MUCHADOABOUT...EVERYTHING!

Murad - Acne Complex

2010-03-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

I didn't have much of an acne issue when I was in high school. I had the occassional pimple and I only remember breaking out badly once. Fast forward to college in Hawaii - my face went beserk! I wasn't sure what happened. I didn't eat differently and the weather was almost the same as back home. I couldn't have been make-up because back then I didn't know anything about make-up!
Throughought the years I used everything under the sun that was meant for acne: Clearasil (which worked for a while), Stridex, Neutrogena, and even ProActiv (and that worked for a while, too). Double fast forward to today, 6 years out of Graduate school, my face is still freaking out. This time I know it is most likely hormonal AND the fact that I use MAC Studio Tech make-up which, and I've been told this even by MAC artists, that MAC is really not for every day use, it's meant to look good under the extreme heat of studio lighting.
In my quest to seek out another type of make-up, one less likely to keep my face looking like a pepperoni pizza, I walked into Sephora at Ala Moana. It was there that I was introduced to Murad Acne Complex instead of finding new make-up.
The sales associate did a skin consultation for me (which they do for anyone really!) and we went through different types of solutions - but because of my acne prone skin and age she thought the Murad line would work best for me.
I've been using the product for two days and I honestly do feel a difference in my face. It isn't as congested as before and my fiance has commented on how clearer it looks already. The photo above was taken the evening I bought the Murad Acne Complex regimen (notice the congestion especially on my forehead). The photo below was taken the next evening (a little less congested). I will keep my blog updated on my skin's journey on this regimen!

My Introduction to Credit Cards

2010-03-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

I've heard it a million times - CREDIT CARDS ARE BAD. Unfortunately, I heard it a little too late. Growing up I did not understand the concept of "the credit card". I always thought it was a card you used to buy stuff - there was no limit (or at least my dad did not impose one on my siblings or I when we asked to use it to purchase things on-line or over the phone (damn those Dance Remix Collection commercials!). When the expiration date started to approach the usage of the credit card would sky rocket because it was my belief that whatever money was "on" the card would be subject to today's flexible spending account mantra "Use it or lose it." I could not have been more wrong - about what a credit card really was OR even about the expiration date!

2010-03-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

I haven't touched my blog account in over a year and I feel like blowing the imaginary dust off the keyboard and computer screen, just like how you would after finding an old book in your attic!

I've decided to stick to the earlier theme of my blog - daily randomness - because I probably will not have one topic to continuously talk about for next 300+ days left this year.

Here is to a new beginning, dusting off the blogging materials, and more blogs on my daily randomness!

Friends vs. Acquaintances

2008-03-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

I found this blog and thought it was worth reading:

FRIENDS vs ACQUAINTANCES

"Oh Taki, he looks GREEK!"

2008-03-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

I love food. All kinds. Filipino. Japanese. Chamorro. Italian. American. Greek! If I'm watching a movie and they're eating chili cheese fries you can bet that I'll either be on the phone asking Ray to go find me some or driving myself to the nearest Carl's Jr. Rarely will you find me trying to make a serving of chili cheese fries at home! So it's no surprise that over the weekend I was watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"...and subsequently wanted Greek food. I love spanakopita's...hummus...greek salad...and even babaganoush. I planned on walking to the Fat Greek for dinner on Monday but it started to rain. On Tuesday we got there too early and Ray didn't want to wait for it to open...so yesterday I finally got to eat greek food! Ray and I went for lunch. If you're in Hawaii, you should definitely try out the Fat Greek on Waialae. I ordered the Shrimp House Special: 8 huge prawns and a greek salad. Ray had a beef gyro and we also ordered hummus. Their pita bread is so soft...I'm wanting a serving of it as I write this! I wish I had taken pictures of the cute place...and of my food but I was so hungry I didn't think of it until after I cleaned off my plate! Next time.

Some Bunny Groped Us...

2008-03-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

It's almost Easter, so the baskets and the plastic eggs are flying off the shelves and almost everyone who celebrates Easter is writing out their shopping lists and making up the menu's for their family lunches or dinners. I say ALMOST everyone because it's already Thursday and I have no idea what we're doing, with who, and where just yet! Of course, at this time of year, almost every major mall is visited by the magical Easter Bunny.

Here goes the story attached to my title:

Scene 1: In Jen's car on the way to Kahala Mall to see which clothing stores are hiring.

ME: Oh my God! JEN! We should take a photo with the Easter Bunny to commemorate that we were unemployed during Easter!

JEN: That would be fun! We should do that!

