Recent Adventures

I know, I promised I'd post a few days ago about my adventures.  But then I went and had more adventures!

Let's start with some Jenga action.  My boyfriend and I were at a going away party for some friends of ours who are leaving Canada for Australia, and one person at the party brought Jenga.  Jenga is one game I can't pass up.  The guy who brought the game had a record for 31 levels.  Of course, we had to beat that.  During our first 3 attempts, I kept knocking the tower over (which led me to refer to myself as the tumbler).  On our next attempt, we made it to 31 levels, with one block missing.  It was my turn.  I was really worried that I would knock it over again.  Fortunately, I managed to handle it like a champ!  Here is my victory photo:

32 levels of awesome.  Unfortunately, the tower fell over during the next turn.

I also went and saw The Help on Friday.  I'm very thankful I went with some girls, because the movie was such a chick flick.  I think 12 guys were in the theater.  Regardless, the movie was great!  I heard the book was amazing, and women we talked to afterwards said that the movie is definitely on the same level as the book, which is rare!  The actresses were all great, especially Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer.  Bryce Dallas Howard was definitely believable as a villain.  The movie sucked me in, and I am very glad I saw it :)

I also went to the Pacific National Exhibition with my boyfriend over the weekend.  We checked out the Superdogs show, went on a few rides (including the super awesome wooden roller coaster), and indulged in deep fried oreos and deep fried pop tarts.  We could only do a few bites of each, but we mostly did it for the experience.  The oreos were definitely better than the pop tart.  My boyfriend also won me a pink domo from the midway (he popped balloons with darts like a champ!).

On a different note, I got featured on Anthroholic's Reader Outfits!  This was really exciting since I read Kim's blog all the time.  You have to scroll down a bit, but I'm beyond excited to be on there.  I'll have to make another outfit and submit it soon :)

I plan to post more soon, particularly about what I learned from not succeeding at my mini happiness project.  I also want to post more personal fashion!

Some Of My Favorite Things...

I was going to write a post about my adventures lately, but apparently it takes over 8 hours to send a picture from my cell phone to my gmail account.  Who knew?  I feel like the laziest person because my camera battery has been dead for over two weeks and I haven't taken the effort to actually dig out my charger.  Hence the lack of posts and personal pictures in post.

Instead of waiting another day to write a blog post (so much for that vow in my Mini Happiness Project), I thought I'd write about some of the things I've been enjoying lately.

Tiny Tower

Hello Sims wannabee.  Tiny Tower is a free game (yes, free!!) on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad that lets you build a tiny tower and manage the businesses and bitizens that inhabit it!  The style is 8 bit, which makes it feel like an old-school video game.  The type of businesses range from a tea house to a laundromat to a tattoo parlor.  I've been addicted to it since I downloaded it (but that's probably because I was addicted to the Sims).  

Scarves

I really, really like scarves. All kinds of scarves.  I own at least 10, ranging from hand-knitted to light and airy to thick and warm for winter.  There is a reason girls everywhere are wearing scarves, even in the warm summer weather.  They're just so fashionable!  They can complete any outfit.  I actually purchased a second Vinyasa Scarf from Lululemon (more on that later) because I was lusting for a second one.  My first one comes with me to school every day in my backpack since it doubles as a scarf and a blanket.

Reading on the Bus

The one part of my commute I like in the morning is that I have an uninterrupted 20 minute period to (and from) campus to read.  I normally only read late at night, so it's nice to use these 20 minutes for some me time.  I just started reading Water For Elephants, and I finished Mini Shopaholic and Further Adventures of a London Call Girl  in the last two weeks.  I'm a huge reader anyways, and it's nice to start working down my list of books I want to read.

Wraps and Cardigans

I've become a total wrap and cardigan addict.  I recently ordered some more cardigans from J. Crew (well my mom did), and I've been wearing them steady the past few months.  My personal favorites are:

J. Crew Jackie Cardigan

Dynamite 3/4 Sleeve Hanging Sweater

Wilfred Diderot Sweater

Clinique Toner and Makeup Remover

My skin is normally really clear, but when it has problems Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 takes care of all of them.  The bottle costs around $20, but if I use it every day my skin becomes nice and clear. 

