An Ice Cream Analogy

I have a lot of single friends.  It angers me sometimes because I can understand why I'm single.  But my friends?  They are worth their bloody weight in gold.  It's like, "Fellas?  What are you waiting for?  Are you blind?!"

Anyways, when we hang out, as girls do, the conversation inevitably turns to the opposite gender.  And whether we've got any romantic prospects.  Because I don't have much relationship advice to give, I reassure my friends with an ice cream analogy.  It goes a little like this.

You know females who always have a boyfriend or a crowd of boys around them?  They are un-intimidating, smiley vanilla girls.  You pretty much know what you're getting and vanilla mixes well with almost anything.  Chocolate, cookies, birthday cake, apple pie, what-have-you.  Guys can be whatever dessert.  Heck, churro ice cream sandwiches are a thing these days.  The point is that guys can pick a vanilla girl up and basically add her as an accessory.  She won't steal your thunder.  She knows the drill and will probably accommodate whomever she's seeing.

Because It's The First Time

Now, usually I don't watch  Korean dramas.  I'm aware that they create false ideas about love and sometimes make me fantasize about my own future boyfriend/relationship.  I kind of spent 20 years being bitter that I didn't have a dashing oppa (older brother).

But "Because It's the First Time" is seriously the best.  I would re-watch this again.  It's a short series with only 8 episodes.  You can easily watch it on dramafever, like I did.  It's about 5 20-year-old friends in Korea just dealing with life.  Some are in college and others work.  In every episode, I could relate to something said.  For a while, my life was kind of going parallel to the characters.  I think that the main character girl is so cute with her spunky pixie.  And her crush is easy on the eyes too.  I like the purity of their desires and intentions.  And the way everyone dresses.  I like that the ending was crisp and it makes me wish that they would make another season.

I told everyone that I enjoyed this show yet they all said that I should be watching "She Was Pretty."  I don't know if I think it's great simply because they were dealing with first love at exactly the same time that I was going through mine.  So watch it and lemme know what you think.

Essay about a Dog and Love

My mom left me with a senile dog while she went on a last adventure.  I thought, "No big deal. A month is not so long to bear this yippy-yappy grandma of a dog."  It would only be a minor inconvenience.  I thought I was the babysitter, but Aji's taught me a lot about love in these past couple of weeks.

I didn't feel much affection for the dog.  She was loyal to the death to my mom even when Mom put her down all the time about being fat.  I suppose that her always being there was important to Aji.  I see now how crucial being there is.

The first night, I felt bad for Aji because I knew that she knew something was wrong.  That mom was going somewhere she couldn't go.  She begged please, please and slept on Mom's house slippers left by the door.  Aji waited days on those slippers.  I finally threw them out.  "Mom's not coming, " I said.  "It's just me now."

Hello. It's been a while.

My laptop died and I've been media fasting.  I don't think I've missed out on much.  I'm trying to do more adult things like cleaning, staying on top of my book clubs, and venturing out of the house.  I want to write more about my musings these days.  Stay tuned if you're interested.

Why Don't You Dye, Honey?

I can't remember the last time I dyed my hair.  The first time I dyed my hair brown, I was so utterly disgusted when my roots started growing out.  I lamented to my friends that it looked exactly like the spottled brown-black of tarantulas.  To which they said that it was really not as bad as I was making it out to be.

Anyway, dying my hair really fried it.  And I didn't know that maintaining uniform color throughout would be so much upkeep.  So I made the conscious decision that I would leave it be and let my hair ombre-ify itself.  Then, I read somewhere that doing a honey mask would help lighten hair.  It is very simple.  I don't even bother to measure or anything.

Still Playing Dress Up

I would wear any / all of these

I really despise corporate office attire.  I vehemently dislike pants so I finally bought a work-appropriate skirt last month at WHITE HOUSE | BLACK MARKET for a killer sale price.  It's black.  It hits above the knee and flares out.  Oh no, I could never be comfortable in a pencil skirt.  For the interview, I put on the aforementioned skirt, popped on a discreet polka dot button down, and purposely wore basic accessories and no-fun adult makeup meant to slightly enhance my features but not draw attention to them.  I may dress the part.  But, honestly, I feel like a kid playing dress up.

