Confessions of a social media junkie - Archive

This is crazy but I love Shiraz Malbec, baby

August 20th, 2012 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (1 Comments)

In July I discovered a delicious wine. Soft, well balanced with notes of cherry and plum that dance along the palate in a smooth velvet line. Indeed.

The best part? This wine is not only delicious, it’s a steal at $7.95. Now I hear your skepticism but I kid you not. This wine is tasty.

Almost as if it’s been priced wrong or something.

In any case, you need to try it.

The wine I’m waxing poetic about? Well it’s the Fuzion Shiraz Malbec.

Fuzion Shiraz Malbec – wine goodness

But this wine’s nose and drinkableness – it’s not what I’m here to write about. At least not directly.

(more…)

Argentinian wine, Fuzion shiraz malbec

Auditory deliciousness in a word

August 3rd, 2012 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (6 Comments)

Words are pretty cool. Some more than others.

For example: “litany” rolls of the tongue far nicer than say, “garbanza“.

And “kaleidoscope“ is simple auditory deliciousness. More so than “vestibule“.

Not that I have anything against vestibules. They serve a fine purpose as an entrance to you know, a lobby, which is really an entrance. So a vestibule is an entrance to an entrance. A pre-entrance if you will.

Not sure I’ve used the word vesitbule all that much. When telling someone you will meet up with them in a random or not-so-random building (like an office building) do you say, “Meet me in the vestibule” or do you say “Meet me in the lobby”?

You know you say lobby. Even when you are technically meeting up in the vestibule. (more…)

le beurre d'arachide, peanut butter in French, saying the word peanute butter in French

I now live a life a leisure

August 1st, 2012 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (2 Comments)

Yes, that right. I am a woman with time on my hands. All thanks to the purchase of an electric can opener.

You see, I have what DH lovingly refers to as “Tyrannosaurus Rex hands”. They look like regular, everyday hands you would see out and about during your day…but mine are freakishly small. (more…)

electric can opener, Tyrannosaurus Rex hands

Unrequited (plant) love

May 15th, 2012 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (4 Comments)

I think peonies are one of the most beautiful flowers on the planet. Such lush blooms. With layers of ruffled petals twining to the centre. At first glance, these flowers have a frilly, girlish flair.

Yet peonies seem a sensual flower to me. That lushness of the blooms – growing almost dinner-plate size – weigh down the plant with a careless grace.

Saying, “Look upon me – how can you not? I am beauty. I am nature’s sophistication. You cannot help but desire me.”

Ya well, that might be true but damn is it ever hard to grow one!

(more…)

growing peonies, peonies

Never gets old

April 26th, 2012 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (2 Comments)

From a pretty young age, I’ve been a bookworm. I loved playing soccer, hide-and-seek and hopscotch with the best of them but reading…well that is something I never bored of.

Confession to my parents who may be reading this post:

When you used to ground me for whatever transgression I committed as a child, I secretly squirmed with glee.

You mean I have no TV, no playtime with friends for X number of days….but I can read in my room?

Truthfully your grounding was no punishment.

Reading is joy

I love reading so much I majored in English literature at university. It was there I was introduced to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Have you read it?

For me, that novel never gets old. I’ve read it countless times. (more…)

5for5, Five for Five

The funny thing about New York

April 2nd, 2012 | Posted by Melany Gallant in musings | the kitchen sink - (4 Comments)

I just got back from NYC – and I can’t wait to get back!

I was there for a conference (more on that in a later post) and I just loved every moment.

It was a bit whirlwind – I arrived last Wednesday afternoon and left Friday afternoon – but still so much fun.

That city is booming! I didn’t sleep a wink. Not sure if it’s because the city doesn’t sleep and that kept me awake or if I just couldn’t believe I was finally there. (more…)

Union Square, visiting New York City

Falling off the exercise wagon…oops

December 7th, 2011 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (1 Comments)

My health and fitness resolution – to drink more water each day, do some form of exercise each and to stretch, stretch, stretch – has already gone ka-plooey.

Okay, I got some exercise in yesterday which I’m happy about. But before that, the last time I exercised was last Wednesday.

Oops.

So much for doing something everyday.

It’s not all bad. I was actually feeling quite sluggish yesterday, having had to work late Sunday night (last minute deadline) and then be up early Monday morning to continue working.

