I'm not entirely buying into this privilege thing. I think our culture relies on certain assumptions and expectations, and in some situations one group may do better than another, but I don't think it can be automatically attributed to white or male privilege. I think there is more to it under the surface, especially now.
Consider this this link. It's an excerpt from a 1988 working paper by Peggy McIntosh. It is a list of things that the author experiences or can expect to experience by default, as a function of being white. Now, I have no idea who this person is or what sort of academic background she has, but I thought this list was kind of ironic, and even a bit extreme. Of course, I immediately felt like commenting on several points that stood out to me.
1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time
I choose my company based on how people behave and act, not on the color of their skin
6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented
There are a lot of people of "my race" out there, but they are too busy catering to one group or another to actually step up and own it
8. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their
race
Unfortunately, people of "my race" have been inaccurately romanticized as confused victims throughout history, literature, and culture. The racial tensions that caused this in the first place have been passed down from generation to generation and still persist today for no good reason.
21. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group
Too many people in my "racial group" are afraid to speak up and instead of accepting all of who they are, they are too busy trying to fit in with one group or another
23. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without
being seen as a cultural outsider
I wouldn't chalk this up to race; for me and those close to me (people of varying racial backgrounds), it is more a function of cohort. My political opions often do not fit in with what is popular, or expected of someone my age, gender, etc.
35. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race
Whether or not this happens reflects poorly on THEM, and time and time again, I can prove with my qualifications and background that this is NOT the case. I am NOT a victim
44. I can easily find academic courses and institutions which give attention only to people of my race
45. I can expect figurative language and imagery in all of the arts to testify to experiences of my race
Again, people of mixed race are romanticized as confused, helpless victims. Occasionally I'm sure that I could find a literature or history course that touches upon that theme, but this is not a function of racism, it's a combination of expressing what actually happened, and not enough awareness of how different things are today. Too many mixed people are catering to one part of their heritage and adopting specific forms of speech, dress and general expression that screams "I'm ____(insert race here)!"
There were many other points on this list that I found were less a function of race and more a function of class and individual behavior...in other words, being a decent, upstanding member of society. Is it possible that others have had a different experience. Absolutely. I am not speaking for all mixed people, women, people of color, or any other group. I am only speaking for myself, and I personally have not been plagued with issues of race, nor have I (to my knowledge) been discriminated against due to the color of my skin. Is it because I am something different (not African-American, not white, not Hispanic/Latino)? Is it because "mixed" is the new hot thing? Or is it because I don't allow others to define my race for me? Is it simply a function of being a decent, upstanding, presentable member of society? I believe it's a combination of the last two.
I find that I am not in disagreement with the majority of posts, however. These are things that I either experience, perceive to experience, or expect to experience. So I pose this question - Does this mean that I am I afflicted with this type of privilege? Perhaps but I am racially ambiguous - so I do not think it is conferred as a result of my physical appearance. Whether or not I am, and whether or not I am perceived to be, I am not going to apologize. But I think this example clearly demonstrates that by automatically attributing those points solely to "white" privilege we are using an outdated framework through which to analyze privilge, and that this focus is much too narrow.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Feminists? Really? Decreasing the quality of life for women from the so-called liberators
This is scary. Go ahead, check out the link. Now, the part about half of pregnancies being unintended is not scary - that's not even surprising, and I know there is a lot of research out there that supports this fact. Scroll down to the comments and read a few. THAT is what is scary, and I'm seeing this attitude everywhere. So many of my peers are pregnant or have already had babies. That FREAKS me out. And you know that 80% of them did not plan to get pregnant. A couple of them did it on purpose for their own selfish and retarded reasons, but the rest of it I think just comes down to bad planning and failing to think ahead.
The above link takes you to a post on Feministing. Feministing touts itself as being a place where all feminists - cisgendered, transgendered, female or not - can get together and discuss issues that affect the female gender. In reality, it is just a biased "community" that is scared of outside criticism. Some of the rationales that authors use to back up their assertions in posts, comments, and in their own private blogs is so FLAWED and ridiculous that it is impossible to take this group seriously.
