Gratitude

1. I'm grateful for the opportunity presented to me today.
2. I'm grateful for the friendly and cheerful people I met today.
3. I'm grateful for having more than enough.

Books Warehouse Sales

I have been restraining myself from going to books warehouse sales and further adding to my already seriously cluttered humble abode. I survived giving the recent Popular Warehouse sale (where all the English books were going at RM5) a pass and I wonder if I'll be able to do the same to the Big Bad Wolf Warehouse sale which is happening now.

I love books. I love reading. I have books everywhere in my personal space. But recently, I went through my piles of accumulated books from past BBW warehouse sales to give myself a reality check. I still have many more books that I have yet to read.

If I were really honest with myself, I have bought more books than I can possibly read in a year in the past Big Bad Wolf Warehouse sales (I have been a loyal goer to the BBW warehouse sale eversince the very first one many years ago in PJ). On top of that, I still have many more BookCrossing books that I have yet to read. Hmmm.... maybe I should sit out the BBW sale this year and make it a more zen year for me.

It has got to a point that in the frenzy of the warehouse sales and also to fatigue of being there for hours on end, I have ended up buying duplicates of the same book!!! Yes, this has all got to stop.

So far, for the record, I have read 46 books this year. I've still got many more lying around my humble abode to keep me entertained.

I have to be content with what I have and to enjoy the books that I have (why else did I buy them if I didn't plan to read them? And when else to read them if I don't make the time to read them some time soon?). Besides, I should be decluttering my life instead of adding more clutter to it. Notice that I'm trying to reason with myself!

I am grateful for having more than enough.

I shall not be greedy, I shall not be greedy, I shall not be greedy..... :D

Maybelline Hyper Sharp Laser Eyeliner

I love this eyeliner. It comes in three colors: Brown, Black and Soft Black. I bought mine in Black and it is the blackest of black. I've had it for a few months now. The tip of the brush is really sharp and allows me to draw a really thin line close to my lashes. I have super oily lids (even with eye primer) and this eyeliner does not smudge. This is my favorite liquid eyeliner.

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Product: Maybelline Hyper Sharp Laser Eyeliner
Retail Price: RM35.90
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Gratitude

1. The free ice cream (it was a nice after lunch treat that cost me nothing!)
2. The friendly staff who served me.
3. The red velvet cake and tea (I've been thinking about that for a week now!). 

On Acquiring New Information

I've been reading quite a bit lately, mostly novels. I've got to get back to the habit of reading content instead of just fiction. Gotta keep learning in order to keep improving.

The price of the book is negligible when you put into use the ideas that you learnt from the book. I'm currently reading about behavioral economics.

Making My Own Eye Makeup Remover

I've been thinking of making my own eye makeup remover for quite some time since I want something that is mild and at the same time does not leave an oily feeling on my lids. I've tried removing my eye makeup with olive oil --- that was waayyyy too oily for my liking.

My online research online revealed that eye makeup removers should contain oil to break down and remove the eye makeup. Then I noticed lately that my Moo Goo Shampoo was getting oily. A thought occurred to me: Moo Goo Shampoo contains coconut oil and that should work in my eye makeup remover! So, I put one and a half pumps of Moo Goo Shampoo into a small bottle with 30 ml water, gave it a good shake and viola, I had my own d.i.y. eye makeup remover!

It's gentle, organic (Moo Goo Shampoo is an organic product), quick to make, doesn't sting my eye, and best of all, it cost me nothing to make it.

To use it, I just put some on a cotton pad, put the cotton pad over my eye for about 10 seconds and then wipe the eye makeup off my lids.

And I discovered a bonus --- it works great for removing my facial makeup too!

Zoeva Brushes

The brushes arrived bubbled wrapped in a bubble lined Jiffy Bag

Each brush comes in its own case

My Zoeva brushes arrived today and ooohhh... they are super soft!

I'd been mulling over purchasing makeup brushes for quite some time but the ones that are sold at Sephora are not only pricey but their quality doesn't feel that great either. Then I came across bloggers and vloggers who were raving over these Zoeva brushes which are made in Germany. To make things more attractive, they are said to be comparable to Sigma brushes in quality but at the fraction of the price.

I found an online beauty store in Singapore that carries Zoeva products. The price that I paid for both brushes is much cheaper than what I would have paid if I had bought direct from the Zoeva online store.

I was holding out purchasing these brushes for the longest time before I finally caved in when there are a flash sale recently with everything in the web store going at a 35% discount. I made a small purchase of just two brushes (the Zoeva 104 Buffer Brush and the Zoeva 231 Petit Crease Brush) to test out the web store's service, the courier service that they were using as well as the products. I also got free delivery with this purchase. This is such a treat! :)

Body Shop Sakura Shower Gel Freebie

My 60 ml Sakura Shower Gel Freebie

I'd just collected my Body Shop freebie yesterday. Thank you Body Shop! :)

Second Interview

I was called in for the second interview with a private university run by Malays today. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

The interview was set at 9:30 AM. I got there at a little past 9 AM and again saw other people in the waiting room. "Here we go again," I thought. "It's going to be another long wait (the first interview was a long wait as well)." There were four others to be exact. The first candidate was called in at 10 AM. I was the last candidate to be called in and had the luxury of hearing from the other candidates of how their interviews went.

The second interview was a chat with the HR Manager alone. The interviews with the other candidates took approximately 30 minutes each. Two of the younger candidates who were interviewing for their first jobs were told to not focus on the money but to think of the "charity work" that they were about to do in educating the students. LOL.

My interview with the HR Manager took only 10 minutes. Strangely enough, I wasn't given the "charity work" talk like the others. I think she didn't really know what to make of me. She talked a lot about "fitting in". Hmmm.... okay, I get it, she probably thought that I'm too westernized and they are an organization where ALL the female Malays wear hijabs.

There was no discussion about money. She kept saying that it was up to some sort of committee to decide on that. Basically, she was pushing the buck and was not being transparent. Surely there is some sort of ball park figure that the university is able to pay? When I said that I was sure that the university had a pay bracket for the role that I was applying for, the HR Manager eluded the issue.

