#they are the only trendy brand I’ve tried that I would recommend

[headedoutleft]

My summer uniform is fancy sport bra that looks like a crop top, oversized button up, shorts, sandals

This is all I need and all I will ever need possibly

[romanceboys]

(interview) vogue korea april issue 2020 - perfect taemin

1. superm was another chance for taemin’s ever-evolving performance to be showcased. i thought a lot about how to create synergy with these exceptional performers. to put it simply, i wanted us to come off as energetic. but these days i’ve had a change of heart. our identity is definitely important. rather than just working hard, for superm to show off their colours well we need to show our personalities; we should be seen as one team. to be able to formulate a solid and clear colour is our homework. that’s why it’s regrettable. we couldn’t come up with a novel choreography to carry our new identity. we tried a lot in the practice room. superm seems to have found its musical identity but hasn’t gotten a hold of its performance character yet. the stages are too vague. 2. now that you are finally promoting with your best friend kai in one group, you two must’ve shared your concerns. since this friend is someone who has a lot of passion and ambition, he talks about various things. for instance, this style is pretty good, this choreography is quite trendy. thanks to him i’ve learned a lot. he is also very knowledgeable about the latest ‘hottest’ genres. we talk about these things often and even watch videos together. kai gives off ‘popular’ vibes. compared to him, my interests are quite unusual. nowadays kai is interested in music while i am into science. 3. is it science fiction? these days we’ve been watching videos on the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics together. 4. what aspect of it interested you? originally i was very curious, after seeing a recommended video on youtube i learned about quantum mechanics for the first time. i couldn’t understand the explanation, even those who were explaining it said it was a difficult concept. that was very fascinating to me. kind of like magic.  5. are you reading books on the subject too? the subjects of the books i read are different (laughs). there’s a book that was published long ago called ‘regarding the pain of others.’ it is a pessimistic book that gathers contradictory opinions of people for instance ‘people find joy in the pain of others, it is instinctual.’ as a celebrity, there are times when you are criticized but there are also times when you receive comfort from people. rather than blaming others, while reading this book, i began to think ‘people are like that, at most i shouldn’t behave like them.’ my interests are all over the place. 6. what makes you and kai click? we converse well. our opinions almost never clash and we respect each other. moreover, we fully understand our own roles in superm. 7. what position do you hold in superm? since i can’t ask if it’s the main dancer. in pictures and interviews, i’m the center. baekhyun hyung is the leader (laughs). 8. when the conversation wasn’t flowing well during the talkshow interview, i saw you neatly concluding it.  that does happen. nct and wayv are still in the learning phase. that’s why i first listen to all of their thoughts during interviews then flesh it out with details later. 9. compared to when you set out abroad as shinee then promoting overseas as superm now, the status of k-pop has changed. looking at how superm was able to start off with an arena tour in the us and europe made me feel that k-pop is a ‘hot’ topic. in the past, we’d use venues of this scale for smtown concerts. even if you promote mainly in asia, seeing the audience section will make you realise the perception of k-pop has changed. 10. though k-pop’s scope has expanded and diversified, its definition has become simple. what are your concerns? my first concern is language. after i was able to communicate via language during my japanese activities, there were so many advantages. though each country overseas has its own language, i felt that i needed to learn english first. there are many international fans who want to experience the chemistry between our members, they’d feel much closer to us if we communicated using (a common) language. k-pop isn’t one dimensional. it’s not only about the music, there is music video, style, etc. included. people would make dance covers in the past, now they even emulate the styling. all of this is korean pop culture. 11. superm were on the ellen degeneres show and jimmy kimmel live. before we went on the ellen show we really rehearsed the interview a lot. america’s atmosphere is different so you receive questions that are never asked in korea. they don’t disclose the questions in advance either. we were also worried because the emcee could ad-lib. we came up with the most probable questions and practiced, we also received lessons from american comedians. compared to that, we went on jimmy kimmel live without any prep. 12. what went according to plan and what didn’t? the questions were not as intense as expected, ellen was well aware about k-pop culture so it went smoothly. 13. is there a dance genre you’re into these days? contemporary, lyrical hiphop, in the future as superm i think i’ll be able to show more, not the kind of dancing that you do after learning a given choreography but the kind that is full of emotions. it’s about giving meaning to your gestures. it isn’t out yet but my concert vcr features lyrical hiphop. in it i think i’m dancing alone with a giant full moon as my backdrop but get confused when there are two of us, either it’s another person or a shadow. a choreographer with a body type similar to mine had to dress in all black to come across as my shadow. i wore an oriental outfit with smokey makeup. 14. how do you usually come up with your ideas? i get inspired by the choreographers and creative directors. i imagine it as we converse then the idea develops. 15. was there a time you were inspired by fashion? of course. art begins with the five senses. what you see with your eyes, the things you can feel, clothes, food, perfume, music that you listen to are all sources of inspiration. i create private accounts to follow fashion brands. 16. having debuted at the age of 16, you are still young but your work experience has been long. i was in certain situations because of this. it doesn’t happen as often now but even in my early 20s, i completely belonged to the senior category at broadcasting stations. they are my juniors but many of them are also hyungs, i’m their senior but i’m also the youngest. now there are even staff members who are younger than me. they’re too formal with me (laughs). 17. are there juniors that ask you for advice or help? the superm members! especially ten, he is very curious. when we come out of a company meeting, he’ll get surprised and say “wow, hyung everything you said was right.” i even hear things like ‘veteran’ and ‘seer.’ apparently my predictions come true. but i try not to advise them as much. taking the initiative to say something feels overwhelming. 18. born in 1993 between millennials and gen z, do you share any characteristics with those in your age bracket? we’ve picked out a few of their traits. the first one is ‘they don’t eat fast food.’ me too! i took care of my health well ever since i started out with shinee. i was brainwashed from home to avoid foods that harmed the body. not even ramyeon, snacks were also banned. and just like that in my 20s i started carrying out the regime on my own. it’s become a habit to look after my health ever since i moved out. i always eat things that are good for my body, if the hyungs are taking vitamins, i’d ask for one too. 19. i suddenly recall a variety show where you were the only one who skipped the sauce and ate the meat on its own! one should not eat irritable foods. my mother’s words. 20. how about ‘they watch videos on youtube rather than tv. even the ads don’t particularly bother them.’ that’s right. i watch youtube more often than tv, while watching the ads i'd even marvel at their production quality. i’ve signed up for the premium package now so i don’t see the ads anymore. 21. ‘marrying or wanting to buy their own house.’ i currently live alone and i have no interest in decking out my house. at first, i didn’t think like that but a month later my interest dissipated. i’m lazy. it’s not like my house is for others to see, i’m fine with the incomplete feeling for now. 22. and finally ‘they avoid investing in financial companies.’ i don’t do that. my parents manage that, if there’s a good tip i’ll just let them know.  23. hiphop musicians tend to express their success through music. as an idol musician how have you been using the wealth you accumulated all these years? i invest in food instead of saving up (laughs). honestly, i don’t spend much. i don’t have anything i want. though i do spend on others a lot. 24. what kind of household did you grow up in? what gifts did you inherit from your family as a musician? i inherited my body type. all of my cousins have model-like physiques, they’re taller and slimmer than me. my mother sings well. my father plays instruments as a hobby. oh, and my paternal aunt used to be a ballerina. so perhaps i inherited such genes? 25. you’ve been doing the same thing for more than 10 years. what is the purpose behind creating music and showcasing it? in the past, i would think i should do well, i need to be number one, these days i’ve become ambitious for other aspects. i take pride in the fact that my work supplies others with positive energy. i feel a sense of accomplishment when fans like my music, i want to make them as happy as i am. everyone’s profession is different but i hope this synergy gained from mutual dependence leaves a good impression. 26. are you still composing songs? i used to but now i only participate in lyric writing. it differs with each song, at times the lyrics are emotional or talk about abstract love. it seems like my next solo album will include a song i wrote the lyrics to. sometimes songs composed by overseas composers might prove too difficult for the general public to understand. so i participate a lot in the arrangement or mixing phase. i point out the parts that should be added to the composition and those that are unneeded. teacher lee soo man does give advice but it often feels like i do the producing of my own solo album. 27. taemin’s originality is the clearest when he promotes as a solo artist. which song has best represented your identity? i worked hard on all of them but there was a turning point. at first there was ‘danger’ then ‘press your number’ was a conceptual performance, the transition to ‘move’ turned out well. i wanted to break out from the typical choreography routine and create my own identity, the resulting performances were ‘move’ and ‘want.’ my next solo album is again different. i’ve been making a lot of changes these days. 28. you seem to have high standards when it comes to composing music. was there ever an occasion where you absolutely refused to compromise and gave others a hard time? everyone is used to it (laughs). it’s something i learned from the head manager hyung who’s been with me since debut. the belief that ‘there is nothing that can’t be done. there is no such thing as impossible.’ another team manager hyung would tell me ‘you remind me of our head’ (laughs). honestly, the staff around me work beyond their given roles and with affection. normally work timings are from 9 to 7, they stay back till 10-11 pm for me. they don’t hold it against me, and when things do well, they too feel a sense of fulfillment together with me. 29. the new unreleased song must be quite different from the original then.  there are already 12 versions of the song. when i thought we were somewhat done, we recently started arranging it again (laughs). 30. you hold your body to specific standards for the best performance outcome. i don’t ‘bulk up.’ previously, i used to work out when i ate a lot but my body would feel weighed down, it wasn’t what i wanted. if i gain a lot of muscles or become thick, it hampers my dancing form. that’s why i don’t put on weight. i train my stamina and strength and avoid bulking up my shoulders and arms. 31. by the way, do you do neck exercises as well? i was touched looking at your long neck in the vogue photoshoot. i had been noticing this too, now i know the reason! i think it’s because i dance. a lot of resistance goes into the neck when you dance. our head is the heaviest and it’s the neck that supports it. it goes away when i rest for a few days. we’re shooting amidst the superm tour maybe that’s why it looks thicker now.  32. an editor who has been watching you closely for a long time said that you’ve become extroverted. could it be that experience and relationships have made you comfortable and secure? i’ve lowered my guard. i couldn’t reveal my current self to others before. as a child i used to be so introverted that i’d hide behind my mother when strangers would get into the elevator. i changed with time.  33. is your ever-present smile a product of your personality or just business decorum? i’m always smiling. i even laugh at things other people don’t find funny (laughs). 34. shinee members are currently serving in the army. when they’re on break what kind of advice or nagging do they subject you to? i wish they would do that. we have a group chat on kakaotalk and i always revive it by asking “what’s up” “happy new year.” but as soon as the conversation picks up they only talk about the army. when i inform them about an issue at the company they say “really?” then it’s military talk again. when i feel left out and tell them to stop, they reply with “you’ll understand when you get here.” 35. in your career as a musician, when do you feel the best? when it’s time to reveal all that i’ve been preparing for so long! it feels different from finishing it. the first stage after debuting, shinee’s first concert, performing at tokyo dome, receiving the award... these are the moments that come to mind. 36. watching taemin grow for the past decade has been a huge source of strength. what are your dreams now? there are many. first of all, once shinee comes back again, i want the entire group to give off a feeling of revival. usually after getting discharged, it’s hard to keep up with the next generation, i want to avoid that. i’ve imagined it all when the shinee members return. second, i want to perform a lot on various stages as a solo artist. superm topped the billboard 200 album chart, it’d be nice to enter the top 10 on the hot 100 digital chart as well.  37. you are really talented at setting goals. i’ve gotten greedier. it’s just not for myself but i want to do it for the fans and members, even the staff. they become my driving force. i really am lucky. everybody works hard but i even get the recognition for it. come to think of it, i was given many opportunities and i worked hard to make the most of them, i’m really happy my efforts paid off in the end. i’m surrounded by good people. shinee, superm, many people fill in the gaps for me that i can’t solve on my own. 38. superm’s concert title is ‘we are the future.’ when you hear the word ‘future’ what are you reminded of? first, it’s h.o.t. (laughs). future-oriented things come to mind like artificial intelligence, drones, 3d hologram concerts. then again, in the future, though people might be able to watch concerts through holograms, i think humans will not give up on the tasks they themselves can do. my work will still be the same in the future. 39. the reason you don’t write anything on instagram. i don’t have anything to say yet (laughs). i don’t know if i should make my instagram cool or approachable. when fretting between writing a caption or using an emoticon, i just end up leaving it blank. actually i signed up after my manager hyung suggested that instagram would be good. so i’ve made one but i still don’t know what to upload. i get teased by the people around me for putting up selfies. i even took lots of pictures especially for instagram but... 40. did you not post the pictures? the point of instagram is real-time communication. is that so! i didn’t know (laughs).

translated by romanceboys — take out with full credit (source)

[quaintrellelily]

Why Euphoria’s first bridge ep might be one of the best episodes to grace our TV (or laptop) screens.

SPOILER WARNING!

When I decided to watch Euphoria for the first time in 2019 (thanks for the rec @o-d-d ), I expected, at most, mediocre character arcs and a weak but acceptably entertaining plot line that aimed to deliver to a particular subset of teenagers: those who like to excessively drink, party, or do crack. But hey. Don’t blame me for assuming low standards for teen dramas. I’m not. I just simply believe that the depth at which the human emotional condition is explored on screen severely lacks. Trouble Don’t Last Always captures that and with appreciable finesse.

