Crazy Awesome Couple of Days

Quick status update...so much to post, so little time to get everything in my life done! I'm still in New York vacationing with my family (well, staying with them in my childhood home) and I've had a great week.

After dropping my sister off at school in Vermont, I paid a quick visit to a friend up in New England. Back in NY I went to the beach, walked around a cute little local town and had dinner with my best friend, who is in for a few weeks from her Peace Corps assignment in Zambia.

Last night I had a crazy night with another friend who is about to move to Pennsylvania. We went to a huge Korean club in Manhattan and were initially rejected...most likely cuz I'm white. (Yes, seriously! I was sooo pissed since I'd been looking forward to seeing this place for months. Of course, we ended up there on the day there's some obnoxious new lady working the door.)

But a few hours later her friends who are regulars there showed up and we got in...and wow, it was something! I've never seen a club with a live saxophone player jamming along with the DJ. There were fog machines and fake snow and strobes and thumping music and tons of people having fun. (Once I was in the club, none of the patrons seemed to care that much that I wasn't Asian. Plus, my friend's friends were really cool and made me feel totally comfortable, which doesn't always happen when you're out with people you don't know.) We danced until 4:30 am, then went out for Pho in Ktown, and the friends went uptown while my friend and I hopped the rail road back to Long Island...at daylight.


Yesterday I also went out to lunch with my Dad, and it was good to spend some quality time with him. The day before I took my Boston Terrier to the vet -- she's got allergies that are making her paws itch! And on the way back home, we passed my grandmother's house while she was sitting on her porch. So Bon Bon and I paid a visit to Grandma, which she appreciated very much.

In beauty news...my skin is finally clearing up, thanks to cutting back on harsh detergents and treating it with more care. I've started using a new facewash and moisturizer that I am very happy with. I've also been trying out a new mascara, which is going well so far. And after my vacation and a trip to the hair salon, I'm a bit tanner and blonder than I had been before.

It's also been good to indulge myself in good food. It's nice to not have to go food shopping for myself all the time or cook dinner every night. Among the meals my mom has prepared has been lobster....mmm...for a dinner and for lunch, cooked perfectly on our gas grill. I don't know how or why people go out to restaurants to get it because it's such a messy food and expensive to eat out...but our local supermarket sometimes has it on sale for $4.99 lb., which makes it a luxury within reach.

Tonight I'm hanging out with another best friend of mine, the girl I stayed with in Boston, who is back in NY for the Labor Day weekend. I hope you're enjoying the long weekend too!

Help Me Find a Place to Live in Northern Virginia!

Exactly what the post title says -- anyone have advice on moving to Northern Virginia?? I'm looking for an apartment or houseshare there beginning in mid-September.

I'm very easy to get along with...willing to live with guys or girls...I'm no neat freak but I keep common areas clean...I work an office job so I want somewhere that's relatively calm on weeknights...I don't smoke or own pets...I do own a car.

My ideal roommate situation is one where I can come and go with freedom and live my own life, but be around friendly, laid-back, upbeat people who want to hang out sometimes.

Needs: Available parking space; within .75 miles walking distance of an orange line Metro; no drugs or cats in the home.

Budget: $900 maximum.

Drop me a line if you can help! :)

Boston, Here I Am!

I've spent the last couple of days in Boston, Massachusetts, soaking up history and culture, and spending time with one of my oldest friends. I ate delicious lobster bisque in Fanuiel Hall


took a DUCK tour (the bus, a converted former military vehicle, takes you by land and *by sea* past some of the city's highlights)


saw sea lions chilling in a tank outside the aquarium


visited the U.S.S. Constitution (named by George Washington, one of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794)


ate my first Tibetan food (yak dumplings)


took a Sam Adams Brewery tour


visited the birth sites of Presidents John and John Quincy Adams



took a trolley around Lexington and Concord (where the first battles of the Revolutionary War began -- the photo is of a statue of a Minute Man that is featured on the Mass. state quarter)


hung out with my friend during her new band's practice, and went out to dinner with her and another high school friend, followed by a walk past Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.

