Raymi in the Sky with Diamonds

Ready for cloud watching geekery? I only say that because I don’t want to offend the old people by saying cloud porn oops too late. People will literally get mad about everything anything if you let them.

and now there is a Raymbo. Remind me to take a picture of my Raymbo Brite custom heels and the back story is bananananananas too.

Some wild sky gazing things going on up there lately, storms, crazy winds blowing it all around, gorgeous sunsets seeing them from high up or in various other settings we so happen to adventure upon.

One girl on twitter saw a mushroom, while another…

saw a frog. Cuuuuuute.

Ships don’t lie.

Ghostbusters sky. I make that reference a lot.

Thank you Kathy. If you can believe it, Minx sent me a check years ago to get Minxed and blog about it that is how I met Kathy and we bonded, girl did we ever. She found some of these in her kit and mailed them to me. I was like how do I even do this without you? She sent me the video of Diane Keaton doing her own Minx manicure during quarantine faaaaaaaaabulous woman. So I put a few on yesterday, I need a better file and shall share once I refine this art. Also, raymi the minx + minx nails, are you kidding me how could they resist?

Sentimental model airplane field so much sky activity but no model plane geeks to be seen this windy-ass day. We wandered over to the dog park and got psyched about a future bike ride up here for picnic and walkabout boy, dog people sure are weirdos! This guy said you can’t come in without a dog (being a real jokester there) and we realised he was screwing with us and he got a big kick out of his comedy. I could spy an Irish Wolfhound from the model plane airport those things are so big but yeah, dog people man. Far out.

Dork tables. I accidentally said it once and now it’s what we call them. Can’t wait til we show up and people actually be flying planes here. A guy was taking a break in his city garbage truck though it’s a nice spot to hide but like aren’t you on the clock bro? We didn’t snitch just on my blog here in secret haha.

We spent an evening here when it was cold during the beginnings of the pandemic so that is why I am precious about it but also it’s an excellent spot no. yes. The security showed up by the end of our date (back in March), we realised there are cameras everywhere so they saw everythiiiiing. A guy simply rolled up, politely stayed in his car as we got our shit together and out of there. It’s something we still laugh about. So like, they saw us playing frisbee and football, eat a roast chicken off the back of bf’s car, have a loud car speaker-phonecall with my mom, other stuff etc.

Sorry I lost steam. Ta-ta for now. T G I F.

bloviate, blog & breathe

Hi guys I’m back! What day is it, ohhhh it’s Monday. Cool cool ‘nother day in paradise coupled by heatwave which is supposedly breaking into a lightning thunderstorm later on to level out dat goddamn heat.

Oh my god ADD be strong let’s get through this, brain you can do it. Had to literally tell my bf don’t talk to me like I am here but I am not haha. Everyone in my family has ADD it has been a life-long possibility for me that I have largely ignored but I see it in all of us and it’s the British way not to scandalize or address but yeah, there it is.

I guess it’s obvious and present in every blog post that I write because you literally have no idea where this is gonna go nor do I and that’s fine I just take a deep breath and dive in. It’s a Kerouac thing not to humble-brag but I am related to that guy and you can kinda tell how mad I am and if you knew who he was I guess you can make a correlation. I have been in a love affair with writing since I was a kid and why did I stop, so many reasons.

You know what is also hard about blogging? Aside from the fact that I’m taking myself off of other channels to be here? (Oh the struggle) but again I digress.. the choosing of pictures is what throws me because I over-obsess and my style-choice of how I am showcasing things here, I know nothing else? It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, ew I said it. NO not ew, because I am proud of this I distinctly recall being 19 years old during the (first) height of my blog fame something I should actually speak about what that was like, I’ll put a pin in it for now but holla holla that’s a goodie.

I always have these negative mean things in my head when I am writing here it’s every mean thing I have heard people say about me and boy there are doozies, that is another roadblock BUT f that shit because haters gonna hate you, just don’t let them trip you up.