A message for anyone who is thinking of starting the series: let me make one thing clear before I dive into talking about this particular episode. The sex on this show is explicit AF. I’m talking about full frontal nudity and masturbation. Is it something I believe Euphoria could do without? Could it still make as big of an impact? Shock without the visual shock value? Absolutely. I truly believe it would. If you do skip past these unnecessary scenes, rest assured you will not be missing out on anything important.

So onto the first bridge episode without further ado. These are the reasons why it shined

• It might sound strange, but hbo’s decision to exclude music for most of the episode was a bold but appropriate stylistic choice. This episode is pulled together by many non-verbal moments that rely on being brought to the surface by it’s characters. It’s almost disconcerting..sitting in silence with two people who have experienced things and emotions that many of us haven’t at our worst. It just feels more authentic that way and is more intimate, like we’re present at Rue’s therapy session. Rue’s admission to threatening to kill her mother is an example of when this works. You’re not supposed to hear it as much as witness it. It’s just Zendaya and her stellar acting in it’s element, and it works seamlessly well regardless of the generic backdrop or anything else in the room (Ali and Ms Marsha aside)

• MORE on the acting. I just..wow. Brava. Zendaya’s breadth of skill really manifests itself through her eyes and lips and forlorn sitting position as Rue. You know it goes beyond your expectations when you forget a person is only acting, and Colman Domingo was also able to emote his lines and countenance in nuanced ways that seemed to deliver that exact level of desperateness I wanted to see conveyed by addicts or ex addicts. I call this art

• There’s this amazing albeit lengthy discussion that is the backbone of this episode. This was absolutely needed despite what some people might think. Why? Because this is quite literally what Euphoria is about. It isn’t centred on the striking neon lights, glitter, or trendiness of the gen z scene. It’s about a real issue with real repercussions. This is the aftermath. The moment we confront our innermost demons with an honesty that is seldom drawn out into an hour on a show for entertainment. Another bold choice here because the critical eyes of many can indeed infer that it is a tedious, almost gratuitous chapter for an audience to watch. But I beg to differ.

At the end of the day, our ability to communicate our misery to others is a tried and true strength. The script isn’t forceful in the way that Ali, Rue’s sponsor, tries to exculpate Rue and project his moral or religious conscience, no. In contrast, he holds himself accountable for his previous actions and recognises himself as the flawed human being just trying to stand by right, finding purpose as a result. He doesn’t blame Rue. Doesn’t even tell her that her feelings are invalid like so many others might. That her only way out is to surrender to the universe or anything wishy washy. Instead he will stand by her. He tells her he’s got some hope left; little as it may be, but he doesn’t know why. It’s just like that song, Lost Stars by Adam Levine.

Turn the page maybe we'll find a brand new ending

Where we’re dancing in our tears

He wishes she could have some hope too. For this reason and those above, I would gladly recommend viewing this ep to those who struggle with sobriety. Huge disclaimer. I have never been an addict, used, abused, or thought about taking drugs. However I’ve been through my own mental hurdles and lost my dad this year. Way back when I started to watch season 1, I thought Euphoria was teenage angst for teenage addicts. It might be, but it is also for anyone who has felt painfully lost, had their soul crushed, lost someone, or is purely prone to getting swept up in existential dread. I hope Ali’s message here will stay with each individual who grapples with their sense of place in the world. I hope that no matter what, you carry the most measily of hope, trust, and courage in your heart. I reiterate that trouble don’t last always.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #389

“i’m well aware i’m a danger to myself  /  are you aware i’m a danger to others?”

How much do you weigh? Yeah, we're starting off on a bad foot. If you are outside, what are you most likely doing? Putting Roman's used litter in the trash. Do you think you can love someone without trusting them? Hm... I guess you could love them, but it'd be a complicated situation. What’s your opinion on people who go hunting for sport? If it's purely for sport, from the very bottom of my heart, fuck you. Do you have a fairly fast or slow internet connection? I'd say it's decently fast. Have you ever been someplace tropical? Yeah, Florida. My grandma lived there. Are you sensitive to caffeine? No. It does like... nothing to me. How do you usually get around? My mom's car. Have you ever been accused of being too clingy? No actually, but I know I kinda am. What do you think about Kim Kardashian? I don't have an opinion of her. Can you speak any French? No. Favorite yogurt flavor? The only yogurt I've been liking lately is cookies and cream to add a different texture, because otherwise, I don't like its natural texture very much??? Idk man, my taste buds are wild. How much money do you have in your wallet right now? Just like $5. What bottled water brand do you like? Essentia. Your favorite way to eat chocolate? As chocolate bars, probably. How often do you listen to country music? Like, never. Linkin Park or Avenged Sevenfold? Linkin Park. Last surgery you had? Pilonidal cyst removal. Have you ever played guitar? I briefly took classes for it in high school, yes. Best I got to was playing some of the intro to "Crazy Train." I enjoyed it, but not enough to be consistent and really learn. Is there someone in your life whose career/life choices you find immoral/unethical? Have you ever told that person your views? Do you find it difficult to support them (emotionally or otherwise) because of their choices? I don't think so? What trait do you feel you lack that you wish you possessed? Independence and confidence would be nice... Have you ever considered writing your memoirs? No. Do you find it difficult to stay invested in online relationships? God no. I love my online friends. Half of 'em more than "irl" ones. Are you the type of person who pays close attention to the release dates of movies, music, etc., and will, for example, go see a movie or buy an album on the date it is released? If so, when is the last time you did so? I have to be VERY invested in it to care THAT much. It happened most recently when Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty premiered. Do you have any stickers on your laptop? No. Would you rather have a job for which you had to go in early in the morning or one you had to stay late into the evening at? Early in the morning. I'm in a better mood in the morning. Do you use any apps to track your health or medications? I have a calorie-counting app, as well as one to track my period. Whose opinions/recommendations do you value most? My mom's, best friend's, and psychiatrist's. If you could’ve been at any historical event, which would you have liked to witness firsthand? I don't really know. Maybe the very first Pride event? Is there something that you really want to do but are afraid of doing? If so, why are you afraid of doing it? Ride a rollercoaster, for one. I know I never will, though. I'm too afraid of throwing up, but even more realistically, I fear passing out before of the twisting and turning and just standing up makes me very dizzy. My blood pressure is STUPID low. What is something society “expects” you to do that you don’t want to do and/or don’t plan on doing? Have kids. That's a big 'ole fat no from me. Have Jehovah's Witnesses ever come to your door? Twice at least. Are you well-known by people in your area? No. Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? No, thank Christ. It sounds terrifying. What's your favourite type of bird? Barn owls. Melanistic ones, to be exact. Stunning. What tv show(s) have you been watching currently? I'm only keeping up with Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty. Have you ever dated a smoker? For less than a day. Do you share a middle name with any of your siblings? Yes. Have you ever been a member in a band? No. Besides the school band. Can you cry on command? If so, have you ever used it to your advantage? No. Do you have separate emails for personal and business? No. Have you ever missed a flight? Yes. Have you ever seen a lunar eclipse? Multiple times. Have you ever taken a ride in a convertible? I think once with my brother. Why did you last need to use a band-aid? I'unno. What fruit do you eat most often? Apples. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? My ma. Has someone ever tried to start an argument with you over Facebook? What happened? A few times. I don't feel like thinking over this. Have you ever had an unusual type of milk (eg. oat, rice, almond)? I've tried almond milk, and I hated it. If you could experience life as a Disney princess for a week, which princess would you pick and why? uhhhhhh idk When you’re at home, do you spend most of your time in your room? I'm essentially always in my room. If you like to sleep in late, have your parents ever told you off for doing so? No. Do you find piercings attractive? Yep. Do you like potato chips? Loooove 'em. What’s the most stalker-like/creepy thing you’ve ever done? If you don’t think you’ve done anything like that, what’s the most stalker-like thing someone’s done to you? Nothing beyond checking Jason's Facebook sometimes after the breakup, I think. Even that though I wouldn't recommend doing. You're just going to get yourself hurt. Stay away from exes' profiles. Do you think it’s a double standard that a woman can hit a man and expect to get away with it, but if a man hits a woman it’s assault? Yep. I don't give a fuck what's in your pants, you don't hit anybody unless you're fighting to defend yourself. What’s your favorite old Disney movie and favorite new Disney movie? I mean... define "old." I'll go with The Lion King for old, and for new, uh... Finding Dory, probs. Name something “trendy” or popular that you dislike. I don't really know what IS trendy right now... Is Snapchat still "in?" Because I've never gotten that. “Dirty talk” in the bedroom…love it, like it, don’t care, dislike it, or hate it? I think I'm kinda neutral about it? Like I mean it also depends on exactly what is said. I prefer more loving talk, though. What is/are your favorite type(s) of ethnic food, and what’s your favorite food within that type? I'm a basic fatass that likes American cuisine most, aha... Like give me a cheeseburger and I'm happy lmao. How would you describe your relationship with your hair over the years? I love it more now at a short length than I ever did long. When it was long and I was in my deepest depression, I was awful about brushing it. It would get so knotted. Like looking back, it nearly makes me shiver. I HIGHLY recommend cutting your hair for anyone who struggles with selfcare. How do you feel about your SO daily/regularly checking up on a couple of his exes on social media? I'm single, but hypothetically, if you're checking an ex's page nearly every day, I would not be okay with that. I'm totally fine with exes remaining friends and just cordially talking now and again, but that's it. It's a respect thing. Do you prefer your guy to wear cologne or not? I personally like cologne if it's not overwhelming. I really don't care if you wear it or not, though. Ladies, how important is it to you that your SO wears/would wear a wedding ring? This survey is so heteronormative. But anyway, unless there was an issue like it not fitting, I'd want my spouse to wear their ring. What was the turning point that led you to decide for or against having children? There are a lot of reasons I don't want kids. I'm too selfish with my "me" time, I stress out too easily, I don't want to dedicate my life to keeping another person alive and fed and happy, I have bad genes... I could go on and on. I just wouldn't be a good, "present" enough mom. I am much more interested in ensuring *I* am okay. Is having your “dream” wedding really that important to have? Not at all. I mean I want a smooth and memorable wedding, but I'm not obsessed with it being perfect. Do you consider it cheating if your SO goes to a strip club and then doesn’t tell you? That's certainly not cheating, but I wouldn't like it. Being secretive about anything in a relationship is unhealthy, imo. I'd be hurt and also very insecure because I wouldn't feel like "enough." How old is too old for trick-or-treating? Honestly? I don't think you ever are. Like come on, does it REALLY matter? Let people have fun. I don't do it because of societal standards, but I would if I didn't care about being judged. Do you sleep with your arms over or under the covers? It depends on the temperature, but I normally wake up with them under. Do you own any t-shirts of your favorite band? I have an Ozzy one stored somewhere, but it doesn't fit me now. There was another I really liked too, but that one is WAY too small now. Fries or onion rings? Fries. I'm not a fan of onion rings. True/False: you’ve had an odd dream this week. Story of my life. I had one last night where I kept dying in different ways, and I actually felt the pain, like drowning in magma. Do you find tattoo sleeves attractive? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Do you like carving pumpkins? Yeah. What’s an animal you want to have as a pet but can’t? My mom has absolutely forbidden me to get a tarantula (uh, many tarantulas in my case) until I move out, lol. That doesn't stop me from checking Craigslist like every day. ;_; Have your parents ever caught you drinking? "Caught," no. Any time I've drunk, I've had permission or was a legal adult by then. How would you react if your celebrity crush came to your door? First be humiliated at my appearance and then absolutely pass out lmao. Has your mom/dad ever walked in on you kissing or anything more with someone? No, thank fuck. The person you have a crush on is drunk and goes to kiss you, you know they don’t realize what they’re doing, but do you kiss anyways? If I know it's something they wouldn't do sober, absolutely not. What would you prefer to get from a guy/girl: flowers, a hand written poem, a picture he drew of you or a nice night out? Any would be lovely, but the poem would appeal most to me because of the amount of thought that goes into poetry. Do you any shirts with any kind of images of food on them? What? I don't think so, no. Which holiday is the most fun to decorate for? Halloween. What was the first website you had an email account on? Yahoo. Have you ever written a fanfic? No. Tattoos or piercings? Both are grand, but tats win. What’s the last gross movie/show/video you saw? I saw this picture of a snake split open that had eaten another snake. Would you rather live in a huuuge house or a little cozy one? Lil cozy one! I don't want more space than is needed for cleaning reasons, as well as price. Do you have a tutor for anything? No. Who’s the best kisser you know? Jason was. Has anyone ever threatened you with a knife? No. I'd like it to stay that way. (If you’re a girl) Has anyone ever called you "shortie" instead of girl? Ew, no. Do you have a deep voice? For a woman, yes. Do you play games with boys/girls, like 'hard to get’? Hi, I'm an adult. Is there a Sonic where you live? YES. It's my fave fast-food place. What do you like on your pizza? I have three go-tos depending on my mood: Pepperoni, jalapenos, or meat lovers.

