Mag-Elicious

No Matter How Bad Thing Are...:A Cautionary Tale

2011-01-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

The following events are 100% true. None of this is exaggerated.

Last week, I have been spending a lot of time in doing research for doing a study abroad (I want to go to Kansai Gaidai in Japan). After picking out courses I would like to take, I went to meet with somebody in the International Office to ask a few questions. One of the ones that I had asked was about how frequently people get denied to study abroad. The answer was that mostly, the only people to not get in were the people with grades that were too low and that this particular university was very strict on only allowing people with a 3.0 minimum in.

That is where I got depressed. A few years ago, I was put on Academic Probation because I chose a major that I was no good at (I thought I could be a math teacher, but I failed Calculus pretty horribly). I have since changed majors, and my grades have improved significantly. Because of Kansai's strict policy on the 3.0 minimum, the prospects of me doing a study abroad were looking grim.

After a bit of sulking and hanging out with a friend, I had to get going to take the kittens to the vet (for a wellness check and to see if they lost their baby teeth). Trying to get the kittens into their crates was miserable. Tama wanted to hang out in the smaller one (and he is the bigger cat), and Haru wouldn't go into one without a huge fight. A while later, I have the kittens in their crates and I take them out to the car. I load them in from the passenger side, close the door and walk to the drivers side only to realize that the keys were in the car and the doors were all locked.

I started to panic and I went crying to my landlord to see what I should do. He told me to call the towing place in town to come over and unlock the car. So I called that place, they told me to call AAA, and they said that somebody will be there shortly. After about 40 minutes, my cats are already late for their appointment, I couldn't feel my toes, my phone is dead, and the guy from the towing place comes and unlocks my car (FINALLY). Getting the car opened freaked my cats out because the alarm had went off, and they were shaking and crying up until I got them home again.

Remember: No matter how bad things are, they can always be worse. I thought that not being able to study abroad was the worst thing that could have happened at the moment. Instead, my cats get locked in the car and spend what felt like forever being cold and crying.

This may seem like a rather silly example (and in writing it, it really does feel like that), but at the time it was happening, it felt terrible. I was freaking out and crying the entire time!

Things I Love Thursday

2011-01-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

Because it is just too cute!

Looks like I am off to a good start with 2011. This is my first post in...what? Two weeks? I should have more to write about soon though. My next semester starts on Tuesday and with that, I give you Things I Love Thursday!

Start of a new semester

So, this is my second to last semester in school. My final spring semester. Something seems a bit surreal about it. Anyway, the start of the semester means routine and getting to see friends more frequently (since they will also be back in the area for school). I want to make more of an effort to do things with my friends. One thing I have planned is to make a feature length movie. My friend Charlie and I are going to write and direct this together, he will work on editing, and I will do make-up and wardrobe. We have all sorts of plans that revolve around this movie and it will be amazing! When it is done, we will post it on Youtube in segments in segments. This is going to be so much fun!

Receiving large orders from Amazon

Last weekend, I was scouring Amazon for all sorts of amazing bargains and finds. I finally placed an order that consisted of over 10 books and a set of brush guards (from BrushGuard). I got five of my books in today and started reading the one (Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing). I haven't even finished the first chapter and already I feel so much smarter! Let's see if there will be a noticeable change in my writing!

DIY at home beauty

I have been watching a TON of Michelle Phan videos, taking extra time on the ones that are about skin care over the make-up tutorials (which are also amazing, but my skin has been kind of angry at me recently). I never knew that you could make your own black-head nose strips or that a single egg could be used as a two part mask! My skin already feels better and I cant wait for it to look as good as it feels!

A new addition?

No, I am not having a baby. My friends mother has too many cats and she can't afford to keep them all. All of the local no-kill shelters refuse to take them in because they lack the room. Assuming that this one guy gets along well with my two kittens, I will have a new kitty. He is a boy (of unknown age since my friend failed to mention one) that has white fur and is heterochromatic (fancy word for having two different colored eyes)! Once he has been cleaned up, he will be introduced to Haru-chan and Tama-kun!

Computer games

Now, I normally go for console games. I don't really know why, but I have always found console games to be more fun and slightly more social. A lot of the new games coming out for PS3 are either too expensive or don't seem fun. Also, the Wii seems to be used only for Mario games and many gimmicky games that use the Miis. Steam is a great place to find fun games on the cheap! Also, courtesy of another game site (which I don't know because Garrett bought the games and surprised me with them) I have The Incredible Machines (an amazing puzzle game from when I was young that lets you complete Rube Goldberg machines (for those that don't know what Rube Goldberg machines are, here is an example as done by Mythbusters))!

Little Extras

Sleepy kittens ♥ Amazing new camera ( Canon powershot SD1300IS) ♥ Matching case for my camera (it's pink) ♥ Back massages ♥ New hair cut ♥ Being called "Encyclopedia" by people I work with (all because I know random facts and can speak a small amount of Japanese) ♥ Things having a home in my apartment ♥ Places calling you back in a timely fashion (Garrett needs a self-storage unit because his parents are moving and I was calling around. I left a message at one place and they called back about an hour later) ♥ Watching documentaries by Penn & Teller ♥ George Carlin (Tis a shame he is no longer with us) ♥ This Something Awful thread (despite the vulgar language, it is really nice) ♥ People not recognizing me (I like to fool people) ♥ playing DDR for the first time in years ♥ Kittens sleeping in inconvenient/weird places ♥ Sock Dreams (they have thigh high leg warmers which are super cute!) ♥

Hello 2011

2011-01-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

So, here we are. A new year year, a new beginning. So, what changes do you plan on making?

Updating
I know I always say that I I plan on updating more often (and I really do want to), but I am always busy with some project. I have tons of articles that I want to write, but I need to get off my lazy butt and write them for you guys!

Taking care of myself
This is a full body deal! I mean head-to-toe and from the inside out! I am going to start eating better (no more fast food!), staying properly hydrated (with lots of freshly made lemon water) and working out. I want to start doing yoga or pilates every morning, meditate, floss/use mouth wash (I have only been brushing and that isn't good enough!), wearing contacts and make-up, taking my vitamins, waking up earlier, making my hands look like I just got a professional manicure, and dry-brushing my skin. I have all these things planned out! I even started some of these before the new year just to get used to it!

Organize
My apartment is a mess and my car isn't much better. I plan on keeping EVERYTHING super clean! I will also do a once a month clean of all my bags to make sure that I have everything under control! I also want to start using my organizer. I am sick of having tests sneak up on me! NO MORE! I also would like this to include being more financially organized. I have already started by doing a preliminary clean of my car and clearing out my closet. I also have a few storage containers for under my bed (for all my current craft projects). I feel that it might also be easier to be organized if I wasn't living in such a small apartment. My bedroom is also a living room and office. Too much stuff going on for my liking.

Miscellaneous
Stay in better contact with friends
Put together awesome outfits
Take more pictures (of the outfits?)
Go out more
Finish my craft projects

I also want to send my full support for anybody who has the resolution to quit smoking. Many of my friends share this resolution and I think it is great that they want to take care of their bodies by doing this! You have everything to gain by doing this! GOOD LUCK!

What do you want to do in 2011? Let me know!

Where have you been?

2010-12-03T06:21:00.000-08:00

Image found on Google

It seems like AGES since my last post (because it has been) and I'm really sorry. Life sort of got the better of me for a bit, but I am back and ready to go!

-What happened?-

Spending all free time for about a month with my friend who is now in Afghanistan (keeping in touch with him via Facebook so I know he is okay)
Grandmothers funeral (I'm okay though)
Back in contact with a friend from forever ago
Making Christmas for everybody (Garrett's is the most time consuming, yet I don't want to start another project until I have finished his)
Group projects for class (an all time pain in the back side)
Studying for finals (see above)
Got a new job ( I make pretzels!)

I have some posts that have been drafted up and just need some pictures before they are ready to post. I am having a hard time trying to be a full time student and a blogger, so please bear with me until I find a balance.

-Have you been inspired to write something while you were gone?-

Yes I have. I have been putting together all sorts of new outfits! Plus, I have a slew of ways to keep warm this winter! Just wait, this is going to be awesome!

The iTrend: Will it Ever End?

2010-09-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

photo found on Google

It is impossible to look around and not see iProduct or iAdvertisement. While walking through campus today, I saw a t-shirt that said iRep (representing the university I guess). You walk in a store and there are so many accessories for iPod and iPhone. Plus, there is that annoying iDog! Hell, even driving on the interstate, there is a billboard for iRock (for Slippery Rock University) that hasn't changed in about 2 years. Will this trend ever end?

A few weeks ago, I got a cute eye shadow compact that looks like an iPhone. It is called Eyemobile. When I told Garrett what it was called, he thought it was iMobile, following the trend. This is something that is now being ingrained in our heads!

A possible way to control this trend (and maybe see other companies be more creative in their naming instead of riding out the popularity of an existing name) is for Apple to trademark or copyright i(blank) or just the lowercase i prefix. Then we will hopefully see a decline in these products, thus stimulating companies and marketing executives to use their own creativity!

Things I Love Thursday

2010-09-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

Photo by Apple

Sorry for the lack of TILT and for this particular list being late. I have had no time to write between being in class and having to go to work (and feeling lazy because I'm sick). I am getting my apartment (and therefore, life) organized and hopefully I should be able to get more actual writing done.

Getting My Laptop Fixed/ Visiting Friends I Haven't Seen In AGES
My laptop broke soon after I got kittens, however it was still usable. Late last week, the screen stopped displaying anything all together! OH NO! I recently found out that my friend has started his own computer repair business (and if you are in need of computer repair in the Pittsburgh area, here is his website)! I was able to get my computer fixed AND hang out with a friend I haven't seen in a few years!

Being called nuts
While walking to class the other day, I ran into a girl who used to live in the same complex as me. She saw what shoes I was wearing (red platform peep-toe ankle booties) and said I was nuts for wearing them! I got a few more comments on the shoes throughout the day and it made me smile. I have never really gotten complimented on my style before (although I did turn a few heads). I guess people like my sense of style!

Work Being Tolerable
This isn't often when I walk out of a shift and think that the day wasn't bad. Usually, the managers are morons and my co-workers are insufferable! The other day, I thought that work was actually fun. I was making jokes with my co-workers and managers and was able to get my cleaning job done quickly (which means I get to leave sooner)! One would be amazed at how an enjoyable work-place can increase productivity! Positive attitudes are good for a variety of reasons!

Super Cheap Tickets to Phantom of the Opera
I LOVE going to the theatre and I jump on any opportunity I can get. My school is taking a trip down to the Benedum (in Pittsburgh) to see Phantom. I haven't seen a professional production of this show on stage and I am really looking forward to it! I was able to get a ticket for myself AND for Garrett (and they are next to each other!) for $10 a piece! WHAT!?! I don't even think the student pricing is that good! I am REALLY looking forward to the show!

Seeing the show and getting lost in Pittsburgh
The show was on Sunday and it was AMAZING! The costumes were beautiful, the music was out of this world (I literally had shivers from the music. That has NEVER happened before!), and everything about it was absolutely perfect! We actually didn't get lost trying to find the theater either. We got lost trying to get home. In an attempt to try and find some signs of a highway or a way home, we found ourselves in Squirrel Hill and stopped at a few shops. One of which (and my favorite of the day) was a Ben and Jerry's Scoop Shop! I had never seen one in real life and was completely pumped about being in there. I was so overwhelmed by the amount of flavor options! There were so many that were shop exclusive! Everything was tasty and full of win (I hate that phrase, but it is the only thing I can think of that seem to fit)!

Being told my "plan" is good
By plan, I mean this: I want to open up my own clothing store. I want to make the clothing and accessories myself (or at least design them) and maybe even open a "brick-and-mortar" store (yay physical presence)! I gave some rough details about how I want to do things and more than one professor said that it sounded good! YAY FUTURE!

Being Told by Professors that My Job Sucks
In my business classes, we discuss what qualities good management has and well as what bad qualities. I almost ALWAYS have an example from my current place of work of how the management is bad (and I mean BAD). Anything ranging from motivation techniques to Total Quality Management (TQM) principles all register as negative in each aspect! Sure, some days are good (see above), but it doesn't mean I want to stay there at all!

Fall Season
I love the fall for more than just the fashion shows. I love seeing how people keep themselves warm and what kinds of sweaters and jackets people have. It is really funny when I start noticing everybody wearing almost the same thing. I also enjoy seeing that occasional pop of something different. It is really fun to just sit back and watch the styles walk right past you. I LOVE seeing how people style themselves!

Hot Drinks
Cold weather means hot cocoa and lattes! Warm drinks are a delicious way to warm yourself starting from the inside! I like breaking things up by adding different flavor shots (favorite classics: mint and raspberry. favorite new obsession: hazelnut) to my drink! YUM!

Getting Adequate Sleep
Getting enough sleep in extremely important no matter who you are! It also feels so good to let yourself get the sleep you need instead of trudging around with just a few hours of sleep a night. I get so bored hearing "I only got 3 hours of sleep last night" because these people are just not good at managing their time. Instead of watching TV all night, go to sleep. You can watch that show the next day (if you record it or if it is something you can get on your netflix subscription). If your kid wakes you up every night, stop complaining. You chose to have that kid!

Getting apartment clean
My apartment is usually a mess of clothing empty bags, and random sheets of paper. Yesterday, I got off my lazy fanny and took charge! I have a floor for the first time in a few weeks, and I can see the top of my dresser (which hasn't happened since I moved in). Getting used to the new bathroom set-up is a bit awkward (and because of that, I need to get my kittens a new water dish), but I really like it! I got a modular shelf from Target and it is wonderful! I was able to assemble it with no help (!!!), it was fairly cheap, and I can take it apart and use it for when I go to conventions! I already have ideas for how I want to set up my artist table and these shelves are going to SERIOUSLY maximize space!

Dread Falls
These are really popular at anime conventions, particularly with the punk crowd. I really like the look of them because they are colorful and off the wall! Also, they are not very common (at least in my area), which makes me like them more! Mine are blue, white, and a reddish purple (it does look a bit patriotic, which wasn't what I was going for) and I made them by twisting and braiding yarn! They are super easy to make, and even easier to "install" (again, this is a punk look). I will do a post on these soon!
The Fun Theory
This is best shown off in the form of video. When I first saw these, I couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.

Small Lovelies: Kitten antics, laughing so hard you can't stand up, having interesting discussions with friends, puzzle games, singing loudly to music while driving down the highway, having half my collection of shoes in my car (uumm...yea....I kept changing shoes and forgetting to bring them back in to my apartment until yesterday), naps, sunglasses, American Pickers and Pawn Stars (two new TV obsessions), High heels (more than just the comments I get while wearing them), staying warm, playing with pets, and caring professors (that can really make or break a class)!

One last video for you! Hope you like it as much as I do!
I hope you have had a lovely week and have awesome things to look forward to!

<3
Mag-Elicious

Beautifully Unique to just Mag-Elicious. Why the change?

2010-09-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

Photo found on Google

I know I have been absent these past few weeks (AND I promised more content. Seems a bit backwards, no?) and for that I apologize. I keep coming up with AMAZING blog article ideas, but ultimately, have to shoot them down. Why? Because these articles are not within the "Beautifully Unique" realm. I started Beautifully Unique to be a fashion/life style blog (similar to galadarling.com). I am not her, not do I want to be. I have spent much of my time trying to be somebody I wasn't and I am not going to go back to that.

Now, I realize that there are other topics I want to cover. This blog is my voice on the internet. Why should I limit myself to just a handful of topics? There are other things in this world that I care about. People have opinions on every topic (even if their feeling is of indifference). While Beautifully Unique was a blog, Mag-Elicious is an opinion.

Now I can post on subjects like management or even politics and ethics. The possibilities are now LIMITLESS just with a simple change. I feel like I am much more free to post about all kinds of opinions. I can now use some of my older drafts that I started to write and as I was adding final details/touches, I realized didn't fit my blog. You have no idea how good this feels (unless you have done it too, in which care, you do know)!

I keep saying this (and I keep saying "I mean it!"), but expect some top notch posts! There is so much I want to share with you!

Things I Love Thursday: Back in class

2010-09-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

Photo found on google

Ack! I keep not posting on here! In the moving process (from my small place to my big place), I misplaced my internet cable! But, I am back in class, have access to computer labs on a daily basis, and should be able to keep up with writing delightful morsels for you all to enjoy! Here is what I have been in love with!

Structure: I love knowing I need to be somewhere at a certain time. I love being better about what I eat. I love the bouncy life energy that you can feel while walking around campus! Sure, a quite summer with most of the students at home is nice, but sometimes it a bit too quiet.

My teachers: It seems like a have a ton of teachers who actually care about what they do this semester. It is amazing the difference in educational quality that you recieve when a teacher cares compared to one who doesn't! My one professor tries to make class fun by adding all kinds of music/sound effects to his power point slides. I had him a few semesters ago and he even gave us a music quiz for the sake of having a music quiz (I think it was for extra points?)! Another professor wanted everybody to introduce themselves in the front of the class and after each introduction, said where to find help for everybodies respective fields! WHAT?

Photo found on google

Friends: Most of my friends went home for the summer, and since I worked so much, I was unable to go and visit them (sad panda)! Everybody is back now and it is GREAT! I ran into my one friend (and his adorible girlfriend) a few times and we had a chance to really catch up!

Style watching: Everybody dresses differently (DUH!) and it is kind of fun to see how different people style different pieces and such! I saw a girl on monday with a Betsyville bag! It was sequinned and awesome! I also am seeing TONS of awesome book bags! It almost makes me want to replace my pink Hello Kitty messanger bag!

Waking up early: I feel like I can accomplish so much more if I just get my lazy butt out of bed a little bit earlier! After the initial grawginess of waking up, I tend to feel wide awake pretty quickly, which is REALLY suprising! Monday, I woke up at 6am, got a shower, and even had time to do 20 minutes of pilaties before I went to my 8am class! I was even shocked at how much I got done!

Renee: This is a woman I work with and she can be REALLY funny! One day when I left, I said "Bye everybody!" and left. Garrett said bye back and Renee yelled at him! "Why didn't you tell her 'I love you' back?" It was hilarious! Then, she told me to have fun playing with my kittens tonight! She is so funny!

Photo found on google

Fresh baked bread: Growing up, my dad was always playing with a bread maker and the house smelled like a bakery. It was amazing! Last night was the first time in about 2 years since I made bread and it was SOO tasty! I got a bread mix (European Herb and Cheese) from the grocery store and it better than I thought it would be. It tastes like it was made from scratch!

