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Halloweenie 2011

To be completely honest....I wasn't all that into the Halloween Spirit this year....I thought up my costume only two weeks before and I wasn't as enthused with decorating as I usually am.  A lot of people shared my feelings on this.  I wonder why....Anyhoo. Here are some pics from the day of.  Hopefully parade photos to follow soon.

Started off with a healthy breakfast.  Yes I like my bananas brown.

                                Can you guess who I was supposed to be?

I used to dance....I still do.

I  used to love dancing.   I took jazz for almost 20 years (I've been in dance school since I was 3), ballet for about 15, tap and greek dance for 10 years.  Over the years I dropped class by class and ended up sticking with Jazz because I loved it the most, and my teacher was like a boot camp sergeant which in my opinion just made the class more fun and challenging.  And then something happened...

Around the time of my 17th birthday, I developed anxiety disorder, and I was no longer able to learn the routines as quickly.  I would get nervous at the mass of steps I was being taught in one sitting and  so when it came time to review and perform in front of our teacher, I would stumble.  My teacher, whom I had come to idolize, started treating me differently.  He broke my spirit so much that I quit, and dancing else where has never been the same.....until now.

I started taking a class in the city called "Hip Hop Junkies".  Yesterday was only my third class and I can honestly say I can already feel the confidence rushing back to me.  I don't feel insecure or awkward here.  I feel confident and I find that I'm learning at a faster pace again. 

I know this all sounds incredibly corny, but this experience has brought back so much happiness to my life that I thought I'd lost.  Every Wednesday after my class is over, the world feels brighter and I am far more at peace.  I can't explain it.  I'm just much happier than I've been in a long time. 

Love my shoes <3

Goodbye Summer, Hello Chapped Lips!

Yesterday I tearfully put my summer clothes away in to storage, and replaced them with my fall/winter wardrobe.  I must admit I am not looking forward to the cold days ahead.

Bye bye summer clothes. :'(

 With this in mind, I decided to try a couple of new lip balms to keep my pout smooth 

for the chapping season. 

** Not pictured, EOS in Honey Dew. 

1. Rose Salve:  Doesn't keep my lips as smooth as I'd like and really doesn't taste good at all considering it smells like roses.  I'd recommend this product for your heels and cuticles though!

2. Jouer Lip Enhancer:  Love it! My lips are soft and kissable.  Not much of a taste, but at least it works.

3. Jack Black's Lip Balm:  Also fantastic.  Softens lips as most reviews say it does but the mint flavor is awful!! It tastes like a black licorice, which I can't stand.  

4. Befine Lip Balm: I just got this one in my Birchbox this month, and so far so good.  However,  it is SUPER slippery.  It is not as creamy smooth as the others, it's very liquidy so dispense with caution.

5.  Blistex Complete Moisture:  Completely the opposite of it's name.  It moisturizes for the first 10 mins. and then leaves me chapped all over again.  Def not a future repeat purchase.

6.Coconut Vanilla Lip Balm from the Little Soap Shop in Astoria NY:  This lip balm is a bit grainy, like its exfoliating your lips.  It's absolutely delicious and is especially great before bed.  LOVE IT. 

7. EOS Honey Dew Lip Balm:  Evolution of Smooth my ass.   I wanted so badly to like this lip balm.  It's adorable spherical shape and great taste were so tempting, but it DOES NOT WORK. May as well smother water on my lips bc it will have the same effect.  Don't bother unless you're looking for some tasty coat for your pout. 

Inspired...

Must see movies that I saw recently that are truly inspiring....

 

  The cast did an amazing job.  It literally shook my soul. 

  

Simply gripping.

 

Everyone's a critic...

So I've been testing out a lot of new things lately...especially music and new shows to get addicted to,  and so here's what I think...most will probably disagree on some of my opinions but controversy is almost always better than unanimity.

 Let's start with Kanye West's "My Dark Twisted Fantasy".  I have to say...I really don't like this album.  It has one or two good songs on it but overall I'm disappointed.  I liked his earlier music...his earlier album
"College Drop Out" was more my taste...this one...not so much.








Okay.  LMFAO.  I really like LMFAO.  I like their unique style.  I like their humor and I started to really take a liking to their songs.  I really really really wanted to like this album....but I'm not crazy about it.  It reminds me way too much of the Black Eyed Peas, which isn't necessarily bad in my opinion, but it's not really...them. Not to mention a lot of the songs on the album sound a lot alike.  Sorry guys...the best I could say is "Ehhhhhh". Though Champagne Showers is a pretty good track.