"Hello, today I am grown up Sophie.  Don't I look mature and responsible?  I could be your bank teller or lawyer.  Hire me!"

But inside, I am thinking, "Don't I look smart?" and pretend I am Rachel McAdams.  Yes, today, I am not  Sophie.  I need a job and I'll be whoever you want me to be.  Because first impressions matter.

Current Mood: Moody

Writing Longhand

"You know, cut and paste used to mean something completely different at one time."

- Michael Ondaatje

My Sunglass Collection

I have horrible vision.  I usually wear glasses.  But I am very fond of accessories.  Which means that my sunglasses need to have prescription in them.  This is my very meager collection.

Those Red Hot Lips

Today, the weather was grey.  I read that putting on red lipstick and wearing heels will help lift your spirits.  So I did just that.  Unfortunately, it did not lift my spirits.  Actually, it was the first time that I wore a truly red matte lipstick.  Now, I understand why people are afraid of it.  I ended up applying it fine straight from the bullet.  And the color was fine.  I was actually kind of proud of the fact that I applied it evenly.  But then, I tried to take a picture to document the look and for you guys and it was all pretty startling.

The red mouth just floating there on my face.  I didn't realize that my lips were so asymmetrical.  I'm already aware that my bottom lip needs a little TLC so that they look even.  I always thought that my upper lips were a perfect mirror image of the other side.  But when I put on the red lipstick, something was off.  I tried lip liner and reapplied more lipstick but it didn't help.  When I snapped a picture of myself, somehow the camera didn't capture what I saw in the mirror.  I eventually decided not to think about it and went off to work.

The comments I got and the looks I received.  I didn't realize but red lips automatically equals statement.  Oh and my perfectly red lips were ruined after lunch.  It was fading in the middle and dry.  And I didn't bring the bullet with me so I ended up wiping off as much of it as I could and going around with chapped lips.  Now, I realize how high maintenance red lipstick is.

Do you wear red lipstick?  Not just for special occasions, but regularly?  If so, how?!  You just keep checking yourself out in the mirror?

I Got Bangs

I've been trying to grow my hair out for the longest time, but it never gets past the shoulder before I go in for a trim.  Hoping, wishing, and praying that the person holding the scissors can work some magic and make it look somewhat flattering.

Pictures don't help.  Words are not heeded.  They do what they want and I leave the salon never fully satisfied or confident.  My hair has been in a ponytail for months, or covered up with hats and beanies.  The ends are very frayed.  My roots are growing out so my hair is a muddied brown.  Tired of my ponytail, I took the only option available to me.  Which was to get bangs.

And yet, with this simple change.  I feel renewed.

Spinster

I've been wondering lately, "Do I even want to get married?"  So it was opportune timing that I chanced upon Spinster by Katie Bolick.  She actually wrote a very popular and highly debated article called "All the Single Ladies" for Atlantic magazine several years ago.  Much like the article, it was very difficult to get through.  Have you read it?

I judge books by their covers.  I thought that I was really going to enjoy this book.  I was expecting humor, and some reassurance that women could have fulfilling lives without marrying.  Ms. Bolick shared bits of her personal life interwoven with lives of 5 "awakeners," other historical literary women who were known for their single lifestyles at one point or another.  It took me three weeks to finish and I can't remember anything that really stood out to me.  She's been in serious relationship and even had marriage proposals.  In spite of her age, she will not settle down for so-so.  Conversely for me, the book has had the opposite effect of making me want to be in a relationship and show her that marriage can be a good thing.  It's in the Bible too.  Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12

Prioritize like Picasso

"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."

- Pablo Picasso

Is it Interesting?

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

- William Wordsworth

Why So Serious?

If I don't try, this is how my face usually looks.  Kinda deeply dissatisfied.

How many times have you laughed today?  Don't know?  Try to keep count tomorrow.  Don't change what you do, just keep track of how often you laughed.  Sadly, Kids Health Organization reports that adults laugh only 15-18 times a day.  Now, how often do you think children  laugh throughout the day?

