Hey June - Monthly Favorites

It's that time of the month already and part of me is excited and another part of me is so not ready. Im sure it's been said, but holy shiz on toast, where in the world has this year gone?! I was so excited to do my May favorites and have been planning on future en devours when I looked at the calendar and had to check two other electronic calendars to say, woah!

Moving On, I've gotten together a few things over the month which have been working just swimmingly.

Makeup - Sephora Fine Line Felt Tip Eyeliner

Now if you've seen me write it once, you've seen me write it a thousand times and if you know me, it's a million more times...I'm oily. There are countries planning on invading my face because damn. And sadly my eyelids are no exception. This eyeliner may not stay allllllllll day without a primer but it generally lasts me a work day before transferring or smearing or disappearing and this is waterproof enough. 

Book - The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones - Dirt on the 9th Grave and The Curse of the 10th Grave

I've got a lot of New Mexico pride and this series is no different because I will continue to tell everyone and their dog about it. My amazing AF friend, Kim, turned me onto this series about a supernatural P.I. who shares the same love for coffee and sarcasm and I do. I don't want to ruin it but if you like some mystery, some supernatural, a lotta wittiness and some lovely steamy scenes, then give it a go. The first one is the 1st Grave on the Right. Darynda Jones in a New Mexico writer so if you've ever been to Albuquerque, you may recognize quite a few places.

Technology - Two Dots

This app was an impulse download I'll admit but wow. It's almost like a mix of candy crush and bejeweled. the puzzles get harder and its a bit addicting but what saves me is the limited lives. So when I get super into it and run out of lives, I don't have to buy them or bug the living crap out of people on social media to send me one, it just takes time. So I have to rejoin the real world after a while but it's enjoyable. There's options for free little extras every now and then and of course the actual in-ap purchasing options, BUT if you use the Google rewards that I mentioned in last month's faves, you don't have to use your own money.

Bathroom - Facial Cleanser

I know that skin care has been around for a while and with summer here, routines are changing up and everyone and their dog's gerbil has a Clarisonic spinny brush type thing. Well I don't know about you, but I wish I had that kind of money to spend on one. With my skin being sensitive on top of being oily AF, I get a bit nervous when trying new products for skin care so I couldn't and still can't quite afford the name brand so I found this little thing at Big Lots for about $8. In my mind, I still keep thinking that you get what you pay for however comma, the brush is actually decent and it feels pretty freakin' good. It has two speeds but there isn't much of a difference between them but overall it's a good feeling for a facial massage. I have just been using my regular cleansers but careful enough not to use the brush everyday because yea, don't want to risk that going bad when it feels so good.

Movie - The Intern

I thought about this section because I could easily put on Orange is the New Black or Grace and Frankie from Netflix but I haven't finished them and couldn't in good faith put them down as favorites when this movie has been on a lot in the last month and I HAVE TO WATCH IT EVERY TIME!!! It's a simple movie with a simple plot but I enjoy Anne Hathaway and Robert DeNiro, can you say no to a classic? It's great seeing a movie with a awesome female lead getting some great insight from someone wise and awesome who's had the life experiences on screen and life. Also the music reminds me of The Holiday, which is one of my all time Favorite feel good movies like I've mentioned here, and it makes sense since the director, Nancy Meyers, made it so I have a feeling that The Intern is quickly making it's way up to fave of life status.

What were your favorites of the month?

Had you read my last post?
Getting Fancy With the Juicy Shaker

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Equal Pay Day Plus a Couple Thoughts

Just a comment or three about today. If you've been on social media at all, you'll know that today is Equal Pay Day. An estimated time frame to show that since we are 102 days into the new year, that women's pay catches up to where men ended last year. I must say that I have a few comments on that as well. It is said that women make on average 77 cents to every white male's dollar, however comma, that is for a white female. Women of color tend to face a larger pay gap. According to a piece I read from Cosmopolitan magazine by Jill Filipovic,

"It's a ubiquitous statistic: Women make 79 cents for every dollar a man makes. African-American women make 65 cents, Native America women 59, and Latinas just 54 cents to a white man's dollar."

While the gap is shocking, it's really not surprising. Equal rights is always a touchy subject for everyone but women's rights have been a topic of controversy since we were 'granted' the right to vote. Now I'll be honest when I say that I'm not sure if I've been a victim of the pay gap because I work for a corporation that tends to pay by the position and not necessarily by the name of the person in the position. There's been different ups and downs with my work story the size of the Rocky Mountains but even before I got into the workforce, I remember my mom telling me,

"You'll have to work twice as hard because you have two strikes against you. 1. You're female and 2. You're Hispanic."

She warned me about this because I know that she's had some pay discrimination in her life for more reasons than just gender and race. She didn't want me to be caught off guard about how the world has worked for so long and I'm not.

And now in these recent years, it's nice to see how it's being put out there and how narrow minded people really are. Education and time off for families and experience are honestly some bull sh!t excuses that some tend to play around with on how much affects the pay gap and some even claim that the gap doesn't exist. But on the other side, if women do really well then they are the bossy devil b!tch in Prada.

"Ok she's tough, but if Miranda were a man, noone would notice anything about her except how great she is at her job" ~The Devil Wears Prada

 Apparently there is no middle to women in the workplace. Apparently there seems to be gap in more than one place. So to the doubters and nay-sayers, do whatever helps you sleep at night because just because you don't believe it's this bad or you doubt the gap even exists, it does. It may be bigger in a lot of places and not as big in others, but the gap itself still remains.

