Bus & Train Etiquette

If anyone knows me, they know I hate the MTA and the people that take it. I always have FB statuses about how pissed off I get. I catch serious twitter rage all the time. Traveling during peak rush hour in the morning and evening though, has put me at an all time high for sidewalk and other rages. I want my 11-7 schedule back :( I had time to sleep in, missed the morning rush, the bus and trains were fairly empty. Coming home, I caught a few crowds, but nothing major. Now though? I can't even begin to explain the madness that I go through going to and coming back from work. It's enough to make me want to stay home. At least its not that bad when the kids are off from school, because Lord only knows how irritating they are. It's not that hard to have basic etiquette when you're on public transportation. Here's a few basic things I think everyone should follow, and it would make the trip back and forth a little more tolerable.

1. If you see a line for the bus, don't think you can get away with cutting in the front. Especially not when the line is long and doubles up. You must be crazy. And if by chance someone lets you cut, don't you dare be obnoxious and brag about it. There was a chic that did that once. She cut the line, cursed everyone out for saying something to her, then got on the bus and was on her phone, loud as hell, talking about how someone didn't want her to cut the line, but she cut anyway and she can do what she want to do, F everybody. Like really? Ok. When you grow up, and someone does that shit to you, after you've been standing up in the cold after a long hard day at work, you're gonna want to punch that bitch in the face too. I'm a firm believer in karma, so I can only imagine how she would react when that happens to her. And I hope it does. 
2.  We all have somewhere to go, and you have the insane urge to bum rush everyone off the bus, train, up or down the stairs. Don't do it. It's especially rude when I'm on the bus with the Mister, sitting together and people rush to get off and separate us. Like you see us sitting here together, I'm getting up right behind him and then you just cut me off. I hope someone does that to you and your kids or someone you're with and see how it feels. This morning this chic climbed over my bag (I had it on my feet) and over someone else's lap, just to get a head start out the bus door, while everyone else is getting up. So she got stuck right after crossing my bag, so I stood up and walked close behind her and was bumping her every step she took, until we were off the bus. Bitch move, I know. But I really wanted to hit her with my bag. She gave me the stank eye and ran off as soon as we got out the bus. I laughed. She was in a rush, thought I was helping her out.
3. Taking up 2 or 3 seats just because you feel like a 'boss' when its crowded, don't do that either. 
4. Having your kids wreak havoc on a crowded bus or train. Or at all. Especially when they stare all up in some stranger's face, or sit there and kick the persons leg, or crawl all over them. While you sit there and just idly say "stop, don't do that." Or you let them play "I Spy" loudly while they call out things about random people on the bus. If you can't control your kids, then keep them with you. Don't let your 5 kids be spread out across the back of the bus, all over and in between people.
5. And definitely don't drive your stroller down the crowded bus because you don't want to fold it up and the bus driver is too pussy to tell you not to do that. And then be ignorant and loud about the ignorant shit you just did, while you change your baby's nasty stank diaper on the bus and tell everyone if they don't like it they could get off the bus, they don't have to sit there, you can and will do whatever you want. When someone does that at your wedding (like that will ever happen for ya) don't complain. Karma.

There's more, but I can't think of all of them off the top of my head. These are definitely real life experiences. The bus pisses me off more than the train, that's for sure. Maybe you think I sound psychotic, but I swear to you, if you witnessed these things, you'd be at your wits end too. Especially if you had to face this everyday. I'm not even factoring everyone's attitudes, loud mouths, gross behavior, or any other outside factors. This is the tip of the ice berg.

I hope people leave all this bullshit in the old year. None of y'all better do any of this either!

Until next year,
-L

Stella Artois Chalice

If you didn't know by now, I love Stella. It's one of my favorite beers. Having gotten a free chalice, compliments of BzzAgent and Stella Artois, I can't put it down! I've been more than thrilled to finally get my hands on one. It does make drinking my favorite beer quite a different experience. It's classy, chic, and straight up awesome. I mean, who doesn't want to drink out of a chalice?! Anyway... I tried my hand at the 9 step pouring ritual, and it was a success! To be honest, who doesn't know how to pour a beer? Haha. Kidding! The pouring process is not as awesome as the drinking process, but it's well worth the effort.

In case you don't know, the pouring process is:

Now I can admit, I skimmed through the steps, because who has time for all of this every time? But drinking out of the chalice was enough for me love Stella even more. Now don't be surprised if you see me toting this bad boy around!


***I was sent this product for free, and I am NOT being paid in anyway for this post***

Coming to a Close

Just a few weeks left before the year is over. I'm just so anxious for 2012 to be done and bring in 2013 already. Not that 2012 was a terrible year, it definitely had its ups and downs. But it's time for it to be over. I'm not going to post up any resolutions, because that just ends up going out the window as soon as the new year rolls in. I can't think of a year where I actually stuck to my resolutions. I can say that I will try to be a better human being. LOL Some of you know how hard that will be for me! And maybe I will try to look like a decent human being more often. The first step to feeling good, is looking fabulous :) If I can get out of this lazy rut I've been stuck in, then I can spread my wings and let out my inner diva. Still don't have plans for NYE, but I'm sure we will figure it out. In a few days I'll write up a reflection of sorts for 2012, if I have time. I've been trying to fight this nasty cold for a few days now, hoping its gone before Christmas. :(

Deep Breath... and out........
-L

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation Review

 
This is a long time coming. But I can say I have thoroughly tested this out since buying it during the summer. As you can see from the picture, figuring out which shade you are is nearly impossible with that heavy glass container. I had to read tons of blogs and reviews before I got one that worked for me. As well as buying 4 and testing them out (gotta love some store's return policies) and choosing the best one. Although this is not PERFECT, its pretty damn close. I was done testing and re-testing. But you'll see from the pics. Before I get into it, my skin type is oily/combination and most products usually don't break me out too easily unless I sleep in them. My makeup routine is pretty minimal for everyday and work, but going out I step it up more. I'm usually in and out in the mornings, and usually use my BB cream, but sometimes the inevitable happens and I need more coverage. 

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation is supposed to last 24 hours, and be really light and make you flawless. You can read their spiel here. Out the container, it doesn't look or feel like a mousse to me, but I am comparing it to the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, the only other mousse foundation I've ever had. I can't comment on 24 hour-ness, but I can tell you it does last pretty long. Throughout my 8 hour work day, it's still there. It's not transfer-proof, but it doesn't get all over the place messy. It does, however, make me look smooth and almost flawless. :) I usually put a setting powder or my Bare Minerals on top, but I didn't in the pics. It covers my redness and acne fairly well, without clogging my pores. It doesn't make me excessively oily either, so that's a plus. You don't need a lot, and can layer as needed. I usually don't put more than one layer on, especially if I'm using powder on top. After the second layer or so it begins to feel a little heavy. I don't have issues with it settling into lines or pores, but it can cling to dry spots, so make sure you moisturize well before applying. I've never used primer underneath, but I've never needed it. Maybe if I need it to last all day/night for a special function I will. Overall I am satisfied with it and will continue to use it for those rare days. I still have my eye on that Stila though!