Cut It Out

"I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil."

 - Truman Capote

 
The topic of discussion for today is editing.  For me, editing takes the most time.  If it's a short post, there isn't much I need to do, but the longer my post becomes, the longer it sits in the draft pile before it's finally published.  Because I keep going back.  Rereading the whole thing and culling unnecessary words.  Sometimes, I even have to cut out entire sentences or paragraphs.

I'm sure you all edit your posts for grammatical errors, but do you also use the hypothetical scissors to trim your posts down?  I don't know about believing more in one instrument over the other.  Does anyone really like editing?

I'll Write You a Love Letter

click to listen to Leona Lewis' song Love Letter

These days I've been reading a handful of books simultaneously.  Reading a little before bed each night rather than powering through them in my usual style.  There are so many books on my Kindle that I have yet to get to as well.  And yet, I still love to browse bookstores when I get the chance.  While perusing the aisles, I saw an interesting one that was called If You Find This Letter  by Hannah Brencher.

My First Time at MAC

Is it just me or does the eyeshadow remind you of Mulan?

Being a novice makeup user, I've always been intimidated with makeup stores.  Sephora is okay because generally they are so busy that a salesperson never really bothers you.  But MAC, for me, is the scariest of the scariest.  Their look is deliberately bold and the associates generally have tattoos or piercings or both.  I feel like I utterly do not belong there.

My mom and I went to the mall because she had run out of primer.  I followed her into the dreaded MAC and just stood there gazing at all the colors but never daring to touch or express interest in any products, lest an associate pounce on me and start suggesting this or that.  Some guy tried to sell my mom other stuff when she only wanted primer.  She let herself be made over by his expert hand.  Boom.  Cheekbones.

Don't Give Up

It's April now, which means that three months have passed already and we are a quarter of the way done with 2015.  In the past, I didn't pay attention to the months passing, so my birthday or the new year always caught me by surprise.  This year, I made smart goals so I'm keeping myself accountable and looking back as well as forward.  How are you guys doing with your resolutions if you made any?  There are still nine months left so don't give up!

Your Public Thoughts

"Whatever is written and published is public.  More concerning is the idea that every word written on a computer is public.  Just assume that any words you write and send via e-mail, post on a blog, or place on a website are public words."

- Amy Peters

I don't know how I feel about that.  Some interesting movies about the internet and privacy that I recommend are United States of Secrets, Terms and Conditions May Apply, and Generation Like.  I saw all of them via Netflix and found them to be riveting.  And of course, there is the original The Matrix.  The world is a scary place people.  Stay informed about it.

Food52 Genius Recipes

Apparently, my sister tells people that I am an amazing baker, which I don't consider myself to be.  I don't even like baking.  I just like sweets.  The only reason why I started was because I was unhappy with the baked goods bought from the market.  So, I decided to bake them myself.  For me, cooking is the same thing.  It's a joyless means to a necessary end.

So the easier it is the better.  Something that can be made using ingredients I actually have on hand in my kitchen.  No saffron threads or fresh ginger please.  Usually, I make something and it lasts me for a week or more.  By then, I get bored and at it eventually evolves into a stew at some point or another.  Even if it turns out well, I'm not wowed enough to make it again next time.

I've bought cookbooks in the past hoping for quick and easy recipes that might become staples that I wouldn't have to think about.  Unfortunately, they required a whole lot of ingredients or time or both.  Food52 Genius Recipes actually contain recipes that I am not intimidated by.  Crepes made from tortillas?  A salad utilizing hard unripe peaches or cauliflower soup made with and mostly water?  Yes, please!

Bare Faced or Not

Well, I don't have anymore makeup products to recommend.  I am using up lots of samples of things that are simply whatever like face setting powder, bronzer, and mascara.  I occasionally use e.l.f. eyeshadow primer which I'm not sure is effective.  I do switch up my makeup, but because I never wear much, the pictures I take look very much the same.  Is this the end of Makeup Monday?  I don't know.  You mind if we just talk about makeup instead?

I am wearing makeup in this post.  Can you tell?