I tend to hold on to it for a bit before I erupt and let them know how wrong they are. How they have mistreated me but I know that people fight the battle when the war is already won so it be what it be and that is why they lash out. It typically has more to do with them, not you, but still they try to mess with your life and can succeed. I do not ever forgive it. I stand in my power and my worth and how dare you. I just have experienced a lot of meddling lately it has been exhausting and hurtful. I am still wicked pissed about it and the anger is nowhere close to cleared yet.

Every piece of negativity that you put out there 100% will come back to you. Cruelty too. If you feel low, then stop the grudge you are holding on to. The hate. Let it go because all you are doing is hurting people but mostly in the end it is you you’re hurting most and nobody needs that dysfunction anymore. Some people are trying to be happy and live harmonious lives without conflict there is enough going on in the world for plenty to eat and they’ve had enough. Demonizing people and painting a bad picture of them to suit your own needs is no one’s gain. Cruel intentions are quite unbecoming. Thank you for the flowers but where is the apology. See: worst birthday of my life.

However, speaking of ADD previously… I’m currently helping my man with a golf ball FB Marketplace post and flexing my skills and for some reason mobile wouldn’t work to upload the listing but now we’ve got it sorted from my desktop I am happy I can help and make use of my copywriting technical skills. I am grateful to be blogging here and now too booboos… anyway he’s setting up his dream stereo system right now too which deserves its own post.

When people embrace their passions, like me blogging for instance, then you help one another and bring each other up – that is how it is supposed to be. You can’t rise up if you’re squashing yourselves or being squashed. I have always been a read-between-the-lines sort of blogger and anger is distracting so this is my therapy doing this. I need to get it out to move on and when I have been disrespected so rudely why should I not get my turn to speak my mind.

Now, actually moving on but if the person who all that was meant for read it, good. I am willing and waiting to have an open dialogue with you at your leisure but if not, cool then. I just find alienating people only continues the abusive, toxic situation. I have heard everything you said about me. I’m not being afraid to write here anymore because of people’s judgments. Period.

Speaking of that too, do you know that the woman who has cyber-stalked, harassed, bullied, and terrorized me for 15 years is actually finally behind bars??? See. People been messing with me all over for a long time and now I can speak out about it.

It’s a massive story but again I had to just “ignore it” forever but I always kept my eye on her and BOOM she has priors. When you are a blogger on the web, influencer, you will attract crazy people. My friends who are also in my scene have all gone through it, being trolled and harassed in so many horrible ways!!! I never breathed attention into it here too much in order to minimize it although over the years I am sure you have seen me go off about it when it boiled over too much for me to handle and all you guys could do is watch, no one could properly help me. I have had a sick woman emulate me, torment, attack me on-and-on for 15 years, drag me through the coals and gaslight me. If you saw her channels you would be sickened.

I am so thankful that she is in jail now on $50,000 bail no one put the 10% ($5000) up to get her ass out of there she is that heinous and all it took was someone else for her to harass and threaten holy smokes. I am still triggered and sensitive about it so will discuss at a later date kk it is still on-going.

Day-to-day life is pretty chill, we is happy. :) I have rolled my ankle twice though playing sports with bf so now we don’t do that it really needs to heal, lesson learned. Walking, hiking, biking is what I can handle maybe the odd toss of lacrosse but football and frisbee is too dangerous because the competitive athlete comes out and results in my ankle literally folding and it’s traumatic plus sets us back. My ankle crumpled a second time because the first time thought it was better but not really healed yet and I was running backward to catch a spiral and hit a divot in the grass – boom. Dunzo. My right ankle ballooned up like a ball. I have teeny ankles and well I gotta pay more attention. I have pain flashbacks still it’s quite scary but I did it to myself so I am not looking for sympathy only just gabbin’ with you.

