life unpublished: August 2012

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Blogging // Pinterest.

"Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes." -- pinterest.

I love pinterest, its such a great idea.

More and more, I am noticing that photos I embed into my blog posts, from pinterest, are not showing up after I publish the post. Usually they show up for the first few days, but sometimes, after a short period of time, the image is no longer visible on my blog. Its as if the image has been removed from the pin. Yet, when I visit linked pin, the image is still visible on my pinterest board. I'm confused. Surely I am not the only blogger who has discovered this issue?

For the past few days I have been trying to find more information on this and how to fix it. Call me a perfectionist, but I don't like sharing images on my blog that aren't going to show up a month from now. And, I find it annoying to go back and update my blog posts just so the images show up (Yes, I am weird like that). My search for answers has not turned up anything; instead, I have lots of questions and concerns about this popular website.

I have found a bunch of other blog posts discussing the issues with pinterest and copyright issues regarding people re-pinning other peoples images. This is what I have found so far:

1. When you share your original photos on your blog, for example, and somebody else pin's your photo onto their pinterest boards, you no longer have control over that image, pinterest does. When the image is pinned, it gets saved onto the pinterest's servers. From what I understand, and I could be wrong, is that once your image is pinned, pinterest owns the image and could essentially re-sell it if they chose to do so.

Any personal photos that I share on my blog have my name visible on the photo and are sourced to my flickr account. I am now thinking twice about how I share them, and what information is on the photos. I was thinking it would be smart to include your name and your website.

Another solution, if you do not what your images pinned, you can include some code to the <head> section of your website.

<meta name="pinterest" content="nopin" />

2. Lots of people are finding pins from the pinterest "popular" section and are re-creating the idea through their blog posts. Apparently a lot of websites are making money from doing this. As well, there are a lot of websites/blogs that are not giving credit where credit is due.

When sharing images on your blog, I think its important to link back to the original source, rather than to pinterest directly. When I first started adding photos from pinterest to my blog, I would copy the image url and add it through the insert image icon. I recently discovered that when you "embed" an image onto your blog from pinterest, it includes source information, along with a link to your personal pinterest boards.

I have found a lot of great websites through pinterest, so overall, I think the idea of pinning images is great. Going forward, I am going to make sure that when I share my finds on my personal blog, the image is linked back to its source. I am also going to think twice about how I share my own personal images.

I still have some more investigating to do, but would love to hear your thoughts/comments about these issues!! Happy almost Friday!

Monday, August 27, 2012

10 Day Challenge // Eight Fears.

It's that time again for the 10 Day Challenge. This week, eight fears.

1. Earthquakes. I don't think I need to say too much about this fear. We are long overdue for "the big one" -- living in a condo, second floor from the top, I know we are hooped if there is ever a large earthquake.

2. Failure. I know I have posted about this before, but for as long as I can remember, I have had this fear of failure. I hate it, it sucks!

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3. I hate being outside in the dark, it really makes me nervous.

4. Now that I live in an apartment, with fobs, etc, the likelihood of an intruder in our home is slim. When I was living at home, there was a large window near my bed. Anytime I saw the motion light turn on, the first thing that popped into my head was that it was somebody wanting to break into the house. I also used to have this reoccurring dream of my dad's old house being broken into while I was in it, alone.

5. Both my father and my boyfriend are cancer survivors, and I hope neither of them have to deal with it again in their lives. I have my father's skin, so in the back of my mind, I know its something that I have to be very careful of.

6. Growing old, alone. My parents are divorced, my mom re-married but my dad is still single. He is an amazing guy, and I always feel bad that he has not found somebody to share his life with.

7. Getting old. The older I get, the quicker time goes. I don't like it.

8. Every so often, I have this reoccurring dream of very, very large wave(s) coming into the city. In my dream, I can see it coming and there is this rush to get into this large concrete building of some sort before the waves hits. This fear would probably only happen if there was a very large earthquake. Crap!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Time to organize.

Earlier this week, my new laptop was delivered!!

Thankfully this one doesn't have any pixel issues like the first one. We did notice a few sound issues, but figure they are related to the drivers that were installed. Also, most of the programs that came pre installed needed to be removed because they really slow the computer down. When the computer would boot up, I think there were maybe 100 processes running -- way too many!