After much trial and error, I settled on the shade 400 Early Tan, which looks really dark, but it works. It is slightly pinker than I would like, but I'm very yellow toned. Most of the ones I tried looked really pink on me, and honestly I could have went with any of the shades I tried, as I did find the foundation to be forgiving. It seemed like the longer I wore it, the better it looked and the better it matched. I tried Natural Tan, Warm Golden, Early Tan and True Beige. True Beige and Early Tan were on the pinker side, while Natural Tan and Warm Golden were on the neutral/yellower side. I probably could have went with Natural Tan, but it was still a shade too light for me (I was trying it in the summer). I actually did want to try Rich Ginger just to see if it would make a better match, but I was tired of buying and returning.

dab, slightly blended, fully blended and settled

While it looks decent in natural and indoor lighting, it does not photograph well with flash. I always end up looking like I have my face painted on. :-/ I know it's not marketed for flash photography, so I won't cry over that. You can see in the pics below that it covers up and looks pretty decent without too much effort. If I would have used my Bare Minerals on top it would've been more coverage.

bare faced (yuckkkk)

One layer applied with fingers

It calms down the red and angry acne. I could have used some concealer under my eyes, but whatever. I look decent with the foundation alone and am able to keep my routine quick. It applies pretty well with your fingers and is blendable. The best application I ever had with this was with a brush. I stipple and blend and it's even better coverage and smoothness. It is an open container, so it does get unsanitary if you don't wash your hands or keep sticking them in the jar. I just use whats on the top of the plastic cover, under the lid. But I'm not a complete germophobe and I wash my hands when I apply my makeup. I think I'll be OK.

Overall if you want a drug store foundation without losing quality or performance, I'd go with this one. It's all about preference. Just make sure you read up on the shades to help choose the right one for you.

***DISCLAIMER: I was not compensated in anyway for this review. Products reviewed were bought with my own money for personal use.***

Lazy Weekend

After all the chaos, I finally took a much needed weekend off. I didn't leave the house all day Saturday, and only for a few hours on Sunday. It actually felt refreshing. I caught up on Scandal from season 1, slept for hours, and just chilled. I've never felt better. Albeit I missed class on Saturday because I stayed out late the night before for my company's holiday party. But still, I needed it! I can't keep going on and on like a chicken with its head cut off. Shit, who can?! I may be dreading going back to work tomorrow, but I'm in much better condition to face the week.

I know my blog hasn't had that many clicks/visits since I posted about the Race Issue, but frankly I don't care. I'm not out here killing myself for a blog. I've got a job, a life, and better things to do than try to beg for views. If I get them, great. If not, I'm not losing any sleep over it. This is still my blog, a place for me to rant and vent and just gather my thoughts as necessary.

The next few weeks will be busy, so the posts will be sparse

Until next time,
-L

Holiday Blues

It seems like time is flying so quickly. I guess that's what happens when you're busy. Things have been a bit hectic with work and school, but I'm battening down the hatches and making it work. I'm just waiting for the lull around the holidays. I'm DEFF going to need the time off. But I'm not really in the holiday spirit this year. I don't know what it is, but I'm just not feeling the cheer. I won't be spending it with family, and as far as how Christmas day is going to go, I'm still not sure. It's all up in the air for now, but I don't see it changing in the foreseeable future. I'm still not even sure if the office is going to be closed that week or not, but if they are, it will be unpaid. :-( Such is the life of temping. That break will be much needed though. Paid or not, I'll take it. I'm just so exhausted lately. I still haven't recovered from working the show. Who knows. Maybe its my old age. LOL

On a side note - ASL classes have been going well, I just feel like I have to force myself to get up on Saturday mornings. I also have to force myself to go to the ASL meet ups too, but they're fun and so helpful! I just hate travelling home late, you know train to train to bus. -__- Hopefully I can move closer to the train station and won't have to worry too much about travelling.

Til next time,
-L

Stepping Up

Finally the week is coming to an end! I mentioned before about the trade show for work, not only was it my first, but it was the 2nd biggest show that my company attends. It was so busy the first day, and I will admit I was nervous, I was kind of thrown in because trade show coordinator had to take emergency leave. There were other people there that had done the show before, but they were laid back. I stepped in and was the point of contact between her and the managers/reps at the show. She was really helpful in telling me what to expect, and I managed to take care of things as needed. I just really wanted to prove myself to the company and not screw up. As the days went on (it was a 4 day show), things got easier. It just felt good to be there talking about our products and interacting with our customers face to face. Working with some of our sales reps also gave me a chance to see how they work, and it was good to finally get to know them, even for only a few days.

While I thought I did an acceptable job, I felt like I could have done better. I will admit that the lackadaisical attitude of some of the managers and reps made me slack off a little bit. BUT our GM spoke to me and said he received a lot of good feedback about how I was working and conversing with the customers. A few people mentioned to me that I was doing a really great job and it felt amazing to hear that they thought I was a superstar. LOL I'm not going to let that get to my head though, no time for ego tripping! In any case, I managed to prove to them that I'm not incompetent like some of the other people they've had to deal with. Now I hope this works in my favor for them to make this permanent. Time will tell, but it looks good. :)

But even more importantly, I showed myself that I could handle it. I stepped outside my comfort zone and did it by myself. I learned to put on my big girl boots and handled my shit! And I explored something new that I actually enjoyed doing, so who knows, maybe this could be my calling..

-L

Quick Holiday Note

Hey guys and gals. This is just a quick note to say that I hope your Thanksgivings went well. We all know we should be giving thanks everyday and not just this one day out of the year. I hope that you all tell your children what really happened on Thanksgiving, and not just the Disney version (when they are of appropriate age of course!) I also hope none of you killed yourselves on Black Friday, or for the rest of the weekend with crazy shopping. I have stayed out of all the stores, and done all my shopping online. Please remember today is Small Business Saturday and support the local businesses! They all need help, especially during this time after Sandy. Don't be greedy and don't forget those still in need. Giving Tuesday is right after Cyber Monday, so lend a helping hand if you can!

