myhouse- purple smokey eye

I'm done with Asian brand lashes. I know lots of people love them, but personally, they're too stiff and the lashes are too short. I don't get the effect I want, so I'm back to American brands. I really like the Ardell demi-lashes right now. They are longer towards the outer edge so they don't overwhelm my eye and the hairs are super soft.











No flash:


myhouse was pretty cool. I was a little apprehensive about going to a club on Christmas but Santa was there!



Santa doesn't look so good. LOL.

gray outfit and smokey eyes

I love being able to dress up again! I'm still WAY behind on Xmas shopping but that's another story.

Outfit (sorry for the dirty mirror!!)





Smokey eye-- started out as purple and turned brown? I don't know what happened here.

I haven't done a face of the day in awhile, so here's two.









Red lips tip: My roommate told me that the trick to pulling off red lip is to have really clean outer edges. Since red lipsticks tend to bleed, it's essential to have a lipliner or a reverse lipliner to make sure you have crisp edges. I used NARS velvet matte lip pencil (it looks like a fat crayon) to get my red lips. I don't wear bold make up so often, so I can't justify buying a lipstick AND lip pencil. Definitely look into it if you girls are thinking about getting a starter red lipstick.

haulage

Smashbox sale.



The Smashbox Muse palette











This huge make up remover was only $5!! It smells good, gets all your make up off, but is slightly oily. I'd get it again though. You get 2 or 3 times as much as a drug store MU remover.

My friend and I noticed a Pan-Asia Expo right across from the sample sale in the LA Convention Center. It was a total bust. The "food court" had two vendors total. There was a bunch of random stuff and travel packages, but nothing that we wanted. I wish I had my camera with me. We did find a vendor with all this cute panda stuff. I got a tote.





Earrings from American Eagle. I love bows right now. So cute.

This Woman's Work

Maxwell has me mesmerized.



the original:

girl crush

silly youtubers, tricks are for lawyers

**not legal advice**

Since I'm studying and spending time on YouTube. I think it's funny how people will try to disclaim their copyrighted music and videos by writing I don't own this. This belongs to so and so. Dude, if you stole a computer and you still use it, saying "I don't own this computer," is NOT going to help your cause.

Things that I think sound better:
1) Stating that you have an authorized version of the song or video. An authorized version means you bought and paid for it, so you have a valid copy of it and therefore are not infringing someone's copyright.
2) Stating that you are doing this for fun and have not and will not make any profit off the video that you have uploaded.
3) If it's just music, then try to make a video that goes along with it so that you can say that you "transformed" the music and what you are displaying is YOUR own copyright(although that might be a derivative work--which will still get you in trouble).
4) Tell people to go buy the actual song or video. This will show that you are not trying to cut into the market and may just be putting up the song to help consumers listen to the whole song before they buy it.

**not legal advice**

itchy fingers

I got a bunch of make up for my birthday (and just because). I've been itching to post some hauls and looks, but I can't! Stupid finals. I resorted to taking a webcam picture at Corner Bakery wearing NARS velvet matte lip pencil in Damned just to quell the craving. I cannot wait until all this is over.




Love life is still nil. I'm okay with that, but sometimes, someone will snap a picture like this and it'll remind me of how I miss being part of a couple.



From the other diary:

Giving in and holding out. Near misses and sudden collisions. Love doesn't come when you want it to. It's always a huge accident. How do I shake this feeling that it always comes so close and then zooms right by with me on the sidelines.

Thankful

Thankful for my friends, whose generosity never ceases to amaze me.

Thankful for my parents, whose love and patience remind me to be a better person.

Thankful for my family, always a phone call away.

Thankful for all the privileges I am afforded and all those who came before me who secured them for my generation.

(Sorry Natives.)

11.19.04

This morning, I dragged myself out of bed and zoned my way through Bus Orgs. I went to work, settled myself in my routine and called my mom to wish her a happy birthday.

There was a time when I thought of her first and my mom's birthday second. My old roommate reminded me that it's been five years to the date today. When she died, everyone that loved her felt it. More than a tragedy, a suicide leaves behind all these unraveled pieces. All my best friends are my best friends because we were together that night and were together in the days that followed. We had a one year memorial. Then the year after that, another one. I can't remember where I was the year after that or the year after and now, today was a day just like any other. I was startled by how quickly those wounds sewed themselves back up.

I wonder if anyone else remembers. We've all come so far from a group of college sophomores, bewildered and bereaved.

