CITY BOY GEEKINESS

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LET'S CONNECT
Today is the final day of 2010 and what a year its been. Things have been stressed, fun, and have begun new experiences that will make way for the future. Every year I always make a resolution which I never keep. Things always get in the way and truthfully, I forget about the resolution in a month or so and just continue living.

Below are my three resolutions for 2011 and hopefully I will be able to accomplish them for the next year:
  1. Move out of my family's house and into my own place or with a roommate.
  2. Explore life more independently and not be scared to take risks that will mean more to me in the long-run.
  3. Make more time to experience and enjoy love/relationships.
  4.  
    I hope you all can accomplish your resolutions in the next year and that it will be everything that you are looking for. Happy new years everyone and I will see you all in the next year.
    Yearbooks remind me of how different fashion styles were back in high school. Usually it takes about 10 to 15 years for people to utter the lines, "What the hell was I thinking?" Recently, I was moving some stuff around and looked through a couple of yearbooks. 

    High school was about three years ago and I went to a Catholic school so reminding myself about my fashion style back then was like grasping at straws. I noticed some of the pictures where I was wearing "civvies clothes" (this means civilian clothes compared to our uniforms for those who are unfamiliar with the term) and it intrigued me to look back at pictures I took in high school on my Facebook. I realized something: the effort I spent then on personal style and finding things I liked was nothing compared to the detail I spend now.



    FIRST YEAR
    Style: (1st Semester) Casual with a mix of relaxed Punk.
             (2nd Semester) Casual but improving style-wise.
    Unfavourable Pieces: Stripped Zip-Up Hoodie, Scuffed White K-Swiss shoes, unfitted white graphic tees.
    Memorable Pieces: Dark jeans, black buttoned-up top, black vest.
    This ensemble was all I needed
    Thoughts: "Thank God for second semester and some important advice."

    In my first year of college, my friends now can admit that my fashion sense was lacking. I mostly wore graphic tees with blue jeans and tried to pass that off. For an unknown and idiotic notion on my part, the concept of size and fit did not matter because I ended up purchasing tops that were either one or two sizes too big. Skulls on polos was something I thought I could pull off and I'm so sorry Mel that you had to deal with that. After the new year and my first job, I had a steady income and started to take at least some interest to purchase some fashion-forward outfits like tops from Le Chateau, a vest from H&M, and jeans from Urban Behaviour. My biggest problem was still the size issue because I bought medium and larges when I was actually a small.



    SECOND YEAR
    Style: (3rd Semester) Casual meets Preppy and Club.
              (4th Semester) Preppy, Urban and Indie (in my wildest dreams for the last two).
    Unfavourable Pieces: Black running shoes (passed them off as dress shoes), over-sized black polo, over-sized blazer/hoodie combination, and a selection of random pieces.
    Memorable Pieces: Fitted clothes, Converse, Argyle sweaters, vests, black zip-up hoodie, sun glasses, and v-neck tees.
    Thoughts: "Think a relaxed version of Dan from Gossip Girl yet affordable is where I wanted to be."

    Second year really marked a turning point for individual style. I started working at Gap and things were much easier to distinguish where I wanted my style to lean towards. Pulling off skinny jeans is an accomplishment and my outfit pieces were becoming more fitted. The highlight was hearing Michelle say, "your shirt looks really good; it's better than your graphic tees." That joke really made me laugh but hey, I still wear t-shirts and some of the v-necks I got at Bluenotes I still have to this day. Fashion was something that I paid more attention to starting at this period to make me more professional instead of being too casual.



    THIRD YEAR
    Style: (5th Semester and Present) Preppy, Modern, and Hipster (Really Kemeny?!?!).
    Brands: American Apparel, Gap, H&M, Mexx, Le Chateau, Forever 21, Burberry, Banana Republic, and Urban Behaviour.
    Unfavourable Pieces: I don't really have any but if I had to choose it would polos. I've never really been able to pull them off and for a time I thought I could finally do it; end result: I can't.
    Memorable Pieces: Black double-breasted wool coat, black dress shoes (I think I just heard my high school graduating class all cheering simultaneously), skinny tie, scarf, black fitted pants, and faux-leather jacket.
    Thoughts:  "Trends come and go but personal style is all that matters"

    I feel if there was a point that I could look at as the fashion style that was really me, it would have to be my style right now. It's professional/preppy yet casual, hipster yet modern-on-trend; it's me and people took notice.