Now Say, "Thank You"

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

- William Arthur Ward

Limerick is the Name of the Game

If you don't remember or are new, it's wordy Wednesday!  And I challenge you to write a limerick.

Limericks are funny poems.  It should have 5 lines total. Lines 1, 2, and 5 ending with the same rhyme and containing between 7-10 syllables.  Lines 3 and 4 are shorter with 5-7 syllables and rhyme with each other.  Here's a diagram that I wrote before I started writing my poems.  L = Line, R = Rhyme, and S = Syllable

L   R      S

1   A   7-10

2   A   7-10

3   B    5-7

4   B    5-7

5   A   7-10

Are you still with me?  Ugh, that looks like a nasty SAT math problem doesn't it?  But, I assure you it's not as complicated as it looks.  The prompt was to write a limerick about your favorite animal.  Here's what I came up with.

Mr. Swish, my beta fish, is very grumpy indeed
that is until it is time to feed.
He swims all around
without making a sound.
Begging for food until I concede.

Line Dem Eyes

click to hear  Eyes by Kaskade feat. Mindy Gledhill

I usually wear glasses, so I'm not whether putting time into eye makeup is worth the effort.  I do know that using eyeliner makes my face seem more symmetrical.  For every day, pencil will do.  But for special occasions, I'll bust out my liquid eyeliner.

Just Add Watercolor

Lately, I am flexing more of my creative muscles.  I've been dabbling in my old sketchbooks and drawing.  Naturally, drawing got me thinking about painting again.  And being the super cautious and thorough me, I got a book to refresh my memory before diving right into it.

Just add Watercolor  by Helen Birch is a little book (about the size of a Kindle), but it packs a whole lot of information as well as inspiration.  It's got 87 pages of different paintings in various styles by artists from all around the globe.  In not just watercolor, but gouache, mixed media, and colored pencils too.  It's perfect because I haven't cultivated my own style yet and I wanted to see how others treated the medium to their advantage.

Spring Purging

"Go confidently in the directions of your dreams; live the life you've imagined.  As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."

- Henry David Thoreau

Spring is the time for fresh starts and new beginnings.  I quite admire minimalist bloggers who share photos of their pristine rooms or homes.  There's nothing there that doesn't belong.  It's all so vanilla.  And yet, why does it look so inviting?  I think it's the lack of clutter.  A minimalist place seems so refreshing because I imagine that that person's life is totally in order.  They've sifted through and gotten rid of all the extraneous in their lives.  Thus, they are free to live in the present.  I don't know.  Maybe I'm just projecting.

I titled this post "Spring Purging" because cleaning is not a strong enough word.  I really want this spring to be the start of something fabulous.  I will actively pursue the life I have imagined and to do that, I've got to get rid of the mess that congested the old one.  To start, I put aside my things in individual bags so that my room looks  clean.  Then, I rearranged the furniture in the entire apartment.  Now, I've got to pull them out of their hiding places, sit down, sort through them, and devise a better system to organize my belongings, so that I am more inclined to put things away next time.

Goals Accomplished!

Woohoo!  Some of my goals for the new year were to consistently post at least 4 times a week and to gain about 1,000 readers by the end of March.  Lo and behold, I've done both.  Well, I don't know how many readers I have exactly but I've gotten more than 1,000 pageviews, which is good enough for me.  It's so interesting to see the demographics of people tuning in because somehow I've got an international audience from Kiwis to Koreans, French, Italians, and people from around the U.K.  Most of my friends are Asians but I'm trying to get outside my comfort zone.  I'm really excited about the possibility of making international friends. Thanks for stopping by!

I have met none of my fitness goals on the other hand. Grrr.

How to Write Concisely

"Simple means getting rid of extra words.  Don't write, 'He was very happy' when you can write 'He was happy.'  You think the word 'very' adds something.  It doesn't."

- Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert comic strips)

Obviously, if you're writing comic strips, you'd have to be careful about your words because you only have so much space.  But being concise is appreciated by everyone, whether you're writing business e-mails, blogs, or tweets.  When I had to write papers in school, my rough drafts would always be under the word limit.  I despised the process of having to go back and add sentences to each paragraph simply to meet the requirement when I had already made my point by page __.

