January 31, 2011

Heyy cool stud on stage with a leather jacket!

It began with a Lunar New Year Festival...


...when I heard the host on the stage welcoming the next guest, a youtube star that has been on the ellen degeneres show... wait.. what?! JOSEPH VINCENT! Next thing I knew, I found myself at a cozy spot 3 fangirl(boy)s away from the actual stage. (PS that photo above... darn, the funny guy on the right ruined it)


Feelin' the music eh?! All the fans screaming yayyyy --- He asked us which school we came from... I think I was the only one that named a college rather then high school -__-


But did I give ?


Nooo I did not care! Happy happy happy.... I was a total teenybopper!  
(eww I need to get my roots colored... or maybe I'll grow it out to ombre status)


Jammin' like no other!  At this time, I frantically try to find my phone to dial my best friend and make her jealous as heck :P  Unfortunately... phone battery fail.


He played an awesome rendition of  BSB's 'I Want it that a way'!


Clara performed there as well :)


I <3 my mother for patiently waiting until I finished watching his performance!
decided not to retouch this image <3


And I'll leave yall with my amazingly (shaky) clip of this awwweeesome singer!

January 30, 2011

Snackbowl Mugshot

Presenting to you...

The magnificent 360 degree view of geener's snackbowl.




=)

*  bow *

January 29, 2011

and I heard a mockingbird sing!

Jukebox: Mindy Gledhill- All About Your Heart


Several weeks ago, I went on a birdwalk at Ken Miller Recreation Center. What I thought would be a soporific stroll, actually turned out to be a pleasant learning experience.

Our guide was a rather rustic looking gentleman who sported a khaki fishing hat. The frayed pockets of his cargo pants was a vault for his worn-out bird manual and birdcall sound-machine. This beguiling appearance obscured the fact that he was actually a science teacher at an elite private school. Despite his bucolic attire, cheerful glow manifested his sun-weathered face, and his eyes twinkled with zeal as he lead us throughout the reserve.  Our bird watching group was equally as enthusiastic, with binoculars of varying sizes dangling from each of our necks. One sprightly man even carried telescopic contraption.

 This was serious bird watching business yo :P

From far away, the birds looked brown, tiny and austere. But through the magnified lens, each winged creature blossomed in their unique prepossessing majesty. Indeed within two hours, I saw various hummingbirds, phoebes, shovelers, mockingbirds, mallards etc. I even saw a lone Eastern Phoebe, which according to the guide was a rare sighting. "It must have flown out of its regular course”.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to snap-close up pictures of  these winged creatures since I am still on the quest to save enough for my Canon s95 ... But the landscape was a breathtaking sight itself. With the help of my trusty Kodak M347 point and shoot and Samsung cellphone camera, I tried to capture the scenery as best I could. I exercised my penchant for Photoshop afterwards by digitally enhancing them.

Hopefully you will enjoy some of my works as well.


 Path leading to the lake


Bird watching enthusiasts... wait for me! (Spot my guide? hint: hat)


My favorite picture.. isn't it ironic that the nature reserve is less than a mile away from an oil refinery? Sigh, our world nowadays.


This was taken through my cellphone after my camera ran out of batteries. See that lone shadow on the very top branch?  Yup thats the Eastern Pheobe. Some people search for 10-15 years just to find this. What an auspicious moment!

Across the lake

The lake flooded over part of the sidewalk... yup, and I ran through that  too :P


Graffiti on the beautiful fences :(  (you can see this from the first picture as well)

These birds weren't scared of me at all!


Thats it for now! =D

The original pictures prior to Photoshoping

January 28, 2011

Four LOL words of wisdom

sis:  yeah.. so the song ends with "dead and gone.. dead and gone"  (referring to: T.I.-Dead and Gone )

mom: oh really?  I don't know that song. But I have seen um... "The Wind is Gone"

sis: ... ?

- 10 seconds later -

sis: Ohhhh you mean, Gone with the Wind!



January 24, 2011

Notes to self: coffee aroma

I was in starbucks for less than 8 minutes to get a Tazo Green tea and a blueberry muffin. Since then, I've been home for more than an hour, yet the subtle aroma of coffee still lingers on my coat.

Either the fabric of my outfit is extremely absorbent, or the smell of starbucks is especially pungent.

Angry songs sound similar

Listen to...

Linkin Park - The Catalyst from 0:19-0:32


versus

Leehom Wang - China White from 0:30 - 0:42

2:10 - 2:28 ouch, how many collisions does it take to fathom the dangers of a busy road...
2:35 - 2:41 sloww mowwww. puahaha ;D

Anyway. Despite the slightly different speed, they both sound similar, no?

Just something I noticed.

Still both intense and lyrically meaningful songs by talented artists!

January 23, 2011

Skincare Rambles...

I woke up this morning to find this sad sight:


This is result of my helpless acquiescence to my circadium rhythmn.