I'll be busy for the next few days. Big trade show for work. Setting up today and will be working it until Wed. This is my first time and the girl that would normally work it is unable to attend this year. So I will not have her guidance. Hopefully it all goes well. I probably won't have the time to post until its all over, but I will try!

Sorry if this sounded Hallmark-y...
-L

No respect

***DISCLAIMER - this is MY blog and I'm discussing MY feelings/thoughts. DON'T come on here and leave negative feedback trying to bash me. You don't like what you're reading, hit the 'x' and keep it moving. I'm not racist either, I love and accept everyone for who they are.***

This is a small add on to what I was mentioning in my previous post, about being treated differently in certain neighborhoods. People are always testing me and trying my patience. Most of you who know me, know my attitude is the worst - and that's on a good day. Usually I don't have one unless you start with me first. I try to mind my own business. I was on the train last night and it's crowded, rush hour, and this chic kicks and steps on me. I look up to see if she would say excuse me or apologize, I didn't have headphones on and neither did she. Nope. All she did was stare me down like I was wrong and posed up on the pole. Fine I'm gonna let it go, people are ignorant, whatever. I rolled my eyes and counted down to calm myself. Let her stare me down if she wants to, I didn't do anything to her! But a group of loud chicks come on the train invading her space and she just sits there quiet with her face screwed up, looking the other way. I'm getting off the train and walking up the stairs, and the same chic comes and rushes behind me, knocking into me hard with her bag. Again I look at her to see if she would say anything. Nope just stares me down, grilling me - almost like she wants me to say something. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head. "She's not worth it" I tell myself and keep it moving. I still see her out the corner if my eye walking behind me, but I just walk up and go about my business.

Now I said all if this without mentioning race. Can you tell me what race this individual was? It really only happens with one racial group anyway. Also, usually only with kids or people around my age group. I mean I'm 25, but depending on how I dress, I can look younger. But still most of the time you can tell I'm not in high school. Yet this type of thing happens to me all the time. I'm almost positive that if I looked more Jamaican or Trini that it wouldn't happen as often. People in certain neighborhoods more often than not will try to mess with me and it's like c'mon, why are you even doing it anyway? What do you have to prove? Even when I go to Jamaican restaurants, I make the Mr order for me because they won't even pay attention to me when I walk in. We both look Hispanic, but he has the accent that suddenly changes how they act. But me, with no accent at all, I barely get to put in my order.

Now even though Golden Krust is not a real Jamaican restaurant to most people, they still have Jamaicans working there. I go in from time to time when I'm in a pinch for food, and I'm always getting played. It was about 2 Saturdays ago (when I went to donate blood) and I walked into Golden Krust to get some porridge before I got in the train. I'm there and it's fairly empty, 1 person in front of me, few people sitting. I get to the counter and the lady had walked away to talk to someone working in the back. I'm standing there for a few minutes before she walks up to ask me what I want to order, when this guy walks up behind me and starts talking to her over me. They're speaking with the Jamaican accent over me like I'm not even there. I copped a 'tude with her and she mumbled something under her breath and rushed me out. Most of the times I notice the level of service I get compared to "fellow Jamaicans." I'm often given lackluster service, not even a hello/good morning etc even when I greet them nicely. But let someone walk in with an accent and their whole demeanor changes. I'm really about to just boycott Golden Krust though. The food is not even worth it.

I'm saying all of this here, because it's my blog and personal space to do so and I can be more open about it. When I write about them on FB though, people have issues. And yes I don't write my statuses in the most PC way, but it's what I see. I'm not writing "Fuck these n*****s I don't like them." That would be some racist shit. I write about dumb things I see on the bus/train that make me upset because they're portraying stereotypes that are on tv/movies/media. Or doing something that everyone else is looking at them for because they know its so wrong and they're embarrassed by it. But I'm always wrong for saying anything about it or even ringing it up because I'm not black or black enough to people. I'm called racist and told that I don't like black people. But it's ok for you to say it because you have the complexion to back it? I've see it on my social media sites plenty of times. I say one thing and I'm put down for saying it and people are offended, but then someone else will say the same thing I said and it's ok because they have more color on them. I have learned to stop putting things out there on social media, I'm not a compete twit. I get it. People will always have something to say. There's so much I can say about this particular topic, but I won't. I'm ending it here.

Remember my disclaimer before you say anything in the comment box. I approve them before they're posted.

- L

Green Mountain Wellness Collection

I received this free through BzzAgent to review, and I'm glad they chose me for this campaign. :) For those of you that don't know, I am an avid coffee drinker and I cannot go a day without my daily fix. I'm also really picky about the coffee I drink, so I was surprised when I enjoyed the Green Mountain Wellness Collection! They have 2 to choose from: antioxidant blend or focus blend, and they're both a nice medium roast. That was a bonus for me, I don't like coffee that's too strong or too weak. To give you a better idea, SB Pike or Breakfast Blend are my usual go-to choices when I'm at work, but I much prefer flavored coffees. I love the ish outta DD Pumpkin! But I digress. Green Mountain's Wellness Collection antioxidant blend is amazing for me. Great taste, plus benefits?? I was sold when I took my first sip. We all know how good vitamins are for us, and the antioxidant blend has Vitamins C & E in it. Makes me feel better knowing I'm getting this out of my coffee. One less thing for me to add to my diet! I'm all for shortcuts.

Now the focus blend from Green Mountain, that made a difference. It has 50mg of L-Theanine for as it says, focus. I popped the K cup in, added me usual creamer and sugar, just like regular. And I can't say for sure, but I did notice a slight difference. I certainly didn't feel as tired! Same great taste.

Check out my FB page for the link to the coupon!

xx
-L

*** I was sent these K cups for free to review, I was NOT PAID for my review ***

Race Issue?

***This is a jumbled post. I will at some point edit this more. It has taken me over a month to put this enough together to post.***

It's always a race issue. Especially where I'm concerned. I'm tired of people telling me what I am and what I'm not. First off I'm of mixed heritage, secondly, does it really matter? I identify with all my family's cultures, and I was brought up with the knowledge of them. So let me clear it up right now.

My parents before I was even thought about.

My mom is Chinese and Jamaican. Her mother is Chinese Jamaican and her father is Chinese - he came to Jamaica from China. My father is Indian Trinidadian. I can't give the specifics on his side because I don't speak to him, and for awhile I didn't know who he was. But that's another story all in its own. I was raised by my mother and grandmother. So I grew up well versed in the Jamaican and Chinese cultures. It wasn't until I was older that I learned about the Trini side. I do identify more strongly with my Chinese and Jamaican roots, but I embrace all of them.