So, now that I have a new laptop that I plan to keep, I have spent the past few days organizing all my files and transferring them from one hard drive to another. I have too many files on too many hard drives, so the process is taking a long time. It's something that needs to be done though. Once I finish organizing them all, I plan to back up all the important files (photos, school work, etc) on my external hard drive and on my boyfriends computer. I have come close to losing all my files before, I'm not going to let it happen again.

I have also decided to re design a few areas on my blog, so I am super excited to get started on that. My laptop screen is 17.3" which I find makes the process a lot easier.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Good to Know // Handling Criticism.

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How do you handle criticism?

More often than not, I have a tough time handling criticism. For me, my reaction varies depending on who I am receiving it from. Normally, my first reaction is to become defensive, and my second reaction is to become quiet.

I stumbled upon this great post from Positively Positive, 6 Tips for Handling Criticism.

1. Listen to What a Critic Is Saying

2. Don’t Be Defensive

3. Don’t Expose Myself to Criticism from People I Don’t Respect

4. Delay my Reaction

5. Admit my Mistakes

6. Enjoy the Fun of Failure

To read more about the strategies, jump over to the Positively Positive website. Are there any other strategies that you use that you find useful? I think my favorite strategy is number six -- enjoy the fun of failure. As I've previously mentioned, I fear failure and learning to re-frame failure and criticism is something I need to work on.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

I got a NEW laptop!

I did it, I finally purchased a new laptop!

On Wednesday afternoon, I decided to place the order through Best Buy Canada. It was only available online, so my options were limited. I had found it elsewhere online for about $50 cheaper, so I took advantage of their price guarantee policy and was rather pleased with the whole process. I did have to spend some time online with one of their representatives, but he was very helpful and made the wait tolerable.

To my surprise, my package was delivered Friday morning. I figured it would have taken a week to arrive, but was glad it didn't. As soon as we opened up the box, it was a beauty. It was everything I wanted and it worked wonderfully. The simple design reminds me of the Macbook Pro, which I absolutely love.

Saturday evening I spent a few hours on my boyfriends computer backing up all my old music and files; while I was doing that, he was puttering around on my laptop. I guess when he restarted the computer, while it was booting up, he noticed a white pixel on the screen. He quickly performed a dead pixel test on the entire screen and quickly found at least 4 white pixels. Seriously? Neither of us were too impressed because a brand new laptop should not have this issues. My old laptop, which is 5 years old and has traveled between two homes during this time, currently has only 1 dead pixel. So what gives?

And now the process begins. In order to exchange the laptop, I have to RMA it and purchase a new one. After much debate if it was worth all this hassle, we decided it would be best to place an order for a brand new Asus laptop and requested they send me an RMA for the defective unit.

I was so happy on Friday and now I am just frustrated and annoyed. I still really like the laptop and am patiently waiting the arrival of the new one, I just hope the new one doesn't have the same issues. I also hope this RMA process with Best Buy goes smoothly.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Recipe // Lemon, Herb & Goat Cheese Roast Chicken.

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Ingredients

4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each, salt, pepper
1 tbsp fresh chopped oregano
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup goat feta cheese
4 thin slices lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Gently slide your fingers in between the skin and the breast meat of each chicken breast to make a space but not detaching from one side of the breast (it will open like a flap). Set aside.

3. In skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook shallots until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and lemon zest and let cool completely. Stir in feta.

4. Divide the feta mixture over each chicken breast, under the skin, pulling skin over the filling, pressing gently to even out filling and secure skin. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Top each with a slice of lemon.

5. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

6. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Yum, yum, yum! I love goat cheese and I love chicken, add them together, delicious! I found this recipe from the Ontario Goat Cheese website and made it for dinner tonight. It took a little time to prepare it all, but was well worth the time spent!!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Exercise and Life Lately.

Since moving in with the boyfriend, we have been meaning to start exercising and getting healthier. As it goes, life gets busy, and the exercise thing got put onto the back burner.

My "monday modivation" was an image of a girl in some yoga or stretching pose. I am no where close to be able to do that, but would like to be able to do it, one day. Maybe? Wishful thinking perhaps?! Anyways ... this evening, I dragged his butt outside and we went for an hour stroll around the neighborhood. It was really great to get outside, walk around, and chat, no distractions. Somehow, on our way back, I got suckered into buying a Slurpee to share. Kind of defeated the point of the walk, but it was really tasty and well worth it!