Don't hesitate to show anyone you appreciate them. You never know when you'll have to say goodbye.

from Marjorie's page

"Don't search for the answers, which could not be given you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."

Clinique effed up my face

No kidding. They put purple and silver shadow EVERYWHERE and lined my upper but not my lower lid. Additionally, the MUA did not curl my lashes before applying mascara. I looked terrible.



I stood in line for 2 hours at the Clinique Fresh Faces truck for that wonderful souvenir.

I went home and added some eyeliner. Here's the after picture:



I still don't get how they made me look 14 in the professional picture.

corner lashes

I'm obsessed with full lashes. I usually put the corner lashes on top of a set of regular lashes, but since two sets of Darkness lashes don't layer very well, I had to settle with just one set. It was cute anyway.



Full face:



I'm wearing the drug store foundation again. That's why my face looks so white.

Daily injustices (things that suck)

1) Best Buy's Insurance Policy

I bought one for my laptop. The spacebar key feels weird. I came in and asked them order me a new one. The Geek Squad guy told me they would have to send it into the service center. Estimated wait time for them to get it back to me? 2-4 weeks. 2-4 weeks?? Without my laptop??? Do they want to take my right arm too? Never. I asked if I could just take it there myself, have them look at it and order a replacement part for me. The answer was no. There was no way for it to be done any faster. I don't understand how HP can do my repairs and mail it back to me within 2-3 days but Best Buy needs 2-4 weeks. They suck.

2) The lady at the DMV

I went to take a new picture since my license expires next week. I made an appointment, barely had to wait, and so excited to finally take a good picture. I headed over to the picture taking area. There was no one else there. The lady motioned for me to come forward. I stood in front of the screen and started smoothing down my hair. SNAP. FLASH. What. The. She didn't even wait for me. What is the rush?? She sucks.

This was a shorter list than I expected. I guess not that many things suck.

birthday sex!

Favorite costume of the night:

Cavewoman Costume- How To

I started taking pictures of the process and realize that I didn't know how to make a cave woman costume. It's very ad hoc; I fitted things to my body and adjusted it until it fit. I just decided to do a really brief how-to since I took all those pictures anyway.

The top is a modified halter top and the bottom is just one big piece of fabric that I wrapped around my waist.

Step 1: selecting the materials

1) 1 yard of fabric. I find it easiest to work with knits or jersey. They're stretchy so you don't have to be exact with the cut.
2) scissors
3) fabric glue or iron-on fabric tape
4) needle and thread
5) SAFETY PINS- can't stress this enough




This is one yard of fabric. ($5 at Michael Levine downtown)

Step 2: creating the pattern

I used an old halter top to create a pattern.



I folded the halter top in half and used a sharpie to draw the pattern on the piece of fabric that I folded in half.





I didn't follow the butterfly shape of the halter top because I didn't want it to split at the bottom. I also cut out an extra piece of fabric for the back of the halter top.

Step 3: Assembling the pieces



The piece of fabric to the left is the back of the top ("back") and the piece of the fabric to the right is the front of the top ("front").

I sewed point A of the back to point A of the front, and point B-back to point B-front. Then I cut the back in half along the dotted line.

Step 4: Modifying to fit

I tied the top of the front around my neck and the back around my waist, like you would with a normal halter top. I used small pieces of fabric to make straps on the front of the halter top. The horizontal lines on the the front indicate where I've modified the straps (you'll see what I mean in the next picture).



I had an old bra, so I actually glued the shirt to the front of the bra to make sure it doesn't move. This isn't necessary. I also added a seashell necklace as a belt.

Final touch, use fabric tape to tape down the frayed edges of the costume. Also, fold the back pieces in half and glue it, so when you tie the halter top around your waist, the white parts of the fabric don't show.

Happy Halloween!

Vietnamese Barbie

Why does she have curly hair?



I took down some stuff; it's probably temporary.

crushed.

Dear Best Fit,

I adore you. You're smart and you're funny and we fit quite nicely. As I pantomimed domesticity with you, I waited for that rush of endorphins that might one day give me the courage to tell you, it's you, it'll always be you, and I don't want anyone but you. But instead, I wanted to go home.

You see, all those feelings that flooded my heart inexplicably disappeared. Nothing has changed between us and I started getting the feeling that nothing will change. I thought I didn't care if I was the one that felt too much, but as so many times before this, whatever opened itself snapped back shut again. I carefully retreated behind my wall of bravado, telling myself there are plenty of boys who would want to sit across from me at a dinner table---you are no different. I don't know how I found myself at your gym, in your apartment, when I only call you "friend." I'm just not that kind of girl.