I used to check Feministing every day, because I thought it was great that they "broke" news stories (read: reposted and commented) that you don't hear about in the mainstream media. Then I was deeply outraged by one of their posts and pretty much lost interest in following this community. The article itself "Allies Asking Questions" was backwards enough, but the long stream of commentary that followed it really set me off. The commenters tore apart the 1 or 2 people that dared to disagree or point out flaws, and banded with one another to re-inforce the flawed and repressive logic that sets back social process by several decades. Reading this post really gets me inflmaed...so much so that I will not re-read and comment on it now - that requires its own post!
I find that feminist communities are not open, safe spaces to engage in constructive and meaningful dialogue or critique anything. Rather, the feminists are, for lack of a better term, control freaks, that absolutely shut down anyone that disagrees with every one of their radical ideas. I really hate to generalize, but in my experience, this is true. I am a young, educated woman. I believe in gender equality, equal pay, sex education, preserving the "right to choose" and taking responsibility for yourself as a woman...but I do not want to be associated with the word 'feminist' because it automatically earns disrespect. It once stood for something good but today's feminists have ruined it.
I feel uncomfortable in feminist spaces, whether it is in an activist group on a college campus, a feminist news blog, or an online community where one-sided debate flourishes and all who challenge even the tiniest notion is immediately attacked for the pettiest things including typos. Often, constructive criticism is banned outright, as these commenters receive warnings by moderators or have their comments deleted entirely.
I'm going off now to read this post. I expect it to be less infuriating than "Allies Asking Questions," but equally as farfetched.
The above link takes you to a post on Feministing. Feministing touts itself as being a place where all feminists - cisgendered, transgendered, female or not - can get together and discuss issues that affect the female gender. In reality, it is just a biased "community" that is scared of outside criticism. Some of the rationales that authors use to back up their assertions in posts, comments, and in their own private blogs is so FLAWED and ridiculous that it is impossible to take this group seriously.
I used to check Feministing every day, because I thought it was great that they "broke" news stories (read: reposted and commented) that you don't hear about in the mainstream media. Then I was deeply outraged by one of their posts and pretty much lost interest in following this community. The article itself "Allies Asking Questions" was backwards enough, but the long stream of commentary that followed it really set me off. The commenters tore apart the 1 or 2 people that dared to disagree or point out flaws, and banded with one another to re-inforce the flawed and repressive logic that sets back social process by several decades. Reading this post really gets me inflmaed...so much so that I will not re-read and comment on it now - that requires its own post!
I find that feminist communities are not open, safe spaces to engage in constructive and meaningful dialogue or critique anything. Rather, the feminists are, for lack of a better term, control freaks, that absolutely shut down anyone that disagrees with every one of their radical ideas. I really hate to generalize, but in my experience, this is true. I am a young, educated woman. I believe in gender equality, equal pay, sex education, preserving the "right to choose" and taking responsibility for yourself as a woman...but I do not want to be associated with the word 'feminist' because it automatically earns disrespect. It once stood for something good but today's feminists have ruined it.
I feel uncomfortable in feminist spaces, whether it is in an activist group on a college campus, a feminist news blog, or an online community where one-sided debate flourishes and all who challenge even the tiniest notion is immediately attacked for the pettiest things including typos. Often, constructive criticism is banned outright, as these commenters receive warnings by moderators or have their comments deleted entirely.
I'm going off now to read this post. I expect it to be less infuriating than "Allies Asking Questions," but equally as farfetched.
The Limited - eek big shipping charges
I'm having a hard time focusing on work today. For one, I'm super tired. And I have to admit, my morning coffee routine just isn't doing it this week. Aside from that, I spent some time browsing on The Limited's site today. A few weeks ago they had short sleeved button ups on sale that I wanted to get for work. Well I hesitated and now they're no longer on the site....so I shopped around a bit and found a pair of dress pants on final clearance for $14.99! That's an excellent price, but I'm extremely nervous because I never buy clothes without trying them on first. Of course I ordered them, along with a couple other items for work, but now I'm feeling less than satisfied with my order and it hasn't even shipped yet. First off, I got a couple of great items for really good clearance prices...but they are sweaters...more winter items, hence the reason why they were so inexpensive! I also picked up a print tee for $6.99 which is great, but again, I don't know for sure that it will fit.