Blogging is different.  You can write as little or as much as you want to.  I also know that you can't force people to read it or even be sure they read the entirety of the post.  Help make the process easier for readers by editing.  Since most bloggers write about stuff we are excited about, it can be easy to go on a rant if we don't check ourselves.  Below is my checklist for simple writing.

1. Check for filler words like "very" or "really"
2. Make sure adjectives serve a purpose
3. Check for redundancy.  For example, "absolute favorite"
4. As a personal choice, I avoid exaggerations.  For example, the word obsessed, is defined by Webster's dictionary as "to haunt or trouble in mind, esp. to an abnormal degree; preoccupy greatly" or adore, which means "to worship as divine; to love greatly or honor highly; idolize."
5. Catch yourself when you go on a tangent and delete those sentences accordingly.  You can always save them for another post.

Eye Shadows

I applied to college with the intention of pursuing a fine arts degree.  That didn't happen but makeup is a fun way to play with color on your face, especially with eye shadows.  The inner artist in me relishes the opportunity to pick up a brush again and create a unique look from day to day depending on my mood.

Job U

*  I received this book from
Blogging for Books for this review

I'm doing a lot of research before plunging into the job market again.  I just finished this book called Job U  to find out what skills I need in order to get hired.

I expected it to be a straight how-to book, but it read more like an academic essay.  The author, Nicholas Wyman continually repeated that the whole notion that everyone should attend college in order to attain "success" was flawed.  If you don't think college is necessarily for you or you've been there, done that.  You should consider professional certifications, associate degrees, apprenticeships, or occupational learning.  Besides the associate degree, I didn't even know these options were available!  He only shared a handful of programs in specific chapters.  Luckily, the appendix shares a lot more resources, so I'm going to be checking out those websites next.

I wish I had read this book while in high school because it would have saved me a couple years and a lot of money.  I was hoping that by the end of the book, I would have had a clear career path illuminated for me, but this book is just a helpful tool.  In closing, Mr. Wyman said, "What I am here to tell you is that when considering your next step, take in as much information and guidance as you can, but ultimately only you can make the decision about what job or career will be the right fit."

Did you go to college?  Are you in college?  What's your job or are you seeking one too?  If you have any career advice please share.  My uncle told me to get over myself.  There is no dream job.  You just need a job.  I hope that my life is not as depressing as his.

Have a Great Day!

March 20, 2015

I'm sure that you've had your fair share of bad days.  So, when I read in an interview, that Ms. Noel stated that she's never had one, I was skeptical.  What she did since she was a child, was to stop and close her eyes to "start over" after a difficult situation.

Why have I never heard of this technique before?  Sometimes, a comment or a task that I didn't complete dashes my confidence and derails me.  But considering her approach, it's true, you can have bad moments, but why should you let that negativity linger and define the whole day?  Don't let one instance ruin the remainder of the 24 hours in your day.

I Am No Genius, Are You?

"I'm a full-time believer in writing habits.  You may be able to do without them if you have genius but most of us only have talent and this is simply something that has to be assisted all the time by physical and mental habits or it dries up and blows away."

- Flannery O'Connor

In Full Bloom

So, I specifically set out to read books that fellow Asians had written and came across In Full Bloom.  I related to the protagonist so much that I finished it in 2 or 3 days.  I had to find out what happened to her so that I could get a glimpse of what might happen in my own future.

Refrigerate It

Do you finish all your face products before purchasing the next one?  I didn't.  When my skin was acting up, I'd buy this and then that hoping to find a cure.  (I'm still trying to figure out that perfect blend of products that will keep my face splotch free forever.)  Research shows that in order to truly gauge the effectiveness of a product, you should apply it regularly for 6 weeks at the minimum.  Obviously, when the product is new and is doing wonders for your skin, you'll stick with it.  But even when it's apparent that the product is not having any effect, keep using it for at least a month so you can know for sure.

If you have products that used to work for you stashed in your medicine cabinet, put it in your refrigerator.  Or seasonal things, like that super thick face moisturizer that you depend on in the winter months and never touch in the spring.  If it's extremely old (I'm talking years) throw it away.  Once you finish testing an existing product and figure out it's not right for you.  Give it to someone else or toss it.  Try that oldie again for the allotted period and see if you can bring those good times back.