And I did a bunch more stuff too...wow, and my vacation is only half way through! Now I'm on to Maine and New Hampshire, the plan being to play it by ear. :)

I'm Back x2...And This Time I'm Bringing Sexy With Me

Heard that song on the radio today, lol...So, it's been a while. I just haven't been in the mood to write lately, particularly about beauty. My life hasn't felt very beautiful lately. It's sadly just trudging along, waiting for the right time for lots of good things to happen. Namely, once this month ends and I can go home to New York and do some traveling and prepare for the next phase of my life's journey.

I have gotten back into art lately -- making greeting cards. Oh my gosh, I've turned my bathroom into a spray paint studio! I will definitely post some of my work up here in the future.

I've also started watching Asian dramas and am totally hooked! I'm currently watching the Taiwanese version of "Meteor Garden," a show about a poor girl who becomes the rival-turned-love-interest of the richest boy in their very affluent college. It's got drama, romance, humor and more. I'd definitely recommend it! This show and more are available for free -- for those of you who don't know -- on MySoju.com.

Anyway, on to the sexiness...I was in a good mood after conducting an interview for my job today. (The interview had nothing to do with sexy-anything, to make that clear!) I met with a man to discuss his volunteer work as a court advocate for children for a story I'm writing. During the discussion, he explained that he'd decided while he was still working full-time that once he hit retirement, he would devote half his time to volunteer work and half to personal time.

Now that he's retired, he said he does just that. He volunteers with a slew of other organization, he and his wife travel, he reads books, he exercises, etc. What he kept saying is that when it comes to what someone gets involved in, it's all a matter of priorities; What's important to you to get done? It might not be the same goals as your neighbor or your friend, and that's fine. It's about determining what matters most to you and making it happen.

We all only have 24 hours in a day. We can't change the past, whether it was good or bad. What do you make priorities in your life from this point on?

This made me realize that I was putting too much of my energy into wasteful and silly things when I have to keep my head focused on the game, on the bigger picture. It made me think how sometimes I let important matters fall to the wayside. I'm not directionless by any means, but admittedly, since leaving college I've had lots of aspirations and barely know where to start. It's definitely comforting and empowering for me to consider the fact that I really can do a lot to influence my destiny. And I think an important step is defining some of my priorities and continuing to let those aspirations guide me in a positive way, instead of succumbing to anxiety about what I messed up in the past or what I'm afraid I can't do.

I left the interview feeling pumped -- the guy was really, really nice too, so it was enjoyable to lunch with him -- spent a hot hour on the Metro, and got back to the shopping mall where I was parked. I try not to shop on a whim but I fell in love with two rings in Charlotte Rousse today.

Forgive the lackluster photos, but let me share some sexy with you:

And by sexy I mean glamorous, empowered, bold, happy. I never wear rings on my pointer finger but that's where it fit best, and there's something I like about it there. I rarely wear big rings like this either, but hey, sometimes it just works!

The ring looks like the petals are lacquered. I think it's kind of retro-feeling. It cost $4.

The polish, which did not photograph well, is "Feverish Rose" by Sally Hansen. It's a dark-Barbie-esque pink. I topped it with a sparkly clear polish by Wet 'n Wild, which is subtle but noticeable. So these nails are quite girly!

Combine the ring, the nails, and a dose of self-confidence and...for a moment, I feel like I could take on anything in this world. :)

I Quit My Job

I gave my seven week notice yesterday. In August, I'm officially leaving my first full-time job as a newspaper reporter.

For weeks I'd struggled thinking about how I'd tell my immediate boss the news. And then it just happened - I pulled her into my office after she put a frozen meal in the microwave and said that I'd been offered another job. She knew it was a possibility, since my new employer actually interviewed her a few months ago before I was officially offered a position. She said she didn't expect that me leaving would happen so soon. And that was really all there was to the conversation.

I hoped that by giving early notice I could help prepare my materials for my successor. What concerns me is that our publisher is probably not going to hire a replacement for me, meaning that my editor will have a whole lot more work dumped on her. I know this isn't my problem. But it bothers me that this company's product, the newspaper, takes a back seat to marketing and networking. I think it will be a real shame if they don't bring a new editorial person in. Especially if they hire a new sales person instead of putting that money toward a new reporter.

Other than that, I feel pretty good. I'm writing my third and last cover story this month about people over 50 who use social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc. I'm taking more than five weeks of vacation between my new jobs, too, so I hope to write, spend time with my family, and travel. My tentative plan is to be willing to travel just about anywhere a friend will offer me free lodging (and in exchange I will cook!).