Tomorrow, I only work 4 hours and hope to play some tennis in the afternoon. There has been talk of going to Hawaii for Christmas, which I think is a fabulous idea because I need a vacation, but I need to get my butt into shape before I get on an airplane to go anywhere.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Tin Can Lantern.

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Since moving in with the boyfriend, I have been browsing the internet trying to find creative and inexpensive ideas to add some character around the apartment. These adorable tin can lanterns from Grow Creative are perfect for impressing your guests and illuminating your outdoor space. The best part of this DIY is that you don't need a lot to make them!

What You Need

recycled tin cans

hammer

nail

bailing wire

pliers

spray paint

tea light candle

For instructions, jump over to Grow Creative's tutorial here.

Have you ever tried to make your own tin can lanterns before? As soon as I have some spare tin cans (I guess that means I have to do some cooking!), I plan to try this DIY and put a few out on the patio! Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Decisions.

I need a new laptop...!

As much as I would love to purchase the new Macbook Pro with retina display, I don't need it. I am not familiar with the Mac operating system, neither is the boyfriend. Right now, it seems silly to spend close to $3000 on it when I don't think I would fully utilize it. I could, however, install Windows onto it and have the option to boot into Windows, but that kinda seems silly and a waste of money.

So I have narrowed my decision down to either the Asus N Series or the new Dell XPS. I've never been a huge fan of Dell, so I am leaning more towards Asus.

Asus has two N series laptops available {here}, a 15.6" and a 17" -- I am learning towards the 17" because it has a larger hard drive and larger screen (I want to be able to edit my photos in photoshop and be able to show all the different options, etc). Besides moving it around in the apartment, being portable isn't a huge concern. I also have the new iPad to take with me if I go on holidays, so it really doesn't have to leave the apartment, ever. Does anyone else have a 17" laptop? Is it too big? Thoughts?

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

So proud.

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Today, my boyfriend got his test results for his CFA exam. He made me wait all day before telling me how he did. I could barely focus at work! I am pleased to report that he passed level III! I am so proud of him. Now, it's time to celebrate...!!!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Recipe // Island Chicken Sandwich.

Ingredients

9-grain triangle buns
slices of tomato
slices of avocado
slices of chicken
slices of mozzarella cheese
a few pieces of lettuce
mayonnaise

Directions

1. Toast the bun to your liking.

2. Add your favorite ingredients and enjoy!

As I previously mentioned, the Island Chicken I cooked Sunday night was incredibly delicious. For dinner tonight, we decided to make some chicken sandwiches. They were amazing! I can't wait to eat another one!!!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Recipe // Grilled Island Chicken.

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Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl.

2. Whisk until the marinade is well mixed and add the chicken breasts to the bowl so that they are covered by the marinade.

3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours (I would suggest marinading for at least 3 hours at the minimum).

4. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (if you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should register 165 degrees). Tent with foil and let the chicken rest for about five minutes before serving.

5. Alternately, the chicken can be baked. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I love this marinade, so simple to prepare and very delicious! I ended up baking the chicken because we don't have any propane for the BBQ right now and it turned out really good. I found this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe; she has some really delicious looking recipes that I have bookmarked and must try!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

New home. New furniture.

As of August 1, I have officially moved out of my parents home. Exciting but scary at the same time.

Last weekend my parents took us out to Ikea to purchase a few new bedroom items. I already had a few items, but wanted to complete the set. Unfortunately, when we got home, we realized they had changed the color on us. Not surprised, but not impressed.

Tuesday afternoon we decided to up my vehicle with our purchases and return them so that we could buy something else. After much debate on color and what bedroom set to purchase, the boyfriend and I decided to get a new bed frame, dresser and two bed-side tables. Even though it cost me quite a few pennies, I am really happy with the color we picked. I love black!

Last night we decided it would be fun to build the dresser. Initially, it was fun building it together, but it took FOREVER. Finally at 12:00 am I went to bed and was woken up around 1:00 am to him telling me he had finished it. Thanks D, it looks awesome!!

Now we are thinking about changing the layout of the entire bedroom. Its a lot of work, but I am loving the fact that he is so into this. This weekend is going to be super busy with re-organizing and unpacking. We're also getting a new mattress delivered. I spent nearly $1000 on it, so it better be good. Has any one purchased a Kingsdown mattress before? We really liked it at the store, but when we got home and read reviews on it, we weren't too impressed. I do realize a lot of those reviews were from a few years ago and were probably different models, but it still concerns me.

Happy weekend everyone!