Mini Review: NYC New York Color Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm

Hello, dear readers,

Remember this post about the Influenster VoxBox program, in which I promised reviews of some of the products within that handy dandy box? No? Ah, it's just as well. It's only been half a year since then. I never intended to back down on my promise, so here is the first of the reviews. This time I'll be briefly discussing the NYC New York Color Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm in the shade Big Apple Red. I'm going to do what I did in the last post and place the nifty Influenster "sticker" below, so you know that I received this product as part of the VoxBox program. Head to the website to check out what that's all about. [DISCLAIMER: To those of you who have never read my mini reviews, they are never actually mini]

Here is a look at the product itself, as it appears in the packaging:

As I was rereading my previous post, I was pleased to discover that I did not, in fact, put down too much detail about what is essentially an exceptional tinted lip balm. Like I said, I received the shade Big Apple Red and was thrilled with my luck. It's easy to get off colors or colors you're not too fond of when you're signing up to receive free products picked out by companies themselves. Just last year I won a Milani Color Statement Lipstick in the shade Nude Creme, a pinkish, beige-y nude that painted away my lips until I resembled a corpse. Absolutely nothing to complain about, because I can layer it with other colors; I got to try the new formula; and I won the lipstick for free. That's why it's especially exciting to open a box of freebies and grin at a shade you look forward to wearing, rather than grimacing and subsequently shrugging off a hue that would look great on you if only you had completely different coloring.

How long can she possibly go on about the shade of a lipstick or a balm, you ask? A very long time, it appears. Let's move along, though, shall we? The pictures here are identical to those that appeared in the last post to which I keep referring. This means that months later, I have made a significant dent in said glossy lip balm that is not reflected here. That being said, here is a better view of the product:

Big Apple Red can be described as a sheer, candy apple sort of red. The center of the balm, cutely and appropriately apple-shaped is meant to serve as the moisturizing "core" [no pun intended], but I don't know exactly how that works. Isn't the whole thing moisturizing? Why do you need to have the center be a different color just so it can be a balm? It doesn't make sense, but it is an adorable marketing ploy -- let's be honest; that's what it is. This is surprisingly pigmented for a tinted balm, especially when the center isn't red. Initially, I think the moisturizing core was to blame for a slightly streaky application, but after regular use I can say that it goes on evenly now. 

You do have to exfoliate your lips first, because, as with many colorful lip products, this will draw attention to flakes. Once that's done, however, this is such a snap to use. It really is very moisturizing; it's pigmented enough to show a pretty flush, but sheer enough to be an easy way for the color-shy to wear red lips on a daily basis; and it has a nice, glossy finish that doesn't scream, "Hey look, patent leather!". I don't ever record wear time of tinted balms, because I don't mind reapplying; it's so easy to do, that it's not important to me.

Those who care about the presentation of their products might be turned off by the cheap looking packaging and cheesy, somewhat juvenile marketing of the balm, but I don't mind it at all. This Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm twists down all the way, so there is no danger of ruining the product with the cap when closing it. I can honestly say this is one of the products I reach for on a regular basis, whether I'm casually hanging out with friends on a lazy weekend or going to the grocery store. It is, as I said before, incredibly easy to wear. It feels great and leaves my lips smooth even after it wears off. I feel like my face is brightened up by the color, even when I'm not wearing other makeup. I wore this quite a bit over my winter break [which started December 19 and ends this weekend]. It adorned my lips during a casual high school reunion at a friend's house; a trip to the mall with my mom; and several visits with friends. I wore it yesterday, and I'm wearing it today.

I would post a picture of the product in all its dented glory now, but that requires finding my camera, uploading and editing, most of which I am unable to do at the present moment without the camera cord. The photo I took with PhotoBooth simply won't do. I think you can guess that I rather enjoy this product. If I ever finish it up and can justify a replacement among my copious amounts of lip products, I will more than likely repurchase.

You can look for it here on the NYC website, where it lists the retail price as $2.99.