When I asked about the maximum number of teaching hours that lecturers have to do, she told me she didn't know. Then, she said maybe 20. Yes, a HR Manager who has NO idea of what should be a standard university policy. She proceeds to say that lecturers when given low number of teaching hours say nothing but make a lot of noise when asked to teach a lot. Hmmm...... a pretty unprofessional comment made in what should be an "interview".

Personally, I walked away today thinking:
1. I don't fit into the work culture of this organization where they have absolutely NO respect for my time. Making candidates sit around and wait to be called is just a waste of time. They didn't have the common sense to stagger the interview candidates.

2. This is the ONLY private university that I've been to that didn't have ANY sign of buzz and student life going on on campus.... strange....

3. It seems like a seriously Malay kampung where anyone who presents themselves differently (ie female Malay not wearing the hijab) will be harshly judged. You can see this on their faces.

4. People work for money. It is just not right to tell candidates to think of the work that they are about to do as charity. I'm sure that the candidates would be going to charitable organizations if they wanted to do charity work. The only charity that I see here is the organization. I didn't realize that the university was a "charity" case.

5. This place seems to hire a majority of Malay staff (something like 98% from my observation with only two Indians spotted while I was there and NO Chinese staff).

6. The HR Manager was anything BUT transparent. She mentioned about benefits but elaborated on NONE.

7. Today's "interview" was an absolute waste of time as I saw no point of the need for it.

8. It seemed like they were hiring a lot of people. Is this an indication of the high staff turnover? I have never seen other universities hire this many people at one go.

9. When asked if the university was growing in student numbers, the HR Manager gave me the evil eye and mentioned what I consider a small number of new students. I guess the idea of what constitutes a large number of students is relative.

In short, all the signs are against it. I've given myself the opportunity to find out more about them. Now, I  KNOW that this is not a place that I can nor want to be a part of. When a university hires lecturers for early childhood education who are fresh out of grad school (as in the case of one particular candidate who was there today) with absolutely ZERO experience in the field, it is a bad sign because that indicates that the university can't be bothered with the relevance of real world experience. A lecturer who can only impart what he has learnt from books (with no real world application at all) is of little value as they have nothing much to impart to the students.

The other candidates who they were there for the second interview were about to fill roles of TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) lecturers and guess what --- they don't feel comfortable talking in English! Hmmm........

I am not one for the segregation of the races. A lot of the same kind is never good. If Malays want to be competitive, they have to interact with the other races as well. Religion, as the majority of Malays interpret it is what is keeping them from progressing. Note that it is not the religion that is at fault but their interpretation of is that is hindering them from looking past their blinkers. It is important to have open minds particularly in a place that claims to be a university. 

The Game of Willpower

I've been eyeing on some stuff on this online store. At first, they were giving 20% discount for first time customers and I thought, "I can wait." Then they had a 30% one day only sale which I also passed up on. Later they were giving $20 discount for orders of a minimum of $50 which technically looked like a 40% discount provided that your order total came up to $50 on the dot. My order total order, however, was over $50 and when I worked the $20 discount back into it, the discount came up to about 35%. I decided to forget it. Then yesterday, they announced a flash sale from 6 pm to 12 midnight on the whole store with no minimum purchase limits. I caved in when I saw that many of the items that were previously available were sold out.

I only bought two items and the total purchase cost me half of what I had initially planned to buy. So I consider that a compromise. Besides, I figured that a small order would give me a chance to sample the online store's service. More importantly, I saved some money but not jumping in at the first sign of a discount. It pays to be patient. With the 35% discount, the prices are lower than what the European customers are paying for the products on the brand's website in Europe. I also saved money by planning and researching the items and purchasing only the items that I don't already have (seriously, I'm not buying look-a-likes of things that I already own) and oh, by the way, I got free shipping too :)

Now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my order arrives quickly and without drama.

A Patch for My Beloved Keds

Not one to throw things out unnecessarily, I found it hard to part with my beloved Keds when there was a slight tear in the big toe area of my right shoe. Purchased in Bangkok, this pair of Keds and I have been to many places together. This is my second pair of Keds in this design, yes, I loved it enough to buy a second pair.

 I can wear my fav Keds again!

There's a cute little blue elephant on my shoe!

I stopped wearing it when the tear was beginning to look visible but at the same time, I was reluctant to put into the donation box. I recently had this idea of concealing the tear with an iron on patch (don't know why it took me so long to think of this!) and guess what --- it works and I can now wear my beloved Keds again! I'm a happy bunny!

I Donated My Bras!

If you're like me (I'm assuming that you're female if you're reading this, if not...hmmmm.....what brought you to this page?), you've probably got more than enough bras. Throughout the years, I have purchased and worn many bras that I love. Some of the have become loose but there are others that even though are still in relatively good condition, I no longer wear.

After such a long time of wondering what to do with the bras that I no longer wear for numerous reasons (trust me, I've even googled up for places to donate bras in Malaysia and came up with nought), I finally found a place to donate my bras. I'm so glad that I hung on to them eventhough I didn't know where to donate them then.

Neubodi is now collecting bras for donation at their stores. I just dropped off five of my bras at their 1-Utama outlet today. The donation box is made of acrylic and placed right smack in front of their store (you just can't miss it). It was full when I went there today.

I couldn't help but notice that my bras stood out when I placed them in the box as most of the other bras in there were kinda the basic boring sort. What? I can't help it if I view bras as fashion wear. I admit that I like bras with personality, if that makes any sense to you.

Let's see, I gave away a shocking pink with black polkadots bra, a light blue and white gingham bra, a black bra that had shiny black splashes on it, a skin toned bra (okay, that was a boring one) and a black and white striped halter top one (it looks more like a bikini top really).

Anyway, the bra donation drive will go on till the end of this month, so there's still another 11 days to go if you've been like me wondering what to do with your pre-loved bras and don't want to just throw them out and add to the already overflowing landfills out there. Neubodi is also giving away a maximum of three RM10 vouchers which you can use towards your Neubodi purchase.

Create some space in your bra drawer and do good at the same time. Donate a bra to the needy.

Next Target: 15k

Having achieved 12k recently in the Pink Charity Run 2014, I'm now looking at my next target of 15k! Something for me to work on.

