March Samples and Reviews @ Sunday, March 31, 2013



LancĂ´me | Visionnaire
Some things are hard to judge from a week's use. This is one of those things. But like most high end serums it's loaded with long-term bad stuff like -cones and dimethyls. e.g. Polysilicone-11, Dimethicone, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone

Palmer's BB Cream
The light shade suits me just fine, though I found that it emphasizes my dry spots, so I don't like it. I prefer L'Oreal's Nude Margique version. 

Kiehl's Fig Leaf & Sage EDT
A stimulating fusion of Fig Leaf and Sage with underlying hints of bergamot, citron and thyme. Infatuation at first sight actually it's not about the bottle at all as Kiehl's uses plain bottles. I got one of those postcard samples of this perfume and it's the first time I've absolutely become infatuated something on a postcard! And then I realized it's because someone I know wears this scent, Helen. I'll have to get a vial or a few more samples of this before I decided to purchase it or not. But I do like the price 30ml/30.00.





Clinque Acne/Anti-Blemish Solutions Cleansing Foam 20.00 (US) or 36.00 (AU)
We've had this since Nov last year and have just finished it earlier this month, so it did last about 3 months. One of the first factors we consider when buying something is price. At 20.00 from Sephora I'd repurchase this, but not at 36.00. I do like this foam and with the Salicylic acid it tingles a bit, but it isn't drying. With the price factor set aside I'd still like to try other cleansers.





Lush - Putty for your Hands
This is pretty cool, it's similar to Lush's clay cleansers where you take off a bit and use that. It does moisturize, though it doesn't really suit me personally. But it did help my alchol dried hands (C&E's detol).This product was recommended to me by Helen, who's a surgeon and washes her hands quite often, so perhaps it would be suited to frequent hand-washers. I might purchase it.




Lush - 9 to 5 Creamy Cleanser
I do like this cleanser, as I didn't try to remove make-up with it I can't say whether it works or not, but others say it works. I'm adding this to my 'cleansers to revisit' list after I finish my stash. What I really like about is it that it's creamy, which is the best type of cleanser for those over 30. Oh and I have very sensitive skin and it doesn't react. 

Lush - Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
Roses! I love roses. It's a lovely scent, that dies down a bit after a couple hours. You can't wear perfume with this which can be a good/bad thing. Le beau loves this on me. :) It's a multi-use cream/lotion but I like to use it in the shower as a wash-off body lotion. But only in summer, I find it isn't moisturizing enough for winter - unless you use it as a regular lotion maybe. At 30.00/225g it's pricey, but still cheaper than Jurlique (they also do rose) and Kiehl's - which has amazing scents.




Lush - You've Been Mangoed Bath Melt
Is it just me or does this smell nothing like mango? It's more citrus for me. It's alright but I don't particularly like it. As I like to save my baths for bubble bars I used this as a wash-off lotion in the shower (and then used Dream Cream after I dried off). It's nice but not something I'd buy.




Lush - Dream Cream Body Lotion
I like it. :) It has an earthy scent, like what their stores smell like. So it doesn't go too well with your perfume unless it's a strong EDP. Best suited for summer as it's quite light.


A Book Full of Quotes @ Saturday, March 30, 2013

I'm going to have a book of quotes. I have just the book for it. Though not the structure, that's going to take a while to develop. 



'Le Cahier' means 'Notebook.'


This will be in the front page, the first page when you open the book.


Cover Page.


Unfortunately it's lined. I'll survive.
A woman once told me that lines kill creativity, I think she's right. 
Before that I only used line paper, but since then I've gone for unlined.


Last comments.

Do you have a quote book? How do you organize the categories?



22nd Friday March



Paranoid. On a high, not quite the peak. Fear of the phone ringing, fear of the door bell. Ian once suggested that this paranoia was guilt. Do I feel guilty? Nope. Am I annoyed I took a chance? Yes. Do I regret what I did? The bit where I gave him evidence to use against me, yes. You'd think we'd learn the first couple times... nope. Do I fantasize about hurting that certain someone? Hell yeah. 

Slightly delusional today, as confirmed by Emily, I hope she's right. As a result of what Austin did (that I started) I could potentially end up as a junkie and a hooker. A week later it turns out I'm a pro at going over the top. There was another one just like Austin more than a decade ago, back in the states. No one involved in that ever recovered, especially the one who played Austin's part. He ODed. Meanwhile I went into the deep depths of depression, barely passed semester one and spent semester two on "vacation."

Went to law class, did the wrong week homework... no points for effort. There are classes to which you can bring a friend and classes where you can't bring a friend. And if you do bring a friend bring one who's a good liar actor who can fake it when caught.