I tried to make the butterflies come back, but I can't. I suspect the truth is I'm terrified, terrified that you didn't ask me to do these things and yet I did, of my own volition. I didn't recognize myself and that scares me. So you won't be hearing from me for awhile.

I'm sorry, it's not you. It's me.

No touching!

If you watch "Arrested Development," that's what my title alludes to.

I really, really don't like being touched by strangers at bars and/or clubs. Sometimes a guy will put his hand on my waist to say hello and it's NEVER the ones that are attractive or normal.

Friday night. Busby's East. Guy said hello to me. He was short, way chubby with long hair and glasses. I said hi back to be polite and he asked me my name. I said, "Anh." Since he couldn't hear me, he moved next to me, presumably so he can hear it better. Except he put his head on my shoulder? (Yes, he was that short.) What. No. I ran away.

Shortly after that incident, Steph and I went to look for her boyfriend, who conveniently made friends with three former Bruins. In order of attractiveness: 1) Hapa law boy, 2) Korean USC MBA, 3) the touchy optometry student. Korean USC and I had plenty to talk about since we're both Bruin-Trojans, and I chatted up Hapa law boy since he's a 1L and I remember all too vividly that nightmarish year.

Michi invited them all over to his apartment to play video games and on the walk back, I complained about aching feet. Korean MBA told me to hop on his back. While Korean MBA was giving me a piggie back ride, I tugged at my skirt to make sure I wasn't flashing the boys behind us and touchy optometrist "helped" by putting his hand up my skirt. WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Michi had been carrying Steph the whole time and we switched off, with me on Michi's back and Steph walking. Then Michi then asked Steph for a piggie back ride and put me down.(Both Steph and Michi are literal twigs.) Surprisingly, Steph was able to carry Michi. Touchy optometrist decided to ask me for a piggie back ride and I repeatedly said no. He put both arms around me ANYWAY and I was like NO and walked faster. How annoying was that. Back at the apartment, I kept secluding myself in corners and Steph and I left the living room. Hapa came in to talk to us, which was cool, but I couldn't get over how annoying touchy optometrist was. I told Korean MBA via text later that his friend made me uncomfortable and he apologized. Ugh, if I see that guy again, I would give him a hard shove or a stiletto to the foot. NO TOUCHING.

the little things

It's things like this that make paying bills a little easier.









p.s. You don't have to have a blogspot to comment so please leave your mark! Comments mean so much to me and I would like to see what kind of posts you like to read. Or just leave a quick hello so I can see who's out there! <3

Methods of Seduction (the game)

The other day my friends and I were talking about seducing men and I jokingly shot down my friend's suggestion of lingerie and alcohol.

"Are you kidding?" I said. "That sounds like a Cosmo tip or what a men's magazine tells you to do." So, being the coward that I am, I came up with 3 easy seduction methods for the guy or girl that doesn't want to put it all out there (literally and figuratively).

We'll start with the basic and graduate to the more advanced.


1) The Tickle Fight

There has never been a tickle fight in the history of tickle fights that did not end in nakedness.* Here's what you do. You start tickling your love interest (LI) and then move away. If LI try to tickle you back, you know that LI is into it. You then tell him or her that you are not ticklish, which will prompt the adventurous to prove you wrong and find a spot where you ARE ticklish. This promotes touching and maybe some light wrestling as you try to get away or tickle LI back. BOOM. Nakedness just happens.

2) The Nap

*Yawn* I'm tired. Oh look at that, I'm in your bed. Sexily reclining. LI will join. And if not, take a nap, why not? We can all use naps.

3) The Massage

Massage is pretty much universal code for "I want to have sex with you."** LI will get it. Ask for a massage. Offer to give one. Either way, there will be touching. If you give a massage, make sure you hit the lower back, maybe below the waistband of clothing. If you are receiving a massage, give some positive reinforcement like, "That feels good," so the massager knows that it is okay to commence with the nakedness.


That is all, friends.






*This is probably not true.
**Sex or sexual activities- choose your level

Ulta FAIL

I went to ULTA today to get the College Day discount. Turns out it only applies to ULTA products and not the entire purchase. I bought some eyeliners, a teasing comb and this nail polish that I LOVE. They gave me a tote bag and two editions of InStyle, so I guess that's not too bad for $18. I'm still a little bitter though since I came in ONLY for the discount.

Orly "Mirror, Mirror"



It comes with a little mirror charm. How cute is that?