So I know a lot of people loved this album, but being that I'm just not a huge fan of 80's esque pop, I don't think it's fair for my to judge "Born This Way".  I loved the song "Born This Way" and a few other songs, but overall it's just not my thang.  I loved her two previous albums though if that counts for anything.

                                                     I finally watched the last season of 90210.  I was too young to watch it when it was actually on so a friend urged me to borrow his DVD's and watch the series.  I LOVED it in the beginning and then found myself only liking it but I had to finish something I started so I watched the whole series.  I really did love the series even though a lot of the time the acting was terrible and the story lines were tragically corny.  However, right until the end I wished Brenda would have returned. 

 I'm currently an aspiring Advertising Creative Director, but I believe even if I wasn't I'd have still LOVED LOVED LOVED this show.  I watched the first season and wow 1950's scandal is amazing.  Definitely looking forward to season 2.

                               For my birthday, my friend bought me the entire Tudors series because I loved the series of books by Philippa Gregory.  I wish I could get more in to it but so far the series just seems like soft core Renaissance Porn.  I'm trying...I'm on disc 3, but I've got to tell you...it's been kind of hard to watch.  Though props to Bessie Blount and Anne Boleyn.  Both incredibly sexy ladies.



Until next time..... <3

Thanks...

I find myself always avoiding writing in my blog.  The truth is that sometimes my posts are shallow and are about chapstick or something of that nature.  But every now and then I have the urge to write when I start realizing how truly sad life can be at times.  I avoid writing about it because I'd rather not depress anyone.
Make no mistake, I am so thankful for everything I have in my life.  I have my ups and downs.  But on a daily basis awful things are happening in the world.  From the one side of the spectrum you have wars, diseases and famine.  But on the other side, you have the small negative things happening to each individual person, like drug addicted parents, or the inability to support their own children.

They're not kidding when they say everyone has their own share of problems.  They really do! I have met many people in my life, and they each were fighting their own battles. Some more successfully than others I might add.  Arguably, good things happen in the world as well.  Not to get all Forrest Gump on you, but I believe that life is like a rollercoaster rather than a box of chocolates.  You have the bad moments (which are the inclines to the top) and then you have the exhilarating wonderful moments (the rush of the way down).
I can't help but be so grateful that the bad things in my life are not as bad as others.  Somewhere out there, there are people conquering much bigger obstacles than my own.  Rather than write about something shallow today, I wanted to take a moment to be grateful...

The Softest Lips in the Land...

I have been searching far and wide for a lip balm/chapstick that softens my lips without creating a sticky effect/making my lips gooey. I've tried so many, but after doing much research, the following are the ones that are best rated.  I'm going to give them all a try and see which works best....

 

R.I.P. Marina....

Today an old friend of mine passed away from a pulmonary embolism.  But those are just silly words to describe the loss of a truly beautiful person.  Though we hadn't hung out in over a year, Marina and her sister were a huge part of my life when I was in my teens. Losing her is like losing a major piece of the puzzle that is my childhood. 

It hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm at work trying to process how it's possible that I will no longer see her anymore.  I browsed through her pictures on facebook for hours today noticing how lively and happy she looked in her photos.  HOW is it possible that she's gone?

This is all so new to me.  Marina is the first person I knew personally that passed away.  I can still hear her voice.  I'm reliving memories in my head.  It's all so surreal.  Her funeral is Wednesday and I just can't believe it.  I just can't imagine.  I don't even know what I'm going to say to her sister.  I'm so upset and confused. 

I'm sorry for the depressing post....I had to get it out of my mind.  Rest in Peace Marina....you were a beautiful girl and a wonderful person.  How could you possibly be gone?

On a more serious note...