I've heard many excuses for not running:
1. People who endurance run have been doing it since they were young
2. If I don't win the race, I can't help getting upset about it (lame reason for not even trying to run in a race at all)

Like a lot of other things in life, we present ourselves with barriers. For the longest time, my lame excuse was I couldn't run (yeah, I know, like I said, it was a pretty lame excuse).

I only started running last October. Once I got started, I totally fell in love with it.

For me running is a conscious choice that I make every time I slip my feet into my running shoes. I'm a super slow runner but that doesn't matter to me because I always do my best and whenever I cross that finish line, I am really proud of myself. It's a personal achievement that nobody can take away from me. I'm a hell lot better than those other people who are sitting on their arses and watching tv!

My body is stronger than I think it is. My ass is looking cuter with each run that I do. I've got this. :)

Simply D Review: Pay What You Want for Coffee Mondays

Simply D's Pay What You Want for Coffee promo takes place on Mondays between 3- 4 PM. I was in the Avenue K outlet and offered to pay 10 cents for a mocha just to try out the quality. 

Sadly, the quality of the mocha that I received was a disappointment. It was watered down. One wonders if this coffee has been watered down for the promo or if the mocha is normally this bad on most days, and if that is the case, I sure am glad that I didn't pay full price for it.

Not having any sort of coffee here again, me thinks!

Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon SCKLM 2014

My reward for completing another 10k race

The MSIG 10k Route Map

I must admit that 5 months ago when I signed up for the race, I wasn't so sure whether or not I could do it.

It took me like forever to decide to sign up for the 10k race instead of the 5k race. For the record, this was the first 10k race that I signed up for. What made it worse was that there was a cutoff time as well! But guess what --- all that training paid off! I'm a happy bunny :)

I took the LRT to the race venue. I didn't factor in the long wait for the connecting LRT from Mesjid Jamik station to the Bandaraya station. I arrived at the Bandaraya station with just 3 minutes to spare to run from the LRT Bandaraya station to the end of the starting pen. I also had to stop for a little while to pin on my bib. I only had time to pin the top two pins to my running vest. Yes, I was that strapped for time! Note to self, pin the bib while waiting for the LRT in the future. Thank goodness I got to the end of the starting pen just as they were beginning to move forward.

There were soooo many people in the 10k race which made it kinda difficult to pass them sometimes as some of them were pals and were walking 5 or 6 abreast. I don't know if they were even aware of common race courtesy of keeping out of other runners' way. It took me more than 5 minutes to get from the end of the starting pen to crossing the start line. Yes, there were THAT many people!

Quite a number of people had muscle cramps and stopped at the medical stations along the way for muscle cramp rub ointments. Perhaps this is due to the back to back race with the BSN Putrajaya Night Race which took place the night before? I guess, there were many runners who didn't want to miss out on two of the biggest runs in Malaysia.

Only the first hydration station along the 10k route served 100 Plus but all the other hydration stations had water. There were lots of portaloos along the way too.

I felt okay at the end of the race :) Hmmm... maybe I'm getting this running thing sussed out!

Interviews: A Comparison

I was called in for an interview at a language centre for one of the better known language franchises in Malaysia recently. It was a pretty strange experience. I was made to take a test. Okay...stranger still was that it was a badly constructed test and the things that were being asked in the test really had nothing to do with language teaching at all. Hmmm......

While taking the test at the language centre, I received a phone call for another interview at a university the following day. There, I was asked to give a short sample lesson using just a marker and a whiteboard.

Of the two, the university interview made a lot more sense to me. The candidate's ability to teach is something that should be of interest to the interviewers. In my experience, you don't have to ask a candidate to sit for a test to gauge how accurate their language is. You can get that sussed out during the interview with the candidate. What is more important is if the candidate can teach and engage the learners. We all know people who have a lot of knowledge but who seem to lack the ability to impart the knowledge to others.

It just goes to show that language centers are simply businesses being run  by people who have very little knowledge of language teaching and what it really entails. Most are there just to make money and the extremely low rates that they pay their instructors makes it no wonder why they don't attract experienced and knowledgeable instructors who know what they are doing. Are Malaysian parents really that clueless that they are willing to believe that such language centres are actually doing something worthwhile towards the improvement of their kids' language abilities?

Pantai Hospital Klang Pink Charity Run 2014

I completed my very first 12k race! Yay!!!

The 12k Route Map

After the hilly 10k TM Fan Run, I'm thankful for the fairly flat terrain of this run. I must admit that I was pretty hesitant about signing up for this 12k five months ago as I wasn't sure of my ability to go such a distance.

Okay, I know that 12k is really nothing to most other seasoned runners out there but for me, it is a BIG challenge. The only other option is the 5k but I've come to a point where I feel that 5k's are a tad too short of a distance. So at the very last minute (yes, I mulled over it for a lllooonnngggg time), I took the plunge and signed up for the 12k (while at the same time wondering what possessed me to do so!).

I woke up early today to go to this event in Setia Alam (I had no idea that it was that far out when I registered for the race). This event was well organized with plenty of water and 100 Plus provided at the hydration stations. I particularly liked the watermelon served at the end of the race. There were also many pics of me caught in action on camera!

Talking about many pics of me caught on camera, I particularly liked it that one of the photographers brought his especially well trained dog to the run and the doggie was just chilling out --- a pretty cool dog!

Johnson's Baby Lotion as Makeup Remover

Yup, this is my makeup remover. It's a product that has been around for as long as I can remember. It does the job without irritating my skin and it costs a fraction of all the other makeup removers out there. What's not to like?

Getting to the Product at the Bottom of a Tube

There is normally about a week's worth of product at the bottom of a tube which you can't get to unless you cut the tube open (this is especially true for me when it comes to body lotion and moisturisers). I used to cut the tube at the very top end of the packaging but discovered that this wasn't the best solution as the product left in the packaging would be exposed to air and then cake up.

So, in order to overcome that problem, I now cut away the middle portion of the packaging and then use the top half as the cover for the lower half. In this way, it stops from the product still left in the bottom half of the tube from being exposed to air and caking up.

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes

Guardian had a one day promotion for the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes a few weeks ago. The value pack which consists of 2 packs of facial wipes were going for RM20 instead of the usual retail price of RM25. I purchased it for RM15 since I had a RM5 Guardian voucher. Sounds like a steal right?