   

Dinner with Emily at Pancake Parlour





Emily ordered some sort of mocktail with red bull & passionfruit, the Raging Bull (10.00). While I went for a creamy soda (ice cream + lemonade) (7.50), another item on my one day list is to make this at home myself. After all it's only made up of two ingredients.




Emily always orders the Tabriz (11.00), the way she describes it is fascinating  Jas on the other hand describes it as pasta meat/sauce in thin crepes. Short and to the point. No marketing strategies used. :P




Barramundi with Cottage Potatoes 11.00

I love this dish for some reason, suppose it's because it's the closest thing I can get to fish & chips without getting F&C. We shall go for fish & chips at the Beach at some point. In a few weeks I think.




Rocky Road Choc Top 5.00

Dessert. Emily told me it's just like the ones you get at the movies. I don't know what that actually means, but I did find out. It means it was made ages ago and left in the freezer, the cone was stale. It was not nice. Not recommended, perhaps try the lammington or spiced apple instead. I know that's what I'll be doing next time.  

Discussions over dinner included me being a bad listener - despite being able to recite what she said. Hmm... yes I do think I'm a bad listener, must work on that. Talk less, listen more. Even though I do have the ability to do both at the same time. :P

There is one thing in particular about me that makes people hate me, it's a bit of a secret really. Though it's nothing that's bad, it's quite the opposite. Actually like the French Revolution your view depends on which side you're on. But it is something that brings on the deep underlying resentment in some. Emily found out what that thing was today and she is totally judging me now... It's that thing that always bugged Ian about me and what I believe was the reason he attempted to use me near the end. 

Does being a coupon-er and winning/earning lots of offers and vouchers make you stingy? Emily may have suggested that. Toby would call it being frugal, while I call it being American. 

Further discussions on Austin (topic of the week, other than my paranoia). "Oh you and your nerves my dear Mrs Bennett" - Ian. Another thing about me that makes people hate me was revealed. It's closely related to the fact that I hate losing - when it matters. I've gotten every guy I've ever wanted (note that most of my friends are guys) - except this one. And I don't get why he rejected me. Other than maybe because he's looked me up on the computer (working in the IT dept has its perks), there's info that won't be on google. I'd be fine if we had coffee once and he acts like a complete egotistic jerk. That way I'm certain I don't want to be friends.





Saturday

Perceptions of self. There are 3 perceptions of self. Your ideal self, how others see you, and what or who you really are. But what if you don't know who you are? An actor plays numerous characters, and perhaps sometimes they get caught up in one or two of those parts and it becomes part of who they are. A part that's all it really is. Are you different at work than you are at home? Dominating and scary in the boardroom but not so much at home? Perhaps you're more open and vulnerable. 

Do you ever wonder how well you really know someone? That's what le beau asked me. Everyone has secrets, some more than others. I do try my best to be honest with le beau. I love him and he's the one I want. But due to recent events he doesn't feel the same way. He's suggested we take a break for a couple months, for him to decide if he maybe wants to even be friends. I gave him back the ring (I'm so glad we didn't announce it, that would have been embarrassing) but he wants me to keep it for now. There's still hope. 

What I did to Austin was completely out of character for the version of me le beau knew, and that's what's upsetting him. He doesn't want me to be nice only when I'm with him, but as an all-rounder, and I'm not sure if that's something I can do. I need to be aggressive and dominating at work, that or end up as that person everyone pushes around and get all the bad jobs. End up doing favours and being unhappy.    




Sunday - Deep Depths of Depression



Missed work... with all the drama going on I completely forgot about it! And the worst part was that it wasn't even written down in my diary. Lost in the Deep Depths of Depression I spent the day in hibernation, I feel more alive in my dreams than awake. This is happened once before, it was quite intense and to start again I moved to Melbourne. 

The good news is that after a couple discussions the paranoia has decreased. They might be tracking my activity on the computer but they won't be turning up at my door anytime soon.

Didn't use mouthwash today. Why is this significant? Because I think I might drink it... losing control, and I do feel as if I'm losing my mind - a little.  


Shyun - Revisited with More Pictures @ Thursday, March 28, 2013


On Thursday (21st/March) Jas & I went to Shyun for dinner, with good timing we arrived just about half an hour before the dinner rush. There was only two others there when we arrived. But by the time we left the place was full and there was a waiting line.


As there was much less people there there was an opportunity for pictures. :)




Lots of them.



I do love white paper lanterns.



Near the door there's a board of specials and Polaroids of regulars.

