Beautiful, but Cold

SAY HELLO TO FOREVER

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 05:46:00 +0000

Today the love of my life asked me to marry him, and I said yes. The past two and a half years have been amazing, and I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together.

So yes, an entirely awesome Friday.

REVLON COLORSTAY LIPSTICK HEAVENLY MAUVE SWATCH/REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 19:56:00 +0000

During the move I came across a huge box of lipsticks I have used a couple of times and haven't touched since. I decided that I would use each one of them, try to make them work, and then toss them if I couldn't make the color or formula work. This is the first one I tried.

In the tube it comes off as a rose-gold sheer with a slight shimmer to it. On my lips it comes off as a granny red with a crap ton of gold Sharpie scribbled all over. It photographs far better than it looks in real life, and I think that this is one of the unfortunate shades that may have to go in the trash.

I'm going to try it with one more outfit, but I'm pretty sure that this was made for someone with a different skin tone. And maybe someone about fifty years older.

FOURTH OF JULY

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 04:20:00 +0000

We decided to have a relaxed holiday as a family, and I went for a beautiful walk down by the river today. It was absolutely gorgeous!

I definitely want to go for picnics here in the summer!

WHEN DOES IT PAY?

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 06:41:00 +0000

Life rarely works out in the way that one would hope. I used to believe that if you worked hard enough and put enough time in, your time and energy invested would be rewarded.

I'm going into my third year of university, and I probably have another 6-10 years left (I want to be a surgeon.) I recently found out that, to pay for my education, my parents are expected to take out $12k worth of loans per year. This is figured into my financial aid, and therefore I'm $12k short for this year.

This has been especially devastating, because I have truly excellent grades (one pesky B that I'm presently retaking) and have spent the last two years at a community college to take back-core classes for a lower price. I have worked incredibly hard to pay my dues, and now I have to look at selling my car.

It is incredibly frustrating, but it also shatters my worldview. I have worked since I was 14, and I have always hoped and planned for a future where life wasn't so hard.

I'm a wee bit down, I have to say. My relationships and classes are going beautifully, and I'm being offered opportunities that I never could have imagined, and the only thing holding me back from these opportunities is the lack of funds. I know that it gets better, and that these problems are truly first-world problems. It is just incredibly difficult to keep picking yourself up time and time again.

I know this is a bit more personal than what I typically post, but it is real. This is where I am, and I feel a lot of the time like I'm the only person who struggles like this, when in reality there are many people who do and just hide it. I don't want to contribute to anyone else's feeling of loneliness.

AWKWARD AND AWESOME FRIDAY. ERM, WELL, SUNDAY. I TRIED?

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 09:25:00 +0000

Awkward:- The above is what the bedroom at our old apartment has looked like for the past week. We bought a new bed, and took all the furniture we needed, and kind of hoped that it would disappear before our lease ran out.
- Getting a mediocre grade on a test I had studied incredibly hard for (a 91%, which is not good enough for the hours I put in) and whining about it to the man next to me, who then responded that he got a C. I officially feel like an ass.
- Losing my deodorant in the moving process and not having a chance to run out to the store for more. Why yes, I am wearing Brandon's deodorant. Smelling like a man is not awkward at all!
- Working 8 days in a row, having one day off, and returning for another two shifts. All without overtime pay. While taking a 4 credit three week long Spanish class from 9-12 every day.

Awesome:
-The above is what the bedroom at our old apartment looks like now. We managed to clean out everything and get all of our deposit back! Our landlords our notorious for not returning their tenant's deposits. Slightly less awesome: All the stuff in the top photo did not magically disappear, and is now in our new apartment.
- I may have a chance to study in Chillan, Chile this fall! Nothing is set in stone yet, but if I am able to find a way to pay for it I would leave September fourth and return December fourth. I'm meeting with the advisor on Tuesday!
- Honey Dijon Kettle Chips. Oh my goodness, we just started carrying them at work and I think I have eaten a mini-bag per shift. So incredibly delicious.

HOLA

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:17:00 +0000

This is just a quick update! I have worked full time shifts for the past 8 days while moving house and spending 4+ hours a day in a Spanish lecture. I will be returning to normal posting soon! I have so much to share :)

AWKWARD AND AWESOME FRIDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 08:03:00 +0000

I got my inspiration for this series from Sydney.