And so we went on this walk in this cute little part of a trail when I was still newly afflicted we went light and easy but we had a great time and were considerate and cute to each other blah blah wildflowers everywhere… I have been feeling guilty about being happy lately, feeling nervous about it I am protective of it very much so. How terrible is that? Like, it’s “not fair?” I am not talking BLM well maybe a bit but mostly from all that other shit I made mention of before like when you say you’re happy people take it away from you or try to they really do which is sickening and mentally ill of them if you ask me.

Pride comes before a fall but I am not prideful I am grateful and know the difference between a low and a high and always find a silver lining in times like many people should cultivate the fine skill of self-preservation, stop, smell your roses.

This made me laugh and reminded me of a time we had to park in a field in Holland like an over-flow lot and the grass was so thick and tall but all the cars there are tiny ridiculous Euro things and you drive in to like an everglades-effect and you slam your door shut on all these tall grasses.

Went for a me-time spin on my bike this day I have a lot of memories of this pier and the waterfront in Burlington in general and consider it a happy place. I’m a people watcher so it always brings the goods. I scratched a lottery ticket made a couple calls which resulted in ME being the watched one lol then rode home to bf’s dinner made for us. Happy day.

Airing out things that bother you with having a platform to do it on I gotta admit feels freeing in a way unlike any other, sometimes scary the “power” but if people have made you feel so small, insignificant, and inferior for a long time why be afraid to call them out why should they get away with it?

Chickens come home to roost.

Another milestone is getting into shape again and feeling more confidence in myself, my body, my spirit, my all and there isn’t anything wrong with that I am still very much annoyed at the nasty things I have heard. I do not trash other women. It’s gross to me when I hear others bash me, like, you should know better. If you want to feel validated in your shittiness then yes, you have done damage. To us both.

Onwards and upwards, have a great week y’all.

Never be afraid to be happy, that is the take-away.

hike up your life

What’s up beauties, are ya ready to vibe out to some relaxing blog? kk sames.

You seem stressed have a glass of relaaaaaax.

Keeping it slow and low out here in burbia like I like it. We cranked’er up a notch in Toronto for an afternoon a night and an afternoon so I could break out my summer wardrobe… my duds I packed away in a box and stored up above in my apartment layout for a season and it is nice to be reunited with my fashions. I have enough out here but wearing the same outfit-style all the time more or less when you’re a peacock and your bf’s stuff is all around you, you get cagey and you cannot adequately express yourself style-wise.

Actually we are both a bit’a fashionistas but tend to ‘err on the side of “garbage” normcore a lot when we’re alone lol so hot.

He has this pair of khakis that when I ask him to hold my phone it falls through a hole in the side-pocket and hits the ground. They’re actually my favourite. We embrace the skid life. Literally doing any and every thing we can to entertain and amuse ourselves.

Toronto gave me anxiety to be honest all of Thursday up until the afternoon then I was fine. I did apartment viewings for a unit in the building both days for my friends, whom are also my landlords. More on the viewings later and I had anxiety because my neighbourhood there is off the chains: summertime and living there is C R A Z Y. The Window News never disappoints let’s be honest but anyway I have a crop of friends who live on Front and we always light it up at Sugar Beach when it’s summer, so that we did. Tashina picked us up in her convertible and we blasted on down. Bf noticed the crew already there and party was a-go.

There aren’t any bathrooms down by that beach though so you have to get creative and it is disgusting the only two areas everyone uses for a toilet. This Covid life is so degrading in many ways but I’m outdoorsy with ample outdoor whizzing experience… I even got my mom on board – ladies, just always BYOTP and you’ll be good.

I just think it’s hard existing in the city or any urban setting during the summer you truly feel trapped in a concrete jungle I feel for the people I do. I am the people but I always have a base I can flee to in the burbs or made sure of it well yeah being the only one of my particular tribe to also ride the rails in the city but as for now I am “over it”.

