Lately I've Been Loving

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• OPI Mermaid's Tears. As I mentioned in this post, this particular nail polish was rather difficult to procure, and it's all I've lately been wanting to wear. I wore it for about two weeks and planned to reapply, but, alas, my nails are still bare. It's in the same family as China Glaze For Audrey, but it reads slightly more teal with a hint of gray. The best part: It's from the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Collection. [Side note: I don't understand why so many people hated the movie. I just took it for what it was: A silly pirate movie, starring the fabulous Johnny Depp, that had nothing to do with the first three in the series. If you don't like Jack Sparrow, don't watch it!]

• Beauty blogs. You can check out my blog roll on my Complete Profile page. Those are just some of the blogs I read. I enjoy looking at the blog rolls of other people whose pages I regularly read, but I don't want eight million blogs on my subscription list, so I just tend to browse tons of blogs outside my own regular reading list.

• Glamour magazine. My friend subscribes to this magazine and, since we basically share each other's collections, I've been really loving it. It's a super quick read, but it doesn't feel ridiculous like magazines geared toward teens. There are plenty of pictures with articles interspersed throughout the pages, but there's nothing too dense. It's ideal light reading material for when my brain doesn't want to work too hard.

• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart. I got this on a major sale, with a gift card and a coupon, so it was a little under $2 when I purchased it. I find it to be super easy to apply quickly before class, especially since I constantly think I'm running late. [This doesn't explain why I always get to class 15 to 20 minutes early.] The shine isn't too drastic, and the color shows up a vibrant pink on my lips. I love how it looks against my complexion and hair. I can't leave my dorm room without some sort of lip color on, or I feel way too washed out. With one or two reapplications, it wears down to a bit of a stain, so there's always a hint of color on my lips.

• Parks and Recreation. I literally just started watching this show yesterday, but my friends showed me some clips of the character Tom Haverford over the past weekend and now I can't get enough of it! I watched this clip on repeat before actually starting from the first season.

• New Girl. I'm so happy this show is back! The cast of characters is as ridiculous and lovable as ever, and I can't wait to see where this year's plot goes.

• Living close to home. Even though sometimes I consider whether I would have preferred living at home, I don't think I'd like commuting to school at all. That's why I love the fact that my college is close to home. I'm about an hour away from my house, which is just far enough for me to feel like I can have my own life but still have a safety net and a place to visit more often than I could at my previous university.

• "Uncharted" by Sara Bareilles, "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain, and "Us" by Regina Spektor. The first is one of my favorites by Bareilles, though I do love all of her songs. She's a pretty brilliant lyricist and has a fantastic, sassy voice. "I'll Be" got stuck in my head after watching the finale of The Glee Project: Season 2. Despite the fact that I don't watch Glee, I really enjoy that show. The winner, Blake, sang the song as his final performance, and I've been listening to it pretty often ever since. I also enjoy harmonizing to that song. [I enjoy harmonizing to any song, actually] "Us" is a song that I wouldn't normally like at all, because I don't particularly adore Regina Spektor's music or voice. However, because it's the opening song of 500 Days of Summer, one of my many favorite movies, I've recently been hooked on it. I still have no idea what it means. I do realize that not one of these songs is new.

• Family and friends. This one's a given, but particularly since I've started school, I'm very aware of how lucky I am to always have someone to call when I'm feeling unsure of myself or just need to talk. It's a great feeling.

[Aside: I currently have midterm exams and papers to write, and my reading assignments never end, but I'm certainly not going to stop posting.]

I hope your September has been great!

What have you been loving lately?

xEsther

Vacation, Foundation, and General Ramblings

Hello, dear readers,

Long time, no type! I'm sorry I've been gone for the past few weeks without any notice. I think I just wanted to enjoy the first few weeks of summer without thinking too much, though I'm still writing for CHAOS Magazine [In the Models: The Girls and Life: Party Time sections]. I was also setting up an editorial internship with an extremely nice girl I met at my brother's graduate school graduation. I'm interning for an independent publishing company, aptly named The Little Things Publishing, LLC, and I'm excited to get my first assignment in a couple of weeks or so.