    If there was something I could tell myself (five years ago) and to anyone else is that your personal style and tastes will grow as you mature. The brands and outfits that you may have liked in the past will not be the same things you want to wear out of the house in the future. Skulls, white scuffed-up sneakers, and over-sized hoodies may be nice back then but remember to know that you're tastes will change and your personal style will grow. Look back with a smile, remember all the good times, and donate them to a worthy charity. Be confident and brace yourself to cringe when you look back and have your own WTHWIT moment.


    Today is Christmas so I want to wish everyone reading this blog around the world to have a very Happy Holidays. Hopefully you all got what you were hoping for this year but to always remember to spend precious moments with the closest people to you.
    Before life started to shift to a more mature setting and mode, I had a lot more time during my breaks to take up for hobbies. As many of you can tell, one of my guilty pleasures and hobbies is video games. This list will be showcasing some of the games (to my knowledge) that I was able to complete their story modes for 2010.

    NOTE: This list may be small compared to your completion list but remember that the time that is available for me to play video games is significantly shortened to once per two weeks at a time (if I'm lucky).


    1. F.E.A.R. 2
    An old game to some, I received F.E.A.R. 2 as a gift for Christmas 2009. This is the most recent completion because there were other games on my list that I really wanted to complete and they required much more time. I will say that I wasn't scared playing but the story mode was intriguing, online mode had its benefits, and Alma truly did freak me out whenever she randomly appeared to shake things.

    2. Tekken 6
    There were many releases of fighting video games last year. However, I was completely wrong with my initial bias. Tekken 6 was enjoyable and is now one of my favourite series. The story mode was gripping and actually made me want to play through to the end. The customization is a benefit but I really wish that fighting games would include a legitimate tournament mode for online and offline play.



    3. Dante's Inferno
    There was a lot of upheaval surrounding this game due to its religious connotations and plot from the famous piece of literature. The game, however, was a masterpiece. I didn't like how it was a hack-and-slash variety but the story and settings made up for everything. I seriously hope that there will be a sequel to this game because the team really took the effort to perfect its quality.



    4. Prototype
    With very little fanfare and marketing, Prototype turned out to be an interesting story. It's a sandbox type game (similar to GTA IV) where you can complete the game at your own pace. Sometimes the controls were clunky and the monsters were too hard even for the easiest mode. Though, I did enjoy all the upgrades and consume missions to learn the truth of how Alex came to be as the Prototype.



    5. Dead Rising 2
    A couple of days after I wrote this game's review, I finished the main story. It lived up to everything that I was hoping for the sequel. If you want to know what I thought about the game then you can read my previous article. One thing I will say is that the after-effect of continued play was not the same as the first; however, I can attribute this for the lack of time to actual do so.


    6. Deadly Premonition
    Television shows and movies can be classified as cult classics; Deadly Premonition is the equivalent of being a cult classic. Originally the game was slated at $69.99 but then mysteriously was downgraded to $24.99 (BRAND NEW!). With virtually no marketing and promotion, this game grew a following with word-of-mouth and underground status. The controls are clunky at best, the graphics are one-generation behind, and dialogue is laughable. However, the game is perfect BECAUSE of all its imperfections. The characters, storyline and everything before creates a perfect homage to TV cult classic Twin Peaks and a new B-horror movie. This budget game offers more than 20 hours of game play and provided me with an enjoyable experience for hours on end.


    7. Assassin's Creed II
    Originally I got this game in 2009; however, I finally passed it later on in 2010. Assassin's Creed II is an amazing game, the historical references and scenery of Italy were breathtaking. Sometimes the fighting stances provided a slight problem but everything else makes up for it. I know that I have the next installment, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, under my tree right now for Christmas and I can't wait to play it immediately. If you're the type of person who likes loosely-based historical games but aren't into shooters like Call of Duty then Assassin's Creed is a series that you need to check out.




    Well these are the top seven games to my knowledge that I was able to complete this year. This doesn't mean that there aren't games in my list that I have yet to complete. Right now I still have Silent Hill 5 and Final Fantasy XIII to complete and I really want to pick up Castlevania: Lords of Shadows this Christmas. Hopefully I can write another review for you after the new years but until then, enjoy the holidays and I will see you on on the next post.

    Hello Bloggers,

    It's that time of year again where the books need to be cracked open and the studying must began. Right now I am beginning finals week for the semester which means A LOT of studying and A LOT of final exams to write. 