Time seems to have flown by since April. I spent the worst birthday of my life alone thanks to covid and some meddling of others suffice to say, but yes it’s June now and that’s all behind us but I remember everything, every detail, because a lot of living has been packed into that time since before now.

It’s been domestic bliss more or less shaking the cobwebs out and adjusting to new dwellings which has been fun coupled by anxiety. The thing is, everyone is going through some form of shit right now. We have seen behind the curtain of errrryone’s bullshit and there is no hiding. Deaths, closings of businesses, BLM having a well-deserved huge moment which I will also be addressing – this was supposed to be a fluff post as in, a breather-log so as to not say all the things I really would rather air, got me? Y’always do.

Nature is religion to me right now and I feel as though I have waded through enough hoops of hell to get to this place where I am at. It’s hard for people to be happy for themselves or for others but also to just enjoy what you’ve got your ample privilege like it’s hard to just be happy with your day? Really? You are so fortunate maybe you have a bit of money in your pocket it’s summer now finally yeah the world is sincerely going to shit at the moment but look at the bright side if there is one. Be grateful. Gratitude isn’t that hard it’s just you’ve become hardened. It’s hard to appreciate what’s right up in front of your own nose and why nobody knows but, just live your truth as best you can and look around you. You have more than you know.

People are at their happiest when they are doing what they are meant to be doing. Like right now I’m happy because I am doing this and my bf is happy because he is scrubbing a bunch of golf balls. You do what works for right now, you putter and you come together, you may fight but you just keep doing you and if you’re lucky you become symbiotic and there’s a flow.

I am re-reading my favourite book right now Rule of the Bone I may have spoken of it before here but I am sure there’s newbies who I do not expect to dig back although I am always delightedly surprised when readers are like oh yeah I remember that. Or dream about me.

Anyway, Rule of the Bone is by Russell Banks and there is a lot of Rastafarianism wisdom in it I found it in my library in highschool and was instantly shook. I also read the Darling by the same author and I recco both to you but yeah to re-acquaint myself with this literature I see my true self again and the girl I was when I first found it and how the world has changed since, it has aged well but it accurately encapsulates an era of grunge and also includes a motorcycle gang and triggering sexual misconducts too, yikes.

The best parts of it however is when the protagonist goes to Jamaica and before that when he’s living on a school bus in an abandoned field and meets his Rasta buddy I say no more except you really get to nail down your Patois when you are reading this shit and your skiddy dialect altogether and as a writer, personally, I need to read it’s like breathing in and out – to write you need to read you need your salt and you need your pepper too.

I feel like I have been consuming way too much and have read the entire internet I need to come back to creating content again but mostly for me (not for you no offense), but yeah of course part of me is interested in seeing where this goes and who cares who knows I mean if you’re gonna do it just do it and shut up right haha.

People would say I punch you in the face with my writing and then punch you again with a picture okay maybe I just said that about myself and am paraphrasing like if they even say anything about me at all I also am always just practicing comedy here too and if you’re not in on the joke or get it you can go into a hate-reading mode it is nothing new to me like why does she do this or that? Maybe just appreciate that I do it at all and stop questioning it because I have asked nothing of you.

A rock pile near our friend’s place no can’t divulge the co-ordinates my mom has adorned my nana’s garden with the rocks she finds but has since let-up a little on taking them because they are for all to enjoy. One of the silver linings of this pandemic is the creativity you get to experience via others finally geeking-out and flexing those parts of themselves right??? yes.

Aw my heart.

Wow, great uhh, address. Lol.

Can you believe I waited this long until posting a selfie? I am “making a point”.

I love this donut so much thank you for injecting some kitsch in to Burlington thanks a bunch for really reals.

Pretty sweet have a bud who lives so close to us with a backyard set-up like so.

My chalk art was trying to do tropical sunsetting I googled it was aiight but a bit hot messy in the end we all drew a bunch of stuff love this bike path very much so.

haha our car’s reflection.

