Adult Win - Planning

Here we are in the tunnel of April that tripped into May without me looking, I am holding strong into a trend that hasn’t gotten old and that is planning. Now I may even teeter on the crazy side because I have a planner for my day to day, aka, regular life and I also have one for work.

Sounds kinda crazy but it’s actually quite nifty because with my work, I handle a certain amount of info that is confidential and it’s definitely not something you want to run around town having it scrawled in an unsecured day planner.

I have no choice but to blame my mom for starting me on this. We have a thing and it’s called Hobby Lobby. It’s a treacherous place of pretty things that give you a hopeful feeling that everything can work. I have yet to leave empty handed. Well last year, my mom bestowed upon me this beauty... which now have the following stickers on the stripes.

This quickly became used and has grown with some new additions for the New Year. The pack it came with was pre-printed and therefore, needed to be adjusted. So I’ve added these little folders and
bookmarks to help things move along.

I honestly didn’t think I would be able to keep up with stickers because who uses stickers at my twenty something age? The answer is... the same twenty something who also uses adult coloring books….who is also me. They are so much fun and even on my down days, my slow days at work, my time where mental capacity is not an option, I can still be productive and plan.

The trick is for all of this, is never pay full price. The good Lord knows this is not a sponsored post, but if down the line when I have my shiz together they want to look in that direction, I will gladly sacrifice. But back to the obvious is never pay full price. Hobby Lobby is notorious for having sales and especially the Paper Studio brand that does everything for my planner, it will go on sale 40% or 50% off in most cases.

If by some reason you don’t go in when they are on sale, then follow these instructions:

1. Pull out your smart phone.
2. Go to the Hobby Lobby website.
3. Get 40% off coupon.

I lived under a rock for a long time not knowing this neon sign of a secret. Yes, Hobby Lobby always has a 40% off coupon for any 1 regular priced item. It’s always there. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used it for stickers, other planner things, gifts, Christmas décor, etc. So use it, love it, plan it, all the things.





Check out some of my other ramblings...

Streaming FOMO - http://bit.ly/streamingFOMO
Hello I'm Shrill Too - http://bit.ly/ShrillToo
Successful Adult Win - http://bit.ly/Adultwin

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Hello, I'm Shrill Too

So Shrill has hit the Hulu and I had no idea. I was on the Instagram as one does after the Grampocalypse that, at least was, for me, just slightly annoying but some people really lost they shiz. But one of the peeps I follow, Marge Hudson aka @areyoutheregoditsmemarge, opened my eyes to what is happening on the interwebs and I had to be apart of it.

Thankfully, I have a day off of work and was planning on totally and completely taking advantage of it. So I had to see what was going and oh my sweet eleven pound baby Jesus, this was phenomenal! The main character is Annie, Aidy Bryant, and she is the me and the many others who have gone through anything similar who doesn't fit in a sample size. It was shocking and beautifully done. I also want so much to have a Fran, Lolly Adefope, in my life just FYI. 

From episode one, the story is on the move and things are moving very quickly. But I could relate to this show if you haven't figured that out. Now, I don't know if her wardrobe was modestly chosen on purpose because she likes it but feels the need to 'cover up' or what. I just watched the season and here I am so don't @ me. However comma, I felt it because I know in high school, I drove my bff and my mom crazy because my standard wardrobe were jeans and a t-shirt of darker tones. I upped my makeup and accessory game where I could but always double guessing affections from the opposite sex. I mean, hell, who hasn't been called a flipper when your supposedly bisexual boyfriend cheats on you with a guy friend? (For the record, I was the last girl he had as a girlfriend and there's no confusion about the intentions in hindsight and in true Ariana fashion, I'm thankful for him because I now have my ride or die, my person, my best friend for life who is also his ex.) 

I've had the thoughts where I've thought that a going-on-the-back-door-better-than-nothing feeling was as good as it was going to get. And the mental change that Annie has starts to resonate as the season goes on and that is something that some people have at different times in life and if someone hasn't, I have a feeling that it will help someone get to that point to where they can start loving themselves and stop apologizing for taking space in the world.

Even now with my new position, I'm again the biggest person in the building of about a dozen-ish and while it's not intentional most of the time, it's noticed that one does not belong or one does not mesh. Even our personalities are quite a bit different and I've seen clients do a double take for crying out loud. 

So it's there, it's not just a show catering to the plus sized community about empowerment but it's also shows the ugly parts that come with it. It happens and people on the internet are cruel but confronting enemies in person, you find how much they hate themselves because you don't have to hate you and they can't handle it. Let that sink in, they, who hate you, can't handle you loving yourself because the standards of the world have always said that you shouldn't, so they don't. Can it still hurt? Abso-f*cking-lutely. Can it suck that your crush in school calls you a hog to your face and your choice is to cry or pull it together and attack verbally because you are not about to be suspended? Hell to the yea. But here we are, being represented anyway on the internet in a show that will definitely take off because in case you haven't been bombarded, the average size of a woman in the US is 14 or 16, can't remember at the moment but it's not a 2. There are more of us than they know what to do with so someone has decided that if you can't beat them, because let's be honest they can't keep us down if they tried, join them and realize that we are human and we are not going away. We are gorgeous. We are fashionable and stylish. We can and deserved to be loved for who we are regardless of our size. We will stand and bring each other up more than those who are determined to bring us down. 