A pack contains 25 wipes and since I don't use a lot of makeup (I intended of using it only to clean off my facial makeup and not my eye makeup) I figured that I could stretch it out if I cut the wipes into two and thus, it would last twice as long.

This is what the product claims:

"simple goodness...

2 VITAMINS

PRO-VITAMINS B5 AND VITAMIN E

0 ALCOHOL OR OIL
NON DRYING AND NON GREASY

0 NO ARTIFICIAL PERFUME OR COLOUR AND NO HARSH CHEMICALS
SO IT WON'T UPSET YOUR SKIN

Dermatologically Tested and Approved

simple ingredients... impressive results"

I used it to remove my makeup and followed it up with Simple's Facial Cleansing Gel Wash, which I have been using for quite some time. A few minutes after washing my face, I felt a stinging sensation on  my skin. I thought I was imagining things, as I have never had a reaction to skincare products.

I went through the same routine the next time I had to remove makeup. This time, I not only felt a stinging/ burning sensation, but my face was itching as well. You see, I started feeling the stinging, burning and itching sensations only after washing my face with the Simple Facial Cleansing Gel Wash. Maybe, it has something to do with using the combination of the two products one after another?

Unwilling to let the product go to waste, I decided to keep trying to make it work. So, the following day I decided to just use the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes and then rinse with lots of water. While this seemed to work out a little bit better, I still had the itching sensations. To make things worse, I had a small paper cut on my thumb and contact with the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipe while I was using it to clean my face resulted in my thumb feeling itchy as well, even after rinsing it with lots of water. Even as I write this review, I can feel the itching sensation, and it has been over 10 hours since I last used the product and rinsed it off with a lot of water.

I don't consider my skin to be sensitive and I am surprised of my reaction to this product, especially with its claim to be "Kind to Skin". Looks like this is one product that is anything but "Kind to Skin" as the Simple company would like to have us believe.

Apparently, I am not the only one who had allergic reactions to this product. Many other people reported similar problems, if not worse, online.

The Good
1. It's convenient and less messy than having to remove my makeup with facial cleansing lotion on cotton squares.
2. It smells fresh.
3. RM15 for two packs seemed like a good deal at the time of purchase (though not anymore now).

The Bad
1. It is certainly NOT "Kind to Skin".
2. Stinging, burning and itching sensations that can be felt minutes after using the product and doesn't go away even after HOURS of using the product and after rinsing my face with lots of water. This is definitely caused by the nasty chemicals in the product.

Verdict: Definitely NOT Recommended. Stay away from this product.

In retrospect, I don't know what got into me that day as I normally would not purchase something that I have never used before  in bulk. I normally would purchase the smallest possible packaging even though the unit price would cost me a little bit more just in case that the product doesn't agree with me.

Lesson Learned
1. Always purchase a never tried before product in the smallest possible packaging available. Better to pay a little bit more and be sure of a product's suitability with you rather than wasting money on what may initially seem like a cheaper price when bought in bulk.

2. Never assume that ALL products from the same manufacturer are going to work for you. This is one such example where I have used three of their products prior to this and have had no complaints.

I'm ditching the whole idea of incorporating the use of cleansing wipes in my makeup removal routine. My research revealed that facial wipes are one of the nastiest beauty products out there which are most likely to cause undesirable skin reactions.

I'm just going to finish my current supply of Simple products and replace them with other skin care products.

Research the Product Before Making the Purchase

I'm always looking for ways to not only save money but also to cut down on the number of stuff that I purchase and thus reducing clutter. I want to make sure that everything that I purchase is something that I would definitely use. I just hate to see things go to waste.

There are just so many beauty products out there and I just love trying out the product testers at the drugstores and Sephora. If I find a product that interests me, I don't make a purchase right there and then. I normally would make a mental note of it and do some online research by reading reviews on it when I get home. I find that it helps me make better decisions on which products to purchase and which to pass.

I think I have enough stuff in my makeup box for the time being. I have made a wish list of stuff that I'd like to purchase once I run out of the products that I'm currently using. It's sort of an idea list that I can go to when the time comes for me to replace the products that I run out of. Products are only added to the wish list after they have been researched online. In that manner, my purchases have been thought of and are planned and not made on impulse. 

Daiso Volume Mascara

I was browsing through the beauty aisles in Daiso recently and this mascara caught my eye. I've been contemplating on whether to purchase it or not for quite a while now. I'm always worried that cheap beauty products may mean dodgy quality. My past experiences with some Daiso beauty products (an eyeshadow quad and cream blusher) have not been too great.

However, curiosity got the better of me (the cute pink packaging with polka dots on it made it too difficult for me to pass it up) and I decided to give it a go. My online research for reviews on this product revealed people who love it. Besides, I figured that if it turned out to be a dud, I could just toss it out.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much but guess what I discovered --- it's actually quite a good product and I love it! I've since used it for quite a number of times.

This product is manufactured in Korea. There are five mascaras in this line: Base Coat, Volume, Long Lash (lengthening), Long and Curl, and Top Coat. I chose to try out the Volume.

For RM5, it is certainly a great find especially when compared to Maybelline's mascaras that retail for more than RM30. It will certainly make tossing it out at the three month mark (for hygienic reasons) a lot easier since it is easily replaceable at that price. It doesn't sting my eye and I like it that it is not waterproof which makes it easier to remove than waterproof mascaras.

Pump Bottles for Beauty Products and Toiletries

The lotion cleanser and facial cleanser that I use come in a bottle and tube. I find it annoying when the original containers that the products come in dispense more product than what I really need.

So, here's the solution: I transfer the product from the original tube or bottle to another bottle that has a pump dispenser. In that way, one pump always dispenses the same amount of product and does away with the problem of having excess product being dispensed from the original container that the product came in. The products lasts longer (as you use less of it) and it's also more hygienic as your hand doesn't touch any of the unused product.

NYX Wonder Pencil Review

NYX Wonder Pencil in Light

I've read a lot of positive reviews about the NYX Wonder pencil and simply had to get myself one to find out what the rave was all about. I tried the tester in Sephora KLCC but they only had the product available in "dark" which is too dark for me. This is what I discovered, this is one product that is not easy to get hold of. I had to visit THREE Sephora outlets (yup, you read that right, THREE Sephora outlets) in the city before getting hold of the product in the shade that I wanted (yes, I was THAT determined to get hold of it).