In my haste to knock out in my comfy bed, I had unknowingly knocked over my Za moisturizer on my bedstand and lost a good whopping amount. :(

Za is a brand linked to Shiseido, but most of the Za line products are based in Asia... I bought this (Dewy Effect Emulsion) during my last visit to Taiwan. Therefore, replacement will be a pit.

Admist my search to find another moisturizer online, I got sucked into another skincare product frenzy. Working with young students these past few months has caused me to be unrealistically critical of my own skin. Seriously, young children DO have porcelin, poreless skin! Scars aside, I wanted to make sure the overall quality of my skin is preserved... perhaps then my jealousy can be lessened. :P After much research and review reading, the following products seem most coveted in terms of evening hyperpigmentation and wrinkle prevention. (links to MUA review site)


Specifically, I was looking for a products that contain a bit amount of Retinol for plumping up the skin in long term usages, AHA for skin rejuvenation, Vitamin C for scar lightening and soothing properties like Green Tea and Aloe.

I was just about to click purchase with one of the above products when I suddenly decided I'd first FINISH using some products I currently own. So here it is, my official declaration that I, Gina will begin a consistent nightly bio oil regimen to see if it helps with improving skin quality and tone. If I don't see improvement after the bottle is finished... then I'll purchase one of the listed items.

Plans: Use 1 drop each night mixed with moisturizer and 1 extra drop on hyperpigmented areas.

"Hopefully" positive results will be shared in a few months time!

Interesting article about aging: Article: Don't be a slave to your genes

January 18, 2011

Review: Hair Velcro Dariya vs. Kamipita

Jukebox: bx ft. egshiglen-love song

Side note: After listening to this song 10+ times while reading the youtube comments, I have thoroughly given up on deciphering which language it is. perhaps others can figure it out? warning though, the song is extremely cheeeesy at parts. lol

A beauty fad that has been popular this past year is the "magic" fringe holder that keeps your hair in place, after simply slapping it on your head.  Technically speaking, it's a piece of velcro (the spiky side) which grips your hair in place in lieu of a regular hair clip.  Surprisingly, the hold is pretty dang strong, and is a reliable alternative to headbands when washing your face, studying etc.   The best thing about it is that it is extremely lightweight, I can barely feel it.  Good-because it won't crimp your hair. Bad- because your likely to forget. Therefore, if your living in a dorm, and that someone you've been crushin on comes knockin at ur door, you don't want to look dumb, with a piece of fluorescent felt on your head.  That's  also why I opted for the black color when I purchased one during my last trip to Taiwan. (just joking! )

There are myriad reviews of these products all over the web, so I won't scrutinize the details.  However, I did notice that there haven't been comparisons between the two more "popular brands".  Ergo... here is my humble opinion of these two fringe-holders.

1. Dariya
  • Perk: Lightweight and versatile.
  • Perk: You can roll it up with the spikeys facing outwards and then use it as a pseudo "hair roller" for your bangs"
  • Perk: Bigger "surface area" for holding.
  • Perk: Very good 'hold'
  • Blah: mm... can't think of any 

2. Kamipita
  • Perk:  Looks "cute" with the bow on the back.
  • Blah: Heavier (due to the decorated backing) 
  • Blah: Not as bendable... and overall doesn't hold as welll.
Clearly... Dariya wins by a handful.

So in conclusion, if you want to get a good useful piece of hairvelcro, I'd highly recommend getting DariyaKamipita is a pretty big waste of money... despite the cute exterior, it doesn't complete its deed as efficiently. 

... or you could just go to the crafts store to buy a velcro kit to cut yourself.

January 14, 2011

'Heel' stare right backatchu.

Giuseppe Zanotti, Italian womens' luxury footwear designer
+
Delfina Delettrez, talented jewery designer and also heir of the Fendi family.

=  these abstract babies:





Hrmm... The collaboration works of these two designers are interesting is for all I can say. I don't know how I would feel staring down at my feet to find them staring back at me.  Delfina Delettrez is known for her gothic tone in her jewerly collections, hence the intricate yet creepy fist on the pumps.

Would these give you nightmares?

January 12, 2011

Can you say delicious?

mmm... soooo goood =)

January 10, 2011

Two ways of thinking

Jukebox: Coldplay- Sparks


if you are part of a platoon in direct range of fire, the worst place to be would be the front.
if you are on an airplane, the best place to be would be the front
if you are being chased by a pack of angry hippos, the worst place to be would be the back
if you are walking with a group into an elevator, the best place to be would be the back
if you are admist two conflicting views or arguments, the worst place would be the middle
if you are a monkey, the best place to be would be the middle.

right?




maybe. but it all depends

"No matter how thin you slice it, there will always be two sides."
— Baruch Spinoza (Philosopher)

January 06, 2011

Nude and gray.

Jukebox: Late Night Alumni- What if I say please?


Is it bad that the first thing I noticed on my interviewer's hand is her nailpolish. And that I knew the color... and brand?