I know taht the Timeless Vee sweaters and the t-shirt can be returned to the store if I don't like them, but that's not what I'm worried about! I already have 3 of the Timeless Vee's in mint, orange and coral....today I ordered 2 more in white and light blue...well I know those will fit, and chances are the t-shirt will be okay. Worst case scenario with the t-shirt is that it becomes an undershirt, which is is fine with me. My main concern is the pants and the other sweater. These 2 items were on final clearance, which means that they cannot be returned period. The company is trying to get rid of these products. As I mentioned, the price was right, but I'm worried they won't fit properly! I have a pair of pants from The Limited in the same size and a similar fit, so hopefully they will be okay. I guess worst worst case scenario I can try to sell the pants on E-Bay or Amazon and if all else fails, well, then I'm out 15 bucks.
Buttt on to the real reason I'm not so comfortable about today's order. Apparently shipping costs for items from The Limited are butt-rape expensive. I'm really not happy that I paid shipping and tax and that came to an additional $15 or so...but I guess I should have noodled on this purchase a bit more before I placed the order. My new thing is that I think about making a purchase and research it for 2-3 weeks before I actually go ahead and spend any money...well on this one I had thought about those button downs for about 3 weeks but then they were sold out! Instead I jumped into buying several other items that I will probably love (I know for sure the Timeless Vees are comfortable and fit nicely), but it's getting hot now and I might not really be able to wear them until fall.
Sigh. Well that's a lesson. I should be thrilled though, because I ordered 3 sweaters, a t-shirt, and a pair of pants and paid tax + shipping and my total still came out to be less than what it would have been for 1 pair of regular priced pants at the Limited.
Well I guess I feel a little better, but the money I spent today really should have gone towards my cruise spending fund!
I know taht the Timeless Vee sweaters and the t-shirt can be returned to the store if I don't like them, but that's not what I'm worried about! I already have 3 of the Timeless Vee's in mint, orange and coral....today I ordered 2 more in white and light blue...well I know those will fit, and chances are the t-shirt will be okay. Worst case scenario with the t-shirt is that it becomes an undershirt, which is is fine with me. My main concern is the pants and the other sweater. These 2 items were on final clearance, which means that they cannot be returned period. The company is trying to get rid of these products. As I mentioned, the price was right, but I'm worried they won't fit properly! I have a pair of pants from The Limited in the same size and a similar fit, so hopefully they will be okay. I guess worst worst case scenario I can try to sell the pants on E-Bay or Amazon and if all else fails, well, then I'm out 15 bucks.
Buttt on to the real reason I'm not so comfortable about today's order. Apparently shipping costs for items from The Limited are butt-rape expensive. I'm really not happy that I paid shipping and tax and that came to an additional $15 or so...but I guess I should have noodled on this purchase a bit more before I placed the order. My new thing is that I think about making a purchase and research it for 2-3 weeks before I actually go ahead and spend any money...well on this one I had thought about those button downs for about 3 weeks but then they were sold out! Instead I jumped into buying several other items that I will probably love (I know for sure the Timeless Vees are comfortable and fit nicely), but it's getting hot now and I might not really be able to wear them until fall.
Sigh. Well that's a lesson. I should be thrilled though, because I ordered 3 sweaters, a t-shirt, and a pair of pants and paid tax + shipping and my total still came out to be less than what it would have been for 1 pair of regular priced pants at the Limited.
Well I guess I feel a little better, but the money I spent today really should have gone towards my cruise spending fund!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Recent Purchases/Makeup Pics!
So as promised, here are couple pics of my recent purchases. I know that some are a bit blurry – I promise I’m good at taking regular pics just not used to taking close-ups!
My purchase from MAC arrived earlier this evening. I got the Viva Glam Gaga and Bare Study Paint Pot – my first MAC lipstick and paint pot!
Picked up these two NYC Blushable Creme sticks a few weeks ago. After searching everywhere for them (even had Poopadoo looking for them), we finally found them at Ulta in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania!
This is my favorite makeup purchase so far. I found this on E-Bay and I feel that it was worth every penny, including the markup I paid, especially considering that I got free shipping. And I’m pretty sure that the person I bought it from shipped it from Ireland. Considering that many people were selling it for higher prices plus crazy shipping fees (including over $20 to have it shipped from the UK), I feel that I got a good deal. I was very nervous about using E-Bay and getting ripped off, but this product arrived brand-new in perfect condition. I have used it everyday since!!