Awkward:
- My younger sister begged me to dye her hair. We forgot gloves. My fingers (and itchy nose) tell the tale of what happened next.
- Moving furniture and not being allowed to lift any of it. Yes, I look all soft and doughy, but I can also lift a couch.
- Refusing to sign up for tanning when I signed up for my local gym, and saying that I am trying to avoid skin cancer. The trainer signing me up for it said that he felt it was worth the risk. I just stared.
Awesome:
- Getting a real bed! I am so happy to be off the futon.
- Starting a new gym membership and actually using it.
- Vegetarian rice crispy treats with Nutella. OH MY GOD. Yes, there is a reason I needed the gym membership.
- Sweet potato tots dipped in honey mustard. So delicious.

BAD SKIN AND A RETURNED CLARISONIC PLUS

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 07:08:00 +0000

I bought a Clarisonic Plus at Nordstrom a few months ago, and I eagerly began to use it. I was aware of and prepared for the "purge" breakout, and wasn't especially surprised when it appeared. I was, however, surprised that it stayed for two+ months.

To be completely honest, that is why I haven't been posting as much as I would like, or posting ANY videos. My skin is by far the worst it has ever been, and for no reason I can think of. Yes, I have been stressed, but I have been eating well and taking care of my skin. I have been far more stressed than this before with no bad skin reactions.

Because of this, I'm returning the Clarisonic. I am not 100% sure that it is causing my breakouts, and if I return it and my skin does not improve, then I will go to a dermatologist to get it sorted out and will repurchase.

Has anyone else experienced this? The Clarisonic is the only thing that I have added to my skin care routine, and it is the only thing my boyfriend and I can think might be causing this. The hilarious part is that, since we have cleaned up our diet, his skin (which was always far worse than mine) is completely clear.

REVLON JUST BITTEN KISSABLE BALM STAIN SWATCH AND REVIEW 005 CRUSH

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:42:00 +0000

I have one thing to get off my chest: This stuff smells TERRIBLE. The scent doesn't last at all, but it is noticeable when applying.

The stick is easy to apply, and the color lasts for a reasonable amount of time, but I wouldn't consider it a stain. The color remains after it is no longer "balmy," but it lasts about as long as a heavily pigmented balm would. I bought it with the hopes of being able to put it on before work and then just apply lip balm over it later on, and this definitely wasn't gonna happen.

On the shelf this looks like a good substitute for the Clinique Chubby Stick, but is NOT. It cost me about $9, so it wasn't even a good cheap substitute.

This product just left me meh. It isn't terrible, but really is nothing special. I probably wouldn't buy it again, but I will continue to use it.

In other news, in attempts to get a decent photo to use for this, I managed to get several crappy ones. However, this one shows how much of the black is finally coming out of my hair! It makes me super happy because I was afraid I would have to succumb and cut it off.

URBAN DECAY 24/7 GLIDE-ON EYE SHADOW PENCIL REVIEW/SWATCH.

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 22:22:00 +0000

This is how my eye makeup looks after a five mile run, on a 90 degree day, after a day full of classes. Twelve+ hours of wear.

I bought a sample pack of the Urban Decay shadow pencils for about $12 at Nordstrom Rack a month ago, and I didn't have high hopes for them. I assumed they would be too creamy/greasy and have poor staying power, or they would be hard as a rock. These pencils are neither!

I have worn them non-stop since I bought them. Non-stop. I have worn them to work, while moving, and at the gym and have had no issues with them whatsoever. They are easy to apply, but they stay on forever! I use MAC Cleanse Off Oil to remove them at night, and the shadows come right off.

I'm wearing "Sin" and "Rehab" in the photo, and it is my everyday look right now. I will post Clash/Delinquent swatches when I wear them!

ALMOST OVER NOW

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:34:00 +0000

In the past week, I have:

Signed a lease on my own apartment

Applied at a different school

Moved out of the home I shared with my boyfriend

Written over 45 pages

Tomorrow I have to give a five minute presentation, next week I have two finals and then I am DONE!

Regular posting is set to resume tomorrow. I can finally breathe now that I see the finish line!

MAYBELLINE COLOR SHOW NAIL LAQUER: GREEN WITH ENVY (REVIEW/SWATCH)

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Thu, 31 May 2012 03:32:00 +0000

I have new love! These polishes are amazing. This is with two coats and no top coat, and it is both glossy and opaque. For less than $3, I know I will be purchasing several of these.

TWO A.M.

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Wed, 30 May 2012 08:58:00 +0000

Why yes, it is a very large photo of my makeup-free, blemished face. You may be wondering why I have chosen to post such an incredibly beautiful shot of my face.