You're spending all this money on makeup and skincare, you should protect your investment as much as possible.  Refrigerating products will prolong the life of them, especially if you live in humid climates.  In California, it seems we've skipped spring altogether and went straight into summer.  I've gone through my collections and stored a lot of stuff in the fridge.  Face creams feel so good to put on when it's nice and cool after a very lukewarm day.

25 Reasons Why You are Great

Springtime Haikus

I feel like a broken record to continually tell you all that whatever it is you want to accomplish, you need to make a habit of it and keep doing it in spite of your fear and reservations and lack of time.  So today, I give you a haiku exercise.  The Writer's Devotional said to write one about your favorite season.  I'm not sure that I have a favorite season but I'm looking forward to spring "because it's not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket."  Do you know where this quote is from?  keke

Happy St. Patricks Day

Even if you don't feel like it, you are a lovely, lucky duck

Highlighter

Obviously not these.  And not powders either.  The only highlighter I use is Anastasia's Highlighting Duo Pencil in Camille and Sand.  There is a matte highlighter on one end and a shimmery one on the other.  Once again, it's a chubby crayonish shape so it is super easy to use.  I dot the shimmer highlighter in the inner tear duct area.  And the matte highlighter underneath the arch in my browbone and just the inner part of my undereyes.  I use a different undereye concealer, which I already wrote about here.  Tap gently with your finger to blend and you're good to go.

I know that others may highlight the bridge of their nose or their Cupid's bow or even a little above the browbone, but I don't do that.  I don't use a highlighter for the tops of my cheekbones either because I just don't like shimmer.  Also, I get dewy throughout the day so why bother?

* Since I already told you my essential 7 products as a base, the remaining products I mention will be shared in no particular order.

Positive Intention = Positive Impression

I'm sure you've already heard that 90% of communication is nonverbal.  That means that even a glance or smile has impact.  Ms. Noel says, "When you aren't acting with positive intention, you leave room for negative interpretation."

Keep Writing (or Whatever it is that You Do)

"What I write when I force myself is generally just as good as what I write when I'm feeling inspired.  It's mainly a matter of forcing yourself to write."

- Tom Wolfe

I haven't read anything of Tom Wolfe's but he spent more than 25 years writing investigative non-fiction and is considered a father in the field.  I'll keep it short today.  Stick to the positive habits you've created.  I made a posting schedule with this blog early on and I haven't missed a day.  It's actually the posts that I decided to write on a whim that are sitting in my draft pile, while the "forced" ones are the ones that I actually publish.  Perseverance wins over inspiration almost every time.

What actions have you successfully implemented since the new year began?

My Essential Seven

Let's recap my seven essentials so far.  On the top right corner, I've already got chapstick and sunblock on.  The photo underneath, I've concealed my blemishes.  Bottom left corner, I've drawn in my eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil.  Next, I've curled my eyelashes.  Finally, I've applied lipstick.  And completed the look with blush.  (I have a very light hand with blush.)

If I wear these and nothing else, I can get away with using one Bioderma pad at night instead of two.  Super easy both to apply and take off when the day is over.

I apologize for the mediocre picture quality, but I wanted you guys to have a face to the person behind sun over eden.

Happy International Women's Day

to all the beautiful, wonderful ladies in the world, we have come so far

Purpose Before Problems

February was not good to me.  It's March already and I have yet to get closer to the goals I set out earlier this year.  One good thing that I am patting myself on the back for is at least posting regularly on this blog.  I keep saying that this blog is about positivity, but I have yet to adopt positivity as a way of living.  I feel so behind, but I'm fighting my natural tendencies and striving towards a better me.  Cathy Rudder, a fellow good morning reader, reminded me to, "Fill each day with purpose--not problems."