Little did we know that taking a photo with the Easter Bunny would leave us feeling icky instead of all warm and fuzzy.

While getting our photo taken, I notice (and so did Jen) that this Easter Bunny was more touchy-touchy than most others. He was rubbing our sides kind of like how your boyfriend would rub your sides when he's holding you from behind.

I get up to leave but as Jen tries to walk away, the Bunny grabs her arm...she turns around thinking "Oh, maybe it's one of our friends in that bunny suit..." but the Bunny gives her two packets of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans and waves good bye.

I guess it wouldn't have been too bad if we never got to see who was in the Bunny suit...but we did. An hour or two later, we come across the Bunny going into one of the vacant store suites at the mall...we knew he was going in there to change out of his costume but we didn't know that inside the bunny suit was an OLDer male -- imagine a Mall Santa Claus' -- that kind of OLD. I mean hey, if we continued to think that a super hot guy with a life guard body was in that bunny suit feeling us up, the "ick" factor probably wouldn't be so high!

So while we aren't scarred or anything, I think we may think twice about taking an Easter photo next year.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Toothbrush color....

2008-03-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

The entire day I had one of those headaches that kind of linger. I had one Tylenol pill left and popped that but unfortunately, it didn't work. I made a stop at Longs and grabbed Tylenol PM and Motrin and while trying to get to the register, I overhear a couple in the Oral Hygiene aisle talking about how nice the color of a certain toothbrush was. It got me thinking, does it really matter what color your toothbrush is? I guess in a sense it does because I personally would not want to mistakenly use my husband's toothbrush simply because we have the same color toothbrush. He doesn't have bad breath or anything like that but he chews betel nut and for all of you who know what that is...I rest my case but for those of you who don't know what it is...look it up and you'll understand. Do any of you really stand in front of the bathroom mirror and think to yourself while brushing your teeth "Oh my, this is a gorgeous shade of purple. Would I call this lavender or eggplant?"

Carwash, Cupcakes, and Guns...

2008-03-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

Living in Hawaii has it's perks. The sun is usually shining, the people always smiling, and the beach always welcoming. Since the weather is never at either extremities, I usually sleep with the lanai sliding doors wide open -- you know, to let in the breeze...and consequently, the noise...and random smells that waft through the air on Sunday mornings. This morning I woke up to what sounded like a heated argument down by the bus stop...but it ended up being a few college students yelling at the cars driving by: CAR WASH! CAR WASH! GET YOUR CAR WASHED!

In, other news...I've started baking again. To say "again" might imply that I've had some sort of baking hiatus which isn't entirely true because I bake something at least once a week but I do it half-heartedly by using boxed cake mixes and yes...store bought frosting! Yesterday however I waved away the boxed cake mixes, rolled up my sleeves, and started on my merry way to making my lemon cheesecake cupcakes with vanilla crumb topping! It was a tedious sifting, folding, crumbling and assembling process but the end product...well, let's just say no one that had a cupcake complained!And, finally -- has anyone ever been to a shooting range? A very close friend of mine and I have recently picked it up as an extracurricular activity. The first time we went to was celebrate his freedom from our former employer and the next time we went was just some random Saturday night when we had nothing better to do...and then we went again last night. I never thought I'd hold a gun, let alone shoot it and end up enjoying pulling the trigger.
We go to the same gun club every time. It's located on the third floor of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center in Waikiki. The prices are rather decent for those living in Hawaii (50% off the published price). Last night my friend ended up choosing the package with six different guns. I opted to just pop a few rounds off of a semi-automatic. The owner is always there when we go to visit and I ended up getting my choice of gun for free and my instructor even threw in an extra clip as well. I tried to hit the "X" on the target...which of course is the goal of everyone that goes there but for some reason, I just can't get it! I can hit the "10" ring that surrounds the "X" but I can never hit it dead-on. My friend on the other hand is pretty good...okay, okay...he's a pro compared to me! He can literally "shoot out" the "X" on his targets. Our instructor said "He's either getting the hang of the guns or he's not telling you something." He swears he doesn't go to the shooting range to practice without me! So if you've ever wanted to shoot a gun but not necessarily at someone, give the Royal Hawaiian Gun Club a try!

Hello, Blog World!

2008-03-15T18:14:00.001-07:00

Hi...or should I say Aloha...or maybe even Hafa Adai or no wait, Mabuhay! I'm new to this whole blogging thing, but since I've got some time to spare...ok, I won't lie, I currently have a ton of time to spare, I figured I would do something semi-productive!
I'm guessing in this blog of mine, you will find the total randomness that is me!