This is the face of someone who is almost done with this term, and will be officially halfway through her bachelor's degree! I'm actually just over halfway done... I've spent the past three hours finishing off a project. I only have one more major assignment, and then finals week and I will be completely done.

I plan to spend the glorious week in between classes drinking Crystal Light Pink Lemonade with Absolut Citron, whimpering with joy at the fact that I have made it this far and only have another six years or so of school!

Then it will be back to class for summer school, because I'm cool like that (actually, if I work really super hard, I might be able to graduate in a year. It would be a painful schedule, so I'm not sure.)

I'm finally off to bed after being awake for roughly 28 hours, 25 of which have been spent doing mentally taxing homework. The other three have involved showering and eating candy to keep myself going.

Good night!

BUT... IT LOOKED GOOD ON THE HANGER!

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Tue, 29 May 2012 06:57:00 +0000

Today has been spent shoes shopping, and I had the most fantastic face day imaginable. Unfortunately, my outfit choice added about fifty pounds and left a great deal to be desired. I bought this dress online last year, and it looked absolutely perfect on the model. When I tried it on, I went "ICK!" and promptly forgot about it until this morning.
I got dressed in a rush, and didn't realize how unfortunate I looked until my mum asked me if I forgot to do laundry again (I have been known to put together some highly unfortunate outfits when I'm too lazy to wash my clothes. It happens about once per semester, and I usually meet everyone I have been avoiding on that day.) I really need to invest in a full length mirror!
Why is it that on the days you look absolutely gorgeous, you don't really run into anyone that you have been avoiding, but on the days you look kinda crappy, you see EVERYONE and they look ten thousand times better than you ever have?

OH MY FLUFFY GREY AND WHITE KITTENS + NARS FUNNY FACE REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:28:00 +0000

I am losing my mind. Slowly.

Brandon has an internship and will be leaving for another state by June 18. Portland State still hasn't gotten back to me, and won't for at least two weeks. Meanwhile, we have to be out of our apartment by June 29. I have no idea where I am going to go. I really don't want to move in with my parents. So yes, at this point I am so stressed out that my attention span is non existent, my eyes twitch whenever I close them, and I feel like I could sleep for all eternity but I need to run a marathon.

In other news, I bought a lipstick! Nars Funny Face is my new favorite.

I am super washed out, but I love this color! It is a full, rich pink that somehow manages to work with my constantly dry lips. It isn't exactly true to the color in the tube though —

Which I am grateful for! I would never have looked at it, but the SA looked at me and said I had to try it. I usually don't look so great with rose hues, which is what this looks like in the tube. It is far brighter and much more red than it looks, which is wonderful. All in all, a wonderful offering from Nars. I'm a wee bit addicted!

EVERY MAJOR

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:55:00 +0000

We have two weeks left of classes, and my brain is melting. Melting! Why do I care about my grades so much?

I visit xkcd while procrastinating. It makes me giggle.

And may have made me late turning in an assignment.

Oops.

CUT

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:47:00 +0000

Before

I'm in the process of bleaching out years worth of blue-black dye, and it has taken a toll on my ends! I trimmed about an inch off today, and I can feel the difference! It is such a small amount, but I feel like my ends are far less velcro-ey. This is the second time I have trimmed my own ends, and it is not as bad as I thought! I still get super nervous each time though....

After

DIOR ADDICT DIORKISS LIPSTICK SWATCH.REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:35:00 +0000

Lately I have been trying to go through my makeup and decide what I want to take with me and what I can sanitize and leave with Brandon. I don't have an incredibly large collection, but I have a rather limited attention span as well as a limited amount of free time. I went through my lipstick, and when I came across this one I was so happy. For some reason I thought I had lost it in Seattle, and I didn't think it was worth repurchasing.

I was wrong! It is not only a lovely pink shade that is a light gloss with one coat but builds easily with more, it is also moisturizing. I accidentally sunburnt my lips a few days ago (I had SPF 70 everywhere *but* my lips. I fail.) and this lipstick was so soothing. Painfully expensive, but very worth it.

FRESH SUGAR PASSION LIP TREATMENT REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Fri, 11 May 2012 22:28:00 +0000

(Why yes, I do look like a bit of an ass here, but I am in class)

I can't believe that I haven't written about this balm yet, because I wear it almost non-stop. I wore it to class, and I got so many compliments just walking into class today that I knew I had to write about it!

Plus, this class is killing me today. Absolutely gorgeous outside, and yet we are having a lecture on drug effects, something that we have already gone over multiple times. Just test us already!

