To me, a gym is more wonderful the more weight machines it has. Treadmills, ellipticals, and stair masters are useless to me (as I mentioned, I prefer strength exercises to cardio) so I completely ignore that part of the gym. Instead I go straight for the various weight machines that can work out my upper body, lower body, and core. Free weights work too, but they’re not nearly as fun. I feel a lot more challenged when I can use these machines. I’ve started using the gym in our new office building and I love it! There are enough weight machines to cover most muscles and before I know it, an hour has flown by. I certainly never get that feeling with cardio exercises. Plus, I don’t like to sweat much when I work out, so I take it slow and work on my control over heavier weights. Afterwards, I always feel great because I feel stronger!
Posts Tagged ‘pictures’
365great Day 333: weight machines
365great Day 332: Yelp
I became an avid Yelper sometime around 2012, when a friend brought to my attention that they’d featured my review in one of their newsletters! That got me really excited about the whole thing and I reviewed like crazy until I achieved Yelp Elite Status. Funny enough, once I was Yelp Elite, I didn’t do much more. I never seemed to make it to the events and after awhile my reviews dwindled. They renewed me for 2013, but by this year I’d been inactive on the reviewing side for so long that I am no longer Elite. I still check in like my life depends on it though (and I have no idea why, though getting statuses like this time I was briefly the Queen of Cardiff on Yelp is super fun). Once upon a time I was connected to the owner of a Japanese restaurant near work through my review on Yelp, which was awesome. I’m also pretty sure I got a free appetizer or dessert because of my Yelping at least twice. And of course I still turn to them whenever I’m trying to figure out where to find the kind of places I’m looking for on any given day. They make it a lot easier to find great new places to try!
365great Day 331: help
Sometimes, the best course of action is to get help. When you’re not very good at something or would be much better with the assistance of others, why waste time trying to go it on your own? I’ve always been taught to be very self-sufficient and I’m just now learning how to lean on others. It took me nearly my entire college career to learn that I sometimes needed help with my coursework, whether from a TA, fellow student, or tutor. I also never considered getting help in the house, like a maid, housekeeper, or nanny. However, I’ve completely rethought that approach after reading an article about not wasting time. It’s an interesting point that hiring people for household chores could be argued as a moral obligation. At the very least, it’s gotten me thinking about the people out there who would love to have a job so they could support their families. Since I am in a position where I can put money towards getting those tasks done and I don’t like doing them, why not hire someone to do it for me? They get to earn a living and I get to not stress about those things. So when it came to moving, Panda and I agreed that we should hire some folks to help us out. I certainly didn’t want to struggle with carrying loads of furniture up and down stairs. And as I’ve learned from watching them today, they’re very good at what they do. I mean, they were carrying couches through our hallways and didn’t leave a mark while I just carried a suitcase and managed to scrape black on the walls. -___- I’m more than happy to pay them for their service so I could get moved faster and with a whole lot less strain. I’ve learned that getting help doesn’t have to affect my pride at all and it can actually be a win-win situation! How great is that?
The move
We finally did it! Panda booked two guys and a truck for today and we got almost everything moved out. There are some stray kitchenware and toiletry items we kept but pretty much everything else is all packed up and moved over. It took a little longer than the two hours we estimated (2.5 total, almost down to the minute), but it felt like quite a bit longer. That was probably due to the prep work we did beforehand and then all the setting up and unpacking afterward. I’m glad that it barely snowed today, so we had pretty decent moving conditions.
It feels great to be moved in, even though there’s plenty of unpacking to be done. At least it’s a chance to reorganize. I’m taking it slow and making sure everything goes in a designated place. It’s also a chance for me clean off some of the things that needed a wiping after some time. While we were moving in, we met some other neighbors who are also Chinese and got a chance to connect with our downstairs neighbor again. It’s going to be fun living here.
Almost ready for the movers!
Still had some things to sort out.
Have we even prepped this room? Can’t tell.
Whoa, that’s how they get all our crazy heavy stuff out.