I purchased mine in the shade "light" and I've been using this product for about a month now. It gives a more natural skin tone color than using a stark white pencil on my waterline which would look totally fake. The down side to it is that it doesn't last long but I like the look that I get. I also use this product on the inner corner of my eyes (blended out, of course) to create a more alert effect to my eyes.

I've tried using it as a reverse lip liner, just on my cupid's bow, but I think I'll need to purchase one in medium to do that since the current shade that I have, while it looks good on my waterline, is a tad too light for my skin tone. I think I'll purchase another one in the shade "medium" which would be a better color match for my skin.

It's ineffective when used as a concealer, it just doesn't conceal anything! That said, I'm just happy that it works on my waterline as an eye brightener and look forward to using it to create my cupid's bow when I get around to purchasing another one in "medium".

The Good:
Makes my eyes look more alert when applied to waterline and inner corners of my eyes...yay!!!
Affordable price

The Not So Great:
Difficult to get hold of/  Not easily available
Doesn't last long :(
Not great as a concealer

   

Ikea Pre-Sales Drama

I was in Ikea today. Thought I'd take a look around at the pre-sale event that started today since I was already in the area.

The checkout queue was manic. There were at least 20 people deep, if not more, in all the lines.

A guy (a Malay man, to be exact) in the next line started shouting at the staff. Don't know what about as I was at the checkout counter paying for my purchase. He was really losing it. The cashier, however, was polite. He apparently didn't have something that she needed and he was getting upset.

My heart went out to the cashier. It's hard work having to process so many customers in one go (I know this from personal experience). Getting yelled at is the last thing that they need, not when they are being polite and trying to do their job.

Here's some advice: if you're the kind of person who gets agitated in situations such as queuing up in sales, DON'T shop during sales or pre-sales or warehouse sales or whatever, you get my meaning. There is absolutely NO point in raising your blood pressure. It's simply not worth the hassle and headache (yours, the service staff as well as the people around you who have no choice but to witness your spur of the moment hissy fit). Shop during quiet times, sure, it's not as exciting but there will also be no drama featuring you.

Here's what I normally do when I have to stand in a very long line: I just flip out a book and start reading. Makes the waiting a tad bit more bearable. But then again, that's me. Find something to do to occupy/ amuse yourself while you wait. Getting agitated should not be it. Remember, it's about staying sane... and happy, if that's possible in such situations.

My Teatime Indulgence

Mmmmm......a Cranberry Scone with dripping butter for tea time at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in The Curve. It was raining out there and there wasn't anything else to do but to enjoy watching the rain fall as I had my warm scone. I haven't had this in ages and I enjoyed every bite of it :) I washed it down with Passion Fruit Iced Tea. 

H&M 1-Utama Cashier Review

I just hate it when people don't queue AND the staff on duty serves them.

Case in point: I was in H&M 1-Utama today patiently queuing up to pay. The customer who was being served before me was an Indian woman. As her transaction was completing, a family member  (I presume) with a child in tow went up straight to the counter, put her purchases on the counter and started talking to her. Even though the cashier on duty, and there was only one on duty at that time whose name in Nabiha (as stated on her name tag), saw that I was waiting in line (she made eye contact with me),  she served the second Indian woman who obviously had not queued up!!!

Doesn't H&M train their staff on how to handle such situations since quite obviously queuing up is an alien concept for those from counties such as India? Attending to them even though they have obviously not queued up sends the message that H&M condones such customer conduct and that H&M can't give a rat's arse about what their other customers think.

San Francisco Coffee Suria KLCC Review

It's been a loonnngggg time since I've patronized San Francisco Coffee and believe me that when I say a looonnnngggg time, I mean a very looonnngggg time.

Anyway, I saw that they were on MyDeal and were selling RM10 vouchers for RM6. Hmmm.... a 40% discount... so I bought some for a few of their outlets around town.

The deal on MyDeal

This review is for their KLCC outlet which I went to for brunch on last Saturday. I ordered a Smoked Salmon sandwich on Ciabatta. Not being a coffee drinker, I wanted to give their Mango Madness Frappe a go. I was told that it wasn't available. Okaaayyy... how about the OJ Did It then? That also wasn't available. Hmmm... the only frappe that was available was Guava Goodness. Okay, I went with that.

The staff who took my order at the counter was pleasant enough

This is what my brunch looked like.

The whole order came up to RM31.80, of which I paid RM30 with the MyDeal vouchers (yay!!!) and the balance in cash. The processing of the payment via the use of the vouchers was a tad slow, which I expected anyway.

The sandwich was okaayyy... but nothing to shout about. Let's just say that I've had better sandwiches in other coffee outlets. The Guava Goodness Frappe, however, was surprisingly good.

The Verdict
Had I paid the full price for the meal, I would have felt shortchanged. But considering that I got the meal at a discount, it was okay value for the discounted price that I got it for.

Cotton On Body THE SHORT Review

I did it again!!! :( Yep, I don't learn my lessons :(

I purchased yet another Cotton On product. This time it's the Cotton On Body The Short.

I just couldn't help purchasing it as I like the wide comfy waistband and the color contrast is a design plus. In my defense, it was on sale selling at a deep discount. I got it at RM15 (original price is RM59). It seemed like a great deal then...

Besides, I thought that I could use a longer length pair of shorts to wear to races instead of my usual shorts as sometimes, the shirts are unisex and are quite long and would cover the shorts that I usually wear. I don't want to give others the impression that I'm not wearing shorts under my long tee...... Anyway, I digress..... Unfortunately, this product has the same problem with two of the earlier products which I purchased from Cotton On (read about the Cotton On KRA workout bra color run here and the Cotton On Rubi shoes color run here ) --- the color runs!!!

I wore these shorts to the Vitagen walkathon yesterday and my white Vitagen walk tee was stained pink around the waistband area. However, luckily, the color washed out --- phew! I guess that was because it was still damp when I threw it into the wash and maybe the washing detergent that I use is super great at avoiding color stains from setting in. Still, I'm NOT IMPRESSED with the color runs Cotton On! Color runs are simply not acceptable!!!

