Words Unspoken|Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.

Last week we did movies. We’ve since added two movies to our DVD collection!

This week, I’ll be sharing a few links about writing - spelling and words in particular. A quick glance through my archives will show that I am incredibly passionate about proper spelling and grammar, and thankfully, I’m not the only one!

• How To Spell Its - Thank goodness SOMEONE said something! People are forever adding apostrophes into this word at the wrong time or leaving them out when they need them… It’s so annoying!
• D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y - Another pet peeve word of mine, this is one that’s constantly being spelled incorrectly. If you’re unsure how to spell it, go there!
• Spell Checker Blues - A cute little poem with very funny wordplay. I’ve read it before, but it’s always worth another read!
• Dead Words - They put it best on the site, so I’ll just copy what they wrote: “Some words in the English language tend to be overused and therefore lose their power. These are called Dead Words. Below is a list of dead words and more interesting alternatives that should be used in their place when you are writing.”
• Commonly Overused Words - Another list of overused words, along with replacement words. Check this out when you’re writing a paper and find yourself saying “also” every other sentence!
• 23 Words You Can Use to Impress Your Friends - This is a list of words that include words I’ve never even heard! Bonus points to them for using conundrum as one - I love that word!
• Origins of Words and Phrases - Ever wondered why people say they’re “stumped”? Or where the phrase “wrong end of the stick” came from? Find out these and more here!

Got any other interesting grammar/spelling sites that I didn’t mention? Make sure to tell me! I read these things for fun, you know!

For more information about Weekend Wrap-Up, click here. To suggest a site, email me with your suggestion and why you think it should be included!

Do you ever feel very blah? I do. It’s not necessarily when I’m in a bad mood, but rather when I just don’t feel like I’m at my best. I’ve found that doing things that make me feel pampered puts me in a good mood right away! Here are a few tips that I’ve come across that always make me feel more gorgeous and content.

• Paint your nails. Such a simple task, really - about five minutes and you’re done! Grab a shade of pink and go crazy. Of course, if you have a bit more time, take it a bit further and give yourself a full manicure! Videojug has a great tutorial for this! Have even more time? Give yourself a pedicure, too!
• Take a bubble bath. Showers and baths are something that really relax me, no matter how horrible I’m feeling that day. I usually take a very warm bath and use some bath salts (Green tea is the one I’m using now, and I love it!) and light some candles and/or incense. Then I just lay back and read. It’s my time away from the world and the water puts me completely at ease. This also softens your skin so you can do the next tip!
• Shave your legs. I don’t care how often you do it, because that’s none of my business. However, I do know that if you shave your legs (properly - not just a quick run over with the razor) you will feel feminine and beautiful. Well, at least that’s how it works for me. I know most people’s daily routine in the shower probably includes “run the razor over my legs so I don’t look like a wild animal”, however, this time, take the time to do it right. Soften your legs (with the aforementioned soak!), use shaving cream (or soap, if you have sensitive skin or problems with shaving cream) and run the razor over your legs until they feel completely silky smooth. Sometimes it takes more than once, and sometimes in more than one direction! After you get out of the tub, put on some moisturizer and rub it in completely. You’ll feel refreshed, and you’ll have a little piece of knowledge that nobody else knows - unless you walk around telling people “I shaved my legs today!”
• Match your bra and panties. Speaking of secrets that nobody knows, this is a big one. I’ve read it in multiple articles about confidence boosters, and it works! Knowing that your undergarments match makes you feel sexy and put-together, and being confident is well on your way to feeling glamorous!
• Tune out the world. Log out of those instant messengers! Close your email! Get off those social networking sites! Chances are, someone is bound to be negative, and you can’t be your best when you’re absorbing that negativity. Give yourself some time to just be you and live for you. The world will still be there when you get back, I promise!

Honestly, I’m sure there are millions of things that everyone who reads this can come up with that aren’t on this list. That isn’t the point, though! The point is, you deserve to feel glamorous. You deserve to be happy, healthy, content, and really proud of who you are. There’s nobody else in this world that is just like you. So smile! It’ll make the whole day look better - even if you just happen to catch a glimpse of your goofy fake-smile.

One of my twitter friends linked to her photo time capsule, and I was intrigued. I signed up for my own, and it’s incredible! Photos from a year ago, sent directly to your email, with a message (if you want) from the year before!

It’s so funny that it’s been a year since I took my favourite photo of Mew Mew. The year goes quickly, hey?

Go sign up for your own! Then, share them with me! Have you improved in your photography? Have you went through any major life changes? Find out!

