Another Periodic Update

Hello, dear readers,

I'm sorry I'm so inconsistent with my blogging this summer. I promise I have no intention of stopping this blog; I'm just enjoying my summer as much as possible and have been too lazy to actually create a worthwhile post. So far I've been catching up with friends, shopping, reading, and getting back into regular fitness routines. I like the Exercise TV videos on YouTube, and I also search for random workouts so I can switch up my routine. I still hula hoop, but I also like interval workouts, Pilates, and Zumba and other dance workouts.  I do have reviews that will be coming up, some of which are quite overdue. I received a box of products for the summer Influenster VoxBox, which I will explain once I'm ready to review those. I have to actually use the products in order to review them! I also haven't been wearing face makeup, as it's been over 100 degrees [F] here. Don't worry, though; I still wear lipstick every day!

I hope all of my American readers had a fabulous July 4th! I went to my local parade with my friend, and one of our friends was actually driving in it. We hassled her until she got out of the car and came over to us. It was quite nice as I haven't been to the parade in a few years. I had to hop right in the shower after due to the fact that it hit 102 F [I don't know how to do the degree symbol; sorry!]. I then went to a barbecue with friends, including the two from the morning, and saw the local fireworks. Afterwards, we all went to see the opening night of the Katy Perry movie. Yes; you read that right. It was a great deal of fun singing loudly and dancing in the back row. I know, I know; it's definitely Oscar-worthy material.

I promise you will see a post from me before the summer's end; I just can't promise you when that will be! Have a wonderful weekend!

xEsther

Dug Up from the Drafts: "There's More to Me than Makeup" Tag

Totally random and unrelated photo. View from my bedroom window, taken in January. The window has a screen, 

hence the blurriness. I played with editing, but eventually decided on the original. I hate making posts without pictures!

Hello, dear readers,

I know this is another tag, and an old one at that, but I actually have a fairly decent reason for it. This is the second of the drafts that I promised to post. At last, my "Posts" box will be empty of anything but published blogs. I'm not changing the font on this one, because I rewrote the answers to suit my current situation. 


1. Do you go to school? If yes...what is your favourite subject/ what is your major?
Yes, I go to school. My major is Communications, with a minor in Spanish. Within Communications, I love film classes. However, I'm not going into the film industry; I just find those courses extremely interesting and fun. 

2. Do you work? If yes...what is your job?
I don't work at the moment, but I am looking for a summer job. I hope to find one, but, if not, I may end up taking a class instead. I do have an unpaid blogging internship online for CHAOS Magazine, and I'm applying for a copy editor internship at another website. It's also unpaid, and I'll tell you what it is if I get the position.


3. Do you read? If yes...name a few of your favourite books and/or magazines.
Yes.  Some of my favorite books are the Harry Potter series [in English and Spanish]; Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett; American Gods and Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman;  The Princess Bride, by William Goldman; The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory; Bookends by Jane Green; The Looking Glass Wars trilogy, by Frank Beddor....Honestly the list could go on and on and on.
As for magazines, my favorite is probably Marie Claire. 


4. Can you cook?
I can't properly answer that, because it's not that I can't cook; I just don't cook. I'd like to learn, but I lack motivation.


5. Do you have any siblings?
Yes. I have a sister, aged 24, and a brother, 27.


6. Do you speak any other languages?
If I were to be immersed in a Spanish-speaking environment, I think I would be able to quickly improve my spoken Spanish. I am fairly fluent as far as reading, writing, and understanding, but I could use more practice speaking. I've studied for a little over eight years, so I should hope I would pick it up! 


7. If you could holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I'd love to travel all over Europe and the UK, just to experience the culture and the sights [The shopping wouldn't hurt either!]. Specifically, I'd like to visit Spain or another Spanish-speaking country for the reasons mentioned above. 


8. What is your idea of the perfect date?
I don't have anything specific in mind. Honestly, I think the most important thing is that it goes well!


