As I was taking a peek at my stats, it looks as though there are a very few random (or not so?) people in the world taking a peek at this blog. Many thanks go out to you! Thank you for taking the time to browse through some of my posts. I’m not sure if they were appealing at all. The fact that you took time means gallons!
As it is the start of a new year, I am feeling renewed and excited for new journeys I’ll be on over the next twelve months. I will be completing a Paralegal AA sometime between June & August. I will be running a half marathon for the second time in my life. I’ll be apartment hunting, and possibly even making a move out of California.
I’ve got plenty on my plate. Enough to keep me busy and fulfilled. So, this month, expect a few posts about wellness: skincare, exercise (gear, workouts, playlists), recipes, and other uplifting topics. I might not get to them all, but I will get one or two posts up a week.
I wish you all a fantastic 2015! May you find joy and happiness!
Masks have seem to come back in style quite heavily recently. The oil trend has died down, and masks have taken over. I’ve said it before, and I will continue to say it: the US is often late to both the progressive party & trendy party. So, what European & Asian countries have been doing for decades, the US is only really just catching on now.
I’ve always been a fan of masks, ever since I was a kid. I’d poke through the beauty stash of both my mother and grandmother in awe of the pretty bottles they had. However, it wasn’t until I moved to California that I truely discovered the joy of masks. I never really saw any of the women in my life do a mask, probably because I was too young to remember. By the time I was 10 or 11 and starting to feel my body change, I started to grow into my feminine side. I would hit up Payless (later RiteAid) and stock up on some Freeman masks and my friends & I would go to town with them at sleepovers. And, let’s be real here, I stilllove Freeman masks, don’t you?
Long gone are the days of innocent pre-teen girly sleepovers. It’s been about a year since I’ve slept over at a friend’s house, and that was out of necessity. Our time spent together no longer involve stuffed animals, Ouija boards, and yearbooks. Well, we might still get out the yearbooks and gawk at our lithe, carefree bodies & smiles. But, more often than not, wine is involved, which makes sense twenty years later. Point is: if I sleep over at a friend’s house, it is because it’s always wise to not operate a vehicle if a wine glass has been accurately used. So, no masks are applied to our faces. We’re lucky if the makeup even comes off.
So, it is up to me, during down time to pamper my skin. I have quite a few face masks that I absolutely adore and always suggest to people. There is one currently out there that is my ultimate favorite.
The mask I have been obsessed with is GlamGlow’s ThirstyMud mask. At first, I was really put off by the smell. I had smelled a tester that had obviously gone off and it smelled like moth balls. Then, I was lucky enough to receive a jar to try. When I cracked it open and took a whiff, I was surprised. It smelled like coconuts and apple juice!
GlamGlow ThirstyMud
This mask is a lifesaver!! It’s full of amazing ingredients, such as apple fruit extract, coconut fruit extract, ginger root extract, green tea leaf powder, olive leaf powder, and so many more. I learned it feels best chilled, so I keep it in my fridge. This mask is essential to anyone with redness, irritated skin, sunburned skin, surface dehydration, or genuinely dry skin. It’s great for all skin types, however those dealing with the issues I just mentioned will greatly benefit from this mask. This mask can be left on as little as 10 minutes or as long as all night. And, I always wear this mask overnight. My skin does really well when I use the mask this way. The company even suggests using this mask in-flight to prevent that dreaded dehydration many people get after a long flight. For my skin, I feel that the apple extract helps gently exfoliate and brighten, while the coconut, green tea, and olive are replenishing, and lastly the ginger helps energize my skin.
Please, if you can afford this $69 mask, invest in it! It is worth every penny. If not, stop by a local Sephora and, at least, pick up a sample to try. And, fret not my loves, I will write a post about my other favorite masks, which include a plethora of cost effective masks!
And, I have a very special GIVEAWAY in the works! Keep your eyes peeled. It involves hitting a like button or two & hitting one or two follow buttons. Also, get your creative juices flowing. I might ask for a haiku, ya hear?
Day three of my self imposed challenge! I’ll be honest, I almost didn’t log in today. I started thinking about social media and our need to be virtually connected all the time. The idea that Facebook plays a huge role in many lives across the US is quite daunting.
I’ve decided that after this “blog every day for a month” challenge is over, I’d like to try getting on to Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress only once a week for a month and using more traditional sources for communication and obtaining pressing news. Six out of the seven days, I plan on reading a newspaper, watching the news on TV (a fond memory I have of first moving to California: listening to KTVU/FOX 2 10 o’clock news from my bedroom), calling and texting my friends, and listening to NPR/KQED. I’ll be honest, I might not stick to that, but I am going to try. I’d love to get back to basics and enjoy my 30’s like my parents did. They survived very well and with immense joy without social media, computers, the internet, and smart phones. They did really well with land line phones, basic TV, newspapers, radios, and a great community of friends. I feel that I will be able to cultivate more honest relationships if I am able to distance myself from the virtual networks I am completely immersed in.
How do you feel about Social Media and Social Networking? How often do you find yourself checking Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.? Would you happily take a week vacation without internet access, a computer, or a cell phone?