The Trick to Being Creative

Whether you are just in a slump or you think the creativity gene just missed you, everyone can be creative.  The trick is to break out of your usual routine, to startle your brain with something new.  Most of us function on autopilot due to habit so the only way to rewire those brain networks is to confuse and challenge it.  Even Albert Einstein needed help to think more creatively.  So, he picked up the violin.  Winston Churchill learned how to paint landscapes.  It doesn't matter what activity you choose so long it's something of interest to you.

I've dabbled in painting, book making, cross-stitching, kickboxing, baking, doll making, and the like.  I agree with Salvador Dali who said, “Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.” And “if you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced,”  said Vincent Van Gogh.

Wash Dem Brushes

How many times a week do you wear makeup?  And how often do you wash your makeup brushes?  There are some parties that suggest sanitizing them daily.  I'm not that diligent, but I do wash them weekly.

Some general tips to washing dem brushes are:

• I use a Sephora Professionnel Purifying Brush Shampoo, but you can use baby shampoo or even a gentle bar soap.  There's no need to be really picky about what you use so long as it gets those brushes clean.
• I swirl the soapy brush in my palm for a light lather and rinse under water.  If the water isn't clear, I repeat.
• Squeeze out the excess water from the brush, then reshape and lay it flat or upside-down to dry.  Never, ever  leave them upright to dry or else you'll ruin them.
• While you're at it, if a brush sheds a lot or no longer holds its shape, it's time to say goodbye to it.

Look Alive with Blush

The trick to looking alive?  Besides doing your lips and filling in your brows?  Blush.

I went to Korea last year and bought my first blush.  (Ok, technically I bought a blush before this but does it count if it's from the equivalent of a 99¢ store?)  I didn't go with a list of makeup I wanted to buy.  In fact, I had almost given up my search for a coral blush until I spotted Missha M Prism Blending Ball Blusher in Peach Glow at the last minute.  Being Korea, it happened to be a knockoff of Guerlain's Météorites Perles de Blush.  I am such a sucker for pretty things.  Not only did my Missha M Prism Blending Ball Blusher cost about $30 (which is about half Guerlain's price), but it has a mirror and comes with a handy brush.

I've been using the brush that was included.  I gently press the brush into the pearls and then pat, pat, pat on my cheeks.  The store associate said that you could separate the pearls by color and use it for separate highlighter and blush.  It's very easy to build color and it creates that perfect flush that I have been craving.  A girl even complimented me on cheeks. keke

FYI My Posting Schedule

In case you're wondering, I generally post 4 times a week.  To help you remember, I've got alliterations.

Makeup Mondays  No fancy elaborate tutorials here.  Just easy, minimal makeup.
Wordy Wednesdays  I share a tip about writing from The Writer's Devotional.
Thoughtful Thursdays  I summarize one of the lessons from good morning  because I've been so blessed by it.  It's generally about positivity or productivity.
Cinematic Saturdays  I'll try to write about a movie I recently watched in 10 words or less.  I watch the movies through Netflix so if you've got an account, you should be able to view it through there too.

I also write briefly on books I've finished reading.  Occasionally, I post something random.  But that's sun over eden in a nutshell.  If you're not interested in all the subjects, you're most certainly welcome to click the tabs at the top of the screen for a particular subject.

On Overcoming Overwhelmedness

Lately, I realize that I am frozen.  Do you ever have that?  So many things to do that you shut down and just freeze?  Brook Noel states 4 sources behind why you might be feeling overwhelmed and how to overcome it.

A visual representation of my mind right now

The Words are Already There

"The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible."

- Vladimir Nabokov

Do you feel writing is like this?  Or is it like coaxing plants to bloom through a layer of stubborn and cruel snow?

The Eyelash Curler aka Possible Torture Device

Every female should have an eyelash curler handy.  It probably takes less than a minute to use and it makes a big difference, especially if you have itty bitty straight lashes.

Asterios Polyp

Due to the meager selection of good quality movies on Netflix, I'm not sure I will continue with Cinematic Saturdays.  But I did finish this book call Asterios Polyp.

Riddle Me This

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me,
and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done,
and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great individuals.
And, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine,
though I work with all the precision of a machine
plus the intelligence of a human being.
You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin;
it makes no difference to me.
 
Take me, train me, be firm with me,
and I will put the world at your feet.
Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?