Covered Litter Box: My kittens LOVE playing in their litter box and I am not sure why. Having a covered litter box cuts down the the amount of litter that gets tracked through-out the apartment and into the bed. I have only had it a day and already I can see so much of a difference! If you get kittens, covered litter boxes are the way to go!

Photo found on google

Stock photo of the cat condo

Giant Kitty Condo: Just earlier today, Garrett took me out to get the kitties a nice kitty condo. We have been looking around for a while because we knew we wanted to get them something bigger than 18 inches tall. After months of looking, we found one close to where we live (no shipping!) and we picked it up earlier today. The kitttens loved it SO MUCH that they started playing on it before it was even fully assembled! HAHA! Those kittens are so adorible and hilarious!

Amazon Student: Free Amazon Prime for a year just because I am a student??? Free 2-day shipping??? You would have to be MAD to not think that is an amazing deal! JUMP ON THAT!

Netflix: I keep finding all kinds of treasures on Netflix. I have been watching all kinds of things I haven't heard of before (I don't have cable, so I don't get commercials). Because of that, I never get to hear about Cashmere Mafia or Love and Other Disasters (both are hilarious)! Plus, there are a ton of TV shows I LOVED as a kid!

Phantom of the Opera: My school has tickets to see Phantom down in Pittsburgh for $10 and it includes transportation! WHAT??? I have always wanted to see a stage performance of Phantom since I was about 11. Now that I am 22, I have an oppertunity that I REALLY don't want to miss. I just need to ensure I can get 2 tickets and the night off from work.

So, I actually combined 2 different TILT posts that I found (I really need to keep better track of some of the posts I write). I have had an amazing week back at school (despite works attempts to ruin everything) and can't wait to see what I learned this semester! Are you in school now? If so, was your first week back awesome? I would LOVE to hear from you about what you love right now!

Things I Love Thursday

2010-08-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

photo found on google

So, work had been keeping me REALLY busy to the point where I don't even have time to find a replacement job! WHAT? It is ridiculous, but what can you do? I still manage to find time to do things I love and love new things though!

Sarah: Sarah is a girl I work with who is the sweetest person! She is really funny and we have a lot in common! We could be soul sisters! Unfortunately, she needs to move from our small town into Pittsburgh so (I think this is the reason) she is close to hospitals (she is rather sickly which is also unfortunate). Today was her last day of work and to celebrate, we had cupcakes and cookies! YAY!

Working on Projects: I am in the middle of sewing a dress and knitting a scarf. The dress is something I need help with, so I need to go home and ask my mom what to do. The scarf is really easy to make, but it is huge and involves many color changes. The scarf is for my boyfriend and my mom thinks that I should not make it for him, but to teach him to knit so he can make it himself. That would be all well and good, but I can keep a consistent tension whereas he cannot. I don't mind making it at all! In fact, I am really enjoying making the scarf!

New Apartment: Apparently, I won't be getting in the room that I thought I was (and it was Pi too...), but I can move in TOMORROW!!! YAY!!! I am really excited about this because I feel like I have more options available to me for how I can organize the room! I don't like the room I am in currently becacuse the layout is a bit awkward and it seems like there is no real place for even the bed!

Pets: Not just my pets too. Pet owners are such friendly people and their pets are so sweet natured! Today alone, I had so many conversations with people about pets! Everyone is so eager to talk about their little fluffy dears, and all the stories are really sweet (if sometimes a touch sad).

My new potential segment: I am thinking about doing a bit every Saturday, but don't quite know how feasible it will be. Hopefully I can keep up with it, even if only for a little bit.

There is so much to love right now! School will be starting up again soon, so many of my friends will be coming back! I even have some tentative plans for trips I want to make!

What do you love this week?

Things I Love Thursday

2010-08-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

photo by Genna Greasley on Deviantart

Ok, so after dusting off the cobwebs of my blog, I think I really need to write a TILT. Work has had me in at such inconsistent times and I am also getting ready for fall semester to start back up again (August 30). Hopefully I will still have time for my blog with a very dense class schedule. Anyways, here is the happy!

Date day: My boyfriend and I NEVER go out on dates. We may go out shopping, but not do anything really special. Last week, I got dressed up and we went out. We went to two different malls we never have been to before (the one had an AQUARIUM!!!), bought some yarn (so I can make him this scarf), and got some food at Long John Silvers (I know it is fast food, but we like fish). It was a really fun day and we are already planning for the next one. Also, I will be posting soon about date ideas.

Having a table: I am guilty of putting everything on all flat surfaces I can find. Because of that, there is never any room on any table. A few days ago, Garrett got sick of it and cleaned everything off (and cleaned the rest of the apartment all while I was at work). The place looks GREAT! I wish I was any good at cleaning up stuff...

Saturday: Or should I say "Caturday"! I am heading home and having my mom help me out with a few projects. I am planning on making a dress and taking apart a jacket I have been making for a long time (The color is a bit too intense for a coat). Hopefully this trip will involve a long needed visit with some good friends that I haven't seen in about two years! It has been way too long and I say that we need to get together!

Going Back to School: I get so bored with summer break because so many people go home and I feel like my life is without structure. I like knowing that I have places to be at specific times. My classes this semester seem really interesting as well. Also, my one professor is going to be awesome (I had him before and he is a really a cool guy)!

Kitten antics: They now jump up onto the window sill; jumping onto the kitchen counter; cats in any sort of box; cuddling up to me while I sleep; cuddling up to me while I am on the computer (they get in the way, but you can't get mad because it is so adorbs and hilarious); funny jumps (either for flies or while play fighting); sleeping behind the TV; climbing onto DVD shelf; getting in to the cabinet that has their food; watching them check me out while I clean their litter box; kittens getting into the fridge (they are curious); kittens playing with yarn.

All others: watching Burlesque dances on Youtube; finding new shows and movies to watch via Netflix; playing awesome video games that you never got to finish; having my pictures of my old pup on my fridge; my new pups 1-year birthday on Sunday; Potential promotion at work; having other people fall in love with Lush; cooking up awesome hotdogs; getting to see people I like at work (there are 2 girls that stop in every now and again that used to work there); everybody I know moving into building 3 of my apartment complex (I m also moving into building 3 in a few days); meeting new people around this apartment complex via beer pong (I am absolutely terrible at beer pong, but the people who play are really nice. Plus, they invite up their friends who don't live here, so I get to meet even more cool people); having silly dreams that involve me speaking Japanese to somebody that looks like my teacher, but isn't; cheese and crackers; fresh-from-the-dryer towels; my totally awesome boyfriend and all his awesomeness; getting along with my one manager that I don't particularly like; being able to knit; having a lot of projects planned out; naps.

There has been so much happy happening here that it is difficult to list everything! Again, sorry about my crazy long absense. I would have posted yesterday, but all day before work I was filling out paperwork so I can afford school. When I got home, I was so exhausted that I just crashed. I have a bunch of articles in mind to write, so sit tight and just wait!

How To: Survive a Road Trip

2010-07-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, we must endure a road trip to somewhere we don't want to go to or visit people we don't want to see. Here is a guide put together from experiance!

Step 1: Music
There are times when conversations get really boring to listen too. These times are basically when the conversations don't involve Japanese super robot ninjas and unicorn tea parties. To ensure complete zoning out, noise canceling headphones are the way to go. Also, remember a charger or else the music won't keep coming!

Step 2: Entertainment
Music is good for escaping conversation, but you need a way to pass the time. I have been knitting recently, so I have been trying new stitches and such. My brother has many movies and TV shows on his computer, so he watches those. I also have Kindle on my phone (as well as a manga reader), so I have lots of reading material. These things make the time go by so much faster.

Step 3: Comfort
This goes FAR beyond dressing for the weather. Being in a car for extended periods of time can be quite cramped. Bringing pillows can help you get a better sleep if hotel pillows aren't comfortable. If you normally sleep with a stuffed animal, bring it. If there is anything that will make the trip easier, bring it.

Step 4: Toiletries
This is a no brainer, but you need to make sure you are clean. Lush makes some shampoo/conditioner bars with condenses things considerably (and you can bring it as a carry-on if you are not checking luggage). Pack everything together so it is in one spot (this reduces digging for that one item) and keep it in a closed bag (to prevent mess if there is spilling). Voala! Everything is good to go!

Step 5: Contact
Having somebody to vent to and makes jokes can really help you keep your sense of humor. If you don't have that, you could get grouchy and mean, even though you know you aren't that person. I like to text my boyfriend who understands what is going on and provides me with a distraction of kitty pictures. Having this small bit of contact really helped me stay pleasant. There is no excuse to be a mean person when you aren't one!

Step 6: Snacks
You may have different tastes than your parents when it comes to snack choices. My parents like cookies, but my brother bought jerky. It is a good way to keep hungry at bay until you can have a meal. Also, if your parents are like mine, they won't stop for a meal and you need to fend for yourself. This is a great time to reach for a snack! You can always restock at the next rest stop if you run out!

Remember: This trip is just for a short period of time. You can do anything for a week. When it is done, everything will go back to normal and you can resume your schedule. Now that I am back, I am watching a ton of Netflix Instant Queue and have kittens sleeping on me

Things I Love Thursday: Video Games

2010-07-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Sure, video games are a bit dorky, but they are really fun and interesting! They are full of adventures and fantasy! They can take you places you can only dream of going!

Fatal Frame 2: I haven't played the first one (or the second for that matter, but I watched as my boyfriend did), but it is an interesting story where you need to solve the puzzle of an abandoned village. It is a survival horror game where you take pictures of ghosts. It sounds silly in concept, but I kept jumping out of my skin. The puzzles aren't PARTICULARLY difficult as long as you are observant. Make sure when you play it, you are in a well lit room with at least somebody within screaming distance. That warning is just for your sanity (I know a girl who thought it would be smart to play a Fatal Frame game in the dark alone...She wet herself).

Final Fantasy 6: Everybody who hears the name Final Fantasy, they freak out about 7,10, and now 13. I haven't played 13, but 10 was terrible and 7 is WAY over-rated. I think the reason why people like 7 so much is because it is the first game they played. FF6 has such a good story, very deep characters, and an interesting twist on the battle system (each Final Fantasy is slightly different with respect to battle twist). Those people who really like video games know how good this game is, so I am not going to go on about it anymore.

Suikoden 1 and 2: Now, with most video game sequels, they have nothing to do with each other. With the Suikoden series, they reference the other games and events. It is soo cool! Even some of the characters are the same. Each game has 124 characters that you can reruit to your castle. Many of the characters help your castle grow. The game plays so differently than so many games. It is refreshing to see something different!

Resonance of Fate: This is a game that I only started playing recently and I LOVE it! The battle system isn't difficult, but you can make your characters do all kinds of stuff that looks really impressive (so you can show off how sexy the battle system is. Plus, not only can you customize the weapons, you can customize the outfits that each character wears. You can buy items from the shop, or find them on the world map. The game is a series of missions that you must complete. I am still at the VERY beginning of this game, so I don't know where the plot is going.

As much as I love video games, there are other things to love

Geeking out with my cousin: My cousin and I never get to see each other. We used to IM each other years ago, but now we text. We talk about all kinds of geeky things. We tell each other about new video games we have tried, anime conventions, and a bunch of other stuff. She actually scored me an autograph from Nobuo Uematsu (the composer for Final Fantasy). She makes all kinds of AMV's that are amazing and win awards at these conventions.

Shoes came in: I finally own a pair of ankle booties! I featured them a while ago, bought them last week. They came in yesterday and are the most comfortable pair of heels I own. They are suede and peep-toe and adorable! The only thing off is the color. The image displayed on the website showed them to be more of a pinky/purply/reddish color. They are more of a deep reddish purple. The color is difficult to describe, but you can't trust color on a computer screen because each monitor displays color differently. I like the color even though it was different than anticipated. Even this picture shows up orange on my phone!

Kittens: I know I keep putting them on here, but they are growing up so quickly and are doing all sorts of crazy things. Tama likes to sleep in Garretts laundry basket, and Haru has taken to trying to climb up people...like me...on my head. Last night, Haru even tried to get out. She ran between my legs as I was coming back from laundry, and was just sitting outside my door, staring at the world. I was able to scoop her up before she took off, but she did give me quite the scare. Right now, they are sleeping on top of each other by my feet.

Having a clean car: Since I got possession of the car, it has been an absolute wreck. Sure, most of it is in the trunk, but I am able to take people around. I always had to rearrange the contents of my back seat to make room for passangers. Now, the only things that need to get moved are 2 small stuffed animals. This excites me more than it should, I know, but what can I say?

Being Sick: Being sick means being pampered. It is an excuse to sleep in extremely late, be as lazy as possible, and drink way too much tea. I even tried the Gala Darling Miracle Potion (lemon, honey, ginger, pain killers, lots of hot water, and some brandy) except with no witches hat. I did find my cloak though, so I think it still worked. The potion was vile (as are most potions), but I drank it anyways. I see the merit in it too. Whatever part of you feels like death, you have something for it in that potion. I was even able to get a day off work.

I know I don't live an exciting life, and usually that means nothing happens. I still find things I love every week. If I can do it, so can you!

Things I Love Thursday: Celebrity Encounters!!!

2010-07-08T23:43:00.000-07:00

So, this week, I had the opportunity to meet a famous singer. I would now like to take the time to reminisce about the times I have encountered the famous! I don't have too many memories where I have met somebody of note, but what memories I DO have really count for something!

When I was about 5 or 6, my mom worked at a department store at a mall. My dad took us to the mall to see my mom, and there was HUGE line to get into the store! None us knew what was going on for so long. My dad eeventually figured out that Sherry Louis was in the store signing autographs! Finally, it was my brothers turn to meet her (and mine. Respective ages 7 and 5 appx.). She took time to actually meet and talk to each of the kids in line. We both got an atuograph

When I was 9 years old, I was on summer break from school. That summer, I was taking tennis lessons from the local township park. One day after practice, my parents call on me while I am at a friends house. I was to come home immediately and pack my bags (as was the running joke all week) so we can leave for New Mexico. I was to see my first Styx concert! Now, this is cool enough on its own, but my parents bought tickets in advance. We got the walk around the concert hall for a half hour before they took paying guests. In the meantime, we found the concert buses! We got to talking with the security guard and my dad eventually writes a letter to Styx on my behalf. We gave the security guard all of the essential details (address,etc.) in addition to the letter. A few weeks later, I get an autograph picture from Styx in the mail! I have been trying to thank them ever since, but I don't know how!

A few years later, Styx is touring through Pittsburgh and my parents take my brother and myself. My mom finds a way to get RIGHT up to the stage and my dad puts me up on his shoulders (I am about 12). I am SCREAMING "Tommy Shaw!!!" While Glenn is tickling my palm with his guitar pick! I wish I could have appreciated the moment then because it was fucking RAD!

Earlier this week, I was at work (with my boyfriend) and this girl spots a giant bus drive past on her cigarette break. She thought it was weird, but doesn't say much of it. After a few minutes, we get a small group of people to walk in and order. In this group of people, one of the guys has LONG curly hair. I didn't take any notice to it, but one of the girls working walks up and asks for an identity. We confirm who this is, and everybody is still in utter shock! One guy gets an autograph while the rest of us get our picture taken with this individual. Said individual even offers to take out picture (thus negating the entire idea of getting our picture taken). This, ladies and gentlemen, is when I met Weird Al Yankovic! He is totally an awesome guy and I would love to have had the opportunity to hang out with him more!

Yes, the HIGHLIGHT of my week is meeting Weird A, but he is so rad that it is impossible to enjoy the experiance! I was lucky enough to take his order and have difficulty running his card.

LESSON: Don't quit a job because it is boring. You never know when you will get to meet somebody interesting!

So, i have had some excitement this week! What about you???

Things I Love Thursday

2010-07-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

I know this is a little on the late side, but it has been CRAZY here! So much is going on that it is UNREAL (I exaggerate. Mostly I have been at work). Here is what has been happening HERE!

Travis stopped by: Travis is my boyfriends roommate from years ago. They went to high school together. He now lives in Hawaii with his girlfriend he met on WoW. Garrett and I had lunch with them the other day and Dana (the Hawaiian girlfriend) is such a treat! They brought back a BUNCH of macadamia nut candies which were DELICIOUS!!! Also, at the restuarant, I had tiramisu for the first time in my life. YUMMY!!

Kittens are feeling better: When I adopted these little guys, I thought they had a hairball that was stuck. What I didn't know (and didn't think to ask) was that they had the starting symptoms of an Upper Respiratory Infection. I took them to the vet and now they are playing ALL THE TIME!!! It is soo cute and AWESOME!

Having a Clean Apartment: Garrett doesn't clean the apartment at all, so tuffI have to make sure everything is done. I love being able to walk around and not trip over stuff or walk through a pile of crumbs. Also, for the same reason, I miss carpeting. When crumbs get in carpet, you don't feel it as much.

My New NEW Apartment: I am moving into a larger apartment in 3 and a half weeks. I was supposed to be in one by now, but things kept coming up with the other residents. I am now officially moving into apartment number 314 (the number makes me giggle, that is why it is included).

The People I Work With (and don't): We have lost a TON of people at work. Management is working very hard to replace them as quickly as they are leaving. The new people we have are AMAZING! They are very likable people and are picking up very quickly on what to do. Also, the people who left were people who, generally, didn't have positive work ethic. In this list is a manager who went crazy and starting throwing stuff at another employee. She was also the main reason why all the other slackers quit.

Watching Movies: There are so many movies that I haven't seen that "everybody has seen". I am catching up on some of those, plus some that just seem really interesting. All the while these movies are playing, my kittens are snuggled up on me napping. It is the cutest ever!

Finding Sexy boots: My Divas Closet has such an awesome collection of boots, jewelry, and false eyelashes. I have my eye on these boots in purple and these boots in Berry, Deep Purple, and Cobalt. They are on sale, so I need to decide FAST!

EarthBound: This is a Super Nintendo game from '94/'95. It is very silly and childish, but will NEVER be released on Wii Virtual Console because of how many pop culture references there are. It is funny now many you see throughout the game! Monty Python, Star Wars, Blues Brothers, and The Little Rascals are just some of the references you will see!

That is it for this week. I have other topics in mind to write about, so you won't have just all these TILT posts to read. Until then, what do you love?

