Well, friends, I did it. I succumbed to the siren call of subscription services and signed up for the FabFitFun box. I blame my boss and LOL dolls.

Let me explain.

FabFitFun boxes have been all over my social media for a while; a few of the people I follow on Instagram subscribe to them and I have watched their unboxings with interest. I never took the plunge myself for a combination of reasons. I figured that the boxes were bound to be expensive and, more importantly the products over-priced; I am not averse to frivolous spending, but I am pretty picky about what I buy and thrift stores have skewed my perception of prices. But, it turns out, it didn’t take much to overcome my skepticism. My boss, who also happens to be a good friend, mentioned to me one day that she had just signed up – herself inspired by another mutual friend, who has been subscribed for over a year. J was very excited about her customized box and, in pretty short order, so was I. In my defence, J has the kind of natural enthusiasm that could sell a trip to the North Pole to an Edmontonian in the dead of winter. Furthermore, my resistance had already been weakened as a result of my exposure to LOL dolls.

Those of you not acquainted with any girls between the ages of 3 and 10 may be wondering what an LOL doll is. It’s no joke, let me tell you – only the most brilliant marketing ploy in recent toy history. An LOL Surprise is a plastic ball, wrapped in several layers of plastic, housing a small plastic doll and its tiny plastic accessories wrapped in plastic baggies. There are different “series” of LOL surprises, each with dozen or so different dolls. [There are even tinier versions of dolls called “little sisters” as well as “pets” for each of the big dolls, but let’s not proceed down this rabbit hole farther than necessary.] What doll you get is … yes, you guessed it, a surprise. The whole thing is about $2 worth of plastic, at best. Retail price: $20 and up. Per doll. They are insanely popular, as attested by the endless stream of YouTube videos dedicated to all things LOL.

My daughter currently lives and breathes LOL dolls and I will confess that her father and I have enabled her to what is probably an embarrassing extent. But here’s the more embarrassing confession: I secretly enjoy opening the surprises as much as my daughter does. A friend of mine who has a daughter of the same age recently made a similar confession to me. And it reminded me of my own childhood; I used to save up my pennies to buy “mystery packets” of stamps for my philatelic collection, and the best part was always the surprise element. Times (and hobbies) change, but human nature doesn’t.

Which brings me back to FabFitFun. For me, it’s like an adult version of the LOL doll. With an annual subscription, each box costs roughly $80CAD (including shipping). Or, if you like, 4 LOL dolls.

So … is FabFitFun worth it? I recently received my first box (Spring 2019) and here are my thoughts.

I like the packaging a lot. The box is cute and perfect for reuse if I ever have something to ship.

Ooh, everything looks nice.

I think this was the “mystery” item I ended up selecting. [I ordered my box late in the game, so some of the customizable options were no longer available.] It’s a shine spray – presumably an updated fancy version of the 90s glitter gels we all used. It will be a fun thing to try, but nothing special in my books. Retail value: $20+USD.

Verdict: I’ve tried it but it’s not something I’m going to use long-term. I may try it on my daughter’s hair for special occasions. Meh.

This I am excited about. I don’t buy fancy skincare but I am always game to try some. I’ve heard a lot about Tula on social media, so I am curious if it’s any good. This is a full size product, which is nice. Retail value: $28USD.

Verdict: I like this but I don’t think I would pay full price to buy it again. My optometrist (of all people) gave me a great skin cleansing hack, which is much cheaper and seems to work just as well, so I will probably go with that once this Tula is finished. But I’m glad I got to try it and see what the fuss was about.

This is one of the products that everyone got in their box. My hair is drier than usual because of the perm, so I am looking forward to seeing if this product is any good. Retail value: $26USD.

Verdict: I liked this a lot too! Be forewarned that it smells strongly. I don’t typically mind fragrances in my products, but this stood out to me in terms of intensity. I got used to it over time. It seems to work great as a conditioner; it leaves my hair soft without any greasiness. Not sure I would pay the full retail value; it may depend on how long a bottle lasts.

Another product that was in every box, and more fancy skincare to try. I don’t know if my eyes need de-puffing, but I am game to find out. Retail value: $42USD.

Verdict: Honestly, I’m not sure it does much. Maybe I just don’t have puffy eyes.

This was one of the main reasons I was excited for this box. I know I could get a similar bottle on Amazon for $30CAD, but on its own, it feels like too frivolous an indulgence. As part of the box, I can somehow justify it. Don’t ask. Retail value: $20USD.

Verdict: Love, love, love this! I use it every day and it’s increased my water intake significantly – a much needed improvement. I went and sprung for a second bottle, so I could have one at home and one at work.

I had originally selected the other Quay sunglasses (a cats-eye shape) but they were sold out, and so I received this pair instead. I am a fan of this brand, so I was pumped about these. I am not sure if this aviator style works as well on my face shape, so I may give these to my husband who is perpetually short a pair of sunglasses. Retail value: $60USD.

