I haven’t been getting the best rest lately and I really treasure my sleep. I keep trying to get to bed early (midnight) but somehow an hour slips by without me noticing. It’s been harder and harder to get up in the morning and I don’t know if it’s because I need more sleep or if I might even be getting too much? It might also be that my timing is off, since I tend to wake up about an hour to half an hour before I get up, so waking up again makes me feel worse. Whatever the case, sleep is one of those things that most people don’t get enough of and something I’d certainly like more of. If only we could all sleep like cats, whenever, wherever, however… just look at Missy, who doesn’t mind if she’s all twisted, if it’s super hot/stifling, if the lights are on or noise is blaring. She can sleep no matter the situation. When I was self-employed, I got a ton of rest at just the times I needed. I think sleeping 1-7 is a lot less restful for me than sleeping 4-10, even if time-wise it’s identical. Too bad getting up at 10 means I won’t arrive at work until 11, which is rather late. So here’s to sleep, which is great when you can get it!
365great Day 215: sleep
Ipsy October 2013: the Art of Beauty
My Ipsy bag arrived unexpectedly today – I don’t remember getting a shipment notification, so I wasn’t sure if it was on its way yet. Always a nice surprise to see that pink envelope! I’ll update with a better picture when I get a chance to take a daytime picture. I’ll have to wait til the weekend for the video, if I do it. By then it may be too late as I’m sure there will be tons of videos. We’ll see!
Ipsy is $10 per glam bag and comes with 5 or so beauty/skincare products. Bags are sent monthly with no option to skip. There’s usually a waitlist to get the subscription. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free products.
First item out was the La Fresh Oil-Free Face Cleanser 10-pack, which was outside the Ipsy pouch since it might not have fit with everything else already in it. I enjoy this brand and these wipes are a perfect way to refresh my face without a fully-involved face wash. They smell lovely and this smaller pack is perfect to bring along on my travels. Face wipes are one of my new favorite things, so I’m sure I’ll make good use of these when my other packs run out.
Once I opened the Ipsy pouch, I found the Nourish Organic Coconut & Argan Body Lotion tube. It smells like a cookie or something similarly warm and sweet. I like it! The consistency is light, but it’s not drippy and it’s a rich hydration. It leaves my hands feeling a little stickier than usual, but not actually sticky, if that makes sense. I enjoy it and I’ll be keeping it by my desk to use. Once I’ve used up the tube I’ll decide if I want to repurchase.
Next up is the bigsexyhair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel, which I shall be trading since I don’t blow dry my hair. Pity, since I’d like to try a volumizing product but I don’t even have a hair dryer, nor do I want to learn how to use one. This bottle is nice and full for plenty of opportunity to figure out if it works for you. It has a nice fresh smell that would be refreshing. If I don’t find someone to trade with, I’ll give it a shot, but I’d really like to try the Spray Clay Texturizing Clay that other subscribers got.
The Buxom Lip Polish in Dolly came in a silvery pack and it’s a fun fat and squat sort of tube shape. The cap was screwed on suuuper tight – I nearly couldn’t get it open! It smells like a candy kind of like candy corn and goes on really nicely. There’s an invigorating cooling minty sensation once applied. If you like that sort of tingling sensation, this is really fun. I don’t know if it made my lips appear plumper, but that’s not important to me.
Finally, I dug to the bottom and pulled out my Zoya nail lacquer! I got the Giovanna shade, which is a deep green, sort of teal-ish. If I didn’t know what other colors they had, I’d be pretty happy with this, but knowing that there’s a purple shade makes me want that. Still, I’m thinking that I might want to resist always getting purple, so I’m still deciding if I want to keep this or try to trade for Neve, the blue-purple one that Ipsy also offered this month.
What do you think of this month’s products? This time IpsyMatch did pretty well again, though since I am already familiar with La Fresh, I would have enjoyed trying a different product. Still, Ipsy doesn’t know that so I’d say it was a good match.
[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 bag and wanted to share what I got!]