9. What is your dream career?
I'm not 100 percent sure, but I would like to explore the world of publishing/publications. I'm also fascinated by the idea of translating books for a career.


10. Are you athletic...do you play sports/work out..or are you a couch bunny?
I'm athletic in the sense that I love working out and keeping fit. I absolutely do not play sports. My hand-eye coordination doesn't exist, and I don't have the patience for team sports.


11. What are your three favourite things (that have nothing to do with makeup/beauty)?
I'm going to skip friends and family, because they're people, not things. As far as tangible "things," I would say film, books, and music. How much more generic can I get here? More intangible things would be singing, traveling, and working out. 


12. What is the BEST thing about you? 
I love the fact that I'm easily amused by pretty much everything, which makes other people laugh as well. That probably isn't the BEST thing about me, but it's one of my personal favorite qualities.


Ahhhh, the sound of complete silence from the "Drafts" area of my profile. How I adore it. I'm not entirely sure when I initially wrote this, but it was probably before or during last fall. Like I said, the answers are up-to-date, having rewritten them yesterday. I didn't think it would be necessary to show you the old one because things have changed, and it no longer contained inaccurate information.


Have you done this tag? I think it's fun to read about the lives, loves, and dreams of other fashion/beauty/lifestyle bloggers. We all have a certain amount of "girliness" in common, but it's nice to see what else is going on with everyone. Maybe we have more in common than we thought [or even less]! 


In any case, enjoy your day, whatever you happen to be doing!


xEsther

And the Concerts Keep Coming: Jon McLaughlin Hits the Road

Hello, dear readers,

As you may have noticed, this post is about yet another concert. I feel like that's all I've been posting lately, but it's so exciting! I'm going to see Jon McLaughlin in Minneapolis, MN, on June 5th, and I am more than thrilled. It's part of his Promising Promises tour to promote the album of the same name that will be launching around that time. McLaughlin is another of my top three favorite male singers. He plays multiple instruments, all wonderfully, I might add, and his lyrics are deeper than your average Top 40 pop hit. That's not to say he doesn't deserve to be in a "Top ..." list; he really does. You may remember his hits "Beat of My Heart" and "Industry" from a few years back; they were played on several radio stations for a long period of time.

In any case, if you're in Minneapolis, you should check out his concert. Tickets are available here, and if you don't live there, here's his tour schedule. If he's playing near you, and you've never heard him before, check him out on YouTube and see what you think. I'm biased because I have seen him perform, but it was a short set at a free event.

For the record, no one is paying me to mention any concerts. McLaughlin and Eric Hutchinson just happen to be two of my favorites [Jason Mraz is the third, but I'm not thrilled with his new album.]. I'm super enthusiastic about going to concerts, especially because I've hardly been to any, so I want to share with you what I truly believe is fantastic music.

My posts will be beauty related shortly, but I find it fun to write about my interests and the goings-on in my life. I enjoy the fact that it makes me feel closer to my readers, even though I can't see any of you!

So see if you like his music, and definitely get tickets in Minneapolis if you'll be there on June 5th. What if we ran into each other?

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

xEsther

Rockin' Out with Eric Hutchinson

Meeting Eric Hutchinson!  (I'm on the right; my friend, Beth, is on the left)

Hello, dear readers,

Today's post is just an update on the Eric Hutchinson concert and what it was like to meet him and see him perform. I've been singing all of the songs on his new album non-stop since Monday, April 23, so I feel like this is an appropriate topic. As it turns out, my friend and I were not the only winners of the "Meet Eric Hutchinson" contest. In fact, the other girl and her guest were already tipsy when we went to meet him behind the kitchen area. It was quite a strange meeting place. They were also much louder and bigger than we were. In general, they were much more aggressive in conversation. We only really got to say "Hi, nice to meet you" and our names before the other girls started talking.

