Movies About Graduation

So this blog has definitely strayed from its original intent. Writing about how to decorate a dorm room didn't really pan out, life got in the way. I didn't have time to decorate, let alone blog about it. I'm going to try to get back to that a little bit, but for now I'll be saving money and applying for jobs left and right. I'll update sure, but unfortunately it just won't be about style. So right now what's on my mind? You guessed it.

Graduation.

That's still the overriding thought in my head. Oh my God I've graduated, time to get a job, time to pay my own rent, time to freak out over the economy. Or I could just turn on a movie about graduation. So here are a few of the movies I've watched recently in between applications.

1. St. Elmo's Fire



St. Elmo's Fire is one of those old 80s brat pack movies which I just happen to love. Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Andre McCarthy, Rob Lowe and Mare Winningham star in this particular film about a group of fairly recent college grads trying to make their way in the world. What I like about it is that they're figuring it out and struggling. Sure at times it can get as depressing as hell and Emilio Estevez's character makes me want to slap him silly, but it suited the mood at the time. The downside? Most of them have jobs. Maybe the 80s were good for something after all?

2. Post Grad



Post Grad is a film you probably heard of, but immediately forgot. Starring Alexis Bledel of Gilmore Girls fame, Post Grad follows Ryden Malby as she attempts to make it immediately after graduation. The majority of the film is about her struggles finding a job, any job, let alone one in her field. Of course there are the romantic entanglements and crazy family that go along with any middle grade film, but I have to admit, this is a guilty pleasure of mine. Don't watch this one expecting great drama or writing, but it's kind of fun. You know, if you like that kind of thing.

3. About Last Night



Confession time. It was Rob Lowe night at my place the other day. This is another Rob Low, Demi Moore vehicle from the 80s. Sure this one isn't about finding yourself post university. However, it's about people my age, in their early 20s and believe me when I say they don't have it all figured out yet. It's about relationships and trying to make them work when you don't really know what you're doing yet. But seriously, 80s films and everybody has a job. Frustration.

4. The Graduate




This list wouldn't be complete without the ultimate classic in graduation films. The Graduate. Here's what you need to know. Dustin Hoffman plays a young man floundering following university. He has no idea what he wants to do and is just sitting around his parents house in a daze as the "adults" talk to him about the future. Cue Mrs. Robinson. Seduced by an older woman who happens to be the girlfriend's mother? Some Simon and Garfunkel songs? Sound familiar yet?

5. Reality Bites




I haven't actually watched this one yet, well not in years anyways. But it's back on my To Be Watched list. Here's what I remember. Angst, angst and more angst. Will I like this one? Who knows. But if not, I can always go back to the brat pack and relive Saturday morning high school detentions.

Honourable Mention: Say Anything


This is one of my all time favourite movies and it deals with graduation. I absolutely cannot resist a young John Cusack, even if he's has head gear and can't take a photo to save his life ( .... Sixteen Candles? Anybody?). This John Cusack is the ultimate John Cusack. He's Lloyd Dobbler! He doesn't know what he wants to do with his life yet, but that's okay because he's fallen in love. He is so in love that he'll hold a boombox outside of her window just to win her back. I love this movie. I watch this movie constantly. You should too. Seriously. Go. Now.

Graduation

So that's that. I have officially graduated. Weird. I don't think it's quite sunk in yet; let's just wait and see what September holds. I don't really know how I feel about it all yet. I can say this though, for the first time in my life I'm debating going to grad school. Congratulations to my fellow class of 2012 graduates! We made it through guys!

On that note, here's the outfit that I wore to my ceremony. I don't want to dwell TOO much on feelings! God!

So this was the dress I wore. I liked that it had a pattern, was soft and flowy, but wasn't too too casual. I feel like I can wear it as a day dress, but it works for a slightly more formal occasion. Plus you would not believe how comfortable that dress is. It's a BCBGeneration dress and the image is taken from Swell, but I got it at The Bay for a much lower price. 