[kingneptunesthinninghead]

How much do you weigh? what a weirdly personal question

If you are outside, what are you most likely doing? sitting in the shade reading a book

Do you think you can love someone without trusting them? yes but not in a way that will ever be truly fulfilling

What’s your opinion on people who go hunting for sport? i live in a very rural area so i grew up with hunting for sport extremely normalized but once i actually developed and used my critical thinking skills i realized how morally reprehensible it is. literally just begging these people to use their brains.

Do you have a fairly fast or slow internet connection? eh its pretty fast

Have you ever been someplace tropical? florida lmao

Are you sensitive to caffeine? somewhat. i dont really consume it that much

How do you usually get around? driving myself

Have you ever been accused of being too clingy? no bc i’m generally pretty independent unless i reallyyyy like someone

What do you think about Kim Kardashian? neutral

Can you speak any French? je parle un peu français

Favorite yogurt flavor? i’m lactose intolerant so i recently tried dairy free yogurt and i hated it sooo i guess none

How much money do you have in your wallet right now? i dont have any cash in my wallet rn lol

What bottled water brand do you like? deer park or aquafina

Your favorite way to eat chocolate? brownies

How often do you listen to country music? sometimes.

Linkin Park or Avenged Sevenfold? neither

Last surgery you had? my wisdom teeth surgery

Have you ever played guitar? no but i wish i could

Is there someone in your life whose career/life choices you find immoral/unethical? Have you ever told that person your views? Do you find it difficult to support them (emotionally or otherwise) because of their choices? um i dont think so

What trait do you feel you lack that you wish you possessed? a little more confidence

Have you ever considered writing your memoirs? maybe

Do you find it difficult to stay invested in online relationships? i dont have very many online friends anymore but when i had a bunch i loved talking to them

Are you the type of person who pays close attention to the release dates of movies, music, etc., and will, for example, go see a movie or buy an album on the date it is released? If so, when is the last time you did so? only for something i really like.

Do you have any stickers on your laptop? a bunch

Would you rather have a job for which you had to go in early in the morning or one you had to stay late into the evening at? early in the morning so then i have the rest of the day to myself when i get off

Do you use any apps to track your health or medications? i have a workout app but that’s it.

Whose opinions/recommendations do you value most? my mom, sister, and my 2 best friends

If you could’ve been at any historical event, which would you have liked to witness firsthand? probably the women’s suffrage movement or the civil rights movement

Is there something that you really want to do but are afraid of doing? If so, why are you afraid of doing it?i want to tell him how i feel but i’m afraid i’ll ruin the friendship

What is something society “expects” you to do that you don’t want to do and/or don’t plan on doing? wear a tampon i’m sorry but i can’t do it

Have Jehovah's Witnesses ever come to your door? no

Are you well-known by people in your area? eh somewhat

Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? no and i dont want to

What's your favourite type of bird? owls!!

What tv show(s) have you been watching currently? i’m watching loki, hsmtmts, planning to watch s2 of never have i ever, and i started one piece but i haven’t watched in a while

Have you ever dated a smoker? no but that might change😳

Do you share a middle name with any of your siblings? no

Have you ever been a member in a band? No.

Can you cry on command? If so, have you ever used it to your advantage? No.

Do you have separate emails for personal and business? i have my school email and personal email

Have you ever missed a flight? no

Have you ever seen a lunar eclipse? i think so.

Have you ever taken a ride in a convertible? i literally rode in my best friend’s convertible last night lmao

Why did you last need to use a band-aid? i dont remember

What fruit do you eat most often? bananas and clementines

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? maybe my great uncle?

Has someone ever tried to start an argument with you over Facebook? What happened? no but i’ve been in a few on insta and twitter.

Have you ever had an unusual type of milk (eg. oat, rice, almond)? i don’t straight up drink milk but i love things made with almond milk.

If you could experience life as a Disney princess for a week, which princess would you pick and why? elsa i want ice powers

When you’re at home, do you spend most of your time in your room? sometimes but normally during the day i’m in the living room with my family

If you like to sleep in late, have your parents ever told you off for doing so? No.

Do you find piercings attractive? Yep.

Do you like potato chips? Loooove 'em.

What’s the most stalker-like/creepy thing you’ve ever done? If you don’t think you’ve done anything like that, what’s the most stalker-like thing someone’s done to you? i’ve looked up a few people’s houses on zillow in my day.

Do you think it’s a double standard that a woman can hit a man and expect to get away with it, but if a man hits a woman it’s assault? absolutely, you shouldn’t hit anyone

What’s your favorite old Disney movie and favorite new Disney movie? my top 3 are princess and the frog, tangled, and frozen 2. i also love the little mermaid

Name something “trendy” or popular that you dislike. idrk

“Dirty talk” in the bedroom…love it, like it, don’t care, dislike it, or hate it? it depends on what it is. it should also be mixed with some loving or praise talk imo

What is/are your favorite type(s) of ethnic food, and what’s your favorite food within that type? i LOVE italian food specifically fettuccine alfredo and i also love asian food such as general tso’s, sweet and sour chicken, lo mein, shrimp fried rice, LUMPIA 🤤

How would you describe your relationship with your hair over the years? i’ve always liked my hair color and thickness. i always go back and forth between growing it out long and cutting it short bc i can never choose which i like more also it has lots of red undertones so i’m thinking about dyeing it a deep red

How do you feel about your SO daily/regularly checking up on a couple of his exes on social media? hypothetically it would be a red flag to me. a clear sign they haven’t moved on from the past

Do you prefer your guy to wear cologne or not? a good smelling cologne on a man will quite literally make me bust a nut.

Ladies, how important is it to you that your SO wears/would wear a wedding ring? i’d want them to unless it didnt fit or something

What was the turning point that led you to decide for or against having children? i’m very close with my family so i’ve always loved the idea of having one of my own with my future spouse

Is having your “dream” wedding really that important to have? i definitely have ideas for my wedding and i would want it to go a certain way according to our plan but in the end if things go wrong or plans change it wouldn’t matter as long as i’m marrying the loml.

Do you consider it cheating if your SO goes to a strip club and then doesn’t tell you? i wouldn’t consider it cheating if he was just watching but i would be angry that he hid it from me

How old is too old for trick-or-treating? i dont think it matters unless ur posing a danger to little children

Do you sleep with your arms over or under the covers? depends but mostly under

Do you own any t-shirts of your favorite band? i have nsync and harry styles shirts but thats it

Fries or onion rings? Fries.

True/False: you’ve had an odd dream this week. all the time but most of the time i forget them right after i wake up

Do you find tattoo sleeves attractive? depends

Do you like carving pumpkins? Yeah.

What’s an animal you want to have as a pet but can’t? i think raccoons are adorable but its kindaaaa hard to domesticate them

Have your parents ever caught you drinking? no bc my parents let me drink in the house and i’ve told them abt every time i’ve drank at college

How would you react if your celebrity crush came to your door? i would absolutely piss and shit on myself.

Has your mom/dad ever walked in on you kissing or anything more with someone? no

The person you have a crush on is drunk and goes to kiss you, you know they don’t realize what they’re doing, but do you kiss anyways? i would stop it even if i want to bc i don’t want them to regret anything and i wouldn’t want them to kiss me if they don’t like me bc it would hurt too much.

What would you prefer to get from a guy/girl: flowers, a hand written poem, a picture he drew of you or a nice night out? i would love them all but something abt a guy taking the time to write a poem for me makes me melt

Do you any shirts with any kind of images of food on them? no.

Which holiday is the most fun to decorate for? halloween

What was the first website you had an email account on? gmail

Have you ever written a fanfic? YES AHSHDH.

Tattoos or piercings? tats for sure.

What’s the last gross movie/show/video you saw? the scene where alexei breaks the inmate’s wrist in black widow is SO GROSS i cringe every time

Would you rather live in a huuuge house or a little cozy one? definitely a little cozy one

Do you have a tutor for anything? No.

Who’s the best kisser you know? i’ve only kissed one person.

Has anyone ever threatened you with a knife? No. I'd like it to stay that way.

(If you’re a girl) Has anyone ever called you "shortie" instead of girl? no and i hope they dont

Do you have a deep voice? not really

Do you play games with boys/girls, like 'hard to get’? no thats dumb

Is there a Sonic where you live? yes i’m a whore for sonic

What do you like on your pizza? pepperoni or sausage

[gluestickcherrybum]

Ahoy there! I'm back with another study post °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

 So if you aren't aware already, me as well as various other study bloggers are notorious for writing aesthetically pleasing handwritten notes. Notes aren’t absolutely necessary if you prefer to do without.  A lot of my friends and acquaintances don’t bother with them and prefer to rely entirely on the lecture materials provided. I find that it helps me indefinitely in my studies and as a brief creative outlet which I rarely give myself the time for.

Why take Notes? 

Instead of printing the lecture materials given digitally, I've taken it to re-write the lecture notes a few days prior to the lecture. Some lecturers insist their students read the material to get a grasp of the topic before the lecture and this is taking it a few steps further.  They say writing something down is equivalent to reading it 7 times, meaning getting into memory this way is so much more efficient which is one of the biggest reasons I insisted myself handwrite my notes. Also writing your own notes is totally customisable to your needs, do you prefer mind maps or lists? Infographics or paragraphs? Minimalistic or colourful? It's all up to you.

Why I personally take notes

Different plants have different needs. Some need to be watered daily, some twice a day and some every other day. Some thrive in nutrient-rich soil and some prefer to sit in dry sand. Just like plants, each individual student has different needs and circumstances to thrive. For me, since I have a relatively low attention span and am a relatively slow learner, I needed the head start of reading topics beforehand to catch on with the rest. To me, with proper preparation for lectures, attending the lecture is like filling in the missing puzzle pieces. At least it should be. Also, I'm more of a visual learner, so if you're like me, then well structured, colourful and easy to read notes are not only more appealing but really help me in my studies and help me grasp topics a lot faster.

SUPPLIES

Probably the part where everyone is pumped for but I'll to simplify as well as be in-depth as possible.

Basically, you need paper and a pen. Need some colours? get some highlighters or coloured pens. Some people usually go one or the other but you can benefit from using both systematically. 

What I look for in my preferred paper:

Thicker paper (120gsm) because I use markers and pens that bleed through anything less and I like my paper sturdy because I heavily reference my notes and I don't want them to get worn out as quickly (i want to actually try to use thinner paper and be gentler but not sure how much I can commit to it  o(╥﹏╥)o).

Smoother paper is good if you use felt tips so they don't get damaged that quickly.

Line spacing. Its a waste of space and paper if you have small handwriting but largely spaced outlines. Not easy to find though.

Line colour. I prefer lighter lines such as light grey if possible, it just looks tidier that my writing contrasts more than with jet black lines.

Recycled or sustainably made paper. Because environment. Trees happy. Duh.

At the moment I'm a fan of loose-leaf paper because I'm not a fan of wasting notebook paper at the back (plus its even harder to get the paper features I want in notebooks unless I'm lucky) but if I were to succumb to using notebooks, I would definitely prefer thread-bound or hand-sewn over spring bound just because I think metal springs are annoying and if they're plastic, they aren't recyclable. You know me.

In conclusion, it's hard to find test pad with all of these features, you can consider printing your own notepaper if you're as picky as I am but you do you. If you can only afford flimsy see-through paper, that's alright. But make sure your supplies are appropriate for them as most of the supplies I use will bleed even on regular paper

Pens

Don't bother going all out and using fine liners or drawing pens to write notes. Get practical. Pick your poison. Smooth gel pens or dry ballpoint? Ergonomic or Budget-friendly? Disposable or refillable? My only guideline is to make sure they have waterproof ink because in any case, you need to send in an assignment last minute and have to rush through the rain without a folder you definitely want your writing to be at least legible if anything. (yes I learned this the hard way, yes illegible work will cost you a lot of marks. don't make my mistake ｡：ﾟ(｡ﾉω＼｡)ﾟ･｡

 Also. Black or Blue? Studies show that writing in blue improves memory collection but black is the more neutral aesthetic. What do I do? I use black as my main colour and write keywords and important facts in blue to take advantage of its memory-enhancing properties.

My current preference: Zebra Sarasa Clip (because its made of 75% recycled plastic and is a good quality pen) with Pentel Energel refill (gel ink that dries quickly. that's all I need)

Budget-Friendly: There are good quality pen sets at the ECO shop (Malaysian dollar store) or buy disposable pens in bulk at any book store. Trust me, it saves a lot more than buying a brand new 80 cent pen every now and again. (Also including the cost of transportation to the store because when you live independently, every cent matters) It's not exactly environmentally friendly but hey, anything to cut the cost right?