Verdict: These went to my sister-in-law, who scooped my husband (her brother). She loves them.

This champagne and charcoal scrub also came with every box, and it’s the sort of bougie thing I would never buy for myself. But, YOLO! Looking forward to trying this with my new Japanese wash cloths (remind me to tell all about them another time, they’re fabulous). Retail value: $24USD.

Verdict: Im enjoying this but it’s not something I plan on replacing when the jar is done. I don’t know if it’s doing anything for my skin, but it makes my showers feel more pampering and indulgent. I hope I get something similar in a future box, otherwise I will be hitting up Winners.

Last, we have the canvas backpack. I really like the look of it, so I was excited to select it as one of my customized options, but the quality is disappointing. The canvass part is decent quality and lightweight, but the faux leather straps feels cheap AF. No way anyone would pay the retail value of $75USD for this. It looks cute but I am not sure if I am going to use it much.

Verdict: A miss.

All told, I am pretty happy with my box; between the water bottle and the sunglasses, not to mention the chance to try some new skincare, I feel like I received my money’s worth. For the next box, I am going to have the opportunity to customize much earlier and will hopefully not run into any issues with certain options being sold out.

Let’s just dive in, shall we?

As expected, Episode 2 consisted of yet more non-action, yet it was different in tone and impact than its predecessor. This was an opportunity for characters to tie up loose character arcs – and for the audience to say goodbye – before the upcoming battle with the Night King. Going into Episode 3, it felt like every character was potentially on the block. For that reason – because every line reading was a potential “adieu” – the episode resonated at an emotional level. Yeah, it was fan service-y as hell but it was a nice tribute to the loyal viewers at home.

Episode 2 random thoughts:

• I am prepared for anyone to die, but I would love it if the 6 people in the great hall – Davos, Tyrion, Brienne, Tormund, Pod, and Jaime – lived. Is it a coincidence that my 6 of my favourite characters spent their possible last night on earth together? [Jon is still a favourite, but I know he’s slated to die.] But even as I entertained hope, in the back of my mind I was reminded of something they used to tell us in law school at the beginning of first year: look to your right, and your left; one of you won’t be here by the end. Honestly, I don’t know which of these 6 I’d be willing to lose. Jaime, yes. It would complete his redemption arc. But the others? No.

• I don’t know if there is something romantical going on between Sansa and Theon, but I sure hope not. Don’t try to make me care about Theon, show!

• We are all dying to know what Bran told Tyrion, right?

• I would like to be Lady Lyanna Mormont when I grow up.

• Dany is the WOOOOORST. She is wholly obsessed with power even in extremis (with the Night King literally outside the castle walls), and everything else is window-dressing; she’s not doing much to live down her father’s Mad King legacy.

In advance of Episode 3, I tried to draft up my Dead Pool, but it proved to be such a difficult thing that I decided to create a Living Pool instead. Here were my 10 picks for who would still be alive heading into Episode 4:

1.Sansa – unless the Night Kings kills everyone, there is no reason for Sansa to die.

2.Tyrion – ditto (he was told to stay away from the battle).

3.Dany – as much as I would not mourn her demise, I think the show isn’t done with her yet.

4.The Hound – only because fan service demands Cleganebowl.

5.Cersei – Sansa still needs an antagonist, right?

6.Euron – there is no reason for him to be dead yet.

7.Arya – I don’t think we have seen the end of her character arc.

8.Lyanna Mormont – the show wouldn’t dare to kill her … would they?

9.Bronn – who knows what he’s doing, but I doubt it involves dying.

10.Ser Davos – honestly, I’m just hoping here

Editor note: I wrote the above last week. Below are my thoughts after watching Episode 3.

Episode 3 … whoo boy. I knew that the Battle of Winterfell was going to be brutal, but I realized pretty quickly into the episode that it was going to be way worse than I thought. Unlike some fans, I don’t enjoy the battle episodes very much. But the only way out is through, so I knew I would have to sit through an uncomfortable 1.5 hours to get to the other side. And I was right. The battle was an emotionally taxing slog, capped by an amazing final 5-10 minutes. In the moment, that finale felt like a perfect pay-off for my investment in the preceding hour. The more I sit with it, the more complicated my feelings about it grow. But in the moment? It was the freaking BEST.

So let’s talk about that, shall we? As a capstone to Arya’s character arc, it was perfect and it made sense. If I wasn’t so heavily invested in Jon’s character arc (and a bunch of apparently meaningless prophecies), I would have been simply thrilled with how it all played out. Personally, I don’t think the relatively quick dispatch of the Night King was a problem in and of itself. As I mentioned in my last post, the existence of the Night King distorted what is, as far as I’m concerned, the real focus of the show: the political game of thrones. The Night King is a trial-by-ice-fire which, one hopes, will lead to the forging of new alliances and bonds within Westeros and beyond. If the people that fought the Battle of Winterfell together aren’t now Ride-or-Die for the rest of their lives then … actually, that probably won’t happen, because people on this show never fail to surprise me by their short-sightedness and stupid pettiness, but whatever – THAT was the whole point of the Night King. He had no other motivations. Death doesn’t. Exeunt Night King stage left.