I've been looking for other writing and editing outlets, because it's something I really love to do. Besides, there's nothing better than writing about things you love or being part of a big project like a book publication. That's the case for me, anyway.

I was in the Twin Cities in Minnesota from June 2 until June 10, and it was a pretty interesting trip. A little mix-up with the hotel turned out to be for the best, as it left my parents and I with a studio apartment. This was absolute heaven for me because I got my own bathroom, and I take longer to get ready than both of my parents combined. It's not even because I have an elaborate beauty routine; I didn't even wear makeup every day, and when I did it was super quick and minimal. I'm just not a morning person, and my skincare takes up time.

Did I mention that I ended up with a handicapped room? It was quite roomy and comfortable. Probably my favorite part of the trip, besides the great time I had on the last day, was seeing Jon McLaughlin in concert. I mentioned this in a previous post, but I was bummed knowing I wouldn't be in town when he came to my area, so I happened to browse his other tour dates. Luckily for me, he happened to be playing in Minneapolis while I was there! It was so fantastic, and my mom had a good time as well. It was at the Varsity Theater, which I just happened to write about in this post [shameless self promotion alert]. Here are some pictures from the event; I tried to pick the ones that were of a decent quality:

The reasons I haven't yet posted an updated foundation routine are:

1) I haven't been wearing makeup very often.
2) The foundation I was using [the palest in the collection] was slightly too dark for me.
3) I wasn't sure if my foundation was breaking me out.

Due to an unfortunate near-death, car-towing experience, my parents and I had to stay in a hotel without any of our belongings. We went to a nearby ShopKo, and my mom insisted on getting me a foundation. I got the Cover Girl CG Aqua Smoothers Makeup in 705 Ivory, and it turned out to be a perfect match! When I wear makeup, I put the product mostly on the center of my face [nose and surrounding area, chin] and blend out. Then I use Almay Smart Shade Concealer in the lightest shade, just under my eyes, and finish with Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent dusted all over my face.

I'm not using Hard Candy Glamoflauge right now, because it really is quite obviously yellowish and makes my eye area look sallow when surrounded by foundation that actually matches. I will be doing an updated skincare routine post as soon as I can.

Is your summer starting out wonderfully? I hope so. Let me know what you're up to.

xEsther

Lately I've Been Loving...

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• 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

Lately I've Been Loving...

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• Journaling. I've been the proud owner of about three diaries since I was around nine years old, and I haven't even filled up the first one yet. Recently, I've been going through some emotional and personal issues, and I find that writing it down in a diary, or even just writing random happenings in my life, really helps to relieve some of that tension. My goal is to finish my first diary at some point during college!

• Fishtail braids! I finally mastered the fishtail braid, albeit a messy one. My hair is not quite long enough for all the hair to actually stay in the braid, so what I've been doing is going to bed with two fishtail braids to give my second day hair nice waves. I find it looks so much nicer than when I wake up after putting in regular braids, because the waves come out looking more natural. I look forward to the day when my hair is long enough to go out with a nice fishtail braid.

• "I Need a Dollar" by Aloe Blacc. This song is apparently not new at all; in fact, it may be from 2009. I came across this when one of my recommended YouTube videos was a recent cover of this song. This video was made this year, however, and I can't quite figure out why. I never knew about Aloe Blacc until I heard this, and I love his voice and the style of the song. 

• Jon McLaughlin's new album, Forever if Ever. In my last Lately I've Been Loving... post, I put the link to my current favorite song off his album, "Summer is Over." Another that I've really been enjoying is "What I Want," which you can listen to here, if you like.