These makeup wipes are from Target and I am loving them! Taking off my eye makeup is now effortless. They are even better than the Sephora makeup remover and certainly better than the baby wipes I was using before! Just be careful not to get them in your eyes or they will burn, although not as bad as getting the Sephora stuff in your eyes.
Didn’t buy these all at once but here are some of the new items in my collection as well as some of the old staples.
Sephora Nano Liner in Midnight Black and Chocolate
Revlon lipstick - #407 Rosedew (Pearl)
NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil – 613 Lemon
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Clear and Very Black
NYX Eyeshadow Trio – Shangri-La
NYX Eyeshadow single – My Favorite Color
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Brush Cleaner from Sephora
MAC Greasepaint Stick in Slick Black, Dirty and Below Ground
EOS lip balms are great! Here I have honeysuckle honeydew, lemon, and summer fruit. They also come in sweet mint, which I will be ordering from EOS’ online store, since I can’t find them at Walgreens, and vanilla. Unfortunately the vanilla comes in a stick form, so not quite as much fun as the ergonomic balls but I will be ordering that to try it as well.
Glamour Doll Eyes shadow samples! And I really love that shipping is free when you order sample sized shadows. Below I have Brown Eyed Girl, Chocoholic, He Loves Me Not, Bare Naked, Boyfriend Sweater, Dirty Jeans, and Show Off. I also received two free samples with my order – I got Shamrock and Skinny Jeans, both in little baggies.
More to come…
Friday, June 25, 2010
SMH Eyeshadows & Paying for College
**Update: What a weird combo - eyeshadow and financial aid! But as I wrote this post I sort of flowed right from makeup to college advice. First half is makeup; if you want to read about college stuff skip to the second half.** Okay back to the post :)
So I was browsing on All Cosmetics Wholesale and I came across SMH eyeshadows. I was immediately intrigued and so I did a quick google search and found that Michele1218 has already done a review of their products. Michele1218 is my favorite makeup guru and I really enjoy watching her videos and checking out her blog for swatches and pictures, and if you are interested in makeup or new (like me), then I would definitely recommend checking out her channel.
As I have mentioned, I am fairly new to this whole makeup thing, and I have learned that MAC eyeshadows are highly pigmented, excellent quality products but they are very expensive. Eyeshadows retail for $14.50 each. If you order shadows in a pan the price drops to $11 each. Even on ACW prices range from $12.99 to $16.99 with some of the discontinued shades on the pricer end. I even saw an Alexander McQueen discontinued special edition shadow for $24.99...For one color! Needless to say, although I am interested in eventually trying some of the MAC shadows that I keep hearing so much about, I do not yet feel compelled to spend a whole week's pay on building a custom palette or picking out individual shades.
So I was very excited to learn that ACW sells SMH shadows in pan form, and also carries the magnetized palette set that is completely interchangeable with the MAC shadows. The pans are exactly the same size. For me, this is a more affordable and realistic option for building my shadow collection. At this point I am more likely to consider picking out several SMH shadows at $6 each and drop them into the palette (empty 12 slot palette is $8.95 on ACW; 28 slot is $14.95) and slowly build my collection that way. Additionally, since the MAC shadow pans are the same size, I might even consider buying a couple of them and keeping them in the same palette...maybe half SMH, half MAC? Even with the 12 slot palette I think that would give me a good variety and a good starting place. Definitely something to consider.
I also like ACW I think it's a great site for buying authentic products at a more affordable price. Just last week I purchased my first Sigma brushes for less than what I would have paid buying them directly from Sigma. And Sigma itself sells brushes decent prices....I feel great that I am bargain shopping!! When it comes to shopping, I think one of the best feelings is getting a product that you planned on buying at a discounted price - especially if it is a high quality item! I love this stuff and I feel great the I can use my econ degree and apply it to real world situations...like my own purchasing decisions. Lol. $160,000 education comes in handy for something!
Side note: while the "retail" cost of my college education (read: sticker price) at IWU was approximately $160K I didn't pay nearly that. In fact, my out of pocket expenses (out of my own wallet & future earnings) were closer to....zero. My family contributed some money towards my education - my dad's side of the family threw in some, as did my mom...especially towards "incidentals" like textbooks, travel/shipping costs, car expenses, spending money, etc.