Grandma, her mom and her kids

Grandma (my mom's side) and some of my uncles and aunt.

I hate it when people ask me what I am, and then tell me it doesn't mean anything because I wasn't born there. If anything, I tell most people I'm American. I'm never black enough, Indian enough or Chinese enough to be accepted by the various cultures. Throughout my high school years I spoke to different groups and cliques, but I really didn't belong anywhere. When all else failed I just hung out with the Latinas. Why not? I looked like one. For the most part I just pretend to fit in, knowing damn well I didn't really.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not going through an identity crisis. Far from it. It's the rest of the world who has issues with who I am. And I'm tired of it. I'm always judged by the way I look, especially when I'm in certain neighborhoods with a specific demographic. I always feel like I'm being judged too. When I'm hanging with the Caribbean or African American folks, it's always about me being too American, not knowing enough about my cultures and not having the accent. Not knowing about the hair, or all the struggles they have gone through. With the Indians, I'm not Hindu or Muslim, so I don't subscribe to the same beliefs, know enough about the food, or the clothes. Chinese people don't even count me as "one of them." I always speak too "white" and am told that I'm trying too hard to be better than everyone else. No I'm not.

It's like I can't just be myself and have people understand or appreciate that. It's complicated. But I know who I am and what I believe. At this point I'm just ignoring what everyone says. I am who I am, get over it.

-L

Cover Yo Mouth!

I have many pet peeves, and this is just one of the biggest ones for me. People that don't cover their mouth when they yawn. It kills me. I don't want to see all in your mouth when you yawn and you wide open. That's nasty. Didn't your momma teach you any better? I see it everywhere - at work, the bus, the train, on the street, even people I know do it. I'm always like ummm ok.. Gross! Besides you never know what could fly up in there when you sucking up air. LOL I don't know about y'all, but it's an automatic reaction for me to cover my mouth. I mean my mom sho 'nuf would pop me in the back of my head if I didn't do that. Even if I have things in my hands I make the effort to cover my mouth, even if I have to turn my face into my shoulder.

Anyway I know I've been slacking on my posts, but I'm finally back in the office! Once I settle in, I'll be back on schedule. I'm pretty sure they'll be more pet peeves posted, as I have quite a list. Let me know some of your pet peeves, or tell me I'm bugging.

Til next time,
L

November?

November is here. It kind of snuck up on me out of nowhere. With the storm that rolled through, it just pushed Halloween right out of the picture and brought November in the back door. This past week was ok enough for me, and I am so thankful for that. It has not been as nice to so many people and it hurts that I am unable to help the way I want to. I will make my monetary donations once my check comes. (I am actually waiting on a physical paper check to arrive in the mail. Who knows how long that will take with all this other craziness going on.) But I am still affected by the power outages and messed up trains. My office building was down for the count last week, and I finally received word that it is back up on power for tomorrow. However, we will not have heat. The trains are also not 100% back to normal and I hope that they will be by the morning. As they stand now, I will be taking the bus and 3 trains to get downtown instead of my normal bus and train. Still it is better than nothing and I am more than relieved to be heading back to work. Lord knows I need to get back to it. I was already trying to recover from those 2 days I took off for my birthday, now I have to recover from a week not working. Things are going to be tight for the next few weeks. :-/

Aside from all of that, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Things may start to look up for us. Fingers crossed.

Hope you are all doing well, and please stay safe out there.

-L

Stormy Days

As most of you know and have seen, Hurricane Sandy arrived and wreaked havoc across the tri-state area. Many people did not take this seriously, as I saw from my social networking sites, and it bothered me a little. I mean this storm did come from the Caribbean where there were several fatalities. People were joking about it, and irritated that the MTA was shutting down the subways and buses. But now that it has passed, everyone is realizing how serious really was. I may have been a little OCD with my preparations, but I took the necessary precautions and I was glad I did. Hurricane Irene last year caught us a little off guard and we were affected by flooding and power loss. I wasn't trying to be in the dark again! (pun intended)

The storm was crazy, I watched it all on the news in shock. Thank God we were not affected. My mom and grandma came out of this ok as well. One person I know had a tree fall on their house, but were otherwise fine. My job is in the part of lower Manhattan that was not only flooded, but without power. When I saw that ConEd explosion, I knew it wasn't good. So I will be out of work for the next few days until they can get things back up and running. While the MTA will have buses running, it's still going to be hell until they get the trains back up. I mean I always bitch about the bus by my house on a regular day, so I already know the buses will be more than shitty during these conditions. Plus there are downed trees out there. I'm not trying to kill myself for a temp job. Sorry! I know I need the money, but my life and well being is more important.

For now I am biding my time watching TV and eating a whole bunch of crap I'm not supposed to be. After all of this I'm going to have to catch up at the gym :-X

Hope all of you are doing well!

-L

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle

I found something I have fallen in love with, and I'm never turning back!!!

Why does my hand look so manly? :(

This has helped my damaged hair become more manageable and smooth. And without the hassle of sitting under dryers, wrapping in plastic, all that mumbo jumbo. I just massage this is, go 2 cycles on my Clarisonic and rinse. My hair is coming back to life! To make my hair look even more awesome, I rub some jojoba and vitamin E oil into my hair and its shiny and soft as ever. But even before I started using the oils, I noticed a MAJOR difference in the texture of my hair, even with all the bleached ends i had. Did I mention I will never bleach my hair again? Anyway, now that this has been introduced to my life, I will never again go without it. It performs so well for the price.

If you've never heard of this, or Aussie, I think you should go for it! Can't go wrong with it. :)

"Add some roo to your do!"

- L

PS I know my posts have been slacking, but there's been drama at work and class has had me putting in work. Plus my birthday weekend just ended. So i'll be back on track soon hopefully!

Japanese Goodies!

For my birthday, MJ Fan Girl brought me some goodies from Nihon (Japan)!

I was really excited to meet up with her for dinner. We went to Narita (Japanese of course) and had a good time. I couldn't wait to open the bag! Inside was one of my favorites, Tokyo Banana, a BB cream, a Japanese Uniqlo flyer, and a Sephora giftcard.

I was über excited! I ate one of the Tokyo Banana before we even left the restaurant. Hehe.

Before the night was over, I went to Barnes & Noble and got this pocket sized Japanese book so I could practice my beginner skills. I know MJ Fan Girl will help me practice since she's so fluent. :)

I took these pics all at home of course. After all of this, I'm stuffed and content to go to sleep. Class tomorrow morning.

xoxo
-L

ASL Update

I'm still working on the other post. I'm trying to figure out my POV for it and how to make it all come together. I've also been lazy and busy. Lazy to post, busy with class and work.