    If my calculations are correct, I have:
    • Four final exams.
    • One final project to hand in.
    • An internship form to submit.
    • Two more non-test classes to attend.

    Hopefully I do amazing on my final exams; however, I just found out that a take-home exam we were supposed to have just got changed, again, to an in-class written test....today! You can all be shocked for me and every one in my class because we were not expecting that.


    Let the week begin...till then bloggers, I will see you all shortly.
    The holidays are upon us and the shopping season is in full gear. There are those that wait until the last minute to make their holiday purchases, but I am no procrastinator. I have to get the gifts before Christmas Day so that I can ensure that those closest to me will have their presents. I've thought long and hard about the Top 10 things people should get for the holidays. Let's start with #10:


    10. Gift Cards and Certificates
    People may perceive this gift as passé and boring. Sometimes it is just really hard to find the perfect gift for that special person. A traditional staple is to get them a gift card or certificate for their favourite store(s) so that they can choose what they want.

    I have a bias with an important issue regarding this gift. DO NOT: get a gift card/certificate to the mall. The card screams that you have no idea about their style and what they like. If you choose to go down this route of gifts, make the effort to at least figure out what they would like.


    9. Food: Chocolate, Gingerbread, and Champagne/Wine
    Food, technically, shouldn't be a gift that you give as their sole holiday present. However, people have provided it as a basis for a quaint offering. Stick with the traditional basics like FERRERO ROCHER® and POT OF GOLD when giving someone chocolate. Gingerbread men are delicious and instantly bring up the image of the holidays; creating a gingerbread house for that person is going a step too far. For adults and people over the drinking age, wine and champagne are a great idea.


    8. Jewelry
    This type of gift is presented to only those who mean a great deal of significance to the purchaser. There are gimmick-y gifts that people buy for each other like style jewelry such as headbands, plastic rings, "gold" necklaces and de-valued charm bracelets. However, the important factor to realize is that if the person is of true value to the heart, a significant and particular gift purchased from high-end stores does matter. Even antique stores can provide great finds for rings


    7. Clothes
    We all need clothes to function. It's a natural part of life, except for you naturalists who like to live free to the breeze. My lists are going to include such stores as H&M, American Apparel, Le Chateau, Gap, and Urban Behaviour. A special note to parents: while clothes are important gifts, please do not purchase only clothes for your children like socks, pajamas and underwear. Trust me, you will see the disappointment on their faces and that frown won't go away.


    6. DVDs, CDs and Video Games
    I consider these types of gifts like tree stuffers compared to stocking stuffers. There is always a favourite movie, video game, CD, TV DVD, and electronic disk that people will purchase. Just make sure that people do not get you more of the same item because chances are you're not going to use both copies.


    5. Money
    It's simple. It's quick. It has no real thought. It's perfect! Nobody will turn down money for the holidays because there are a million uses. Boxing Day is still a huge shopping attraction in Canada so having disposable income to shop is key. The reason this is higher on the list than gift cards/certificates is because that you may not choose the best location for where the card can be used. Just having money and a touching card with inspirational messages can mean a lot to someone.

    4. Donations
    When you want to give someone the joy of receiving a gift and something for the holidays but no one to give it to, make a donation to an important charity or cause. People are selfless during the season so maybe an option would be to make a small donation to an important cause that interests them. Also, someone once mentioned that if you made a donation then you might receive an ornament as a sign of your contribution.

    3. Furniture, Decorations and Appliances
    These can be expensive gifts. Home decor pieces like art, carpets, vases, and statues are great ideas; however, taste is a determining factor if they really like the gift at all. Furniture should ONLY be a gift from family-to-family. The best option in this category will be the cooking appliances because people like to pretend that they are the next Rachel Ray or Jamie Oliver.

    2. Electronic Devices
    I lean more to this department when I think of things that I want for the holiday season. These are incredibly expensive so if you are going to be purchasing products like the iPad, iPod Touch, BlackBerry, computers, laptops, and/or an iPhone 4 then be prepared to pay a lot. A new item to get would be an Android phone like my friend Zaira constantly recommends as a great phone to purchase or the Xbox Kinect as a new video gaming addition to have as the must-have item.