So I will add that this to a couple other faves in my book that remind me that I'm here and need to live my best life with the good and bad because it's all I got:

Also a book - Just saying...

Gumption - nuff said

And it's a book. You can bet your butt I'm buying and reading!

Also thank you Marge, I sent you a DM about it, but I wanted to do it again because I've also not posted on my blog since, like, August and my first thought was to do this. I'm going to ride this euphoria as long as I can. Until I can get more up, look at some of my older stuff.

B3 is my motto - http://bit.ly/The3BBBz

Adulting - http://bit.ly/Adultwin

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OR

on the Insta since it's back up - http://bit.ly/MyIgJazz

 

I've Got That Summertime June Favorites

Well interweb peeps, June is over. Half of the year is already gone and I’ve got some serious whiplash. My bff and I were talking about what we’ve done in the last six months. I won’t get you with the details of the entire past, we are here to see favorites. And for June, there’s a few. Literally because these had been rocking my month. They may be few, but they be awesome.

Kind is the New Pretty – Tarte – If you read my last month’s favorites, which you should here, then you’ll know that I bought this little set on sale during the Ulta megasale of awesomeness. Of course, with my lowered immune system, I was getting sick and wasn’t one for wearing makeup. But now that I’m semi-sane, I’m so glad I bought this mini pallet. It’s easy to get to and has everything great shades that I can literally wear everyday. I’ve made a few trips back home and have had to make super early trips to the doctor so this little pallet plus a couple brushes and some mascara and I’m set.

I had to get rid of a lot of makeup after my stent of being an incubus of plague so between lack of money and the amount of makeup I tend to wear on a normal basis, I've really wanted more of an all-in-one situation and this little pallet has it.

I will admit that I didn't expect it to be this small. It fits in the palm of my hand. The bronzer works really well for my skin tone as it's not too warm. The blush is a bit more on the orange side but I strangely like it. It's buildable for me because I can imagine overdoing it, especially at home where my lighting is terrible thanks to wood panelling, so it's always a bit darker in my house than I like. Now the highlight....It is pretty fabulous. Granted when I put too much so that I look like a unicorn licked my face, it can be a bit much because it's white. The picture doesn't do the sparkle justice and in the words of YouTuber Nicole Guerriero, "Sir, can you see this highlight?" It definitely packs a punch but somedays I wanna be chill and not punch people with my highlight. 

Sally Hansen Instadry Nail Color – Petal Pusher – I hadn’t painted my nails in a hot minute. I haven’t had my nails done in an even hotter minute. Despite everything going on with me, my nails to tend to grow pretty fast so acrylics and gel can get pretty expensive. So instead of a super bold color I grabbed this for a little color and I am loving it. It’s subtle enough to not clash with everything and it doesn’t take forever and a day to dry.

I'm not kidding when I say it's a literal quick drying nail polish. If I have a solid seven minutes, the brush is wide enough to cover most of my nails in one swipe and opaque enough to not be entirely streaky. I can still do two coats, have them dry and pop a quick top coat and dry in roughly that time. So don't be too heavy on the hand and it'll all be well with the world.

Zuchini boats – Pinterest recipe – one of my best girlfriends and I have been working on newer and healthier recipes and once a week we make them and have a chance to catch up on life. Since we both were raised in a way that didn’t always include a lot of veggies like zucchini and squash, I’ve strayed away from them mainly out of ignorance. NOT the case anymore. This recipe she found on Pinterest from thewholesomedish.com called for ground chicken but we used ground turkey and lemme tell you, I’ve made it again and it’s pretty fricken awesome and surprisingly filling. So go check out my Food board onPinterest and test it out yourself.

So yes June be few but I can honestly say these have been consistently happening all month which is not always the case for lots of people, I've noticed. But even though the month is halfway gone, here's what I've been up to, what have you been up too or been loving lately?


In the meantime....


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and check out some of my other posts...

Window Shopping - http://bit.ly/2sG527o
Office Decor - http://bit.ly/OfficeDe
Travelling Can Be Ugly - http://bit.ly/2travelwoe

May Favorites - Time to Chill

Another month has come and gone and it’s kind of insane as to how fast things are starting to pick up. It’s currently around 90 degrees here in New Mexico so I’m doing my best to stay out of it all. It’s bad for me and my mood. What has been making my mood better this month tho are great things. Some I’ve rediscovered and some totally new, so check it out and leave me a comment with some of your favorites.