The bulk of my funding however (about 80%) came from a combination of grants and scholarships. My school provided 50%, and the other 30% came from private scholarship funds. This made it so that I didn't have to take out any student loans. None at all. I didn't really enjoy my college experience the way I thought I would, but with the after-college job search & financial experience kind of sucking in this economy it is a relief to know that I don't owe any money and I can have a fresh financial start. Even if it takes me a couple years to land a "real" job.
I will be posting a future blog with more details about financial aid and scholarships and paying for college, because there is so much misinformation and so many "unknowns" to shed light on, especially for first-generation college students. Especially if those first-generation students have parents who immigrated to the U.S. Having gone through that process myself there is a lot that I would like to share with those who are getting ready to start that process and embark upon the college journey.
I have sort of made it my self appointed "mission" to help others with the college research, application, and financial aid process, since I didn't have any one to guide me. I really feel that those three steps really influence how well you enjoy, regret, or hate your own college experience. I am not a professional or expert in this area, but I have already gone through and completed college, and I did receive an excellent education....I thrived academically but personally felt that I would have been better off at a different university. I am totally willing to share advice, however, if anyone is ever interested. Just leave me a comment below and we can start a dialoge :)
So I was browsing on All Cosmetics Wholesale and I came across SMH eyeshadows. I was immediately intrigued and so I did a quick google search and found that Michele1218 has already done a review of their products. Michele1218 is my favorite makeup guru and I really enjoy watching her videos and checking out her blog for swatches and pictures, and if you are interested in makeup or new (like me), then I would definitely recommend checking out her channel.
As I have mentioned, I am fairly new to this whole makeup thing, and I have learned that MAC eyeshadows are highly pigmented, excellent quality products but they are very expensive. Eyeshadows retail for $14.50 each. If you order shadows in a pan the price drops to $11 each. Even on ACW prices range from $12.99 to $16.99 with some of the discontinued shades on the pricer end. I even saw an Alexander McQueen discontinued special edition shadow for $24.99...For one color! Needless to say, although I am interested in eventually trying some of the MAC shadows that I keep hearing so much about, I do not yet feel compelled to spend a whole week's pay on building a custom palette or picking out individual shades.
So I was very excited to learn that ACW sells SMH shadows in pan form, and also carries the magnetized palette set that is completely interchangeable with the MAC shadows. The pans are exactly the same size. For me, this is a more affordable and realistic option for building my shadow collection. At this point I am more likely to consider picking out several SMH shadows at $6 each and drop them into the palette (empty 12 slot palette is $8.95 on ACW; 28 slot is $14.95) and slowly build my collection that way. Additionally, since the MAC shadow pans are the same size, I might even consider buying a couple of them and keeping them in the same palette...maybe half SMH, half MAC? Even with the 12 slot palette I think that would give me a good variety and a good starting place. Definitely something to consider.
I also like ACW I think it's a great site for buying authentic products at a more affordable price. Just last week I purchased my first Sigma brushes for less than what I would have paid buying them directly from Sigma. And Sigma itself sells brushes decent prices....I feel great that I am bargain shopping!! When it comes to shopping, I think one of the best feelings is getting a product that you planned on buying at a discounted price - especially if it is a high quality item! I love this stuff and I feel great the I can use my econ degree and apply it to real world situations...like my own purchasing decisions. Lol. $160,000 education comes in handy for something!
Side note: while the "retail" cost of my college education (read: sticker price) at IWU was approximately $160K I didn't pay nearly that. In fact, my out of pocket expenses (out of my own wallet & future earnings) were closer to....zero. My family contributed some money towards my education - my dad's side of the family threw in some, as did my mom...especially towards "incidentals" like textbooks, travel/shipping costs, car expenses, spending money, etc.
The bulk of my funding however (about 80%) came from a combination of grants and scholarships. My school provided 50%, and the other 30% came from private scholarship funds. This made it so that I didn't have to take out any student loans. None at all. I didn't really enjoy my college experience the way I thought I would, but with the after-college job search & financial experience kind of sucking in this economy it is a relief to know that I don't owe any money and I can have a fresh financial start. Even if it takes me a couple years to land a "real" job.