I paired it with this neutral heel from Spring. I couldn't walk. At all. But I had black flats for the actual ceremony so I could actually cross the stage. I wanted to keep everything fairly simple and I felt confident in what I was wearing and isn't that the most important part?

So fellow graduates. What do you think? Are you excited to be done? Did you go to your ceremony? 

De-Stress My Life

Oh wow. What a day. Job interview one down. Which, well let's just say it did not go well. Turns out hand talking has its own special issues. Reason to not accept the coffee 1. My God.

Anyways, I thought I could use a little pick me up after that experience. As I usually do I turned to pop culture for that. I thought I'd share a few of my favourites for your listening pleasure. They're about as cheery as I get.

1. Maria - Blondie

I love singing along to this song in the summer. Debbie Harry is pretty much one of my heroes and it's just so catchy. Brilliant song.

2. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can't go wrong with Springsteen. I will listen to this day in and day out until my roommates are begging for mercy and throwing things at my door. Okay so this isn't the classic feel good song, but coming from me is it that surprising? I mean really. Here's the deal, a guy is trying to convince a girl to take a chance on him and they'll get out of their town and run away together.  Sure it's fatalistic, cars are suicide machines and the characters are living in a town that'll rip the bones from your back. But combine all that with an iconic sax solo from the incomparable Clarence Clemmons and you have one of my ultimate blast it from the stereo songs. So why isn't this song at number 1? Mainly because I'm writing this list as I listen and Blondie just happened to be playing when I started.

3. Won't Back Down - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Wow, so here's a song with some upbeat lyrics to match the tone. How novel. This is another classic song that's just great to sing along to and let's face it the lyrics are pretty great advice. To be perfectly honest, it's not my favourite Tom Petty song. I've always been partial to Last Chance for Mary Jane, but on a day like today, well this isn't a bad substitute.

4. Great Expectations - The Gaslight Anthem

Here's another song that's not the typical song to improve a mood kinda deal. In fact, the lyrics are downright depressing. Everybody leaves. That having been said, I love this band. They're competing with Springsteen right now in my record collection; that's some high praise coming from me. The guitars and vocals are pretty fantastic. It's another one that I just love the blare. And it's not AS melancholy as a lot of their music. So that counts for something....right?

5. Dancing On My Own - Robyn

I've gotta tell you guys, this isn't the kind of music I normally listen to. It's pretty dance heavy, lots of electronic music in the background. Very pop. But it's just so catchy! I was watching that new tv series Girls and it came on at the end of one episode. Immediate mood lifter. Better than the actual show for that. I'm counting this as one of my guilty pleasures and I'm pretty okay with that.

So there you have it. Five songs I'm listening to right now to take my mind off my day. Now all I need is a couple of friends and a bottle of wine and I've got a pretty good evening ahead of me! And if that doesn't work out, well there's always tomorrow.

Well I Guess You Can Call it a Life...

Photo Credit: graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Lately, I have been feeling the exact opposite of chic. I have been completely uninspired. I have bags that still need to be unpacked and clothes that haven't been worn in months. My last few months at university involved a lot of very practical, very black clothing as I was on the run of a show for five weeks straight plus a week of tech before that. It was crazy ridiculous.

Recently I've had far less theatre work less a few nights of rehearsal each week, but my clothing (and okay lifestyle) choices have been completely uninspired. Basically if I can wake up at 11:30 and where pyjamas all day I will. So that's what I've been doing. This is probably something I shouldn't  be admitting. Oh well, too late, no going back now. Coffee on the couch, laptop open, applying for jobs and in my pyjamas until dinner? Well that sounds okay in my book.

Except of course it isn't.

I think it's about time to start living this post grad life. Yes I'm broke and yes I'm unemployed and yes I'm living in a sublet that only lasts the summer, but so what? Why shouldn't I fully embrace life? It's not about money or stability (although those are things that I'll want at some point). It's about doing the things I love and you know, leaving the house every once in awhile. I have absolutely no excuse to live life as a shut in.