Amazon Firestick – My wonderful man of mine gave this to me for Christmas a few years back and I used it sparingly but didn’t really get into all the amazingness unless I turned off my cable. So yea, I’m going through life with no cable, no satellite, just a pretty awesome, and new, internet service that makes using this thing a necessity in life. Now mine isn’t like the newer ones with the voice activation and I’m ok with that. I already use Amazon Prime and can stream a ton of shows and movies. I have my YouTube account signed in so I don’t even have to bring out my phone or laptop and do I even need to mention Netflix? The next stop will be Hulu at some point, but for now…Life is pretty damn entertaining in a good way.

Actual Pic from Le Amazon Site

Tarte Lip Scuptor in Kind – So towards the end of Ulta’s super sale that ended in April, I took a shot at a little pallet from Tarte and with it being on a pretty good sale, I thought why not. Now the pallet is ok, to be honest I haven’t had a real chance to use it HOWEVER comma, I have been so in love with the lip color that came with it. It’s a lipstick on one end and a lip gloss on the other. Everyone talks about their perfect nude and since my lips are large and a bit discolored anyway I didn’t think I could and then I wore this and the heavens opened up and the Snapchat halo of flowers appeared on my head. Lol. All dramatics aside, both sides are wonderful in texture and sometimes I’ll wear both and sometimes I’ll wear one. The lip gloss I’m most impressed with because I usually stray away from glosses because of the stickiness. Can’t stand it, won’t have any of it. My ideal ‘gloss’ has been the Juicy Shaker from Lancome. But this right here may turn me onto Tarte lips if more of their lip products are this smooth.

Lipstick on the Left and Gloss on the Right - Same Bea-U-tiful Color

Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizer – With the seasons changing and the wind blowing and my newly lowered immune system, this is a must. Don’t get me wrong, I also love the Purell brand and what not. But when you got a great girlfriend who works at the BBDubs and keeps you up to date on the best sales, you tend to stock up. (and for that I thank and love you Bona!!!) I’ve got the big size and mini sizes and have stocked up at some points where I give them to other girls at work because if you’ve ever worked with the public, things can get gross really quick and even more so if you have to handle money.

Old Packaging and New Little PocketPacs

Play N Skillz – Si Una Vez – Ok I’ve not had a favorite song in a hot minute. But let me tell you that when I heard this song. I didn’t even hear the music, I heard the lyrics and immediately had instant focus. This song was originally sung by Selena, wonderful Hispanic icon of my childhood who was taken from us way too early – even before TuPac, and hadn’t heard a good representation of any of her songs other than what her family has already done. But this song, I literally have had on repeat for an embarrassing amount of time and do I feel ashamed of it? Not one bit. Now I don’t care much for the English version, not to discredit Frankie J and Leslie Grace who are also in the song , (just listen to it, there’s quite a few people involved) but I think it loses something in translation. I think it’s a fantastic song that can stand on its own as well as give a wonderful tribute to Selena and her legacy.

Play-N-Skillz - Si Una Vez ft. Wisin, Frankie J, Leslie Grace

It's been a pretty chill month as find my way around getting back into life. Little show...well lotta shows and good music and a little piece of mind. What are your favorites?

and while you're at it....

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Check out last month's favorites

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or some of my other posts

Travel Reality - http://bit.ly/2travelwoe

My Office Musts - http://bit.ly/OfficeDe

B3 - http://bit.ly/The3BBBz

Didn't Have April Showers, We Had Snow - Monthly Favorites

Spring is in full swing and working on returning to normal-ish routine has me having a few favorites this month. It's been a trip reintroducing myself to the work world all for me to go dufuq!? Because low and behold, out here in New Mexico, it's common for the weather to be weird but when it decides to rain and then snow practically All. Friggin. Day. I gotta say that mother nature might be more messed up than me, and that's saying something. But to the good things that happened this month, just yesss.

Scandal – Cable is no more right now so Netflix and I have rekindled a beautiful relationship and with the help of my epic sister, I discovered Scandal. I’d heard about it, heard it was amazing and saw them winning a lot of awards and now I see why. Totally hooked and have been watching all month. Right now I’m at the end of season 4 and with season 5 on, ohhhh it’s gonna be good. I love Olivia and the team. Honestly Fitz gets on my nerves and I have a love/hate relationship with Cyrus. And even though, I hate Eli with a burning passion, Joe Morton does such a wonderful job with his character I love watching him.

Zia Earrings – My test trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico for my birthday was indeed a test of my health and recovery and I’d like to think that I passed. I’d say a solid C+. My boyfriend bought me a couple pairs of the Zia Earrings and then found where the artists work was being sold in the capital city. So of course I had to track it down and get more. I gotta couple, my sister gotta couple and bought me another set for my birthday. One thing I’ve learned about myself over this time is that there is a lot of rich culture in New Mexico and we have a lot of pride for our state is strong and true. We also like to represent. The artist, Cultura Corazon, who makes these, is awesome and has an awesome Etsy store. So check her out here.