365great Day 214: Best Buy/Geek Squad
I’ve recently been pleasantly surprised by Best Buy’s service, at least at the Reston location. When I went in looking to buy a laptop, I was helped by two guys who were helpful but not pushy. They got me the device I wanted and I decided to opt for the Best Buy credit card since they’ve got a 0% financing for 18 months offer. Then when I took it back two days later to get it exchanged, we got that taken care of easily. Geek Squad helped me pick out a solid state drive and took in my laptop and the hard drive to install it for me. There was a hiccup along the way when they didn’t have the turnaround I was hoping for, but once I learned of the complexity of trying to get Windows 8 onto a SSD, I understood. I got my laptop back not long after that and I’ve been playing around with it to see if it’s what I want. I have 15 days to decide and if I don’t like it, I can return it and the hard drive for a full refund. With convenient policies and people offering friendly service, I’m impressed and that’s great.
Baking: the lazy solution
You can make everything from amazing desserts like cheesecake or brownies to full-on dinners like lasagna or my new favorite – cauliflower!
I love baking the most because I’ve found it to be the least effort for the most reward. All you have to do is prep some ingredients, shove it in a hot box, set a timer, and sit back. This easy-to-do mix and bake routine cuts out a whole lot of complication. Most other ways of cooking involve much more maintenance along the way – stirring, flipping, and otherwise moving the food around. You can’t really leave the kitchen for more than a few minutes at a time. Plus, since you tend to use oil, it gets messy as you put cold items into the hot oil. So when it comes to less messy and less work, baking is my answer. I mean, I’m all about simplicity and low-maintenance in my routines.
365great Day 213: bamboo
Bamboo is such a cool plant. It grows like weeds, but it’s so much more useful. In fact, part of why it’s useful is because it grows like weeds. As a renewable resource that can replenish itself at a rate far more fitting for human consumption, it’s a fantastic alternative to a lot of the other materials we may be using. You can make everything from furniture to super soft cloths with it and – oh by the way – you can eat it too. Since it’s so fibrous, it holds together well in many forms. I’ve certainly written about it plenty of times over the years… like my amazing super-flex skateboard, my crazy soft wash cloth, the time I went floating on a raft in Thailand, the time I nearly got myself a bamboo laptop, my set of bamboo chopsticks from my To-Go Ware set of reusable utensils, and of course that visit to the zoo where I watched a panda chowing down on some stalks. Anything that versatile and easier on the planet is pretty great.
UK Vacation Day 4 Recap
On our fourth day in the UK, we wrapped up our time in Cardiff by checking out the castle and taking an AquaBus down to the bay. I decided to give the seagulls by the bus stop my buttercream frosting on a whim, not thinking they’d completely devour it. We got a chance to shop around Mermaid Quay down at the bay and grabbed some yummy lunch before walking back to the hotel. I found the coolest set of hooks to put by the door at our new condo while there. Along the way back, we stopped to get me a cool purse and some Welsh stuff (I chose a set of coasters). Then it was off to the train station to make our way to York!
[Need to catch up? Read Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 recaps.]
We started off our day with breakfast in the executive lounge.
We got a suite this time, with a large living room.
The bedroom had a post in the middle, which made it feel like a smaller cozier space. The bathroom came with separate bathtub and shower!
The glass elevators offered a view of a lobby area and many floors.
Off we went towards Cardiff Castle across the street!
I took a moment to eat the celebration cupcake.
Tons of Welsh flags flying in Cardiff.
We kept going to Butte Park, where the nearest Aqua Bus stop was located.
As we sat waiting for the bus, I put out the buttercream I hadn’t eaten. Little did I know the seagull would gobble it up.
These seagulls were pretty bold.
Here comes our Aqua Bus!
On the way down to Cardiff Bay, we caught this swan sticking its butt up as it dove for food.
So many swans out here!
Arriving at Cardiff Bay, ready to explore.
Aww, look at the duck with its giant swollen cheeks!
Time to do some shopping. The gbk is where we ended up getting lunch.
I often found myself stopping to access wifi to save on data.
I’m so glad I found this moustache hook thing. My first purchase for the new condo!
At gourmet burger kitchen, I got the Captain Cook (fish burger with rocket salad), which was a completely new and DELICIOUS taste for me. Panda got a cheeseburger and we shared shoestring fries. The ketchup container is so cute!
As we left, we passed this giant building – the Wales Millennium Centre.
We came across some berries that I was tempted to pick, but who knows if they were ok to eat…
What cute rows of houses!
At the train station, we browsed food and I wanted to try these but still had plenty of food.
What’s up with all these Italian-inspired wifi names at the train station?
Waiting for our train to take us from Cardiff up to York!