The Good
Design
Nice color contrast between the waistband and the rest of the shorts
Good decent length
Comfy waistband design
The price when on sale

The Ugly
The color from the waistband runs!!!

In short (pun not intended), this product is really not worth the hassle. NOT recommended.

Vitagen Healthy Digestion Walk 2014 Review

I was at the Vitagen walkathon today. I stopped by the local mamak's for a quick breakfast before going to the venue.

I got to Taman Jaya pretty early, at 6:30 AM to be exact, when it was still dark out there. I went out to examine the booths and at that point had not yet worn my bib, which I left in the car. When I went to register sans bib, I was given the Spanish Inquisition by this bossy Malay woman who was less than polite. She thought that I didn't know my bib number and when I did and I told her what it was, she made an issue of having to check it. Believe it or not, they didn't have a laptop on site and were relying on paper printouts (who would have thought that they would still be living in the Dinosaur Age...).

They gave the participants a bottle of drinking water and a banana at registration and later, they gave Marigold fruit juices (I had OJ) and Vitagens before the run to the participants. It has been a looonngggg time since I last had a Vitagen. Believe it or not, the last time I had Vitagen was when I was 13!!! I was not milk friendly and needed to consume milk (long story there) and this was the closest that my parents could get to getting me to consume a milk based product.

The execution of the walk itself was not very well planned. The path around the lake is quite narrow and when it was flag off time, it was quite impossible to even walk at a comfortable pace and this went on for the whole lap. Most people stopped after the first and second laps thus making it easier to walk after that as there was more space not just to walk but even to run! I did 10 laps (I think I was the only one who did that).

The handing out of the goodie bags at the end of the walk was well executed. Most of the volunteers were sweet and efficient.

The goodie bag 

The contents of the goodie bag

They even included a cooler bag (which came in really handy as the Vitagens needed to be kept at a cool temperature) and a microfiber towel in the bag.

And this is my second breakkie for the day!!! You simply have NO idea how often (and how long) I have thought of having an A&W's waffle with syrup and butter for breakfast!

My second brekkie :)

a much needed treat

Mmmmm.... sheer indulgence on a hot night

A Chocolate Frappe on a very hot night...it's a tad sweet though...

I hope it helps me sleep as I need to wake up early tomorrow morning for the walkathon.

Rubi by Cotton On Red Plimsolls Review

A few weeks ago, I bought two pairs of Rubi canvas plimsolls from Cotton On in Avenue K. They were too cute to pass up and they were on promotion (two for RM80). They are lightweight and look really cute for casual days which for me, is almost everyday really!

I just love the laces that came with the shoes :)

Just too cute. I received compliments wearing this pair.

Color run from the shoes on my brand new Uniqlo footie socks. Bummer  :( :( :(

I have since worn both pairs and guess what... while I had no issues with the Hello Kitty pair ( I have been saving that pair, I must admit, as it is simply too cute!), the perspiration from my feet resulted in a color run from the red pair after the first wear which left stains on my brand new neutral colored socks.

Sheesh...another color run issue from a Cotton On product! I thought it was just the sports bras that had color run issues...you can read about it here in case you missed it earlier.

On top of that, the insole comes off when I take my shoes off without undoing my laces (who does that anyway???). Today, I noticed that the fabric on the insole is coming apart --- double rats!!! :( :( :(

Note the exposed insole as the the fabric coming off it :( :( :(

It's really a shame as I like the designs (and price points, when they have a promo, or better still, go on sale) of the products in Cotton On.

Sooo... looks like it would be better to stay away from Cotton On products unless they're pastel colored and quite unlikely to have color run issues.

In short, this is my take on Cotton On's Red Rubi plimsolls:
The Good
Lightweight
Cute design and color
Love the laces
Comfortable
Price

The Bad
The color runs
Insoles come off when you remove your shoes
Fabric covering insoles begin to come apart after a few days of long hours of wear

Sweetness Overload

Today is the very first day in a very loooonnnngggg time where I indulged in a soft drink. Yes, I had a Sprite (I could have had a Coke to go with my meal, but that would be pushing it as I have had a history with Coke where one isn't always enough), and not just a regular sized one too, I had an upsized Sprite!!!

In my defense, it was not planned (how was I supposed to know that the Old Town White Coffee in Mid Valley Megamall is an "Old Town Signature" outlet that doesn't serve Honey Lemon or Iced Lemon Tea with their tea time sets like all the other "normal" Old Town White Coffee outlets??? So yes, there was no other choice for me but to have a naughty indulgence!

Note the Sprite order listed!

Mmmmm.... it was a very tall glass of Sprite

And as if that wasn't enough, I don't know what possessed me, a few hours later, I ordered a Cendol at Nyonya Colors. 

Super sweet treat

It was one of those things where the idea seemed better than the real thing coz the real thing was extremely sweet (what was I thinking???). I tried to finish it but ended up leaving half of it behind. Note to self: don't order it the next time!!!

Telekom Malaysia's Idea of Customer Service

Telekom Malaysia's (TM) idea of customer service is a reminder text message sent on a Sunday after which the service will be disconnected if TM does not receive the payment within 24 hours. They do this despite knowing that payments made via online banking and the post office takes more than 24 hours to get to them.

Now, why on earth nobody in TM has the common sense (which really isn't all that common nowadays) to send out the message at least a week in advance, so that its customers have ample time to sort out the bill payment, is beyond me. Have they missed the point that customer service is about servicing the customer??? 

Watermelons and Me

I've always loved watermelons. As a child, I was told that I could finish half a watermelon all by myself.

As an adult, I still love watermelons though I've got some watermelon "experiences" to share...like the time that I carefully selected a watermelon at Jusco Supermarket, qued up in a very long line to pay for it (it was a busy weekend), only to realise when I got home that I had left it at the cashier counter in the supermarket!

Once, I purchased a watermelon, took it home and put it on the floor for what I thought would be a minute as I took off my shoes but I soon became distracted and continued doing other things which, I'm afraid, didn't  include putting the watermelon in the fridge ASAP. When I finally remembered it, it was dead in the middle of the night when I was feeling peckish. The watermelon, by then, had sadly gone bad :(

And then, there was another time when I bought a watermelon, paid for it, took it home and put it in the fridge well meaning to eat it but forgot about it until one fine day, I was inspired to see what was in the fridge only to discover the science project that used to be a nice ripe and juicy watermelon!

