Getting Stuck

This picture is from a scene of the show United States of Tara. If you haven't watched it yet, get your butt on Netflix immediately (after reading this, of course).

This scene has been running through my head lately.

Here's the dialogue:

Marshall: You know what I like about you?
Kate: Hmm?
Marshall: You don't get stuck. You know, you just put everything out there, and you don't worry about what comes next. I worry a lot about getting stuck.

I worry a lot about getting stuck too. About not being able to have the kind of career I want and letting myself succumb to the need to make a living and take any old job.

I find it hard to know where to go next a lot of the time. I always want to know how someone successful got to where they are now, how they started out and moved their way up. I don't know how to do that for myself right now, but I hope one day I'll find it.

I'm writing this because I bet a lot of other people find themselves feeling this way too. Feeling like there is somewhere they need to go next, somewhere they want to get, but with no idea how to get there, and a fear that they may never get there.

I guess the worry and the drive that makes me feel this way is a good thing. It's a feeling that will continue to push me.

I always want to push.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Pusher (Insert Mean Girls Reference here)

To Market, To Market

Last weekend Erika and I made our way back to our old stomping grounds for a day at the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto.

I have wanted to go to the St. Lawrence Market on a weekend since we moved to the city. Unfortunately Winter took over most of my time in Toronto and I was definitely not trekking downtown in a snowstorm.

Saturday morning we drove to a GO Station and took a train into the city. This may be a little more time consuming but it's better than paying for parking and a less annoying then getting stuck in traffic.

<< Thinking deep thoughts…or something like that >>

The market was sadly a little underwhelming. I was expecting there to be a lot more fresh fruit and flowers but hey, we got there didn't we.

We decided we were in the mood for mimosa's so we walked down the street and enjoyed some lunch and drinks.

 << This is my favourite building in Toronto. It's beautiful and the back has a great mural on it! >>

After a little brunch we walked around the city shopping and of course we had to stop and do our favourite Toronto activity: pose in front of murals.

Whoever decided that Toronto should be a city of amazing street art is okay by me.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown

Weekend Warrior

Moving Back Home 101

As you know I've recently moved out of my Toronto apartment and back into my parents home. I'm hoping to save up some money for a year, spend next summer in Europe, and be able to buy a house by next September. Pretty ambitious, but I'm also doing these things with my boyfriend so I guess I have a team member to help me along.

Moving home is probably not an ideal situation for a 22-year-old but it was in my plan when I initially moved to Toronto. I wanted to live in the city for a year and was planning on coming back home near the end if all things stayed the same.

I consider myself lucky enough to still have a place at home. Most people are out when they're out but my mom and stepdad welcomed me back with open arms. That being said, it's been a transition.

When moving home you need to:

1. Simplify
Bringing everything back was a struggle. It feels like this house is already packed to the gills, adding all my stuff has not been easy.

I've been trying to get rid of some things where I can. I've gone through some of my clothes to get rid of the stuff I never wear but have been keeping around because I am way too attached to my material goods. I love my clothes.

I plan on going through more clothes, getting rid of shoes and purses, and really simplifying.

2. Compromise
Being back at home means being under someone else's rules. This is hard for me because my favourite thing about being on my own is having so much independence.

Both my family and I have had to make compromises on things now that I'm back and while I'm still their kid, I'm an adult and value my independence.

I've set boundaries about my space and the fact that I am an adult and can technically do whatever I want but I also make sure to try to let my parents know I'm not dead in a gutter somewhere. The fact that I use their cars also makes checking in a necessity so they win there. I also try to help out where I can by doing dishes and doing things around the house and in return I get to live a rent free life with no trips to the grocery store on my part. Fair deal.

3. Have Your Own Space
Having a desk that was in my room was very important to me. I work from home and working from my parents house in the past has proved to be very distracting. I needed a desk in my room so that I could close the door and not be disturbed.

<< It may be crammed in a corner but I found space! >>

4. Make that space your own

I'm a nester through and through. I have always felt a need to decorate every corner of every space I've ever been in.

It's important to make the space that you do have your own and have a place that you actually want to spend time.

Here are some tidbits of my new space:

5. Enjoy it while you can
Hey friends, this is the last time in your life when you won't be paying rent, or a mortgage, or utilities, or having your meals regularly cooked for you.

Soak it up. It's never been so good.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
More Child Than Not These Days

We Went to Disney!

It's been a whirlwind for this working girl lately!

April 26th we officially moved out of our apartment and now I'm back in the home town and living back in my parent's house. I'll touch on that in another post, don't you worry.

What I'm here to talk about today is my trip to Florida. The trip happened very last minute. My mom told me about the idea a week before we left and we ended up leaving the morning after I moved home!

My mom, my sister, my nephew, and I woke up at 3am to head to the airport on Sunday morning.

How does a broke girl like me get a vacation:

1. It helps to have parents
My mom footed the majority of the bill for this trip. She paid for flights, my trip to Disney, our meals and our tickets to Disney.

2. I worked while I was away
It is amazing to have the kind of job that I can take with me. I work from 9am-2pm Monday to Thursday so I stayed in the condo everyday and worked while they shopped and sunbathed. I was just happy to be warm again!