Things I Love Thusday: Kitten Adoption!!!

2010-06-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

I got myself 2 kittens the other day from a shelter. They are little grey tabbies that are 9 weeks old. They are so playful and funny! They were the last 2 left from their litter and I couldn't just take one of them, knowing they would both be lonely! I got a little boy (named Tama-kun) and a little girl (named Haru-chan). They LOVE to cuddle (I woke up with Haru-chan on my chest this morning) and get into trouble (Haru-chan likes to hide in the draw of my bed-side table and Tama-kun likes to pick fights). They love to chase around a laser pointer (I have seen cats who don't like that). Tama-kun also LOVES the feather wand (it is currently handing from a shelf and he keeps freaking out and attacking it.

These kitties are more than just balls of playful energy. They are very good cats. They still have their claws but don't use them while playing (except for with each other). Also, show no interest in going outside and will let you cradle them. Haru-chan is particularly affectionate and will lay next to me while I watch TV and give me kisses.

This is only day 2 with the kittens, but there is so much love to be had. I don't think I could ever have a bad day for the rest of my life! These are seriously the best kittens ever! They have the perfect levels of playfulness, cuddliness, and curiosity.

What was really amazing about getting these kittens is that when you adopt from a shelter (at least through a pet store), you get a bunch of coupons and free things. I got a free 20 lbs.container of kitty litter PLUS a free 3.5 lbs. of the food they were already on. That is enough to ween them onto much better food. I also got a lot of coupons for things like toys and collars.

The reason I chose to get 2 kitties is because if you are gone all day, they have a playmate. Also, These guys would have been especially lonely because they were the last 2 from their litter to be adopted. These guys have already have such a close bond that it would be cruel to take only one. If I took only one, my kitty would be lonely, plus the shelter would be left with somebody really lonely. Having 2 kitties also helps when they are in their "adolescent" phase. They become particularly destructive and having another kitty redirects how their energy gets spent.

In other news, I have been watching Invader Zim a lot recently and I forgot just how awesome it was. The animation isn't the greatest, but I think it works for how the show is.

Having an apartment that is clean is really nice too. Between Garrett not putting his clothing away and me doing the same, it gets messy quickly. We made a point to clean up so that we would worry less about the kittens.

I have some immediate crochet plans for right now. I need to make a plastic bag caddy so I can keep bags handy for when I need them (and they are VERY handy)!

Most of my love right now is kitty love, and with good reason. I have wanted a kitty since I was about 5 years old and have never had one. This is a big deal for me and I am a bit excitible over everything!

Want to see the kitties grow up and be playful? Check out my Flickr account. I will put everything into albums or galleries when I am NOT holding a sleeping kitten.

Things I Love Thursday: Firefly and Serenity

2010-06-17T16:28:00.000-07:00

This week is ALL about Firefly and Serenity! There is absolutely nothing about this show to dislike! It is an awesome space western that takes place in 2517 and is absolutely hilarious! I present to you my TILT list!

The Characters
Kaylee: Kaylee is a machines genius who is in love with the ships medic. She loves frilly dresses, hamsters, and al other things cute!

Simon: The medic on board Serenity. He gave up a brilliant carreer as a highly respected doctor to save his sister from an Alliance (government) camp. He is in love with Kayee but spends too much time worrying about his sister to take his own feelings into consideration.

Inara: The ships "companion" (glorified whore) is INSANELY beautiful who lives such a glamorous life, has the most extensive wardrobe, and is the most sophisticated member of Serenity. She is intelligent and gets invited to all the right parties and her room is so well decorated!

Zoe: Zoe fought in the war with Malcolm (the ships captain) and is married to the pilot. She has her own really odd sense of humor and is an amazing fighter. She is strong and beautiful! A very good role model for all girls!

River: What can I say about River? She is the little sister of the medic and has been mentally traumatized. She is an amazing character and is crazy funny without even trying (I will put in some quotes). Also, she is the smartest crew member of the Serenity.

Wash: The pilot has a great sense of humor about crashing the ship, but does get some great lines otherwise. He is really lovable and cuddly!

Jayne: This character, despite the name, is a guy. He is really edgy and likes guns, women, and being "nekkid" He named his favorite gun Vera and is always looking to start a fight.

Extras

Awesome Quotes (first link sorts quotes by character and second link sorts by episode)

River Tam Kicks Butt at Bar Fight

My favorite episode

Things I Love Thursday

2010-06-12T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know that today is CLEARLY Saturday, but I was having difficulty getting my laptop connecting to the internet (all human error which makes me feel rather silly).

I was also having trouble coming up with a theme this week to...sorry. But, I do have a list of happy love stuffs! Here we go!

Toaster Oven: It has a setting just for cookies! Now, I can also get back to eating healthy again! It even came with a quick guide for how to cook many kinds of food and on which setting (and for roughtly how long). It can take a frozen chicken break and cook it through in 40 minutes (I know that that is kind of a while, but sometimes that can be a good thing because then I can do something else while it is cooking)!

Knitting: My mom taught me how to knit while I was up in New York. I sort of knew how to knit when I was little, but I wasn't making anything and quickly got bored with it. I already have a few projects in mind too! One of them is the scarf from when Tom Baker was Dr. Who (this is from back in the '70's). My boyfriend REALLY wants this scarf, and it is a pretty awesome scarf. It is CRAZY LONG!!

Ponyo: This is a new Miyazaki film and it is SOO cute!!! It is roughtly based on The Little Mermaid and is full of the traditional Miyazaki adventure and whimsey! If you have liked any Studio Ghibli film, watch this movie!

Firefly/Serenity: Pretty sure this is going to be my theme for next week. This show/movie is absolutely incredible! The story has you sitting at the edge of your seat and the characters are so lovible (including the not so lovible characters). I will keep the rest of the reasons I like it a secret until I can get pictures, video clips, and quotes for next week. I have been recomending this to everybody I have talked to!

Nice Weather: There is so much I want to do right now because the weather is just so beautiful! I want to plan a picnic, go to the zoo, play frisbee, lay out in the sun, take pictures, and start drawing again (scenery this time, not people).

“Sid Meier Civilization: Revolution”: This is the first of the Civilization games I have played, but it is really fun! There are 16 different nations you can play as and the game starts out in 4000B.C. There are so many different ways to play and win that each game is unique!

Special Mentions: Burlesque dancing, cuddling, Garrett, the colors Pink and Purple, Lush products, nail polish, shower gloves, seeing a cowboy ride a horse (I saw this earlier in the week at work. No joke. He was wearing spurs and leather chaps with side fringe), Managers agreeing that the customers make you want to quit the job (I work at Taco Bell and the people who come in are really mean and order a ton of special items and complain if 1 tiny thing is wrong), Hanging out with my neighbors (because I SERIOUSLY haven't done that since I moved to college), New jewelry stand (it looks like a beautiful Asian style dress on a mannequin and I LOVE it!), Event anticipation (my dad's 50^th b-day, going out to Columbus to hang out with Jenn and Jason of A&G Ohio, Going to to Rochester and Buffalo to geek out with people, and possibly also out to Seater Point and Phili), blankets, AC, and having everything clean!

Lots of love and happy going on here! How about you? I know this is a bit late, but what are you loving this week??

Things I Love Thursday: Apartment Edition

2010-05-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

Meet Miss Pi! She was making herself quite comfy on my bed.

Sorry that this is so late! Road Tripping from Pittsburgh to Saranac Lake is very tiring and time consuming (and it is difficult to type while on the road). This week's TILT List is about my new apartment that I just moved into. So, here we GO!

Mark (The totally awesome new landlord), getting all my laundry done in one go (instead of in shifts), Hanging out with neighbors (I NEVER did that before), back of door coat hangers, bathroom light switch INSIDE bathroom, vanity lighting, Having the big TV in the new place, lots, and lots, and lots, and lots, and lots cabinet space (each link is a different photo), a heart shape ice cube tray, a HUGE closet (I have never had a closet that large IN MY LIFE!), a hanging shoe rack, the rent, and it is with my lovely Garrett! OH, also, they are pet friendly! (I apologize for the blurriness of the pictures. I was rushing to take them before I left and did not take enough time in getting the pictures to turn out nicely.)

There is so much amazing stuff about this new place! I can't wait to get back to it! Now, the rest of what is so happy!

Traveling with a puppy, Lush mini haul (furoshiki, color supplement, and Godiva shampoo), Getting situated in the new apartment (as you can see by the happy above), Tim Hortons (I wish there was one near Pittsburgh), Hotel with a balcony, Mint Milanos, Contact Lenses, sun glasses, Getting my eyes examined (I am about a year overdue), watching Airplane (first time ever), Discussing TV shows with my brother, and catching up with my friend DAVE!!!

There is a lot of stuff that I have been loving this past week! What have you been loving this week?

How to Stave Off Boredum!

2010-05-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

So, everybody gets bored at some point in their life and they never know what to do about it! I am here with a HUGE list of ways to keep bordum at bay!

Sing and Dance: Who DOESN'T love to rock out to their favorite tunes? So many people sing in the shower and dance around when they are with friends. It is a raw expression of you at your finest! Refined or not, it is you, and thus amazing!

Play an Instrument: Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, there is a level of satisfaction at being able to play songs that you like. Grab some new sheet music and your favorite instrument (anything that you enjoy and have on hand works as well) and start jamming!

Make Jewelry: Go to a supply shop if you need to and make a necklace or a pair of earrings. Plan a design and see it through until the end. Not only do you prevent boredum, you get something cute to show off to your friends the next time you are around!

Cook: Nothing fuels the brain like some healthy delicious snacks. Really hungry? Make all your favorite dishes into a huge meal. Don't know what to make? Find recipies that you have the supplies to make (or can make fairly easily) and have at it! You won't be bored or hungry after you make yourself a feast!

Concoct a new recipie: Mix ingrediants in new ways that you haven't thought up of before. Pretend you go to the McGuiver School of Cooking and that anything goes!

Make a Vision Board/Book: Grab some magazines, a pair of scissors, tape and an notebook/bullitin board and cute out what inspires you. Love the way somebody has their make-up? Cut it out and add it! Love the shapes/lines of something? SAME THING! ^_^

Make New Outfits: Rummage through your closet and dresser for pieces that you never paired before. It doesn't have to be an awesome successful outfit, just something new and exciting.

Go Shopping: Have you paired everything you own and still nothing new? Buy yourself a new top or dress. Now, you have something new to pair about! That not your thing? Get yourself some new accessories! Not enough money for that? PINS AND KEYCHAINS TO THE RESCUE! ^_^

Call up an old friend: Chances are they would love to catch up and chat with you! They will feel excited and loved. Bonus: You give them something to talk about to with other people later...maybe even start a small trend of everybody catching up with everybody else!

Make a lunch date: So, you and your friends have a busy schedule and never seem to speak more than a few words in passing? Plan out a few days/weeks in advance to have lunch together. This provides you with a way to leasurely catch up with them while filling your tummy with delicious tastiness!

Take a walk: Walk through town or to a park. It gives you a chance to clear your head of stressful thoughts and could inspire you for a new project! Plus, exercise is an amazing thing and many of us don't get enough of it!

Learn a Craft: Want to learn to embroider? Knit? Crochet? Weave chain mail (yes, chain mail. The same thing that used to be made into shirts and used as armor way back in the day)??? DO IT! Why not? Gather what supplies you need and learn something. It doesn't need to be a master piece. It doesn't even need to be good. Start with something basic and see how much natural talent you have!

Learn a Language: Have you ever wanted to speak a different language? Not only are they really cool, but it can help you differentiate yourself in the job market. Interesting AND help with finding a job? Yes, please!

Take a Nap: Do you feel overloaded and you can't think of what to do? Take a nap and recharge yourself! There is nothing lazy about this and you will wake up feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to tackle any challenge brave enough to challenge you!

Pamper Yourself: Give yourself a manicure or take that bubbe bath you keep promising yourself. You will feel so much more relaxed and able to make better decisions about anything (Like grabbing a glass of water instead of that soda with the teeth rotting goodness)!

Plan a Tattoo: Even if you don't see yourself getting a tattoo, you can still have fun planning one out. Tell your friends about it and inspire them. One tattoo I had planned out since high school was a HUGE dragon. The tail coiled around my left middle finger, up my arm, dance around my back/torso, and coil down to my right elbow. Here, fire licks its way around my arm, hand, and finger. So many people thought this was the coolest tattoo. I don't have the time, money or pain tolerance to get it, but I still really like it.

Get a piercing: Peircings seem less painfu than tattoos, are less expensive, and less permanent if you later deside you don't want it. Add some extra sparkle to your body! Does your job not allow certain piercings? That makes it much more desirable. It can be your little taboo thing that you do!

Day Dream: Let yourself think those silly thoughts you don't let yourself think enough. You need to let your creative child out sometimes so the world can have a better chance to experience you for being you!

Analyze a Dream: Have you ever recalled a dream you had that was terrifying, silly, or just plain bizzaire??? Find out if it means anything. Even if it doesn't, you still had fun with it!

Play video games: Either by yourself, online with people you don't know, or as a social gathering of geeky friends! This can be a great excuse to hang out with a bunch of friends if you choose to play with them. Otherwise, it is a chance to escape into a fantasy world. Do you want to be the hero of a post apocolypic world? What about the one to save the girl? Video games take you anywhere!

Play board games: Yes, it is a bit low tech, but there are some amazing games out there. You just need to look for them. Check out for a list of games and their ratings!

Invent a new Product: Have you ever wanted to talk to your friends without actually speaking? What about a way to teleport you through space? Through time? Draw out the details of it, even if you don't know what you are talking about. It can be a really cool way for your sciency types to spend an hour or so!

Do your make-up differently: Use color combinations you haven't used before. Try new styles that you don't see people wearing! Be creative and have all the fun you want!

Style your hair differently: Grab the hair gel and have at it! If you don't like it, just wash your hair and try again! Find a new look that excites you!

Get a Hair Cut: Visit your stylist with an idea or with bravery (and tell them to have fun) and walk out with a different look. This is a great way to find the “new you”!

Dye your hair: Always wanted to see what you looked like with red hair? How about purple? Be as crazy as you want and find something that really speaks to you!

Buy Colored Contact Lenses: Get yourself new eye colors! Mix and match and have 2 different coored eyes! Have fun AND confuse your friends! I did this for a school picture once (one blule eye and one green eye) and my mom still claims I “ruined” one of the best school pictures I had! It makes me laugh so much each time!

Assign Pictures and Ringtones to your friends: This is a really fun way to customize your phone! You will know who is calling you from before you even get your phone out (for ringtones). It is also a great way to remind yourself of an inside joke(assigning pictures). GO CRAZY!

Buy a new phone case/phone charms: Make your phone stand out! Everybody wil know your phone for forever! Mine has a black/pink Hello Kitty case, 2 Hello Kitty Charms, a Tare Panda charm, AND a butterfly charm! My phone stands out so much in comparison to everybody elses!

Catch up on comics and web comics: Do you like reading Zits? FoxTrot? Pearls Before Swine? XKCD? It is a great way to spend a few hours!

Read/find funny articles: Look for people that have terrible tattoos or weird things going on with their body (I found oen with some woman who had a disgustingly tiny waist). Share them with everybody you know on facebook!

Follow a new blog: So, you know what to expect with all the blogs you currenty follow? Maybe you don't follow any blogs. Finding a new blog to follow can be extremely exciting. So many people have genuis things to say, but it is hard to share this enlightenment if there is nobody to hear it!

Read about other religions: There are so many religions that exsist in the world today and so many people are so stubborn to think that other ways could be a better fit! I like reading into witchcraft and also how 2 religions get along (ex: Shinto and Bhuddism in Japan). This is just so interesting and so many people feel “I am RELIGION X, so that is clearly the answer. I don't care about other religions”. That is such a suffocating mentality and it boggles my mind!

Check out 474 Thing To Do When You Are Bored: There is some crazy things they it suggests. I wouldn't recommend many of these things, but it is at least good for a laugh!

Doodle on your old clothes: So, you have a pair of jeans so tattered and torn that they re beyond wearable? Draw on them! Hang them up and be inspired! Even if the jeans are still good, it is something fun you can do. Are you going away for a while? Have your friends write on them (Bonus points if they write on them while you are wearing them) so you can remember all the fond memories with them!

Create a new nail polish color: Get 2 or more old bottles of nail polish and combine them into a new color. How does it look? Did you get a terrible color you would never wear? What about an amazing new color that all your friends are jealous of? You never know until you try it!

Mix and Match Nail polish: Paint every nail a different color! Alternate between two contrasting colors! Have fun with the colors! Go for brights! Go for darks! Go for what makes you smile at the time!

Plant flowers: Get some seads, soil, and pot to put them all in and see if you have what it takes to grow something! I already tried this. I can't remember to water my plants, so they always die pretty quickly. Can you remember to do this? If you succeed at this, it can make your living space brighter and more fun to be in!

Create Business Cards: Many websites allow you to design your own business cards. Do you want to be known as a professional hugger? Let the world know who and what you are with fun business cards! Allows you to create business cards with a different picture on the back of each! HOW FUN?!?!

Write In Colorful Pens: Everybody expects a pen to write either black or that very specific blue. Many people dread seeing red pen from when we were in school. Find a pen that writes in neon green or teal and start using it for EVERYTHING! Staples sells disposable fountain pens in packs of 3. One of those colors is purple. I use my purple fountain pen as often as I can! What kind of pen would you use?

Take Pictures: It can be of your pet, your friends, or even your stuffed animals! Take pictures of your walls! go outside and take pictures of what you feel like. Is there a cool cloud shape? How about a flock of geese? Maybe that really cool car you see driving around town? Anything goes so go after it!

Clean Your Living Space: Have you been too busy/lazy to clean up after yourself in a while? My table was cluttered with useless junk just a few days ago. Cleaning up and finding homes for everything REALLY makes a difference. I feel like I can breathe for the first time in a while! I am deffinately going to try harder to keep it clean from now on!

Reorganize yourself: Take some time to get things organized in a way that makes scence for you! Color code notes or your clothes. Take time to tear apart everything so that it will make your life easier in the future!

Buy a gift for your friend: Who says you need a reason to do something nice for the ones you care about? Find something a friend would LOVE to have. Do they collect something? Add to their collection! It makes their collecting effors more worth while because they know other people will support it!