I will be posting a future blog with more details about financial aid and scholarships and paying for college, because there is so much misinformation and so many "unknowns" to shed light on, especially for first-generation college students. Especially if those first-generation students have parents who immigrated to the U.S. Having gone through that process myself there is a lot that I would like to share with those who are getting ready to start that process and embark upon the college journey.
I have sort of made it my self appointed "mission" to help others with the college research, application, and financial aid process, since I didn't have any one to guide me. I really feel that those three steps really influence how well you enjoy, regret, or hate your own college experience. I am not a professional or expert in this area, but I have already gone through and completed college, and I did receive an excellent education....I thrived academically but personally felt that I would have been better off at a different university. I am totally willing to share advice, however, if anyone is ever interested. Just leave me a comment below and we can start a dialoge :)
First Haul Part 1
Quick update on my recent purchases (dare I say a haul?):
So I have been treating myself recently by upgrading my wardrobe and officially starting a small, high quality makeup collection. In order to keep myself from going hog-wild and wasting money, I have decided that I will invest time heavily researching the products that I am interested in, and vow to actually use them once I have purchased them. So far this is working out well, and this also keeps me from feeling like I have to have certain producs and then overspending.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I was super excited to find Urban Decay's Alice in Wonderland palette on Ebay. I know at this point, that product is completely sold out and the only place you can buy it is on Ebay...if only I had been into makeup back in January when it came out! But alas, I was beyond broke then and still coming out of a difficult time...the last thing on my mind was buying eyeshadow.
Well I kept reading about this palette and seeing reviews on blogs and on YouTube and once I actually watched the new Alice in Wonderland, that's when I decided that I really wanted to purchase this product. Of course I looooove the packaging (who doesn't?), but as a makeup noob, this really gave me the chance to check out a variety of UD shadows, sample the primer potion, and even check out their 24/7 liners. Of course, the eyeshadows are the best part about this palette - the colors are vibrant and georgeous! And even though I bought it from Ebay at a slight markup I am really pleased, because the colors in this palette are unlike any of the eyeshadows in my Sephora palette. I am already in love with Wonderland, Mushroom, Absolem and White Rabbit!
Next up, I ordered several sample shadows from Glamour Doll Eyes. These just arrived yesterday and I have not had the chance to use them yet, but I am very excited to use these products. So far I really like this company - the prices are very reasonable, GDE offers free shipping on samples, and if you end up purchasing a full size jar, GDE will credit the amount that you paid for the sample towards the full jar. Plus you get two free random samples with every order! And they sell lipgloss. I don't think it gets much better than that. Right now, Vee has taken the shadows down from the site so that she can catch up on filling orders, but once they are back up I am thinking of checking out the Twi-shadows! I'm not a huge Twilight fan (check out my New Moon Review) but I might order a couple samples.
Last night I went onto Mac's website and saw that not only do they have the Bare Study paint pot back in stock, but they were offering free shipping on all purchases made yesterday too! I couldn't let that pass me by, especially since this is something I had planned to purchase. Let me tell you - I am a huge fan of free shipping. I think that's the best way for a company to encourage new customers to place orders. I ordered the Bare Study (my first paint pot) and the Viva Glam Gaga lipstick too.
Poopadoo and I went up to the outlets and stopped by Ulta last weekend and I got a few other things that I'll mention, but I'm going to save that for another post. This one is getting kinda long, and pretty empty too without pictures!
Next up: Recent purchases part 2 and pics too - I promise!
So I have been treating myself recently by upgrading my wardrobe and officially starting a small, high quality makeup collection. In order to keep myself from going hog-wild and wasting money, I have decided that I will invest time heavily researching the products that I am interested in, and vow to actually use them once I have purchased them. So far this is working out well, and this also keeps me from feeling like I have to have certain producs and then overspending.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I was super excited to find Urban Decay's Alice in Wonderland palette on Ebay. I know at this point, that product is completely sold out and the only place you can buy it is on Ebay...if only I had been into makeup back in January when it came out! But alas, I was beyond broke then and still coming out of a difficult time...the last thing on my mind was buying eyeshadow.