Anyway...

I saw Fresh Sugar balms going around the blog world a while back, and they seemed interesting. I finally hunted them down at a Sephora a couple hours away, and I grabbed both this shade (Passion) and another (Rose, not shown.) They are not cheap, about $23 a piece, but SO worth it. It lasts forever on the lips, but is not sticky at all — my mum hates lip balm, but she actually swiped my Rose one from my bag. It is incredibly moisturizing, but you can hardly tell that it is on the lips.

The Passion is my favorite red lip right now – I don't need a mirror to apply it, but it makes my lips look well done!

I also love the packaging — it is a metal tube that twists shut, meaning it will not come open in your bag!

Ultimately, it is expensive, frivolous and completely worth it.

I TIRED.

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Fri, 11 May 2012 06:17:00 +0000

They have received my application, and I'm pretty sure that I will hear back from them soon! I had to call three or four different places to get the documents that state that, yes, I *have* had my measles/mumps vaccination. Those are shots that you get at a very young age, and I have seen a couple of doctors since I was five!

As a side note, I bought a Clarisonic and it has worked WONDERS for my skin! It seems ridiculously expensive initially, and it hurt me a little bit to pay that much (there was a part of me that was like.. "I worked three days for one item!) but it is so worth it. I have a separate review coming for it, but I wanted to post a little update to let you know I'm not dead and I haven't stopped blogging. In fact, I have a few things planned :)

Thank you so much for sticking by me right now. I'm in the middle of some big life changes, and I know that my posting hasn't been as regular as it should be. This will change, soon.

A LEAP

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Fri, 04 May 2012 03:44:00 +0000

I know I have been absent lately, but it has been for good reasons. First of all, I have decided to apply to the university I want to, instead of the most convenient option. It was a hard choice, because it will mean moving several hours away from Brandon, and basically walking away from a secure thing: my relationships with him and my instructors, my job, etc.

I admit, I'm terrified. What if I don't get in? What if I get in and hate it? What if I don't do well? But underneath all of the fear and anxiety is a real, true joy and excitement that I have not felt in a while.

I will be living in the dorms, which will be a completely new experience. I will be completely on my own, with no family or friends in the area. I will have to make new friends, and find my way around a new city.

Yes, I'm scared. But I'm also really, really excited.

INSULTED/ A BEST BUY REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:22:00 +0000

I hate to be negative, but it just has to be done. Best Buy has failed me a total of three times now, and I am incredibly frustrated. First time is an accident, second time is carelessness, and the third time is completely unacceptable. I am only so forgiving.

As I said before, my month old Macbook has had issues from day one. My caps lock key has been sluggish from the beginning, which didn't bother me enough to part with it for the time it would take to have it fixed. But when I did an update that caused it to make a grinding noise, and then a loud clicking noise started later on that day, I knew I had to have it looked at.

I bought my Macbook Pro from Best Buy. I payed the extra $400+ to have their three year warranty on it. I should have known better, because I had terrible shipping issues with them before (they tried to tell me that it had already been delivered to my house, and told me that they had called an office that I knew for a fact had been closed for three hours. I got the item a week later, an item that they had finally placed the order for the day I went in to complain.)

The nightmare began when I arrived with my computer. They were "updating" their system, and therefore couldn't find my information in the system. I had just made a payment on my bill, so I had all my paperwork there. They couldn't use that information to look up my account because the Geek Squad "isn't allowed access to that information." Lovely that they are so secure, but they couldn't use my ITEMIZED RECEIPT to start servicing my computer?

They finally managed to find my information (after I waited for about thirty minutes and had to find a manager) and told me it would be three weeks. I would have liked for there to have been a loaner computer, or at least a crappy netbook, but I will let that one go.

It didn't take the full three weeks, only about 8 days. I was very pleased with this turnaround time, except for the fact that when I went to pick it up, they said nothing was wrong with it and quote "The sounds I heard were the disc drive winding down."

I may come off as a dumb blonde, but four of my "techie" friends (people who have built their own linux boxes) heard the clicking sound and said it was not a good thing. They also said that the caps lock key is "supposed to be like that on this model." I'm sorry, but I bought the second most expensive Apple laptop. I type over a hundred words a minute. My old craptastic black Macbook has never had this problem, nor is its disc drive as noisy as this one's apparently is.

Honestly, I feel like they blew me off. I don't understand their corporate issues, especially when I know that they are having financial issues. The people on the general sales/Geek Squad team are nice, but they have little to no power. I have a feeling that they spend a great deal of their time getting yelled at, and I feel terrible for them.