Create your own Holiday: Happy MixMatched sock day! Do something fun and make a holiday around it. Plan for it every year! Get your friends involved! Have them get their friends involved and so-on. It can become a REALLLY fun think you and your friends 9and their friends) will come to look forward to!

Take a Vacation from the normal: Wear all your clothes inside out and backwards! Walk backwards! Spray dye your hair a different color for every day of the week. If something seems fun but you can't seem to find when to fit it in, just do it and say it's your mental vacation!

Travel: Even if you are just exploring your surrounding areas more, it is traveing. Check out that mall two towns over that all your frieds talk about! Is it worth the hype? Even if it isn't, you know now!

Wrrite a Love Letter on the Sidewalk: Tell the world how much you love and appriciate it! Everybody who walks by will see it and you will leave an impression! Don't know what to write? Try just drawing a picture. This is something I found at my school last fall semester!

Headbutt people: Yes, you read that properly. Whoever you choose to headbutt will laugh and everybody around you will question who will be next! It isn't something that everybody does, so it will be a change of pace. Warning: you may get people giving your strange looks. Enjoy it!

Have a cuddle fest: Curl up on the couch or in your bed with snuggly blankets, a relaxing drink, and indulge yourself in some TV time. You don't even need to have somebody to cuddle with (but if you do, it does make it more fun)!

Partake in a guilty pleasure: Read those trashy romance novels that everybody makes fun of you for! Watch that movie that drives your family and friends nuts! If you like it, do it! Sing to your naked self in the mirror if that pleases you! ANYTHING GOES!

Masturbate: It feels good, so do it! Sex is completely normal to want and if you are alone, masturbation is your only choice. It can help you with body issues to better accept the body you have as well as give you some ideas to try out when your lover comes home!

Write about things you care about: Do you love clothes? How are your feelings on world hunger? Start a blog and voice these opinions! It is never too late to start! Have a direction your would like to take your blog and just write to your hearts content!

Find a new Hangout: Most of this article is written in a coffee shop I have never heard of before. The people who run the place are really cool to talk to and the seating is so comfy! It is a bit of a pain for me to go here, but I will make a point of stopping by there again. They have a TON of art displayed that is available for purchase (which is good news for me because that means they are willing to sell what I make)! If you are ever in the Beaver PA area, stop by the Fountainhead Cafe in Monaca! Warning: the people who run it are not good at counting change (in their favor) so make sure that you count your change after you purchase! They shorted Garrett $10 when he purchased 2 bottled drinks and refuse to pay us back!

There are plenty of ways to keep you from being bored. Just get off your bum and find something to do!

What do you do to keep yourself from going mad with boredum?

XOXO
Mag-Elicious

P.S. All of the above images are images I found using Google Image Search. If this is your image and you want credit for it, please contact me and I will be more than happy to credit you. If you are not polite about it, I will simply remove the image.

Things I Love Thursday: Movies

2010-05-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

Photo by Me! ^_^

There is so much that I am absolutely love this week, and I CANNOT wait to share it with everybody! My new topic this week is about my favorite movies! I hope you enjoy it!

Favorite Movies:

Disney Classics (original classics and new classics (Finding Nemo, Emporers New Groove, Bolt, Etc), Memoirs of a Geisha, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Studio Ghibi Films, Clerks, Clerks 2, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (who doesn't love this movie?), Back to the Future Trilogy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Producers, Ever After, Dogma, Last Unicorn, Princess Bride, Robinhood: Men In Tights, Fly Away Home, The Count of Monte Cristo (I haven't read the book, but it IS on my reading list), Wallice and Gromit (I love everything with that name!), Nightmare Before Christmas, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Star Wars (Original Trilogy, not that new trilogy crap with JarJar. Also, Han shoots first), All Dogs Go To Heaven, Rats of Nihm, Austin Powers (all 3 movies, but less as the number got larger).

Most of these movies are, in fact, childrens movies. I think that they are so cute and sweet. Also, I have only recently gotten the opertunity to watch non-children because I am living away from home and recently gotten Netfix (the main reason is that I have a bunch of “everybody has seen this movie” on my queue as well as other things I want to watch and don't own).

The Rest:

Pajamas, Micro-fleece Blankets, Discovering New Blogs, Having this blog discovered by new readers (That means you, my lovely reader), Mini Top-hat Headband (very lolita), Arrested Development, Tasty Birthday Cake (Garretts birthday was on the 18th), Penn and Tellers Bull Shit (the issues in each episode are so vasty different that it keeps you interested, plus, it sheds a lot of light on unsavory subjects), Anime, PS1 RPG's (There were so many amazing games that many people never knew about because of limited releases...also, looking back on it, the graphics are kind of not that great unless it is 2d sprites), Trying to find new music, Getting my car clean (for the first time since I had it), My manager calls her motorcycle “piglet” (instead of hog. CUTE!), and Gourmet Raspberry Cupcakes (see image at top of screen!

See? LOTS of lovely things happening! Also, it is BIG NEWS time! Tomorrow I officially move into my new place! YAY!

So, what have you been in love with recently? Let's share!

XOXO

<3Mag-Elicious

iPhone APP Favorites!

2010-05-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

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So I have had my iPhone for about a year and I have come to not be able to live without certain apps. Here are the apps that I find abolutely amazing!

myWireless: This is an easy way to pay my phone bill from ANYWHERE! This is particularly conventient when my mom is getting on my case about not paying my bill.

Video Genious: I have the iPhone 3G (not 3GS) so I was unable to take video for the longest time. I noticed that the more videos/pictures I had, the shorter the videos would be. You can take mini movies of you and your friends then send them to whoever without having to upload them to your computer. Everything is all on one device!

Echohon: Twitter to go? Yes please! It shows all my @mentions separate for everything else (so if somebody I am not following desides to send me something, I still get it). It really is conventient and a way to amuse me!

Facebook: Everybody loves facebook and is always updating something. This app tells you only of friend requests (so the only thing that is actually useful), lets you check up of fan pages (it doesn't let you easily check groups, but it is possible if the group updates frequently), and it is near impossible to play games (THANK YOU!!!) It lets you use facebook the way it was intended to be used.

Yelp: Are you in an unfamiliar area and want to know what is around? Yelp can help! It organizes all the stores and service places them into different catagories to make them easy to find. You can also type in something to find what you are looking for. Example time! Last summer, I went on a cruise and we ended up stopping at Key West for the day. We were looking for a specific shop that sold Key Lime Pie, so we typed in “Pie Guy” (because the one guy has a fake pie in his hand and pretends to through it at all passers by). His shop was the first one that showed up on the list “Kermits Key West Key Lime Pie”. You can also plan out where you want to go by typing in the location into the secondary search bar! Best thing ever!

eBay: I love checking out eBay on the go and checking out the actual website is a bit of a pain. This way lets me log in, search, watch, and purchase items as I please! Sorting is a bit difficult since you can only do one level of sorting, but aside from that, it is pretty freaking sweet!

Amazon.com: Similar to eBay, but amazon!

Kindle: There are all kinds of amazing books available FOR FREE! The Count of Monte Cristo, Dracula, Alices Adventures in Wonderland, and so many more. Free books that are legally ok for you to own (because they are out of their copyright period. A post on that to come)! TAKE THAT MEDIA PIRATES!

IMDB and SoundHound: These are two different apps, but I am lumping these together because they have the same purpose. IMDB is awesome because I never know movies or actors (I was a bit sheltered growing up). SoundHound listens to whatever song is playing (or what song you are singing) and will identify the song, the artist, and what album it is on. It also links you to the lyrics via google search.

Pic 2 Shop: So, this is a nifty little app. It utilizes the camera to identify products (by taking a picture of the barcode) and it will bring up a list of places to purchase the same product and what prices listed for the same product at different stores. This is particularly conventient if you are looking for books or dvds!

Photo Credits: I Can Has Cheeseburger

ICHC2.0: I LOVE lolcats! This app lets you check out the lastest in lolcats, loldogs, graph jam, FailBlog, and many more. So much laughter at our fingertips!

FML: So many people check out FML on a regular basis that there is an app for it. It shows the FML one at a time and in a random order. It is kind of annoying because it wont switch right away, so you keep pushing the “change FML” and then it changes twice (the first time, after you read the first line of the FML). You also end up reading some of the same FML's rather frequently. It is a good thing that they are almost always funny!

TFLN LITE: Texts From Last Night is also funny. It shows really funny texts messages from the previous night. Most of them relate to drinking/drugs and sex, but there is so much on those topics that everything is new and funny!

WikiHow: I am always looking up new HOW TO guides, so having one available on my phone without going to a separate website is really nice! When you search, it will show the same few multiple times over (in the same order) and it will be not quite what you are looking for...It also has a How To Of The Day and a How To: Survival (that one is kind of funny and I REALLY hope I never really have to use them).

ShopStyle: I can check out products by store or by article of clothing ( sorting by size, price, and color). There are so many things I would LOVE to buy, but I don't have the money to spend on these items (I like a lot of shoes and tops that are over $100 which is kind of a lot considering I am a college student working part time at a fast food llace).

New York Times: It is free and it updates every time you open it. It breaks all the articles down into latest, most popular, and by catagory. It has super interesting articles from fashion to economics! As a plus, the economy is taking a turn for the good!

Do you have an iPhone? What apps do you like?

Thing I Love Thursday - Radical Self Love

2010-05-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

photo credits unknown (Google image search)

Since my life is pretty slow and not many interesting things happen, I have decided to do themed TILT posts! It seems really fun and I have been pumped for this all week! The themes are in addition to the rest of my TILT list. If there are any themes that you would like to see, please let me know!

Radical Self Love
My hair (so soft), My eyes (they have a really cool blue/green/honey thing going on), My ability to sing (I have always loved singing and I took voice lessons a while back), My ability to speak Japanese (My teacher said that if she closed our eyes, she would swear we were Japanese people because out accents were so awesome), My web toe (I was never grossed out by it. When I was little, I called them my "Twin Toes"), Eye for detail (I notice the little things more often than a lot of other people), The dreams I have (When I'm asleep, my mind does some weird shit...), My face (I think that I have a very gentle and pretty face), My knowledge on Management (I love pointing out to my managers when they are wrong about something. They won't train my to be a manager because I am still only a cashier and I need to know all the different positions),and my desire to open up my own boutique and sell the items that I make!

The Rest
Pink toe pads (for high heels), Keith (Awesome friend who works in the same plaza as me), Grand Illusion Vinyl Record (by Styx! Also, gift from Keith), My manager freaking out (it is mean to say, but it is kind of funny when she is completely stressed and needs a cigarette), My awesome boyfriend (need I say more?), The promise of a kitten (KITTEN FOR MY NEW APARTMENT!), Iwaya sensee (My Japanese teacher was in town...I missed her I think, but she is totally awesome), My LUSH Mini Haul (lip scrub, body sugar scrub, and lip balm), Driving, Ayumi Hamasaki (this woman was the first Japanese singer I fell in love with), Piano squall (I have a CD in my car and I absolutely love this man. He even knows me by my forum name AND my real name!), Hard Candy Cosmetics (everything is bright colors and glitter. Who could NOT love it?), The fact that Gala and I want the same pair of shoes that I can afford (They were the platform pumps from a few weeks ago), Joe (My physics major friend who tries to get away from techie stuff. He asked if there was an iPhone app that took the raw data of something inside the iPhone...I forget the word...Accelorometer? That kind sounds right...^_^'), and my funny puppy (she is so silly and playful! I love her)!

photo credits unknown

Also, because this deserves special attention, I got a text message from my friend Jake a few days ago. Jake is a childhood friend of mine (we live across the street from each other) and we don't get to see each other much. He sent me this message: "There are two bears at a rescue center named Maggie and Jake!"

How adorable is that??? I squeed so much over that and told anybody who would listen.

photo credits unknown. I tried looking for a picture of the bears and this little guy popped up in Google Image search.

So that is it for this week. What lovely things have you been up to?

Things I Love Thursday

2010-05-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

HELLO MY LOVELIES! Welcome back to this weeks edition of Things I Love Thursday! I have some great stuff here for you, so stay tuned and feel the LOVE!
New Shoes: I bought 2 new pairs of shoes today. I spent about $40 out of pocket for them! Here are pictures of what they look like!

Writing TILT Draft on Pay Stub: While I was at work last weekend, Garrett took my phone (his was dead) and went home to run some errands. I had nothing to do on my break so, instead of letting myself get bored or angry, I decided to write my TILT list and get a head start. I had so many small things I loved in just a shot while. Here is a picture!

Singing in the car: I love to sing, but I never play music anymore, so I don't get to sing much. When I am driving by myself, I play my music (LOUDLY) and sing along to the song as best as I can (usually songs in Japanese that I don't fully know the lyrics to). I can really tell a difference in the quality of my singing between now and high school. Then, I had a greater range, but microphones can pick up my voice now. I don't mind the trade off.

Finals being done: I have 1 more final and it is tomorrow morning at 8am. I don't like the time, but it should be a pretty mindless final and I should be able to pass no problem. I am going to go to the lab and study a bit once I am done writing this.

Sleeping in: It is such a lazy way to enjoy yourself, but it is so comfy that it is hard to resist. The temperature is just right, the blankets are soft, the bed is cozy, and that little plush bunny is the right size to hold on to while you sleep. I really want to take a nap right now.

New and awesome outfits: I put together this crazy awesome outfit a few days ago, but I need to rework it (so I can use my new shoes) before I take pictures and post it. It is so cute and fun! This is probably my best outfit yet!

Alyssa: This is a new girl I work with and she is DELIGHTFUL! She is graduating high school in a few short days (I believe she said that count down was at 17 days) and is getting ready to go off to school. I think I found a potential first customer for my clothing!

Special Guests: Pirouettes, hair clip bows, cat ears, gorgeous weather, Aerie bras, my roos, baked goods, Hello Kitty EVERYTHING, super soft hair, my silly puppy, puppies in drive through, scarves, Gift card shopping spree, writing with a fountain pen (it makes all the difference), giving tasteless gifts, How to cook everything: the basics (yes, I bought that cookbook), learning new stuff at work, NYC souvenirs (my brother just went for the first time. HYPER jealous), Brunch, Netlix, classic video games (I REALLY want to play some Chrono Trigger), tweeting to my brother, foot rubs, Mary Kay make-up bad and vision board for $1 total, and finding things in my purse!

Love your way? Share what you in love with!

Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

So, this has been a week full of super happy! There are some highlights of what has been going on!

Setting up appointments: All these appointments are medical, but it is good to have doctors tell you that you are health. Also, I love going to the dentist because my dental hygienist is super gentle and is like a second mother to me!

Pronoia: I am only in the middle of chapter 4, but it is such an interesting book. Right now, there are a bunch of snippets like in a news paper. KAWAII!!!

Finals Week: Finals start next Tuesday. You know what that means? SUMMER BREAK!!! An entire summer of lounging, working, and eventually shopping! I am only responsible for being at work on time. I am not taking any summer classes.

No summer classes: I was originally signed up for 2 classes this summer, however, I didn't have the student loans to cover them. I would have had to pay about $1800 instead of my estimated $600 (which I had to pay last summer). This frees up a bunch of money which leads me to my next item.

Moving In Early: I am supposed to move into my new apartment in July, however, I am going to be able to make enough money to move in during JUNE! AN ENTIRE EXTRA MONTH AT MY NEW APARTMENT! I am so absolutely pumped!

Shoes: I have been shoe shopping on Amazon and found THESE adorable pumps (I want them in Matte Black and Glitter Hot Pink), and THESE sexy studded booties. What I like about them is the price tag. These are shoes that I actually like that I can afford! This is super exciting news and I can't wait to get the money to buy them!.

Bugles: Anybody who says that they don't love these chips are lying! They are sooo tasty!!! I don't often have them, but when I do, they never last. They are just that good. When I was a wee Mag-Elicious, I used to put them on my fingers and pretended to be a witch! So silly!

Kindle: I have the Kindle app for my iPhone and it is pretty freaking awesome! I got it when I first got my phone last year, but I thought that you had to pay $10 for each book. I don't have that kind of money and I am able to get most of those books used for about half of that. Now, I realized there are free books you can get on kindle (they are all very old and out of the copyright period). I stocked up on Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, The Count of Monte Cristo, and many other delicious morsels.

Curry Rice: Yesterday, I found curry mix in my cabinets! Yummy! I made that with beef (for stewing), potatoes, and carmelized onions (I have never had onions that tasted SWEET! They were SO FREAKING GOOD)! It ended up being a disaster because the beef was chewy, the potatoes didn't cook properly, and the curry "broth" was REALLY thin. However, the rice was perfect and I was able to eat medium hot curry (I have no spicy tolerance).

Nana: I LOVE Nana! It is such a fantastic story and the style of all the characters is really unique and to die for! I am not much into the punk style, but all of the punk characters make me swoon! Also, in the movie, the actor of Nobuo is really cute (in a dorky way which I REALLY love) and super talented!

Zoo Season Pass: Last week I went to the local zoo (it is really small and a good place to go to for a few hours). There are so many cute things about the zoo and going more than 4 times will have the pass pay for itself! Also, it is part petting zoo, so you can feed most of the animals there!

Sewing Anticipation: Since I will have a lot more free time this summer, and since I have a nice sewing machine, I am going to get started on some projects! They're mostly going to be purses but I will try to fit in cool skirts too! This will let me get to know the properties of certain fabrics and how they move/work. One step closer to my dream? Yes, please!

Explanation of picture: Last night, I was watching an episode of The Simpson's called Much Apu About Nothing (Season 7 Episode 23). The episode starts out with this ADORABLE bear wandering Evergreen Terrace. He has no intent to hurt anybody. He just wants to sit and look silly. This was the image I found during my search. Not the same bear, but oh so silly!

As you can see, lots of happy to go around! There is so much love in the air here that you can feel it! Is there a list of things that have got you swooning this week?

Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

Edit: This was half written last Thursday and Half written today. I fell asleep while studying for a test before this got posted last week. Please forgive the lateness!

Hello my loves! Welcome to another edition of Things I Love Thursday. As my semester winds down, I have little time to write, edit, and publish posts due to so many end of semester tests and projects. I promise you that I have a TON of articles written, plus ideas for so many more that it is crazy. Now, on with the show!

Seeing lots of animals: On my drive to work, I pass so many farms. I recently got to see TONS of baby goats. It is absolutely adorable! Also, I recently learned that one of the houses has 2 huskies. HUSKIES!!! I squee every time I drive past!