So yes, that brings me to the fact that I do have a new job lined up as an editor. It's a much more lucrative job with a lot of potential for advancement. How much I will enjoy it remains to be seen -- as is the case with any new endeavor -- but I'm excited to take this next step in my life.

I kind of feel like Lauren Conrad in the Hills season finale (I haven't watched the whole thing yet!Couldn't bring myself to...) when she says that for once, she doesn't know what comes next. It's scary, it's exciting, and a few weeks from now, it's where I'll be. :)

Vermont-ing

Hello hello! I've been having a crazy/busy/fun week, after being in New York last weekend and returning on Wednesday so I could drive up to Vermont this afternoon. My sister is a sophomore in college up here, and she, my mom and I are packing her stuff up from her dorm and going back home tomorrow in the early afternoon. I wish I had more time to spend since it's so beautiful. I adore New England charm. This place smells of delicious pine trees...hopefully I can come back in autumn to get some maple syrup! :)

I snapped a few quick pics with my web cam. Nothing very good, but just to give you an idea...(forgive me for looking tired, I just drove five hours).

My Wonderful Hello Kitty-filled Life

Nee over at Simply Nee is having an *amazing* Hello Kitty contest -- a lot of fun/creative contests going on right now -- which calls for participants to share what is their favorite HK item. (Mine is listed at the very bottom of the post, btw.) The contest runs till June 5.

This is difficult for me to answer because...the more I think about it, there is probably far too much HK in my life. Uhhh well you see...my *mom* loves HK. Something she picked up after my sister and I left for college. So our family home is filled with lots of little HK touches. And I happen to be in NY visiting this weekend, so let me share (just) some with you...

The HK products that mean the most to me are the ones that I share with my mom -- like we have matching bracelets and lockets. I keep a HK bracelet clasped around the clothing bar in my apartment's closet, for example, because it's a happy reminder of my family.

I don't have a pic, but the HK product I use most often is my lap desk. It stays close to my bed and I grab it in a pinch to have a flat surface for my laptop, a bowl of cereal or a note pad.

But my FAVORITE HK product??

My Hello Kitty toaster. Hands down. It's just so adorable and useful and kind of crazy in a fun way. My mom and I both have HK toasters too!

It burns little HK faces into toast. Yummm toast. (Hers is packed away, sadly, plus I can't take a good photo of it with the toast like that, so I used this official Sanrio pic.) This thing kept me with lots of toast all throughout college. :)

Tagged!

What is your current obsession?
Figuring out my mess of a love life. :P Other than that, probably taking bathes. I bring over a stand for my computer to sit on by the edge of the tub and read my favorite blogs while relaxing! I kid you not. Or I watch The Colbert Report.

What is your weirdest obsession?
Organizing my clothing. (Might be from my stint in retail.) I hang my pants up by type and color, and I'm very particular about how I fold shirts.

What are you wearing today?
Black pants, black tank, turquoise-blue sweater, and a light blue bead necklace.

What's your favorite comfort food?
Mashed potatoes.

What would make today special?
Wow, what a curious question. I guess for everything to run smoothly at work before my newspaper goes to press, and for things to run smoothly in life. Not getting myself worked up over things I can't change.

What would you like to learn to do?
Direct music videos.

What's the last thing you bought?
Kumquats -- and I won a sandwich for lunch from the local supermarket.

What are you listening to right now?
The white noise of our office server buzzing.

What is your favorite weather?
Warm and sunny with a slight breeze, but not too hot.

What is your most challenging goal right now?
Learning to build an independent life, away from my family...being invested enough in this new phase to be happy, but not too invested, since a new job in Sept. will take me to a new state. (Sounds unnecessarily complicated, yah?)

What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Maayari is a really sweet, cool chick, and her reviews are awesome. She really lives up to what she said in her 'why did you start your blog' section -- she helps readers know what products work and which might be worth avoiding.

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Being practical, I'd say in New York, close to my friends and family. But if it's a total dream scenario, probably Spain (never been but my sis loved it) or Melbourne, Australia (have been, loved it).

