A non-blurry, fully-healed shot of the first part of my chest tattoo. I'll be adding more to it soon, mostly tiny bats flying out of the 'arteries' and connecting to my left shoulder, which has bats on it already. Yup, I'm a geek for chiroptera.
24 January 2009
23 January 2009
Some things I love
As I was getting ready this morning, I realized there are a lot of products I use on a daily basis that I just love. So, I thought I'd throw together a list of things that keep me feeling presentable and maybe just plain pretty sometimes. ^_^
1. Organix Shampoo and Conditioner (Shea Butter formula)- The smell and the feel of my hair when I use these makes me so happy. Plus they're organic and free of sulfides so theyr'e better for me and the environment!
2. Mary Kay TimeWise 3-in-1 Facial Scrub and Lotion- The one set of products I've found that I'm not allergic to and they make my skin look great! Fewer breakouts, more even tones, smoother complexion...etc. Plus a bottle lasts me forever (4-5 months on average with daily use). It's pricier than everything else I've tried BUT it works better and by the time I buy 2 or 3 tubes of stuff that makes me itchy I could pay for one tube of something that works! <3 MK
3. Mary Kay TimeWise Day and Night Solutions- Last year I noticed the beginnings of crow's feet around my eyes and laugh lines around my mouth. I panicked...I was only 26! Ack! I joke about feeling old (because my body is in such bad shape) but to have visible evidence ON MY FACE? OMG NO! So, I talked to my MK consultant and she recommended this set of serums that work to undo all the crap your face goes through during the day. The daytime " Think of it as a veil of defense. With an SPF of 25, this innovative product helps prevent lines and discoloration before they occur by blocking damaging UVA/UVB rays. A calming peptide helps relax expression lines." (MaryKay.com) The nighttime formula is "A unique delivery system of encapsulated vitamins and antioxidants combined with collagen-enhancing peptides help fade away deep lines and wrinkles. Nutribeads® microcapsules are vitamin-packed. Rest assured your skin is being revitalized while you sleep." And I think they work! Those early-onset crow's feet are receding and the laugh lines are only there when I laugh! Take that old age!
4. Nexxus Headress Leave-in Conditioner- This stuff makes me love my hair. It's not only a leave-in conditioner, it heps your hair retain styling with heat tools (hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons, etc.) So, I don't have to put extra crap in my hair, always a bonus since I seem to be allergic to everything coming and going like gel, hair spray, mousse...either my face breaks out or my scalp breaks out. But this leav-in conditioner allows me to heat style my hair and go without extra crap and it leave my hair feeling smooth and silky while keeping it protected.
5. Almay Triple Effects Mascara- One of the few non-MK cosmetics I use. (I've not had luck with MK's mascaras as of yet...I've one more to try and it's on order.) Almay's products are known for their 'hypoallergenic' qualities and this is no exception. It curls, lengthens and volumizes my long-but-blonde lashes. It doesn't irritate my eyes since it's not waterproof, which I've found to be one culprit of my eye irritation woes. It does what it says- it makes my lashes appear long, thick and curled.
6. Mary Kay Eye Primer- I won't wear eye makeup without it. It really does the trick keeping shadows in place through the day (or night). It also helps weaker pigmented shadows go on smoother.
7. Vidal Sassoon Ceramic Ionic Hair Dryer- I don't know how I ever dried my hair without this thing. Before I lopped off all my hair and before I got this wonderful thing it would take me up to 30 minutes to get my hair mostly dry. Now with my shirter hair and the ionic beast- 8-10 minutes and it's fully dry. YES!!!! It's also great for styling too. <3 <3 <3
8. Burt's Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm- I'm a sucker for anything pomegranate. It's my second favorite lip balm (after my own homemade formula) and my favorite tube balm.
9. Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover- Again, I'm not allergic to it and it does it's job very well.
22 January 2009
01.22.09
New boots again and what little bit of school spirit I have is covered by my scarf. Ha!
Scarf- gift from Mum
Sweater- College bookstore (The college I work at and attend)
Skirt- LB
Leggings- Cuddle duds
Boots- LB
Pretty Kitty- Laurel
WoW Geekery...
My friend Reid showed me this awesome WoW video at work today. <3
It is one of the best WoW videos I've seen. Ever.
It is one of the best WoW videos I've seen. Ever.
21 January 2009
01.21.09
Some new goodies from LB online. Simple and warm. This would look better with a nice coloured belt and tights. Now I just need to acquire said accessories...
Sweater Dress, belt and boots- LB
Leggings- Cuddle Duds
I darkened my hair again. I think this is as close to my natural colour as I will ever get out of a box. the boy says I'm a turtleneck sweater and a pleated skirt away form being Velma form Scooby Doo and I'm quite alright with that.
A brief Interlude...
...featuring one of my favourite shows of all time "The Young Ones", a BBC production from the 1980's. I adore it and I found some clips on YouTube!
20 January 2009
01.20.09
Cozy warm sweaters are so nice.
Sweater- Sonoma
Belt- Cato
Dress- Lane Bryant
Tights- We Love Colors
Boots- Demonia
Scarf- VIntage, eBay lot
Happy Inauguration Day! ^_^
Also...REPO! The Genetic Opera was released on DVD today and I can't wait to get my copy (once my paycheck shows up...)
Mum has ordered me some new boots (2 pairs) and a few new dresses and I'm very excited for them to come in! New stuff on the cheap; I love catalog clearance shopping!
