In the world of Save. Spend. Splurge.

What I liked this week:

• What makes someone Canadian? American? Japanese? This video is an excellent reminder of that and public reactions to a half-black Japanese woman named Ariana Miyamoto becoming Miss Japan 2015 are telling because I only see young people supporting her, not the older generation. It isn’t just the colour of your skin. It’s your culture, environment and upbringing. “Half-fu” or not you cannot help how you look but it is rude to say that you are not a product of your upbringing just because of your skin colour. It is like living in limbo because you are not one or the other.
• For those of us suffering from depression, this TED talk might help you understand it better; it is not a chemical imbalance perhaps, but a misfiring of brain synapses. At any rate, realize you are not alone. I have been fortunate in not having experienced any form of clinical depression but I have friends who suffer from it. Even if you do not suffer from depression, this particular section about band-aids on emotions is quite relevant to all of us. I will work on being more vocal about how grateful I am for my life.
• I always knew this: wearing clothes that makes you feel good, makes you perform better.
• For all you singletons out there, here’s the math of when to just commit to someone.
• I’m fascinated by the women who buy haute couture (Google link to bypass WSJ paywall).
• I want a beehive now. This guy came up with a brilliant invention to harvest honey easily.
• I completely agree with Nikki Reed’s philosophy on veganism and living. I’m the same way. Her Freedom of Animals bucket purse is pretty cute.
• D&G made abayas chic this year. Was it a good move? Four Muslim women give their opinions on the line.
• When I’m in Paris this summer I’ll be dropping by Ines’ store..
• This gripping Maori ritual of a haka was performed at a Tongan wedding. I only started tearing up at the end with the obviously heartfelt hugs and emotions.

VIDEO TED TALK

Bunker Roy talks about starting the amazing Barefoot College

This has got to be one of the funniest, most empowering videos about human ingenuity, passion and feminism that I have watched in a long time and I do not say this lightly.

PLEASE, men & women, take the time to watch it because reading the transcript does not do it justice.

I love it so much, I downloaded it and plan on listening it to it in the future, again and again.

My absolute FAVOURITE section of his entire talk is his rendering of it justice is of picking the grandmother at 16:41.

I actually laughed out loud while walking in the parking lot (scaring people whom I am sure thought I was bananas), and I rewound it, and listened to it at least 4 more times, laughing EACH TIME.

[Video Below]