Last week, we did romance in honour of mine and Matt’s wedding anniversary. I think the links are helpful for everyone - new couples, couples that have lost their “spark”, people who are looking to get into a relationship and aren’t quite sure of themselves…

As I mentioned a bit over a week ago, Matt and I are planning to start a DVD collection. We’ve bought our first DVD for the collection, and I supplemented it with one (technically three, in one case) that I bought him for our anniversary. To get an idea of other films to buy, I’ve been on the lookout for links regarding to movies. I found it only fitting to save them to share with you in this week’s weekend wrap-up!

• The Weirdest Movies in the World - This is a list of user-voted movies, chosen because they’re out of the ordinary and just, well, strange. I have to admit there’s quite a few that I haven’t seen on the list! There are some well-known movies on the list, such as the classic A Clockwork Orange, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Love this movie!), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Donnie Darko (voted number one!) and then there are some lesser-known movies!
• Best Online Documentaries - This is a list for Matt if I’ve ever seen one. He loves documentaries. From anthropology to technology and everywhere in between, it seems there is a ton of information here, just waiting to be learned!
• 100 Greatest Comedy Movies - Another “best of” list, this one goes to the movies that you’ll want to get if you need a good laugh! Some of my favourites on the list include Monty Python and the Holy Grail, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Mrs. Doubtfire and Tommy Boy (Did I hear a niner in there? Were you calling from a walkie-talkie?). The list not only lists the top 100, but goes on from there with thirty “honourable mentions”!
• 10 Sci-Fi Films You Should See (But Probably Haven’t!) - Are you sci-fi fan? Check out this list. I have to admit I don’t think I’ve heard of a single film on the list! I will say they all seem very interesting and come well-recommended, so I suggest you look them up!
• “A truly lucky and blessed bastard has seen THE DARK KNIGHT and damn… I’m so frickin’ jealous!” - This was posted in June, before the Dark Knight came out, and it’s an incredible review of the movie. I have seen it, and I have to agree with the review posted here. As the writer said, “This review avoids major spoilers but does reveal the basic framework - so if you don’t like to know a thing… why’d you even click here.” Don’t click the link if you haven’t seen and don’t want to know about the movie!
• Everything Horror - Buried.com - I have to say I can’t handle looking through this site for more than a few minutes. There’s nothing wrong with the site, but I am a huge baby when it comes to horror movies. I’d prefer a nice romantic comedy, or even a stupid comedy (think Half-Baked and the like) over something that’ll make me afraid to sleep for months. However, this site is worth mentioning as I know not everyone is as big a baby as I am! It’s a list of reviews for horror movies, amongst other things - trailers, fonts, audiobooks and more.

That wraps up this week’s Weekend Wrap-Up. I’m sure there’s a million movie sites out there that I haven’t listed here, but those will come in a later installment! For now, get out the popcorn, grab a blanket and your sweetheart (or best friend!) and curl up on the couch for a movie night!

For more information about Weekend Wrap-Up, click here. To suggest a site, email me with your suggestion and why you think it should be included!

I had an “adult” moment the other day. I used my first coupon - ever. I never quite understood the concept of using coupons, to be honest. I still kinda don’t. I’ve found one site that I get them mailed to me from, but other than that I don’t even know where to get them! I felt so proud of myself, though. It was only for a dollar off of some toilet paper, but I figure in the grand scheme of coupons, a dollar is a lot!

What are your favourite sites for getting coupons from? Do you find them in newspapers or anything like that? I’m looking specifically for Canadian ones, because those are the ones I have a hard time finding.

I think a few other defining moments in adulthood are worth mentioning. Some I haven’t discovered yet, and some I enjoy. One of the ones I haven’t experienced yet is ordering meats/fish/cheeses from the deli. I usually just buy the pre-packaged stuff. I remember growing up that my mom always went to the deli counter and had our lunch meat sliced there instead of the packaged meat, and let me tell you, it makes a difference. I just don’t have the nerve (or what I consider the know-how) yet to do this.

I will say that an amazingly “adult” moment in your life is when you’re handed a key to a home that you owned. I remember when I purchased my first home, I nearly cried when they gave me the key. I couldn’t get over the idea that I owned a home - I owned floors and walls and doors and could do anything that I wanted and nobody could tell me otherwise! I’m looking forward to that feeling again in a few years, once I’ve got a stable job and am settled here. At least I get a little taste of it in the summer when Matt’s parents are out of town!

Another adult moment worth mentioning is the day you decide to make a decision for yourself that changes your life. Whether it’s the decision to lose weight, to stop smoking or to have children (No, they’re not really comparable decisions, but they are alike in the fact that they’re life changing!), it’s a moment where you take charge of your life instead of waiting for someone to do it for you. It’s empowering, it’s impressive, and it’s scary, but you usually find it’s worth it in the end.

So, what do you consider an “adult” moment worth mentioning? Is there a moment when you sat down and thought “Wow, I’m not a kid anymore!”? Tell me about it!