Zero Waste option: Fountain Pen with a converter (not the cartridges) and glass bottles of ink refill. Yes, it sounds daunting but its zero waste if that's your cup of tea. You don't have to go all out and buy an expensive luxury fountain pen made of stainless steel, or go fancy and get a flexible nib. If you ask me, I have my eyes set on the pilot kakuno fountain pen, its simple, aesthetic and highly recommended for beginners (although not plastic-free its made out of 85% recycled plastic which is cool since I'm hoping to make a one time purchase, I won't mind it being made from plastic but that just my taste)

Coloured Pens

So I haven't been a fan of using coloured pens for a while but ill tell you I'm currently using a cheap set of coloured gel pens from Kaison just because they have cute patterns but the ink flow isn't that smooth so I should've bought something more practical. The ultimate budget-friendly option which is not only cheap but long-lasting and good quality, and ones that I’d recommend for anyone is the Papermate Kilometrico ballpoint coloured pens. So far I only know they come in five colours but they've been my favourite for years. Most people I know that disagree with me usually don't like the colour range or arent a fan of dry ink but if you aren't that picky and looking for a reliable option they're a good option, plus if you're using cheap paper, they won't bleed or anything so that's cool.

Highlighters

I love pastel highlighters. Its soft, cute, aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and some colours are better at actually highlighting words rather than their neon counterparts like green and purple. Although not the cheapest option, I doubt ill ever go back to neon highlighters ever and ill only be recommending pastel highlighters thanks.

My current preference: I'm currently using Monami Pastel Highlighters just because they were on sale with comparable prices to unbranded cheap pastel highlighters. I will never recommend commonly branded highlighters like Stabilo Boss or Zebra Mildliners because the extra pennies just aren't worth it since the unbranded kind has lived up to my standards. (also I haven't tried those branded highlighters mind you but I doubt I'm missing out on anything)

Budget-Friendly option: While Zebra Mildliners are being sold at RM5 for one and RM25 for a set, Mr DIY sells knockoff brand "BEIFA" for RM7 for a set of six which is a pretty good deal if you ask me (also there are double-sided ones with a bullet and chisel tips if you thought mildliners were the only option with those features). I've also found some rare gems, unbranded pastel highlighters hidden in common bookstores for an even cheaper price, but they're really hard to find unless the pastel highlighter trend decides to catch on. I digress.

Zero Waste option: I heard about highlighter pencils, just wooden pencils with neon colour pigments, but why get trendy when you can use any old wooden colouring pencils lying around? I don't think ill give up plastic highlighters for wooden pencils despite being a strong environmentalism advocate but there are a few options for highlighters made from recycled plastic but they either don't come in pastel colours or too pricey for my taste (yes I'm a cheapskate for crud sake)

Extras

These other things aren't exactly necessary but they add little flourishes and/or aid you in your note-taking. Not exactly an extra investment but its completely up to you

Sticky notes (or coloured memo pads) for extra notes, diagrams or equations which I like for them to stand out a bit. (Pastel over neon of course)

Washi tape to divide subchapters (but a highlighter streak does the job)

Correction tape because never will I ever use correction fluid mind you

Brush pens for headers (completely unnecessary but I don't have any other outlet to practice brush lettering so.) Recommendations: Artline Stix (chunky but super cheap, marker type not for thin paper), Pentel Fude Touch (great for beginners, small and practical, 83% recycled plastic, but will bleed on regular paper)

Alternatively, a regular black felt tip marker just to make the title stand out is good enough.

NOTE TAKING TECHNIQUES

An underrated note-taking method is the Cornell method which is frankly a systematic way to write notes in which you divide the paper into 4 sections, a place for title and date and stuff, the main body for notes, extended side margin for extra info/lecture comments/questions/subtitles and bottom quarter reserved for a summary of the notes. Some people modify this technique by omitting the summary section, depending on your needs.

Bullet points and indents. This is pretty self-explanatory, but it's pretty much notes that aren't chunky paragraphs. Easier to read, easier to register information, easier to skim through. You get the gist of it.

Highlighting system. Some people go all out with their highlighting system and designate colours to certain things such as green for vocab, orange for equations, blue for subtopics. etc. You can try this out if you want, but for me, the plethora of colour is quite distracting and not that aesthetically pleasing, but you do you.

BREAKING DOWN MY METHOD OF NOTE TAKING

My priorities to note-taking are: Easy to read, simple, decluttered and visually pleasing. For colours, I mainly use up to 4. Black pen for the main information, blue pen for keywords (or any coloured pen that matches the highlighter), one or two highlighters as a colour theme and matching sticky notes for extra info, diagrams or equations.

I assign a whole chapter to a specific colour theme, first assigning a certain highlighter colour to the first six chapters, if there are more than six chapters, I use 2 accent colours just to shake it up a bit. This makes it easier to differentiate the chapters when flipping through your notes.

So its, hand-lettered title (i do my lettering quite quickly, mind you) or all caps title in black marker. Mini banner doodle for subtitles (a simple box with a drop shadow works just fine), contrasting coloured keywords (or underlined) and highlighters just for accents like dividing subtitles or drawing boxes for extra info (that or sticky notes). I don't simplify my lecture notes, rather rewriting them in a more orderly manner and leaving a good amount of extra space here and there (or an extended margin if I use Cornell) for extra lecture notes. Also, I highlight whatever notes that my lecturer would point out as important or worth remembering. And that's pretty much it. After the lecture, I then know which parts of the notes were more vital and can then simplify those key points into flashcards which ill discuss in a different post.

Thanks for reading, I know my posts are pretty long but that's the way I like them, long but in depth. As usual, if you would like me to cover any specific topics, feel free to message me or give feedback. I hope to be able to write 2 or 3 articles a month if I can but until then, have a nice day. Study smart peeps. 

ヾ(@°▽°@)ノ 

[haillenarte]

uniqlo x ffxiv collab;

Here are translations of the Uniqlo x FFXIV advertisements that hit Japanese stores in December 2019.

Wait... What? An announcement was posted on Lodestone today that tapestries (basically just banners) of FFXIV characters would be displayed in select Uniqlo stores in Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.

I’ve heard of Uniqlo, but I don’t know what it is... Uniqlo is a Japanese fashion brand that’s pretty much known for selling basics — think single-color shirts, sweaters, pants, coats, and scarves. While I won’t speak for everyone, and I’m sure some people have wildly different opinions, my personal experience is that in Tokyo, Uniqlo is thought of as a very basic, bargain-bin place to buy clothes: yeah, it’s normal to shop there, and pretty much everyone has some item from Uniqlo in their closet somewhere, but it’s not really considered fashionable, and it’s honestly a bit uncool to wear Uniqlo from head to toe. In New York, however, Uniqlo is generally thought of as basic but trendy — people tend to like the quality of the clothing even though individual items can be pricey. In the end, a brand is a brand. If they operate in your country, you may as well head to their website to get your own idea of it.

So this is basically just an advertising campaign? Yes, and a very limited one. If I understand correctly, the ads are only running in three Uniqlo stores in all of Tokyo. They’re pretty big stores in trendy neighborhoods, but not the flagship store or anything. (Their flagship store is in Ginza, which is very nice, but rather mature and austere.) Also, they are specifically advertising Uniqlo’s “HEATTECH” clothing line, which, I don’t know, uses science to keep you warm or something. I have never tried HEATTECH clothes, though I have other pieces of clothing from Uniqlo, but I am told that they are pretty warm.

How weird is this for Uniqlo? Honestly, not that weird — Uniqlo does a lot of collaborations with popular series, mostly thanks to their T-shirt line that’s collaborated with such characters and series as Mario, Gundam, Pokémon, Hello Kitty, and all manner of mangas. I don’t know whether or not they’ve run fake testimonials from characters before, but the testimonial-based ads themselves are just a thing that Uniqlo does. I’m pretty sure they’ve done comparable campaigns in Singapore and Taiwan, albeit with real people giving their opinions and not Final Fantasy characters. Their “Voices of New York” series was somewhat similar as well — they got a bunch of famous New Yorkers to wear Uniqlo and do little interviews, basically.

How weird is this for Square Enix? Honestly, not that weird — I mean, will anything ever be as weird as when they decided to have Lightning and other characters from FFXIII model for Prada and Louis Vuitton? FFXV had fashion collaborations with Vivienne Westwood and Roen built into the game, too, although that was a little more... serious. I’m actually just disappointed that they didn’t whip up a Uniqlo HEATTECH shirt for the characters to actually wear.

How weird is this, like... generally? Oh, it’s very silly, but character collaborations are all kind of a big joke anyway. And, to be honest, they do get nerds to get into their stores and buy shit.

Photos were taken randomly off Twitter. Thank you to everyone who visited Uniqlo just to share the banners with social media.

As for the text itself, I... I don’t want to talk about it...

HEATTECH x FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE The reason I wear Heattech every day...

ESTINIEN Former Azure Dragoon Heattech lover for 5 years.

Under my armor, I’m always wearing Heattech. Has it already been 5 years, now? 'Twas Ser Aymeric who originally recommended to me these garments. At first, I was half in doubt as to the veracity of his claims, but once I equipped mine own apparel, I was stunned by how well it performed. It doesn't matter how high I jump through the frigid air of Coerthas — I never get cold. Now I can't even imagine fighting in the skies without Heattech.

ALPHINAUD LEVEILLEUR Academician of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn Heattech lover for 1 year.

In Heattech, I'm warm from the tips of my fingers down to my toes. During my journey through Ishgard, a companion of mine recommended that I wear these curious garments to stay warm, and I have not been parted from them since. Even as I gathered bits of brush and kindling in the Churning Mists for our campfire, I felt not the slightest chill.

ALISAIE LEVEILLEUR Red Mage of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn Heattech lover for 1 year.

When something red catches my eye, I just have to have it. And each time a new Heattech product comes out, I'll add it to my wardrobe without hesitation. These garments don't get in the way during frenzied combat, and they provide the ease of movement that I need in the heat of battle. They come in so many tempting colors that I do find it difficult to choose between them every now and then — but in the end, I always pick red!  

Y’SHTOLA RHUL Sorceress of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn Heattech lover for 6 years.

Every sorceress worth her salt keeps a few secrets... and Heattech is one of mine. Naturally, these vestments will keep you warm, and I particularly appreciate that they feel smooth to the touch. ‘Twould be an exaggeration to say that I could forget that I am wearing them, but... I do find myself advantaged by the way that they do not obstruct the flow of magic. As Master Matoya has chosen to reside in a rather dark, chilly cave, I thought it prudent to send her a selection of Heattech raiments. I wonder how well she found them.

CID NAN GARLOND President of Garlond Ironworks Heattech lover for 9 years.

Heattech is our company's hidden uniform. Garlond Ironworks engineers often work in cold environments, so Heattech garments have become indispensable to our performance. Anyone who's ever flown an airship knows this well: when you're at the helm, you're at the mercy of the winds, and those winds are cold. That's why every engineer in our organization is provided with a Heattech undershirt. And you? Will you join our number?

NERO TOL SCAEVA Freelance Genius Engineer Heattech lover for 9 years.

This is something I might engineer — which is how you know it’s good. Garlond’s Heattech undershirt is naught but a simple garment, whereas mine is fitted with a magitek weave that promotes superior heat retention!

KRILE BALDESION Archon of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn Heattech lover for 3 years.

Do you suppose we might call this... the power to transcend the cold? Thanks to the raging aether surrounding the isle, Eureka Anemos undergoes volatile changes in temperature, making Heattech an absolute necessity for exploring the more frosty areas of the Forbidden Land. Even that obstinate Ejika hides an undershirt beneath his robes, you know! I myself am rather partial to sporting a good pair of Heattech short pants whilst on expedition. I don't believe even the brightest minds at the Studium could have conceived of such practical use for this technology.

Please note that Sharlayan lore isn’t my strong suit, and I never set foot in Eureka, so it is possible that there are better ways to interpret some of Krile’s remarks here.

also here’s my version thank u good night

[purplesurveys]

1137

created by: allwrongx - Bzoink

Do you have a bookshelf? If so, just one or how many? I don’t, actually. I have the most books out of everyone in the family, but they’re all either lined up or stacked in random points in my room because of said lack of shelves. Currently, I have three groups of books strategically placed around my room.

If you answered yes to the above, are your books ordered in a special way? Just by height since I have a lot of tall books like encyclopedias as well as smaller-sized novels and pocketbooks.

Have you ever owned action figures? I have a couple of wrestling action figures and I want to keep collecting more if my financial situation ever permits it in the future.

Why did you last smile? Andrew Ilnyckyj finally has a new cooking videoooooooo, which is the main BuzzFeed content I watch these days. I think his last one had been posted in January, so I’ve been feeling pretty starved for some new Andrew content.

Do you have a close relationship with your immediate family? I’m not close with them in that I don’t feel shy about kissing/hugging them or confiding in them; my family are not those people for me. But like we don’t fight (anymore) and we’re able to have pleasant talks over dinner, which is as close as I’d possibly ever get with them. 

Idk, we were ultimately never able to cultivate an emotionally strong relationship with one another, which I’ll always feel bittersweet about; but at least I now have a blueprint of how I’d want to build my relationships within my family, should I ever have one of my own.

If I gave you twenty bucks what would you do with it? Use it to pay my sister for the drawing commission I asked her to make. My total bill comes up to around that amount, anyway.

If dinosaurs could be tamed, would you want one as a pet? Nope, they can stay in the wild.

Do you crack your knuckles, neck or toes constantly? I crack my knuckles the most and my ankles as well. Never my neck and toes.

Are you constantly catching colds or other sicknesses? No, I rarely get sick.