ASL is a little harder for me because I can't practice with the Mr as I had hoped. I finally made the effort to ask my friends to practice, so I will be practicing with someone 1x a week. Hopefully this helps. My main focus will be to work on reading and understanding someone else's signs, as well as grammar. But I am picking up on the signs fairly quickly. I just need to practice them and learn them that way. Having class 1x a week on Saturday mornings may not have been the best idea. I also feel a little behind because almost everyone else has more ASL experience than I do. But I will not be deterred. I am going to try to look at many DVDs and online vids as possible, with the books I have. I must pass this. I will pass this.

We have a project due this Saturday, and the person I chose to research was TL Forsberg. She's really cool, and her music is pretty awesome. Check her out singing and signing:



I'll be in touch soon!

xx
-L

Mental Block

I am working on a post, but I want it to be a full post, not half assed, so I am waiting a bit longer to publish it. I can tell you though, it is something personal and there will be pictures. It needs the pictures. While I am working on that, I do have a mental block. I really don't have much else to write about. I have not been feeling inspired or anything at all. Life's been pretty mundane so far. Can't complain about that. I don't want to fill my blog with fluff either. So I'm gonna leave you with this:

Birthday Month

October is my birthday month, but it hardly feels like it. All the other years I'm jumping for joy and frenzied over making plans. This year - nada. It didn't even register to me that my birthday was drawing near until I started getting the birthday coupons from all these stores I shop at. Even then, I am not as excited as I normally would be. I have no real plans, although I did get the day of and day after off from work. But I can't go away anywhere because I have class on Saturday, which I can't skip because we have a presentation due. Even with that, my heart isn't in it. I already know how my finances are, and while I have the money to go crazy and do all sorts of stuff, I kinda don't want to. Earlier in the year I had my heart set on going away for my birthday, taking the Thursday and Friday off and just wildin out. It is the big 2-5, quarter century, whatever you wanna call it. It all goes downhill from here (or so I've heard) and I wanted to do it up big. Now, I'm just like whatever happens, happens. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I mean there will be other birthdays, and most some people don't make a big deal over birthdays, but I feel a little empty. I wonder what's missing.........

Well I don't have to wonder too much, I already know.

::sigh::

L

Stepping It Up

Bear with me while I undergo some blog changes. I am still trying to tweak this to my personal tastes. I want it to look like ME. So I am trying to ditch the templates and keep it simple, but still let who I am show through. I need a good header that's for sure. I'm going to try and see what I can pull together. But just don't judge me. Any and all suggestions are helpful. I'm still learning.

Thanks,
L

Jay-Z at Barclay's

I'll try to keep this short, but who knows with me. Last night the Mr and I went to the Jay-Z concert, he had bought the tickets the day they dropped. I was kind of excited, looking forward to it, and then I was there and the excitement died. They did a good job on Barclay's and it looks amazing. The seats inside, not so much. I'll admit it, we got the nosebleed seats, all the way up top. But I've also been in the nosebleeds in MSG, and the differences made me wish I was at MSG. The seats were on such a steep slant it was dizzying to look down. The seats were really cramped together, you had no leg room at all, less than what you get at the movie theater. I know I can't complain too much, and I would have been content if it was not a concert. Those seats would be ok for a basketball game, from how high we were too, you would be able to see the whole court, no problem. But this was a concert and it was a totally different dynamic.

The ushers did not show you where your seats were, just checked to make sure you were in the right section and sent you on your way. It was slightly confusing how to find your seat, and it was so dark you could hardly see the numbers. Most people gave up and just sat wherever. A few people got pissed off and thankfully no punches were thrown. There was a good mix of people attending the concert, and they all had one thing in common - smoking. The entire section was smoke and lighters with everything from cigarettes to black and milds, and good old Mary Jane. I expected people to light up, but I didn't expect it to be so blatant. The ushers did not give a shit. People were walking around the hallways with cigs in their hands. The crowd did get a little bit rowdy too, there were people in the aisles, no one stayed in their seat. But nothing major. I guess it was all to be expected.

Jay's performance was good, he said the Sunday show had the best energy. He gave a motivational bit about not letting anyone bring you down and don't give up. Songs were fire. I just didn't appreciate having to wait an hour and a half to see him. We had an 8pm ticket time and Hov didn't show til 9:30. That may not seem like a big deal to most of you, but he didn't have anyone open for him. We were sitting there while the dj played music. I felt like that was kind of disrespectful. The other concerts I have gone to, the artists were on time or had opening acts for them. I also didn't like the mini disappearing act he pulled towards the end to change his jersey. At that point I was ready to leave, so when the light dimmed, we dipped. I was content with watching the rest of the performance from the TV in the hall. It was nothing spectacular. I probably won't ever go to another Jay-Z concert, but if the conditions are right, I may give Barclay's a second shot - so long as I'm not up high.

Anyone else go? Let me know what you thought!

xx
L

Avoiding Decrepitness

Ahh the joys of becoming older. Now I am by far not old or elderly, not even middle aged, but that does not mean that I am not aging. I am noticing changes in my body and skin that I never saw before. Granted it could all be a number of things, but still there are signs of age. I'll also be the first to admit, I am horrible at taking care of myself, my beauty routines usually are 10-15 mins tops. Who has the time for all of that? Just a shower, lotion if I'm lucky, quick comb through of the hair, slap some moisturizer on and out the door. But lately that has changed for me as I am becoming more aware of myself and realizing this just doesn't cut it anymore. I've got dry spots, gross cuticles, horrible hair, the list goes on. I do pride myself in covering up most of the issues so people don't really notice, and I mean c'mon who's really going to walk up to you and say "wow your skin looks so terrible, what the hell have you been doing?" (There is a small percentage of people who would though.) So I have done a 180 on my beauty routine, and while it takes a little more time and effort on my part, it does not consume my whole day.

To start - my face. Oh how it has turned on me! I feel like a high school teenager all over again. It completely rebelled against me and said fuck you. My quick apricot scrub 2x a week was no longer cutting it. I started using my Mia along with actual face cleanser and not just soap, and I noticed a difference. I've been trying out different moisturizers and face creams, but my skin likes them for a few weeks and then rejects them. Now that the seasons are changing, I need to find something before the winter sets in and I am plagued with dry skin and chapped lips. 

My hair - has always been a shit storm. I die it, bleach it, fry it, and plain don't take care of it. That my friends had changed more recently. I get my hair cut about 1x a year. I want to make that a few times a year. I've always balked at going to salons and opted for cheaper methods, but I realize that it takes more than that to maintain a healthy head of hair. And before you start in on me, yes I know the dye jobs and bleaching have got to stop. They will. Trust me. I'm all for better looking hair than different colored hair. While I know there are better ways to achieve color, I am putting a pause on it before I'm bald. I will be one with my natural hair color and just get over it already. No more reds and blondes. 

