.

Here is my TBR (To be read) pile for January and I am really excited to get started! Hopefully this year I will do some reviews on the blog as well. I’ve been getting pretty good at doing them on my instagram page.

Also, I’ve been in the worst reading slump imaginable, so here’s to hoping I can do better this year!

So that was my day! Not too bad in retrospect… Friends, family, good food, good reads and rest is what I always need.
What about you? How is 2017 treating you so far?

3 Books I’ve enjoyed reading this year | Morning Musings

December 8, 2016December 8, 2016 / riainthecity / Leave a comment

The year is almost at its end and I am kind of bummed to report that I didn’t read nearly as much this year as I did in 2015. Maybe this is due to the fact that my commute was much longer last year or perhaps the fact that I am now more focused on taking pictures of my bookhauls rather than focusing on the reading… ha!

But here are 3 books that I highly recommend you check out…

While the World is Still Asleep by Petra Durst Benning
Genre: Fiction

This was by far my favourite read this year. It is a translation from the original German text but the translator has done an excellent job!The book is set in 1880’s Germany and revolves around our heroine Josephine and her new found love of cycling that she developed after she was blamed for the untimely demise of her 7 year old brother and sent to a village to recover from an ailment and psychological trauma 😔 🇩🇪

She is even sent to prison because of her desire to cycle 😐 😵
🔸Fun fact: Did you know that women were not allowed to ride bicycles in 1880s Germany?🚲 That is so messed up on so many levels and makes me so grateful that I was born when I was born. I know there is still a lot of work to be done.
If you are a feminist, read this!
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Genre: FictionI loved this book. It also happens to be my first Hemingway read. Not gonna lie, it was a tad hard to get into since Hemingway took his own sweet time talking about the surroundings and banal things but I started enjoying that a few chapters in.You should check it out if you enjoy reading fiction inspired by real life and reminiscing about Paris and its lost generation. Not going to do a review, you can google it!
Fan Girl by Rainbow Rowell
Genre: YA FictionSo this book! OH MY GOD! ALL THE FEELS! I even talked about it on my blog earlier this year! I really enjoyed my time in university (well mostly) and I love the feeling of falling in love. This book was perfect for anyone who likes all of the above! I don’t really read that much YA anymore but Rainbow Rowell is the reigning queen and I suggest you check out her work pronto!

What were some of your favourite reads for 2016?

Morning Musings – Resolutions vs Projects

November 30, 2016November 30, 2016 / riainthecity / Leave a comment

You know how I made resolutions earlier this year and then kept up with very few of them, if at all?
Yup I’ll be the first to admit that I am not very good with keeping up with resolutions and they really don’t work for me. Instead, what works is coming up with projects and working on them and one of the projects I want to work on next year is borrowing more from the library instead of buying books – well at least for a month!

Books are the best investment but lately this is how I’ve been spending my money…

To make sure that I am on the path to success, I am starting out my resolutions a little early and starting December I am no longer going to be buying books. Let’s see how long this lasts.

Have you already started working on your resolutions?

FANGIRL – When a book gives you all of the feelings!

June 11, 2016June 11, 2016 / riainthecity / Leave a comment

This post is part review and part me fangirling over FANGIRL!

I just finished reading FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell and it is giving me all of the feelings. I do read fiction but lately I haven’t been reading a ton because you know, “I am an adult and adults only read non fiction blah blah blah!”

Also, I have read some pretty awful fiction and I have comparatively high standards when it comes to fiction. You don’t need to give me Harry Potter feels but I do need to feel like I am in the book—just give me one relatable character and I will be a happy camper. Sadly, not all fiction has the ability to do that.

A few weeks ago I was wandering around a second hand book store here in Toronto (Shout out to BMV!) during my lunch break, cause you know that’s how we should all spend lunch time. And I started thinking about the good old times when I used to read and sometimes write fiction.

Little known fact about me, I started writing Buffy and Spike fan fic when I was 13. No, I am not going to share links.

Summer always does this to me—it makes me want to read fiction; I know summer hasn’t started officially but you get my point.

So there I was—basically in heaven—wondering whether I should dabble in fiction, when this book appeared in front of me, in all its hardcover glory.

First Impressions

1. I thought it was going to be a sappy teenage love story, which to be honest I kind of enjoy. Takes me back… way back.

2. Was I ready to commit to a 437 page long work of fiction? Will I have the time?

3. Will I be able to relate to the characters?

After Reading

I am not going to write a plot summary on here but if you do want to find out what the book is about, please feel free to peruse Rainbow’s website!

But I will tell you this, the book chronicles twin sisters Cath and Wren’s first year at university.

Cath, our heroine, is a writer and prefers the company of fictional characters to IRL encounters. Whereas her identical twin Wren is the outgoing one. It involves boys, writing—lots of writing—coming to terms with who you are and learning to be comfortable in your own skin.

Honourable Mention: Levi—Cath’s boyfriend. OMFG Levi is only the most perfect boyfriend ever. Cath writes and he wants to hear everything. SO PERFECT! I CAN’T!

By the way, in case you are wondering, yes Cath Wren, Cath-Wren, CathWren… Catherine!

The first thing I did after I finished reading the book was to tweet about it because it was so freaking good! Honestly, I haven’t read something this good since Harry Potter and I really really hope—with all my heart—that Rainbow Rowell writes another book about Cath and Wren.

Who did I relate to more?

Sometimes I was Cath, sometimes I was Wren but mostly I was Cath.
In my first year at university though I was definitely Wren. Read the book and find out more about Wren and I guess find out more about me.

From page 1, I was hooked and read it in 3 days!

I felt like I was back in university again and could relate to everything. The fact that the book was about learning to be comfortable in your own skin made it all the more relatable.

I think that’s something a lot, if not all, of us struggle with even as adults. Easier said than done.

Has Rainbow written a universal coming of age story? Nope.
Did I love it? HELL YES!

Thank you for getting me hooked on to fiction again Rainbow! I can’t wait to read the rest of your books!

P.S: I am trying to read one book a week for June. Wish me luck! The first one I read was The Clasp by Sloan Crosley, had been trying to finish that one for a while! Next up is Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings.

–

January 7, 2013January 8, 2013 / riainthecity / 2 Comments

His name was Ben, or at least he looked like a ‘Ben’ and hence I just convinced myself that his name must be Ben.

I don’t know what his real name was. I never asked and he never told.

It was like playing a never ending game of dumb charades, a game at which I, just for the record, suck.

Maybe it’s my inability to keep my mouth shut or my crazy need to vocalize my emotions that led to that night…

For months…

***********

ah sh*t… now I am bored… no more blog post for tonight. This is a story for another time.

ooooh and I finally bought a copy of The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom! YAY!

Also reading The Elegance of The Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. Will review it… well maybe! I THINK!

What are you guys reading? I need to populate my booklist for 2013! Get suggestin’ lovely people!

Oh and by the way anyone in the TO area wants to do a book swap? I have a copy of Cloud Atlas that I absolutely want to get rid of! You read that right! Damned book! I am not selling it very well now am I?

Funny that there is also a book called The Cloud Atlas by a certain Mr. Liam. They should just not allow authors to publish books with the same names. Saw such a beautiful copy of Little Women today and totally want it! On my list of books to buy for next month!

Ok now I am just rambling! Off to bed I go! Night all!

Ria In The City

Living It Up In The Bus Lane

books