If you could swap lives with anyone for one day who would it be & why?
Martha Stewart or Lady Gaga. Their lives seem artistically crafted to such an extreme...I'd be curious to shadow them for a day.

If you would go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Zambia, to visit my friend stationed there with the Peace Corps.

Which language do you wanna learn?
Japanese, which I know nothing about linguistically. And I'd want to continue learning Russian and Spanish.

What do you look for in a friend?
Someone who is genuine, self-reflective, intelligent (not necessarily book smart, but thinks critical and comes up with his own ideas), and not judgmental.

Who do you want to meet in person?
I agree with Maayari that an East Coast blogger meetup would be great!

What's your dream job?
To be a presidential historian. Or a screenwriter. Can I be both?

If you had $100 now what would you spend on it?
I'd buy flowers for my friends.

Things you wish you could change in the past?
Not being honest with an important person in my life.

Fashion Pet Peeve?
Crocs. Leave them in the garden or at home.

Do you admire anyone's style?
Rihanna and Gwen Stefani are both edgy but still feminine.

Describe your personal style.
Work in progress! Classic with a modern twist.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Chocolate and peanut butter, or vanilla with chocolate covered pretzels.

What's your favorite makeup brand?
Don't have one...yet.

Do you get enough beauty sleep? yes or no? why?
No way. My 9-5 work schedule isn't conducive to my natural night-owl self.

Why did you start your (beauty) blog?
Reading other beauty blogs inspired me to take a stab at it. It seemed like a fun way to channel my creative energies, push myself to write on a regular basis, and to connect with a diverse group of cool people.

So now that that's done...I'm going to tag some my google followers with their own blogs (if you've already been tagged, just consider it some extra love):

Marjo (check out her pretty blue-grey smokey eye look)
Vanity Treasure (her pets are so freaking cute)
Neeyuh (always has informative tips)
Kim (a potpourri of topics)
Imee (never boring)

Thanks, blog readers, I really appreciate your support. :)

The Best Part of Being Home

....is being beside my four-legged best friend, Bon Bon!

She wasn't in much of a photo mood today, and my camera was being finicky, so these aren't the best photos, but I'm sure you get the idea.

She's a spunky 7-year-old Boston Terrier, who loves to lick my face (just mine) and sleep on my bed....usually at the foot, but when she gets the chance, she likes to pretend that my pillow is hers too!


Of course good friends, good family and good food also make being home in New York enjoyable, but there's just something about this dog that's just the icing on the cake. She's very sweet, playful and yet well-behaved -- even though she loves food and is on the stocky side, today she listened when I said 'no' to her sniffing some food that I was about to nosh on my bed. She just slept on the floor instead.

I could just go on and on about my Bonbee baby! (Yes, my silly nickname for my dog.) But since I head back to Maryland tomorrow, I'm just going to relish in my last few hours of this mini-vacation while my pooch snores on my bed. :) Ah, this is the life...

Waiting to Crack Out This Summer Bag

I'm waiting for summer to roll around for a couple of reasons. At this very moment, it's because I want this 'waiting' phase of my life to end and for the rest of my personal and professional life to begin. I'm stuck in blah April showers. Even though I know this waiting is what needs to happen, like I said in my last post, it's not the most enjoyable time!

For now, a pick-me-up is thinking about all the great things I'll be doing when the weather gets warm. Swimming (hopefully), biking, hiking, wearing light, breezy clothes to the office and carrying a stylish bright bag!


The picture doesn't do this bag justice. It's a shiny, textured dark turquoise. It's not dirty the way it looks in the photo, in person that looks like a subtle gradient.

One of my favorite parts is the black/white/gray checkered interior:

It's big enough to fit a laptop, but not too wide that I couldn't stuff it with a book and some sunscreen and take it on a walk to a park to read.

The maker is Rampage, and I bought the bag at Marshall's. The material is a sturdy faux-leather.

Wake me up when June ends, okay? I'll pack my bag now so it's ready to go. ;)

Writing is Cathartic

A quick entry, since I'm at work...

I've faced a lot of changes recently, both good and bad. I feel like I've left a nice, cozy place in my life and am traveling through a winter storm on the path to the place I need to be next. Even though it's hard to be trudging across snow and cold, I know it's what I have to do to move forward.

Doesn't mean it's easy!