Test Postponed: As I am writing this, I am studying for a test tomorrow. This test was originally scheduled to be Wednesday, however work had me coming in so much that I really couldn't devote any time to studying. I have spent most of the day studying today, so I know have a ton more confidence when I walk into my test at 3pm tomorrow.

HeadShot Energy Drinks: My boyfriend bought a discount case of these a while ago and we are mostly done with them (discount due to misprinted expiration date). Reading text books puts me to sleep (after 3 pages earlier today, I zonked out for about 2 hours). The energy drinks, while not being my first choice (my first choice is Bawls because it is tasty and has a silly name) have been keeping me awake, and thus doing their job. Thank you for helping me pass my test.

Developing a study system: My system is very basic as well as time consuming. It does, however, allow me to demonstrate an understanding of the material studied. I read the chapter (long and boring), then answer the end of chapter questions. It is super basic, but it does work. The questions ask you to explain why things are a certain way and to give examples. I did this with a test I took Monday. Before, I knew NOTHING of the material (the class seems rather pointless). I answered the end of chapter questions and when I walked out of the test (about 15 minutes and 42 questions later) I felt very confident that I got a good grade.

Windows open: My apartment doesn't have AC, so at night,having the windows open feels AMAZING. I also enjoy driving with the windows open. Partly because the breeze feels really nice and partly so I can subject the world my my music (I am sick of hearing stuff on the radio blasted, so I blast Japanese music)!

Popcicles: This is in addition to my apartment not having AC. Popcicles are a nice way to cool down and are low in calories. Yay!

Having a car: There is nothing to do in the town where my school is. If I want to go anywhere or do anything, it requires me driving. Even walking across campus takes a ton of time.

Having friends over: One of my friends is having a birthday soon. Also, I just had a difficult test. Tonight is part birthday party, part test celebration.

Going to the Zoo: There is a small petting zoo near where I live and it is really cute! I bought a season pass which is good for a year! Also, despite the fact that it is a petting zoo, there are lions, tigers, and bears (OH MY)! The bears eat kibble (along with other real bear food) and it is so cute! There are pipes that lead from where you and I would stand on the path to where the bears are. Also, there are monkeys that pull a chain attached to a bucket so they can get cheerios! HOW CUTE!?!

Being done with tests: So, I just had 2 weeks filled with tests! I did rather well on the ones that I got the grades for (missing the grades for 1 test), and I am happy with the results. I am also happy that I don't have to stress myself out as much for next week! Yay!

New underthings: There are few things better than getting yourself some new nickers. I have finally decided to give Aerie a try and let me say that it is not as expensive as I thought it would be (I also was rummaging through the cheapo bins). When I get some extra money, I am definitely going back!

Finding my ankle bracelet: Last year for my birthday, my aunt gave me this really pretty ankle bracelet from Lia Sophia. It is silver with pale colored transparent beads and it is extremely pretty in a very subtle way. It was in my jewelry box that I think I need to rummage through more often!

Mac 'n Cheese: It has been so long since I had some macaroni and cheese that it I think I may have enjoyed it a bit too much. It was just a box of Kraft that you can get in any grocery store. I added lots of garlic and peppers to give it more of a grown-up taste, but I didn't take out the pepper seads (I thought I could handle it...^_^').

Also, if you want to laugh at something that is terrible, click here!

So, it has been kind of a stressful 2 weeks, but I survived. Now, I am going to allow myself a bit of a nap. In the mean time, what has stolen your heart this week?

Things I Love Thursday

2010-04-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

EDIT: This was totally written on Thursday. However, in the process of finding pictures before it got published, my internet completely died! I really was trying to get this posted on time!

Sorry about the recent quietness. As the semester winds down, I get more swamped. I do, however, still have a list of things I LOVE for this week!

Looking at coats: So, this may seem silly, but I have been looking around for winter coats. The season just ended so I figured I can find something amazing on sale. I have been looking at trench coats a bit, but for colder weather, wool lolita coats. I really hope to be able to make one because they are so cute!

Designing: I have been sketching out a ton of things I want to make. with summer coming up, I am using that as inspiration as well as the additional time to get around to making things. I have a few purses I really want to make and see how they turn out. There are also a few skirts that I need to figure out how to get the shape I want before I do anything. This summer is going to be jam packed!

Walk-a-pup: So, with the weather, this event may have been canceled. However, today my campus scheduled an event called Walk-A-Pup. A local animal shelter donates dogs for the day and people pay to take them for a walk. I think this is great because the pups can socialize with more people, they get a ton of time outside of their cages, and the pups can make all kinds of new friends!

Free Lunch Day: The Business Department got pizza and soda today and they were giving it out to everybody who walked by. If that wasn't enough, there was a food show! The show brought in a bunch of new vendors and the students who show up get to vote on new vendors to have food supplied to the dining halls. It was DELICIOUS! Plus, I made some new friends! Free food and new friends? Who could say no?

Spring: There has been so much GLORIOUS weather happening recently (today is a fluke with the rain). Every night I walk into work, the managers complain about having to go back inside. Nobody wants to be cooped up inside when the weather is totally amazing! Plus, my wardrobe is rather springy. I have been drawin a TON of attention recently!

New clothes: With my birthday last week, I got a ton of new clothes. My mom wanted me to play a prank on my brother about getting an iPad instead of new clothes. I made 1 tweet about it, but he didn't respond. I don't really see the point of the iPad since I have an iPhone, plus a netbook. Back to the point! I got 2 pencil skirts (1 high waisted), a purple button up 1/2 sleeve shirt, a pair of black capris, a pink plain tee, a black pacman tee (SO CUTE!), a black shrug, a bottle of lush conditioner (I got a sample from my Lush haul and loved it so much). I also bought 3 camis (pink, purple, and blue respectively) and a blue rose tee from Rue 21.

My hair: It is amazingly soft! Also, I just discovered (as of about an hour before writing this) that it is long enough to put into pig tails! YAY! Also, I am REALLY considering dying my hair some fun color. I think I will hold off until the fall to do that in case I get an internship.

Lease Expiring: My current place is awesome, but my new place has such a cool land lord and there is so much cool about it! It seems like parking is going to be much less of a pain which is another bonus!

Possible Double Major: As I was making my fall and summer semester schedules, I noticed I am taking a lot of marketing classes. In fact, I am taking SO many marketing classes, I think I am almost at a point where, once I am in the business department, I could very well declare a duel major in Marketing and Management. I definately have enough for the minor if I cannot swing the major!

My pup: She is so cute and silly. She is basically a a 62 lbs. lap dog! She is constantly flopping over and taking you out! Also, she keeps destroying her plush toys! It is like surgery gone horribly wrong!

Crepes and Cheese Cake: These are things I was promised for my birthday and, despite how late they were, they were delicious! The crepes had Nutella, cream cheese, and my favorite part, RASPBERRIES! The Cheese cake is a small sampler cake with 4 flavors (2 of them are different types of chocolate)! Can you say heaven?

Good Night Sleep: Recently, I have been extremely well rested. I wish I knew the secret so, not only would I be able to keep it up, I could share my findings with the rest of the world! I wake up and I am not the least bit groggy. I find I am excited to face the challenges of the day! I don't recall every feeling like that in the mornings until only recently.

Online Window Shopping: This makes me feel even more poor because all the things I find that I absolutely love are way outside my price range. However, it DOES give me ideas of what I want to make. I really wish I knew how to make shoes because most of what I find that I want falls into that catagory. I am looking up how to make them so I can add one more thing to my list of things I can do!

Getting through my Wall of Anime: 3 years ago, Garrett and I purchased a TON of anime. Some of the series I had seen, other he had seen. Much of the purchase was of shows we had never heard of before. We have watched a fair bit of it, but most of the time Garrett doesn't feel like watching anime. This really isn't that big of a deal. With all the free alone time I have had recently, I have been watching some of the shows. I have gotten through Ai Yori Aoishi and I am currently in the middle of UltraManiac. These are such cute shows and are a lot of fun to watch.

How To: Picking a Major and Getting your Dream Schedule!

2010-04-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

Photo found on Google image search

At this time of year, us college students need to know what classes we will be taking in the Fall semester (and summer for those of us who take classes then). Here is a guide I put together for how to love what you will be doing (even if you don't know the classes).

Major
♥ What are your strengths and weaknesses? If you are amazing at something, try and work that into your major. Conversely, if you are terrible at something, try to avoid it.

♥ What do you love? If you have a passion, turn that into something workable. Do you love to draw? How about making clothes? There is always a way to do the things you love!

♥ What programs does your school offer? If a school has a large program, chances are they attract good teachers. Smaller departments come off as having difficulty finding competent teachers. If your school has only a few professors teaching a broad array of classes, consider transferring to a new school. You want professors who know what they are talking about (I had teachers who taught many unrelated subjects and as a result, I know little in either topic).

Classes
♥ What is your personal goal? I am a Business Management major, but my goal is to open up a craft shop. I will need to know how to make a name for myself, so I am taking a lot of Marketing classes.

♥ How many extra classes are you taking? If you are taking a lot of extra classes within the same department, you may want to think about getting a minor. That way, you get to take all the courses you want, plus you get something to add to your resume! Bonus? Yes please!

♥ When do you want to take your classes? I like having a short break between classes, but I don't mind block classes. Do you want your classes in the morning, afternoon, or at night? Night classes are longer and only once a week. Can you sit through 3 hours of the same person talking about the same thing?

♥ Who do you want to take classes with? Some professors are clearly better than others. They understand students needs and are willing to put forth the extra effort to make sure you learn the material. For this reason, check out RateMyProfessors. Some people will post that a teacher is good because he/she is attractive. If you weed out those ratings, you are left with mostly accurate information (I just checked out my difficult professor and everybody seems to share the same opinion). You get opinions of professors in a variety of courses they teach. Having good teachers is KEY and I cannot stress that enough!

♥ How does your registration work? This semester, many students are having difficulty getting into a class because the system is saying that the prerequisites haven't been met. It is aparently a problem for many students getting into one specific class. The professor is really cool and understanding (my favorite in the department) and was willing to sign me into the class (even if I DIDN'T take the prerequite course). If there is a class you want to take, and the registration system will not let you into the course, the people you need to talk to so you can get into the course are more than willing to help out.

► If you are not doing something you love, then don't bother. Doing something you don't love will just make you miserable!
► Know your work load. If you can't handle 18 credits, then drop something. It is no use burning yourself out!
►Take interesting classes. There are many liberal arts classes you can take that fill various requirements. If something sounds interesting, take it! I highly recommend taking language classes!
►If you cannot get into your department because of low grades, then try becoming undeclared! There is no shame in it and your new advisor will have a general understanding of all departments.

This is what I was able to put together after scheduling this morning. If there is more to add, please comment about it!

Things I love Thursday

2010-04-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a week! Sorry for not posting one of these last week. I have been so busy with class and work that I didn't have time to post. I did give you a few other tidbits to nibble on in the meantime, so that makes up for it...right? Anyways, here is what I love now!

♥ Me Time: I have been spending a fair bit of time away from my boyfriend (boo work) so I have had to entertain myself. I have pre-written a post on how to keep boredom away and it will be posted soon! It has so many suggestions that you won't know where to start! Once you get over the initial feeling of loneliness, it is quite fun!

♥ New Outfits: Buying new clothes, pairing items in ways never thought of before...WHATEVER! I just got a new dress, a new pair of shoes, and I fixed up an old pair of shoes (a pair of high heels that was missing the nubby pin thing on the heel...and those were my favorite shoes too)! Totally pumped for the new outfit possibilities!

♥ My New Apartment: So it is official, I will have a new place as of July. The paperwork is signed, the deposit is in, and now I get the challenge of planning
the layout of my new place. It is much smaller (sad) than my current place, and it doesn't have a bath tub (more sad) or oven (REALLY sad), but the rent is much cheaper (happy), much less for utilities (happier), the landlord is really cool and won't charge us to let us back in if we forget our keys (REALLY happy) and I can have a kitty (EXPLOSION OF HAPPY)! I think the pros deffinately outweigh the cons and the fact that it is smaller forces me to think about what I NEED in my apartment and to find alternate homes for the rest of my stuff.

♥ Clean Apartment: last weekend, my boyfriend and I went on a cleaning spree. It resulted in throughing out accumulated junk, mopping a mystery stain from my tile (blue and sticky...Gatorade?) and being able to see my table and floors (if it is a flat surface, I WILL put stuff on it...^_^"). I am planning on taking all my winter clothes and some unnecessary things (unused blanket and all my stuffed animals) back home. This lets me see a puppy too!

♥ My puppy: QT is HUGE! She is about 60lbs and I think she has a bit of growing left! Every time I come home, she jumps around and is totally excited and in play mode! She is so funny to be around (she gives high 5's and hugs)! I can't wait for summer to come so I can play with her a bit more!

♥ Spring: With spring here, I have more range of what I can wear, so more possibilities of outfits. Also, I get to see lots of baby animals and pretty flowers this time of year. I see so many people walking puppies and people taking their dogs to the drive thru (I still think we should have dog treats for them). Driving to work, I go past a goat farm (I do live in the middle of nowhere) and there are baby goats!

♥ PSP: I love video games and there are some availible exclusively for PSP (PlayStation Portable). I have wanted one for about 2 years now and never was able to find one. I found a red PSP (modded) for really cheap and it came in last week! I have been playing it so much in my free time and it has been amazing (the button assignment is a bit awkward because the system has Japanese button assignment and games don't. You may think this doesn't make a difference, but when the exicute/confirm command keeps changing, it gets frustrating)

♥ Work: So, I finally have hours at work (one could argue that I have too many hours because I have extremely limited free time). Having hours means big paychecks. Big paychecks means shopping, which in turn means new outfit possibilities! Not only that, but I have been getting time on line (making the food) instead of as cashier. Going to work and doing the same thing every day gets pretty boring after a while (from a managerial POV, this is bad and you want to prevent this).

♥ Seeing Things as a Manager: I thought that there was nothing to being a manger and that I just had to spend lots of money to say that I am one, but I see things differently now. I can point out all the managerial flaws at work and think up of suggestions for what can be done instead. Example: One manager thought of making a star chart that coorinated with if we met out drivethru time. The idea behind this is "people will work harder if there is a potential reward involved". This is extrinic motivation (motivation from outside factors) and it only works in a very short term sence (as everybody saw). I suggested cross training people (mostly as a way to get me cross trained) because if people do different things everyday, there is a level of excitement and people will be more motivated to work. When the job itself is motivating, it is Intrinsically motivating. This type of motivation is proven to be much more successful.

♥ Being productive: So, this tag frequently shows up on my lists and here is the reason: I mostly am not productive even though I know how good it feels to be productive. I don't see finishing assignments or studying for a test as productive. I see working on my own projects or cleaning as being productive. I have written so much this week, plus I am undergoing a huge cleaning project so I have the space to indulge in my crafting projects. THAT is being productive.

♥ Lush: Everything I get from Lush is abso-freaking-lutely amazing. My skin and hair have never looked this good ever! I wish I had learned of this company sooner so I could have felt like this sooner. I feel much better about how I look, even on exceptionally lazy days where I stay in my pajamas.

♥ My nails: My nails have always looked like a wreck. I mostly washed dishes at work, so the actual nail was splitting/chipping off. I also had terrible looking cuticles and the skin around the tail was always coming up in little "tags" (I can't really describe it). Right now, my nails look healthy and pretty (even without nail polish). I have never seen my nails look this good unless I pay a ton of money for a manicure. Here is the post I wrote on what I did to get pretty nails

♥ My Birthday: I turn 22 TOMORROW! I am pretty pumped by this because birthdays mean parties! By boyfriend got me a bag full of gifts (all wrapped in pink). He knows I hate being taunted by having all of that in plain site so, he gave me something from the bag. He let me have the single cutest headband I have ever seen! It is hot pink and satin with a big bow on the side! Just looking at it makes me smile!

♥ Dave and Busters: My friends birthday is Saturday and he is turning 21, so he is having this huge bash at D&B. D&B is like Chuck E Cheese for adults (restaurant and arcade) with great food, awesome games and an awesome selection of drinks (I am assuming this because it has been quite a while since my last visit here and I wasn't old enough to get drinks). Every time I go there, I never want to leave!

♥ Shopping: On my way to D&B Saturday, I am stopping by home and my mom is taking me birthday shopping! New clothes without me paying? The college student within says "yes"! I have to abide by my moms rules for clothing (she analysis everything and seriously asks "Would Stacy and Clinton approve?") but I won't be beaten!

♥ High Heels: I have been wearing heels for the last few days and I seriously forgot how much I love them! They make me tall (I am 5'3") and I can look everybody else in the eye! I am not used to that (and neither are my friends) so it usually ends up with everybody around us laughing a ton!

♥ Cooking: I have never been one to cook, so it is surprising to see "Cook" on this list. I am not bad at making up breakfasty foods though. Since I have had a ton of time recently, I have had to fend for myself in the kitchen. I have a TON of eggs (I buy the 3-dozen pack from Sam's club), so this is what I ended up with. It is simple, but everybody I tell this too starts to drool (seriously, people actually were drooling as I told them what went in it).

♥ Crepes: This is going back to my birthday tomorrow, but my boyfriend said he was going to make me crepes. Nutella + berries (especially raspberries) + other crepe stuffs = pure yumminess! Garrett is amazing in the kitchen and takes any dish I already like and seriously makes it so much better. I WISH I had that kind of talent!

♥ Reciepts: My boyfriend kept all the receipts with the bags, so I was able to find out what I got for my birthday before I opened my gifts! He was so upset (fake upset) that I knew what everything was, then got sad because we were watching something together and I wasn't playing the game he got me. He is SO FREAKING CUTE! Also, I now know what I got without having to open the gifts (I hate seeing that I have presents, so I try and find out what I got as a gift before I am supposed to have recieved it!

Is there anything special that you love right now? Why not share it?

♥Mag-Elicious♥

How To: Beautiful and Healthy Looking Nails

2010-03-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

Not all of us has the time/money to spend on getting manicures all the time, but we still want to have nice nails. While getting pampered at a salon is nice, you can get great results from home for a fraction of the price!