If you sit indoors (we sat outside last time) you get to order using an ipad. Which I failed to get a picture of... it does lag but you'll survive. I've never been to a place that's used ipads for ordering before, the closest thing I can think of was a case study from marketing class where HJ had staff use them to decrease waiting to order time.




Pumpkin Croquettes 5.50

I ordered these last time and they're pretty cool, as I've never had deep fried pumpkin before. Though just have them once, they aren't one of those things I'd have again and again, only once in a while.




Niku Udon 10.80

Jas ordered a sort of noddle soup dish bowl with beef, which looked interesting. Cooked beef on udon noodle in Japanese fish broth, said the menu. Should it come with a plate of greens? It reminds me of pho, but with less greenery. While he didn't give a review on it he did suggest he regretted not getting what I did.




Deluxe Bento 14.00
Prawn tempura, teriyaki chicken,  grilled salmon with miso sauce,
deep fried onion & veggies, 2 sushi rolls (pieces) and  coleslaw & potato salad



I knew I wanted to get a bento, I like it how they serve it, complementary instead in the traditional red/black box. Though it was quite difficult to construct your own on the spot, and so I went for the deluxe. The tempura prawn was lovely, loved the salmon and potato salad. Felt as though there wasn't enough dressing for the salad though. And I didn't like the piece of deep fried onion, carrot and green bean.




Black Sesame Ice Cream

That day they were having a special offer - free ice cream with the bento order. I went for the black sesame, and it was nice. Interesting, I've only had it once before. It was nutty & creamy. No one laugh. - Unless you have another way of describing that. Jas didn't like it and said he preferred it over a steak. O.o




The Bill

As always I'd recommend going not during the lunch/dinner rush times, but perhaps for an early lunch or afternoon tea time. Great prices, and located near the station and buses from Chadstone. Great for lunch with friends, but perhaps not a date. The atmosphere isn't right. 

Shyun on Urbanspoon


DIY Vanilla Olive Oil Scrub @ Wednesday, March 27, 2013


1/2 cup caster sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Vanilla extract 

Combine the two sugars in a bowl and mix to incorporate. 
Add olive oil and stir. Mix in honey and vanilla. Store in an airtight jar.

Notes
- Oil will settle in the jar so stir before using.
- This is a body scrub. For face, substitute brown sugar with caster sugar. 

Source


I Give It A Year @ Wednesday, March 27, 2013


Since they met at a party, ambitious high-flyer Nat and struggling novelist Josh have been deliriously happy despite their differences. Josh is a thinker, Nat's a doer..but the spark between them is undeniable. Their wedding is a dream come true, but family, friends and even the minister who marries them aren't convinced that they can last. Josh's ex-girlfriend, Chloe, and Nat's handsome American client Guy, could offer attractive alternatives. With their first anniversary approaching, neither wants to be the first to give up, but will they make it?



On Thursday morning we went to see 'I Give It a Year', a story about a couple making through a year together and ending up getting a divorce in a very entertaining scene. Le beau says I'm jinxing out r'ship by watching this the day after he was meant to propose. :P The film was hilarious though I think almost inappropriate! And I never use that word, it makes me smile. The couple, Nat & Josh realize that they married the wrong person and ultimately they both end up with someone else.



Love love love these flying box lanterns! We simply must have them at our wedding. 
Perhaps we'll all drive down to the beach at the end of the night.   



My favourite scene was when Simon Baker (Guy) was admitting his liking for Nat, and there was a violinist, oysters and two doves. Bird + ceiling fan = bad things happen. Fortunately it was fine.

The guy from 'Tooth Fairy' plays the best man and he's just hilarious with his badly timed jokes and comments.  An amusing line was where the Josh was doing his speech and said he was laissez-faire while Nat is anal. Funny, but if le beau says that he knows he's going to die.

They played Charades and that was quite amusing. Josh points at Nat's sister's husband and the sister attempts to guess what the word is, and in doing so she lists all his bad traits XD the word was 'Doctor'.

Overall it was an amusing film, go with your closest friends who won't be offend though. Your friends who can make anything/everything sexual would be the ones. Oh and there's full frontal but there wasn't much to see XD though I don't think it's real. 


And the first person to die is... @ Tuesday, March 26, 2013

...Austin

On tonight's episode of The Mentalist, Season 3, Episode 6 - Pink Chanel Suit.

A coincidence?


Our 3rd Anniversary @ Tuesday, March 26, 2013

20th March
We're delaying celebrating slightly at the moment, as we're both too busy to plan anything. But we did get each other cards & gifts.



Le beau actually gave me the present he got me a couple/few months ago, in January. It was meant to be saved till our actual anniversary but he was very nervous about it and I kept asking why he was acting so strange. And then one Sunday afternoon he spontaneously gave it to me. It was a completely surprise but I love it!