My lips/skin/cuticles/nails - need more attention, period. Quick slaps of lotion once in awhile are gone. Creams, oils, balms are being looked into to find the perfect one. I'm still wary of spending money I don't have on miracle treatments, and I am not looking for one. However, if I could find something multi-purpose, then I'm all for it. Currently thinking about Jojoba, Coconut, and Vitamin E Oils. Suggestions appreciated.

I can also tell that the things I eat are taking a toll on me. It does not go away as easily as it used to. I mean my weight has always fluctuated, more or less on its own without too much effort on my part, but now? Forget about it! Even my alcohol tolerance has taken a hit. Before I could down as much liquor as I wanted and wake up in the morning bouncy as ever. Now? Don't even think about waking me up before 2pm. And I still wake up with horrible hangovers. 

All the shit I used to take for granted, I wish I could get it back. All the shit I used to do, boy it's showing up on me now. At least I can say I don't smoke, so that's one less factor towards making me look shitty. I'm going to have to struggle with genetics as is already.

Goals for not looking 85 when I'm 40 - better diet, more intense beauty routine (but still not past 30 mins) and maybe vitamins? Less alcohol binges for sure.

Any thoughts on juicing? It seems to be all the rage now. It's not something I see myself doing that's for sure. Let me know what you think! 

xx

-L

MTA Rant

I am beyond pissed off at the bus service in my neighborhood. I wrote the MTA a complaint before, and they responded, but things did not get much better. I drafted up a second complaint, but I am not even sure if I will send it. I may be the only one complaining about this particular bus line, so it may not even be worth my time. I almost want to post flyers telling people to go to the website and write up complaints, or call the number. But that's too much. At the very least though, all of you should take the MTA survey letting them know if you like or don't like service. I did. Let's hope this amounts to something. But for now I will post the mini rant I wrote on the train. I will decide later to send it as a complaint with the proper editing. We'll see.

This is my second complaint about this bus line and it will not be my last. The service seems to be getting worse instead of better. This morning on the Jamaica bound 84, the driver dropped us off at the first terminal, not the second entrance as normal. She was very rude in telling us that this was the last stop and that she didn't need to explain herself. As I was walking off the bus and towards the train station I hear her repeatedly yelling at another customer that she had to go to the bathroom and that she said this was the last stop 4 times. This is extremely unprofessional and uncalled for. We reached the terminal at 7:13, the bus had arrived at 6:55 at the _____ stop.

The service at night has also progressively gotten worse. The buses leave early and do not wait for the time they are supposed to leave. There are many times where I arrive at the Jamaica parsons station on weeknights and it is only 8:51,52 and the 8:55 bus has already left. There are other times in the late morning, early afternoon where the bus will not show up. Early mornings when I am going to work, it is always a gamble. The bus may come early, not at all, or late. After my last email, it had improved, but less than a week later it changed for the worst.

This is really unacceptable and I am encouraging my fellow patrons to voice their complaints. The MTA wants to raise the fares and state that it is necessary for their budget. Why should I have to pay more money for less service that is unreliable, subpar and disgusting at times? I'm not expecting every bus driver or train conductor to be inexplicably happy all the time. I'm just asking for dependable service, you know, what I pay for. If resolving the issue on this one bus line is something they cannot manage, then what about the other more important ones? All areas of service where the MTA operates should be treated equally. Don't put all your focus into making one borough/neighborhood to neglect others. It's a waste of time and a horrible dispersion of funding.

Obviously I went somewhere it didn't need to be, but you get the point right? I may wait for the next major incident to make another complaint as I did not have the bus number or her badge number. But knowing those things makes it more factual, more unavoidable.

Til the next time,
L

Multilingual? A Possibility

Quick update, I haven't posted in awhile. Sorry, wish I could say I've been busy, but I've just been slacking. I started Saturday classes for ASL, with the intention of becoming a translator. Seems fun and interesting, so I would love to see this all the way through. Also I've been listening to these language audio books, so I'm picking up some Japanese (for work) and brushing up on my Spanish. If I could embrace all of these languages fully, I'd be fluent in 4 (ASL counts as a language) and much happier. I want to make sure it all sticks and I'm trying not to be lazy this time around. I finally found something I enjoy, so it won't seem like too much work. Yay for me. :)

I've looked into translator work and it is hard, you have to go through so many tests and certifications, but once you get certified, you get money. That's my end goal - make money and not live paycheck to paycheck. Now the chances of that go up once you're fluent in several languages. If I can even master Spanish and ASL I'm golden. English, Spanish, and ASL are the top 3 most used languages in the US. I like those numbers. I'm so stupid for not getting my Spanish skills up to par earlier. More often than not (is that the correct way to use that phrase?) when I'm looking for jobs, I see them requiring applicants to be bilingual. I need to get on the ball. 

Til next time, 

xx L

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream #27 Review

I'm behind on the times, but I have found a BB Cream I like enough to pay the full price and shipping for it, all the way from Korea. Now if you don't know what BB Creams are, I'm not going to explain too much. BB Creams (Blemish Balm/Beauty Balm) are the rage in Korea, and now have spread to the US and other areas. They are really for surgery patients to help cover and aid in the healing process, but they cover small imperfections well and have a variety of benefits. You can do your own research if you want more detailed information.

The US market has been flooded with all these "BB Creams" but they are not as spectacular as the original ones in Asia, and they do not boast the same benefits.(According to my research) I have tried a few of the US ones and this Korean one, and I can tell you there are differences. Personally I didn't like the American BB Creams I tried. They were more like tinted moisturizers parading as a BB. That's another review. But the one I found and liked was the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream #27. You can order from the Official Missha Website to ensure you are getting the real deal and not a knock off product. There are many knock offs on Amazon and Ebay, while there are some legitimate ones too, save yourself the hassle of combing through all that crap.

So you can read what the bottle says. I got this in #27, Honey Beige and also a #23 Natural Beige. Natural Beige made me look ghostly, so I gave it to my mom who is lighter than me. Honey Beige is closer to my color, but it is still a shade lighter than my skin tone. Once I lighten up for the winter though, it will be a better fit. I don't know much about the whitening and wrinkle effects, as I need neither. But it does provide pretty good coverage for my minor imperfections. I have large pores, redness, some acne scars, and dark circles under my eyes. Nothing too serious, but enough that I want it covered up. My skin is combination - oily T-zone with some dryness around mouth/chin. My hormones are all over the place so it depends on my levels, but for the most part not too many breakouts. Using this I can feel good about myself when I leave the house, without a ton of makeup. It doesn't make me super oily and keeps it at bay, unlike other products. It is slightly thick and can be hard to blend. I use my fingers to put it on and then use a powder brush to buff it out. Initially when you put it on, it looks light, but after a few minutes it 'settles' and looks better and darkens up a bit. Here's some before and after pics.