Thankfully, there's lots of good stuff heading my way, I'll elaborate more in the future. Anyway, I just wanted to put in a quick entry since I have no Internet at my new apartment yet.

Hopefully I'll have it set up this weekend (before I gnaw away a hole in the wall from withdrawal).

In the meantime, I'm going to be doing a lot of thinking, and maybe even some writing. It's a good way to let out frustrations and channel my energy in a positive way. Maybe I'll do some crafting and makeup-ing too -- no big cooking though since the kitchen isn't stocked yet. And I'll be sure to take pics.

Isn't it strange how beauty can be inspired by heartbreak?

An Award and a New Attitude

List 7 things that you love, and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you love! Be sure to tag them and let them know that they have won.You can copy the picture of the award and paste it on your sidebar letting the whole world know...you are Kreativ!

I'm about to run out to have dinner with a friend and see a midnight showing of Fight Club, but I wanted to post this and thank Maayari for the love. Since so many of my favorite beauty bloggers have already received this award, I'm going to cop out and say that if *you* are a blogger doing your own awesome thing, you're tagged!

So, seven things I love...

1) Staying up late watching TV snuggled under a blanket, knowing I can wake up late the next day. (Oh, the days before an office job...)

2) Dancing, especially salsa, samba, tap, and most things with my friends in a club.

3) Crafting, especially crocheting and making greeting cards.

4) Reading news online, from newspapers like the Washington Post to magazines like Slate to lots of blogs -- TMZ, Gawker, etc.

5) Taking good care of my teeth. I used to have bad gums, and I floss pretty regularly.

6) New lip glosses and balms. The beauty product I use most often.

7) Singing in my car!

In other news...I am planning to revamp the look of this site and I signed the lease/paid the deposit for my new apartment today! I move in April 1. So if my posting continues to be light, it's in preparation for the move to my own first place. I'm getting pretty excited. And hopefully the new layout will be up around that time too.

Already, moving to a new place is helping me gain a new, reinvigorated spirit. It will be out here soon...

Have a good weekend!

Changes

I think that I'm going to sign the lease to move into my first real apartment tomorrow.

Well, technically, it's a loft within a condo that I will share with an older Peruvian couple.

But it means moving out from the nice, single-family home which I've called *my* home for six months. Just as the icky smoking situation was resolved (I don't smoke, my two roomies do) and we were all getting along really well.

I really love this place.

I guess it's time for a big, new adventure, though.

**So that's why I'm kind of behind on posting and the like! Plus, I'm finally catching up on things at my job, which is very important and taking up extra time.**

Happy New Year!

Wow, it feels like forever since I posted. Thanks for the words of encouragement! Unfortunately this past week I got very little done that I set out to do while taking a vacation from work. I'm at home (my mom's house) in New York, but spent most of the time being sick. Blah. Just some virus I probably picked up at the office, but it was bad enough to prompt me to go to the doctor, which I really dislike.

Anyway, I pulled myself together in time to go to my college roommate's wedding on Jan. 1.

It was absolutely fantastic. They are so cute! The affair took place in Connecticut, so the morning of the 3 p.m. ceremony I hopped in my car wearing my dress, sweatpants, an athletic jacket and sneakers. It was almost a three hour drive so I wanted to be comfy! And the zipper of the dress gets stuck in the material -- despite the fact that I got the original zipper replaced -- so once my mom and I properly zipped it up in N.Y. I figured I wouldn't take any chances with a wardrobe malfunction at the wedding hall...

Wanting to make sure I got there on time, I went straight from my house to the reception, not to the motel where I was planning to crash with my friends later. The venue was pretty empty when I arrived around 1:45 p.m. Then, out of the blue, the groom and his best man pulled in next to me. The groom is also a friend of mine so I got out of the car to chat with him and give him a huge hug (while looking like a mess with my sweatpants and sneakers under my dress, no makeup, my hair all screwed up and that long-drive glaze, lol). Not like my appearance really mattered, since he was was so excited for the big event! This day was a long time coming -- the two of them had been dating for four years, even though we're all so young...just 22 and 23 years old. It was nice to chat with the groom for just a couple of minutes, then he was called inside and I gathered my things to do a quick change in the bathroom. ;)

I bought them a futon cover from their Bed Bath and Beyond registry and brought a little gift to the reception: A silver-plated fortune cookie in a decorative box, in which I put a hand-written 'fortune' that said "To good health, good fortune and a great life together!"