Edit: Due to the later events that occurred this week I won't be revealing what he got me. Lets just say that he wants to take a break for a couple months and try again. And no I'm not pregs.




I got him a piano frame piece of artwork, which he loved. Unfortunately the only picture I took was at the store when I bought it (they offered to wrap it, and I wasn't in a wrapping mood at the time), but it looks much better in person. He loves it. :)

Cards.



A personalized hallmark 'Forever Friends' as always.
With a poem inside, he does like poetry.

I sent him the golden birds card posted earlier on. 


Life Lately - Tuesday @ Monday, March 25, 2013

19th March.
It's Tuesday night, and I don't recall much from Monday... I do think my memory's going. 


Inner Smile
After the weekend when I see le beau Tuesdays are my favourite days. I have my events class (which I like) and I'll see Austin. In my head I was smiling for most of the day (up to the group work part) and mr events said something nice, a compliment, can't exactly remember what he said, but it made me smile. Later on ms events said she likes my coat. :) I rarely ever get compliments from anyone other than le beau & co.

I gave mr events a bottle of my homemade room spray and he likes it. :) I gave it to him cause last week he said the room smelt strange, I can't identify what it is, but the lobby smells like latex dentist gloves. He guessed it was apple, not many people can identify cranberry, as it's all imported from the states, so not everyone is familiar with it. 


The Game of Domination
I had a moment of weakness today. Group project parts assigned - they (the group) decided who was doing what and didn't involve me in the decision - and I was there! In the room that is, but they told me nothing of it. I wanted to do part 1 (location) but was assigned part 3 (financial). Last week under the section that said who was doing what I wrote no.1 under my name, while the others didn't want to talk about who was doing what yet.

Instead of asking them about it I said nothing, but pretended not to see it. So I think they think I'm ok with it. Which is sure as hell that I'm not! Spent the evening/afternoon being mad with myself that I didn't say anything. I talk to ms events about it (she's nice, I like her) and she said I should email them - but sugar coat it first and ask a friend to read it before I send it. Will do. It's kinda sad though that I almost no self-control, and go from normal to bitch in 2 seconds flat. I do wish I was more like Bree Van de Camp - though I do think her repression is going to make her go crazy at some point.



Other Happenings of the Day

Saw mr mob and he said hi to me :) He's nice, I like him. No not in a creepy way.

Had an OCD moment. Whiteboard was covered in messy maths eqs and diagrams. I cleaned it. But it had to be perfectly clean. Ran out of time, said it was good enough, though mr events said it was perfect though - but there was 4 small marks left...

Became acquaintances with a girl in my class. Ladies and gentleman, introducing the wedding planner who doesn't believe in marriage. She believes it's like being friends, you don't need a party and certificate to celebrate that. Dear lord... please don't tell the clients that you don't believe in marriage when you're planning their wedding! She says she's seen/heard of too many marriages that don't end with happily ever - but you do know that 60% of marriages end in divorce right? Take a chance. 


Went to the law lec (normally on friday) cause I have an event on Friday. Today's topic was the first element of contracts, offer. Complex and we went fast, but I do understand it. Lots of writing, but I like the topic.

Saw Austin running fast walking away from me in the afternoon. and once again after class. Yes he's avoiding me, but he's failing, and denying it. Gave him a .doc defining coffee, why his reasons for us not being friends isn't valid, and a bit on persuading him. Getting his reply next week.


Life Lately - W4 @ Sunday, March 24, 2013

This/last week...

Monday



Rainbow seen on the way to class. The only thing I've changed here is the lighting, it was darker and glommier than appears. Not sure whats with the colours, I'm guessing that yellow building is Flinders. Not sure what the blue is...

I was very late for class on Monday, as a result of bad decision the case of "15 minutes more". Made it before the end, but I did miss 2/3 of it. :( We did some work on the group project. This is one of the better team work experiences. I think the trick is to attempt to gain rapport. The guy we're working with & I went to the same college (though almost a decade apart) while the girl likes to eat at places in my town. Something I've never done/considered.




Monday afternoons are nice. Devoted to being less stress than usual and card making. This card ^ used the cuttlebug which is a non-electric powered machine sort of thing. You put a metal cookie cutter - but it's almost flat, put it on the 'cutting board' between two hard plastic sheets and roll it through the "machine". The cutter presses into the paper cutting out your shape.

With that ^ card we stamped in the flower, and cut it out using the machine. Afterwards I glitterbombed it. I may have gone overboard with the glitter. If I had crtl+z I'd delete the glitter on the leaves. 