3. I was very frugal
I bought a few things, but I said no to more. It kind of killed me to put back an amazing dress that cost $50 but I did it. Gotta make sacrifices!

I didn't hold back from buying a pair of Minnie Mouse ears though!

 << The fireworks were Jack's favourite! >>

 << Jack was killing me with his cuteness here! He picked out the most adorable baby Daffy Duck toy and he hugged the crap out of it. I melted a million times over >>

Altogether it was a great trip and a great way to kick of the summer. No matter how old you are you should probably go back to Disney, I went right back to being a kid when I got there.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown

Adult-child

Adventures in Networking

<< Willing spring to come back and looking like a professional in the process >>

Last night I went to an event for work. Women In Film and Television Toronto was hosting an advanced screening of The Grand Seduction. Afterwards they held a networking event and I attended for my job at Women Who Run It.

If you read my post yesterday, then you'll know that I was a bit scared to go to this event, but I said yes because I knew it would be a great opportunity for me.

I sat in the theatre alone a bit nervous, but still pushing myself to enjoy the moment, stop using my phone as a shield, and get the most out of this experience.

When a young, professional-looking girl sat next to me I introduced myself and chatted with her about the event. It was kind of cool to push myself out of my comfort zone and talk to a complete stranger.

The movie was really cute and staring at Taylor Kitsch for two straight hours didn't hurt either.

Afterwards we all made our way to the networking event. The girl I sat next to chatted with me for a bit. She was actually pretty amazing. She had lived in China, California and now Toronto. The things you can learn from new people I tell yah!

When I spotted Heather (the woman I was coming to meet) I politely excused myself and made my way over, eye on the prize. I introduced myself and the rest was cake! Heather introduced me to her whole team, we did an interview together, grabbed some photos, and  she pointed me in the right direction to grab another interview. Before I knew it it was 9:30 and the event was done!

Here's a couple of photos I grabbed from the event:

Moral of the story: I survived and even succeeded! I felt very accomplished walking out of there in my blazer and sensible heels. There may be hope for me yet!

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
New to Networking

Say Yes, Say Yes

This is a little piece of advice that I have to constantly remind myself.

Yesterday my boss gave me the opportunity to attend an event for work. Number one, I should be totally stoked to be trusted and encouraged to attend events. Number two, this event is, for all intents and purposes, pretty cool. Unfortunately, the first thing that came to my mind was no.

Immediately I start thinking about how I could get out of it. What could be used as a good excuse?

I think I'm not completely out of line here when I say that I do not like networking. I don't feel comfortable introducing myself to strangers, being forced to come up with and continue meaningful conversation, and all this with a the idea of making my company look bad looming over my head. On top of that, when do you give out your business card? How do you switch the conversation over from business to pleasure?

I sure as heck don't know, but I typed in yes and hit send. Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Committed.

All of this bravery came from attending a weekend seminar a couple of weeks ago. I, as usual, didn't want to go, but I said yes and it brought me amazing things. I learned so much, I gained a ton of confidence, and I learned, above all, to say yes.

From now on I've decided to take the leap, say yes, and figure it out afterwards. If I continue to turn down new experiences then I will never get anywhere in this life.

That my friends, is how you grow.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Yes Woman

Groceries for Grownups

Buying groceries is a love/hate thing for me.

I love being in control of everything I buy. I don't buy anything unhealthy (hey, there are enough temptations in the world without bringing them into my kitchen), and I'll admit I even get a bit of "Conveyer Belt Pride", as I call it, when I put all of my food on the conveyer belt at the check out and watch all my healthy food roll by. I've become a lot more food conscious over the past couple of years. I still love chocolate and the occasional "Health" Red Bull (aka zero calorie red bull), and I'll never turn down a gummy worm, but I've also  become a lot more knowledgeable about chemicals, what I put into my body, and where my food comes from.

Now to the hate part, I hate paying for it. There are ways to do it cheaper, but I find that when you shop mainly in produce, as I tend to, that the price tends to hike itself up easily. This is the price I pay for avoiding the sodium and chemicals of the canned food aisle. Also, I'm not a particularly inventive cook. I tend to eat breakfast for almost every meal, or some kind of panini. Eggs are an easy and tasty way to get my protein in and I could eat toast for any meal. I should probably work on that.

Here's what I got for $60.00:
-Apples
-Pears
-Globe Grapes
- Grapefruit
-Bananas
-Green Beans
-Corn
-Green Onions
-Asparagus
-Broccoli
-Green Pepper
-Unsalted Hazlenuts
-Turkey Bacon
-Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
-Brown Eggs
-Becel with Olive Oil
-COFFEE

Pretty expensive, but not too crazy considering everything I bought.

I found some great healthy recipes in a magazine last night so I think I'll try to recreate a few of those. I think my taste buds are sooo over eggs and toast. The moral of the story here is that I think I've progressed past the poor student Kraft Dinner diet, to the point where I'm reading labels and flipping through magazines for new recipes. How did I get here?

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Egg-celent Breakfast Cook