"Over the Taupe- Opi"

I've been into nudes for a while, but with the descending winter weather... my inclinations  are towards the gray toned ones. These two will be on my next buy list:
Metro Chic from Sephora by OPI
Channelesque from China Glaze

... actually in juxtaposition, these look somewhat identical. haha

I also really like Pelican Gray from China Glaze, but I don't think it will look good people with tones around or darker then NC40... aka me.  I don't know about others, but some milky-light varnishes end up looking extremely "flourescent-y" on my hands since my skin is tanner.


So back to nude talk. In my quest to appear less conspicuous in terms of nail color, the one I'm sporting at the moment is Cafe Vienna #475A by Wet n Wild (Crystalic Line).  Despite the drug-store-y brand, it is a gorgeous color. A beigy-nude color, a bit milky, and then there is microflecks of gold shimmer in it. The sheen is very subtle though, so it still looks somewhat creamy. The only thing I would complain about it is that it get's a bit streaky if applied in a rush. That, and I believe it's discontinued.... (and this part is sort of embarrassing) but I'm pretty sure I've had it since high school.

A check on makeup alley confirms my suspicions.

"Cafe Vienna" #475A. Amazing reviews, yet all dated from 2002-2003 -___-. It's hard to believe that babies born after the time I obtained this nailpolish can add, subtract, and comprehend this blog entry. omga.

Ok! that's my nail rant today =)

January 04, 2011

Notes to self: tea

Don't get the passion Tazo tea at starbucks.
tastes like an intricate blend of Windex, Love Spell by Victoria Secret, and unsweetened lemon concentrate.

January 03, 2011

*sniff* ipod battery *sniff*

And I thought I could escape the wraths of sickness throughout this winter. negative.
What an interesting way to welcome my new year. a plethora of headaches, sniffs and congestion. mmmm..

Anyway...

My beloved ipod touch of 3.5 years (yes, Generation 1) is entering in its last stages of life. =(

Diagnosis: dying internal battery

The Bad News:
This is unacceptable. As I use my ipod touch as an organizer (synced to google calendar), study aid (flash card manager), music outlet (self explanatory), gps & texting machine (when wifi allows), and mirror. (jk.) 

The Good News:
It's fixable- as long as money, tools, and/or skills allow.

Unfortunately, my cpr certification won't save the life of this little piece of metal.  Therefore, I'm currently debating on three alternative methods of reviving my "iPouch"

1. Reviving it lawfully with a peace of mind
aka sending it into the famous apple store for a whopping $79  before shipping and shebang. All this for a $8 battery I can buy on ebay.

2. Reviving it unlawfully with a peace of mind
Sending it to an online store for a whopping $40 < X <$79 (probably). Ditto about the $8 battery.

3. Reviving it unlawfully without peace of mind ...by replacing it myself
Naturally, option three was my initial preference of fixation... as I speculate it would be a fun project/learning experience as well. However, after perusing through both video and textual dissembling guides of the ipod touch I found the procedures not as simple as I had hoped for.  First, I needed to buy a putty knife to help crack open the covering and pry up the old battery without damaging cables- tricky but doable. I'd have to rummage through my dad's toolbox for an itty bitty screwdriver.... completely fine. But the hardest part would be the (un)soldering. Just like Apple to make its dissembling as complicated as possible. They have the battery wires soldered on to the system board.  Must be done skillfully or else I'll probably be left with a $400 paperweight. I have successfully jailbroken my ipod touch before.. but this requires actual hardware tampering, which is what worries me.

Anyway, I'm still debating amongst these, and if I can figure out how to obtain/use a soldering iron, I'll probably choose 3. I mean, its not  everyday I get a legitimate reason to crack open my ipod.

Stay tuned!

January 01, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Jukebox: Switchfoot - Enough To Let Me Go


Let's first begin with several ridiculous crappy-web cam photos my frazzled early morning state. Yes. that's a  poke-a-dotted pink pj robe =P






ahem * puts on nerdy lecture glasses *

So before I was planning on writing a long entry about my edifying year yadda yadda yadda.. when something suddenly dawned on me after I reread some of my old blog entries from years ago. Specifically this one:


aside from the blatant misspellings, grammatical errors, and choppy illogical sentences. When I first reread this old diary entry of mine today.. I immediately thought ... " uhh what?!? what exactly was so 'cool' about that day?"

because the answer now would be... nothing really.
in fact, i'm pretty sure i yawned while reading it... until the last sentence woke me up.

I'm ashamed to say that my expectations for a "pretty cool" day has risen immeasurably with these passing 4 years.

Of course, with age comes wisdom. so naturally with better understanding of worries and responsibilities, also come increasingly higher thresholds of amusements needed in order to make a day memorable.

Nonetheless, I've decided that...

my new year's resolution is to live each day with the carefree simple attitude I had during my freshman year of undergrad... by appreciating every routine day as awesome as it is by itself :)


Here are the rest of my resolutions in decreasing importance:
2. listening more! LISTEN and try not to interrupt.
3. show more respect and thanks to my family.
4. relax and not be too uptight about trivial matters.
5. cherish my health by eating nutritiously, drinking a lot of fluid, sleeping well, and exercising routinely.

with that said... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
and yes! today will be a pretty cool day! =)