    1. Family and Friends 
    We can all think about what we want to have under the tree or what we want to give someone but let's face it, no matter how we feel about them...we want to spend the holidays with family. To think about how people are separated by cities because of work or other important issues is depressing. Maybe take a trip home to spend a couple of days with family and friends, it will cheer up your season and remind you of what is truly important instead of material gifts.

    Just remember the important ones this holiday season and not to blow your entire financial budget. Gifts are nice to have but being able to pay for a day-to-day life should be the top thing on your mind. Don't spend thousands of dollars on yourself if you really don't need to be purchasing gifts. Make each gift matter and remember: Happy Holidays.
    Due to popular demand and an increase in online traffic at this post, I've decided to do another post in the Online by Design section. I've searched through YouTube and various functions to find something that I think might interest you all. On this entry of Online by Design review, we will be looking at the video mash-up series: Dead Fantasy.


    (starting from left) Kasumi, Ayane, and Hitomi (DOA). Tifa, Rikku, and Yuna (FF).


    The Premise: Starting off in a dilapidated ruin, Final Fantasy X's Yuna is running through a path to be intercepted by Dead or Alive's Kasumi and Ayane. It quickly turns into a battle with DOA's Hitomi and Final Fantasy's Rikku and Tifa joining into the action. Various sequels have included new and recurring characters from the both series including their sister series, Kingdom Hearts for Final Fantasy and Ninja Gaiden for Dead or Alive. Not much is revealed about the storyline but much is apparent that all the characters are in an all out battle; rivaling each other and competing in combat to defeat their unwavering opponents. The burning question asked is which video game series will dominate in the war of combat?


    Artwork featuring Kingdom Hearts' Kairi


    Where To Find It: The Dead Fantasy series is created by user, Monty Oum. You can find all his videos plus fun contributions with the Dead Fantasy girls on his YouTube account or you can visit his personal to find all graphic art, discussion boards, and news about the upcoming sequels: http://www.montyoum.deviantart.com/.

    The Dead Fantasy girls performing "Gee by Girls' Generation"


    The Good: Most parodies and online videos sometimes lack the effort and time put into creating a top quality product and that is clearly not what happened here. The quality and computer design for the videos continuing to get better and more innovative with each upcoming sequel. The fighting scenes are highly choreographed, the characters are thought out with their moves and the fighting moments of introducing materia battles, magic, and ninjas are a sight to see. The fact that using iconic characters and scenes from both these series are definitely a gem for any fans of either series.


     
    Tifa and Hitomi fighting in the infamous burning opera house from DOA


    The Bad: While the quality and mystery regarding the plot is a draw, I'm still confused as to what is really going on. Another big issue is the interval between sequels. It's taken a while for these videos to be created and while I do respect the time and effort that goes into creating these products, the time waiting feels like an eternity for the next one to come out.

    The Results: 8/10! 
    Dead Fantasy is a great series to watch and see my favourite characters from the series engage in combat. All the sequels can appeal for the amazing quality and jaw-dropping cinematics, but it all resonates within me because I love these two series.

    Here is the first movie from Monty Oum's page to begin watching if you haven't already.



    Agree or Disagree with the score and assessment? Then leave a comment below and share your thoughts about the content and what you think it deserves. See you later on the next Online by Design.
    Originality is a creative tool that we all have treasured when experiencing a new genre piece. Our favourite shows have become landmarks for must-see TV and the innovative movies that explored new depths that have instantly became cult-classics. However, recently these industries have delved back into their vaults and established a new interpretation on past projects.


    To clarify

    A remake is taking a project's storyline and completely redoing the concept with few changes to make the new piece more adapt to the times.

    A reboot is completely segmenting a storyline at an end point and beginning fresh with a new perspective; completely ignoring all the previous sequels as a new film legacy.


    REBOOT
    REMAKE










    Don't get me wrong, I am ALWAYS very optimistic when watching a new remake and reboot. I loved the new Batman movies  and the new Nightmare on Elm Street horror movie remake, including other past remakes for other movies and television shows. Personally I prefer the act of spin-offs and sequels because it continues the timeline and storyline inside of completely retconned what happened beforehand.


    Supposedly its rebooting the movie and not the tv series?

    A recent reboot that might be coming into production is the Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie reboot. If you had been following my twitter then you will probably know how shocked I am that this is happening. I am a huge fan of the television show and grew up with that Whedonverse to know that a new movie is coming out without ANY of the characters nor Joss Whedon is really a letdown. A friend of mine, Zaira, and I have had debates about the concept of new reboot processes for these genres. She is, however, in favor of the new Spiderman reboots while I am very mixed since these are very recent projects in our decade. 