Is there a movie from your childhood that you still watch today? I do an annual Toy Story rewatch because it’s my absoluete favorite kid’s movie. I will also always be in the mood to watch The Game Plan, which I watched every single weekday after coming home from school in like the 3rd grade.

Have you ever seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Nope but this has been on my list for years. Just never gotten around to downloading it and finally seeing it for myself.

Where do you do most of your shopping? I usually go to small, independent businesses that sell trendy pieces for a lot less, but I also drop by H&M from time to time. Once I feel secure enough with my savings I also wanna be able to start shopping from Zalora because they have really nice brands over there as well, haha.

Are you afraid of mice? I don’t imagine I would be since they’re tiny and cute. I’m afraid of house rats, though, especially considering how big they can get D:

What type of souvenir do you usually purchase when on vacation? I typically don’t get souvenirs for myself, but this is also because I’ve never traveled solo. My family collects magnets from all the different places we’ve been to though (and also from my dad’s work travels), so our fridge doors are filled with them. 

Do you vacation often? Yeah, my family would usually take 3-5 trips a year, usually around the country and sometimes out of; but of course we’ve had to put a stop to it since the pandemic blew up.

Are you comfortable wearing your pajamas in public places? The only place I’d be comfortable doing so is at the nearby McDonald’s, since I’ve seen residents from my village come in there wearing their PJs or housewear. Otherwise no, I’d rather dress up.

What's your favorite candy bar? Twix!!!!!!!! And while they’re not technically bar-shaped, I love Reese’s Cups too.

Do you own more than one copy or edition of a book? Hahaha yeah. I have two copies of Twilight (one is from my boxed set, another was given to me by a childhood friend, Maryrose) and Breaking Dawn (one is also from my boxed set, while the other one is the special white cover edition given to me by Angela).

If you could see any musical on Broadway right now, what would it be? Miss Saigon. That’s the only musical I’m into.

If you could put any person or characters face on money, whose would it be? I definitely want to see a woman’s face on a dollar bill or coin sometime in the future. < Oh man, this is a pretty good answer. We do already have women in our P500 and P1000 bills, but they’re accompanied by men :/ It’d be neat to see a woman take over a bill/coin all on her own, like Gabriela Silang.

The place that you'd most like to be right now is where? God I really wish I were out in a coffee shop right now but I have to saveeeeee. I’ve been meaning to check out this nearby cafe that also doubles as a co-working space (which means I can do work there without feeling guilty or anxious that I’m taking too much time there, yay), and I might visit next week.

Do large crowds make you anxious? Depends on what the context is. If I find myself in the middle of a stampede that’s quickly going ugly then I will definitely start to panic; but if I’m at, say, a concert, then personally a bigger crowd means a better experience for me.

Do you own a helmet of any sorts? None of my own, but we do have a helmet for our bike.

Will you willingly sing in front of other people besides your family? No unless a huge sum of money is up for grabs, lmao. I’ve only sang in public once, when my mom made me do a solo number on my 7th birthday.

What's in the box? Yeah, I’m not feeling creative enough for this question...

Does your family generally decorate for most holidays? No, only for Christmas.

Would you take the chance to be Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys for a day? Eh, I’d pass up on the offer. Mystery isn’t my thing.

Do you eat soup when you're sick? No. I prefer to drink lots of water as I usually lose my appetite when I’m sick anyway.

Is there a specific mug or coffee cup that you have to use all of the time? I don’t have to use it, but I’m in love with the mug Angela gave me just this past Christmas. I use it all the time now.

Have you ever watched Doctor Who? No, but I don’t think it’s my kind of genre or show.

If so, what do you think is the scariest creature yet?

Do you prefer to do your shopping online or in person? If I already have an idea of what I want to get, I prefer to get it in person. But if I need something oddly specific and have no idea where to start, that’s when I start to look for online shops or go to Shopee or Lazada altogether.

If you read, which book or series did you enjoy most as a child? Angie Sage, with her Septimus Heap series.

Do you read tour guide type books before you visit places? It’s been a while since I’ve traveled extensively, and when I was younger I didn’t really read into tourist guides. Now that I’m older, I do want to start reading up before visiting a different country – not necessarily about the best places to visit, but more about the culture and practices I have to observe. I remember being reprimanded by a Korean when I tried to snap a photo of something I saw while out in public in Jeju, and I don’t want to do something like that again.

Would you please belt out a few song lyrics here? AND IF YOU TRY TO FIND ME NOOOOW I’M IN ALL THE ECHOES THAT HAVE FAAAADED OUT soooo!!! I’M MOVING ON CAUSE I JUST WANT TO FEEL FOR ONCE THAT I BELONG, THAT’S WHAT GOING ON

How do you get rid of your hiccups? I hold my breath, which is a trick taught to me by my mom. Not always effective, but it does work sometimes.

Is there one saying that you've adopted from someone/somewhere else? I’ve picked up “Awesome!” which was Gabie’s catchphrase. My former director also liked saying “Anywhoooooo” when she wants to digress, and I’ve since adopted that into my vocabulary and mannerisms as well.

Can you lie effectively and smoothly? Yes, but I feel like shit every time I have to.

Do you buy Halloween candy when it's on sale after the holiday? No, I don’t enjoy candy anyway.

Why is your favorite teacher your favorite? She taught beyond her curriculum - music, which isn’t even part of my top 30 favorite subjects - and always made sure to inject a little bit of useful life advice in all her lessons.

Who can never fail to make you laugh? Hans.

Do you agree with the "they're just being kids" excuse? No, especially if the kids in question are already 16/17 year olds.

How many pets have you had in your lifetime? Countless goldfish, one chick, one rabbit, one cat, two birds, and two dogs.

Were you ever afraid of monsters under your bed? Sure. Still am occasionally, heh.

Would you kindly recommend your favorite movie to me? Two for the Road shows a realistic take on love told through cars and a non-linear tour around Southern Europe. If you’re into that and Audrey Hepburn’s pretty outfits in each scene, definitely check it out.

[critic-corner]

Fashion Recommendations - Tackling The Wedding Season

I’ve been meaning to start a series of blog posts, hopefully every month, recommending and translating some of the current trends but in a more realistic way. Here’s the thing, I do not like the whole idea of trends. Not only do they promote fast fashion, but even financially, the idea of giving one’s hard-earned money to some giant corporate machine who will eventually tell you 6 months later that what you’re wearing is “not in” anymore doesn’t make any sense to me.

Still, I understand wanting to stay up to date with the constantly evolving fashion scene and that is why, I thought of starting these series of recommendation posts that will help you navigate the online ordering world. After spending numerous hours (not exaggerating), going through a couple of websites, I shortlisted these 40 items that I feel would be perfect for wedding season. From ceremonies like Mehendi, the Wedding and Reception to everything else in between, I have tried to add something for every event while also keeping variety of personal styles in mind.

All the products that I have chosen fall in the price range of high street brands but again, do keep in mind that the list has been made keeping longevity in mind. I would hate for you to buy something and feel like it’s useless couple of months later because it’s not trendy anymore.

Do note that these are all Indian websites (because that is where I’m from). So, if you’re from some other country and are interested in me picking out some pieces, just email or message me here and I’ll try to find a good website in your country.

Styling Tip

Just because something is expensive does not make it a quality product. So, if you associate spending more money with excellence, believe me, you’d greatly benefit by letting go of that thinking.

Half of the trick lies in styling and to look good, you’d have to let your creative juices flow. Styling can be fun and easy, once you find your way around trends. In fact, then you’ll look forward to repeating your outfits because that will give you an opportunity to mix and match them with different accessories. Not to mention, it would be cost-efficient. So, this is kind of an eternal tip while shopping - buy something that you know for sure that you’ll re-wearing it a couple of times at least (you’d be surprised how many people don’t shop like that).

Anyways, I think you have probably stopped reading this by now. So, let’s just jump into it. Happy shopping!

(Click on the name of the product to see all the details).

Puneet Gupta Luxury Jashn-e-Bahara Clutch

Puneet Gupta Luxury Zevar Rang Daar Clutch

Forever New Carlotta Rose Clasp Hardcase

ESSDEE Accessories Gold Gota Clutch

Puneet Gupta Luxury Maharani Clutch

ESSDEE Accessories Gold Gina Clutch

Vareli Bafna Antique Paan Clutch

Mochi Black Gold Embroidered Clutch

The Purple Sack Eleganza Floral Potli

The Purple Sack Black Paisley Potli

The Purple Sack Yellow Blossom Potli Bag

Lovetobag Black Jahanara Potli Pouch

Tribe by Amrapali Filigree Dome Hoop Earrings

Tribe by Amrapali Multi Enamel Chandrika Ear Studs

Paisley Pop Lakshmi Temple Work Jhumka

SIA Antique Handcrafted Jhumka Earrings

Sangeeta Boochra Green & Black Meenakari Silver Statement Earrings

Tribe by Amrapali Talisman Chandrika Earcuff With Hair Comb

Firdaus Jewels by Akshita Wide Kundan Ring

Peora Ethnic German Silver Oxidised Green Stone Ring

Tribe by Amrapali Pearl Flower Ring

Paisley Pop Temple Emboss Bangles

Joules by Radhika White Swarovski Beads Necklace

Paisley Pop Naisha Red Jade Necklace

ERIDANI Off White & Yellow Avery Mules

Sole House Maroon Shayla Patterned Juttis

IMLEE Gold Dust Juttis

Metro Black Embroidered Juttis

Sole House Baroque Nude Block Heels

Ambraee Off White Printed Gota Love Set With Dupatta

Rangpur Tangerine Anarkali With Tasseled Dupatta

EMPRESS PITARA Mehreen Burgundy Suit

Desi Weavess Yellow Brocade High Slit Kurta

Desi Weavess Aazmat Elegant Maroon Kurta

Desi Weavess Beige Chanderi Kalidar Kurta

trueBrowns Black Green Border Dress With Green Chiffon Dupatta Set

trueBrowns Maroon Print Bodice Dress

Ambraee Maroon Bandhani Lehenga

INDDUS Grey Woven Saree With Blouse Piece

INDDUS Black Georgette Solid Saree With Blouse Piece

Photo Courtesy - Nykaa Fashion

[udressme-blog1]

5 STYLE HACKS EVERY PETITE SHOULD KNOW

You asked, I’m answering! Spilling all of my petite style tips & tricks for you all today. Let’s just all agree, it’s hard being a petite girl in a regular-sized world! Those “must-have” jeans extend for 5 inches past your feet, and the oversized sweater that looked so cute online somehow drowns you in person. And, not enough retailers (in my opinion), carry petite sizes of their most popular items. But, that seems to be changing. Over the last few years, I’ve noticed retailers providing more petite options. The only problem is is that most of the petite sizes are online only. Luckily, that’s where I come in!

Consider me your 5’2″ guide for how to find the petite items you desperately need! From my Instagram survey yesterday, there were a few reoccurring themes – the need for petite pants (not jeans), petite leggings, and petite jeans that can be worn with ankle booties. So, today I’m answering all of your requests plus a few more! Because this is a post on petite sizing and styling, I do think it’s necessary to give out my sizing for a frame of reference. As I said, I’m 5’2″ and usually between 105-110lbs. I wear XXS/XS in regular sized tops and sweaters OR, preferably, a SP in petite tops and 25P/0short/0petite in petite pants/denim. On the rare occasion, at LOFT in particular, I will size down one to a XSP or 24P – their petite sizes sometimes run large.

5 PETITE STYLE HACKS

our fave faux leather leggings now come in petite!

an example of how I cuff this regular length pair

LEGGINGS: By far, my most asked petite style question is – where do you find your leggings? You know, the kind that don’t bunch for miles around your ankles? So, I’m not opposed to buying regular length leggings although I have a “hack” to make them shorter. I also have a few retailers I go to for petite leggings in general.

First, You gals see me where these leggings from Amazon and these from Nordstrom most often. Neither are petite. I find that the bunching around the ankles for these two are minimal. If I’m wearing high-top sneaks or booties, I’ll roll them under so you can’t see the cuff. For me, this works a majority of the time.

But, that’s not really ideal, right? The reason I have those two at the present moment is because I picked them up on major sale (anyone surprised?! lol). Otherwise, I have also purchased petite length leggings from LOFT, Express, Athleta and Spanx. These LOFT leggings are a great budget friendly buy but, be forewarned, they can be see-through when you bend over. Same goes for this pair from Express. Athleta and Spanx, although usually a bit pricier, will for SURE last longer, be more comfortable (didn’t believe this until my sister bought me my first pair), and will not be see-through. I recently found this under $60 pair from Athleta (Athleta labels leggings as “tights”) and our fave faux leather leggings from Spanx also now come in petite.

2. DENIM: And my second most asked questions is where to find petite denim that works with booties. Ideally so that you can actually show off that cute frayed hem I have another hack for this and then a retailer that always comes through for bootie approved denim!

The hack – If you’re looking for a “cuffed” look with booties, there’s a great denim trend going on right now that, if I didn’t know better, I’d say was a subversive attack by petites on the regular length world. Ankle length denim. But, the trick is to buy the ankle length denim in regular length. That way they fall right to the ends of your legs – like normal petite denim would. You can then cuff them 1-1.5 inches and wear with booties. You could, of course, just buy petite full length denim, but I always find it’s just a little too long to do this with for some reason. For cuffing, you want the denim to be almost too short when left unrolled that way you’re not dealing with too much fabric.