Tools:
♥ Bowl of soapy hot water
♥ Cuticle trimmers
♥ Nail cutters
♥ Nail file (non-metals work best)
♥ Nail buffer
♥ Cuticle Oil
♥ Cotton Balls
♥ Lotion
♥ Clear base coat on nail polic
♥ Colored nail polish and topcoat (optional)

Start by soaking your hands in the hot soapy water (ordinary liquid hand soap is just fine, we don't need fancy stuff) for about 5 minutes. This softens the cuticles and makes it easier to manipulate. Once you are done soaking, push the cuticle back as far as it will go (you will see a semi-circle shape. That is entirely fine). Trim off any dead cuticle (hard/dry and white in color). DO NOT cut living cuticle skin as it will hurt and can cause infection!

Now, trim nails to desired length (making sure to cut off any damaged nail (if your nail is chipping/spitting into small sheets) and file them into shape. Note while filing: make sure to only go one way, not back and forth, as this could damage your nail and this is about taking care of damaged nails! Once your nails are at desired length/shape, get out your buffer and have at it! You can find a buffer at any beauty supply place. I like the buffer blocks because they look fun!

Now that all the trimming is done, we move onto the easy stuff! The next time we do is apply cuticle oil to all the fingers. You only need a small amount of this to be effective. Take a cotton ball and message the oil into the cuticle area and the nails. Here is a guide to make your own cuticle oil, otherwise, I found it for about $6 just by doing a Google search (Ulta has the $6 cuticle pen which seems like it would offer high quality).

After you messaged the oil into your nails, apply a lotion to your hands. Any lotion seems like it would be effective, but if your collect lotions, you probably have a collection of both hand and body lotions. After the lotion, apply the clear base coat. This will chip and take damage so your nails won't! You also have the option of appling all the color in the world to your nails at this step (or what colors of nail polish you own).

Pro Tip: This process also works well on your feet! For particularly stubborn dryness in your feet, use a pumice stone in the shower on calluses then, while feet still have some water on them, apply a lotion and put socks on. The socks take up some of the lotion so your feet get the lotion applied all over for hours! You will have softer feet in just a day!

This entire process takes about 15-ish minutes and after doing it just once, you see amazing results. Plus, all you are purchasing is supplies (which will last for a long time) so it is ultimately much cheaper. In the eyes of a poor college student, this is amazing news!

I hope after doing this you have happy and healthy nails!

♥Mag-elicious♥

Best Breakfast EVER!

2010-03-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

Alright, so being home alone, I have to cook for myself. I am not much of a cook at all (I'm suprised I haven't caught anything on fire to be honest). I was really hungry, so I made myself a large plate of eggs. Here is what all was in it:
♥ 3 eggs
♥spash of milk (it really gives it fluffiness and I never knew that before)
♥1 slice turkey bacon (because I don't like the fatty texture of pork bacon)
♥1/4 red pepper (chopped)
♥1/4 green pepper (chopped)
♥1/8 sweet onion (chopped)
♥1/4 teaspoon garlic (minced)
♥ pinch of shredded cheese

Cook bacon to taste (crispy or tender/juicy). Put onions and peppers in the same pan (I used a skillet which gave me a lot of space) and let them heat up and get tastified! When those are ready, take them off the heat. At this point, cut the bacon into little squares.

In a separate bowl, crack the 3 eggs and spash in the milk. Wisk until evenly conbined. Add the garlic and cheese, wisk, then add the peppers, onions, and bacon, wisk again. Pour mixture into a greased pan and cook it like you would normally cook scrambled eggs. Serve with toast and juice.

For juice, I got Simply Organge with mango (no pulp) and combined with pineapple juice (I have lots of canned pineapple and the juice from that is amazing). Propotion everything how you like and drink up. Delicious!!!

Hope you all can enjoy a scrumptious breakfast/brunch. You could split this with somebody as a side to something or as a smaller portion for breakfast.

Lush Haul: March

2010-03-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

So, I only get the chance to stop by Lush once every few months. I stopped by there about a week ago and picked up a bunch of stuff! My list of purchases goes as:

♥ Coolaulin conditioner: My hair has never felt soft in my LIFE! Seriously, this is the best conditioner I have ever used. I am not too fond of the smokey scent (It claims to be coconut, but that isn't what I smell). I got this as a free sample (I don't know if all stores do this, but mine does and I LOVE it) and I really think I will make a point to purchase it!

♥ Frosty Glitter Bubble bar: I was a bit skeptical of getting this because I have a Lush bubble bar and it doesn't bubble much (It contains shea butter for skin softening, but it makes it lack bubbles). I only used about 1/8 and I had a shocking amount of bubbly goodness! It has a great scent and I LOVE glittery! It even turned my bath water slightly pink! Such a good product!

♥ Each Peach Massage Bar: My skin feels so soft and buttery. I use this like a body butter because it contains coco, shea, avacado, and and mango butters (I just read that list off of the product description). It is also about half the price, so as a college student, I can actually afford this. My skin feels so amazing I can't stop touching myself (usually my arms, but sometimes my legs. Nothing dirty)!

♥ Candy Fluff Dusting Powder: If the color pink had a scent, this would be it! I smell like I just came back from a candy factory or a carnival! It also has a TON of glittery goodness! I use it sometimes with the massage bar so that I don't have the lotiony oily feel left on my skin (which can completely be avoided by simply rubbing the message bar into my skin more instead of just letting everything stay on top of my skin). I have never used a dusting powder before this, and I think I found one that I will use for the rest of forever! Also, my bathroom is covered in this stuff because it is a touch of the messy side. I think that it makes it fun!

♥ Shower Jelly: So, the shower jelly I bought isn't on their website (I took off the label and don't remember what it is called, but it is blue, glittery, and smells like berries). It seems like a great product and I have wanted to try a shower jelly for a while. I am waiting for a hot summer day to use it (it is chilling, literally, in my freezer). I do take it out every now and then to poke at it because it has such a fun texture! I am really looking forward to using it!

This haul seems to have been a great success! I have never been disappointed with a product I have purchased (The aforementioned bubble bar that didn't bubble was something I received with as a gift from my brother. Let's not hold it against him. He was being nice and that is all that matters ^_^)

Ok, Wait...What???

2010-03-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

So, my mind is always wandering and I have come up with many questions that, as far as I know, have no answers. These things are always running through my mind and I don't know what to do about them. So, I figured I would post them here. Partly as a way to maybe obtain answers and partly to share with you how my mind works! Well, let's dive in!
Why do girls use the word "ignorant" improperly and frequently?
So I am sure many people know EXACTLY what I am talking about when I say this. Example:

Girl 1: "So my boyfriend just dumped me!"

Girl 2: "WHAT? He is so ignorant!" (alternative to "ignorant" is "ignant")
I hear this mostly with girl who are black (I am not trying to be racist, it is merely an observation. I haven't seen any other group of girls do this) and I wonder if they truely know the meaning of this word. Ignorant means uneducated, not being a jerk. I really don't mean for this to sound mean at all! It is just something I have always been curious.

Crash diets sound ridiculous because they are. Eating like that is only going to damage your body. There are many ways to loose weight that are much safer/healthier/better than crash dieting. Cutting out cookies and brownies in favor of fruits is a good way to keep that sweet tooth under control. Turkey bacon instead of pork bacon is a delicious way to get your fill of bacon without the fat! Little changes like that can have a HUGE impact on how you look. Crash diets usually involve a quick drop in weight, then a quicker rise in weight. The effects do not last!

Why do professors have an Attendance Policy?

If students want to do well, they will show up to class, participate, and prepare for the class. I don't agree with "If you miss too many classes, your grade will drop because I say so". I think having a heavier focus on participation is just fine, but if I get sick frequently or sleep through my alarm, I don't think it is fair that I get punished! If I miss class, but still do well on the tests, that shows the professor that I know what is going on. I really think that the professors who use an attendance policy know that the class is mostly pointless. From personal experiance, I had an Interpreting Literature class a few semesters back. We had to read 2 stories a week. In class, we would each read a sentance of the story in order (similar to "popcorn reading"). This is at a college level, and if we missed more than 4 classes, we would automatically fail the course.

Why do people have such drastically different tastes?
Ok, I know that if everybody liked and disliked everything equally, we would all be robots! I just don't quite understand the way the mind works to determine what it is that we like and dislike. I cannot wear reds/yellows/oranges/browns yet I see so many people who LOVE those colors. It baffles me because I can't really stand to wear those colors...I guess it involves how we were raised and what aesthetic we were surrounded by in our impressionable youths?

This is just a snipet of what I think about. These posts seem fun so I will post a new one soon!

Things I Love Thursday

2010-03-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Things I Love Thursday! It seems like I just wrote my previous list yesterday. This week just FLEW past! Here is what I have fallen in love with this week!

Photo Credits:Joseph Valenti

The convention: I keep going on and on about it, but it was SO MUCH FUN! I have only gone to 1 convention a year since 2004 (my very first trip to an anime convention, Tekkoshocon) and it has always been in the spring. A while after the convention, I have this "Con High" where it is really one of the few things on my mind. I love going to it and meeting new people. It is a great experiance even if you aren't into anime/video games. The people who go to these conventions are really nice, creative, and they think rather differently (in a difficult to describe way, but it is a good differently).

Photo Credits: Scotty

Sleep: A basic human need has never been more loved. This is also convention related because every day was really long. I would wake up really early and get to bed far too late. I was running on approximately 12 hours of sleep for the entire convention. The beds at the hotel were extremely comfortable and I did NOT want to get out of them in the morning ::melt::

The Weather: Spring is finally here! I can go outside without a jacket! I love the warm weather. There are a bunch of people out in the quad of my campus playing music and having fun. Spring has so much more energy, it seems like, because it is the first time in months where people can go out and do stuff. People get excited and it is so cool to watch!

Lunch Dates: So I have been trying to have lunch with a friend of mine for weeks, but our schedules never seem to work out. Today was the first time in over a week that we have seen each other. We went to one of the campus dining halls for lunch and ran into a TON of people we know. I even ran into my friend Joe, who is a totally awesome physics major former tech-junkie. I got to hang out with him for the first time this semester (last time I saw him it was November).

New Apartment: Today I will be putting a security deposit on a new apartment. It is about half the size of my current place, half the rent, and I can have a kitty, There are some downsides to it (little storage space and no bathtub, just a small shower), but the landlord is the nicest guy I have ever met. I think things will even themselves out and everything will work for the best.

Hair accessories: I bought some new headbands. They are both black and totally cute. One is a giant (and I mean GIANT) lacy bow and the other one is a mini top hat (with a really cute beading detail). I also found my teal newsboy hat this morning (it fits better than I remember). They are a really good way to distract from bad hair days! Cute AND functional!

So that is it for my list this week. Is there anything you love?

Convention Highlights!

2010-03-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

So, A&G was amazing! I figured it would be because my friends who run it have great taste! Here are some of the things I thought were amazing!

Jason and Jenn Taylor: These amazing people run the convention. They got some awesome guests this year and they provide a different atmosphere to conventions by actually participating in events. During the rave, I saw Jason shirtless, covered in black-light paint, drinking something (clearly alcoholic) and stumbling around a bit. It was really cute and funny!

DMAshura: DM Ashura is one of the people to provide music to hit rhythm games such as Dance Dance Revolution and BeatMania (more popular in Japan than America, but still so much fun to play). I don't really know what songs he has done, so that makes me not a fan-girl. He was a really cool guy who spent a little bit of time in Japan. At dinner the one night (at Wendy's), we were talking about ketchup in Japanese (and how tastey we thought it was). Later that night, he heard me sing a little bit (after loosing a bit of my voice from being sick) and I am pretty sure he suggested that I provide vocals for him music (SQEEEEE)!!!

Artist Alley: There were some amazing artists that showed up this year. The table next to us made vinyl cut-outs (they had a big fancy cutter machine too) and had some really cute pictures. Another table had steel cut-outs. They had some really cute pictures too (they had one of Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop and I was the first person to correctly identify him). One girl was making the cutest hats while another table of 4 girls sold some awesome jewelry. One other table sold the sprites like we did, but we had completely different inventory, so it was cool. The funny thing about that table is that the one guy running it is a friend of my boyfriend from back home (we are from around pittsburgh and the convention was in Cincinatti).

The Con-goers: What convention would not be complete without the fans who go to the conventions? These people are really cool and fun to talk to. I particularly enjoyed the many people who asked who I was dressed up as (I wasn't dressed as any character, just myself). One girl was dressed up as Nanami from Suikoden 2. I was the first person in 2 years to correctly name her character (and for that, I got cookies)!!!

The Concert: I had some technical problems getting set up, but I only sung 3 short songs so time wasn't too much of an issue. I had somebody ask me if I would be willing to do a duet, if I would take requests, and if it was a panel (some of the panels were taking place on the stage, so it was understandable). The songs I sang (in order) were:
The Real Folk Blues (Cowboy Bebop closing theme)
Cruel Angel Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion opening theme)
Moonlight Densetsu (Sailormoon opening theme)

For the last song, I had a group of people cheering once they figured out what the song was (after about 2 seconds). It was really fun, and I didn't care that my throat was in pain! At the end of the concert, this little girl, no more than 12 years old, approaches the stage and gives me a Hershey Kiss!!! I would have felt bad taking it, but one of the artist tables (which was actually people advertising for another convention) was giving out a bunch of Kisses. It was so cute and fun. I also had a professional photographer ask if it was ok that he took my picture for his website! AWESOME!!! I am still waiting on those pictures to post, but I should have them soon.

New Ideas: Ideas for cosplays and ideas for new items to sell. The cosplay thing I am going to keep a secret, but I think I will sell my stuff under "Delightful Designs" and each item will fall into a different "Delight". It sounds kind of dorky, but cute and I am super pumped!

I have more Con-related posts on the way, so sit tight!

^_^

Style tips for the timid

2010-03-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

So, many people out there (including myself) are scared to push the fashion envelope. Here is a good tip for those who want to go outside of their comfort zone, but are scared.

Find an event where the fashion rule is "Anything Goes". I think of anime conventions (or other conventions where people cosplay as something). Put together a few outfits that you have never created before. Some people even go so far as to change what they wear throughout the day, so don't be scared of having too many outfits. If you are having trouble with this part (or if you only own jeans and t-shirts), borrow a friend. Borrow their opinion, their clothes (with permission), whatever. This may be a good time to get some new items. An easy way to put together a new outfit is:
~Tights
~Shorts
~Sneakers
~Favorite T-shirt
Most people have those kinds of items in their wardrobe, so it is an inexpensive way to put together a new look.

If your problem is in body issues (you may feel like you are "chubby" or "fat", but that is no reason you can't dress how you want), here are some pictures of people who put caution to the wind and went for a more risque look.

Felicia from Darkstalkers

Naga from Slayers

Just be sure that if you decide to dress in a costume, it is clean, and you don't come off as creepy. The following are examples of what NOT to look like

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me here!

Things I Love Thursday

2010-03-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

Photo credits:haraju2girls

BlazBlue Cosplay of Rachel Alucard (good cosplay)

Hi all! It has been one busy week here! I still have things to be happy about and things that I love. Let's check it out!

Being Useful: My boyfriend has been sick the last few days (OH NO!!!) and I have been taking care of him. It may not be the best idea since I have a concert on Saturday, but I am not heartless! I love making him feel better. I am constantly making him tea or driving him around. I LOVE it!

My Concert: My voice has an inconsistant quality about it right now (it is just because of the season, but sick boyfriends probably dont help), but I am so pumped. This is my first concert since 2006, and my first solo performance ever. I have 4 songs prepared and I am super pumped! Video to come (I always say this, but I end up forgetting to take the pictures/videos off of my phone).

A&G: This is such a cool convention! It is a family friendly convention, so many cosplayers (people who dress up as a specific character) have to tone down the amount of skin shown (I have seen some very skimpy cosplays (the costume of the character)), but the people who run the con are absolutely AMAZING! I met these people back about 2004, and soon after, they started dating, got married, and had a little girl (she is an absolute DOLL!!!). What a happy story!?!?

Impending Birthday: My birthday is coming up (the big 22), and I am just excited about the idea of shopping. I have already picked out a bunch of things I want to get (see last weeks post about the tutu heaven), but am just waiting on the funds.

I swear, I had more, but I didn't write it down and now I forget. :'(

Photo Credits: Unknown (I see this everywhere on the internet)

Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop (bad cosplay)

What has got your heart twitter-patted?

Things I Love Thursday

2010-03-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

So, the last few weeks has been crazy and I haven't been able to update. I'm so sorry about missing a post! But, what's done is done. Now, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Zima: Zima is the only surviving kitten of her litter. She is a little ball of white fluff (she is getting dark grey on her nose, ears, back legs, and tail) and makes the cutest little sounds ever! There was a fear that she wouldn't survive after an incident with a pomeranian, but she appears to be fine! She is starting to even get playful! She was batting me with her out-of-proportion paws and play biting! SO CUTE!

Designing: Inspiration struck while in class. I am going to design my own tutu. I want to keep as much a secret as possible, but you get this bit: silk ribbon embroidery. I haven't learned how to do this yet, but I have the supplies and books. I also have a mom who is knowledgeable on the subject, so if all else fails, she can help me!

A&G Ohio: This is an anime con out in Cincinnati that my friend runs. I just got confirmation today that, not only do I get an artist table, I also am giving a concert. I have been making up items to restock my inventory as well as rehearsing all that I can. I will get you a video of the concert when it comes. The con is March 12-14 and is a 24 hour con (there is literally something always going on). This is the coolest thing EVER (If you want to read more, check out my previous post)!

Outfits: I have been putting together so many cute outfits recently (not my typical jeans/t-shirt). I may have to start a section for all the awesome outfits I come up with! My 2 main pieces that I use are my tutu (bright pink and glittery) and my Gala Darling Dress (which is a bit too full in the hips, but it provides a fun challenge)!

eBay: eBay is a treasure trove waiting to be found! Check out some of the loot I have found!
Harley Avenue
Vivienne Westwood Rocking Horse Ballerina (knockoffs) - THE most comfortable thing I think I have ever worn (the bottoms are foam, not wood)!
Adorable Bunny Jumper - I have it and it is comfy, but I am not small enough to wear it by itself.
Awesome Cosplay Costumes (this is a lolita vampire from a 2D Fighting game called Blazblue)
Hair Falls (very in with the raver crowd right now)

Productivity: The past few Thursdays, I have been waking up early. On these days, I clean, do homework, make calls, make merchandise, or something! I always get SOMETHING done in this time. It feels really good too! I never was a fan of getting things done before. I always wanted to just be lazy and play video games! NOT ANYMORE WORLD! ;-)

Friends: Ok, so everybody has friends, and they love them dearly! I was very close friends with a girl I went to school with. We had a bit of a falling out a year ago, and only just yesterday started talking to her. She was my "go-to" friend if ever I needed anything. She always made time for me and listened to my problems. I have that friend back.