Yikes I look gross up close. Anyway you can see the spots, redness and all that good stuff in the before shot. While it doesn't cover it completely (and I wouldn't expect it to) the BB covers up most of it and makes it more bearable. The coverage it gives me around my nose alone is amazing. This is only one layer, I have not used more than one, and you can use another layer to build on it, but at that point you might as well use foundation. Here's a full face before and after.

It's a little blurry (sorry) but you can see the redness and spots etc. Now here's after:

Voila I have less redness and look more decent. I can run out of the house with this, no problems at all. I am not conscious of my crappy skin and I'm not wearing a shitload of makeup. Win-Win situation for me.

Here are the swatches of #27. I don't have #23 anymore, I should have kept it until after the review. Oops.

PROS:
- moderate amount of coverage
- no harsh/over powering smell
- does not make me break out
- high SPF (PA 42+++)
- several shades to choose from
- does not make me oily (no setting powder needed)
- does not dry me out, feel moisturized throughout day
- does not slide or melt off face, even in humid conditions
- don't need a lot of product to cover face (1 pump is even too much product)

CONS:
- pump makes it hard to get all product out
- no shades for women of color
- can get streaky when not blended properly
- can transfer to napkins and it transferred to my BF's shirt when I laid down on him
- can stick to really dry areas of face (moisturize those areas first, then apply BB)
- not available in stores

Bottom line, I think its worth it. I like the way it works for me. After a 12 hour day, it still provides good coverage, no touch ups necessary. From all day in the office, even to the gym, my face still looks good. I wore this all summer and it held up in the humidity and stood up to the sweat. As for the transfer issue, I'm sure a good setting powder will help with that. (I'm still on the search for a better powder, along with foundation, suggestions appreciated!) As this is made mostly for Asian market, they don't need darker shades. They do have a shade darker than #27, which is #31 Golden Beige, but nothing for anyone too much darker than me. I may need #31 for the summer when I actually get a tan. But the Honey Beige worked for me with some light bronzer and I can go bronzer-less in the winter.

This was a lot. Whew. Until next time.

*These products were bought with my own money and I was not in anyway paid for this review*

Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Roll On Wax Review

Ladies, we all know how annoying hair removal can be. Laser removal is out of the question for the majority of us who don't have that kind of bread to spend. Professional waxing gets expensive, even with the amazing results, but not everyone is comfortable baring it all to a stranger (I know I wouldn't). Shaving and other at home alternatives can be cheaper, but the results may not be perfect. I can admit I tried several of the at home hair removal methods, and I can say I finally found one that works for me and I love it!

Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Roll On Wax is not the first at home wax I've tried, but it may be the last. After so many horrifying experiences, I was all but ready to give up. But then I saw the commercials for this, and on a whim picked it up in Rite Aide where it was on super sale. *side note - I am loving Rite Aide for the fantastic beauty sales they have* I figured why not? If this really doesn't work, then I will suck it up and go to the professionals. I will admit I left it sitting there for awhile before I tried it out. I didn't really see too many reviews specific to this product, but the few I did see were mixed. I was on the fence for a few weeks before I said F it, let's do this! 

Now before I get into it, I have dark, thick hair on my legs, slightly coarse (that's that mixed heritage coming into play) and shaving usually never lasts. I can shave in the morning and have stubble by the evening. I'm sensitive to hair removal creams and often get burned by them, no matter how I try. The previous at home waxes I used were stripless, sugar, and all purpose from Gigi (granted I should have tried other brands, but I was also being cheapy :-X ugh). None of which worked enough for me to want to use again. I ended up wasting money throwing away good amounts of product. 

So I read all the instructions, got prepared, and just went to it. Rolled on the wax easy enough, laid down the strip, and now for the anxious part - ripping it all off. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't that painful. I looked down in shock, like 'whoa, I'm not screaming in pain, but the hair's gone.' Now I know everyone has different pain tolerance, so I will break it down the best way I can. If you've ever gotten a tattoo, it's definitely less painful than that. If you've ever gotten your eyebrows waxed or threaded, it's about that pain level, just on your legs. I can't compare to professional waxing, as I've never done it. Sorry guys. I know this is not the most helpful. 

I continued on my way, maybe 30 minutes later, I was done. Or as done as I could be, I ran out of strips. While they are reusable, I had to wash them off and wait for them to dry before I could finish up. That's kind of a down side. I think you get about 10 strips, and I was able to do my left lower leg completely and part of my right lower leg. Nothing too terrible, and maybe with practice I can do both legs without needing extra strips. But if you want to wax more than just your legs that would be a problem. Not too much for me because I am not that adventurous to wax anything else myself. I did have wax leftover to use again, I can probably get 2-3 more uses out of the container before buying another one. And that's with me wasting some messing around with it. To date, the hair has yet to grow back (I did it on the 1st of the month) and there are no visible pores. My legs look and feel smooth, no stubble. I love it. Here's a quick pro/con list:

PROS

- easy to use, thorough instructions

- reusable strips that are easy to wash

- less painful, and removes hair well

- excess wax washes off with warm water

- cheaper than going to a salon

- no harsh/strong scent

- did not irritate my sensitive skin

CONS

- not enough strips (especially if you want to wax multiple areas)

- cleaning the roll on applicator can be a pain and you lose some wax doing it

Bottom line is that I like the way it works and I will continue to purchase and use it. It's great for beginners if this is your first at home wax. 

If you've tried it or not, let me know your thoughts!

*These products were bought with my own money and I was not in anyway paid for this review*

To Review or Not to Review

I have been thinking a lot lately about whether or not I should do reviews on my blog. I may or may not want to draw more readers and/or generate some kind of income off of this. But at the end of the day this is still my personal space to rant and get things off my chest. I suppose I can separate the two somehow, but I'm not that blog savvy. But then it also comes down to 2 things. 1 - I'd have to break my no pictures rule if I did reviews. 2 - what would I review? Beauty products? Food? Places? They're all a dime a dozen.

So I have to think about this, again trying to find my niche, my main theme, scope of where I want to go with this. I'm going to have to start by coming up with posts that will generate more hits when people search. While I initially didn't want that many readers, I may end up sucking it up.