• Listening to music in general, including many of the songs by the artists that I've loved since the end of my high school years. Examples, besides McLaughlin, are Jason Mraz, Juanes, Luis Fonsi, the late Gregory Lemarchal, Sara Bareilles, and Eric Hutchinson.

• Milani nail polish in Bijou Bronze, particularly over black polish. I just painted two coats of this over one coat of Wet n Wild's Black Creme. Using a black base actually makes the bronze show truer to color and emphasizes how metallic it is. I love it. I have a feeling this combination may be one of my fall favorites, if not my favorite of all.

• My daily makeup routine, which has remained the same except for one new product. I'm trying out the NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent for the time being, just to change things up a bit. I actually like this better than the other powder because it does not get cakey and it gives more of an even finish and a tiny bit of coverage. I definitely need that at the moment since my lack of sleep astounds even me. I don't know how I'm still functioning properly considering how little I get. And while I do get a ton of homework, my sleep deprivation has to do largely with the fact that I save everything until the last minute and have an 8 am. class. So my makeup seriously brings me back from the dead. It's not Halloween just yet! No need to scare everyone so soon.

• Friends and family are always on this list, if I can recall correctly. I'm sort of discovering who I consider a true friend this year based on what friendships should be. I need friends that care just as much about me as I do about them, and I am not getting that from all of my friendships. My family is always extremely supportive and they're trying so hard at the moment to make me happier. If the blogging slows a bit, it will probably be because I'm not in exactly the best place in my head, if that makes sense.

• Singing. In my room. Along with my iTunes or YouTube. I love coming up with or learning the harmonies to songs because it's something I'm pretty good at. I'll probably be rejoining choir next semester, because this is the first time I haven't sung in any kind of choir since...preschool? And I know I am far from the best singer in the world, so I'm not bragging in the least. It's just that singing in a choir is like walking and talking to me by this point, so it's strange not being in one.

Let me know what you've been loving lately!

Happy almost Friday!

xEsther

Lately I've Been Loving...

• Pilates. I just started getting into Pilates this summer, solely through DVD workouts. The first few times I tried it, I felt that it wasn't working and was incredibly bored. However, I persevered, and I think the important thing to remember with Pilates is that a lot of concentration is required. When I was just doing the moves without really thinking, I wasn't getting much of a workout. Pilates is extremely relaxing for me, while at the same time kicking my butt. I feel so much stronger after I do a Pilates workout.

• My NYC nail polish in "Times Square." It's the perfect loud, bright pinkish red color, and it definitely reminds me of the real Times Square. I'm wearing it now and thoroughly enjoying the entertainment it provides during particularly boring classes. A great representation of this color is in this photo here. It actually looks brighter on me, though.

• My watch! I finally got a "grown-up" watch, replacing my beloved but extremely worn "Eeyore" watch. Much as I love that loveable donkey, I really wanted a watch that was a little less middle-school-chic and a bit more timeless. This is what I ended up with after much tireless searching. I wanted something classic that I would continue to like for years to come; something that was feminine but not too trendy; something that didn't overwhelm my wrist but wasn't too dainty. I'm not picky at all, right? The only problem is the watch seems to slow down after I fix it every few weeks, which means it already needs a new battery.

• My room. After some wacky episodes with my two previous roommates [one after the other, and chosen randomly, as is the freshmen way], I got a single room in my dormitory this year. I have a couple established friends living one and two doors down from me, and I've met a few of the other girls. My floor consists of mostly singles, and I think it's quite pleasant. I still have room to exercise, even hula hoop, and I don't have to worry about a roommate messing up my schedule.  

• My cell phone. This has nothing to do with the type of phone it is, but simply the convenience it provides. Let me explain: Over the summer, I abhor picking up my phone. I love seeing and hearing from friends, don't get me wrong, but I just want to be somewhat free from at least the technology that is the cell phone. Once school starts and I'm out of state, I completely rely on my phone to make plans, but also, more importantly to me, to call family and friends from home. It's just so nice to know that even if I'm not always ecstatic here, I have a solid network of people that cares and that I can count on. Just tonight I spent an hour each on the phone with my brother and sister. It was lovely.