I don't how many people out there have been following the Casey Anthony trial but I have taken a great interest in it.  You see, before this trial I found the death penalty an unjust punishment since I believed that for someone to be so cruel to deserve it they must be sick in the head and therefore examined.  That was until I read further and further about Casey Anthony. 
      How can a mother murder her innocent 2 year old baby girl and not feel remorse for her actions.  Not only THAT but LIE about who performed this cruel act.  And then cry, not for her dead daughter, but for herself because she knows she's in danger of receiving the death penalty.  Are you kidding me?
I mean, on some level, I still believe Casey Anthony is not in her right mind and should be evaluated and helped by psychiatrists and jailed for life, but I can't help seeing my own nieces sweet face in this little girl, and it makes. me. SICK.  I just keep imagining how this all went down.  How can you take life away from someone you gave birth to?  Someone still so young and innocent? I can practically hear her crying, confused as to what her mother was doing to her.  What a sick, sad person.
And on top of it all, she still has her parents in her corner and she lies and tells the court that her father molested her as a child.  She lies and tells the court that her daughter drowned in a pool.  How DISGUSTING are you Casey Anthony?! We know you did it.  We know you are a heartless, awful person.  Admit your sin and be done with this ridiculous circus.  And may you suffer a worse fate than what you put your daughter through. 

Hot Tamales....

Nars Blush in Orgasm...

ELF Brushes

Bikram Yoga

Panang Curry

Tea parties.

The Cadbury Cream Egg Hypothesis

I find that a lot of my girl friends and even some of my guy friends find themselves in the following situation:

Sally and Jim have been dating for almost 3 years now and Sally is starting to feel a bit neglected.  Jim doesn't compliment her anymore, or try to romance her and doesn't put much effort in to impressing her.  Their relationship has fallen into a comfortable slump.  There is not much need to try anymore because there is the guarantee that the person you're with will just always be around so what's the point of buying her roses or telling her she's beautiful? Right? WRONG.
Now Sally can choose a number of paths which could include cheating or ending her relationship.  But if she really loves Jim, she will have to acknowledge what I like to call "The Cadbury Egg Hypothesis".

You see, Sally is being a Hershey Bar.  Hershey Bar's can be found at Supermarkets, Deli's, Pharmacies, and so on, year round.  Cadbury Cream Eggs are only available on Easter.  You can't help but crave them because they're not something you see on the shelf every day.  You dream of the chocolate egg shape outside and the creamy orange and white inside (though really, what's that cream made of?) in September-March and then April rolls around and you see the infamous commercial of the rabbit laying an egg.  Your stomach shoots fireworks (think Katy Perry) of happiness and you literally get up and drive to your nearest grocery store and by the boxes by the dozen (I exaggerate a bit). 
Therefore, Sally needs to stop being an oh-so-available Hershey Bar (be less needy, call him less, don't see him every single day or just go out with some friends once or twice a week) and start being a far less available cream egg.  This will create a desire in Jim because he will start craving some not so available Sally. 

Moral of the story: Be a Cadbury Cream Egg.

The NYC Subway really grinds my gears.

So...picture this.

It's 7:30 a.m. You're standing in a dingy subway that vaguely smells of urine and damp dog, waiting for the train. One very devoted musician is standing at a platform across from you blowing on his bagpipe feeling that his music is so beautiful, therefore it is appropriate to play it at this hour in the morning.  And, did you notice it always seems to be the same tune blaring out of the plaid printed instrument.  You know...the tune you automatically associate with Ireland and Scotland?

The train finally arrives and you can't wait to sit down.  EXCEPT it's packed like a sardine can, and though you believed wearing three sweaters, stockings, two pairs of pants, and a woolen hat were a smart way to fight the cold weather in NY, you are now dripping with sweat against the body heat of your fellow New Yorkers (who incidentally all seem to have a bad case of halitosis this morning).  You reach for the germ infested pole to steady yourself and your massive purse, but quickly pull away as three other clammy passengers' hands awkwardly slide down on to your own.

You come to the Time Square stop and breathe a sigh of relief as the train empties out and you finally find a seat. You sit next to a greasy looking little man who is sleeping.  You notice someone takes the seat next to you.  It is an older woman with crazy looking hair who smells as if she spritzed herself with body odor and garbage.  Isn't it strange how foul smelling people on the train always seem to be "not all there".  She's murmuring something to herself inaudibly as she stares off into the distance, and though you can't quite make it out you swear it's some sort of crazy Mayan magic spell.

The gentleman next to you is starting to lean your way in his deep slumber.  He does the heavy lidded rocking back and forth motion, between dozing off repeatedly and jerking awake.  Suddenly the train slows down and comes to a halt.  There's an announcement over the train's intercom: "We are delayed due to train traffic ahead of us."  The delay lasts about 25 mins.

You finally reach your destination and find out later that day that once again, the train fare has been raised.  "Thank you for riding the MTA."