Oh Rainn Wilson, thank you for creating SoulPancake.
Everyone, in this new year, please take lead here and have a little grace and gratitude in your life. A simple thank you with a smile goes a very long way. We all enjoy a little appreciation once in awhile. Thank the cashier who rang you up for your cup of coffee, then thank the barista who made it. Thank your body for keeping you alive for one more day. Thank your family members who show you love and support.
We often forget to take two seconds to express gratitude, but our brains our wired to feel happier when we say thank you (not to mention being thanked).
Who do you appreciate the most? Why?
Comment below… Then tell that person how much you appreciate them!
Welcome to 2014! May this year be full of joy, love, happiness, and peace for everyone.
One of my goals for 2014 is to write more. To aid that goal, I plan on writing a blog post every day of January. The task seems a little daunting, but I don’t plan on writing a 10 paragraph essay in each one. I just want to write something meaningful every day.
I don’t do resolutions anymore. It has been years since I’ve made solid, intentional resolutions. The idea of a resolution seems negative to me. Instead, I strive for positive, attainable goals. As I mentioned, this year, I plan on writing more. Also, I hope to complete my first triathlon this year. I am going to start small and sign up for a sprint distance triathlon and will aim to do it in August if there are any great ones in California.
What are your goals and/or resolutions? Do you believe in the act of making goals and/or resolutions? Please share!
In an attempt to gain views and followers, I’ve devised a little plan. I am trying to get to 500 views by 11.59pm PST on December 31. So, if that happens, I will make my first YouTube video, share it here, and entice y’all even more to keep coming back.
What will I do in my YouTube video? I’m not sure yet. I might recite a poem. I might tell some jokes. I might do a goofy dance. Or I might just say hello, thank you, and a little snippet about myself. Whatever I decide, I do promise you a YouTube video.
Hi dears!! Everyone loves the opportunity to get free stuff, right? I know I do. Free hugs, free food, free petrol, free love…
So, I’ve been formulating a giveaway to do. I’ve been collecting things over the last few months that I’m happy to pass on to others. Why not make it interesting?
Here are the rules:
1. Follow or subscribe to me me on at least one of the social media sites I am on
–This blog, or
–DJ ToasterBiscuit, or
–A Life In Paperback, or
–FaceBook, or
–Twitter, or
–Bloglovin’, and
2. Leave a comment here telling me your favorite thing about winter and your current music/movie/literature/art obsession. If you can hit the like button, even better! Also, please share which form of social media you have chosen to connect with me if it is not directly here.
3. This step is optional. If you could give me a shout out on your favorite social media site, I’ll be forever grateful! If you do, email me a screen capture or leave a link in your comment. Who knows, if you do this optional step, you might get two chances to win!?
4. The deadline is 11.59pm PST, December 30th, 2013.
What am I giving away? I’m putting together a box of treat yourself goodies. Included will be a pear scented candle, some dry body oil, a face exfoliator, a face serum or two, a moisturizer, and possibly even a $20 gift card of your choosing (within reason). I will definitely include more, I promise. Guys, check this out: the exfoliator is a cult favorite in the GQ/Esquire/Entourage watching circle of men. (Ladies, it’s amazing. I have a few tubes of it. That’s why I’m willing to part with one.) Plus guys, if you have any women you care about, everything else can make great gifts.
If I only get one comment, I will either nix the giveaway or reboot it and start over in January. So participate please!!!
Two (three, really) posts in one day!? What a treat for me and you! This post will be short and sweet.
Here’s a little something you can do this weekend to treat yourself: eat some tasty fruit and dark chocolate. Make your own trail mix. Drink some iced green tea. Get healthy fats, carbohydrates, and antioxidants running through your body. Do some deep breathing exercises and make a list of ten things you are grateful for. Fall asleep smiling. Enjoy yourself.
There’s a YouTuber tag going around called “50 Facts About Me” and I wanted to join in. But, I’m not YouTube ready! But, I’d like to share some fun tidbits about myself if you’re willing to learn!
I like things in multiples of three, especially 15 of anything. 9 and 15 are my “lucky” numbers.
Because of my three fascination, I’ve actually noticed I get restless every three years and ache for change.
My middle name should have been Wanderlust. I’d be happy living from town to town and country hopping as I please. [The run off of last year’s multiple of three “I need to move” craving is lingering.]
While I’m still adamant I’d like to be a published author, I still secretly wish I had majored in theatre & become a struggling Off-Broadway actress, mercilessly slinging Shakespeare or contemporary theatre to those who live for that type of thing.
One of these days, I’m going to learn how to tap dance.
When I was a child, I ate anything that was given to me, including steak & kidney pie, or liver, or fresh mussels. I’m sure my parents still have a picture of me from when I was about 5 or 6. In my wet raincoat, I was looking incredibly feral and canine, with a hand in a bucket of mussels and the other hand stuffing a mussel in my mouth. I remember that night vividly.
Now, I am much more particular about what I eat. As I grew older, my tactile sense became a lot more sensitive. I love the taste of beef, lamb, and bacon. Both my body & mind can’t grasp the sensation & action of eating animal flesh. [Rice pudding, bread pudding, and Jello as well.]