I imagine a picture of myself in a circle skirt frolicking in a field at this point. Cue the overly cheery music.

So here's a list of things that could possibly drag me out of the house. Feel free to add more in the comments.

Pre-Summertime Blues Busters


1. Free Show/Festival. Summertime is just around the corner; there must be some sort of concert in the park coming up.

2. Neighbourhood Exploration. I just moved to a new part of town. I should probably figure out what's around me.

3. Coffee Shop Hopping. It's like a bar crawl, but instead of beer I drink coffee. This may in fact be my ideal day and hey, I have to figure out a new coffee shop anyways.

4. Reading in the Park. This one may only work in my head what with my fear of bugs, dogs and oh yeah, the sun is my enemy. I have two normals, so white I glow under black lights and redder than an overdrawn bank account.

5. Vintage Store Trawling. I never buy anything, but isn't looking at the old clothing just fun and great inspiration?

So that's a list of five. Not too bad for a  first go around.

But you know, things are actually starting to pick up. I have a job interview this week. A reason to leave the house! I also have some pretty amazing friends who look at me and remind me to eat in between cups of coffee. Plus, it's finally starting to feel like summer around here so you know, I'm in for some big changes and lots of growing pains, but I think that this life just might work out.

Apartment Hunting

So I have an interim apartment for the moment marking the beginning of my post grad life, but it's a sublet and I'll have to move out at the end of the summer. If I'm able to find a job, I'm hoping to continue renting. Moving home is the other option which isn't exactly ideal (although it may very well be necessary). So I've taken to looking at apartments. Is everything currently out of my price range? Of course! Does that make it any less fun? No! Mainly because I'm not having to make any actual decisions at the moment.

So what am I absolutely in love with right now?

Exposed brick and large windows! It's gorgeous and I love it!

I have no idea where this image came from and unfortunately can't credit it (I found it on Pinterest, but it won't like me back to where it's originally from). Wouldn't you just love to curl up in that window seat and read? Preferably with a cup of hot tea or coffee in hand? The only thing that could improve that picture is a throw and a large bookshelf.

This next picture is from Apartment Therapy and I'm head over heels in love with the exposed brick. It even has an old fire place that's been decorated with candles! Does it get any better? I love how the dark wood floors work with the brick and the furniture compliments it so nicely. This apartment also seems to get a lot of light which is just lovely. Remember folks, I'm living in a basement. Light is not my friend right now.

So what do you all think? Not everybody loves brick as much as I do. Are these places you'd want to live? What makes up your dream home?

End of an Era

Well that's it. I'm done living in a dorm; in fact, I'm done with school. I finished my last exam a few weeks ago and I've been slowly moving to a basement suite in a totally different area of town. It's a weird crossroads I'm at right now. I'm just waiting for graduation and asking myself what I want to do with the rest of my life.

First off, thank you everybody for baring with me for the past few months. I haven't been posting anything at all recently. It's a shame because it was my last few months in this blog's namesake, but I just didn't have the time. I honestly didn't even finish all of my papers this past term. I ended up not handing them in. Some stuff happened in my professional life that just completely threw me through a loop. So anybody who's still around out there a huge thank you!

I'm sitting in my new apartment right now applying for jobs and asking myself what I want to do with the rest of my life. Do I want to take a job that promises some financial security, but guarantees that it will be at least two years before I can ever do what I love? I will no longer be able to work in theatre if this job works out. Is that what I want? This terrifies me. Theatre is what I love. Theatre is what drives me in life and makes me want to wake up in the morning. Can I live without that? I honestly don't think I can. So now the question is, how do I make both work? Of course, it's not even guaranteed that I have this job so we'll see how it all goes.

Another question I have is do I continue this blog? My posts have been incredibly sporadic and I'm no longer in university. Is this something I want to continue doing? If you dear readers are around, I would love some feedback. Let me know if you think it's worth continuing this writing thing.

I suppose that's it for now. This won't be my last post, we'll just see what's coming down the line.