The 2nd card involved pin pricking. Remember those days at the end of the year in elementary, where you lie on the carpet and prick holes on a template picture over black paper? Afterwards you'd stick cellophane paper behind the black paper. It was like that except after we pricked it we threaded it. At first I thought it was draw on, amazing precision! It'll make more sense when I finish it and post the picture next week. :P




Tuesday

Tuesdays likes to induce dramas. Inner Smile. Red Coat. The Game of Domination. Tried Palmer's BB Cream, I like it but it does nothing for me. Light coverage. Emphasizes dry patches. Tuesday gets its own post this week. :)




Wednesday

Made it to class this week! But only because someone pressed the doorbell and woke me up. Somebody forgot to lock the gate this morning! And two women got in and asked me of the plants in the front yard are for sale... hmm. How would you feel if I somehow got past your gates into your yard and asked to buy your flowerbed?

The joy of group work. Not so bad today, it actually went well. As I was away last wk I was placed in a random group, where two members had the most common names in our year (also the names of my two friends in yr10). Essay, I felt dizzy and very sick, headache. Got some air and I was a bit better. Didn't do my best on the essay though. 

Meanwhile mr head of Austin's department leaves me a message - on my phone. You know you're in trouble when they call you instead of emailing (unless you called first and that's how they got your number). Pretty sure Austin has filed a case against me - that or somehow they found the blog, again. Nice to know he doesn't have a backbone. 

Library. *crashes* Too tired to do anything. Went home, crashed on the train. Bought coffee sponge cake for afternoon tea :). 



Thursday



Went to see a movie.

Dinner & a play with jas. We revisited Shyun, as I didn't get all the pictures last time. It could be just me, but I do find their electronic ordering system interesting, I've never seen it before. Using an ipad you order what you like. 



Black Sesame Ice Cream

Afterwards we went to see 'Scrum' a play performed at our college, where we met 5yrs ago. Took a walk, I swear my old locker has changed - pretty sure the door opened to the right and not left. I don't remember much from back then, but I do remember that time when we decided to hang out in the classroom instead of going to band. :P



Saw the sun. I've never seen it so round or in that position. Wrong lens.  





Friday - He's Just Not That Into You

Today started at the dentist, the new sensitive toothpaste works! But it does have SLS in it... Dental x-rays. Brunch at Subway. 



Madsion & L'Oreal Event at Priceline. Goodie Bags, worth around 80.00

Did law hw, only to find out that the tuts are a week behind. Good news: only one girl (of course it was a girl :P) in our class did the homework. The asian couple in the corner were on their phone half the time and they were caught. Mr law says they'll be reading their answers first next week. XD And Emily and her phone wanted to come to class. Some tutors are like 'I don't care anymore, do whatever you want' but we all know the best ones, are the ones that care that you aren't paying attention.

"The effect of the decision of the Mabo case was to lay to rest the idea that Australia was terra nullius." True or False? My question: why does it have to put things in hard to understand words? Wouldn't it have been easier to ask if the Mabo case agreed/disagreed with the term? Oh and best part: we didn't cover this in case. I don't like self-learning. 




An interesting display at Sportsgirl.

Had dinner with Emily at Pancake Parlour and then went shopping. How long does it take Emily to find and buy a bag? 28 minutes. Efficient? No. I don't like the way she shops - browse in-stores rather than handle it as a military operation. The way I shop is that I identify the item, call to reserve, and then go to try/buy. I know where I'm going and what I'm looking for. Purpose and direction. How do you shop?



Lush - Sultana of Soap

While I love the smell of Lush products their soap actually makes me squeaky clean and itchy, and so do their shower gel, but to a lesser extent. For a moisturizing body wash I prefer Palmolives and so does my purse. And so the lovely SA recommended sultana for me. While is one of their two vegan soaps for sensitive skin. 



Soap & Samples

Looking forwards to trying the bath melts. 


Lush - Easter Egg Hunt Spa
Sad to say in-stores it looks not as amazing. 




At some point...



This came in the mail ^^


My paper lantern arrived.


I love paper lanterns. It would have been perfect for an engagement dinner party.




We had cupcakes on St. Patricks Day, last week?


I bought a set of hangers & wardrobe organizers.
Only 20.00 from Aldi! It's pinklily but cheaper, and less pink.



My current reading list. No textbooks...
Mind Gym is very good, I might buy it as a reference book.
Amazing Face - I've read the skincare part, not really for make-up yet.
Pride & Prejudice + Gatsby - Classics. Once read in school.
Grammar - *zzzz* Not my thing, but I'm working on it.
Opposites Attract - Myers-Briggs Personality Test 


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