Before she got Becky, my mom always joked that since she had two kids who moved out, she needed two dogs to replace us. Turns out, it wasn’t actually a joke.

Don't let their cute looks and pink sweaters fool you - they may just be a students worst nightmare.

My sister and I are both living at home this summer, and things have changed quite a bit since adding two dogs to the family.

For instance, my mom made the pups’ a delicious breakfast with squash, kibble, and fresh fruit the other day. My sister  and I were left fend for ourselves, and ended up with burnt toast.

The dogs get fed promptly at the same time, every night - and they ALWAYS eat before us (”They’re hungry!” my mom says). They’re usually fed by 6:30, but my sister and I are lucky if dinner is on the table before 8:30!

Just yesterday, I had a shower then made my way to the kitchen to make a sandwich. My mom was washing the floor. “Don’t walk on my clean floor!” she said. “But Mom,” I protested, “I just got out of the shower and my feet are CLEAN”. She made me stand on a rug and hop across the kitchen to the living room (where there’s carpet) when leaving. This is the same woman who laughs and goes, “oh how cute!” when Kodee and Becky chase a squirrel through the garden and then run into - and through - the house with muddy feet.

And heaven forbid I leave something on the kitchen table when I leave the room (a glass, or a pad of paper); but it’s “adorable” how Becky yanks 15 different toys out of her bin and strews them around. In fact, her favourite spot to leave them is near my bathroom door, so I trip in the middle of the night.

When we run out of squash (which the pups get with every meal), it’s the end of the world and my mom or dad must RUN, not walk, to the nearest store to replenish the supply. I’ve been waiting two and a half weeks for my mom to remember we’re out of mayo.

When I was really little, I drew my mom an amazing picture, full of colours. The problem was, I coloured it in crayon… on the kitchen wall. Subsequently, I got my toys taken away and was sent to my room for the day. Becky (who is 15 months old I might add) still isn’t house trained. In fact, on one occasion we watched her play outside for a good 15 minutes, ask to come in, and promptly go on the rug in the den. When Becky has an ‘accident’ (and I use that term loosely, because I think it’s safe to say she just doesn’t like going outside!), she gets scolded and locked up for about 5-10 minutes before she whimpers and is let out again because, oh, she looks so sad.

And to make matters worse, she calls me “Kaitlyn” and Kaitlyn “Lauren” more times than I can count in a week when she gets flustered, but I’ve yet to see her confuse Kodee and Becky!

Last week when my mom yelled “Girls! Come here!” and my sister and I went to see what she wanted, her response was rather surprising: “Not YOU!” she laughed, “The dogs!”

Ouch.

So here’s my advice to all you college-bound students: be careful! Your parents might just replace you with a pet or two… and before long, they’re be shouting “girls!” and mean the dogs.

But, I do have to admit - it’s hard to stay irritated at Kodee when she puts her paws on your shoulders and gives you a puppy hug. And Becky is just so gosh darn cute when she lies outside my bedroom with her nose under the gate (see the beginning of the post on her chewing to understand why there’s a gate there!) begging to come in and lie on the bed (or see my boyfriend, who I think SHE thinks is a dog!)

So although I will admit to referring to my mother’s new ‘children’ as the spawn of satan on more than one occasion…

You win again, dogs!

…they’re just so hard not to love.

AHHHHH!!

Yes, that IS a serious screenshot. “But Lauren,” you say, “I don’t see anything about Zombies on NewsWeek at ALL!”

Well, dear Watson, that would be because like any good government conspiracy, there’s a coverup.

One thing is for certain - the Konami Code is responsible for the outbreak.

In case you don’t know what that is, the Konami Code is an old “cheat” code from NES video games… so once you’re on News Week’s website, type as follows:

Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a, enter.

Marry me, News Week.

If you’re interested, you can find more sites that have konami code easter eggs here. Although I’m not sure how accurate the list is - they still have Facebook listed, and it doesn’t work for me anymore. Boo.

EEP!

Well, not quite today - but on Monday I sure did. I went to a press conference at the Lloyd Richards’ Hangar at the Timmins Victor M. Power Airport (quite the mouthful, eh?) for Young Eagles Day, which is coming up this weekend. I was expecting a quick shoot - bing, bang, boom, vis, interview, done. But, when I arrived, one of the local newspaper reporters had arranged to fly with one of the pilots - and asked if I wanted to go along. Um, YES PLEASE!