I like this “hack” because there are a lot more options for fashionable denim in ankle length since it’s trendy! Yesterday, I shared this brand by Nordstrom on stories again. Endless ankle length options and most are under $50. They do run TTS for the most part but some (like this pair) run large so read reviews!

And, if you’re looking for super cute petite denim that you don’t have to cuff, I HIGHLY recommend heading to this retailer. Their short sizes work for even the tallest booties, and they have tons of styles that are seemingly always on sale. The black pair you see me wear frequently (above) are from this retailer. These run TTS.

3. PANTS: Luckily, when I worked in the corporate world, I could get by with casual attire most of the time. And the few times I had to wear (petite) dress pants, they ended up being high-waters. 5-6 years ago, I refused to shop for dress pants at LOFT because of this issue. But, 2 years ago, I tried them again, and they fit perfectly! I can only assume they changed up their sizing a bit. What I love about their dress pants is that they’re in style, on budget (& on sale every other weekend) AND great quality! Another brand to try, that’s often forgot about, is Express. They have great workwear in general and their petite dress pants selection is no exception. And, they’re currently having a 40% off sale!

4. DRESSES: There’s no easy way around this one – I’ve found it’s a ton of trial and error. When you can, I always suggest buying dresses in petite sizes to avoid returns or alterations. In addition to Express, ASOS, a company I was first introduced to while living abroad, has a great selection of affordable petite dresses. Caution, just like Topshop, they run “small” because it’s UK sizing. So size up 2 from what you would normally do (I get US4 for example). I highly recommend using their “best fit” guide on the product’s page to find your best fit! And, FYI, if you are a Nordstrom card member, you have automatic credit toward their alterations department!

5. CREATE LENGTH: And the last petite topic I often get questions about is how I manage to wear oversized sweaters or tops without looking like I’m 2 ft tall. The struggle! Two hacks play into this.

First, boots and heels are your BEST FRIENDS. They don’t have to be high, but buy a style that sets you up an inch or two. Seems like a no brainer right? But, take it a step further. Pair your over the knee black boots, with black leggings, and it’ll make your legs look like they go on for days. Or, tuck your pants into your booties. That way it’s hard to tell where your legs end, thus, making them appear longer. And, lastly, I love the over the knee boot + dress trend, but that’s something not all of us petite gals can rock. As a rule of thumb, you should always have a full hands width between the top of the boots and bottom of your dress. And, because most OTK boots extend higher on us than most people, you may want to opt for knee high boots to avoid a dress that’s too short!

And, if you want to hop on the oversized sweater or top trend there are two things I suggest. One, if petite sizing isn’t an option, try to find a regular length top that’s cropped. It’ll be full length on most of us petites. Like this top I wore earlier this week that I found, by the reviews, to run short on regular people. Or, size down TWO in regular sized tops! Second, if you are wearing an oversized cardigan – petite or regular – try to wear something more slimming underneath and tuck it into a pair of high-waisted skinny jeans. We all know I love these camis for tucking in and also have this fitted tee on the way. By wearing a fitted top and skinny jeans with your oversized cardi, you avoid the risk of looking like you’re drowning in all of your clothes. And, by tucking your top into your denim, you’re giving the illusion of longer legs.  cheap ball dresses

[rosasanctus]

Hello again! It’s been over a year since we posted on the blog, but it’s 2019 now and we have a resolution to start blogging again! I know, it’s already three months into the year, but you have to start somewhere right? And even though we haven’t been posting here, we’ve been active on Instagram where we regularly post mini reviews (check it out!). Anyway…we thought what better way to start off than with a subscription box review?

Neither of us have ever tried a monthly k-beauty subscription box before, because the randomness of it can be scary. Both of us are on a budget when we shop for skincare, so we usually opt to buy products that we’ve selected ourselves. That’s why when JoahBox reached out and offered to send us a box, we jumped at the chance!

JoahBox is a k-beauty monthly subscription box that sends you 5 -7 full-size products ($60-$100 value) that are either skincare, makeup, or haircare. The items curated are supposed to be what’s trendy in Korea at the moment. We received the February ’19 box, which included 5 items that indeed ranged between skincare, makeup, and haircare. The items came neatly packaged in a plastic drawstring bag with the JoahBox logo and a cute, informational pamphlet that included short blurbs and tips about each product.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each product!

Milimage Bashful Blusher in #5 ROSE

Reviewed by Sara

I’d never heard of the brand Milimage, but as soon as I pulled this compact blusher out of the box I was immediately obsessed. The packaging is sleek and clean in a minimalistic way that calls to the organized, clean freak deep in my soul. The compact is also magnetized so if you use other Milimage products, you can stack them together neatly in your bag!

This is a cream-type blusher, which is my preferred type of blush, because I find that it looks more natural and has longer wear time than powder blush. This blush definitely lives up to the claims of having a velvety texture and applies very smoothly. It’s not as strongly pigmented as western blushes, but instead gives you a pleasantly flushed look. The color is a soft rose that is perfect for a simple, daytime look and it’s quickly become my go-to for work. As for wear time, it lasts most of my 8-hour work day but needs some touching up if I intend to go out after.

The top swatch is one layer and the bottom swatch is 3 layers.

Milimage Face Tone Sealer

Reviewed by Rosa

Piggy-backing on Sara’s review, Milimage’s tone sealer’s outward appearance is near identical to the blusher, making the pair a charming package that sticks close together thanks to the magnets. Sleek and thin, it fits easily in any makeup case or even on the go if you want to slip it into your purse. I’ve never had any sort of corrector in my makeup routine before (aside from concealer) so I was a little skeptical about using purple or green tinted makeup on my face. To my delight, it’s the best thing I’ve ever introduced to my full face makeup looks. While I’ll admit I don’t get too much use out of the yellow or white colors, I’ve seen a great difference in my makeup when using the purple corrector for my under eyes and the green corrector for those pesky red spots left from blemishes. While of course this isn’t the end all be all for flawless makeup, I find that it helps tremendously for those of us trying to do simple no-makeup looks.

British M Ethic Shampoo

Reviewed by Sara

This is a gentle shampoo that is free of sulfates, silicone, mineral oil, artificial color, animal ingredients, parabens, and preservatives. The formula includes 10 plant-based ingredients that help keep hair pH balanced and strengthen hair follicles so that hair loss is reduced. I was excited to discover this was a mild formula, because I do wash my hair daily. I know it’s not recommended to do so, but I have fine hair that gets weighed down easily and is usually flat and oily by the end of the day. So, I am forever on the hunt for a gentle, non-stripping shampoo that doesn’t leave residue. Did this shampoo live up to my to my demands? Kind of.

The product is very liquidy, so I needed quite a bit even for my shoulder-skimming hair. With regular use the bottle will definitely run out quickly. Also, it doesn’t foam up since there are no sulfates, which is a good thing because that means it’s less likely to irritate your scalp. After the first wash my hair did feel soft and clean, but after a few days of consistent use I started to get some build up. This is a very mild shampoo, that I feel is good for those who are worried about scalp irritation or about stripping their natural oils.  It works well as a daily shampoo, but because it’s very mild build-up will occur, so I recommend using in combination with a clarifying shampoo.

Aqulabo jelly Mist Mask Booster

Reviewed by Rosa

As the name suggests, this mist is supposed to be used before applying your sheet mask. The consistency in the bottle is a thick jelly, but sprays out with the consistency of an essence; thicker than water but definitely not jelly-like. I find it absorbs into the skin easily and works well on its own without masking to pack a lot of hydration to your skin. As a sheet mask booster it’s just fine. I think it works as well as any first essence that is meant to help hydrate the skin. What I will say though, is that this product has a short ingredient list that consists of  all-star hydraters, fighters of inflammation, and helpers in increasing skin elasticity.  While the full size product is pricey at $32, it may just be worth it if you’re looking for a product that really works.

Butiqlab Sheet Mask

Reviewed by Sara

I have to say that I was disappointed when I pulled this sheet mask out of the box. This mask looks like a $1 mask that I would pick up from the drugstore or that would be thrown in for free with an online order. I was expecting a specialty sheet mask since this is a subscription box. The ingredients aren’t listed in English, but I can tell it’s a bare-bones mask. I’m also a bit of a biased against Aloe Vera, because personally I think it’s boring and doesn’t do much unless it’s used in concentrated quantities. I prefer sheet masks that pack more of a punch with what I consider “power” ingredients, such as propolis, centella asiatica, or snail filtrate.

The sheet itself was a basic cotton mask and didn’t have the best fit. It was a little big and it didn’t adhere to my skin well. From the smell, I’m relatively confident that alcohol wasn’t included in the ingredients. The after effects were sub-par as I expected, my skin felt slightly more hydrated but nothing a normal essence couldn’t achieve. I suppose this mask could be good for those who want something very basic, but I personally wouldn’t choose to purchase it.

Final Thoughts About JoahBox

Getting to try JoahBox has really opened our eyes to the world of beauty subscription boxes. It was a fun surprise to see what would arrive and we were pleased that a variety of products were chosen instead of only skincare or only makeup. We were also pleasantly delighted to find the box was filled with k-beauty brands we hadn’t yet heard of, and products we probably wouldn’t have purchased for ourselves. It was a great way to discover some new favorite products and brands (we’re looking at you Milimage!). We did think the claim that all products would be full-size was a little misleading, because the jelly mist and shampoo were both mini-sized. Also, we do think the quality/value of the sheet mask provided could be better, especially since there were only 5 items in this month’s box, instead of the potential max at 7. Overall though, we had a very positive experience with JoahBox and loved getting a beauty surprise in the mail. Both of us would definitely consider trying out a subscription with them in the future when we’re feeling adventurous!

If you’re curious about what other products JoahBox has sent out, make sure to check out their page of previous boxes! But if you’re already sold on trying it out, they offer several subscription plans that range from 1 month at $35.95 to 6 months at $207.95 ($34.65/month) that you can check out here.

What are your thoughts on JoahBox or beauty subscription boxes in general? Let us know your thoughts below!

      JoahBox February ’19 Review Hello again! It's been over a year since we posted on the blog, but it's 2019 now and we have a resolution to start blogging again!

[onceuponamirror]

Idk if you remember,but I sent you an ask a while back about skincare and you gave your recommendations but the ones you suggested were way too expensive for me (you recommended drunken monkey products) so I wasn’t able to buy them.(I still have your answer saved for someday when I can afford it though,lol.) So my question is,do you recommend any face packs or masks to get rid of acne/pimples and their scars? Please try to suggest affordable ones but anything you say will be valuable! Thank you!

hi, haha. sorry—my skin is SUPER SUPER sensitive and while i am lucky in that i don’t often get acne, if i try a product with too much scent or alcohol (which is in most cheaper ones) my whole face will turn into a mildly itchy tomato. so i’m kinda forced to stick with my more expensive faves because i’m very hesitant to try new products and cause an allergic reaction. so…i may not be the best person to ask about products!

i will say tho that drunk elephant sells sample bottles of almost all their products, usually in sets of 2 or 3, and they last fairly long. depending on how much you use it and the shelf life of the product (like vitamin d) it’s sometimes worth it to just get the minis. and they’re usually about $24 dollars for two or so. just a thought!

that being said, i will try to offer some alternatives. 

for pimples:

what i’d one day like to try: 

the dr. jartt micro blemish patch supposedly works really well and they’re $16 for six patches. they are kind of spiky (sounds scary, or i thought so anyway) and pierce the pimple to break it down. lady at sephora said it felt like a quick pinch, barely. if i next get a cystic pimple that just will not budge, i’ll try these. 

what i did try: 

the “peace out” acne patch for a pimple that would not. go. away. and i wouldn’t say that it helped at all. arguably, it kind of just created some discoloration, but i could’ve worn it too long. wouldn’t buy it again and don’t reach for them first if i get the signs of a pimple. 

for acne scars:

these are best treated with a retinol, and i’d say that this is one to invest in if you can, or at least research carefully. it’s an acid, so you want to buy something that is formulated to know what it’s doing. 

what i’d like to try: 

a brand i’ve heard good things about in terms of price and product: the ordinary! it’s ACTUALLY affordable—shockingly so—and i’ve seen some pretty good reviews for their products besides just serums for scars. when i next venture to sephora, i’m going to check these out, because the price is so goddamn low. i’m almost suspicious. but the reviews are fairly good! i have to do more research on this brand myself, but the gist i get is that it’s a cheap alternative to a brand like drunk elephant. worth looking into. and they have a whole line, so they might cover everything you’re looking for. 

what i tried: 

again, you can try the mini pack with drunk elephant on the fairly cheap—it’s the only retinol i’ve tried personally, and it’s meant to pair with a soothing facial oil, so the two kind of balance one another out. i wouldn’t say i noticed extreme results, but i was going for brightening, not scar relief. 

for general care:

i plug this every goddamn time i get asked about skincare, but badger is a small family company out of like vermont or maine, i think, and their face wash is AMAZING. it’s a cleansing oil, so it won’t strip your skin of it’s natural oils, rather add to them. you get a wonderful little glow from it and none of that stretchy skin, tingly feeling from more soap-based cleansers. and it’s CHEAP! like $18 a bottle that will last you possibly up to 6 months. (more like 3 for me, i use it morning and night) it just added a lot of moisture and glow and plump to my naturally dry and red-prone skin. highly recommend. 

the glossier skincare products are all very meh except for the galaxy mask pack—i do really enjoy the clay mask immediately followed by a long soothing moisturizer mask. i do 15-20 min of the clay and then like 40+ min of the moon mask. i’m not really 100% it does anything, like at all, but it’s a fun, nice thing to do after a long day at least. their serums i’m even less convinced do anything, but i have one i’m finishing out and…..i mean, it doesn’t hurt? generally i feel like glossier’s quality has shifted a bit though. 