I also made them a card (though forgive the crappy photography).


Another card I whipped up recently was this holiday-themed one, which I included in a care package to my best friend who is a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia.

Another not-so-stellar photo. I could have put something really classy or professional-looking in the middle, and toyed with a bunch of options, but ultimately I just grabbed a crayon and wrote that. In this case, I felt like it was a more personal throw-back to days past in our friendship. We've been best friends since seventh grade. Plus, sending funny cards is sort of our inside joke. I know this, with the glittery paper, the presents and the 'wooting' heart-person, will make her burst out with a big smile!

So that's what I've been up to while not sleeping or vegging in bed. Now I'm finally off to see my dad for the first time this week, and then....who knows what adventures await.

Comin' Up

I'm feeling kinda sluggish lately - a week ago I started coming down with a cold/virus, a few days ago it hit its peak, and today I'm finally starting to feel better. (No more cold sweats and fever. But then I got my period today, joy.)

I have a lot on my tentative post list though. I'll share with you my first department-store cosmetics splurge, a peak at some goodies sent to me by sweet Maayari, a review of J.Lynne Cosmetics' new blushes, a look at a scarf I'm crocheting for a friend, quick appetizer recipes (in case you still have parties coming up), and....my new haircut.

I haven't gotten my hair cut yet. It's currently about three inches below my shoulders and aching for a cut. I last had it done in August. It was highlighted last December but I've been growing it out since then. I'm trying to decide how much to cut off now and whether I want to color it again, or perhaps wait till summer to make it lighter.

Decisions, decisions! Hehe...

Off to the Panera for some food with high school friends!

A Lovely Little Gift for a Little Sis: MJ Daisy

A week or two ago I came across Marc Jacobs Daisy, a fresh, floral scent with notes of strawberry, violet, jasmine, musk and vanilla. It's light, feminine and not too sweet. "Massively pleasant," is how one review put it, and I tend to agree. In fact, I agree so much that I'm willing to take a chance on gifting it.

Daisy is one of the few fragrances I've tried in recent memory that I can remember liking both on initial application and several hours later. Not ready to spend $50 or $60 on a full size bottle, I was ecstatic to come across this solid scent ring for $20 at Marshall's. (It's limited edition and currently out of stock at Sephora online, where it's advertised for $30.)

It was in a sealed anti-theft container so I didn't get to see the actual product until I checked out. I was a bit disappointed by how small the perfumed area is -- about nickel-sized. It makes me feel like I'm going to dip my finger into it three times and use it all up (but that's just because I'm a little paranoid). The scent is just as good, however. And the packaging is admittedly really adorable.

The daisy is top-heavy, probably not something you'd wear on your finger all the time though it's big enough to do so. I think it's more practical to use as a keys or purse charm since it comes with a key chain. Personally, I adore its gold-colored pouch. I'd probably keep it there, tucked safely away till I feel like adding something sweet to brighten my day.

Or rather, my 19-year-old, art student sister's day. She and I are not very similar - she is more interested in ornate, abstract and bold things whereas I like delicate, sweet things - but we both appreciate quality and some similar elements of style. As much as I like this product, I think it'd be a great gift for her because it's classic-looking yet a bit surprising/outside the norm at the same time.

She's leaving for a two-month study abroad project in Barcelona, Spain next week (oooh so jealous! lol), so I think it'd be a nice little thing for her to take on the trip.

Tagged - 16 Random Facts About Me

I was tagged by the ever-lovely Digital Angel. Thanks!

Directions: Once you’ve been tagged, you have to write a blog with sixteen random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end choose ten people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them. don’t forget to leave them a comment (“you’re it”) and to read your blog. You can’t tag the person who tagged you.

1. I'm currently watching Legally Blonde. Right now while writing this. Yeah, I know it's cheesy, but I actually like that movie and think it's cute, hehe...guilty pleasure.

2. I really like cheese, but not American cheese.

3. I've wanted to be a writer since I was very young. At least since elementary school.

4. I play Neopets! (Yep, more embarrassing stuff.) When I babysat in high school, the kids I watched started an account for me. I really like the flash games. (That's my lupe, LukaGrey, on the right.)