Now, I’ll be honest here - I just could not turn down an opportunity like that. But I’m a nervous flyer. I’ve flown a whole total of 6 times in my life - two when I was so young, I can barely remember (both times to Flordia). Another two times to NYC - and yes, I was nervous then. Especially on my most recent NYC trip with friends, when the airline decided to put me miles away from the boy AND my 2 buddies we travelled with (not so fun). Actually, make that 7 times - I just remembered I took a sightseeing helicopter ride over Niagara Falls once, and yes, if I recall correctly, it made me feel pretty sick too. Especially when the pilot turned the damn thing sideways to “give us a better look” at the Falls.

Yup, THIS was what I flew in.

And lastly… two times from Timmins to Toronto, on a little Air Canada Jazz plane - and I thought THAT small a plane was nerve wracking. Let me tell you, it was NOTHING compared to the little guy I was in a few days ago.

But the nerves, the shaky hands, the hours it took me to get my “ground legs” back, and the waves of nausea were so. totally. worth it.

Sitting in the front seat was actually really fun, and I felt fine. Sitting in the back however… lets just say I should have remembered how sick I’d feel as a kid in the back seat of my parent’s SUV before getting into the back of the plane. Let’s just say the plane was 300 times worse. I can liken it to the dizzy, sick feeling I get after spinning around in a desk chair for a good 3 minutes.

It actually was so bad towards the end I couldn’t look out the window for more than a few brief seconds - and let me tell you, there was NO way I could have held my camera steady to film a shot. Sadly, that meant missing out on some potentially amazing shots of the Xstrata Met Site (which is WAY bigger than I ever could have imagined), the open pit Dome Mine, and some other mines in the area. My dad (who used to fly with my grandfather when he was a kid) says it has something to do with not being able to see the horizon - I guess the horizon keeps you feeling more “grounded”, which would help explain why I felt fine when I was in the front of the plane (plus, I had controls and, you know, FLYING THE PLANE! to concentrate on). Good thing I’m not an astronaut  -there’s NO horizon out there to save me! (which possibly explains why 50% of astronauts in NASA’s space program get sick in space).

Now, onto the most important part of my flight - flying the plane! So, our amazing pilot Yvon asked me if I wanted to give it a whirl. And I mean, how could I say no? So, I grabbed the wheel… and he promptly let go. Gulp.

Allow me to show you, rather than tell you, what happens next.

Yup. I might have scared the beejebus out of the newspaper reporter who kindly offered to film my flying attempt (and I may or may not have squeaked “OH MY GOD I CAN’T DO THIS!” at the pilot… but he just said “Hey, I’ll level out the plane for you and then keep trying”. Yvon was really patient, helpful, and trusting  - which was awesome. When I finally got the hang of it, I was so excited - and it felt amazing to be FLYING 3,000 feet in the air, all by myself. Very cool moment. I did give the controls back to Yvon after only a few minutes though, since we were approaching a dark cloud and some rain.

I now totally want to get my pilot’s license one day (and then I’ll fly myself to Bermuda! Or somewhere balmy and warm ;)

So, these super cute ramekin dishes I bought at Michaels for 30 cents each (it was a post-Valentines day sale) came in QUITE handy.

The best part is it’s a small reciepe, AND doesn’t use anything I don’t keep in the house (ie, chocolate chips or baking chocolate - uh, if I kept it here I’d eat it all before baking with it!)

So, that being said, may I present you with…

Cake For The Chocolate Craving, Single Girl
**note: I forget where I found this recipe - I’ve had it for awhile, and it was from some website/blog, so if anyone knows where it’s from please let me know and I’ll give credit where credit is due!

Ingredients
- Flour: 1/4 a cup, then 2 more tbsp
- 3 tbsp buttermilk.

If you’re like me, and don’t have buttermilk just kicking around - put 1 tbsp lemon juice into a measuring cup, then fill with milk until the 1 cup line. Let curdle for 5-10 minutes… ta da! Buttermilk replacement.

- 1 egg
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (melted) - I use margarine, though (mildly healthier!), and it works fine :)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda (1/8 = half of 1/4, if you don’t have a 1/8 measuring spoon)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup sugar

Directions
- Grease (or Pam!) the cooking dishes.
- Mix buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.
- Add butter tbsp by tbsp, mixing in between
- Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, and sugar
- Pour wet over dry, and mix
- Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean)

Volia! Delicious cake, and in individual(-ish, I only ate half of one dish in one sitting) servings.

What the average horoscope reader often doesn’t stop to think about is how those tiny nuggets of wisdom got onto the page – there’s an entire process, history, and method behind a horoscope. It’s all part of a bigger practice – called astrology. It takes years of study, hard work, and practice to understand the art and learn how to read star patterns and natal charts.