But as much as Arya-as-Kingslayer made sense for her character, it made Jon superfluous. I know lots of people don’t like Jon, and that’s fine; but both the books and show have invested so much narrative energy into his character arc as a Saviour type only to now that a sharp left turn. Now, his story feels like it’s headed to a letdown of all my hopes and expectations for the character, unless something truly unexpected happens next. Neither of the obvious choices will feel satisfying; Jon doesn’t want to sit on the Iron Throne, and having him die so that someone else (i.e. Dany) can capture the throne will feel like a cheap sacrifice after the Battle of Winterfell. In some ways, it would have felt more satisfying for Jon to play the part that Theon did, and go out the same way. As it is, why the hell did the Lord of Light bring Jon back? Does the Lord of Light care who sits on the Iron Throne? I think not.

This question is the only reason why I am not prepared to fully rule out the theory that there is more to the Night King, and Bran’s involvement in particular, than we know so far. But I still think it’s a crappy theory.

Lastly on this topic, I read online that the show writers apparently said that it made more sense to use Arya, rather than Jon, to kill the Night King (or something to that effect), which I found strange because it suggests they had some choice in the matter. Isn’t the identity of the character who kills the Night King something that George RR Martin would have dictated? It seems like a pretty major plot point to me but … ah, who knows? Maybe the writers were speaking for GRRM. Maybe GRRM has just given up on the books at this point, and the show writers are calling the shots.

Looking past Episode 3, I am curious and cautiously excited to see how the rest of the story will unfold. [I say “cautiously” because if there is one thing I learned is that the show tends to disappoint me with its narrative choices as often as not.] One thing I did not expect after the Battle of Winterfell was for so many main characters to still be alive. I am interested in seeing what the show does with them, and I have no ready theories – pretty much all of my previous theories have been laid to rest after Episode 3. But I don’t see how Cersei can be any kind of major threat anymore. One, the Targ-Stark alliance still has one or two dragons left; the Golden Company cannot be much competition given than its numbers are, in fact, exhaustible unlike the ice zombies. Two, Arya has now perfected the Strike-the-Leader gambit which would surely end any war; is the Golden Company loyal to anyone other than Cersei (who paid for them)? If Arya could sneak up on the Night King, don’t tell me she couldn’t dispatch Cersei in about 30 seconds. The fact that anyone is contemplating traditional warfare at this point seems especially stupid to me, but what do I know?

Other quick thoughts:

• Soooo … is Arya Azor Ahai, then? Or were the prophecies this show’s McGuffins?

• Ser Davos, along with every single other person who made up the Great Hall Kumbaya Party is still alive. Yay! I truly did not expect that. One on hand, the plot armour that made it possible is too ridiculous. On the other hand, I love all those characters and I’m glad they’re still alive.

• I wasn’t all that invested in my previously theorized Tyrion-Sansa ship, but I am ALL ABOARD now. I can’t see them ending up on the Iron Throne now that so many other contenders are still kicking about, but I can see them ruling the North as Wardens or what-have-you.

• RIP House Mormont. Both Lyanna and Jorah went out in a blaze of glory, completing their character arcs in a lovely way: Lyanna fighting and taking down forces greater than her, Jorah defending his khaleesi.

• Seriously, guys, I have no idea what happens next. Cersei is a dead woman, yes, but apart from that? So many loose ends that the Battle of Winterfell did not cut short. The rest of the season should be a good ride.

Give me your take on Episodes 2 and 3 (and predictions for 4, 5 and 6) in the comments!

Favourites

The early part of this year was a thrifting bonanza. The finds have slowed down to a trickle now, but I have recent pieces like these to play with —- and they are so much fun. I wasn’t sure about this Cartonnier jacket when I first got it, but I quickly came to love it. It adds a certain je ne sais quoi to every outfit. And this vintage YSL skirt is simply the best. I’m still rather awed by the fact that I found it at all. Together, this outfit was a total 10/10 package for me.

Prep With An Edge

I don’t often do this, but I was struggling to come up with an outfit idea to take this faux leather skirt to work, so I went off to Google inspiration. A version of this outfit is the first thing that came up, and I decided to give it a try even though it’s quite a preppy concept which is not my usual thing at all. The twist, here, is the colour combo (dark green and plum/burgundy) and the slightly “undone” vibe. I like how it came together, and the process sparked some other ideas for outfits for this skirt.

Plums and Butterflies

I guess I’m still having a mini skirt moment. But, honestly, how could I pass up this Missoni skirt for $6.50.

Snow Day

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