    Is it too soon for a reboot from this trilogy?

    I will continue to be optimistic because sometimes these remakes and reboots can surprise and intrigue me about the past series/movie. It all depends on the person and how much they loved the original product and if they are willing to separate one artistic interpretation to another one. However, I will agree that somethings should not be redone because the originals are amazing. 

    My advice is to look at it this way: for reboots, it's just a different time and a different form so one is on television and the other is just a movie. For remakes, it's just updating the same concept and it can't change the original. Get into the fun and see how it all turns out. Things can surprise you.
     
    Friends from my graduating class in college are going crazy over this cause and charity. Movember is supposed to be about a statement for men to grow mustaches to raise money for prostate cancer research. I have some friends who are currently doing the Movember program to raise money. 

    I will not be doing Movember. I don't like to grow facial hair and having a mustache again anywhere on my face is a traumatic experience that I will never endure again. However, it's a worthwhile cause to raise money for prostate cancer research and I would advise people to donate to the cause and/or start growing your own mustache!
    The holidays are near and the shopping season has begun. Usually I'm really excited to begin finding the perfect gifts to give for friends, family, and buying my own Christmas gifts that are from my family. It's a weird tradition because my family should be buying them for me but I know what I like and would pick it out to see the smile on their face. However, this time I really don't even know what I want this year or have the urge to buy anything.


    This current semester in school has been incredibly busy and hectic. The time I have spent trying to complete assignments, volunteer, work at Gap, and trying to secure an internship has worn me out. Last thing on my mind right now is what I want to spend my money on to put gifts under the tree for a month. This will shock a lot of people but I think I might save a lot of my money this year on gifts for myself and just save for my 10-year goal of apartment/condo.


    I do like buying gifts for friends and family. I know I'm going to get something cooking-related for my mom because she is addicted to the Food Network, something cycling or sports for my dad, a video game for my brother, and a new noise toy for my dog. Friends will vary with the craziness of their requests  (I'm looking at you Emily!).

    I will write a must-have list of what people should be looking out for this holiday season to buy for friends and family on this blog. For me at this moment, I can't really decide or think about what I want. Maybe when my semester finishes in less than a month and I have some decent time off then I will think about what I really want this holiday season.

    The only thing that will be on my mind this December is that there will be shoppers at my store who will want to buy all the things they are looking for on sale before the holidays. Sales and promotions, long lines, a packed store and mall, and one of the busiest moments of the year. My wish right now is that December will be calm and smooth for the entire month.
    Hey Bloggers,


    I am still alive. 

    It has been a while since my last post and I am incredibly sorry for the late period these two posts. This last week has been very busy with me for my career standing and you would be very impressed. School and work has been busy and volunteering has started to slow down so I can focus on finishing my semester in peace. More articles and blog posts are on their way so don't fret I will be back and hopefully I will get a longer detailed post later today. 

    See you then.
    We all have dreams and goals that we want to accomplish in life, most are outrageous like climbing Mount Everest or marrying a certain celebrity (I'm looking at all you Twi-hards). Some are career, love, friendship, personal or simple just imaginative. When life gets tough and too hectic, I daydream and think about the future. My internship class had an exercise about the goals we want in life and that kept me thinking about the things that I want for the future. It's the most important question that everyone asks at least once in life.

    What do I want?


    Besides the obvious like finding my dream job, I want to move out of my parent's place and find my dream condo/house. Since I was a young kid, I've been planning my escape and what life would be like independently and not be under my parent's thumb. I know that life will be a lot of work with bills and all the other responsibilities but I would proudly deal with all that to have my own place.

    I want to write a book. Right now in Writing Lab , we had to create a fictional company and mine was a publishing company and I wrote a fake novel winner and concept. The idea for the novel really intrigued me and sparked the realization that I want to write a book. Most likely a YA fiction book at first then delve into the different field of Mystery, Adult, Romance, and much more. Hopefully I can spark a trilogy some time in the future and see where this dream leads me.

    My other dream is to find love. Not just corny puppy dog love but true love. Actual, meaningful love that people have those slow motion, tinted-moments that make life perfect. Its just a concept but I would love to experience how that feels.