Woo hoo, I became the Queen of Cardiff on Yelp while I was out there!
At one stop, I noticed how easily this guy was watering the flowers. Cool tool!
We got to York after dark so that’s all the pictures for the day!
365great Day 212: lip balms
I treated myself to a Baby Lips lip balm today, after eying them for quite some time. While I liked the original ones they have, when I saw the neon line I really wanted one. You’d think at $3 that that wouldn’t be a big deal, but I was really hoping for a coupon or other discount to come around. When Panda showed me a 20% off anything at CVS, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to get the Baby Lips I wanted! But then I went and found that they sell them for $4.19! Sooo it was back to Target where I originally saw them, to get them for the cheaper price point and 5% off for using my RedCard. I am now the happy owner of quite a few types of lip balms, all of which I’m enjoying. Now I can ensure my lips never feel dry by keeping one accessible no matter where I am! Each brings me a little joy when I use them, which is a great feeling.
September Favorites 2013
1. Kia Optima – I love my new car. Every time I go to drive it, I smile a little. The dual moonroof, the heated steering wheel and seats, the keyless entry, and the maneuverability are just some of the features that make it a pleasure to drive. I love the little touches too, like when the lights turn on inside when I get close to it at night. It’s like a nice little greeting, welcoming me back to the car and making me feel safer by showing me the inside is a-okay. I’m having a lot of fun with my car and I know I’ll be enjoying it for many years to come.
2. Kashi hummus crisps – This bag shown was sent to me for free by BzzAgent. I also got smaller ones of a different flavor from Goodies and I’ve gobbled all of them up. I like how they’re so crisp and light – none of that greasiness from normal chips, but still the same kind of crunchy satisfaction. I enjoy the flavor a lot too, which is mild and makes me keep eating more. It also feels like a healthier snack in general, so there’s less of a guilt component to chomping on them.
3. mascara & eyelash curler – I started to use a bit of mascara when I started to work since I want to look presentable and not like I just rolled out of bed. It’s been fun to do a little more than wash my face and put on lotion or BB cream. At first I was trying the Pixi mascara from the August Ipsy bag, but it’d leave me with darker under-eyes by the end of the day. I needed something that could withstand the heavy rubbing I tend to do without realizing. I’m used to touching my face and not worrying about stuff coming off or getting things dirty, so using makeup is not my forte. It’ll usually end up smeared all over the place over the course of the day, which is no bueno. Then came the September Ipsy bag, which had an It’s So Big mascara that I tested and found to be much better! It stuck to my eyelashes like it grew there naturally so now I don’t have to remember to not touch my eyes.
4. UK trip – Our trip abroad was so much fun! Pictured here is Edinburgh Castle, one of the many places we checked out in the four cities we visited on our 10-day vacation. Panda and I both liked various aspects of what we saw, experienced, tasted, and bought. I’m so glad we were able to do that trip and I look forward to all the places we’ll go in the future. For me, it was great to go back to the UK after 5 or 6 years, and for Panda, it was fascinating to leave the country for the first time. I’m glad we got to do it together and I know we’ll be returning.
5. Perfectea brewer – At the office are these two PerfecTea brewers from Teavana. They really do brew a perfect cup/mug of tea and I love using them! It’s always so cold in the office that I am constantly drinking tea – something like 8 mugs a day. That excludes any soda or water I might have around lunch time, so you can imagine how much I’m chugging all the time. It’s so easy to brew my tea with this contraption and I never have to worry about tea leaves getting in the way. Amazing.
6. sherpa blanket – I’ve snuggled up in this blanket every night and enjoyed the coziness oh so much. It’s instantly warm and soothing. In fact, it’s so good at putting me to sleep that I must beware if I crawl in the covers after a shower – I’m sure to fall right to sleep! I really wish I could bring this to work to curl up in, but would be a bit too much. Plus, if I was that snug I might not get much work done. I’m trying to convince Panda to get one more for us (me) to use. Maybe when we move to the new place.
7. Dunkin Donuts free drink Mondays – Starting 9/9 through 10/14, Dunkin Donuts in the metro DC area are offering a free iced tea or coffee drink! I’ve taken advantage of this every Monday that I’ve been working so far and I’m sad that there’s only one more left. I always get the peach iced tea, no ice, half sweet. Yum. Sometimes if they still have powered Munchkins or chocolate glazed ones, I’ll get some, but lately I’ve gone after work and by 7 pm they’re out of most Munchkins.