History of Astrology

Astrology has been around for thousands of years, with its earliest roots found in the Babylonian era, in 1645 BC. Horoscopes have been around for quite some time too – the first record of a horoscope dates back 410BC.

Astrology is a science involving the sun, star signs, planets, and other astrological bodies and how they relate to certain meanings. According to astrologers, each planet in our solar system has a different energy that subconsciously affects us. In order to understand the deeper meaning of these feelings and energies, we turn to astrology.

Understanding Astrology - And how to use it

Roderick Benns, a journalist-turned-astrologer with 25 years of experience in the science, believes astrology can be a very enriching aspect of one’s life.

“The great gift of astrology is that it helps you understand the nature of [planetary] cycles,” he says, “and when you understand – and can read – cycles, you are empowered to seek the right change at the right time, or you’re able to deal with setbacks because you realize the cyclical nature of life”.

To better explain these cycles, we can look at a current example. Saturn has been in Virgo since 2007. This means if you’re a Virgo (born between August 23-September 22) like I am, you might be experiencing depression or sadness for no ‘real’ reason. Saturn will remain in Virgo until July of 2010, and, according to Durham College Astrology Instructor Joan Ann Evelyn, when it leaves things should get better for those born to that star sign. Evelyn believes that understanding astrology, the planets, and how they work can be very helpful to many people, as “it gives you knowledge and insight you can’t get anywhere else”.

Astrology can help someone understand their personality better and provide a deeper understanding of relationships, financial matters, educational profiles – or really any issue you can imagine!

My Birth Chart

Donna Van Toen, a respected and certified Toronto astrologer, agrees with Evelyn, and believes that an astrologer can help an individual by giving them “another view of themselves”. For instance, she explains, a client might come to her to ask about a certain relationship and whether or not it’s right for them. Often, Van Toen says, the person knows deep down something might not be quite right, but through use of their birth chart they can confirm their gut feelings, or get a deeper understanding of why something just feels wrong. “[Astrology] gives us an objective second opinion”, she says.

A birth chart is calculated using your date of birth, time of birth, and birthplace. Once an astrologer has that information, they can provide an in-depth understanding of your personality. There are 12 different ‘houses’ on a birth chart, and which planet or astrological body is located in each has a significant meaning in regards to ones personality and life. No two birth charts are exactly the same, and are as different as an individual’s fingerprints or DNA. There are a number of great websites that will figure out and create your birth chart for you free of charge.

Interpreting Your Horoscope

The astrological sign we look for when we read our horoscope is called the ’sun sign’. According to Evelyn, those horoscopes are only 100% applicable to those born in the morning. “Specifically,” she says, “those born between 6 and 8am”.

If you were born in this time, it means both your sun sign (which is calculated using only your date of birth) and your rising sign (which is calculated using your time of birth) are the same. If you were not one of the lucky few to be born in the early morning, than in order to truly benefit from your horoscope you need to find out what your rising sign is, and read both your sun sign and rising sign horoscopes and interpret them together.

Studying Astrology and Further Learning

Still interested in learning more about astrology? There are a number of great classes you can take to study astrology – either for leisure, or to become a certified astrologer yourself. Van Toen even runs a conference every year, called ‘State Of The Art‘, or ‘SOTA’, which is designed for astrologers and those interested in astrology to attend and learn more. Currently, approximately 100-150 people attend annually.

Although Benns, Van Toen, and Evelyn all study different fields of astrology, they do have one thing in common. Each one found astrology “by accident”. “I never planned to do this professionally,” said Evelyn, “But here I am!”

Van Toen recounts a similar experience: “I think it chose me,” she said, “rather than me choosing it. It wasn’t like I set out to do this.”

She calls astrology an “enriching” experience, and all three recommend if your interest has been piqued - you should consider learning more… as you might just find it enriches your life as well.

AKA my first attempt at (cup)cake decorating - rabbits digging holes in a garden! They’re from the Hello, Cupcake! book. I won’t lie, that book is pretty much the reason I was inspired to run out and buy a bunch of icing tips, gel food dye, and baking supplies to try my hand at cake decorating.

Just call me Martha Stewart!

For the garden cupcakes, I dyed vanilla icing green for the grass (using Wilton’s gel colouring), and used a #18 Star tip to create the grassy-icing effect. I then decorated with mini eggs and spring (flower!) sprinkles. For the bunnies, I iced the cupcakes using the remaining vanilla icing and then dipped them into a bowl of Oreo baking crumbs until covered. I made the feet by hand using melting chocolate. You put the chocolates in a ziploc bag (easier clean up than the bottles!) and zap it for 30 seconds. Knead, cut a TINY tip off one corner, and voila! Instant drawing pen. The tail is simply a white Malteser (did you know those existed? I had no idea until I found them at Bulk Barn!)

