This week I have learned and/or confirmed several things about myself:
I absolutely cannot work without a "to-do" list. I tried and tried but I can't! I can't concentrate, I can't remember what I have to do and what order to complete things in, I just can't! All day Monday & Tuesday right through about 4 p.m. on Wednesday I kept getting distracted, couldn't focus, and barely got anything done. Late Wednesday afternoon I sat down and made a 2 page long to-do list of everything I could think of (big & small) that I need to complete and BAM! I was instantaneously 1000% more productive. I was more productive from 4:30-5:30 Wednesday than I was all day Monday & Tuesday! Plus it probably didn't hurt that I snuck in a small cup of coffee - which leads me to my next point...
Coffee increases my productivity & ability to concentrate like 300%. Crazy right? Especially because sometimes a little caffeine makes me jittery, but I totally zip from one thing to the next and can squeeze so much more out of my time when I'm not yawning and drifting off. It is definitely no substitute for sleep, as I absolutely cannot function without sleep, but it helps as a quick "pick me up."
I am in love with Viva Glam Cyndi! Like wow...I really like this one! I was very hesitant about a lip color that looks so...red, but once I tried it I immediately fell in love! I've never been the biggest fan of red lips, but the thing about Viva Glam Cyndi is that it is not a matte or stark red. It is lustre and on my lips it is actually very flattering. As I learn more and more about makeup, tones, shades, etc., I have come to realize that my lips are very pigmented, and that alone is kinda cool. So on me, Viva Glam Cyndi sort of intensifies my natural lip color, while adding just enough red to dress it up and really make my lips stand out. Viva Glam Cyndi is elegant. It is very wearable, I wore it to work yesterday with a brown neutral eye and absolutely loved it! I would definitely recommend wearing it with a neutral eye. I think you want to either focus on your eyes or your lips, not necessarily both at the same time. Lips should compliment the eyes and vice versa. Plus you don't want to clash or look overdone!
As the complete opposite, Viva Glam Gaga kind of makes my lips look nude! At first I wasn't sure if I liked it, and thought that perhaps it was best left for evening looks, but I gave it a couple tries and found that it really gives my lips a unique look.
I do like that both Viva Glam Gaga and Viva Glam Cyndi go on sheer so that you can play around with them and control how intense the color appears.
Finally, my last and final revelation is that sometimes you do have to be patient for good things to come. I often get frustrated, feeling like all I ever do is wait wait wait and look forward to the next thing that is to come, but sometimes when we persevere, work hard, and try to do the right thing, good things can and do (eventually) come. More on that (fingers crossed) soon!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Education, Part 1
This post is part 1 in a series on higher education
OVERVIEW
It is widely agreed that our education system is flawed. I used to think that it was just public schools (high schools in particular), but having recently graduated from college in the most depressed year of the economic recession ('09 ftw?), I see now that our education system as a whole is broken, from Kindergarten right up to undergrad.
Our education system does not teach real skills. I am an intellectual and acadmic at heart, but the truth of the matter is that outside of academia and the occasional philosophical discussion, this type of knowledge does not help the majority of people get jobs. Our population is 300 million and growing...there are a lot of people, increased competition for jobs, and a shortage of people with real, hard skills. At one end of the spectrum of course we are looking at mathematicians, computer scientists, biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers and the like, but equally as important, I am talking about mechanics, plumbers, electricians, and other types of trade skills.
In our economy, we are seeing for the first time that the 4 year college thing isn't working as well as it has in the past, and despite the insistent demands of parents, the answer is not necessarily more education. My family, for example, thorougly believes that more education (literally "get that masters, regardless of the field or degree") is the only solution, and simply possessing a master's degree in anything will automatically grant you higher wages, a better job and increased quality of life. THIS IS NOT TRUE. This is a widespread misunderstanding that is particularly popular among those who do not fully understand how higher education works. These same people used to think the same thing about a bachelor's degree....until they realized that college grads are now coming out of school worse off than ever before. The job market has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades, and the old way of thinking is no longer effective. My personal observation is that this way of thinking is particularly popular among minorities, immigrant groups, and parents who are less education themselves (read: they did not finish high school or college, and therefore are completely unfamiliar with higher education), but my thoughts on that are probably for another post!
Aside from the careers in which you need to attain an advanced degree in order (medicine, law, etc.), a graduate degree can be helpful, but it is not necessarily a requirement. Employers are now looking for people who can perform. Sure, they look at educational background to sort through applicants, but now we are seeing that applicant with relevant work experience are getting interviews and job offers. Education alone is not enough. So what does this mean? Has the higher education bubble finally popped? One thing we know for sure: this recession has exposed the weaknesses in higher education, and for the first time, we are forced to take an honest look at the problem and consider ways that we might remedy it.
OVERVIEW
It is widely agreed that our education system is flawed. I used to think that it was just public schools (high schools in particular), but having recently graduated from college in the most depressed year of the economic recession ('09 ftw?), I see now that our education system as a whole is broken, from Kindergarten right up to undergrad.
Our education system does not teach real skills. I am an intellectual and acadmic at heart, but the truth of the matter is that outside of academia and the occasional philosophical discussion, this type of knowledge does not help the majority of people get jobs. Our population is 300 million and growing...there are a lot of people, increased competition for jobs, and a shortage of people with real, hard skills. At one end of the spectrum of course we are looking at mathematicians, computer scientists, biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers and the like, but equally as important, I am talking about mechanics, plumbers, electricians, and other types of trade skills.