They are real wood zia symbols.

These are mirrored acrylic zia symbols

Find her on Instagram too - She has a ton of cute stuff

Benefit Rollerlash – Going back to work means going and getting rid of expired makeup and just wearing makeup in general. So having fresh mascara was just like the first sip of a cherry coke hitting your soul. Just amazing. This mascara blew my mind when I started using it, you can read about that here because talking about it now would not show the same excitement and love I have for this product.

Clinique Intro Kit – Like I said in my last month’s favorites, I did indeed get this kit. And honestly I was super surprised at this intro size. It’s a 3 step process and using it this month, I can see and feel a difference in my skin. It doesn’t look or feel like sandpaper. Now I do still need a good scrub for the dead skin that’s still trying to stick around but keeping this combo-oily, acne prone skin looking decent has just gotten easier and it makes me feel good too. 

These were the awesome things that got me through this month and this crazy journey back into life.
What are yours?





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Tales of the Tank - My Backpack

Forward March - Monthly Favorites

March has been a great month for me. I'm making progress on my health, finally, after what feels like forever. I'm working on getting back into a routine so that I can prep for my return to work. To be perfectly honest, these past months have been more about what my body is doing rather than my makeup or beauty. I swear, I did some work on my eyebrows and felt like I cut down a national forest. Here's some of my lifesavers this month.

1. Planner - Now I had every intention on making a bullet journal. I had a layout planned out and colored pens HOWEVER comma, one of my side effects is shaking like a chihuahua, so the lines came out terrible and I couldn't stand it so I bought a different one. I figured with it only being March, I can get away with a couple blank months. This one is one I've had before and it's the best because it's pretty, has plenty of space to write on and tabs! Easy organization never hurt anyone.

2. Lip Balm - with Spring coming in and some bouts of dry mouth, my lips have taken some damage and because my siblings are awesome, I have a nifty little 3 pack of medcated Blistex. One to keep on me, one for my bag, and an extra for whichever I lose first because let's be honest. One or more of them will disappear at some point....not proud of it, but it's the truth.

3. Clinique Moisturizer - So with everything happening I needed to start working on skincare and I feel that I'm going to for some time. The meds I'm on are strong and I've seen the toll it's taken on my skin and whatnot. I bought a mini size version of this moisturizer from Ulta on a whim because my mom said to. She's trusted Clinique for years and for good reason. Using even just a little bit of this has worked wonders on my face which has started to feel like sandpaper. So hearing that the 21 Days of Beauty is on right now is great because the entire kit that this moisturizer comes in has an intro set that will be on sale. So my calendar and alarm are set so I can get on this sale and not feel guilty about it.

4. Water bottle - with all the medications I'm on, I am drinking a lot more water than I had even before I got sick. I've had a lot of dry mouth from the illness, the allergies making me sleeping with my mouth open. So I found a water bottle, on clearance, that has a nifty filter so I can fill it with water from the tap rather than buying bottled. It's also a whole liter so there's my drinking goal.

5. Good RX - I had seen the commercials but never really gave it much thought until my mom gave it a shot while in line at the pharmacy. Literally no sign up, no info other than a zip code for the pharmacy list and up popped a coupon for my most expensive medication. On top of that, they also have a free app so what ever happens to me now, you know I'm gonna be lookin for discounts.

Looking at now, it seems that this seems simple and it is. Simple becomes staple and we gotta start somewhere. I feel like I have as clean a slate as I'm going to get.

Fall Transition Favorites

I'm ALIVE!!!!! It's been well over a month since I posted last. My physical health has taken a bit of a turn down the side of a mountain in an inflatable ball and it's been so much fun finding out that there is something wrong. But of course, I still have to wait for the specialist to find out what that is so that's been super fun. Since I’ve been away for some time does NOT mean I haven’t noticed that the season’s have changed. It’s gotten slightly cooler here and the air has changed. Basically, I know that my face is supposed to be oilier than it is normally. Makeup has to change. Skin care routine needs to be adjusted. Scarves are going to be rotated. I don’t have many sweaters so meh. But the boots are on standby.

Makeup

I have actually not been wearing a lot of foundation because even though more countries have joined the negotiations to the oil on my face, I have been finding my blemishes to be dry and flaky. On top of everything that's been going on, my skin feels like I'm going through puberty. And with that, it’s easy to spot where my foundation tends to slide and gather. But in general, the warmer tones are turning more into cool tones, as they should but on particular sunny days like we tend to have, I don’t mind throwing on a bit of a warmer highlight. Once I find my balance again, then I'll be normal-ish. 