• Salsa lessons. I love Latin dance, and learned the rudimentary steps in high school for salsa, bachata, and merengue. Last year, one of my best friends and I wanted to take salsa lessons, but we had choir at the same time. This year, my friend no longer attends this school so I went by myself to the first lesson tonight. I absolutely loved it. Everyone is so friendly and all the follows get to dance with all the leads because it's in the style of rueda de casino, or casino wheel [circle dance].

• "Summer is Over," a song by Jon Mclaughlin. You can listen to it here. It's so pretty just to listen to without paying attention to the lyrics, but the lyrics are wonderful as well. My best friend from home introduced me to it, because we both love most of the same artists, and I really love it. I also just love having a song that we both love; it's a fun connection.

• Speaking of songs, I like "Tonight, Tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae. I'm probably spelling the group's name wrong. I'm not going to link that one just because I assume everyone has heard this song. If you haven't, look it up! The lyrics are just really fun and silly. I tend to prefer singers with good lyrics, but oftentimes a ridiculously catchy song will become one of my favorites, and that's what happened here. Ok, I guess I'll link it since to assume is to make an ass out of "u" and me. Here it is!

I haven't done one of these posts in a long time, and I thought it would be fun because it really makes me appreciate the good things I have going for me, or the things that I'm enjoying.

What are you loving these days?

xEsther

Image from http://www.beautystylewatch.com/2009/08/24/get-back-into-shape-at-abc-pilates/

Lately I've Been Loving...

• China Glaze For Audrey nail polish. I've just painted my nails this color for the second time within a span of a month. For someone with at least fifty nail polishes, and nail polish A.D.D., that's saying something.

• Best friends. I feel completely comfortable going around in sweaty gym clothes, a makeup-free face, and bursting out with comments anyone else would find offensive. I can giggle obnoxiously, make up songs, talk about boys...The list goes on and on. There's nothing like the kind of friends with whom you can both be entirely ridiculous and then instantly switch to normal conversation and then talk about serious issues, all done seamlessly.

• Magazines. Seventeen. Allure. Lucky. Marie Claire. Teen Vogue. Family Circle. Allure. Even Time magazine on occasion. You name it; I probably read it. I even renewed my subscription to Seventeen, despite the fact that I turn 20 this fall, [and will still be getting it at 21], and occasionally can't stand the magazine's silly stories. I'm probably going to subscribe to Allure, but I routinely borrow all of these other magazines from friends and my mother.

• Me time. In my family, me time is highly underrated. My dad definitely prefers to do things with other people all the time; even watching movies mustn't be done alone. I, however, sometimes like nothing more than to come home from work, eat a family dinner and withdraw for the rest of the evening. I'm just so exhausted that it's nice to have a few hours to myself.

• My new running shoes and sports bra. I can't be bothered to look up their brands, but I believe the store in which I purchased them is local. I've actually never owned proper exercise gear, and, let me tell you, it's so worth it. I don't actually go running, per se, but I do work out about five times a week for an hour or so, and the new clothing items are much appreciated.

• My water bottle. I definitely drink more with this sitting at my desk, next to me on the bed, etc. I'm pretty great at staying hydrated when I have a water bottle at hand; it just makes quenching thirst that much simpler.

• The thought of an impending holiday. My family is going to visit my sister in Iowa this Friday, and we'll be there until Tuesday. The reason I use the term "holiday," besides the fact that I'm intrigued by the UK use of the word in place of the American "vacation," is because Monday is actually July 4, meaning American Independence Day. It will be the first Fourth of July away from my friends since I was a little girl.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of "Lately I've Been Loving... ." I find it quite a refreshing post to write. Focusing on the positive is positively therapeutic.

Lots of love.

xEsther

Image from http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/naruto_fan94/new-year-fireworks-hong-kongb.jpg