Thank goodness they came with all the materials to pad the move.
We definitely didn’t need a truck so large.
Now the room feels so spacious!!
That’s all our stuff, ready to head out.
Panda did a great job covering the stairs to protect the carpet.
Pathways to every part of the place we’d want access to.
Moving through the garage was pretty convenient.
365great Day 330: beauty tools
My favorite part of subscription boxes and gift sets is often the most mundane product. This is especially true when it comes to beauty and skincare-related stuff. While I definitely love my cleansers, lotions, and potions, what usually gets me excited are the brushes and towels and whatnot. I don’t know why I like that stuff so much, but I’m sure it at least partly has to do with how it enables me to feel more effective. I prefer ones designed for skincare and don’t much care for hair and makeup ones. It’s probably related to how I tend to fiddle and like something to do with my hands. Plus, using them gives me better results, and who doesn’t want that? Saving me wasted effort is certainly great.
Beauty Box 5 January 2014 review
I received my very first Beauty Box 5 today! They were offering a deal of a free January box for getting their 3-month tier pricing ($30 total) and I was able to snag the deal while supplies lasted. That’s a wonderful deal!
Beauty Box 5 is $12 per box (or as discounted as $99 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 5 cosmetic products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. You also have the option of buying it as a gift your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.
The box was smaller than I imagined!
Yes, I got purple gloves!!
Info on the products with prices of their full sizes.
h2o+ Sea Lotus Body Wash: This unisex body gel smells fresh and clean. I actually like how it smells through the bottle more than straight up, so I hope that the scent that permeates is what would linger on my skin.
Nubar Vanilla Cuticle Oil: Mmm, this lovely vanilla scented cuticle oil smells wonderful! It feels great and absorbed well. I can definitely see this being very healing and good for your skin.
Swissco Bath & Shower Exfoliating Gloves: Woo hoo! Out of all the colors possible, I got the very one I would enjoy the most. Love that. I’m a huge fan of tools for beauty and skincare, so I’ll be appreciating these the next chance I get. I’ll put some of that body wash on and scrub down with them.
Jergens Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer: I’ve seen Jergens around all the time, but never tried it! I really like the scent of this lotion, which is slightly sweet and very calming. It’s a lighter formula than many others, which makes it absorb super fast. I can never have enough travel size lotions and this will definitely go with me on my next trip.
Epic Blend Hemp Coconut Lip Balm: I’m always hesitant when I first see anything with hemp, but then I talk myself down and try it anyway. The combination of hemp and coconut is interesting in a way I can’t quite pinpoint. The lip balm glides right on and leaves my lips well-protected. A good staple item to have.
That Awkward Moment Compact Mirror: This was a bonus item and suuuch good timing – I was just about to take a compact to work to keep at my desk. Now I have one on hand to bring in on Monday. In the mean time I’ve had fun goofing off and talking to Panda by looking at his reflection in the mirror. 😛
What do you think of the items in this box? Sign up for Beauty Box 5 if you’re interested!
[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!]
365great Day 329: Olympics
The Olympic Games is a time when the world can come together despite most of what’s going on between all the countries. It’s a chance to focus on human accomplishment and the motivational stories behind the athletes. It’s a time when we connect, whether we understand the languages, the sports, or the cultures of others. People from all around the world unite to support their nations and marvel at the capabilities of the participants. I personally love to see what buildings each city designed specifically for the event. I’m pretty sure there’s something for everyone with these games, whether you like exciting races or beautiful performances. Hopefully this year’s games go smoothly and everyone stays safe. I can’t wait to see the opening ceremony! Those are always great. 🙂
Gogobot duffel bag
I received a package from Gogobot today and opened it to find the duffel bag I’d recently earned for writing 250 reviews! It turned out to be way larger than I expected, which makes for an awesome travel bag but I don’t know if I want to use it for the gym. I was hoping to start bringing it to work so my workout clothes don’t get stuffed in my purse doubling as a laptop bag. Not sure if I want to have such a large bag sitting around, though perhaps if I put my purse in it that could work. I’ll have to try it out and see what feels best. It could turn out to be very convenient, or it could turn out to be too much work. Either way I’m excited to use this bag for my future travel needs!