So nowadays, when I am inspired to purchase a watermelon in the supermarket, I make sure that I consume it within a day of buying it (and before I forget that I ever purchased it in the very first place and before it morphs into a science project!).

Oh, by the way, you might want to know that I purchased a watermelon yesterday and made sure that I carried it home with me. I had it all last night  and it was simply divine! :)

My Wish for You

Good luck for later today. Just know that I love you and wish that your marriage will bring you the happiness you deserve :)

discouraged

My brother's getting married tomorrow and my mom has discouraged me from attending the ceremony on the bride's side. She doesn't want me there. She kept saying that it's really out in the sticks and I wouldn't like it, we'd have to share a home stay place with other people and there wouldn't be individual rooms (and I wouldn't like it)..... Note that she was the one telling me that I wouldn't like it. Actually, I was quite game for it but sensed that she didn't want me there.... but why???

Sensing her feelings about not wanting me to go, I didn't want to aggravate matters and told her that I'd changed my mind about going (no point going when your presence is not wanted; she's not going to make the trip a pleasant one for me if I did go on the trip). She heaved a noticeable sigh of relief when I said that I changed my mind and decided not to go.

Hmmm..... I must be a HUGE embarrassment to her.... I have absolutely NO idea why my own mother is doing this. In fact, I wish she would tell me what the problem really is but I doubt it if I'll ever know.

Yes, I've been to see my mom again today. Yes, I was abused yet again (what else is new, huh???).

My brother was there when all this happened. He did something which he has never done before as I was leaving --- he hugged me and told me that the last six months has been hell for him with mom too as mom didn't approve of his getting married.

It's painful, it hurts and I cried while driving home.

Not Perfect

Yes, I failed.... 25 years ago. Reminding me about it over and over again is not going to change things. Just because I seem tough doesn't mean that I don't have feelings too, you know. I'm sorry that I disappointed you. Now, can we get on with living in the present... please?

I wish for the day when you might perhaps be a tiny bit proud of me... I know, I know, wishful thinking but that doesn't stop me from hoping...

Aarrrggghhhhh!!!! Cotton On Sports Bras Color Runs!!!

I recently bought two sports bras from Cotton On. One was a Active Body KIR 'Keep It Real' camo with florescent pink trimming and the other was an all grey Active Body bra.

I wore the brand new Cotton On Active Body KIR bra under a white tee and after my run, I was appalled to discover that the fluorescent pink color from the bra's trimmings had run onto my white tee :( Rats!!! Hmmm.... Could that have possibly been a one-off issue???

I didn't notice any color runs on the other Cotton On Body Active all grey bra and have worn and washed it a few times and it seemed okay, so I was surprised to discover that it had left stains on my brand new pink racer back running tee last Sunday. Double Rats!!! :( :( :(

I went to Cotton On Australia's Facebook page and discovered that that predicament wasn't mine alone. Apparently, a few other people had similar issues with color running from various Cotton On garments (sports bras included) to other clothes as well. 

So, I guess, no more Cotton On sports bras for me from now on. This is when paying reasonable prices is really not worth it when the garments clearly have quality control issues.

What I like about Cotton On sports bras is that they are designed with hooks in the back very much like your everyday bra which makes wearing it easier as I never really liked the pull on type of sports bras as it can be quite a struggle getting them on and taking them off.

BUT, as I said earlier, I've got to stay away from Cotton On sports bras. Lesson learned :(

I've recently bought a pair of Cotton On capri workout pants which I bought prior to making last Sunday's color run discovery and am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that it will not have any color run issues. I have yet to wear them because I have been working out in my shorts since it's hot out there. 

I have bought many items of  clothing prior to this and have never had an issue with color runs before. So could this be just their workout gear problem??? 

Take my advice if you're reading this because you're thinking of purchasing Cotton On sports bras --- stay away from them!!! It's just not worth the hassle of having to replace both your sports bra AND your workout top.

Two-Toned Me

I'm a newbie runner. I started running in October last year in an effort to lower my blood pressure as I was worried that I had pre-hypertension though I was assured that my reading was "normal for my age" (whatever that means!). Anyway, I discovered that I actually enjoy running.

I started running on the threadmill and have been on the machine until only recently when I decided to take it outside. My first 5k run was not something that I planned to do. O'Briens Malaysia was giving away free registration to the run. That was how I got started and that was also where I discovered that I wasn't doing too badly as there were loads of people who finished after me :)

I recently signed up for a 10k run which will take place in October. At the point of signing up, I wasn't sure  if I could even do 10k! That was something like three weeks ago. I went from completing 7k, and then 9k, and yesterday, I completed 10k!

Call me crazy but I ran in the hot sun. That is how determined I am to show me that I can do it. Never mind the time, I just want to know that I can complete 10k.

I discovered Jeff Galloway's Magic Mile while I was trawling the net one night and I've since been experimenting with Jeff Galloway's run-walk-run method trying out various ratios, trying to find one that worked for me. I did a 20/40 today and much to my surprise, I completed 10k under 2 hours. Okay, I know that that is super s-l-o-w for you runners out there but it is a HUGE accomplishment for me and one that I am pretty proud about!

I am happy to just run-walk as it keeps my energy levels in check and I don't feel so tired.

There are tan line marks on my legs (yeah, like I said, I was out there in the hot sun!). Hmmm... I'm now two-toned... :D

Bliss

It's raining outside. Inside, I'm curled up in bed reading a book :)

Weight Issues

About six and a half months ago, I was getting a tab tubby at 123 lbs (56 kgs). Then, I started running, not only to lose weight but also to be healthy. I thought that it would be nice to lose 10 lbs. Frankly, I didn't think that I could lose the weight as it had proven to be almost impossible to shed even a pound previously, let alone 5 or 10!

I started running while making healthier food choices. Amazingly the weight started to drop bit by bit. I started losing the weight and some of my clothes were getting loose and felt no longer comfortable to wear.

