I’ve always been a big smiler. Plenty of people do a fake, closed-mouth smile when they take a picture, but I broadly grin away with a twinkle in my eyes. It comes very naturally to me and I don’t quite understand those who make the motions of smiling, but don’t look genuine at all. Is it that hard to flash a truly warm and happy smile? Maybe I’m just a happier person in general so it’s easy for me to tap into that to produce a smile that I mean. Of course there are also those people who just don’t like their smiles (but why not? All smiles are beautiful if they’re genuine). I think more so than the physical attributes of a smile is the expression and intention behind it. When you’re expressing positive emotions, it exudes that sense of goodness and that’s all that should matter. Smiles are great for lightening up a mood or sharing a brief bond with someone, but really, doesn’t it just make you happier? 🙂
Posts Tagged ‘pictures’
365great Day 356: smiles
365great Day 355: salted duck eggs
I always avoid eating egg yolks, but the one exception is when it comes to salted duck eggs. For whatever reason, the brining process makes the yolk a consistency that is grainier, which I enjoy. Or perhaps that’s just how duck yolks are? Whatever the case, I grew up loving these eggs, which are super salty and work well with a nice bowl of porridge. The yolk gets really oily with these when they’ve been made well and that oozing is a welcome sign of a tasty yolk. It’s one of the few stranger food items that I do eat. I’m not into crazy weird stuff and this is about as “weird” as my taste goes. I guess this falls under the “I love just about anything salted, preserved, or brined” category of preferences. Those things tend to be crunchier and of course saltier. Perfectly to my taste and I think they’re all great!
Fabletics Sashay Outfit (Versital T top + Lille sports bra + Mahe running shorts) review
Once again it was the sports bra that drew me in for this outfit. I actually saw it in the white and peoni in an email, liked the shape, and was thrilled to find it came in black and purple (or sage, as they call it). Before I even looked at the February outfits that had been picked out for my profile, I came across this Sashay outfit and wanted it. Not only did it have the sports bra I wanted, each piece has my favorite color. Imagine my surprise when it was one of the three outfits chosen for me to pick from that month! I just had to get it.
Fabletics is just under $50 per outfit credit and comes with a 2- or 3-piece set of athletic wear. Each month, three outfits are selected for you to choose from at the 1 outfit credit price point. You can always get other outfits at their VIP pricing of $50-80 (2- and 3- pieces available) or buy any individual item separately. Outfits are sent monthly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free outfits.
Get your first outfit for half off with my referral link! All Fabletics items are chafe-resistant and feature four-way stretch for comfort and movement.
Mahe Run Short in Purple Sage
Let’s start with the bottoms this time! I like these running shorts because they have the built-in brief short liner. That way, when the outer layer hikes up, you have an inner layer that stays put. These are a loose fit and have a comfortable waistband with drawstring. There’s a tiny little hidden pocket for a key – I don’t think an ID card would fit. Retail value for this pair is listed as $29.95.
Versital T in Purple Sage Burnout
Compared to the Lorida V-Neck from my last outfit, this shirt is much more lightweight and thin. It’s a very relaxed fit super breathable. The material is slightly see-through at times (so make sure you wear a cute sports bra underneath!). It’s nice and long the way I like it – I hate having shirts that leave a gap around your midsection. Its retail value is listed as $19.95.
Lille Sports Bra in Black (and Purple Sage)
The Lille sports bra is much more supportive than many of the other designs Fabletics offers. It even offers removable cups for full coverage. I like the contrast of mesh against the plain background and the double set of straps. This one is great to wear on its own since it has cups and you don’t have to worry about anything showing. The retail value on this is listed as $24.95.
I love this little running outfit even though I don’t really like running. I’ve used the tops for my weight training and I’ll incorporate the shorts too once it warms up again. I absolutely love the whole black and purple theme of it.
[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 outfit and wanted to share what I got!]
365great Day 354: jade
Growing up, we always had some sort of jade jewelry around. I remember my cousins each had a piece carved into the animal of their Chinese zodiac sign, which they wore on red strings around their necks. I had fun little pieces, like Buddhas and tear drops and even a pair that formed a heart – perfect for best friends to share. When I graduated from college, a few of my aunts and uncles were able to make it over. One of my aunts gave me a jade bracelet. It’s one of those that is never meant to be taken off. We carefully squeezed my hand through and got it on… over five and a half years later, it’s still here and I’ve never removed it! In Chinese culture, jade is believed to have protective powers and it becomes an extension of your body. It is probably one of the luckiest pieces of jewelry you could ever give or receive and is rife with tradition. Keeping it close to your body is supposed to be good for your qi, ensuring a good flow of energy throughout your body to help you maintain good health. No wonder it makes a great (and very meaningful) gift!