I got yelled at over the bullhorn we still make fun of it just let it roll off yer back everything is comedy pretty much right now.

This was a surprise location hike there’s lots to explore out here.

Alrighty, my fingers are tired and it’s a heatwave it’s time to do the thing, live the life — this has been great. To be continued I will be back with more.

As always,

your pal Raymi

oh and ps. if you need a lot of golf balls for a good price, get in touch lol.

Eastview Homes, Raymi style.

So like everyone knows I’ve been hanging out in Burlington these days cooking, hiking, and riding out isolation with someone special and overall my life is pretty good considering there’s a global pandemic messing with society. Long story short I am busy living it up like a retired Renaissance woman and literally haven’t opened my laptop in months… but now that I have I’m thinking why not more blogging?

I put the word out looking for cool gigs but there isn’t much happening these days. Everyone is online. My laptop is closed but my phone is glued to my hand. I’m kind of glad to not be in Toronto during all this but I’m there in spirit – I support the #BLM insurgency in all forms.

Last week a friend called and asked me to help him do a video for an Oakville Burlington home renovation contractor which I was happy to accept but didn’t know what to expect.

I said sure I’ll give ya a link let’s do this!

This is Keith and he specializes in renovating split side homes. He seems like an all-star handy man and with my expertise of directing and coaching him on camera, we worked our way through the script and got’er done. I passed on my tips from years in the field.

Talking on-camera while delivering lines and trying to look flawless, sound flawless, is a lot harder then you’d think. The night before we were watching some show where the host is simply talking while walking, using his hands a lot too and it was seamless enough but I remarked on how hard I knew that was to do. For me personally, I am at my best when I’m unscripted but many times you ramble on too long and it can come off sloppy.

Remember the Brady Bunch? Well, they had a split level home, two bedrooms over the garage. Except the house they used in the establishing shot didn’t have a garage. If you add up all the interiors, I’m told there isn’t enough actual house for the whole Brady family — I love these geeky facts. That island kitchen and the couch room, the big living room they never used and the father’s den – that’s the whole first floor. You’re telling me eight people slept upstairs? What about Alice? She could have been in the basement or maybe she lived off site lmao. Anyway, in reality they needed a renovation and home remodelling and probably more bathrooms.

Those are the types of buildings that Eastview Homes renovate best so they say; each box is like an uncut gem and they find the best light and add windows and work around that. That’s their big secret by the way.

Day started at ten am which was civilized. They had watermelon slices and apple-fritter pastries but I declined. At first my job was to help run lines and then I was to hold reflector dish but then we had too much daylight and I had to hold a sunshade. Then we kind of evolved beyond all that and just made Keith stand in the best light. Then my job became light hunter.

Also I was blown away to notice the house next door to one of the sites I had spent a week painting with my mom’s painting business the summer before, as in last summer and THAT mes amis is a tale for another time… the day we wrapped the gig the owner got us loaded I’m talking two cases of wine pool party and ants in the pizza I was uber’d back to Toronto because they made me miss the train and I had a date I wanted to see which in hindsight I should have just stayed LOL.

The kitchen builders’ name is Remi and that’s his son. First thing the cameraman did was kill their music and then he complained about their taste in music. This caused Remi to talk excitedly about Pink Floyd which he declared was his favourite. That stopped the conversation. Dark side of the moooooon forever bruh.

The sound on the camera was a concern and we worried Keith wouldn’t be loud enough. Then too loud. The mic picked up everyone talking in the background, lawnmowers and helicopters. It was a nice day and everyone was home and outside enjoying the morning. Kids on bikes came by with their grandpa wearing a mask. They left. Our shoot was too boring for them.

All in all it was an enjoyable, hilarious, and knowledgeable time. I like being outside, wearing pink hats, bickering with my colleague and helping businesses out. We did two locations then it was over and so this is the blog. Done and dusted.

Now, here’s the video. Great job Keith!

TTYL Everyone, your pal Raymi.