I made these little guys for Easter dinner at my Grandmothers… they were a hit! I can’t wait to decorate more cupcakes - the only problem is, well, since I live alone I have no one to feed the cupcakes too once I bake them. Any takers? ;)

Me & our family dog Kodee

Back in December 2008, a fire destroyed the Humane Society of Durham Region killing more than 150 animals. 13 animals were saved by firefighters.

Sadly, the Humane Society has yet to be rebuilt - and the community’s support is needed to get a new (temporary! hopefully) home for the hundreds of cats, dogs, rabbits, and other creatures the Humane Society serves. During March Break, the Pickering Town Centre is holding “Raise the Woof!” to help fundraise for the Humane Society, and to raise awareness about what the Humane Society has to offer and the services it provides. If you’re in Durham Region - please swing by the Pickering Mall to check out the event and donate! If you’re not in the area, then you can do what I’m going to be doing and make a donation online. :)

I’m talking about a very close friend of mine, someone I’ve known since I was a kid. This girl’s pretty amazing - she’s loved by women all over the world, is well travelled and well educated, drop dead gorgeous, owns more than a few mansions, and her shoe collection and wardrobe is to die for. She’s had an ever changing, and very exciting, career history. She’s been a fashion editor, a surgeon. An airline attendant, and an astronaut. She spent a few years in the Marine Corps, and a few with the US Air Force. She’s even been a formula one driver, a presidential candidate, American Idol winner, and an Olympic Athelete.

And now, she finally will get a chance to be a star (again) AND show off her geeky side.

Mattel announced this week Barbie’s 125th and 126th Careers: News Anchor and Computer Engineer.

Computer Engineer Barbie & News Anchor Barbie

I find this highly entertaining, since, well, I’m a Video Journalist, and my sister is studying to do computer programming! It’s like Mattel just knew.

But, can we please just focus on News Anchor Barbie for a second - and the following:

1. Her perfect hair (as The Boy said- “You sound jealous!” and yes, I am… I want her bangs! Hairstylist, take note!)
2. Her VIDEO CAMERA!!
3. Microphone
4. Clipboard (B News!)
5. Her black shoes with PINK BOWS (must have - do they make them in a human-size 8?)
6. Her… pink suit? (okay, maybe that was a little much).

From the accessories and description, I think she’s more a Video Journalist than a News Anchor (lets be honest, and no offense to her, but when was the last time Christine Bentley touched a camera?) Either way, MUST. HAVE! I mean, she’s retailing for $12.99 American (and I’m assuming that will make it about $16.99 Canadian, despite the fact our dollar is almost even right now - damn you lame retail conversions!) …how can you go wrong??

Sadly, News Anchor Barbie won’t be released until October (although you can pre-order her… which I’ll be doing: can we say “belated birthday present to myself” anyone? ;) but you can get Computer Engineer Barbie this Spring!

Photo Courtesy Reuters

The game was a good one; and I’mnot even sure I have the words for the last quarter - I was actually fully captivated by the game at that point. I wish I had been on Bourbon Street last night! What a party that must have been: Mardi Gras season + Superbowl Win? Sign me up!

But the highlight for me was not the Simpsons Coke Commercial (where was the Polar Bear?), or seeing The Who perform at halftime.

It wasn’t seeing Drew Brees, the Saints quarterback, holding his adorable son on the field after winning.

And no, it wasn’t the Free-Willy-Meets-The-Hangover Commercial; nor was it the Bud Light “Lost” Spoof (despite the fact Lost is, hands down, the best thing on TV right now).

It wasn’t seeing the Superbowl Snack Stadium and wondering if I was enough parts Martha Stewart to make it (that experiment will have to wait until next year).

And it wasn’t even reading celebrity tweets during the game - seriously, Paris Hilton had a Superbowl Party? And why do I find this surprising?

No, for me, the  best part - and I do mean my favourite part - was a little commercial by a company that’s name has become a verb, and who I’m not even sure needed the advertising… but sure could afford it.

My heart melted. My eyes misted. And I’ll be damned if I didn’t admit I’ve probably watched it a hundred times since yesterday. It’s so incredibly simple, yet so poignant. As if I needed another reason to love Google - but damn, I love this commercial. ♥

**As a sidenote: If you missed any of the commercials (and I’d have to ask why - take your bathroom break DURING the game, people, not during the commercials! ;) you can catch them all here.