In our economy, we are seeing for the first time that the 4 year college thing isn't working as well as it has in the past, and despite the insistent demands of parents, the answer is not necessarily more education. My family, for example, thorougly believes that more education (literally "get that masters, regardless of the field or degree") is the only solution, and simply possessing a master's degree in anything will automatically grant you higher wages, a better job and increased quality of life. THIS IS NOT TRUE. This is a widespread misunderstanding that is particularly popular among those who do not fully understand how higher education works. These same people used to think the same thing about a bachelor's degree....until they realized that college grads are now coming out of school worse off than ever before. The job market has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades, and the old way of thinking is no longer effective. My personal observation is that this way of thinking is particularly popular among minorities, immigrant groups, and parents who are less education themselves (read: they did not finish high school or college, and therefore are completely unfamiliar with higher education), but my thoughts on that are probably for another post!
Aside from the careers in which you need to attain an advanced degree in order (medicine, law, etc.), a graduate degree can be helpful, but it is not necessarily a requirement. Employers are now looking for people who can perform. Sure, they look at educational background to sort through applicants, but now we are seeing that applicant with relevant work experience are getting interviews and job offers. Education alone is not enough. So what does this mean? Has the higher education bubble finally popped? One thing we know for sure: this recession has exposed the weaknesses in higher education, and for the first time, we are forced to take an honest look at the problem and consider ways that we might remedy it.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
MAC Coral Crepe Paint Pot @ Nordstrom & UD AIW on ACW!!
Omg I was looking for the Coral Crepe Paint Pot everywhere and finally found it at Nordstrom. Nordstrom only offers free shipping on purchases over $200, so I actually paid $25.97 for it with tax + shipping. It’s a limited edition item from the Prêt-à-Papier Collection and it’s sold out on MAC.com and everywhere else I have looked. I ordered this on Monday and it arrived on Friday. I am so excited to use it – this color is going to be great for summer and I’m looking forward to wearing it on the cruise!!
Also, major update: the Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows is now available on ACW for $109 plus shipping. I’ve been checking ACW everyday for the past couple of weeks to check out the new updates and I was very excited to see this on there. I just got my AIW set from EBay a couple weeks ago, but I’m wondering if I should get a backup…I’m thinking this item will be sold out pretty soon, so if you haven’t gotten your hands on it yet, here’s another chance to grab it. All Cosmetics Wholesale (ACW) is an excellent site for finding discounted authentic beauty items. I bought my first Sigma brushes from there, and I am very impressed by the variety of items, organization of the website, and how quickly the items arrived at my house! I totally recommend ACW, check it out if you get a chance.
I think I need to hop on Twitter so that I can start following some of my favorite vendors and makeup gurus…
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Yasmin - Trouble for Bayer
I always felt there was something suspicious about Yasmin. I have been very turned off by their aggressive advertising campaign and claims to treat acne and PMDD. It sucks that many woman are being harmed by their birth control pills, but at the same time I have to ask why there wasn't further research. I am assuming that this product goes through the same rigorous testing as any other prescription medication that is approved by the FDA, but I was always wary of it being the new hot thing...like it was trying to make contraceptives sexy. I don't know why the marketing campaigns even need to make birth control look sexy. Being responsible and not having a kid that you are unprepared for emotionally & financially is sexy enough!
Despite what Bayer wants you to think, Yasmin is NOT the only birth control pill out there. Women should be able to trust that their doctors have their best interest in mind and that these birth control pills are safe, but the reality of the situation is that these pharmaceutical are intertwined into everything and they really push their products. They strongly influence the government, they influence the healthcare system, they influence doctors. Yes they make plenty of medicine that saves lives, and yes they give out free samples at the doctor's office, and I have the utmost respect for doctor's and what they do, but you as the individual has to realize that one product is not going to work for every one. I encourage everyone to always take their role as the patient very seriously (it is YOUR body), and to spend time researching side effects, alternatives, options, and how these medications work. Always evaluate the risks. If the benefit outweigh the risk then you do it.
I just want to remind everyone out there that there are other options. I am of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality...if your birth control routine is working, then don't tinker with it! Unfortuantely I think the saddest part of this story is the women who were using Yaz/Yasmin and it seemed to be working just fine for them and then they were suddenly hit by illness.
If you are not using a reliable form of birth control and you DON'T want a baby, then I highly recommend that you do some research into determining what will work best for you. I read into into how Yasmin prevents pregnancy and I as a consumer was turned off. I prefer the tri-phasic routine, as it more closely mimick's your body's natural cycle.
Despite what Bayer wants you to think, Yasmin is NOT the only birth control pill out there. Women should be able to trust that their doctors have their best interest in mind and that these birth control pills are safe, but the reality of the situation is that these pharmaceutical are intertwined into everything and they really push their products. They strongly influence the government, they influence the healthcare system, they influence doctors. Yes they make plenty of medicine that saves lives, and yes they give out free samples at the doctor's office, and I have the utmost respect for doctor's and what they do, but you as the individual has to realize that one product is not going to work for every one. I encourage everyone to always take their role as the patient very seriously (it is YOUR body), and to spend time researching side effects, alternatives, options, and how these medications work. Always evaluate the risks. If the benefit outweigh the risk then you do it.
I just want to remind everyone out there that there are other options. I am of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality...if your birth control routine is working, then don't tinker with it! Unfortuantely I think the saddest part of this story is the women who were using Yaz/Yasmin and it seemed to be working just fine for them and then they were suddenly hit by illness.
If you are not using a reliable form of birth control and you DON'T want a baby, then I highly recommend that you do some research into determining what will work best for you. I read into into how Yasmin prevents pregnancy and I as a consumer was turned off. I prefer the tri-phasic routine, as it more closely mimick's your body's natural cycle.
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