As for the make-up remover, I only really wear eyeliner and mascara, and nothing takes it off better than Clinique Rinse Off Eye Makeup Solvent.  One swipe and most of it come right off.  Only the stubborn stuff needs a second swipe, and that's because I wear waterproof mascara.

Outfit Envy

I've been suffering from some major outfit envy lately.  Now that I'm on campus, I see lots of girls in super cute outfits that I wish were in my closet.  I've been doing some organic synthesis this week, and according to safety guidelines I have to wear closed toed shoes and long pants.  I can't really argue with that, because I really don't want any chemicals burns on my skin (I touched something that penetrated my glove over two months ago and my hand still isn't healed). 

Anyways, here are some of the basics I absolutely wish were in my closet:

Flower Print Skirt (such as the Springtime Floral Skirt from Forever 21):

North Face Rosanova Hoodie in Black (A girl that works in my lab has one and it looks absolutely amazing on her):

Gladiator Style Sandals (even though I'm sure they would cause major blisters before they are broken in):

Wilfred Charlotte Shawl Top (and other Wilfred wraps):

Marc by Marc Jacobs Nylon Pretty Little Tote:

Instead of being jealous, maybe I should go through my wardrobe and see if I can make some cute outfits.  With so many clothes, there has to be some possibilities :)

Now For A Little Chemistry...

At school yesterday one of the researchers snapped a picture of me doing some actual chemistry!

Oversized lab coat? Check. Bright blue gloves? Check.  Real pipetting action? Check.

If you're curious about what I was doing, I was filling a pipet to inject some cell extract into a protein gel to separate out the different protein bands by size.  Are you curious how I did it?  Go here for a chemistry lesson on gel electrophoresis.

On a chemistry related note, I saw this post on J.Crew Aficionada showing J.Crew's incorrect periodic table.

Do you notice what's missing?  They eliminated groups 14 and 15 entirely.  I think it's really awesome that J.Crew incorporated some science into a store display.  It would have been cooler if they were more accurate.   Although, it's not like carbon and nitrogen are important anyways ;)

I always enjoy when science things are used in the fashion and beauty industry.  Here are some examples:

A Clinique magazine ad:

PS: Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 is awesome.  I use it every night.

The use of beakers at MAC Cosmetics:

Aveeno's ad campaign with their own "elements":

I know for myself I stored my makeup in beakers for ages.  I haven't done so in awhile since my beaker is sitting in a box at my parents place.  I just think that chemistry is everywhere, and definitely has a place outside of the lab.

On a random note, if you're bored, go to the Black Acre Brewing Co. website and say you're under 21.  My boyfriend showed me this tonight and it made me laugh.

Goodbye Vacation, Hello Graduate School

Yesterday I started the next stage of my career: graduate school.  I was unbelievably nervous before my first day.  I believe I mentioned this in a previous blog post, but I switched from analytical chemistry to a biochemistry lab where I'll be doing more synthesis and product characterization.  This is completely out of my chemistry comfort zone, but it's something I want to do.  I feel it's a much better fit, at least in terms of my interest and future career goals.  I was mostly worried that I would be completely lost in the lab and have zero idea what was going on.

Luckily for me, my lab group is super nice.  I know all of the theory behind the lab techniques, but I've never done any biology or biochemistry labs.  I'm not really sure why I was so worried.  They don't expect me to know how to do everything.  They are also happy to explain a lot of things, which is good because I'm full of questions.  I know I'm only a few days in, but I can confidently say that I chose the right lab group.

That being said, in terms of my Mini Happiness Project I'm failing.  I missed 3 days of Yelp Reviews, 5 days of blog posts, and 6 days of contacting people I haven't spoken to in awhile.  I've managed to get some things off of my to-do list, but it's mostly cleaning.  The one place where I'm succeeding is getting off the internet quickly in the morning.  I've only been on my computer for 30 minutes twice in the morning this month so far.  The rest of the days I'm able to walk away after 10 or 15 min. 