Apartment: My lease ends in August, so I need to move out before then (and trust me, renewing my lease is NOT an option). I called today to an apartment complex just outside of town. They have availabilities, they won't double charge me rent for my boyfriend, AND I can have pets!!! I am SO getting a kitty!!!

Special Mentions: Gatoraid (yummy), Turkey Bacon (I'm hungry. can you tell?), cat ears, yarn, magic pills (at least, I was told they would be magic. That is a post for another time), cuddling, watching anime, my boyfriend, anything clean, magic drinks (it is just a hot cocoa and peppermint schnauppes, but it is oh so tasty!), snow melting (it is pretty, but I am ready for warm), music, netflix instant queue (my internet is spotty, so it is only fun when the internet works properly), personal growth.

So, what are you absolutely in love with this week?

Apology + upcoming events

2010-03-03T09:51:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry for taking so much time off. I have been swamped with classwork and, since I want to graduate, takes a bit of precedence. Aside from class work, I have been busying myself with a lot of other things. I have an anime convention coming up in 2 weeks. For me, that means making a bunch of stuff to sell and rehearsing for a concert. I am so pumped about this con. Don't worry, I will post lots of pictures and other goodies.

Thinking of the upcoming anime convention reminds me of cosplaying and Japanese street fashion. A few months ago, I found the cutest hakama shorts EVER! Hakama are traditionally worn by men when they are practicing/competing in martial arts OR on formal occasions (hakama are the mens version of kimono in this case) as well as shrine maidens. Japanese lesson for the day!

I also think about how I used to be good at certain video games. I used to play DDR all the time, but moving to college and having bad knees prevents that. I am now working on being good at fighting games, but my Irish temper gets the better of me and I usually break down and cry (thinking about it, it is funny, but I don't see it as such while I fail at killing certain enemies).

My artist table is going to have even more merchandise than last year. I have expanded what I make and am working on building up inventory. My table is a mess because of one project or another, but it is TOTALLY worth all the fuss. My boyfriend helps where he can (it was originally his idea to get an artist table anyway), but he isn't as crafty as me (and he admits that my ability to crochet is like magic).

This year is going to be exciting also because I will be putting on a concert. Not having too much time to prepare, I can only perform a few songs, but I will TOTALLY make them count. I have been listening to Japanese music for many years and I have wanted to be a professional singer for years. Now is the time to see if I even have what it takes. I am so nervious and excited about this that my heart is racing!

The guests they have are pretty cool too. Last year, they had Steve Blum. STEVE BLUM!!!! He has done too many voices to even think about. He puts up with so many fangirls and fanboys and makes the best of it. AMAZING!

The best part about this convention is that my good friends Jason and Jenn Taylor are putting it on. I absolutely LOVE these two (and their little girl is SO CUTE)! They keep putting up with me despite all the hassling I do to them (I REALLY am sorry), and they are fun to hang out with. I have never before got to hang out in the "Con Ops" room of a convention.

Anyways, I promise I will be better about posting. I do like to post, so I really should find the time to do so.

PS: I found so many apology pictures, but I couldn't get them too work. BOO!!!

Radical Self Love Questions

2010-02-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

Photo credits: Angy Fotografie

So, there is a list of questions for how we are going about this experiance. You get an exclusive look at what my answers are!

What does RADICAL SELF LOVE mean to you?
~It means being as much as my 3-year-old self as possible. I was happy, care-free, and completely confident!

If you were engaging in RADICAL SELF LOVE on a daily basis, what would that look like?
~It would look like a fairy princess

What small pieces of that can you bring into your life TODAY?
~I am currently wearing a neon pink tutu.

Which qualities or attributes would you like to bring into your own life via the application of RADICAL SELF LOVE?
~I would like to have more confidence. I am sick of backing down on things I know I shouldn't. I also would like to be able to dress the way I want without the fear of people mocking me behind my back.

What beliefs do you currently hold that are stifling your regular expression of RADICAL SELF LOVE?
~I believe that if i do things in my own way, I will inevitably be mocked endlessly.

Are the people & activities in your life HELPING or HINDERING you in your quest for RADICAL SELF LOVE? Would you be better off without them?
~I would be entirely lost without the people in my life. They know how I am and they have noticed such a huge improvement in how I am since I started going to Gala's blog back in March. I also think that the activities in my life inspire me to be more me. I like video games and anime as well as making clothing and accessories. I think these activies mesh well because anime characters and video game characters have such unique and unusual outfits. I can't often find the types of items that these characters wear, so I need to make them. I feel strongly that the people and activies in my life are helping me achieve my goals of becoming a better me.

How can you reflect RADICAL SELF LOVE in the way you speak, the way you dress, the way you decorate your house, the work you do?
~I feel that for my budget, the way I dress reflects the idea of Radical Self Love. I think I could speak more calmly and use less vulgar language. The way my place is decorated can't really change. I hate white walls, but I am renting this apartment, so no repainting. I can't put much of anything on the walls because they are textured. I have cute pillows and lamps, but there isn't much more I can do to this apartment. As for work, I do crafting projects on a commission basis, but my fast food job is what pays my bills. I haven't been getting many hours, nor am I being cross-trained. This could result in me trying to find a new job. Let's just see how it turns out for next week when I was told I will be getting more days and finally being cross-trained (like I have been begging for months).
Who could you use as a RADICAL SELF LOVE role model?
Aside from the obvious answer of Gala Darling, who started all this, I would choose my puppy. She gets so excited to see anybody and is very quick to show affection. When I come home after weeks away, she doesn't care that I have been gone, just that I am back and that we are going to have fun.

photo credits: melting dolls

How about you answer these questions? You don't necessarily need to post them here, on your own blog, or anywhere on the web. Just use the answers to these questions to help you though the rest of the month.

<3
Mag~elicious

Radical Self Love Bible Assignment 1

2010-02-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

So, Gala wants us to keep a self love bible and will give us homework assignments. After acquiring a notebook, we need to write a pledge to ourselves to set the tone for the following pages. I am keeping a hard copy in a notebook as well as publishing my notebook entries here. That way we can all share our pledges root each other on. So, without further adieu, pledge!

I pledge that February 2010 will be the stepping stone for self improvement. I will see everything in a more positive light as well as further developing my person style. I will stress out less and let loose more!

Another part of the assignment is to find a totum. Something symbolic of this adventure. I have selected 2 totums.

This first one is a picture of my boyfriend. He formed his hands into a heart shape and put it up to his eyes. I have been doing this with him since soon after we started dating (3 years ago). I call it "Love-O-Vision" and it ALWAYS makes me smile!

This next is a picture of a ring. You can't tell because of the terrible lighting in my apartment, but it is neon pink (it came with a thing of nail polish from Hard Candy which can be found at most Walmarts). I love the color and it reminds me of when I was 3. I had many friends and was not the least bit self-conscious. I loved who I was and when I got a little bit older, I lost that. I had almost no friends and was the butt of many a joke. Kids can be very cruel and I am not in this for pity. I just wanted to let you know the explaination.

So, you have my pledge and you know my totums. What things are you posting in your bible, cupcake?

Happy News of Cuteness

2010-02-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! EXCITING NEWS!!! Last night, I went to my boyfriends house and we were suprised to see a pregnant cat. Before this cat got pregnant, she was mean and would attack you for no reason. Now, she is really cuddly! What is even better, last night, she had her first kitten of the litter. The little fellow is fluffy and all white and just squeeked to much. SO CUTE! There are more kittens on the way, as well as photos (I don't have any yet, but I will get them to you).

Also, if you missed the Puppybowl last night, you missed out. Bunny cheerleaders, waterbowl camera, and hamsters piloting a blimp all added to the cuteness of puppies playing together! The Kitten Halftime Show was also something you just had to see to believe!

More updates on the kitty sitation to come!

Things I Love Thursday

2010-02-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

Photo credits: Carl Loves Somersets

Do I have a list for you today! I got up extra early just to give you readers a tasty morsel!

Waking up and getting things done: So this is pretty obvious because I already said it. I was able to get my laundry done, schedule a much needed appointment, and write down all the things I need to get done. How awesome???

Drinking coffee from an endless cup: So, waking up really early means I need to drink coffee or else I fall asleep and get nothing done. My mom recently got me some GIANT coffee cups! She sells Longenburger (sp?) products and gets me a bunch of stuff at a discount. I never used the cups until this morning and let me tell you, it was amazing!!!

Writing my TILT list in a purple fountain pen in a monkey notebook: I got a Paul Frank monkey notebook for Christmas and I use it for everything. My boyfriend got a pack of disposable fountain pens and one of them was purple so I took it. It writes so nicely and the shade of purple is FANTASTIC!

Breakfast: Breakfast, as we all know, is the most important meal of the day. It gives your metabolism the kick it needs to get you through the day. I like eggs sunny side up with some shredded cheese and toast (with hello kitty's face on it). How yummy??? I love getting a good breakfast that isn't cereal...cereal can be just so boring. Also, I have been really into juice. I LOVE Simply Orange Juice (pineapple with no pulp). Eggs, toast, and juice is definitely a winning combo in my book!

Getting Classwork Done: At the beginning of the week, I realized just how much work I had to get done in the coming week. I have never been one for organization, so I thought it was about time to look over my resolutions. I wrote down all the assignments and when they were due and just took some time every day to work on them. Now, instead of 3 quizzes, 2 tests, and a bunch of readings to get done, I have 2 tests and one more reading. It is so much more manageable now. I have all my assignments written down in my pocket organizer and my refrigerator so I know what is going on no matter where I am.

Cheap Textbooks: Many college students get their textbooks from their university book store or, often times, half.com. Both places will over charge you for what you are getting. Abebooks.com and Chegg.com offers you the books you need for lower prices. Abe Books is a good place to go to if your professor allows for previous editions of books. I often see $150 books go for about $30-50. Chegg is a book rental site. From my limited experiance, they have the newest editions of text books for similar prices. You can borrow for a semester or more (if you request an extension). The best part of Chegg is that for every book you rent, they plant a tree.

Spending the Morning in Pajamas: I had a lot of free time this morning between the time I woke up and the time I had to go class. While I was doing laundry, I wore fuzzy pajamas. They are so warm and soft. I LOVE spending time in them.

Dryer Warm Laundry: Who doesn't love to cuddle up next to towels, sheets, and clothes straight from the dryer? So warm and soft...

Watching the Sun Rise: Normally, I sleep in as long as I can, which means that I can only ever see the sun set. Sun rises are really pretty and I haven't had the opertunity to see one since high school. The pale pink dancing with the blues...It was perfect!

Video Games Live: This is a touring concert that performs at various venues and is making its way to Heinz Hall February 11 and 12. I am trying everything I can to go and see it, but funds are tight so I am not sure I can go. My brother went to the show in Buffalo and he had back stage passes or something. He scored me an autographed program from everybody. How cool???

photo credit: Andrew Jalali

And the consolidated list: Pink tutus, Radical Self Love Month, The Office (the US version...I haven't really seen the UK version), making new friends, staying up really late with old friends, having really soft hair (yay Lush!), Netflix instant queue, PianoSquall, making rocks fizz (geology lab experiment), tweeting with my brother, string cheese (yum!!!), Dokopon Kingdom, Benedryl (it makes me not itchy so I can sleep), Simply Chic Collections (They will be getting their inventory posted this weekend. Check out "Maggie's Collection"), TV Kitty (a cute pink kitty that sits on top of my tv), my loving and caring boyfriend, flowers, Valentines Day anticipation, anticipation of new glasses (I have been needing new ones for quite sometime), hilarious jokes that are terrible (What is the difference between Tiger Woods and Santa? Santa stopped at 3 hoes), cute pictures of my silly puppy (they are not on this computer, but will be posted soon), and debating which Final Fantasy games are actually good (I have one friend who says 7 is the best, my boyfriend is obsessed with 8, and I find 6 to be the best and 9 much more enjoyable than 8).

Just a bit of silliness for that extra smile!

So much love this week! It astounds me how many things there are to love in a single week! What about you my sweet dumplings?

Simply Chic Collections

2010-02-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

So, if you don't know, I will be having some items I made posted on Simply Chic Collections website. I sent them in and they should be made available for the general public this weekend. Check out their blog for updates!

Things I Love Thursday

2010-01-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

It is that time of week where we reflect on all the happy!

Lush: Everytime I try a new product from Lush, I fall in love! I bought Ultimate Shine and Trichomania. I have only tried Ultimate Shine, but it was AMAZING!!! My hair is really soft and shiney. YAY!

Snow: I love when It snows because the snow is so pretty. Sure it makes driving conditions terrible and you need to bundle up extra and still freeze, but sitting inside with a cup of hot tea looking outside into a winter wonder land is quite relaxing.

Simpson's Seasons 1-11: I love older Simpsons. I am in posession of seasons 12 and 20, but I haven't seen 12 and 20 is rather dissappointing. The new stuff is too "Family Guy", which I don't find funny at all. Plus, older simpsons had such classic songs!

Sorry about the quality of this...It was the best I could do while keeping the original video.

Classic Simpsons is far superiour!

My Cardi-Wrap: While I was home for the holidays, I started working on a cardi-wrap. Since returning to school, I haven't touched it and that made me very sad. I was able to do some work on it last night. Now, all I need to do is put sleeves on and hem it. It is so close to being done and I am so excited! Pictures to come upon completion!

Snacking: I hate cooking and avoid it when possible. I prefer to snack all day as opposed to a large meal. Because of this, I finally got some snacky foods that are healthy. I have stuff for salads, carrot sticks, greek yogurt, and fat free cheese sticks. Yay for snacking!

How to Stay Inspired When Classes are Bringing you Down

2010-01-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

Classes, often times, are nothing more than a way to pass the time on your way to a degree. I am starting an experiment and I would like you to help me along so we can see if it works or not.

So here is the experiment: Take your binder (or notebook if you prefer) and find a picture that relates to your class (cute animals or pretty flowers for biology, geodes for geology, girls/boys in lab coats with test tubes for chemistry, rollar coasters for physics...you get the idea).

Print out these pictures (in color if possible) and put them in the clear front pocket of your binder (if you are using a notebook or a binder that lacks the transparent front cover, you can always take a plastic sheet protector and tape it onto your notebook/binder or put it as the first page in your binder).

The pictures should relate to the class so you stay interested. If in a few weeks, you are bored with the picture, change it out. The sheet protectors are a way to help keep the pictures looking nice while your binder/notebook takes abuse from your bookbag.
(And who better than Jude Law?)
Here is what I have so far for my classes
Geology and Lab (pretty self explanitory)
Business Law (And who better than Jude Law?)
Human Resource Management (such a funny episode)
Information Systems Management (I like desktop backgrounds, so I figure I use that as a picture for this glass)

Things I love Thursday

2010-01-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit:pattpoon of flickr

It has been a while, but I have a lot of things I love!

My Puppy: My little pup is growing up so much! She is really energetic, but is always ready to be picked up and cuddled (which is going to end soon because she is 5 months and 47 lbs.) She is always super excited to see me, and she just loves to play. She will fall asleep very quickly if nothing is going on (or she will squeek her squeek toy when my mom is teaching on her computer)

My Family: I recently lost my grandfather (it was the first grandparent of mine to pass, so I am still getting over the shock of it all), and that meant driving up to Albany (where he lived) for the funeral. I got to see all my family for the first time since my grad party in high school. I enjoy being with them, but I can never get around to visiting them because of the distance. It is such a shame...

My car: I finally got my car. It is a 2003 Hyundai Elantra and is the car I learned how to drive on. It is a dark blue-ish green and is soo pretty. I also have a car friend to travel with. None other than Yurtle the Turtle (Kohls is always selling Dr. Suess plushes, so check it out)!!!

My sewing Machine: For Christmas, I got a really nice sewing machine. I have used it for a few things already, and it is amazing. I am still getting used to things like changing the presser foot and needles, but it is all good.

Lush Bath Bombs: Also for Christmas, I got lots of Lush stuff. The bath bombs are really awesome! I like the fizzing in my hand! I love the smell of them so much, I dont care having to scrub the ring out of my tub!

Awesome breakfasts: So I made scambled eggs, sausage, and toast for breakfast a few days ago. Nothing too fancy, right? Wrong! The toast had a heart cut-out (by hand) and was filled with scambled eggs (which were filled with sharp shredded cheddar cheese, but you can use any shredded cheese if you wish). Garrett absolutely LOVED it! I would say it is a repeat thing!

Painting my nails: So I havent really been too into painting my nails for a while due to lack of time and the fact that my job makes my nails chip much more quickly than they should. I have started to not care so much and just paint them when I want. I can always take it off and reapply.

Nippon Ichi Games: Nippon Ichi makes tactics-style RPG's. Phantom Brave is about a girl who can see ghosts (It has been a while, but I think she needs to calm down all the spirits) and the DisGaea series takes place in the Netherworld (it sounds really dark, but it is really funny)! All the artwork is anime-esque and the games used amazing sprites rather than 3d images which can make a game look REALLY awkward (See Final Fantasy X). Be prepared to invest some serious time into these games. I have heard of save files that weighed in at over 1000 hours (take FFVII which is about 76 Hours (including side quests) or Chrono Trigger with is about 20 hours). The games have a very cute quality to them and they are really fun games for those who enjoy tactics-style games.

Just TRY and watch this without smiling. I DARE you!

Not as good as the other one, but still has it's moments. The ending ALWAYS gets me!

So what is making you smile?

Welcome 2010! (sorry for how late this is)

2010-01-21T07:46:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am horribly late in posting this and for that, I apologize. My life was recently turned upside down and I think I am getting everything back on track. Many people are already loosing steam from new years resolutions, so many those people will find this a little pick-me-up!

Let's start short term:
Get organized. I have never really been all that organized in my life. I am always scrounging around last minute to get things together. I purchased an organizer (blue zebra strip Keroppi organizer. It is SO CUTE!) and I will be able to keep track of assignments. I am also going to my apartment (currently at my parents house) and cleaning up a lot of stuff. My boyfriend is moving out soon, so I need to clear things out.