Well I kept reading about this palette and seeing reviews on blogs and on YouTube and once I actually watched the new Alice in Wonderland, that's when I decided that I really wanted to purchase this product. Of course I looooove the packaging (who doesn't?), but as a makeup noob, this really gave me the chance to check out a variety of UD shadows, sample the primer potion, and even check out their 24/7 liners. Of course, the eyeshadows are the best part about this palette - the colors are vibrant and georgeous! And even though I bought it from Ebay at a slight markup I am really pleased, because the colors in this palette are unlike any of the eyeshadows in my Sephora palette. I am already in love with Wonderland, Mushroom, Absolem and White Rabbit!
Next up, I ordered several sample shadows from Glamour Doll Eyes. These just arrived yesterday and I have not had the chance to use them yet, but I am very excited to use these products. So far I really like this company - the prices are very reasonable, GDE offers free shipping on samples, and if you end up purchasing a full size jar, GDE will credit the amount that you paid for the sample towards the full jar. Plus you get two free random samples with every order! And they sell lipgloss. I don't think it gets much better than that. Right now, Vee has taken the shadows down from the site so that she can catch up on filling orders, but once they are back up I am thinking of checking out the Twi-shadows! I'm not a huge Twilight fan (check out my New Moon Review) but I might order a couple samples.
Last night I went onto Mac's website and saw that not only do they have the Bare Study paint pot back in stock, but they were offering free shipping on all purchases made yesterday too! I couldn't let that pass me by, especially since this is something I had planned to purchase. Let me tell you - I am a huge fan of free shipping. I think that's the best way for a company to encourage new customers to place orders. I ordered the Bare Study (my first paint pot) and the Viva Glam Gaga lipstick too.
Poopadoo and I went up to the outlets and stopped by Ulta last weekend and I got a few other things that I'll mention, but I'm going to save that for another post. This one is getting kinda long, and pretty empty too without pictures!
Next up: Recent purchases part 2 and pics too - I promise!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Mini-Rant
I have been mulling over many things and I have concluded that most people just have no class.
Unless you are an M.D., a nurse with a BSN or higher, or some sort of research specialist or Ph.D. in one of the biological/life sciences, I don't want to hear what you have to say about medicine. Telling me about my health when I clearly know my own body is just a waste of time for you and me. I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but I know what I experience and I know my body better than anyone could.
Getting pregnant and giving birth is not an accomplishment. Prancing around with every part of your body on display, pregnant or not, is not cute. Raising a child to be a good person and an upstanding member of society is an accomplishment.
Likewise, taking off your pants and sleeping with everyone you meet is gross. Taking off your pants to sleep with a stranger that you don't know (a.k.a. a 'ONS') is disgusting. Failing to use birth control when you have sex and/or a barrier method (read: condom) especially if he/she is a stranger is repulsive. Have you not heard of STDs? Have you not heard of AIDS? Do you not value your life and health?
There is a major difference between a hard working individual that is suddenly affected by a tragic circumstance and relies on temporary help to get by and someone who prances around, fails to use birth control pops out a kid or two and then demands that others support that child financially.
When I think tragic circumstance I am talking about your spouse dying, being hit with a disabling illness that prevents you from working, being bombarded with tons of medical bills for a parent's cancer treatments, or something serious along those lines. Not someone that gets drunk, sleeps with a stranger without protecting themselves and then turns up pregnant and expects welfare money and/or their parents to support them.
Having children should not be forced upon those who do not want children. Worry more about the retards that are having kids they cannot take care of.
Birth control is not hard to use. Trust me. Plus it's free. Especially if you are broke. They are giving that shit away at the clinic. Sometimes the state government hands it out like candy. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.
More to come.
Unless you are an M.D., a nurse with a BSN or higher, or some sort of research specialist or Ph.D. in one of the biological/life sciences, I don't want to hear what you have to say about medicine. Telling me about my health when I clearly know my own body is just a waste of time for you and me. I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but I know what I experience and I know my body better than anyone could.
Getting pregnant and giving birth is not an accomplishment. Prancing around with every part of your body on display, pregnant or not, is not cute. Raising a child to be a good person and an upstanding member of society is an accomplishment.
