Office move

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
30 March 2016
0

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a major change at the office and today’s the day that we kicked it off. At 6 PM, everyone had their stuff packed in boxes and the movers began to roll things over to the newly opened section of the office, which has been under renovation for weeks (nearly 3 months). We have officially taken over the entire floor and get to enjoy the new area. Our current space will be closed off for renovations before the big reveal in May, when the entire office will be at its peak. I’ll get to enjoy that for about a month before I head off for business school!

At the end of the day, we went to the new part to start putting together new furniture, arrange desks, and get everyone’s boxes to their place. We have a ton of new meeting rooms and a nice hardwood area where the cafe and event space/theater are. I’ve found my new favorite room, which is a little one that can fit two people and is tucked up right against the window. It’ll be a cozy place for me to do webinars and get away from the mess of people in the main area.

For the next month, we are all going to be crammed into a space that is about half of what we were in. This means that the sales team is no longer in their own area and quite honestly, all of us are dreading the level of noise that means across the entire open office. I’m pretty sure I will seek reprieve in one of the meeting rooms or other public spaces. Or, perhaps I’ll be able to work outside a bit since our wifi signal can sometimes be picked up downstairs in the courtyard.

Tomorrow’s going to be a strange day as we discover a new pattern. I always enjoy some change, so this should be fun. 🙂

Spring sightings

laelene Posted in video blog，Tags: , , , , , ,
28 March 2016
0

I feel like spring wants to be here, but winter keeps shoving itself back in the picture here and there. Today was craaaazy windy out! I look forward to things getting warm for good before I head off to grad school, though I’ll miss things like these…

spring hail outside office window from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

double rainbow from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

loud rain on car from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

ladybug on 8th floor window from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Petit Vour March 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
26 March 2016
0

PV time already? Alright! I’m very pleased with the items in this box, which are all fresh and feel like spring.

Petit Vour is $15 per box (or as much as $30 for international subscribers) and comes with vegan beauty, skincare, and other personal care products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes (email contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you if you sign up!).

contents of petit vour march 2016 box with fresh start theme and info card petit vour march 2016 box info card with item details

Yarok Feed Your Moisture shampoo – I don’t think I’d ever buy shampoo at that price point, but I’m happy to have a sample to use! I can use it in conjunction with other samples from the line that I have yet to try.

Little Barn Apothecary Geranium + White Tea beauty mist – Ooo, a special formula just for PV! I love anything with white tea, so this is awesome. I love facial mists/sprays that I can use after cleansing. They’re so lightweight and fun to use.

suki exfoliate foaming cleanser – This citrus smell reminds me of the derma e microdermabrasion scrub that I love so much. It’s delightful to use and has a bit of foaming action along with exfoliation so you feel extra clean.

lauren b beauty nail polish dual base/top coat – Nice! This will go well with the other bottle we received almost a year ago. I found it to be a bit more runny than my other top coats, but that also seemed to product a very shiny finish that’s quite nice.

I’m a fan of all these products!! These items felt very luxurious to me. 🙂 What do you think of this box?

[This post mentions a referral program. Signing up and emailing contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Treatsie March 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
24 March 2016
0

Alright, another box after quite a gap from receiving the first box of the month. It’s been awhile since they included this many brands in a box.

Treatsie is $15 per box + $4.95 shipping and comes with artisan candy from 3-4 brands. That means about 6 or 7 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program to earn store credit. Use my referral link and code FRBUCO01 to get double the treats (a purported $40 value) in your first box!

treatsie march 2016 box contents treatsie march 2016 info card

J&M Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies: I looooved their triple chocolate flavor and this one is good too, but can’t beat that. I really enjoy how these are “dry” cookies yet they are not dry in a bad way. They’re still just crumbly enough that it doesn’t feel like you ate a cracker without water.

Quin Candy Dreams Come Chew: These must be similar to Starburst style candies. I found that they had a tendency to stick to the wrapper and melt quite quickly. Very tasty though!

Bees & Beans Honey Bar: Yuuummmm I knew I’d like this as soon as I saw it. Chocolate with caramel and nougat? Oh yes. I wouldn’t mind a little extra crunchiness inside to add to the textures.

B. T. McElrath Chocolatier chocolate bites in Salted Butter Caramel & Dark Chocolate Caramel: Just like before, I loved the firm texture of these. If you like a chocolate with a nice break to it, definitely try these out. I didn’t quite taste the caramel and I generally like the gooeyness of it, but these were tasty nonetheless.

Clairesquares Shortbread & Caramel dark chocolate square: For some reason I thought this was kind of brownie-like, but it’s like a buttery cookie. The shortbread holds together well and gives the bar a rich flavor.