Ultimately, I will not shop at Best Buy again. Brandon and I are looking for a television, and while we plan to shop at a brick-and-mortar store, we will not use them.

WHAT ALICE FORGOT: A (BOOK) REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:56:00 +0000

One of the things on my "20 by 21" list is to read 400 "crap" books. Books that won't give me any pretentiousness points, books I won't want to quote during job interviews, and books that won't allow anyone to say I am well-read. Fun books, escapist books.

My Macbook Pro is acting up, and is being shipped off for service for up to three weeks (yep, not happy) and my old black one is barely alive, so I have had a lot of free time due to being essentially computer-less. I actually went to a non-university library for the first time in what feels like forever!

I picked up a huge stack of books, and this is the first one that I have read so far. I think I might do a Thursday book review day from here on in!

I picked this book up due to the bright cover. Yes, when I go shopping for a fluffy book, the cover plays a huge role.

Goodreads said:

"Remember the woman you used to be ...

Alice is twenty-nine. She is whimsical, optimistic and adores sleep, chocolate, her ramshackle new house and her wonderful husband Nick. What's more, she's looking forward to the birth of the 'Sultana' - her first baby.

But now Alice has slipped and hit her head in her step-aerobics class and everyone's telling her she's misplaced the last ten years of her life.

In fact, it would seem that Alice is actually thirty-nine and now she loves schedules, expensive lingerie, caffeine and manicures. She has three children and the honeymoon is well and truly over for her and Nick. In fact, he looks at her like she's his worst enemy. What's more, her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her either. And who is this 'Gina'everyone is so carefully trying not to mention?

Alice isn't sure that she likes life ten years on. Every photo is another memory she doesn't have and nothing makes sense. Just how much can happen in a decade? Has she really lost her lovely husband for ever?"

You look at this, and you think to yourself "This will be just like a Sophie Kinsella book" and it both is and is not. I have to say that Sophie Kinsella's work is far better, and well balanced. This book was good, but highly imbalanced with details that were completely useless and past histories that were left unexplained and caused the book to lack the depth it really needed to be great.

This book could have used another hundred pages or so at the end, because the ending switched everything up at the last minute for no apparent reason, and it seemed as though the author herself didn't know. This, however, is a common complaint of mine. I like a decent ending, and so often it seems as though authors get bored towards the end of the book and decide to just end it there, leaving a book that had 400+ pages of buildup with a 20 page climax/conclusion. Not okay!

Overall, I would rate this book 3/5 stars. Not terrible, actually quite pleasant, but I am glad that I checked it out at the library. I wouldn't go out of my way to hunt it down!

PHOTO A DAY APRIL WEEK ONE

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:28:00 +0000

Reflection: A skirt that I liked on the hanger, but made me look far heavier than I really am (nope, not pregnant, just 5+ layers of fabric over my stomach/loose top.)

Colour: This was the most gorgeous sunset I've seen in ages. It did not photograph as well as I would have liked, it had purples/grey/blue/yellow in real life.

Mail: My younger siblings track schedule. I'm going to be able to make it to some of their races! I'm super excited.

Someone who makes you happy: My younger sister! She has grown up to be so smart, responsible and gorgeous. I'm so proud of her! I am nearly 10 years older than she is, so I practically raised her. I'm essentially a proud mama.

Tiny: This little daffodil that has managed to grow in the rocks in front of my carport. I have no idea how it got there, because there are no daffodils anywhere else near my apartment. It makes me smile every time I come home!

Lunch: The lid off of my tea the other day. Seriously, a strawberry museum? Weird.

Shadow: This is my favorite spot to study, not too far from my house and only a tiny hike away. It isn't far from the sunset photo area either!

I imagine everyone is familiar with the concept, but I decided to only post it once a week, that way you aren't photo spammed with images of my boring life.

HER JOY/MY HAPPINESS

noreply@blogger.com (Cat) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:56:00 +0000

Look at that gorgeous ring! Isn't it completely stunning? Nope, not mine! One of my friends just got engaged, and I'm so completely happy for her. She has always dreamed of getting married and having a family while young, and she has finally found someone that loves her for everything she is. She is an amazing person, someone who is truly wonderful and incredibly kind. He seems like a great person, and I think that she will be happy.

I love seeing my friends lives work out for the best!

I have spent the last week rearranging my house, sorting out paperwork, and house hunting! I am starting to feel like things are coming together for the better.