“Time for the weather report. It’s cold out folks– Bone crushing cold. The kind of cold which will wrench the spirit out of a young man, or forge it into steel.” –Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider, “Northern Exposure”

It’s cold up here. Really, really cold. One of the first things I remember being told when I moved here (and being told many times over the last 6 months, by many different people) is: “It’s cold, but a DIFFERENT cold than Toronto. It’s a dry cold, not a wet cold like down south, so it doesn’t FEEL quite as cold”. I think this is somewhat true - or at least I did, until January 1st when the Olympic Torch Relay took place, outside, in -35 degree weather.

After 2 hours outside, my face was so frozen I couldn't physically smile. I was trying to SO HARD here!

I arrived, like a good media girl, at about 5:45 (though the relay didn’t start unitl 6:15, and didn’t reach my location - by the stage - until just after 7), and by 6pm worked up the courage to go outside and walk to the media zone… a good 5 minutes from where we parked. Granted, not THAT far… unless it’s -35 and you’re carrying a bunch of camera equipment.

I think my coworker Lydia said it best when I called her asking for advice on my Sorels - “Should I get the rated to -32 ones,” I asked her, “Or the rated to -40 ones?” She laughed, and gave me some true Northern Advice: “Lauren, it doesn’t matter whether it’s -32 or -40 outside… it’s still @#*$ing cold! So get the ones you like.”

So I did (and obviously, the ones I liked were the -32 degree ones or I wouldn’t have been asking… ;)

And she was right. The difference between -30 and -40 is really, when it boils down to it, not that big of a difference… either way, you don’t want to be outside for any longer than the run between your car and your house!

“I know it sounds crazy… but it wouldn’t be Timmins if it wasn’t -40 and freezing!”
–Shania Twain, speaking to the crowd at the Olympic Torch Celebrations in Timmins.

I’ve only enjoyed about… one and a half months of the lovely 5-6 months of Winter I’ve been told to expect - we had an unusually mild November, I’m told - but I’ve still managed to learn a whole whack of things I never even thought about before.

Winter Lessons!

1. Whether it’s -30, -35, or -40, it’s still freaking cold outside.
2. Yes, it IS possible for your car to get frost on the inside of the windows… apparently it’s a result of the snow that gets into your mats from your boots, and, of course, never melts (like it does occasionally down south) as it’s never warm enough for it to melt.
3. It’s really, really, REALLY hard to scrape said frost off the inside of your window.
4. Don’t forget to plug your car in. Just don’t.
5. No, you CAN’T drive over the snow bank the plow makes at the bottom of your driveway after a snowfall, despite the fact you did it in Toronto all the time - chances are the overnight snowfall was equivalent to a month’s worth in the city. Your car WILL get stuck, two men WILL have to spend 15 minutes having to help push your car over the damn thing, and your neighbour WILL faceplant into the snow bank that was under your car once it moves… sorry about that, by the way!
6. It’s a bad idea to let your car get below 1/4 of a tank - there’s a really good chance it will freeze up, yes even if plugged in.
7. Remote Car Starters are to Northerners like Fire was to Cavemen… essential.
8. Remote Car Starters ALSO cost an arm and a leg for installation in a ‘97 Chevy Lumina… which is what I drive. D’oh!
9. Add an extra half hour (or more) to your morning, to allow for possible snowfall, snowbanks, frost, etc you’ll have to deal with.
10. Don’t get excited when you see the sun in the morning - although it looks pretty, and the Vitamin D is nice - it feels way, way, WAY colder when the sun is out. I’m told this has something to do with the cloud cover “padding” the atmosphere and trapping heat in. I’ll take it!
11. Vitamin D supplements, Vitamin D supplements, Vitamin D supplements!
12. Kitty Litter: it’s not just for litter boxes anymore.
13. Invest in a loooooong  (and well insulated!) winter jacket. Your butt will thank you.
14. Bad hair days don’t exist in the cold - you won’t care if you’re ruining your perfect ponytail, curls, or straightened mane if the hat is keeping your head warm.
15. Heated blankets = ? (Thanks Gramsey!!)
16. No, after spending Christmas Week in balmy -3 to -10 degree weather and little to no snow, the pilot will NOT let you get back on the plane (no matter HOW cold and HOW windy it is) and let you go back. ;)
17. Yes, there is such a thing as “too cold to ski”… at least for me!
18. Put on those goofy snow pants, the ski mitts, the scarf wrapped around your head and face 10 times, and the 300 layers that make you look like a marshmellow… people will be staring at you if you DON’T, because they’ll be thinking “look at that stupid person whose not dressed for the weather!”