365great Day 353: Instagram
For the longest time, I avoided getting on Instagram. Many of my friends were surprised, since I’m always taking pictures so they figured I’d love the platform. However, I always had this impression that it’s very artsy, with a certain pressure to share images that are amazing. I love pictures, but I certainly didn’t know how to filter and post-edit them into pretty works of art. I didn’t think I had much to contribute to the platform. I’m also very indecisive when it comes to which effect I like best, so it would take me ages to put together something. One day, I just decided to try with a few adorable pictures of animals. I had fun with it and slowly began to ignore any thoughts I had that I should be posting only captivating shots. It’s now become a great way to share little moments of my day – observations, experiences, and thoughts. Interestingly, I’ve found it to be a useful place to find cool brands I want to buy from too!
365great Day 352: family
Families can be so wacky, but they’re what you get to grow up with. I mostly grew up on my own as an only child with just my parents around. When I was young I’d go back to China to visit my relatives, spending the summer with them. I don’t see my relatives often, but when I do we pick up right where we were the last time we met. I don’t need to stay in touch with them when I’m not around and I hear news through my parents if anything interesting has developed (marriages, children, and retirements). Ours is a typical Chinese family separated by a vast ocean – my nuclear family unit is used to doing things on our own. Sometimes I find myself meeting more distant relatives when I go to China and I start losing track of the connection. All that matters is that family will welcome you with open arms and support each other. It can be beautiful, it can get ugly, but the strong bonds make it great in its own way.
Photo A Day Challenge February 2014
Sharing details was harder than I expected. Sometimes I felt like I needed to explain more or else it might not make sense. And then there were the times where I just wasn’t paying attention to details quite as much. For March I’m going with a phrase: #ontheroad – should provide quite a bit of fodder, don’t you think?
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- Hashing out details for blinds for 6 HOURS. {Inkwell filter} 2.1.14
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- Whyfor would there be a partial brick wall here? {X-Pro II filter} 2.2.14
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- Did you notice the snow flecks or reflection in the glass? {Sutro filter} 2.3.14
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- Suddenly reminded of how polite my car is. {Sutro filter} 2.4.14
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- Getting that detailed shot. {Hefe filter} 2.5.14
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- Earned a free duffel for writing reviews on Gogobot! Love the shoe compartment & bottle pocket. {Mayfair filter} 2.6.14
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- So that’s where the dev team disappeared to. {Walden filter} 2.7.14
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- If I stay really still, maybe nobody will notice me. {Earlybird filter} 2.8.14
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- Funky variations in size and shape give it such character. {Mayfair filter} 2.9.14
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- A coworker trying to pawn off Twinkies. {Lo-Fi filter} 2.10.14
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- Granules of salt still sticking around. {#nofilter} 2.11.14
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- And thus started winter storm Pax. {Sierra filter} #snow 2.12.14
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- Where’s all the bread? Oh right, everyone’s stocking up for the storm. {Walden filter} 2.13.14
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- Haha, making a mark in the snow. {#nofilter} 2.14.14
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- Goodbye apartment. {Sutro filter} 2.15.14
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- Neatly plowed, row by row. {Mayfair filter} 2.16.14
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- Woo hoo, banner looks awesome even up close. {#nofilter} 2.17.14
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- Someone’s been tracking on my driveway. 😛 {#nofilter} 2.18.14
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- The little bits that make it homier. {Rise filter} 2.19.14
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- I look up to find a cloud – wait no, mass of birds flying by! {Amaro filter} 2.20.14
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- Drops you may not have noticed, until moments later when the downpour came. {Valencia filter} 2.21.14
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- So much for no parking any time. {Hefe filter} 2.22.14
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- I never would have noticed the auditorium back here prior to training in it. {Nashville filter} 2.23.14
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- Wonder if the neighbors noticed… {Walden filter} 2.24.14
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- Little evidence of the snow today. {#nofilter} 2.25.14
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- Hashing out HOA stuff. Gettin’ down to the nitty gritty. {Sierra filter} 2.26.14
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- Frosted fringe. {Sutro filter} 2.27.14
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- Precision. {Earlybird filter} #silentdrill 2.28.14
365great Day 351: vacations
It’s always nice to get some time off to go enjoy something outside of work, school, or your general obligations. Taking a vacation changes up a routine, offers a reprieve from any buildup of stress, and encourages people to explore a different environment. Sometimes it’s as simple as a day trip to a point of interest. Or, maybe you go all out and plan an intensive couple of weeks getting totally out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’re the type to revisit a favorite spot time and time again. If you’re like me, you revel in trying out a new city or country. Whatever the case may be, vacations are a chance to have some fun, relax, and step out of your “regular” life. When I was in China a few years back, I saw this group of Buddhist nuns – even they take vacations! No matter who you are, a vacation is a great break to work into your life.
When the internet is down
Some chat it up.
Some get their game on.
And some get to fixin’.
365great Day 350: buffets
A never-ending supply of food? How does that not sound good? Buffets may not have that signature dish that you can get time and time again, but they offer so much variety that you don’t have to settle for just one type of dish. It’s a nice time to sit and take the pace slowly while trying a little bit of many dishes. If you pick carefully, there are some delicious choices. There will definitely be some misses, but that’s what sampling is useful for. I always have a hard time choosing just one entree at a restaurant, so buffets are great because I can graze among many choices!