Lip Gook (yes, I’ve tried to call it lippie or just by product but my upbringing called it all lip gook)

As much as I hate to admit, for this transition into fall, I’ve been cheating on my Lancome Juicy shaker.... a lot. It's surprising considering that I’ve been using it all summer. Read up on that here. But still, I’ll occasionally use it but I’ve been going to something a bit more simple. Burt’s Bees. Not as old a brand as Chapstick or Carmex, but it’s nice on the lips and the tinted ones like this one in Sweet Violet do some double duty for me for work since the dry times have already started to attack my lips too.

Skin care

I’ve also noticed that my pores are being more noticeable than needed so I’ve been toying with a few things to help that situation. I have a new moisturizer and face wash that seem to be on the right track. The moisturizer is a simpler one for day or night and made for sensitive skin. I love it because it doesn’t take forever to soak into your skin in the morning before putting on makeup, if I decide to wear it that day, and it’s not slimy like my last one was. On days that I feel like a raisin, I can especially feel the difference in my skin.  It's definitely a start. I won't lie when I say that I've usually tried to avoid brands like Olay because it seems like all they show commercials for is anti-aging made for women twice my age, which is all good, great, and fine however comma, I'm not quite there yet. Now that I'm loving this moisturizer, I'm starting to feel that there is no harm in starting early.

The face wash was purchased on a whim to be honest. When I was getting groceries, I needed some face wipes anyway and saw this. I figure that if the Olay brand has been around as long as it has then I could give it’s $7 face wash a shot. My first look was at the oil control. I always, always, look for oil free but this one also claims to be oil minimizing. I have noticed that I don't get as oily as early, so that's been very nice too. I may have had my reservations about Olay as a brand for twenty something me, but it's safe to say that I am so over it. 

Let me tell you about this charcoal sugar scrub I’ve been using. It’s fun to use and smells wonderful. Even though it’s black from the charcoal, my sensitive skin and I feel a nice exfoliation without my face being super red afterwards. Thank you drug store product and drug store price. Like seriously, it's less than $4. I especially like that it's in a tube rather than a tub. I do love the tubs for the body sugar scrubs, like here, but for just the face, it's less wasted in a tube. 

What changes have you made for the Fall?? Let me know, I know I need all the help I can get.

There's still a lot to be said and done about changing just about everything for the new season all while knowing that you're sick but not having a diagnosis is so much worse. It's been affecting my skin, my hair, etc. But like anyone struggling for control in an uncontrollable situation, I do what I can, where I can and sadly that meant leaving the routine I was working so hard to put in, blogwise. On this last note, if you've been reading my posts, I want to thank you for it. I know it's been a while so I also thank you for the patience. I'm planning on getting back into a groove, it's just been a bit slower than I like. But keep hanging with me and we'll get moving.


In the mean time, catch up on some of my other posts...

The Full Figure Picture - http://bit.ly/HomecomingHelp

How Much is My Face Worth? (tag) - http://bit.ly/MyFaceis

Operation Ducks In A Row - Relationships and Life - http://bit.ly/10GTWODIAR







Follow me on Bloglovin - http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg

10 Pokemon Go Hunting Essentials

Alrighty then, so if you've been literally under a rock in the deepest depth of the ocean, welcome back to surface and sorry about your lost voice. What you need to know is readily available on the internet but be careful what you read because the world is scary and the only thing that seems to be keeping some sanity and/or faith in humanity, lately, is Pokemon Go.

Now there are those of us, like myself, who've been waiting impatiently for this game to become a reality since the Blue version and there's a lot who've picked it up to see what the hype is that has literally been around the world and thankfully there's more positive than negative.

Long story that-has-a-million-tutorials-around-YouTube-short, is that you physically have to get outside to enjoy the mesh or the real world and the Pokemon world. Since the game's release, I have walked well over 7 miles or according to my eggs, at least 15km. I can honestly say that I don't know how relative those numbers are, I just know what my pedometer says and how many eggs I've hatched while actually walking.

And I'm not a small nor athletic person. I am Big, Bad, and Beautiful yes, but getting me outside after work is not easy. Yet, my first day playing, despite server issues, I walked for 2 and a half hours around town picking up items at Pokestops and catching Pokemon in places I see just about everyday and it's FANTASTIC. I've met many a people who I'd normally never outwardly speak to and we've shared tips and trades and battled gyms. I can honestly say that this has been a great habit to start and pick up with. A few friends chat and meet up in the evening when it's the coolest and walk about the hot spots in town and this is where our post has more meaning because we are out for a long time and our phones are on a long time. So here's some essentials to keep you going while Pokemon hunting or as I like to say, going on a PokeWalk.



1. A Good Bag - backpack, messenger, crossbody bag whatever works for you to keep these essentials in while keeping your hands free is a must. If you've been reading my Tales of the Tank, as you totally should, I'll have one up for these particular types once it's written.