15 January 2009
01.15.09
I must be charging my lasers...
It was cold and I felt horrible all day. So I went for comfy.
Dress- Apt. 9
Silk thermal shirt- Wal-Mart (forever ago)
Jeans- Right fit blue, Lane Bryant
Ugly ugly ugly orthopedic shoes- Brooks
Scarf- Vintage, eBay lot
My spine is broken.
So 3 years ago (as of last week actually) on a Friday night I was doing yoga, trying to stretch out what I thought was a tight muscle in my back. I finally got a good stretch going and when I stood up I felt something sort of pop in my lower back. I went to move toward the couch and found I couldn't move my legs. I started to panic. I managed to penguin-waddle over to the couch and sit down when I felt another pop and the pain started. It was the absolute worst pain I have ever experienced in my life and I hope I never have to go through that ever again. So, I called my Mum and told her what had happened. She told me to call Ask-a-nurse. I called them and they said I had pulled a muscle in my back and need to take some aspirin or ibuprofen and lay on a heating pad. So I did. It did no good whatsoever. I was confined to the couch and my boyfriend (now husband) had to help me take baby steps to get to the bathroom. The next day I went to Instant Care who said they thought I had a ruptured disc and promptly sent me to the emergency room. The doctor in the emergency room told me I had pulled a muscle, despite the burning pain running down to my foot in my right leg, gave me a prescription for narcotics and sent me on my way. I was frustrated to say the least. Monday morning I called my doctor's office as soon as they opened and got an appointment to see my doctor. He said he thought it was a ruptured disc and sent me off for an MRI immediately. The MRI showed that my L5-S1 disc had indeed ruptured and was pinching my sciatic nerve on the right side (hence not being able to use my leg) so I was sent off to a Neurosurgeon for evaluation for surgery. I should mention that I was in my last semester of finishing my BA and had a 12 hour load, including 2 art studio classes. SO I tried to put off surgery until the end of the semester. I used a tens unit (electronic muscle stimulation) and narcotics to help me get thorough until May but I couldn't make it. I had to drop all but 2 of my classes since I couldn't drive or walk to class. In March of 2006 I went in for surgery, survived and went home 2 days later after a reaction to the morphine that made me hallucinate and try to rip my skin off. (Now I know...morphine bad...) I healed up thanks to my awesome husband, Mum, and future mother-in-law taking care of me. I was doing fine until the following February when I started having severe pain again. I saw my neurosurgeon and he diagnosed me with osteoarthritis, told me to move someplace warm and gave me 800mg ibuprofen to take. I did so and started PT to help my muscles regain their strength. I've struggled with the arthritis for the past 2 1/2 years, fearing cold weather and long work days. I've cried myself to sleep at night a few times because the pain was so bad. I get charlie horses in my legs constantly, more frequently at night. I finally couldn't take it any more and went to see my PA about the pain. I wanted arthritis medicine rather than pain killers since they weren't working. She prescribed me Mobic to help with the arthritis and sent me to PT again.
I had my first PT appointment on Tuesday (1/13) and it was a life-changing event. The therapist said there was no way arthritis alone was causing all of my symptoms, especially the pain in my leg. She said my disc had to be bulging again. I tried to do some simple exercises and was shaking with pain. She had me stop and hooked me up to an E-Stim machine (Electronic stimulation to help ease the pain) and gave me a heating pad (one of the best things on the face of the planet in my opinion). 15 minutes later I was feeling better. She did some traction on my leg to help take some pressure off the disc and it felt good. I left with a sense of happiness form the pain relief but also a sense of dread. She put me on restrictions of no lifting and no bending over (if I can help it). So I have to learn to ask for help, which is the hardest part for me. I'm quite independent. I'm now paranoid about rupturing the disc again, praying the PT can help me reverse some of the damage done. I don't know if I can go through the pain of the injury and the surgery again. I only have 40% of that disc left and if it were to rupture...well...the remedies for that are not pleasant. Spinal fusion or rods and plates in my back. Not options I want think about at age 27 and I want to have children. So many things to think about.
At any rate, that's my current situation. I muddle through the day and look forward to layign down on my super comfy bed (pillow top + memory foam= OMG comfy) and relaxing with my husband and animals.
I had my first PT appointment on Tuesday (1/13) and it was a life-changing event. The therapist said there was no way arthritis alone was causing all of my symptoms, especially the pain in my leg. She said my disc had to be bulging again. I tried to do some simple exercises and was shaking with pain. She had me stop and hooked me up to an E-Stim machine (Electronic stimulation to help ease the pain) and gave me a heating pad (one of the best things on the face of the planet in my opinion). 15 minutes later I was feeling better. She did some traction on my leg to help take some pressure off the disc and it felt good. I left with a sense of happiness form the pain relief but also a sense of dread. She put me on restrictions of no lifting and no bending over (if I can help it). So I have to learn to ask for help, which is the hardest part for me. I'm quite independent. I'm now paranoid about rupturing the disc again, praying the PT can help me reverse some of the damage done. I don't know if I can go through the pain of the injury and the surgery again. I only have 40% of that disc left and if it were to rupture...well...the remedies for that are not pleasant. Spinal fusion or rods and plates in my back. Not options I want think about at age 27 and I want to have children. So many things to think about.
At any rate, that's my current situation. I muddle through the day and look forward to layign down on my super comfy bed (pillow top + memory foam= OMG comfy) and relaxing with my husband and animals.
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