The best part about this is that I was actually able to fit in Level 3 of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred this morning before I went to work.  This never would have happened before.  It felt good to knock out the workout in the morning since I've been slacking the past few days.  On that note, Level 3 is vastly superior to Level 2.  It's much easier on the knees and you really feel the workout afterwards.  I'm especially a fan of all of the jumping.

Okay, enough text.  Let's end on a fashion note.  I'm hooked on these Talula Bustier's from Aritzia.  I now own it in 4 colors: black, white, purple, and bright pink.  They're excellent for wearing when I go out at night, and for $30 the price is definitely right. 

30 Day Shred

It's no secret that I've been taking my fitness a lot more seriously in 2011.  I originally started working out in 2010 with some coworkers because I didn't want to gain weight.  One of the benefits of keeping fit is that my weight has essentially stayed the same since January.  I haven't weighed this little since I cut my calories substantially a few years ago.  There are many more benefits from working out than just maintaining a goal weight, such as the endorphin rush after a good workout and being able to lift things I couldn't dream of lifting last year.  I carried a 56 pound box all by myself on Monday, and can actually help my boyfriend lift super heavy things, like a bbq or couch.

Unfortunately, where I live, I haven't been able to find a gym nearby that doesn't require me to sign a contact for two years.  Two years is a long time to commit, and who knows if we'll be living in the same apartment next year.  The apartment building I live in has a gym with plenty of weights, but when it comes to cardio all it offers is a stairmaster (which is awesome), an elliptical that squeaks and the worst exercise bike in existence.  I go for runs outside, but I miss the structure of the boot camp classes I used to attend at my old gym.

I was reading a fitness blog the other day (I can't remember which one unfortunately), and the writer mentioned that she tried Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and was noticing results.  I was curious about it since it has over a hundred 5 star reviews on amazon, and since it was only $10 at Chapters I picked it up.

The DVD offers three different levels of difficulty.  All three levels are split into 5 sections: a 2 minute warm up, 3 6 minute circuits, and a 2 minute cool down.  Each circuit consists of 3 minutes of strength training, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs.  There are NO breaks in this workout.

I started off by trying level 1.  Level 1 is a decent challenge.  I was feeling good throughout the entire workout, and at the end I was covered in sweat.  It's a great starting level, especially if some of the strength training moves are new to you.  I highly recommend wearing sneakers for this workout.  I started barefoot and had to pause the dvd quickly to throw on some shoes. 

Since I was feeling pretty good afterwards, I decided to try level 2.  Level 2 is much more challenging compared to level 1.  There is one move that I couldn't do.  Holding hand weights, you have your palms facing outwards.  Then you squat down and do a V-lift with the weights.  I don't know why I couldn't do it, but my arms just aren't strong enough.  In any case, there is a significant difference between the levels.  Needless to say, I didn't try level 3 yet, but I plan to tomorrow.

When I first bought this dvd I was skeptical about the 20 minute workouts.  However, after 20 minutes you will feel like you worked out for an hour.  I think if you did one of these levels every day, you would notice a significant difference in your body.  I don't know if I can do it every day right now (since my parents are visiting for the weekend), but I can definitely fit in 20 minutes before or after work.

I will post updates if I notice a huge difference in my body throughout the month.  If you're looking for a cheap workout dvd that won't take up an hour or more of your time, this one is worth the pick up.

Two Nail Colors For The Price Of One!

One thing that I love to do but never do enough is paint my nails.  I always feel more feminine with painted nails and toes.  Unfortunately that feminine feeling goes away when the nail polish starts chipping.  One of the hazards involved with working in a chemistry lab is that you use a lot of solvents which can easily remove the nail polish (both acetone and ethyl acetate are commonly used in both nail polish remover and chemical reactions).

For this reason alone, I swear by OPI nail products.  The key is to use the OPI Base Coat and the OPI Top Coat (I have a bottle of the OPI Base and Top Coat).  I have literally spilled a beaker full of acetone on my hand, and the nail polish survived.  If you're impatient like me, the Drip Dry dries your nails in under a minute.  It's a bit messy but it's worth the investment.