2. External Battery - if you've read my posts or been on my Twitter feeds or just on social media, the word is getting around about external batteries. I'm a huge fan of these, in general, so call me hipster when I say that I was all about these before Pokemon Go. I'm ok with that, but read up here and learn you some before throwing money at these sources of power.

***6000 mAh Battery at Big Lots for $8***

3. Wall/ Car Outlet - Seems weird coming after the external battery talk, but if you've read my other old post about electronics, you'll see that I tend to be prepared. Besides one of our hot spots on campus does have outlets as do many a restaurants.

4. Charging Cord - I've noticed more recently with my Galaxy S7 that the quality of the charging cord is really starting to matter. My trusty 10 ft cheapo is seriously slacking so I've been searching and finding some great nylon/cordy/thicker/labeled as actual fast charging thanks to my amazing BFF. So thanks to my great relationship with Amazon Prime, those should be here soon for my house, for work, and for my electronics bag that I'll throw in here.
***Cord and wall outlet are my original S7 gear***

5. Bottle of Water - Regardless if you live in the desert or not, this is key if you plan on being out for a while. There's enough trouble out in the world without people falling over with a heat stroke. So have some bottles whether they store bought, or reusable, and take you some H2O.
***Kuzi was gifted***

6. Sunblock - Again another key especially if you are out during the day. For people like me, I don't get out much outside of work during the day. And one of the things that my stylist said when she gave me my super awesome cut, was that sunblock is essential period for my newly released scalp that hasn't seen the light of day in some time. Aaaand let's be honest, most of us are adults, so act grown and put some spf on.

7. Wallet - You've already got a bag and a ton of Pokestops and restaurants are restaurants so go out and support the local economy either by yourself or with your PokeCrew.

8. Headphones - For the times that you are by yourself, a good set of headphones will keep your shields up with great musica and with an added mic, still have actual phone call making skills, you know...if you use your cell phone for actually speaking... (ba dum tss)
***Music Headphones were from Hot Topic for $8.25***

9. Chapstick/Lip Balm - it goes along with the sunblock thing. Our lips get neglected and being outside...in the elements...and the sun, nobody has time for chapped lips.
***Lip Balm from Sephora approx $8 when I bought it***

10. Google Rewards (Android) - Sorry apple users, haven't used an iPhone in a hot damn minute and I doubt it's available for you.... But anyways, check out my May Favorites for the full details on this app that lets me buy PokeCoins without really needing to spend any of my actual money.


So gather it up and pop it in your bag and go catch them all....safely of course. Because that's what this screen is for...

Some other posts that aren't game related...

Lancome Juicy Shaker review - http://bit.ly/JJuicy
My June Favorites - http://bit.ly/June16Faves
One of the Tales of the Tank aka my purse - http://bit.ly/TOTT50Cal

How Much Is My Face Worth? - tag

I saw this tag from Katie over at Lipsticks and Mascaras and told her that I so had to do it. It makes me think of the Carrie Bradshaw quote that says that " I like my investments where I can see them...in my closet." Or something to that effect because yes, I love my clothes and my shoes but I've also loved makeup. I've waited and not waited and promptly got myself in trouble a couple times for wearing the contraband of makeup outside of dance recitals before I was 15. Now, that's not a problem as the selections are basically endless. I'm still switching things in and out but these are the ones that I'm using constantly if not everyday. So here we go...

Face
Smashbox Oil Free Primer - $36
Benefit All Matte - $12 - travel size not full size
Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Oil Free Foundation - $7
Cargo Blush - $10 in my Birchbox
Naked Flushed Pallet - $26
Laura Gellar Highlighter - $10 in my Birchbox

Total - $101

Eyes
Benefit Stay Don't Stray - $26
Sephora Fine Line Felt Tip Liner - $14
Avon Glimmersticks Eye Liner - $4-8 depending on the sale
Benefit Rollerlash - $23 (this mascara changed my world here)
Maybelline Great Lash in Royal Blue - $4
Benefit Gimme Brow - $10 in my Birchbox
Marc Jacobs Eyeliner - Birthday Gift Sampler from Sephora

Total - $81

Lips
Lancome Juicy Shaker - $21 (Read up on this cocktail of awesomeness)
PBJ Smoothie Stick - $10 in my Birchbox
Suavecita Lip Balm - $2.99
Sephora Lippie Egg - ..$8-ish (can't quite remember honestly)

Total 32.99

Grand Total = $214.99

To be perfectly honest, I don't know how I feel about this. It feels like a lot but then it doesn't. I don't have perfect skin and I'm needing to find a lawyer to negotiate the oil rights to my face, so I've tried many a face product and have been continuing to do so hence the number from my Birchbox. I've only been able to really try things in the higher market in the recent years because I've never felt that my makeup has been a mask. It's the stained glass on my windows so that when the light shines on me, people see me and they see what I can do and what makes me feel good and I shine just a bit brighter.