(tangentially; the aztec clay brand is very hit or miss. it can cure all acne, or cause someone to have a horrible break out. cheap, generally beloved, but research it carefully! i will probably never try it) 

lastly—i don’t know what your insurance options are, but if you can, getting to a dermatologist and getting an actual RX cream for pimples could really help you. i have a spot cream that tends to work better than any trendy patch or expensive mask, but i only have to deal with occasional pimples, not cystic acne, so it may not help everyone. but it was cheap because of my insurance plan. if you have that option, i’d say look into it! 

[yournewapartment]

I was wondering if you could help me? This is slightly embarrassing to admit as a 24yr old but I can't dress myself. I've always worn baggy jeans and tshirts but only because it was easy to wear. I've lost a lot of weight this past year and none of my clothes fit me. I tried buying new clothes but nothing looks right, I have an hour glass shape and my hips and bust are very large compared to my waist. Everything I wear makes me look boxy or cant button up over my bust. (1🐇)

All the clothes I have seen in stores are always made for slender people with no curves or breasts and I’m really struggling to find anything to wear. It’s silly I know but sometimes I really want to wear something nice and not just jeans and a tshirt. If you could share any fashion tips for people on a budget and of different body types that would be very appreciated 💕💕💕 (2🐇)

I don’t know much about fashion but our body types sound similar so I’ll try to help! I can vouch for Uniqlo brand rayon button ups. They’re slightly oversized, so they fit curvy chests very well and look smart tucked into pants. They look and feel like silk but are much easier to take care of. And, no chest pockets!

Speaking of pants, I love Uniqlo’s legging pants. They’re super great for curves! They also make nice flannel shirts and sweaters. For dressier looks, I’ve found Express has good professional button ups that fit my chest, but they DO have pockets on the chest, which I hate. They also have decent slacks for work.

If you’re into wearing dresses, look for “fit and flare” or “A-line” styles that will flatter your waist! I’ve found some great ones at Macy’s in their Maison Jules line. If you’re going somewhere special, try a bodycon dress.

For jeans, American Eagle has probably the widest range of sizing. I like their “girl jean” I think it’s called, it’s like a stretchy boyfriend jean that’s lightweight and casual. And they have good shorts in all different lengths. You could also try the higher rise skinny jeans with a belt look, which might flatter your waist even more! If you’re feeling confident and it’s still warm where you live, try a crop top! They look awesome on your body type, I promise!

For t-shirts, I used to love American Apparel deep-v neck, but they’re not around anymore so I’m looking for a new brand! If you’re comfortable wearing v-necks, I’d recommend them, as they’re more flattering for large busts than crew necks. Showing some skin at the neckline will help make your top half look more proportional and break up the line from bust to neck.

A few things to try to dress up your t-shirts and jeans could be– adding a cute jacket or sweater, trendy sneakers or boots, or a belt with your shirt half-tucked.

Style advice really depends on your style, though! I’m sure there are loads of good style tumblrs out there! A few of my favorite style icons for this body type include: Rebecca Bunch in Crazy Ex Girlfriend and Dakota Blue Richards.– Mimi

[merciattire-blog]

My Top 12 Thrift Finds and How I Style Them

Welcome back, readers! This week, I will indulge in writing about one of my most loved hobbies: thrifting. Not only am I a sucker for affordable clothing (college budgets, right?), but I also love bringing worn pieces back to life. Plus, it’s a much more sustainable option than purchasing clothing brand new.

Now, if you haven’t tried it, I certainly recommend a trip to your local thrift store. You never know what you may find. As a matter of fact, these items are some of my most worn pieces from my closet! That being said, my goal here is to show that you don’t always have to spend tons of money in order to find pieces you’ll love. Furthermore, I hope this will encourage you to give thrifting a try. So, let’s get into it!

Now, there’s a reason why this item is first on the list. This is, by far, the most worn jacket I own. Ever since I found this gem last year, I’ve looked for every reason possible to wear it.

How I Style it:

Black on black on black—literally my style in a nutshell. If you’ve seen me in real life, there’s about an 80% chance I was wearing this outfit. By throwing on a white graphic tee, the contrast makes this look really “pop”. Of course, I chose to add some leather booties to match the lettering on this jacket and the Harley vibes.

This is definitely the priciest item on the list. However, it is important to consider the brand and condition. Plus, how often do you find a pink leather jacket?

How I Style it:

To align with the feminine hue of the jacket, I layered it over a sheer blush blouse and added some pumps. With the addition of jeans, this look is not too casual, yet not too fancy. Score!

Now, I know what you’re probably thinking—no, I did not steal this coat from the local flea market. Actually, as my boyfriend and I were driving home one day, we saw some signs that said “Free Sale”. (If that isn’t an oxymoron, I don’t know what is.) Naturally, we decided to check it out. Low and behold, the signs were true and there was a whole building of free stuff! Who doesn’t love free stuff? So, long story long, I saw this jacket and fell in love.

How I Style it:

This is literally the perfect fall coat; it’s so cozy! Therefore, I layered it over a chunky knit sweater for extra warmth. With some green jeggings and taupe booties, this fall palette-inspired look is good to go.

Okay, how sweet is this shirt? I saw this at the local flea market and I just had to have it. However, it took me a year or so to put it to use.

How I Style it:

Obviously, my inspiration for this look is Sandy from Grease. After trying on this piece with several outfits throughout the years, an all-black outfit does it justice. I added in a statement double-sided belt to break up this monochromatic look.

When this shirt shrunk after a few washes, my brother-in-law was sending it on its way to Goodwill. (So, in a way, that’s kind of thrifting, right?) Anyways, I got my hands on it first and have cherished it ever since.

How I Style it:

This gem makes up yet another one of my go-to outfits. A tip when it comes to oversized t-shirts: never underestimate the power of tucking or tying a knot to keep it snug. Rolling the sleeves helps, too. With some leather accessories, this simple tee is instantly stylish!

When thrifting, I never fail to do a thorough search for band tees. Why? 1. Music from the 70’s-80’s is the best and 2. they make for a totally rockin’ outfit. Therefore, my closet contains around 10 vintage band tees. (Sadly, I have yet to get a vintage Eagles tee, but then again, who would ever give THAT up?)

How I Style it:

Here we go again—the good ‘ol knot and sleeve roll to the rescue. If I didn’t do this, I would be wearing a dress because this shirt otherwise reaches my knees. With some distressed jeans and Vans, this tee looks right at home. A baseball cap doesn’t hurt either.

Okay, this shirt was just too rare (and cheap) not to purchase. I mean, La Crosse Oktoberfest, baby! I have no idea what year this is from, but judging from the cut and condition, I’d definitely categorize it under “vintage”.

How I Style it:

Due to the shortness of this shirt, I tucked it into some high-rise jeans. Furthermore, what says “fall” more than a good pair of comfy combat boots? To finish off this look, I threw on a belt to tie into the brown autumn footwear.

Here’s another one of my favorite thrifted pieces. I’m pretty sure this sweater wasn’t always supposed to be cropped, but hey, those are totally in now! Also, I recently found out Zara has been around since 1975. Who knew?

How I Style it:

Another signature Paige look: black and white. With this simple contrasting base, I added in a maroon belt for an unexpected twist. This base also gives the gold accents of the accessories their chance to shine!

Usually, I’m not one who wears floral, but when I saw this dress… all bets were off. I had finally found the perfect summer sundress!

How I Style it:

For this ensemble, I planned around the accent colors in the dress itself. Some candy pink heels and a light blush purse effortlessly complete this romantic look.

With the 90’s slip dress and velvet trends coming back into style, I couldn’t NOT purchase this dress. I literally found exactly what I was looking for with this one. It was an incredibly lucky find!

How I Style it:

I went for a wearable, casual look for this piece. The t-shirt-under-a-slip-dress certainly roots back to this popular 90’s trend. However, this dress also looks amazing with some black opaque tights and pumps (another popular 90’s look) to serve as a great New Year’s dress.

When I came across this dress, I was searching for a trending color that was a little out of my comfort zone: mustard orange. Needless to say, I found what I was looking for. Plus, it was only 7 bucks!

How I Style it:

Being that this is an autumn-colored long sleeve dress, I went for a cold-friendly outfit. These suede thigh-high boots are just the answer! Thus, my Thanksgiving of 2017 attire was born.

I’m not going to lie: shoes are a toughie in the thrifting world. The odds of finding footwear that is in your size AND in good condition are slim. Needless to say, these boots are precious to me.

How I Style it:

With statement boots like these, I tend to keep the rest of my outfit more laid-back. These square toe boots give off a strong 70’s vibe. That being said, I styled them with a white embroidered off-the-shoulder top to complete this natural look.

So, there you go. My favorite thrifted finds! I will end with some tips I’ve accumulated throughout the years.

Top 5 Thrift Tips:

· Visit Often – I am, hands down, THE pickiest shopper when it comes to clothes. Therefore, I must make a disclaimer that, more often than not, you are going to walk out of the thrift shop empty-handed. It happens! I have been thrifting for about 5 years now and I only have about 15 thrifted items. So, my point here it that it takes time. However, keep in mind that the turnaround rates of these shops are typically pretty high. So, visit often and don’t give up!

· Look for Trends – One main thing that actually turned me on to thrifting is the prevalence of bounce-back trends. Sure, you could buy a vintage-inspired Tommy Hilfiger tee at Urban Outfitters for $50, or you could find an ACTUAL 90’s Tommy tee at Goodwill for $5. Bam! You’re instantly trendy. See what I mean here?

· Try it on – This is a given. One of the things I like to do is to picture in my mind the various ways I could style a certain piece. If you can’t think of any reason as to why you would ever wear it, then it’s probably not ever going to get worn.

· Keep Your Standards – So, you find an “okay” looking shirt. You typically wouldn’t buy it, but its only 3 bucks! Impulse purchase made. Let me tell you now that it probably isn’t worth it. This is a mistake I made in my first few thrifting trips and I never ended up wearing the clothes. My point here is that, no matter how awesome the price, don’t buy something you don’t love.

· Switch it up – Sure, you may feel the need to limit yourself to women’s size medium, but you might be missing out! Take my Harley Davidson jacket, for instance. This was found in the men’s section, size large, as were my Hard Rock Café and AC/DC shirts. My point here is that there may be potential in other sections that you shouldn’t overlook.

Photo cred: My sister, Tiffiny—I definitely owe you a free night of babysitting.

Thanks for reading! What’s your favorite look? Also, are you a fan of thrifting? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

[roadtrip-2020]

Jackson Hole, WY.

Another favorite stop on our road trip was Jackson Hole. We were there in the shoulder season in late October, just a few weeks after most of the leaves had turned. While it was pretty cold, we had a wonderful time. 

Where we stayed

Anvil Hotel - Roadside motel recently renovated into a trendy midcentury hotel. 

What we liked:

Affordable

Great location, right in town

Decor is cute, beds are comfy

What we didn’t like:

Rooms are dark and almost all have windows that face directly into a parking lot. You have to keep the shades pulled down the whole time for privacy, so there isn’t much natural light. 

Overall, it felt a bit cheap. It was cheap, so I guess you get what you pay for. I’d recommend it if you’re on a budget, but otherwise would stay elsewhere. We loved the Rustic Inn, where we stayed our last night in Jackson.

Rustic Inn - I’ll admit, the branding does not impress (Anvil looks much cuter online), but the Rustic Inn is actually very nice! I would definitely recommend it, especially if you can get a creekside cabin/room.

What we liked:

Beautiful grounds complete with a creek, teepee, creekside outdoor bar, outdoor fireplaces, and a river walk.

Big cabin-like rooms or actual cabins

Our room had a fireplace and a porch

Breakfast was to-go due to COVID, but they were really good breakfast burritos!

Outdoor hot tub and pool area (we took advantage of the hot tub)

What we didn’t like:

We tried to make spa appointments day-of or day-prior (right after we checked in), but it was too late -- they were full. It wasn’t the hotel’s fault, really. We would have liked to stay there longer and leveraged the spa.

Location is towards the outskirts of downtown Jackson, it’s actually right as you’re driving out of town towards the Tetons or airport. It’s good, because it has lots of space, but not as walkable as, say, the Anvil. 

This photo was taken before we went to dinner at the creek right next to our hotel room at Rustic Inn...see, stunning!