This topic hangs in the back of my mind at times and ends up mentally listed in a few of my life choices like building a savings. Because with a lesser pay in places, there's less for retirement and less received in Social Security because there's not always enough paid in during the working years. It's not always about the here and now but it's over time and you learn that a lot of things, like your pay, will affect more that just your bank account and current livelihood










What else have I learned? Look at my last post on what else I've learned in the past 25 years of life.

Operation Ducks In A Row - Savings

The excitement on the “New Year – New Me” has finally begun to lose its shine and it is now tax season. And with me being the person making progress to be the person I want to be, I’m determined to be better about this adulting thing. And in my opinion, adults have a savings. My savings has very much short lived for a variety of reasons/excuses. Short term isn’t completely terrible but the fact is that even though I have a wonderful significant other, we share portions of our life that do not include a home or bills or finances so all of my life falls on me and while my parents are always willing to help, I just can’t do that. So, I’ve punched some numbers and strategies and put into play some tips that can help build a savings when you’re terrible at saving.

*Automatic transfers – I loathe automatic payments but setting up a transfer to go into your savings account every paycheck can take some of the mental stress off. Think about this: $20 a paycheck and if you get paid twice a month, there’s $40 a month that can turn into $480 a year. The trick is to leave it there so it’s harder to spend and has more time to be there when you really need it, like a tax return. (hint hint)

*Nickname your accounts – Most banks, if not all, have an online option and if they don’t, I don’t know how you’re surviving. But think about this: we are very visual so if your bank allows you to nickname your accounts, then name it. Are you saving for vacation or emergencies or Christmas? Have a plan and having that visual will put that more into perspective when you’re tempted to transfer out of it.

*Separate savings account – banks don’t have to be the devil and one does not have to be the be-all-end-all to your finances. Think about this: If you get the option for direct deposit through your employer then consider opening a separate savings account at a completely different bank. You’ll be able to split your paycheck and build a savings because it’s out of site and out of mind, unless you stalk your check stubs. Every paycheck, take out and send $50 of your check to that out-of-the-way account then that’s $100 dollars a month and $1200 a year because it’s not something you have easy access to for that compulsive purchase.

* Cash route – I don’t carry a lot of cash on me because it’s usually gone a lot faster that I like. But I also like having a better idea of how much I can spend for lunch, coffee, etc. So if I take out $40 in cash, once it goes from 20’s to 10’s to 5’s, I will use and spend, but once I get down to 1’s, it’s change that goes into a Jar, a Ziploc bag, box, something where you can just put it in and forget that it’s there. An incognito piggy bank so-to-speak. (And hey, pennies add up so give Abe a break and pick him up off the ground)

Different banks will also have different perks depending on the accounts they offer. Maybe look at interest bearing accounts or other bank specific perks. Bank of America has Save the Change and Wells Fargo has the Save As You Go where it’s linked to your debit card purchases and a little bit will just go to your savings account anytime you use your card. Again, saving without really feeling or realizing that you are saving. So go to your bank or credit union or whomever helps you with your finances and pick their brain. Find out how they can help you save more because that is kind of their job.

Doing this has helped me save for my trip to Vegas last year, save for Christmas, and save for those times that life happens and I’ve needed to compensate for other charges that I didn’t expect or account for. My accounts are still going up and down a bit more than I’d like but each month I’m seeing progress. And progress is good. Progress is fine. Progress is my friend. 




Check out the other ducks that I'm herding into this series
http://bit.ly/OperationDIAR
http://bit.ly/ODIARccards
http://bit.ly/ODIARwomp


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You Don't Just Talk With Your Hands - Nifty Nails

In my line of work, people are always looking at my hands. There's a lot of typing and pointing involved, so it's obvious to have a good hand care routine. I do have a bit of sensitive skin and that can seem limiting, but if anything it just makes you pay attention to the things your using.

I've had some great luck with Mary Kay Satin Hands. I've always loved their sugar scrubs and in the set it is just heaven. Even my brother uses it to help with his super dry hands. Now I understand that sometimes the MK price isn't always the desired amount and to that I can only say, Pinterest. There's a DIY recipe for homemade sugar scrubs so browse away and follow me while you're there.

There's a few ladies at work who have their nail guys number practically memorized. You have the acrylic cult and the gel lover. Even one our very own coworker is a certified cosmetologist so she just does her own and sometimes shares the knowledge, tips, and tricks. I have tried the acrylic but do prefer the gel. I just can't take the wear and tear on my nail beds time after time. Occasionally I attempt to get creative with some insight from our cosmetologist and it's not terrible but time consuming. I love doing my nails, there is no doubt about that so when I tried these Nail Strips from Sally Hansen and KISS, I have decided that these people need some kind of prize.

It seemed simple enough. Match the nail, stick it and file the excess off. Especially with the french tip, just popping a clear quick dry and BAM. Nails done with left overs for next time. Now the package says they should stay on for about 10 days. I tried the Sally Hansen ones first and I wish I kept a picture of them. They stayed on well for about two weeks so we'll see how these from KISS hold up. I get a lot of compliments on them and 8 dollars at the drug store beats out 30 for me any day. (Pedicures are a different story tho - just needed to point that out)