So I'd have to agree with Carrie on this, I like a good portion of my investments where I can see them, on me.

It's all about the 3B's. So I tag anyone reading to find out how much their face is worth.




Follow me on Bloglovin - http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg

Check out some of my other posts

July Monthly Favorites - http://bit.ly/DJuly16Faves
My Undercut of Epicness - http://bit.ly/HairPinz
Pokemon Nerd Times - http://bit.ly/10PokeWalk

Don't July, These Are Awesome - Monthly Favorites

Another month has come and gone and summer is in full swing. Time to do another set of faves that got me through this month. There's still been a lot of trial and error this month as well because this heat has been Heeeeeelllllllla Hot. (and yes it requires that spread of e's, l's, and the a...just sayin)

Makeup - Benefit Matte Rescue Invisible Finish Mattifying Gel and CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous oil free foundation. This heat has just done wonders for my oil so I've tried this combo out and so far, it's progress. Not quite the whole day but there's not much that lasts the whole day, let's be honest. I've used the original Benefit Porefessional and it's nice but a little thicker that I want for summer so I bought a mini Porefessional Matte Rescue. Best part is that it's a water based gel that has been working wonders on keeping my new foundation on my face without feeling thick, especially when it gets hot which here starts at about 8 am. I've really been loving a lot of the Benefit brand, if it wasn't for the amazingness that is the RollerLash and Birchbox, I don't know where I'd be. Sample sizes or deluxe sizes are a total lifesaver when it comes to the designer brands. I don't want to waste money on products that will not work on my oily AF skin or freak out my sensitive skin.

As for the foundation....normally, I'm not a fan of Cover Girl. Nothing against the brand, I just haven't had a lot of good experiences with the products. But after Father's Day, I found that my trustee Maybelline foundation was a shade or so light but the drugstore was out of the next shade as per usual. I honestly can say that I was pleasantly surprised when I got some decent coverage and it matched me really well without feeling thick and cakey. Combine that with the Matte Rescue and in the words of Beyonce and Nicki, I'm feelin' myself.

TV - Grace and Frankie - It's not on Tv per se but the Netflix has been good to me. There's still a few shows that I need to catch up on, like Orange is the New Black, but I need some more uplfiting triumphant and I found that I am always smiling with this show. Granted towards the ending there was some hardcore emotional thought provoking scenes and issues, but the season finale had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt.


Books - Adult Coloring Books - This nice trend shouldn't even be just a trend because the end result is happy. Bought a couple and was given a couple and yet, I'm still on the hunt for the coloring book or pretty images mixed in with curse words. There's been a lot going on in my life that I don't have control over and I feel like my cheese is sliding off my cracker....so to calm me down and not work on anything crucial, I've been coloring and it's wonderful. But if I can find the coloring cussing book THAT will be the ultimate win, but until then, these will still make me happy every time.

Tech - Pokemon Go - Yes. It may be all over the world but it's one of the best things that makes me feel like my country, the world, life in general isn't going to blow up into an atomic cloud. Instead I'll pack up my bag with the essentials that I wrote about, here, and go out in my community and catch Pokemon. I'm going out and finding out there's people who are my age, older and younger as well who are finding the joy in another world that is attempting to mesh with our own in a positive way. So if you are an original Pokemaniac or someone who is new and wanting to taste a bit of the world that some of us love so much, then do it.

These were my favorites for July, August is going to be crazy so we'll see how it goes. In the mean time check out some of my other posts and follow a girl on Bloglovin. I'm really trying to get my follows up on there.


My Bloglovin pg - http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg



My most recent Tale of the Tank - http://bit.ly/TOTT50Cal

My new hair habit - http://bit.ly/HairPinz

Lancome Juicy Shaker - http://bit.ly/JJuicy

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

Do you follow me on Bloglovin?
http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg

Gettin Fancy With Lancome - Juicy Shaker

Ok so I don't see myself as a professional when it comes to super high end makeup and products of the like. I know that there is often a difference in quality and a bigger one in price. And of course it's the price that makes me think twice. Thinking thrice, this is also not sponsored.

I've always kinda viewed brands like Lancôme, Estée Lauder, etc as the old school brands. Not because they are only for older women but because I remember seeing their signs forever and a day where I didn't hear about MAC or Chanel or Marc Jacobs until I was in college watching YouTube videos.

Now fast forward to now, when I started hearing early reviews for the Lancôme Juice Shaker, I was hooked even before they came out. Then I waited and watched and finally found them! Maybe you've seen them on my Instagram, hint hint. They are an adorable mix of lip oil and pigment to nourish the lips and give some color all while looking like a cocktail shaker. Inside the shaker, are a couple weights that do the mixing while you shake it. Then the lid unscrews to show the cone shaped applicator with the actual product that was shaken onto it.