I hope your new year is starting off wonderfully well.

xEsther

My Life: October/November 2012

Hello, dear readers,

As promised, here is an update on my life since the last time I wrote. As I mentioned at the beginning of this month, in my previous post, November has indeed been my busiest month. Let me start off with October, however, since I entirely skipped over it here on When Life Hands You Lipstick. Essentially, I accepted a bid for Delta Delta Delta sorority [technically a fraternity] in September and spent October going to meetings for it before being initiated. It was in October that I was assigned my "big," or big sister. Because I don't want to give away the name of the college I attend, nor do I want to invade the privacy of my big, I have cropped the following photos from the day the new members found out who their big sisters were:

Super awkward camera phone photo shot from above.

Wow, my face looks extra shiny! This is from the photo in which
 the "littles" sat in the front and our "bigs" sat behind us.

Beyond that, October was a bit of a blur. The only exception is Halloween. I went to visit two of my friends at one of their universities, and we all dressed up and had a good time catching up. I meant to go as Audrey Hepburn, despite the fact that I didn't have the right style of dress or correct jewelry. I ended up wearing my friend's dress and necklace, but my hair wouldn't stay up. I really didn't end up looking like anyone in particular, but one of girl guessed who I was. Can I count that as a success?

Once again, I'm cropping out my friends. I'm sure they'd be ok with me showing them, but I just want to be sure. Here is my failed Halloween costume:

I tried.

On to November, my most stressful month so far. By the way, I had never considered joining a sorority before coming to this college. I'm not into the whole stereotypical sorority scene, in which girls are judged by their appearance and what clothes they wear. I know not every sorority is like that at big colleges, but the Greek scene at my tiny campus is way smaller and much less like that. Of course, it is a group of around 30 girls, so there's bound to be some annoying aspects, but I'm glad I joined. It's a great way to meet people and get involved, regardless.

Ramble over. I was initiated into Tri Delta at the beginning of November, and then we immediately had a philanthropy event to promote and run. Then we had a Founder's Day brunch with the same university I visited on Halloween. It was fairly laid back, and I was surprised with an award for academics.

Now we're working on recruitment practice for formal rush in the spring. I went through informal recruitment, in which transfer students and upperclassmen can join. It's much more casual. It's funny preparing to bring new girls in when I just became an official member a few weeks ago. Here's a picture of me from initiation. It was in the morning, at the end of a weekend retreat. I cheated and didn't wash my makeup off the night before, because we're not supposed to wear makeup for the ceremony. I didn't want to look completely dead, but most of it came off anyway:

This is a photo of my "family," which consists of my big sister and
 my aunt [the one with her arm around me]. I don't quite
 get how that works. Note that I am nearly as white as the dress.

I realize this post has mostly centered around my sorority, but that's what keeps me the busiest outside of school itself. I also had multiple midterms, and I always have a paper to write or multiple chapters to read. I was just assigned a paper yesterday, and I have a group project now! 

On a more relaxing note, I did very much enjoy my Thanksgiving break. I turned 21 on Thanksgiving, and had a lovely evening with my family. I went out for Black Friday shopping [at 10 p.m. that night! Poor workers!] with friends. I didn't buy anything, nor did I have a great desire to, but I wanted to take advantage of the time I had to see my friends. They took me out for my birthday the next night, which was quite fun. The rest of break consisted of the weekend, which was delightful as well. I got some holiday shopping in, including gifts for a Secret Santa exchange in Tri Delta. Now I'm back at school, and I'll be busy with sorority events, choir rehearsals, a concert, schoolwork, and finals until winter break!

Just so you know, this isn't meant to be an "Esther's Excuses for Not Blogging" post, but rather me talking to you about where I've been. I have fun writing these posts.

I hope that those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S. had a lovely holiday and that everyone is excited for the upcoming holiday season! I'm going to have to remember to bring my camera home for winter break, which starts in mid-December, so that I can actually take pictures of things that I want to write about.

Until then, I will try to squeeze in a post or two if I can. No promises, unfortunately. I hope your week is going well! 

xEsther

Lately I've Been Loving

Source

• 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

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

Lately I've Been Loving...

Source

• 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