CD Review #2: Patterns EP

Cassie's back. I remember the slim shady song that starts with 'guess who's back, back again' and every time i write ... is back my mind finishes the line with that.

Anyway, Cassie's back with a new EP. It has been released for a while now, since August 12. It was available for stream on Spotify since the 5th, but only 7 days later it was released worldwide.

I have to be honest, I've always been a Cassie fan ever since i first got to know her as Manny in Degrassi. In 2005 I fell in love with her style of music and ever since i've enjoyed listening to her songs. This EP was not different. I actually took out a free 7 day subscription on Spotify to be able to listen to it during work. After those 7 days I immediately bought it on Itunes and had it downloaded on all my computers and devices.

The EP consists out of 6 songs, and all of them are different than her last EP sounded like. She keeps inventing herself. I can honestly say that so far I haven't heard any album or EP that sounded exactly the same as the previous one.

Patterns seems to be a little darker than her previous EP called Shifty. Where Shifty was very upbeat and almost happy, this EP sounds dark and deep. I love the slow tempo of the songs and the obvious background beat. It took me a couple of times listening to it to get used to the new sound but since I love finding new sounds to listen to, that wasn't hard to do.

With Cassie you never know what to expect. Her Vines are hilarious, her acting is awesome and true and her songs... they just blow you away. If you haven't yet, you can get the EP on Itunes, Spotify and i'm pretty sure Amazon as well. GET IT

xo Chantal

Counting Down

So... before you start reading this there is one thing you need to know. I like school. And i mean REALLY LIKE it. I enjoy attending classes, spending time with classmates and actually cracking open the books.

I've started counting down, because in 8 days I'll be attending my first classes of the new school year. I'll be starting my second year of 4 years and this year I'll be dealing with 2 mayor things - 2 day internship and a 10 week stay in and english-speaking country. I'm looking forward to the internship, and in a way even more to the 10 weeks away, but I also know that I'll really miss people who stay back home. Hopefully they'll be able to visit.

So I'm counting down. I have a calendar on my closet door. It has been there since january, and it's easy because I can cross of the day that has passed. Today is sunday, which means in 8 days it'll be september 1st and i'll be attending my first reading of the year, of a course I'm not familiar with, with a group I might not be familiar with. So I'm getting another opportunity to meet new people and maybe some new friends.

This also means something else. It means that from that week on I'll be a whole lot closer to M. I can actually get out of the bus enroute to school and walk over to his house. So... yes I'm excited!

I'm counting down. Count down with me?


xo Chantal

The art of gifting

It has been four weeks since my last post and a lot has changed. I've started my summer job (at this office which acts as a kind of mediator between phone companies and phone resellers I guess) and I've hung out a lot. Finished a school project, and started another one. Oh and yes, also not too much fun, been having some breathing problems lately. Anyway, since you're all caught up again with my life, here I go with my post.

So for a while this little piece of 'canvas'- i'll just call it - was very empty. I had no idea what to talk about. So I was looking over at a card which i received on my last birthday from a close friend and his wife. I read it again and couldn't help but smile. Now, for you to understand why that made me smile you have to know this. His name is Daniel and her name is Marieke. They met shortly before I met Daniel and since Daniel and I hitted of, I got to know and care for Marieke as well. This girl, she's so sweet and kind. And he's just the same. The perfect couple - really.
Anyway, they called on my bday and asked if it would be ok if they could come over. Obviously I said yes. So they came over and brought a delish box of truffles with them (the chocolate kind). It was such a sweet gift.

So yes, this leads to my beef of tonight. How do you know what to get someone for their birthday? Some people are so spoiled these days. They don't see the value of getting a gift - no matter what it is - and don't appreciate the fact that someone took the time to go out and shop for something.
The last birthday gift I bought was for a really sweet guy. I hadn't known him for too long and still I wanted to get him something for his birthday. But, what to get? I kept my eyes open for a while, looking and mostly listening to what he might like. In the end I had bought him a small cute teddy which had a shirt which said 'big hugs' on it and got us 2 tickets to an amusement park which I knew he really liked. In the end it turned out to be the best gift I've ever given to someone. But even during our trip to the amusement park I was not completely sure I had given the right gift.

I find it easier to shop for a gift for a girl. After all, us girls talk too much anyway so we know each other a whole lot better than I know guys sometimes. I honestly never know what to get Daniel, or Tiewen or Mitch, or even my cousin.

For those of you out there who find it difficult as well, I've been thinking about ways to find out what would be the perfect gift.
First: just ask them what they like. Or ask their significant other - if they have one. They might have an idea.
Second: Remember that it is all about the thought behind it. You can get something small that means a lot to you and the other person. They will love it sooo much.
and third: don't be afraid of getting the wrong gift. I've been there, done that. Not worth all the worries. just go with your gut. Go for something funny that will make you laugh or go for something sweet when you want to get something romantic or what displays what the other person means to you.
Ooh and try browsing online. There are always things you can find online that you may not have thought about at first. Oh and enjoy.

Good luck!