Now let me give you a little backstory on me and lip products. I don't have small lips. They are actually pretty full and while I've lived with them civilly, I've always been a bit self-conscious because if I wore anything other than a nude color or Chapstick, then that was all people would see. Some women are offended by people looking at their chest all the time whereas I would worry that there was lipstick all over my teeth, which, of course, happens often.

I've had my moments but these babies right here, the clouds opened up and down they floated from Heaven because they are perfect. Granted the matte lip has been the thing for a while now but the season is changing and its time for Spring and Summer to shine. They feel and look a bit glossy but with no stickiness...like at all. Seriously!!! I have 3 of these and they glide on without feeling like a glue trap. They have some really nice color but is a little more on the sheerer side which is great because I can layer it with a matte lip to soften it a tad or another lippie or just wear it by itself and I'm not worried about smearing, feathering, or messing with my teeth.

Personal favorite of the 3, so far, is the Mangoes Wild. There's even a subtle mango scent but its not enough for me to hate or feel overpowered, especially since I'm not a huge mango fruit fan.

I also have Cherry Symphony and Mint To Be, which I've also used quite often. There are more days that I don't wear a lip product other than a lip balm so the blue mint is a nice touch with its subtle shimmer.

Normally $21 for a lip product would make me wanna jump back and say do you remember what happened to your 1st MAC lipstick? (Lost it within a month of buying it on a trip to New York City, flying back to New Mexico and handling life and poof it was gone.) But I've made some major negotiations with myself to know where they are at all times and so far so good. I've been using all 3 for well over a month, or three-ish, and I may talk myself into buying more, who knows? Like I'm grown and a good lip is a grown woman staple like mentioned in this post. 

Having a good lip is important and the nutrients and wonderfulness in the oil has helped my lips so much. They're normally on the drier side as I'm also that person that licks off her lip products, bites her lips, other nervous/life ticks so my lips are very much appreciating the love and are peeling a hellllllllll of a lot less. I feel great in it and for as long as I've used it, I will make this a go-to product. Total win in my book so I thank Ulta for the online shopping options to allow me to get this PDQ, aka Pretty Damn Quick, and have it included in my monthly faves for May.

Have you tried them? Do you love them?

Have you seen my last Tale of the Tank?

http://bit.ly/TOTT50Cal

It's Gonna Be May! - Monthly Faves

First time of me doing a favorites segments and it's pretty exciting and a little scary because going through the month, some things are instant and some I really had to think about. So here I have a few things that have made life awesome this month.

Makeup -Lancome Juicy Shaker

I could write a whole post on why these are a-freakin-mazing. Granted the $21 price tag is a lil bit of a splurge for me but it is totally worth it. Once I get my words together on this wonderful piece of heaven, I'll link it here.

Book(s) - Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

I don't get to read as much as I would like but Lawd have mercy, when I get going....I get going. One of my best friends recommended this series, hey Kim hey. According to the little tag, it has some feels on Game of Thrones while keeping a 'young adult vibe'. Now lemme be honest with you, I am big into fantasy and the world of magic. I love an easy read and this really started out that way. Typical characters and an interesting little plot and young adult yada yada. But trust me, make it to book 3 and it explodes into amazingness and I couldn't put them down. I even have the new book pre-ordered that comes out in September so my Kindle is waiting with bated inanimate breath.

Shower - Tree Hut Sugar Scrub in Coconut Lime

This was a bit of an impulse buy at the hands of my BFF. He uses the hand cream and I almost got it but looked at this instead. I tried making my own sugar scrub and it definitely did not turn out like I wanted or how my mom's did. I have sensitive skin so I can't exfoliate often but when I do, I just melt. So smooth and if you could smell it through my words, you'd melt too. I have a love/hate relationship with coconut and I've encountered some terrible variations of the lime combo. Just stop by a Walmart or Target, and look it up and smell it for yourself.

Show - Game of Thrones (duh)

Another addiction at the hands of my BFF. He got me in at season 3 and I've watched and rewatched and currently diving into season 6. He's read the books more than once and I am still trying to get through book 2. Great series but it just moves a bit slow whereas the show has you hanging on every second. I'll get through the books....eventually....and maybe he'll finish the next book. Until then, I will continue to endure the winter on Sunday nights/Monday mornings. lol

Technology- Google Opinion Rewards App

To be perfectly honest, I don't quite remember who turned me onto this, but I'm so glad they did. I made the switch from Apple to Android a couple years back and haven't look back. They're just little surveys to do randomly that will give you credit to use in the Google Play Store so hey paid-extensions-for-apps-that-I-don't-want-to-spend-money-on.


Not bad for a first month of faves, and even though I'm a total Backstreet Boys fans, Justin got it this month.

Keep up with my last postings on living alone.
Here's a few perks
and here's a few things to consider