What we did

We had so much fun in Jackson Hole and I love how much there is to see and do in the area! The Grand Tetons are absolutely stunning and are less than a 20 minute drive away...The proximity to Grand Teton National Park and even Yellowstone makes Jackson Hole one of my favorite destinations and a must for outdoor adventurers. 

Outdoor adventures:

Grand Teton National Park - Out of every National Park we visited, Grand Teton was probably our favorite and definitely the best run. Everything was very clearly marked, rangers were extremely helpful, and the trails were well kept with nice bathrooms/facilities and plenty of parking. Sounds superfluous but you notice these things after awhile!

Rockin’ M Ranch Trail Ride - BY FAR one of our favorite activities in Jackson and of our entire trip. Forgot how cathartic spending time with animals in nature is...Rockin’ M Ranch is in Alpine, about 45 minutes outside of Jackson. They were WONDERFUL. We did 3 hour ride with lunch included, which was really fun. I guess there are less little kids on the longer rides, which worked well for us. We had a great group of about 5 couples and a guide who was nice, funny, and helpful. We hiked along and THROUGH a river, up and down hills and ate lunch at this area that had a grill and picnic table. Many pictures below...

Things we did in Grand Teton National Park:

There are sooo many hikes and beautiful lakes to check out in the Tetons...what we did in our limited time below and then I’ll also link some other favs. These are great activities for summer/fall, but had we been there in the winter we would have skied Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. We will be back soon!

Hidden Falls Trail - The majority of this hike is pretty flat and wraps around the gorgeous Jenny Lake. We ended up hiking up past the falls up a step path to a few overlooks that had stunning views of the entire lake. Then, we heard about a Moose spotting from another hiker and set out to find it...and we did! I think these offshoots must have added some distance and elevation to our hike because I was exhausted by the end.

Mormon Row - OK so this is less a hike and more of a site to see, but it’s these old farm houses and barns with the most stunning background. They are located on the Antelope refuge and we saw tons of pronghorn grazing in the area. I didn’t know what that was, but pronghorn are in the antelope family and they are the fastest animal in North America and the 2nd fastest animal in the world!! 

Beautiful viewpoint on top of Signal Mountain -  Perhaps you can hike here, but we drove it. The views from the top are stunning. You can see the Teton range and Lake Jackson on one side and Jackson Hole Valley on the other!

Top 10 Hiking trails in Grand Teton National Park on AllTrails >>

Yellowstone National Park is also only about an hour away from Jackson, but I’ll cover that in my Montana post! :)

Views from top of Signal Mtn:

Mormon Row:

Hiking Jenny Lake:

Shopping:

I knew from the beginning that I wanted to get a Stetson hat in Jackson. And so I did! And there were SOOO many good ones to choose from. Chris got his second Stetson, too!

Hide Out Leathers - I got both my Stetson hat and suede fringe jacket here! They have such a good supply of leather goods, not as wide variety of hats, but they do have some.

Beaver Creek Hats and Leather - Chris got his hat here and they have a loooot of great hats. I was tempted to buy another hat here after getting mine at Hide Out, but I resisted. 

High Country Outfitters - They have fly fishing trips out of here and outdoor gear/apparel.

Pendleton Store - Pendleton stuff just says “the West” to me. So it makes sense they’d have a flagship store in Jackson. They have such cool blankets and even make custom ones at this store.

Breakfast / Lunch:

Persephone bakery - An adorable bakery and cafe. You order at the counter and then they bring you your food. Really cute outdoor dining, too! I got the croissant breakfast sandwich and it was so tasty!

Cafe Genevieve - Another wonderful little breakfast spot, right next to Persephone. More of a sit down and order kind of place. And more traditional breakfast food. I loved my waffles and chai latte.

Creekside Market - Great deli to get to-go sandwiches for a day of adventures!

Dinner:

We should have booked dinner reservations further in advance, because it was pretty tough to get reservations once we got there. 

Our first night there, we met up with some friends who have a place in Jackson Hole. We wanted to sit outside (COVID and we had a dog with us), so we got drinks and dinner at Cutty’s, a local dive bar. Very divey, but fun! A bit out of the town square so less touristy but also you need to drive to get there. Not really a “must-see”. 

Local restaurant & bar - This was our favorite dinner in Jackson. We both got really good steaks! They also had really great wine selection including many natural wines, which we loved. 

StillWest Brewery & grill - When we couldn’t get reservations in town, we called StillWest. Stillwest is still technically in town, but not right in the town square. It’s closer to the local ski mountain, Snow King. It’s a really fun brewery and restaurant with good food!

On our third night we went to dinner with friends in a nearby town, Wilson, and went to an old-school Italian restaurant: Calico. 

Recommendations

Because we had such a limited time there, I enlisted the help of my friend Kaelyn (a regular, and a local for a good chunk of COVID) to help me with all of her faves. So comments below are from her POV, which I trust, of course.

Restaurants:

Glorietta's - New-ish Italian spot. Literally everything I've had is next-level good, but Meatballs are a must. 

Persephone Bakery - Breakfast/lunch spot. The one in town is tiny and always insanely crowded, but a new one just opened in Wilson and is bigger/way less crowded. We went here, too...Linked above!

Cafe Genevieve - Southern comfort-ish food (lol we did our late night wedding food from here). We went here, too...Linked above!

Pinky G's - Best pizza in my opinion — you can dine in but we usually take out Get the Abe Froman with balsamic glaze! 

Snake River Grill - Fancy spot, probably best steak/bison place in town Make a reso NOW if you're going months from now haha 

Bin 22 - Mini liquor/wine + mart that's also a tapas/happy hour spot

Calico - especially in the summer! We went here, too...Linked above!

Hikes:

Hiking in the park

Delta Lake - ~7 miles with elevation gain (takes 3.5-4.5 hours to hike, roundtrip, plus ~1 hour at the lake)...I'd say moderate-to-difficult but worth it. The views are unreal (it's that gorgeous bright blue lake!) and it's never too too crowded.

Bradley and/or Taggart Lakes - A 5-mile loop, not hard at all. Bradley is less crowded if you want to pick one.

Phelps Lake - Scenic and easy, more of a walk than a hike. Has a massive boulder that people jump off of into the water (great photo op!) — kind of a "rite of passage," if you will.

For both of these hikes (Bradley/Taggart and Delta), you'll enter through the park, which driving through IS an adventure in and of itself; you can buy a park pass that'll last you seven days

Also I HIGHLY recommend to everyone visiting Jackson that they rent a car

Hiking in Teton Village:

You can hike to the top of the gondola (~1.5 hours) OR ride the gondola and hike one of the trails that starts toward the top of the mountain...there are TONS

Did the Cirque trail this summer and LOVED it...It summits Rendezvous (the main skiing mountain in the village) and there were basically no people doing it.

Hiking in town:

Snow King - This is a ski run in winter but a steep and quick trail in the summer. Super quick but tough! A great workout.

Hiking with a bit of a drive

Table Mountain - You actually drive through Victor and Driggs (Idaho), then back through Alta (Wyoming) to get to the trailhead. Hike takes 4-5 hours and the first part (~3 miles) is really freaking hard BUT then it gets easier. On a clear day, you can see the Tetons from the other side!

Other Activities:

Float/raft Snake River - We usually just float it and drink beer but you can also do a guided rafting excursion, there are tons to choose from (just Google). 

Get sloshies - Sloshies are alcoholic slushies that you can find at most of the gas stations in Jackson Hole. My favorite's at Hoback Market, but that's a bit south of town. They also have them Creekside Market (also has my favorite, most epic sandwiches), Basecamp (the gas station in Wilson), Albertson's and the liquor store attached to Aspens Market.

Visit Jackson Lake - Super scenic lake in the park. Kind of a hike to get to but if you devote a day, you can rent SUPs, walk around, etc. If you have a boat (or can rent one) you can boat around and water ski, etc. 

Drive the big loop in the park - You'll see wildlife, the Tetons, the Chapel of the Transfiguration. Before leaving, grab a drink at Dornan's.

Granite or Astoria Hot Springs - The "official" Astoria ones aren't open to us non-Wyoming resident peasants BUT there are natural hot springs (called "hippie" hot springs) before Astoria/the red bridge that goes to the Snake River Sporting Club. Just park by the other parked cars, and you'll find a path that leads to them! (Def bring sloshies)

Below:

Pic 1 - Chris and I in our new Stetsons out to dinner

Pic 2 - Chris with our delicious steak dinner at Local

[purplesurveys]

946

Do you flush the toilet with your hand or your foot?: I use my hand at home and in other people’s bathrooms, but I use my foot in public washrooms because I know everyone else does and I would not want my hands anywhere near something so dirty.

What is your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? (Ex: ENTP): My results change every time I take it and I believe it’s because I retake the test at different points in my life where I’ve changed a little bit. That being said I’ve gotten ISFJ, ISTJ, INTJ, and ENTJ. I feel like it would eventually give me the entire spectrum so I just stopped taking the test altogether at some point.

Do you read any blogs? If so, which ones?: I read people’s answers on here because I find everyone interesting, if that counts as reading someone’s blog.

Where do you typically buy your clothes?: Small, independent tiangges at the mall that sell trendy pieces for a lot cheaper.

On a scale of one to ten, how healthy do you eat?: 5. I like my veggies and would never skimp on them, it’s just that more unhealthy foods are more accessible to me for the most part ha.

What do you think is the most valuable college major?: All of them are? This question really comes off as elitist.

Which book(s) should I read this summer?: I’d rather refer you to other survey-takers instead who read way more than I do and for sure have a better selection to recommend, heh.

Would you rather have curvy legs or skinny legs?: I don’t mind what kind of legs I have...but I have a bit of both, I’d say. I have a thigh gap but my thighs have a bit of meat on them and aren’t entirely skinny.

Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever seen one?: It’s fun to believe in them just because it makes watching things like Buzzfeed Unsolved more fun, but at the end of the day I like to remain skeptical. I’ve never seen one.

What is your favorite game show?: Jeopardy! Family Feud can also be hilarious.

How many times a day do you use the restroom?: 1-3 times a day, probably.

How much fruit do you eat on a given day?: Blech, none. My sister loves fruits though, so we always have a selection of them at home. I just ignore them.

What was the last thing that made you cringe?: I was watching a Good Mythical Morning video on people who attempted to beat world records but failed, so you can imagine the secondhand embarrassment that came off that video.

What is your favorite 80s movie?: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off FOR. DAYS.

What time did you go to bed last night?: I was tired and cranky and sad, so I was in bed by 9 PM.

Do you have your own car?: I technically do. But my parents paid for it; it’s just mainly mine so I can take myself anywhere if I have to.

Do you own a romper?: Yes, a couple. It’s one of my favorite things to wear; they’re simple and easy to wear and still always look nice on me.

Who was the last person who drew you a picture?: Andrew.

When someone takes your picture, do you smile with mouth open or closed?: Depends how close the camera is. I close my mouth if it’s a selfie or if the camera is very near; if it’s a group shot I tend to smile with my teeth.

Be honest -- do you floss?: Occasionally.

Five years ago, what did you want to grow up to be?: I wanted to be a journalist and do documentaries, lels. Naïve times when I thought that would bring me money.

What do you want to be now?: Career-wise my priorities have moved onto being in public relations and handling brands. Person-wise, I wish I was happy and that my life would be on track soon.

Would you rather hold a scorpion or a snake?: Scorpion, only because I’ve already held snakes before and it’d be nice to try something I’ve never done.

Can you do the splits?: Never could.

What is your favorite type of personality in a person?: I like approachable people, those who don’t close themselves off when it comes to helping or those who are super easy to talk to.

How about your least favorite?: People who live in their privilege and aren’t considerate of others who may be living in different, less-advantaged situations.

What is your favorite breakfast cereal?: I don’t like cereal but my favorite brand to eat on its own is the Cookie Crisp one. Tiny chocolate chips as a cereal will always be revolutionary to me, ha.

How do you usually get your exercise?: Walking my dogs is my only workout. And since I can’t walk them together, I get to have two rounds.

Who are your godparents?: Some of my mom’s cousins.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?: Cookies and cream! And chocolate chip cookie dough.

Are any of your siblings married?: Neither of them are, and at 20 and 17 I’m not expecting them to be.

What does your phone case look like, if you have one?: It’s just a plain, clear one. I managed to destroy an Otterbox case, so the second one my parents got for me was a cheap plastic case lol.

What is something about you that the opposite sex finds attractive?: Why ask me? Go ask them.

What are your three favorite girl names?: Olivia, Mia, and Arden. Those are my favorites today, at least. Olivia’s a constant, but the other two are always changing.

What are your three favorite boy names?: Lucas, Matteo, Miguel.

What do you usually put in your omelettes?: Cheese, tomatoes, bell peppers.

Have you ever tried to go vegetarian? How long did you last?: I haven’t, but it’s something I’ve wanted to try for a while. Filipino cuisine hardly has any avenues to allow for a vegetarian diet though so I’m never sure if I could actually push through with one.

What kind of exotic animal do you think you could keep as a pet?: None of them.

If you could be any kind of building, what would you be and why?: I don’t really care...

What is your favorite type of dog?: Anything but the feisty chihuahuas.

What is something you can draw really well?: Letters.

What is your favorite fast food joint?: Jollibee will always be a winner in my heart.