We had also wanted to sing one of his songs for him, because we harmonize to them all the time. Needless to say, we didn't get the chance. As for feeling starstruck, it didn't happen. He showed absolutely no personality, and he looks happier in this picture than he did actually talking. It was a meeting of approximately five minutes. He also came out after the show so anyone could meet him, which I felt negated the purpose of the contest. Maybe no one else got pictures, or the line was so long that not everyone stayed. 

We were pretty disappointed after meeting him, simply because we barely got the chance to say anything, and he exhibited about as much charisma as a doorknob. However, we changed our minds a bit after the concert. He was amazing, a completely fantastic performer and entertainer. He must have been saving his energy for that. [We can hope, right?] We had a wonderful time dancing and singing along at the top of our lungs. He sang somewhere around 20 songs, I believe, three of which were not his own. It lasted an hour and a half, after a very subpar, 45-minute, opening act. 

Overall, I think I can speak for us both when I say that we're pretty thrilled to have met him, despite his lack of enthusiasm before the concert. And, hey, we came away with a great picture of us!

That just about sums up the event. I can't really do it justice through a blog post, but I can tell you that we had an absolute blast! I'm going to buy his new album today; listening to it on Spotify was only acceptable in order to learn the songs before heading to the concert.

Well, that's all, folks.

Have a thrilling Thursday!

xEsther

Lately I've Been Loving...

Source

• The holiday season. I've been to two holiday gatherings with my close friends so far, and I have another one coming up for New Year's Eve. I also loved getting gifts for friends and family, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't like receiving gifts as well. Tonight was the last night of Hanukkah, and it was the best family time I've had in a while. It also happens to be my brother's birthday as well, and we have all been in lovely moods for once! We sat together, listening to music, while the candles burned on two of our nicest menorahs.
• Revlon lipsticks. I was able to get two very nice lipsticks during the CVS clearance sales, and I can't get enough of them. The two colors are Revlon Super Lustrous in Demure, a shade only a bit brighter and warmer than my natural lip color, and Colorburst Lipstick in Carnation, a beautiful soft pink.
• Magazines. My sister bought me a two-year subscription to Marie Claire for Hanukkah, so I can now add that to my other two subscriptions. I also read my mom's Family Circle, and she just subscribed to Woman's Day. My friend and I lend each other our own subscriptions, as well as magazines we buy on trips, so I always have at least one of hers around the house to read. I'm only a wee bit obsessed.
• Getting rid of clutter. I actually have the hardest time getting motivated to clean, mostly because I tend to let things get ridiculously messy in the first place. Once I finally gather the energy to get started, I really love the results! I enjoy having a clean floor and an organized dresser, though I certainly have a few fire hazard piles of junk in corners and on my desk. I went through my nail polish collection and got rid of about 30 old nail polishes. I'm now down to somewhere around 50, which is still a huge amount! Then again, this is the result of over eight years of collecting.
• Doing laundry. Don't get the wrong idea, Mom; this is not an offer to wash all of your clothes! Now that I'm home and don't have to walk up and down three flights of stairs, or hang my clothes on a faulty laundry rack, I actually find it relaxing to do my own laundry. I know exactly how I like to deal with all of my clothes, so I can breathe easier knowing that my jeans won't be shrunken and my shirts won't get stretched! [I recently had a scare when a certain other parent wanted to put all my clothes in the dryer. Noooooooo!]
• Music. Winter songs, alt pop music, old favorites: you name it; I'm listening to it, and most likely singing along. Singing at home relaxes me, probably because I have been out of choir for several months now, after singing for most of my life. I've lost some confidence in my voice, but I still enjoy singing around the house, especially by myself.
• LEGO® Pirates of the Caribbean™video game for the computer. This is the only type of video game I will play, because LEGO® characters are so unassuming and friendly! Don't ask. I'm so entertained by LEGO® games, having played the Harry Potter™ one in the past, and being a huge fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, naturally love this as well. I play it with my brother, and I entirely blame him for my addiction.

That's the last "Lately I've Been Loving..." for 2011! This feature will see you again in 2012!

xEsther