However, I pushed myself to workout and am I ever glad I did. I felt tired, grumpy and anxious before I worked out. Afterwards, I felt energized, content and happy. It is that bliss feeling that reminds me to keep going.

So. I veered off my goal but I’m persevering. I have a water glass by my side as I type this post. I should probably do some stretching too. Does reaching for a cookie count? No? Hmmm.

Fitness locked and loaded with my personal trainer tomorrow. Onward.

#The100Club, exercising, falling off the exercise wagon, fitness

Scrambling of late…

November 29th, 2011 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (0 Comments)

I’ve been scrambling of late to fit in fitness. I know all about making it a priority, setting time for it in your schedule. Just do it and all that. Ah, the best of intentions…

I like working out. I get all squirrely if I don’t. Almost as if excess energy is building up inside of me (uh,which it probably is) and if I don’t get it out of my system I’ll go nuts.

Actually I know I do. Go nuts that is.

I get really impatient. And angry. And frustrated. Oh and did I mention that squirrely feeling also makes it difficult for me to relax? Enjoy a book or some other quiet time activity?

Yes, indeed. I need to exercise.

Which is why I’m a bit flabbergasted that I keep letting things get in my way of getting it done. I don’t like that I’m letting it happen.

A few Ottawa peeps have joined the 100 Club. The brain child of Andrea Tomkins, the basic goal is to burn 100 calories every day for 100 days just by doing a few easy exercises. There’s a shared calendar that folks can use to track their progress.

In theory I also joined the 100 Club. I say in theory because while I have access to the calendar, I haven’t tracked my activities.

Until today that is!

It is with great joy I can look on this page, and see my name listed. Yay me!!!

So here’s a list of the activities I want to accomplish:

Do some form of exercise each day – run up and down the stairs at work (5 flights), go for a walk, do a workout routine, whatever.
Drink at least 3 glasses of water a day. While it should be more, 3 is a good start for me.
Stretch! Take 10 minutes a day to do it.

There’s probably more I should add but for now, I’m happy to work on the above.

My goal is to move every day. 1-2-3, go!

The way of the grass

October 11th, 2011 | Posted by Melany Gallant in punch drunk parenting | the kitchen sink - (4 Comments)

I’m a big fan of What Not to Wear and the advice that Stacy and Clinton give to the wardrobe-challenged guests who appear on their show.

Like always choose a darker wash denim, look for suit jackets that enhance your waist, don’t be afraid of colour and pattern.

One of their biggest advice shares – especially to moms – is to always look polished, even when running errands, taking the kids to the park, etc.

They don’t mean look glamorous at all times. It’s more about looking put together. Like you made an effort beyond grabbing the nearest yoga pants and slouchy t-shirt in arm’s reach.

And while I agree to an extent, sometimes looking polished is the least of my concerns.

It’s this thing called time constraints. Let me give you an example.

The race

Today, I rushed home from work, changed into my workout gear and headed to the park with my trainer to work on my fitness.

The park equals grass and working out equals getting on the ground and doing crunches and the like.

I forgot my yoga mat. Which means grass stuck to my butt. A lot of it.

I was able to brush most of it off, but not all of it. And at the end of my gruelling sweat-a-thon, I needed to hop in the car and run errands before DH and DD arrived home.

I had two choices: run inside to change and waste precious time getting myself presentable. Or hop into the car – grassed up as I was – and get those errands done.

I chose to go the way of the grass.

The consequence

While standing in line at my local Pizza Pizza (don’t judge…I worked out hard!) I felt a friendly tap on my shoulder. A kind young woman let me know I had grass on my butt.

I said, “Thanks, yes I know” with a bit of a self-deprecating laugh. She responded, “Oh, ha, ha” and red-faced, quickly turned away.

I think she was embarrassed for me.

Which just goes to show. Stacy and Clinton are obviously right about the importance of making an effort to look presentable.

The reward

But in the end, that grass-laden butt of mine saved me time. Which today at least, took precedence.

–

Confession: If I was going anywhere other than the local pizza joint and drugstore I probably would have changed. But don’t you agree that sometimes, what really counts is time and not the state of your wardrobe?

* Image sourced via Beyond the Fields We Know

Wordless Wednesday: jumping by

August 10th, 2011 | Posted by Melany Gallant in the kitchen sink - (1 Comments)

Look who jumped in for a quick visit. I swear he’s smiling at me.

Well hello there!

grasshopper, Wordless Wednesday