Any ideas on what I should do? Drop me a comment!

xx L

Customer Service

Now I know I'm not one to talk about good customer service, but I know from the multitude of trainings I have gone to over the years, that the customer comes first. Without paying customers, you have no paycheck. I also know enough that I am not cut out for most customer service jobs, at least not face to face ones. But that's me in general not getting along with people. I digress. There are a few stores where I see a decline in service, where I used to get pretty decent or great service, to now horrible service. JCP being one of the top offenders. No more than a few months ago JCP offered me great customer service no matter what department I was in, if I was looking for something, or if I was being rung up at the register. They got an A+ for that. As of my last few visits in the past few weeks, the decline is noticeable. I ordered some things online and I had to return about 90% of it, the sizes were off and it's always a guessing game when ordering stuff online - at least for me. I brought it all in to return and the woman at the register was nice when she started the return, towards the end when I was walking away, she muttered something under her breath and was very stank with her 'thank you and have a good day' I forgot an item so I went to a different register to return and it was even worse. This chic didn't even hide her irritation at doing the return and was so snappy with me I was contemplating asking for her manager. A third time which is making it the last time for me and JCP, I made a purchase (didn't want y'all to think all I did was return stuff - fun fact I hate returning things) and once again at the register the woman was rude to me. She had the worst attitude when I asked her when to swipe my card and when it didn't go through she rolled her eyes and said it didn't go through because I cancelled it. Like really? Ok. To top it off she wanted me to fill out the customer service survey and wrote her name on it. That's asking for me to go on the site and rant abt how your customer service sucks! I threw the receipt out but I wish I didn't, I could have totally rated them low across the board. Besides that fair and square pricing is not so fair and square when you break it down and compare it to older prices. They took away their coupons, so it doesn't even make sense. To be honest, I only buy stuff at JCP now when it's clearance, or I can't find it anywhere else. But it's not my go to cheap store anymore.

Here is a story with a better ending - at least for me. The man and I usually go to this spot by 71st Austin St area for brunch and it's consistently good food and decent service. The last time we went, bad on both counts. His steak was well done, with the exception of a bloody vein that ran through part of it. Our waitress/server was not so great on English and struggled to understand what fried eggs meant. Then she neglected to inform us that there were no home fries and that we were getting French fries instead. Like I'm eating eggs and french fries? I had pulp all in my mimosa, which made for a bad drink experience. No one came to fill up our water glasses, clear the table or check up on us. Not to mention the incredibly long time it took her to come and take out order. She took so long to come back for the check with my card in it that I walked up to her and gave it to her. At this point I was fed up, so I asked for the manager. She really tried to play it off, like manager? Who is the manager? Yes chic your manager, the guy in charge. He just so happened to be walking in at the time I asked her, or I'm sure she would have never got him. When she wendy to tell him I wanted to speak to him, she said something slick I didn't quite catch in Spanish, but by the look on her face I know it wasn't good. The manager was understanding enough and shocked really. I told him that we had a good enough time with the server on all our other visits and never had problems until today. He was apologetic and said he is making changes and to give him one more chance. He comped our bill and said to come back in a few weeks and see the differences. So we will wait before going back. I don't want to lose my go to brunch spot.

Will keep you updated when I go back!

The Liebster

I was given the Liebster Award by my cousin Fatima from Baby Teems.  Let's see how well I can do this.

The Challenge: 

Once this award has been given to you you are challenged to share eleven random facts about yourself. You then have to answer eleven questions from the 

blogger that gave you the award. Then you have to pick eleven bloggers to share the award with, and come up with eleven questions for them to follow. Ok here we go.

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I celebrated my first birthday in Jamaica during Hurricane Gilbert.
2. I collect ticket stubs - movies, shows, concerts - I have them all.
3. While I was am obsessed with strawberries, it is not my favorite fruit.
4. I've sprained the same ankle over 8 times (I stopped counting after that)
5. My right index finer nail is narrower than it's left counterpart, and grows slanted.
6. The only colors I have not dyed my hair are blue and green, don't think I ever will either. 
7. I'm OCD about organizing things, but am messy in general, until the fated day I decide to clean and I go ALL in. I'm talking down to the way the bottles of lotion are positioned on the dresser. :-X
8. I would like to be a stay at home mom when that time comes, contrary to what most people think about me.
9. I want a Corgi when I move somewhere I can have pets. A Corgi or a Golden retriever, or a Rottweiler. Random and very different choices, I know. 
10. I'm terribly afraid of heights and don't like flying or roller coasters.
11. I also don't like long car rides, or sitting in movie theaters too long because I feel trapped and need to get out to move.

Eleven Questions from Fatima: 

1. What is your nationality? My mom is Chinese and Black Jamaican, my father is Indian Trinidadian.
2. How many siblings do you have? I have a half sister by my father.
3. What was your favorite subject in school? Creative Writing
4. Where is the most memorable place you have been so far? I haven't gone many places, but out of the few, I'd say Jamaica.
5. If someone offered you great wealth in exchange for fame, would you take it? I'm not too sure how to answer this, but I'm going to go with no.
6. If you could live somewhere else, where would it be? Sweden, or any other country with free health insurance. But seriously, I wouldn't leave NY unless I had to.
7. If you were a professional athlete, what sport would you play? Me a professional athlete? HA! If I was one, maybe I'd play American football, or be a wrestler. Something where I could tackle people. LOL 
8. What is your ideal job? I would have to say magazine editor.
9. What do you love about yourself the most? Can I pass on this question? If I had to choose, I'd say... there isn't anything I can pinpoint at this moment.
10. Would you rather have a nice car or a big house? Big house hands down.
11. We all try to maintain a kind of popularity as a blogger. Would you say that you were popular growing up? Not hardly. I was always the odd one out, the nerd, the geek, the loser.

I shall now pass the torch to 11 2 blogs (because 1 +1 = 2, and I don't know that many people)

1. MJ Fan Girl
2. Feeling Fabby

Here are my questions for those above who wish to take the challenge:

1. If you had the chance to change one thing in your life, what would it be?
2. What's your favorite childhood memory?
3. What's the most challenging thing you've had to do so far?
4. If you could have dinner with anyone (dead or alive, real or fictional) who would it be?
5. If you were Rose in the Titanic, would you have let Jack die?
6. If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you be? (Has to be someone alive)
7. What would be your ideal date?
8. What do you like to do when you're alone?
9. What's your pet peeve?
10. If you had to choose between being frozen to death, or being burned alive, which would you choose?
11. What color underwear are you wearing right now?