Although 95% of my nail polish collection is OPI, it's fun to change it up a little bit.  When I went to Pier 39 on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco a few months ago, I decided to check out the Del Sol Store.  There I found a bottle of blue nail polish that supposedly turned green in the sun (seen here).  I decided to pick up a bottle.  I didn't get a chance to try it out until this past weekend, but here are the results.

Here is the bottle of nail polish:

Here are my nails inside the apartment:

Here are my nails outside in the sunshine:

 

Voila!  The nails do change color!  Unfortunately the effect doesn't last very long and is gone within 10 seconds after entering a building.   It's still really cool.  If you want to pick up a bottle of color changing nail polish, I'd recommend the Del Sol brand.  I only wish I had picked up more colors.

Mini Happiness Project

Have you read the Happiness Project?  I found it at the library a few days ago in the "Fast Read" section (which basically means you have one week to read it without fines).  I've always wanted to check it out since it's practically everywhere in bookstores.  It also has mixed reviews on Amazon, so I was curious to say the least.  I finally started reading it yesterday and I'm already 100 pages in. 

One of the mantra's I've gotten from the book so far is that you can accomplish a lot by doing a small amount of a task every day.  I spend so much time mindlessly clicking from blog to blog (or facebook) that the days just rush by.  I feel like I use "I just didn't have enough time" as an excuse far too often.  If I didn't waste so much time on my computer, I could get tons of things done!  I could read all of those books collecting dust on my shelf.  I could spend more time with my boyfriend.  My to-do list wouldn't sit there stagnating. 

I mean, look at me now.  I came onto the computer to write a blog post and send a friend a facebook message, and I've been on here over an hour!  I probably couldn't even tell you all of the websites I visited.  I only know how long I've been on here because I wrote a tweet at 9:45pm. 

So I sat here and thought about what I want to accomplish for August.  I know I'm starting my Master's, which is a huge deal.  But I have to have more goals for myself.  I wrote on my blog on Thursday that I wanted to work towards becoming Yelp Elite.  That's not going to happen if I don't keep writing reviews.  I also want to reconnect with some old friends.  I'm always jealous that my boyfriend has stayed in contact with lots of his high school and university friends, and all I can say is that I'm friends with mine on Facebook.  Third, I want to write more posts for this blog.  I only have 9 posts to show for July, and only 5 for June!  This is unacceptable.  Every day I think about things I can write about, and then it never happens. 

I know that these three things all involve spending time on the computer.  I don't think spending time on the computer is harmful for say.  What is harmful is that I waste so much of my day aimlessly going to websites (especially when I wake up in the morning!).  I get notifications on my phone, do I really need to physically check facebook and twitter so often?  I barely tweet!  Do I really need to check blogs so often?  The posts will still be there at 10pm if I don't read them in the morning.  I can't even imagine how much time I'd save if I just didn't waste so much time in the mornings. 

It's time to make a change.  Here is a list of 5 things I would like to accomplish in August for my mini Happiness Project:

1.  Write a Yelp review every day.
2.  Contact a different person from my past every day.
3.  Write a blog post every second day.
4.  Spend less than 30 minutes on unimportant things on the internet every morning.
5.  Accomplish one thing on my to-do list every day.

Will this be difficult?  Of course!  It's not supposed to be easy.  I don't expect to accomplish all of these goals.  I just want to try.  There's many more things I want to work on, but these are things that are "easier" to change. 


I know there are so many more pressing issues out there.  I know that the blog posts and the yelp reviews won't really change anything outside of my internet life, and my life won't be negatively affected if I never wrote a post or review again.  This project is intended to improve my confidence.  I hope that by the end of the month I'll be more confident in myself and not feel self conscious about what I post.  I have to stop being afraid that people will think I'm dumb or unattractive.  Even if one person thinks I should never write again, I have to believe that someone else doesn't feel the same way.

Let's see how this goes.