    Life is always more worthwhile when we have something to live for and I live for the possibilities of what might be in the future. I know that I can make most of these dreams come true and I will constantly be changing this list by removing, editing, or adding things that I want. It's life...and I love every minute of it.

    HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
    This is my most favourite holiday because I am a fan of seeing people in their costumes, the spooky aspect towards music, movies, and television, and just the campy fun with everything people do.I hope everyone has an amazing time this weekend whether you go out celebrating or simply going trick-or-treating for candy. Just be careful and be safe when you're out at night since people have gotten hurt by accident or have tasted bad candy; Urban Legends are not just stories, they've had to have derived from some nugget of truth. Have fun everyone and enjoy the spooky day before its over.
    I'm not entirely familiar with the world of beat-boxing; I know what it is and what people do but it's not something I really took an initiative to learn more about. I have a friend in my class, Mel, who is helping to promote the Canadian BeatBox Championships to find a winner for the World Championships in Germany for 2011, and I feel like helping her out with a shout-out and promo with my blog.

    The event is the Canadian BeatBox Championships. It will be held on Saturday, November 6, 2010, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Mod Club in Toronto, Ontario. There will be 16 competitors dueling it out to be crowned the ranking Canadian winner. There will be festivities, maybe a celebrity or two, innovative and creative performers, and much more. I've been told that it will be a great event to check out so if you are in the Toronto area then take a trip to The Mod Club and cheer on our Canadian winner.

    For more information about the event, then visit their website or follow them on Twitter to learn more.
    Halloween is my favourite holiday!

    It trumps Christmas and even my birthday. I love everything associated with the day, from the scary to the creepy ever since I was a kid. Well, I'm not a fan of dressing up every year unless there is an occasion that warranted me to be in a costume, but I do have friends who love to dress up. If you might be having some trouble deciding on a costume, remember that the costume is not just an outfit but a fashion statement where the extreme is the new norm. Below is a list of costume ideas to help provide some inspiration as a starting point:


    1. Superheroes and Villains
    People think that men and young boys are the only ones who willingly dress up as superheroes; that is completely untrue. My friend, Emily, has decided to do a costume and she is dressing up as a female version of Flash. There are hundreds of comic book characters that one can choose from or even an original idea from a movie or television show. Never forget that you don't have to be a hero, villains are popular too and a character like the Joker will be a hot commodity this Halloween. NOTE: To you crazy kids in love, there are tons of couple combinations you can create with this category: sidekicks, villains in romantic war (Batman and Cat Woman), or even villain couples (The Joker and Harley Quinn).


    2. Celebrities
    It is not uncommon for a person to dress as a celebrity. However, it's usually done without a costume and claiming to be a celebrity. When time and effort are put to the test then something innovated can be created. This Halloween the two main costumes are most likely to be Lady Gaga and the cast of Jersey Shore


    3. Video Game and Movie Characters
    Mario, Link, Princess Peach, Goku, Sailor Moon, Chun-Li, Harry Potter, Dorothy and Toto, Alice in Wonderland and all the many Disney characters. They have all played a significant part of our childhood - they're the first thing that comes to mind when deciding what to be for Halloween. Make an homage to your favourite character or series! Just remember that these costumes will require precise outfits and are not cheap to create. Anime and Manga costumes are a prime example; you will be dipping into your budget.



    4. Everyday Career Characters
    Simple is always best. These costumes are more popular with girls because they love to add a sexy or evil side to these characters. Be careful which outfit you choose to become because you might be getting some cheesy innuendoes all night from drunken Halloween party-goers. A note to teenagers: always remember to review and have a final check to see if your outfit might be too risque to wear to school or in front of your parents.


    5. Traditional
    These are the costumes that we have grown up wearing more often than not. Vampires (going as someone from Twilight is a different category), werewolves, witches, mummies, Frankenstein, ghosts and a longer list of many more imaginative characters. More of a throwback to our childhood, these costumes are a cliche (at best) to being original or creative on Halloween. Try to add a little flair and uniqueness if choosing one of these costumes. They're cheap to buy and easy to make if you're on a budget.


    6. Unique

    Maybe be unique with your costume? Being individual really gets people talking the next day about what costumes they noticed on the streets or at a party. Most try to be objects like a Swiffer broom, gum under a chair, a speed bump or other everyday items. Try not to be too different because if people are completely unaware of what you're trying to pull off then the purpose may be completely lost.