I’m quite pleased with the variety of products and inclusion of a product that’s brand new to me. What do you think of the treats from this box? To get Treatsie, sign up with my link and code FRBUCO01 to get double the treats in your first box!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Pie pops for Pi Day

laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
21 March 2016
0

Last week I was going through emails and saw these adorable pie pops from Treatsie. My friend “Calavera” and I decided we had to make them, so she came over this weekend to make some belated Pi Day treats.

piece of pie crust stuck in glass cup while cutting out circles in pie crust

We used a small glass to cut out the circles in the pie crust.

circular pie crust pieces with leftover material

Extra pie crust that we rolled out and cut until it was all used.

pie crust strips cut and laid out

The other piece of pie crust was cut into long strips and woven.

thin strips of pie crust woven into lattice pattern

Weaving together the pie crust lattice.

cutting circles in pie crust lattice

Once done, we used the same glass to cut out circles on the lattice.

round pieces of pie crust with little bit left over

After cutting, we had minimal waste of the crust.

putting together pie pops with jam and egg wash

Then we got to work putting together the pops, putting jam inside.

pie pops put together and ready for sugar dusting before baking

Almost ready for baking!

adding sugar to pie pops before baking

The final touch, adding some sugar on top.

pie pops in oven baking

And in they go for baking.

heart pie pop leaking jam while baking

The heart one was pumping and “bleeding” everywhere.

finished pie pops laid out on turtle-shaped cutting board

Ta-da! The finished product. We tried carving our initials and making the sand dollar ones, but the lattice ones came out best.

The Ritz-Carlton treatment

laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: , , , , , ,
19 March 2016
0

While Panda was away on travel, he got a chance to stay at a Ritz-Carlton property. When he left, he realized that he could not find his power adapter, so he contacted the hotel and they were unable to locate it. Weeks later, he was supposed to return to the property but plans got changed and he had to stay at a different hotel in the area. When the hotel staff found out, they offered to send the replacement adapter they got him and delivered it to his new hotel! Not only that, but he mentioned he wanted to get something from the gift store – a rubber ducky – and they even brought that all wrapped up at no charge. Now this is the type of service I’ve heard of from this establishment and it’s great to see it in action. They made his trip that much better with their extra effort and kindness. 🙂

ritz-carlton gift box with white wrapping paper and red ribbon

The gift box, all nicely wrapped.

ritz-carlton rubber duckies inside box

Turns out they packed two ducks!

ritz-carlton rubber duckies

Now we have these keepsakes from their hotel.

universal converter/world adapter gift from ritz-carlton

And this wonderful replacement adapter for future travels. 🙂

Oh, deer!

laelene Posted in video blog，Tags: , , , , , , , ,
17 March 2016
0

Last year, Panda and I took advantage of National Park Week’s fee free days to get into Shenandoah National Park for free. We spent the whole day driving along Skyline Drive from south to north and enjoyed various views as well as some wildlife. We got a chance to get super close to some deer while up there!

deer running to woods from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

deer eating on hill from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

deer eating by road from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

deer walking up hill from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

I got my husband back!

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses，Tags: , , , ,
15 March 2016
1

It’s been 5 long weeks since Panda left me and I finally have him back again. I will never agree to such a long work trip again. It was far too much. I managed to stay relatively sane the first three weeks, but the last two have been much harder. I even gave up on eating properly and didn’t feel like anything, so I ended up resorting to instant ramen, mac & cheese, and frozen pizzas.

Now that he’s back, things are more lively again and the nights aren’t so lonely. I get to enjoy having food prepared for me and having someone to talk to after work. Even the cats get to have someone else to rub up against and spend time with. It’s nice to settle back into home life for awhile, before everything gets uprooted and I move to wherever I need to for my MBA.

I find it interesting that everyone asks me about my husband moving with me (and no, he won’t be). When I tell them, they are all shocked at how we will pass two years apart. I guess it’s more normal for Asian cultures to handle being apart for long periods of time. My parents do it all the time and much of my childhood was spent away from one or both of them. I wonder how many married MBAs go without their spouse. It seems like I will be the exception.

Anyway, I’m excited for the next couple months, where I’ll have a last chance to live this schedule before being engulfed by school. Soon enough there will be trips, orientation, classes, and so much more. I look forward to the change of pace. Turns out I get bored of a regular work schedule and I crave more unpredictability. Until then, I will appreciate having Panda back at home, being a complete family with our cats. 🙂

Yogi Surprise March 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
13 March 2016
1

Just when I miss getting boxes, I usually get this one. I like that it’s sent to arrive earlier in the month, since most seem to come mid to late month.