8. baths – It’s been years since I took a bath, but since I’ve gotten so much bath stuff in boxes over the past couple of months, I decided I would start using them. I liked it so much that I’m doing one bath a week now. It’s such a wonderful way to relax, clear your mind, take care of your body, and enjoy some peace. Each time I try a different bath salt, bubble bath, or bath soak. It’s been a ton of fun and my skin is loving the extra attention!
9. Biba purse – I got this cool purse in the UK on our trip and it’s been my daily bag ever since. I love the design and the quality of it. I do wish it had hooks for a shoulder strap, so I might try modifying it since I happen to have a strap that matches it pretty well. I don’t want to ruin it though, so we’ll have to see. For now I just hold it between my arm and body and for the most part it’s not inconvenient.
10. walking to lunch – The majority of lunches at work have involved us walking to the Reston Town Center and choosing whatever sounded good at the time. I like that it gets us moving and out in the fresh air for at least half an hour a day. Certainly better than driving somewhere, though I am going to start wanting some more options after a few weeks of that selection. Whenever someone wants to go get Starbucks or a dessert, I try to go so I can stretch my legs and catch up with them. Now that the weather’s cooling, it might not happen as much.
11. sugar scrub – Related to the bath thing, I’ve been using the sugar scrub that I made with Brandy of MommySplurge and it’s fabulous. After soaking in a bath, I rub it in until the sugar granules melt and I’m left with super-soft skin enveloped in a layer of coconut oil. I don’t even need to lotion after drying off! I’m all about keeping my routine as simple as possible – while I love trying products I generally am too rushed to go through a 273521-step skincare routine. So one product that will exfoliate and hydrate my skin in one fell swoop gets an A+ in my books.
365great Day 211: heating
We’ve had quite a few wet days this week and a few more to get through before the skies clear. Temperatures have fallen and I find myself very happy I have heated seats and steering wheel in my car. It’s allowed me to thaw out much faster as I start my drive to work and I know it’s going to be fantastic come winter. It’s so satisfying to have heat exude from the steering wheel and seat rather than just waiting for the hot air to bring up the cabin temperature. I love getting all toasty, whether it’s using special heating equipment like those or things like heating fans, electric blankets, and heated pads. There’s nothing better than being dry and warm in cold weather; it feels so great!
Furloughed fiancé
Panda sent me a funny article about the spouses of furloughed employees and how they’ve had to adjust to different behavior from their partner. It highlighted one woman whose husband is at home now and is cooing with the cat, organizing their CDs, and otherwise staying active with random stuff. She works from home so she really notices the difference. For me, there was quite a change too (I say was because Panda got called back as of yesterday, so now he’s deemed “essential” and they’ve put him back to work). We actually got to enjoy the furlough a bit since we don’t live paycheck to paycheck and I believe Congress agreed to give backpay so we can definitely hold out until the government shutdown finally ends.
One night, I came home to this!
So what was it like for the 9 days that he was home? Well, for one thing the chores got done – floors were vacuumed, clothes were laundered, dishes were washed, and meals were cooked. I got to come home to a hot meal waiting for me quite a few times AND he even got up to cook me breakfast a few mornings. Twice, we were able to eat lunch together. He got to sleep in and get some reading and exercise in. He was able to help me pick up packages from the rental office (I never get home before they close on weekdays). He even had time to help me play a game on my iPad so I can advance faster. 😛 Not too shabby.
Did I enjoy it? You know, it really was nice. I like having a house spouse. I’m not a chores kind of gal so I loved having all that being taken care of. However…
Packages like these could be opened pronto instead of waiting til the weekend!
Once Panda went back to work, I found that I really enjoyed having him look all professional and important as he headed out the door. I liked knowing that he was spending his days interacting with plenty of smart people, working toward a goal. I was comforted that he had that social interaction since sometimes his communication skills need work. 😛 And of course, since he’s the breadwinner of the family, I certainly like knowing he’ll be bringing home a paycheck. After all, our new condo purchase is riding on it! Definitely couldn’t afford the mortgage on my income alone. Still, sometime down the line I’d be totally open to a lifestyle change where he stayed home and took care of the household, if he wanted it. For now, we’re enjoying our DINK (dual income, no kids) status. It’s a nice life. 🙂
