Hello, my name is Taylor, and I’m basic AF.

I’m not talking about the fact that I wear UGG’s (I don’t), that I love ‘Friends’ (I don’t), or that I drink endless Pumpkin Spice Latte’s (I really, really don’t), I’m talking about my deep love for fall. That makes me basic, right? I never know, but I feel this is something I could clarify by getting Snapchat (I won’t).

When I stepped outside on the first day of fall, I got pleasantly smacked in the face by the crisp Saskatchewan air, and I sucked in every atom of it that I could. You see, fall in Saskatchewan is terribly short lived – the leaves seem to turn color and disappear from the trees in about a week’s time, and it seems to go straight from swimsuit weather to parka weather overnight. One thing I loved about living in Toronto, fall was in the air for much longer.

Where I Went

Esterhazy, Saskatchewan

Regina, Saskatchewan

Favorite Moments

A Muses and Stuff Podcast Appearance

September 9th marked author Pamela Des Barres’ 69th birthday, and to celebrate, my friends over at Muses and Stuff put together a birthday celebration episode in which yours truly, along with some other rad dolls, were featured. Check it out here!

A very spooky wedding

On September 2nd, one of my best friends got married, and I was delighted to be her Maid of Honour!

When it comes to decor, Skylar is less than conventional, and so her wedding theme was Halloween! Her dress was black, there were skulls galore, and the centerpieces were coffins filled with jelly beans.

What I Read

Back in January I made the decision to participate in a reading challenge courtesy of The Girl Who Wanders. The challenge is to read 26 books over one year, which is roughly one book every two weeks. The challenge outlines different criteria for each book selection to help with book choices.

This month I read:

“A book by a male writer”

Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer

To the untrained eye, Christopher McCandless was a reckless dreamer who underestimated the power of nature and overestimated his ability to survive within. However, as Jon Krakauer unearths in this straight-forward account, the young man was much more than that.

Possessing an unwavering desire to traipse the earth unfiltered and honest, McCandless likened himself to many great adventurers who found profound spirituality in the powerful, solitary solace of the wild. To do so, he left behind his money, his family, and anything that could be used to track him down.

This novel was recommended to me almost a decade ago by a similar type of wanderer, and after completing it I had to wonder why it took me so long to pick it up. Perhaps it is because despite the tragic fate of Christopher McCandless, his desire to escape the modalities of the modern age is a feeling that many of us can easily relate to; and while exhilarating, it is also scary. What McCandless represents is a life unscripted, a free life, an escape into the wild.

“A book from the perspective of a non-human”

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

I went in to reading “The Art Of Racing in the Rain” cautiously, even skeptical perhaps. I hadn’t heard great reviews through the grapevine, and while I never let a review make up my mind about something, it does influence perception. Yet, I loved the writing style and perspective of this novel, told through the eyes of a beloved family dog.

Enzo was just a pup when he went home with his new owner Denny, and they formed a bond so adorable it made me want to go out and get a dog immediately. Denny treated Enzo like a member of the family, teaching him about racecars and what it means to be a human; both themes of which Enzo was extremely passionate about. The novel is littered with racing metaphors aimed at the human experience, especially so when things started to head south in Denny’s personal life.

However, this book, even given these two main themes, is not light and fluffy. And though I found it pleasant to read, I also found myself annoyed by how Stein seemed to nonchalantly, yet obtrusively, slip his own agenda into Enzo’s character – namely, Enzo’s views on religion and medicine. They weren’t huge scoffs on Stein’s part, but they definitely caused an eye roll or two.

Nevertheless, I appreciated Enzo’s intellect and would recommend this to anybody who enjoys an easy, weepy read.