Likewise, taking off your pants and sleeping with everyone you meet is gross. Taking off your pants to sleep with a stranger that you don't know (a.k.a. a 'ONS') is disgusting. Failing to use birth control when you have sex and/or a barrier method (read: condom) especially if he/she is a stranger is repulsive. Have you not heard of STDs? Have you not heard of AIDS? Do you not value your life and health?
There is a major difference between a hard working individual that is suddenly affected by a tragic circumstance and relies on temporary help to get by and someone who prances around, fails to use birth control pops out a kid or two and then demands that others support that child financially.
When I think tragic circumstance I am talking about your spouse dying, being hit with a disabling illness that prevents you from working, being bombarded with tons of medical bills for a parent's cancer treatments, or something serious along those lines. Not someone that gets drunk, sleeps with a stranger without protecting themselves and then turns up pregnant and expects welfare money and/or their parents to support them.
Having children should not be forced upon those who do not want children. Worry more about the retards that are having kids they cannot take care of.
Birth control is not hard to use. Trust me. Plus it's free. Especially if you are broke. They are giving that shit away at the clinic. Sometimes the state government hands it out like candy. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.
More to come.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Makeup Makeup Makeup!!!
I don't think I have mentioned this yet on my blog but over the last couple months I have really gotten into makeup! I have always been a huge fan of black eyeliner and occasionally wore shadows, liner and mascara in college, but my old makeup supply was, well old and definitely in need of an upgrade. So after I started work in April, I decided to take one of my first paychecks and treat myself to a few new items.
I was never formally taught how to do my own makeup, and I really had no idea how it was even possible to create different looks until I found Michele's YouTube page. I actually found her by accident when I was searching for reviews on DevaCurl back when I first started using their products. I watched her review and was instantly hooked by her friendly personality and knowledge of all things beauty! I started browsing through her videos and was really impressed by her makeup knowledge and ability to create different looks using different products!
I find that Michele's tutorials are easy to follow and I love that she shows you exactly what products she uses and how to apply them. Of course, being a makeup noob at this point I really only have the basics, but I have begun to research more about different products and more wallet-friendly dupes to use in the meantime. I absolutely love the looks that she creates and I think they look fantastic on her, and after seeing the variety (and her gigantic makeup collection), I have begun expanding into different shadows, blushes, etc.
Right now I am super excited, because after watching her new reviews on Glamour Doll Eyes I decided to give them a try and order a few sample shadows. I watched her video review and I checked out her EOTD blog post blog and I would like to try those products myself! Last night I browsed around a bit on the GDE website and ordered several samples including the All Work No Play Collection that she featured in her review and EOTD. I love that GDE offers sample sizes and that there are no shipping charges on sample sizes! I also love that it is a small company (essentially a one-woman show). I really respect that and I like to support creative individuals and small business owners. I hope these shadows arrive before the end of the month because I am dying to try them out! I also ordered myself another treat from e-bay, but more on that in my next post!
I was never formally taught how to do my own makeup, and I really had no idea how it was even possible to create different looks until I found Michele's YouTube page. I actually found her by accident when I was searching for reviews on DevaCurl back when I first started using their products. I watched her review and was instantly hooked by her friendly personality and knowledge of all things beauty! I started browsing through her videos and was really impressed by her makeup knowledge and ability to create different looks using different products!
I find that Michele's tutorials are easy to follow and I love that she shows you exactly what products she uses and how to apply them. Of course, being a makeup noob at this point I really only have the basics, but I have begun to research more about different products and more wallet-friendly dupes to use in the meantime. I absolutely love the looks that she creates and I think they look fantastic on her, and after seeing the variety (and her gigantic makeup collection), I have begun expanding into different shadows, blushes, etc.
Right now I am super excited, because after watching her new reviews on Glamour Doll Eyes I decided to give them a try and order a few sample shadows. I watched her video review and I checked out her EOTD blog post blog and I would like to try those products myself! Last night I browsed around a bit on the GDE website and ordered several samples including the All Work No Play Collection that she featured in her review and EOTD. I love that GDE offers sample sizes and that there are no shipping charges on sample sizes! I also love that it is a small company (essentially a one-woman show). I really respect that and I like to support creative individuals and small business owners. I hope these shadows arrive before the end of the month because I am dying to try them out! I also ordered myself another treat from e-bay, but more on that in my next post!
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