    7. Be Yourself

    This is the laziest costume, even more than a zombie with dabs of fake blood. There is no bigger kill joy than saying that your costume is being yourself. However, if dressing up is not a thing that you like doing on Halloween then I can't force you to get dressed. Your only simplest form is to dress as yourself. I will admit that I have used this costume plenty of times but it has been done and it will still be used for years to come.

    I hope you have enjoyed all the different types of Halloween costume suggestions. Choose something that you will have fun being because a fun night is being what you want to be. Though, choose at your discretion and remember that it will be cold on Halloween so dress warmly and have fun.

    It's been two days since the election took place right here in Toronto and things have already subsided. From the news reports and tweet blasts across twitter, you probably already know that Ford has been elected as the new Mayor of Toronto. I have constantly heard from those around me who were focused on the election that they had strong opinions about Ford, Smitherman, and Pantalone. Even right now, my class is discussing about their thoughts about what they thought about the election, some for and some against.

    I really have no firm opinion about the subject because for this past election, I was incredibly busy with work, school, and volunteer to focus on the election...terrible I know but life intervened. I do know that the councillor for my district had been reelected and my friend's councillor, whom she helped with his election, had been reelected as well so congrats Emily on helping with a winning campaign.

    Right now I hope that things will get back to normal and people will start taking the signs off of their lawns. The election was a big thing for the city; however, things constantly change for Torontonians so give it a week and we will all be focusing on a new issue or an event. Thats life, I guess.

    I'm a volunteer guy. Sometimes people give me a weird look at some of the events that I choose to volunteer. This time the weird looks came when I told people I would be volunteering for the 2010 Toronto Zombie Walk.


    I love Halloween. It's my favourite holiday and I love everything about it, though I did not expect what I would find on Saturday. Thousands upon thousands of zombies (like there were zombies EVERYWHERE!) were coming through the word-works to get a complimentary toe-tag and participate in the parade.

    I worked at the registration table since like 10:30 a.m. and things surely started off slow because the opening ceremony wouldn't start till 3 p.m. Once things began to get closer to the ceremony, zombies by the bus loads were making their way through the park to get registered for the event. The other volunteers and I at the Dundas location were frantically trying to register as many people as we could and get them notified in the statistics.


    Suffice it to say that at 4:35 p.m. we had to shut down the registration booth. The walk had to begin from Trinity Bellwoods Park and make their way to Christie Pitts. We didn't even finish registering all the zombies for the walk, we had to usher them into the pitt and tell them to commence the walk.

    I was so tired after those 7 hours that I choose not to join in for the big festivities at Christie Pitts. I will say that it was hilarious seeing all the original costumes that people choose to dress up as like Alice in Wonderland, Marie Antoinette, and someone came as Jesus with an actual life-size cross. The weather was really gloomy which was a plus for the ambiance but it started to rain and I felt so bad for the makeup artist who spent 7 hours straight helping people put on their make up.

    I know I have been harping about this lately about going to see this musical but I finally did! Yesterday was the opening night for Wicked at the Canon Theatre in Toronto. I missed out on the last time it came to the city but this time, my friends helped me fulfill this request and came to see it with me. All I can say about this musical is that...it was perfect. I really loved every minute of it, especially the songs in Act 1. Everyone in Toronto should really go see it before  it leaves the city because you won't know when the traveling production will return....I had to wait almost 3-4 years.
    I don't really have to say this because it is a pretty obvious fact: time management is important. Nobody likes to be stressed or have too much on their plate that they fall like a house of cards...or a very unstable tower of Jenga. When a teenager starts to shift into adult mood and prioritize what they WANT to do and what they NEED to do, then that shows the sign of growth.


    It's a fun game but you don't ever want it crashing down!

    On some days I want to take a breather, sit at home with my dog and play a game or watch a movie, but there are always responsibilites that need to be completed which I kinda love to do like volunteering and work. Never forget that besides the professional side of you that you have a personal side as well. When you have a break, go out and see a movie with friends, take some time to volunteer with a project you love, walk on a park, do a hobby...or do nothing if thats what you feel like doing.

    Its like yin and yang

    Having too much stress can cause health problems and can be problemenative in the future. If you ever feel overworked or overstress then take at least 10-15 minutes at a time, sit down, close your eyes, breathe and visualize a calm place. Only you can manage you stress and once you do, then you will be a happier person about it and can actually improve your management skills since you learned to manage stress naturally.