Yogi Surprise is just under $36 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with yoga gear, skincare, food, and other lifestyle products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

contents of yogi surprise march 2016 box with info card yogi surprise march 2016 info card with product details

Gypsy Soul Organics Rosey Yogi yoga mat cleaner – Mmm, this smells nice and sprays a fine mist. I like how it recommends using before and after yoga – I hadn’t thought of spraying my mat beforehand to get a little whiff during my practice. I’ll certainly have to try that next time. For now, I’m trying out barre classes.

The Little Red Book of Yoga Wisdom – There are a ton of quotes, pictures, and a whole chart of yoga poses in this book. It’s a great compilation of thoughts and philosophies surrounding yoga.

Healthforce Superfoods Spirulina Manna – I’ve definitely heard of spirulina but never tried it, so here’s my chance! I’m not great at remembering to take pills, but I will pop one of these when I do. I can’t believe it says to have 15-25 tablets a day! That’s only 2-3 days’ worth in this bottle, wow.

Better Life Stain and Odor Eliminator – This is perfect! I’ve been looking for something to help with stains and odors, so I look forward to spraying this on a variety of things. My workout stuff doesn’t usually get gross, but my regular clothes certainly get stains that could use some treatment.

Simply 7 Lentil Chips – The texture of these is quite starchy and there’s a strong crunch that quickly melts away in your mouth. Quite a unique sensation. The flavor is good, very tasty with a nice saltiness to it. I usually find lentil soup to be too salty for me, so this is a nice way to eat them in a different form.

derma e microdermabrasion scrub – I love this scrub! I’ve received it from Ipsy before and it remains one of my favorite items. The texture of the fine beads just feels so good to rub on my face, and the scent is delightful.

Taylor’s Oil Pulling Herbal Rinse – The first time I came across oil pulling was from the Homegrown Collective project that I got. I was pretty good about doing it while driving in to work for a couple of days, but then I stopped and never got back into the habit. This one reminds me of a peppermint candy, which should be nice. I like that I’d only need to use it once a week or so.

Yogi Surprise Creating Space yoga sequence series card – These are all chest-opening poses and the theme encourages you to create time for yourself. Check out the instruction page to download this sequence.

Indian Table Pranayums spice shots – Whoa! Definitely can smell the spice in these powders. I might mix it in with my lunches or the many cups of hot water I drink throughout the work week to see if it helps keep my energy levels up.

This was a cool box with some very useful items that I look forward to using. Which of these products do you like best?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

What are your fears?

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
09 March 2016
0

I’m not a very fearful person.

I’m not scared of bugs, or rollercoasters, or flying, or snakes, or public speaking, or traveling alone, or so many of the other common fears people seem to have.

The creature-related fears come up a lot since I volunteer at the National Museum of Natural History and I handle caterpillars, grasshoppers, hissing cockroaches, various beetles, Australian stick insects, butterflies, moths, tarantulas, and vinageroons/whip scorpions. I’m constantly amazed at the folks who are grossed out or terrified of these guys. Obviously if we have them out at the museum, they’re not going to hurt you. Yet children still cringe and cry when a butterfly circles them with their erratic dance and adults still make a face and stay ten feet away when they see a live insect or arachnid on someone’s hand.

Or take my friend, who is afraid of traveling by herself. Granted, this is probably something a LOT of people have not done or may never do. But the limitations you put on yourself when you can’t bring yourself to strike out on your own can keep you from a certain independence and self-discovery. I love my time traveling on my own, especially in foreign countries. I find those the most rewarding experiences to look back on. Should fear of some stranger in the world hurting you stop you from trying this? Or should you plan carefully, be vigilant and smart, and go for it?

Things like these make me wonder why people are so fearful. Of course, I’m not without my own fears, which generally are related to dying and pain, like falling from really high up (so stable buildings are fine, but if I have to balance on something to cross a chasm…) or not having some stability in my life (financial, emotional, or otherwise). But my fears don’t come up very often and they don’t make me shake or scream or cry or run away. So how do people deal with these fears they have that probably come up pretty consistently?

You’re bound to find a spider or two in your home at some point. You’ll probably board a plane to travel. You may not have to do massive speaking events, but you’ll probably have to present in front of a group occasionally.

So if you’re afraid of these things, what do you do? Do you spend exorbitant amounts of time worrying, fretting, sweating? Do you try to avoid them at all costs? I’m curious.

For me, when my fears come up, it’s more about planning for the future. This usually means that I spend some of my time concerned about the idea, but that allows me to consider how to prevent unwanted situations. I imagine having to deal with death and maybe I cry at the thought, but then I think about how I would get through it. I think about what life would be like if I had no money or I was all alone and consider the hard choices I might make. These are the types of fears I tend to have, about things that haven’t happened. It makes it a lot easier to deal with since I have time to think through possible reactions and courses of action.

My fears are mostly things I may never have to go through. I find it fascinating all the fears of things people have do have to contend with. Why am I not afraid of them? Why are so many people? And what are your fears?

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