5. My middle name is Kristin.

6. Xanga was the first site on which I ever blogged.

7. I usually don't drink orange juice, except when I'm sick with a cold or something like that, and trying to increase my vitamin C intake. It could be in my head, but it helps me feel better. (I just tried doing research on the matter and it seems that evidence varies greatly, so take this as you will.)

8. I really like soup, particularly miso soup, black lentil soup from Cosi, homemade potato leek soup, and the way my mom prepares chicken noodle when it's cold out.

9. I was born and raised in the New York suburbs.

10. My family has three dogs - two mini poodles and a Boston Terrier, Bon Bon. I miss her soooo much, since I live and work in Maryland now (the Washington D.C. suburbs) away from them!

11. I highlighted my hair for about four years - a few shades blonder than my natural color - but I'm currently growing it out. I might color it again. Hmm...

12. I love the color orange.

13. I once worked at the women's clothing store Coldwater Creek. Since then, I am fairly meticulous about the way I fold my shirts and hang my clothes...even though I'm not especially neat.

14. My college roommate and I know all the words to this video:



15. I really like flossing my teeth. My mom got me started.

16. I used to bite my nails, till I gave it up cold turkey years ago. Now my nails tend to be kept long-ish.

Alright, since so many people have already done this, I'm leaving the tag open to whoever hasn't filled this out and wants to join in!

WTF This Week

It seems like this was a rough week for several of you in the blogosphere....it certainly was for me, after lots of little and big issues sprung up all at once. But right now I'm stretched out in bed on Saturday morning with nothing pressing to attend to, so I'm going to not worry about my drama.

Instead, I'm going to try taking a cue from this picture I took over Thanksgiving with my freaking amazing pup Bon Bon (I miss her! She's in NY with my fam):

My Favorite Holiday

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Every year I sleep in, lazily get out of bed and watch the Macy's parade on TV, then spend the evening eating some of my favorite foods -- mashed potatoes, honey carrots, stuffing, gravy, turkey, mmm -- with good family and friends. Most years we have Thanksgiving at my house, which I was especially looking forward to this year now that I'm living on my own in a new city/state where I don't know many people.

And it didn't disappoint. It was a quiet Thanksgiving with important people in my life. This year I have a lot to be thankful for: My close friends and family, my lovable doggies, starting a career, new opportunities presenting themselves, overall prosperity.

It hasn't been the easiest year, and I know the road ahead has many challenges and tough decisions to make. But for the moment, I'm just going to sit in bed with Bon Bon, my Boston Terrier, and be content.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Tagged!

Neeyuh and Mayaari tagged me for this baby, here goes:

Here are the Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website

1. I love to eat salad. After four years of inconsistent eating habits in college, I found salad to be a fast, cheap, tasty way to dine when I started working full-time two months ago and was faced with lackluster take-out options in my area. Now I'm hooked - I generally eat a salad with/for at least one meal a day. I really enjoy the taste of fresh veggies.

2. That being said, I definitely like junk food sometimes. Cheese doodles are a personal favorite. (I'm such a foodie and love cooking too....hmm, might be inspired to post more recipes...)

3. I love wearing sneakers. I like my feet feeling secure in my shoes and the ability to walk with ease. Thus, I usually only wear flip flops around the house or if I'm going out to lounge, and I save heels for special dressed up days.

4. I once wrote a 90+ page screenplay about a 16-year-old British science prodigy trying to discover time travel while working on a submarine with a team of international experts. It had romance, drama, and cool sci-fi stuff. Unfortunately my computer hard drive died and I lost the whole thing :( But maybe one day, I'll write it even better.

5. I really like reading washingtonpost.com discussions. I'm a big fan of the Post as a whole.

6. My dentist says I grind my teeth at night. Sometimes I wake up with my jaw clenched really tightly. I should buy a night guard for my teeth...which I normally take very good care of. Heck, I floss everyday, seriously!

Trying not to duplicate tagging is hard, so I'm calling out:
JennBee at Bare Budget Beauty
Crystal from Beauty on a Budget
Sara at Bombshell Beauty
Vanity Treasure
My elementary school friend Aimee
Anyone else who wants to do this!