The next tier is at 500 reviews and earns me a toiletry kit. I’m super curious what that might contain! Eventually I’m totally going to earn that luggage at 2500 reviews. Can’t wait. In the mean time, I’m also looking forward to the Gogobot Pro 2014 gear, which should be arriving soon. Last year we got the fabulous tote bag that I’ve used on every trip since, ad adorable beach towel, and cool flip flops. Very beach themed! Who knows what they have in store this year. I just know it’ll be amazing. I love free swag!! I’m also more than happy to show off their brand and tell people about it. What a win-win. 🙂
365great Day 328: La Fresh
I never would have found out about La Fresh if it weren’t for subscription boxes. It first came in a blissmobox and then a Yuzen box. Ever since, I’ve been hooked. I love how they use minimal water to create their products. There’s just enough moisture in their wipes to get the job done without drenching you in extra wetness. I’m a huge fan of their Eco-Beauty line and I’ve tried most of that line. The acetone-free wipes are phenomenal at removing nail polish effectively with the tiniest of squares. Their facial cleansing wipes are very soothing and never dry out my face. I dry out easily after wiping my skin, so that’s important. The body soother is perfect after a workout when you just need a little extra refreshing boost. This is a brand I really enjoy and they make some super effective products that feel great!
Confidence: the most attractive trait
When I think of what attracts me to a person, the only common factor I can find is confidence. It doesn’t matter what they look like, what their experiences have been, what their heritage is, how social (or not) they are, how intelligent they are, or how much we have in common. Across the board, my closest friends have been the ones who are neither cocky nor needy. They don’t need to be aggressive, but they’ll be as assertive it takes. They stand up for their beliefs, but don’t overpower people with them either. And they certainly aren’t clingy (I can’t stand clingy behavior). They have a wonderful balanced feel that makes them easy to get along with.
That’s exactly what attracted me to Panda when I first met him. He was comfortable with himself – he knew he was good at what he does, he didn’t feel self-conscious, and he didn’t go around seeking validation. He walked with a strut that was not quite peacocking, but let his presence be known. He didn’t feel embarrassed to laugh at himself when he goofed up. He didn’t sit around worrying about what perception others had of him. He just went out and did what he is amazing at, like being an engineer, managing things, researching, and planning.
His confident stride.
He didn’t even want or need a relationship when we met. He was perfectly happy with how his life was. Maybe that’s exactly what I liked. The time we spent together was not because he was dependent on me to make him feel good about himself or to have something to do with his time; we made time for each other because we wanted to be in each other’s company. I don’t do well when I feel suffocated in a relationship (romantic or platonic) and perhaps I feel so far more readily than most. But when someone wants to see me every moment of every day (or even every day, really), that’s when I feel claustrophobic. I once had a roommate like that, who tried to join me on almost all of my social activities, clinging to me and my friends. I didn’t mind inviting her to some events and having her tag along here and there, but every single time got to be too much.
I must get it from my family’s lifestyle. We don’t see each other much: my parents and I see each other about twice a year (or in passing when we lived together), my relatives in China and I see each other once every few years for a few days, and even Panda and I are often separated by thousands of miles (generally for a week at a time). In these types of arrangements, you need to have the confidence to carry on your own life when others are not around and not a constant presence. While I don’t think you should “need” anyone as an adult, it sure is good to want certain people. If the reasons you spend time with them are because you like them and you get along well, it’s far more rewarding than because you feel obligated or guilty to do so. I certainly don’t want to get stuck in those situations, where the connection isn’t genuine. Why waste each other’s* time?
*On a side note, I totally went off on a grammar rule tangent with each other’s vs. each others’ (there seems to be a slight consensus that the first case is accurate, but my spell check indicates I should check it… alas, you get the point).