About three weeks ago, my weight dropped to 108 lbs (49 kgs) which is waaayyy too light. So, I've since been trying to regain some of the weight that I lost. Worried that I would lose more weight if I kept on running 5 to 6 days in a week and have since cut back my running to every other day and concentrated more on eating more (but at the same time also making sure that whatever I eat is a healthy choice).

I'm happy to say that I've since put on some of the weight that I lost and I'm currently weigh 112 lbs (51 kgs) but let me tell you, it is HARD work to keep my weight there as I have to make sure that I take in more calories than I spend working out!

I'm Free From Corruption Run 2014

I woke up super early this morning to have breakfast so that the food would be digested by the time I started my run at 7:30 am. Yes, I ran with the masses in the I'm Free From Corruption Run today. And in case you're wondering, no, I didn't participate in the run because I really believe that the run was going to change the state of affairs in the country. Well.... when you think about it, it is a public acknowledgement that corruption exists in the country, which to me, is a start. The first step to overcoming any problem (of any scale) is admitting that a problem exists.

My motivation to participate in the run this morning was purely personal --- to get myself better acquainted with mass run events since I seem to enjoy running now :) The distance of the run (3 km) fit nicely into my strategy of getting myself acclimatized to mass run events. This being the second time that I've participated in a run event, I just wanted to experience the route and the terrain. Besides, this run was free and located in Padang Merbok, KL (and it was my first time there despite having passed by it a zillion times before).

To be quite honest, I found the emcees for the event annoying and I didn't really care for the aerobics workout that they had before the start of the run as I found the instructor's voice screaming over the speakers highly annoying.

The run was scheduled to begin at 7:30 am but started at 8:10 am instead as the PM only made an appearance at 7:40 am (hmmm.... perhaps this is in keeping with the well known Malaysian sense of "punctuality"?) and once there, he had to participate in some of the aerobics routines before the lighting of the symbolic torch and then firing the starter pistol.

The roads were closed for the run and manned by the traffic police which was nice as it made it possible for the runners to safely run on the road. High Five buns and Spritzer mineral water were provided after the run. There was also free coffee being given out but I'm not a coffee drinker.

After the run, I ran once around the KLCC park since I felt that I still had energy to burn and after that it was off to Suria KLCC for breakfast (again but hey, I earned it and besides, did I mention that this new interest in running is making me lose more weight than I initially planned to? I'm currently underweight and need to work on gaining weight!!!)  :)

KLCC Park

I went running in the KLCC park today. I woke up kinda late and it was 9 am by the time I got there (the plan was to get there by 8 am but I went to bed extra late last night and overslept). There were plenty of tourists killing time by being busy taking pictures while waiting for the shopping mall to open, I guess.

It has been eons since I last was in KLCC, let alone the park. Anyway, it was a nice change than running on the threadmill and there were enough trees around the park for it to be partially shaded most of the time. There were many other runners out there on the track too. I had a great time.

I had breakfast in the shopping mall after my change of clothes after the run. I also had a walk around the mall after that just to see what's new. I ended up browsing the sports shops just looking at the gear :) 

Normal Readings

I happened to be in Mid Valley earlier today and while I was there, I saw a sign that the Star's Health Fair was going on in the exhibition centre. So up I went to the exhibition centre scrapping my any prior plans I had of having breakfast as I didn't want to scew the results in case there were any freebie blood tests.

I love taking advantage of such events for freebie checks and while I was there, I got my weight, height, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood glucose checked. The reading for my height wasn't so accurate as the girl taking my height measurement reading was a lot shorter than me! I was kinda nervous about having my blood pressure levels checked as there have been occasions when my numbers came out being within the pre-hypertension range. Thankfully, this time around, it was within the normal range :)

I have come to a stage in life where seeing normal health numbers makes me grateful. Alhamdullillah :)

Health is something that should never be taken for granted.

happy :)

Running takes me to a happy place :) It takes away the blues.

Many don't understand me and wrongly label me. Running is the only thing that can make me forget that others greatly misunderstand me.

When most others love me not, running is the only place where I can go to where I can show myself that I am loved.

Sigh...

Will you ever love me? Why do you always, and I mean ALWAYS, remind me things that happened 25 years ago that I had no control over? Can't you be happy for me now that things in my life has changed tremendously? Can't we leave the past where it belongs --- in the past??? Can't you be happy for me in the present?

Would it be remotely possible for you to be supportive of what I am doing now? Can't you be happy with my milestones? I have been very happy with myself and what I have achieved through hard work, the kind that money can't buy. Won't you be happy for me? Does my quest for leading a healthier life make you uncomfortable? Is that why you always have to burst my happy bubble when I tell you what I have done?

You always tell me about what the others have achieved (mostly financially) when we do meet. Is that your way of telling me that I have failed next to them? It is just so painful to speak to you sometimes because I always end up getting majorly hurt. I don't think you even have any idea of how much you hurt me... or maybe you do know what you are doing. If that is so, why do you do it?

I don't like to discuss my finances/ assets with others. Why should I? Aren't such things personal? While I do have financial goals for obvious practical reasons, the goals that I love to pursue are mostly non-financial in nature, the kinds that money just can't buy. Is that so wrong?

Just know that I love you and I hope for that one day when you might show me that you love me in return. I hope that one day you might be happy for me.

My First 5k Event!

I completed my first 5k run event today :) Granted, I couldn't run the entire way but I finished waaayyyy ahead of loads (and I mean LOADS) of other people. It's a milestone achievement for me.

My participation in this 5k run wasn't planned. I just won the entry ticket from my fav sandwich store 5 days before the event and thought that it would be a good way to get myself introduced to what a 5k run might be like (something that I've been contemplating on for the last 3 months). I must admit that I was pretty nervous during the days leading up to the event as I wasn't sure what to expect. All in all, it felt good to be able to complete the run. Yes, my regular workouts in the gym helped :)

I plan to train to run 5k --- that's my next goal.

The Value of Books

I think that a book pays for itself if I have learnt just one thing in it that I didn't know before I read it.

Useless

An example of me being useless: After half an hour of cardio in the gym, I came home and had a slice of Raspberry Cheesecake :)  

Prayers

Praying for everyone on board flight MH370 that was bound for Beijing but went missing after two hours of leaving Kuala Lumpur.

2014

2014 is the year of respecting my body.