I’d happily eat nothing but broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, and lentils for the rest of my life. Those four foods are what I crave most.
For someone who eats a vegetarian (with a Greek yoghurt or a few nibbles of cheese eaten very sporadically) diet, I constantly surprise phlebotomists & my doctor at how iron rich my blood is. I haven’t taken an iron supplement since I was 13. The last time I had my blood drawn, the guy doing so said “Wow, I haven’t seen this much hemoglobin in a long time. Did you eat a big, raw steak in the last 24 hours?” I said, “nope, I haven’t eaten beef since I was 11. I did, however eat a hefty salad last night.”
I used to run competitively (and hard) between the ages of 12 and 18. The moment I graduated high school, I swore off running for a very long time.
For my 31st birthday, I registered myself to run my first official half-marathon. This is a distance I was very capable of running as a teen and did so a few times to blow off steam. I’ll be running the 13.1 miles in less than a month.
I can’t help myself when it comes to collecting books. I have a hideous amount of books I’ve bought over the last ten years that I’ve yet to read. A week ago, I made a promise to myself to not buy any more books until I’ve read twenty of the books on my bookshelf.
The book that changed my life is Taming The Beastby Emily Maguire. For those of you who didn’t pay attention in English in high school, the title pays homage to my favorite Shakespeare play, Othello. Ms. Maguire’s book was jarring, unnerving, and emotional. I feel that this book came into my life just at the right time. I was destined to read the book when I did. I is a permanent fixture on my bookshelf, even if I haven’t re-read it yet.
The quickest way to get me out of a crabby mood is to wave peppermint essential oil under my nose for 15 seconds.
I think Mark Rothko is a genius and hope that all of you get to have a moment of peace with one of his paintings.
I have an ear for (Western) European languages, even though I don’t spend anytime learning, practicing, and seeking them out. I hope that my wanderlust allows me the chance to finesse my francais and become more comfortable with my espanol and relearn conversational italiano and machen ein paar bier in deutschland mit freunden. I’m grateful to work with many native Spanish speakers. I desperately want to know what they’re talking about, so I force myself to figure out what they’re saying.
I hate long, overly crafted nails. I think they are unattractive and useless. Nails that go just above the tips of your fingers are fine. I naturally assume a person with overly crafted nails don’t want to get their hands dirty or lift heavy boxes or do manual labor. With that said, I keep my nails short, and every time I try to grow them, I fail.
My favorite household chore is doing dishes. I could easily live without a dishwasher, as I keep it basic and love doing dishes by hand. Some people knit. Others paint. I do dishes to calm down or distract myself on a bad day. It is such a simple chore that it doesn’t feel like a chore.
As a child I hated milk with my cereal. I would either eat it dry or use orange juice. To this day, I still love Cheerios in orange juice.
Just over a decade ago, I wanted to open a bookshop/cafe that featured art from high schoolers up to recent college graduates, as well as hosting a bi-monthly Salon and a bi-weekly open mic. I still do, and waxed mildly poetic about it in a post at A Life In Paperback.
If I don’t have to wear shoes, I won’t. The shoes are on only at work or while I’m exercising or am in a place of business where social etiquette requires people to wear shoes.
I don’t like driving, unless I’m driving long distances. I’d be happy to settle in a major metropolitan area with a strong public transportation system. Or in a contemporary commune that is able to sustain each and every resident.
I’m convinced I was born 30 years late. The history of the 50’s-70’s in Western Society and amazing cultural & political changes that happened were amazing and seeing all of that happen first hand would have been amazing.
I seem to always root for the underdog. Brian Kinney from the US version of Queer as Folk is my favorite underdog. He was incredibly selfish, pretentious, arrogant, and guarded. But, deep under that really hard veneer was a huge softy. In fact, I like the idea of doing a podcast about underdogs in literature, film, and TV.
Video games baffle me. Sure, I understand that satisfaction of competition & completing tasks. But, sitting at a computer or at a TV to get that kind of satisfaction doesn’t appeal to me. I’d rather have some sort of physical or financial reward for completing tasks and having a healthy sense of competition. I’d rather play a game of touch football than play Halo.
I’m not going to take up anymore space. I’m going to make this a two parter! And, to be special, Part 2 is at my other blog, A Life In Paperback. To find out more about me, wonder over there!!
A few years late to the trend, you might as well call me the American cosmetics sector. Yes, that’s biting. But it’s true. It took the USA about 15 years to hop on the BB cream bandwagon. Anyway, point is, I’m only now creating a beauty, fashion, lifestyle favorites blog. But, hey, that’s cool. I already blog about music (although, not currently in a way I’d like to), and occasionally art, film, and literature.
I will try to be as daily as possible, although I can’t promise that will happen. If I don’t mention a beauty product, fashion piece, or lifestyle item, I’ll talk about something that makes me happy. Even if it is just the workout I did. Swear!
Today’s favorite:
Hibiscus tea! What a hydrating way to end the day…
With Love, Ellie 