Eat Better. So, everybody has a different definition of what that could mean. For me, it means no eating fast foods and no eating a lot of carbs. No pretzels, chips, crackers, or drinking. I will reward myself with these kinds of treats with working out and loosing weight. I need to start cooking for myself (typically my boyfriend did all the cooking), so I need to not rely on ready-made food (high in carbs and sodium)

Work Out. So, you might have noticed the trend of really predictable resolutions. I want to be able to get back on my work-out regime. I noticed results almost immediately. However, I get really light-headed by a lot of it. I am going to try taking work-out classes and see what I like. I also need to get a hold of my badminton stuff (I know a fair bit of people who play) and get back into that.

Sewing project a month. I got a nice new sewing machine for christmas and I really want to use it. There are a ton of reasons to not do something (no money or time) but those are mostly just excuses. I already have a few projects planned out (and I got fabric to start one) and I am super excited about getting started.

Reconnecting with Friends. Since moving off campus, I no longer have a meal plan. Going to dinner with my friends at the dining halls was how I mostly stayed connected with everybody. I want to be able to hang out with everybody I was unable to hang out with. I might even try and save them from campus food! Who knows? I want to make it a point to hang out with people at least once a week.

Learn New Craft Techniques. I love beading and crocheting, but after a time, everything just feels the same. I want to make it more interesting. Not only will that increase what I can do, but it will keep me sane! Doing the same things over again cannot be healthy.

Read More. This is kind of vague, but the only things I read are assignments...things I need to grind through. I want to read at least one fun (non-class) book a month. To get a head-start on this, I have gift cards to Barnes and Nobles.

Pass the JLPT 4 Exam. Japanese Language Proficiency Test is a standardized test. Everything else about it is self explanatory aside from the number. The level 4 exam is the easiest of the tests. In Japan, they have a Kyu system (commonly seen to rank people in Go) where the higher the number, the lower the rank. Think of it in terms of medals and it makes sense (level 1 is like 1st place, etc.). I am studying to take and pass this exam so I have some way to differentiate myself from everybody else graduating with a BS in Business Management. I have about a year until the next exam is held in the country, so I should be fine.

Learn HTML. I am terrible at coding anything. I always try and it messes up. That makes it take even longer to put anything together. I want to be able to post pictures without tags from hosting sites...The ad tags tend to be large and obnoxiuos. I would love just regular pictures with not tags.

Done with short term. Lets move onto long term:

Launch My Business. I want to open up a combination cafe/bar/craft shop. Garretts little sister wants to open those kinds of shops too. I was thinking a partnership with her to get things started. I also have a name on Etsy and My aunt is starting an e-business (http://www.simplychiccollections.com/ check for updates) and she said she would sell my stuff on consignment. It seems like I have a ton of options and I am loving it!

PSA

2009-11-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

As the semester winds down, I am getting more and more tests and projects that are due soon. Because of my lack of time to be able to study and post about stuff, I am going to temporarily stop posting (until the semester ends). It makes me very sad, but since I fully intend to start back up, I will be able to take this time and plan out posts.

Love to you all
Mag~Elicious

Things I Love Thursday

2009-11-05T12:14:00.001-08:00

Happy Thursday everybody! How has your week been? Here is a peak at what I have been up to this past week!

New Roos: After a hard nights work on Sunday, I stopped to treat myself to a new pair of Roo's. They are comfortable and colorful and delicious! I have been drooling over these shoes for about a year now (I found them online but they were out of stock...also they were too expensive). They were also on sale. YAY! However, I can't find a picture of them and I have too much of a headache to take a picture of them (it involves going down strairs...I might not be able to get up)

Simpons Treehouse of Horror Marathon: So on halloween, I didn't have any plans and nobody was able to come and hang out with me). So, my boyfriend and I just started watching these from season 2 (then they first started) to season 11 (the highest season we have...they are up to 12 I beleive). We also drank Clipper City Hang 10 which, considering how strong it is, has a rather light and refreshing taste.

Napping: I am writing this right after waking up from a nap. Who doesn't love to just nap in the middle of the day?

Pom Pompoko: A studio Ghibli production about the sad fight of the Tanuki (I believe I mentioned these in an earlier post. Japanese raccoon-dogs that can shape-shift...and their power is derived from their over-sized testicles) and their forests. It is so sweet and cute, but very sad. I love it SO MUCH!

Ceasar Salads: I tried these for the first time last week and they are suprisingly tasty. I have never been a salad person, but since last week I have had so many of them its ridiculous!

Magazines: Back in September, I subscribed to 3 magazines via amazon (Marie Clair, Elle, and I forgot the third...^_^'). I have been getting Marie Clair since about a week after I subscribed, but I have only just now got my first copy of Elle (the 3rd subscription should hopefully be in before the new year...). I like getting fun things in the mail that aren't bills or junk mail.

Texts from last night: Texts from last night is HILARIOUS! People just submit bizzare text messages/conversations and people get to laugh about it. How awesome???

Gun O'clock: The only bad thing about this that I have come across is that its too quiet...I will let this Japanese commercial explain the rest.

stopwatch 5: This is a Japanese game where you have a stop watch and you have to stop it at 5 seconds. The catch? You can't see the numbers so you have to count it out! Just click the blue button under the stopwatch (it translates to start. When sounded it out, it is "sutaato"). How accurate are you?

I leave you with this video of Hard Gay. A gay Japanese man who is improving the community. and it's Hilarious!!! You have been warned.

A Few More Costume Ideas

2009-10-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I forgot to mention these in my previous post about costume ideas. Sorry!!!

T-shirt ninja: Ninjas are awesome, so why not be one for halloween??? Pretty easy costume to put together too it seems like. 2 black shirts, black pants, and black shoes! Have fun!

Three-hole punched self: This should be recognized by anybody who has seen the office. Jim takes 3 black construction paper circles and tapes them to his shirt all in a row. I would recommend 6 (3 front 3 back). This is a super-easy cop-out costume that people will sure to giggle at!

Hello my name is...: Another of Jim's cop-out costumes. Take a "hello my name is" sticker and just fill it in with another name. Bonus points if you put together a new personality with this new name. Steve could be an under cover agent, while Jenny is a stripping murderer. Have fun with it!

Ok, ideas have been had. Now, make a costume already!

<3
Mag~elicious

Things I Love Thursday

2009-10-29T12:49:00.001-07:00

It is that time of week again! Has happiness been around you enough?

~International Dinner: My school hosts an international week through their international department. Every night, there is a different international event (one night has a fashion show where all the exchange students display traditional clothing from their home country). The dinner is the main event of the week, and what closes the week. Many of the international students make dishes from their home countries and we, as Americans, feast! There is such variety as there are many different countries represented! It was an amazing experience last year, and I hope it turns out to be just as awesome! It is still a bit away, but I can't wait!

~STYX/REO Speedwagon concert: ANTICIPATION!!! I am too excited for words about this! It has been a while since I have seen their band, but they always put on a great show! I am hoping I can go to a meet and greet thing because I have always wanted to hug Tommy Shaw!!!!

~Getting assignments done: This has been a very stressful week of class and work. I have had 2 tests announced and had many a due date...and all I want to do now is sleep (dispite the fact that I still have a few more assignments and a test to study for).

~Halloween: I didn't dress up much (or at all) throughout the month, but I still love the atmosphere of everything! I am not one for scary movies, but I did see The Shining for the first time ever this week (it freaked me out so much that I was shaking and refused to be alone for the rest of the night). I don't get to go to any parties or even dress up really...(I have work tomorrow and Saturday).

~Princess Raccoon: This is probably one of my favorite movies. It is an artsy Japanese musical about how a human prince and a racoon (tanuki) princess fall in love. It is bizarre and hilarious! It deffinatly is full of win!
~Random piece of information: Tanuki are Japanese racoon dogs. They are master shape-shifters who get their power from their enlarged testicles! Now go and inform those who would find this amusing!

~Napping: This week has been so exhausting! I have felt like I could fall alseep while standing...at work! Being able to sleep right now is the most heavenly thing I can think of!

~Paula: Paula used to be a manager at where I work. I found out where she lives and got to drink with her ealier in the week. It was amazing!!! She is so much fun to hang around. She even has this hilarious roommate (I would hit on him, but I don't know what his reaction would be since he is gay). I also found out that it is a bad idea for me to have 6 10% beers. It was a fun lesson!

~Heated seats: Garrett had to switch cars with his dad so he can have his car taken in for inspection and repairs. His dads car was this giant Jeep thing (I don't like large vehicles) with heated seats. I love having my butt be all warm and toasty while going to work/school/grocery store/wherever!

Thats all for this week. Stay tuned for various updates, posts, and maybe a new look (I am trying really hard, but I am no good at web design)

<3
Mag~elicious

Home Remedies

2009-10-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday everybody! Today, I have some tips for how to feel better when your body is against you! I figured that these things happen to everybody and since these are all symptoms I am helping you treat, then this time of year would be perfect for it (seeing as how lots of people get sick this time of year). These are all things that an be easily done in your own home!

~Ginger Ale: Everybody knows that ginger helps an upset stomach. Ginger ale is what many people go right for when their stomach is angry. When ginger ale is nowhere to be found, however (at a restaurant or a convenience store), you can make your own! Just get Sierra Mist and Pepsi (or their coke counter parts). You fill the glass up mostly with Sierra Mist, then a splash of Pepsi, and you have ginger ale. I was skeptical of this at first, but I really found that this worked! Give it a try before you discount it.

~Baby Wipes: Immodium can only help so much when you have diarrhea. It helps in stopping it, sure. However, you are still left with the pain. Baby wipes are gentle and a better alternative to toilet paper (especially in this case). It really helps to take the pain away and isn't that expensive!

~Exercise: Light exercise gets your heart rate up and increases your metabolism. This means that whatever is making you feel ill will get processed faster! Exercise is also a good idea in general. Get in shape and fix a stomach ache? Sign me up!

~Vinegar: I was surprised to learn all the amazing things vinegar can do. This site has just a small list of things vinegar can do. It can also get rid of athletes foot, reduce the risk of getting type 2 diabetes, and reduce muscular fatigue. AMAZING! There are still more things it can do!

~Cinnemon: Similarly to vinegar, cinnemon is amazing! Here are just some of the things it can do!

~Sports Drinks: So anybody who has experianced a hangover knows how much it sucks! Hangovers are no more than severe dehydration. Sports drinks hydrate better than water alone. So, sports drinks will make you feel better. Also, don't use Ibuprofen if you have a hangover headache. Ibuprofen attacks the liver (in the same way aprin attack stomachs). Trying that could result in hospitalization.

Anybody else have home remedies that they swear by?

<3
Mag~elicious!

Halloween in 3 days!

2009-10-28T08:17:00.001-07:00

Happy Wednesday! So Halloween is closing in on us...and FAST! The other night at work, I had some people come in and ask me for some cheap, last minute ideas for some costumes. Well, I got inspired! Here are the things I came up with!

Homer Simpson: A recognizable costume. For this, all you need is an (over-sized depending on your body type) white shirt, blue pants, and a bald cap, and maybe some pillows (depending on if you need to fill out an over-sized shirt). If you don't have these items, they are easily found at thrift stores. Bonus points for either a can of Buzz Cola, or a can of Duff Beer (you can find novelty cans that have a deck of playing cards in them)

Philip Fry: Slightly less recognizable (Futurama wasn't as popular I believe), but just as easy to do. White shirt, blue pants, and a red jacket. Bonus points if you have a can of Slurm (same deal with homers cans) and/or the crazy orange hair.

Fairy (Girls): Froofy skirt (hot topic has really cute skirts in many colors), any kind of top (plain shirt, printed, whatever. I use my hot pink tinkerbell shirt), tights, and wings (threadbanger has an AMAZING tutorial for how to make your own if you don't have the money to buy your own. These are really cute and aparently, more durable than store-bought. I highly recommend this)

Fairy (Guys): green shorts and shirt. Really, just try to look as much like Peter Pan as possible. I would still recommend the wings because when people think of fairies, they think of wings.

Zombie: Zombies are pretty popular, so I figured why not!?!? Take a pair of pants and any shirt you own (make sure it isn't nice clothing that you would still want to wear). Cut some holes in them and toss them in the mud. You might also want to get some zombie make-up (seeing as how your skin looks too alive for a zombie)

A friend: This is for somebody who has none of the above available to them and literally no money (or somebody who was looking for an excuse to wear their friends clothes). This can be either for a guy or a girl (just make sure you can get the hair similar). Just raid a friends closet and put together an outfit that they would wear. Consider the pieces carefully and don't put things together your friend wouldn't. If you are a guy dressing like a girl, find some way to give yourself a chest (find a bra and lots of tissue would be my suggestion). Girls going as guys, find a way to minimize your chest (sports bras work great). If that is not available to you, then just wear one of your friends larger shirts (or a jacket over it).

Lolita: If you have the time/money, you can always make yourself a lolita dress. There are many styles, but I highly recommend looking on ebay for Chii costumes to get inspired. You can always keep t his in mind for next Halloween!

I hope this helps anybody who was stuck for ideas!

<3
Mag~elicious

Things I Love Thursday ( x2)

2009-10-22T14:30:00.001-07:00

Hello my beautiful people in the world! I hope you have had as good a week as I have! To cut to the chase, here is my TILT list!

My parents new puppy: I'll start with the biggie first. She is currently a 10 week old golden retriever. She has 2 names. My parents call her QTPi (3.14159). I don't think this is original because a few years ago, my dad got my mom a hoodie with that for christmas. Since I clearly dislike the name, I call her Satsu (the Japanese name for sugar). She is so cute and playful I can't take it! Let me explain the pictures!
1. My dad took a picture of me at the same time (his camera had a flash). No idea why there is a line, but I think it's cool!
2. Sleepy puppy with toy on her head!
3. Spawled out sleepy puppy!!!
4. Trying on her Halloween costume!

Low Ropes Courses: So, for my Organizational behavior class, we went to a low ropes course today. For those who don't know what that means, they are team building exercises, usually located in the woods, that are low to the ground. I have always loved these because I love anything that is like a puzzle. The one exercise was called "The Spiders Web". It is a giant net that involved passing people through the holes. There is a bit more to it, but it is really just tedious. I always find amusement in these activities!

Tests: I love the feeling of being done with a test. I don't like the stress and most of my classes are not too fun. It also doesn't help that I was never good at taking tests. The feeling of relaxation, like a huge burden has been lifted, is so amazing words cannot even begin to describe it!

Meeting up with people you haven't seen in a while: So today is the tri-state race for many of the cross country runners in the area. I was there volunteering for class (I got to wave cars into the parking lot...) and I got a chance to run into my old coach! She is a nice person, and very fair to her runners, however I always ended up getting injured in one way or another...She also coached my older brother and sent regards to him. Isn't that sweet???

Covet: So, I discovered this while writing my TILT list today, and in theory, it is amazing. Updates to come about this. What it does is analyzes you wardrode taste and breaks it down into different sub catagories (I am edge hobo/eclectic). You then put in what you like and don't like in clothing (color preference, patterns, and cut), what brands you like and dislike, and a price limit per each catagorie. It then sends you e-mails based on your profile about what kind of stuff is available. Because I am in college, I don't have much money (so I put my spending limit really low). Lets see how this goes!

New iPhone skins: So, loving Hello Kitty as much as I do, it seems natural for me to have a Hello Kitty phone skin. Now, I also love Target. I find such amazing stuff there. This time it is the previously mentioned skin. It was also really cheap ($10 compared to $ 30 from any AT&T or Apple store). also, who can beat black/pink???

Having a Microwave: Over the summer, my microwave exploded. I haven't been able to use it since and for the longest time, I kept forgetting to mention it to my rental agency. I finally did, and I have a working microwave. Because of that, I had to get rid of my hamster (I wasn't technically allowed to have him in the first place...). I can have popcorn now, which I am excited about!

Drinks: So Garrett and I have been experimenting with a different kinds of beer. It is always fun and exciting to try something new. I tried an import called Framboise and it tastes like raspberries! YUMMY!!! There is also a variety pack the I have tried recently. I can't remember the name, but the box looks like a treasure chest (mad props) and the beers have boating/pirate related names (more props). The awesomeness doesn't end at the packaging with this beer. All the beers have really smooth tastes. Even the hoppy beer didn't taste too overwhelming!

http://www.thejaylenoshow.com/video/clips/rainn-wilson-plays-earn-your-plug/1168750
If you like Dwight from The Office, you will love this!

What made you smile this week?
<3
Mag~elicious

Tips for Dog Traning

2009-10-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

My parents recently got a new puppy. Our previous puppy left this world back in June, and my parents felt their lives a bit empty. They felt that getting a new puppy was the solution (she will make an appearence this week, PROMISE)! I started thinking of how to train dogs to be good (I have seen many dogs that are not well behaved). This site offeres a lot of help for how to train a dog while making use of their instincts.

To break it down a bit, here is what I got out of the little bit that I read:
~Make the dog come to you when its hungry. Pup goes to its mom when it is hungry, so why should it not come to you? It is all about survival (it might sound cruel, but it's not)
~Crating a dog gives you pup a place to call its own (security), plus you get to keep your nice stuff looking...nice!

There is a lot of interesting information on that site. It doesn't offer much in the lines of nutrition, so here is a thread from somethingawful that is pretty comprehensive. It has a list of ingredients to avoid, ingredients you want to find, as well as brands that are considered good and bad for your pup. It is definatly worth the read!

My parents puppy will make her first official debut this Thursday (tilt!). You get to find out gender, name, breed, and see LOTS of pictures! YAY PUPPY!

Until next time!
Mag~elicious!

Things I Love Thursday

2009-10-08T10:29:00.001-07:00

Happy Thursday everybody! So I have had a pretty exciting week recently. Wanna know what happened?

Squat Body Weight: When lifting, any time you can perform some kind of lift at or above what you weigh is calls for some kind of bragging rights. It's hard and proof that you are sticking to your work-out. It is usually a good time for a reward! Squatting isn't that hard to lift body weight (lifts for body weight usually fall in the following order: dead lift, squat, bench press/military press)

Dips with no counter weight: A slightly different, but still commendable achievement (especially for girls). I have been so close to being able to do this for such a long time. I can only do 1 full set like this (8 reps), but within the next week or so I should be up to both sets! YAY STRONG!

Japan Club: Last night Japan Club helped sponsor a sushi demonstration. We got to learn a bit of the origin, as well as health benefits of vinegar (it is seriously magic!). Afterwards, we got to eat as much as we wanted (and request more of the kind we like). I tried this one that was considered "ancient" because they used a different vinegar for the rice. It was hollowed out squid with red rice inside. The single most terrifying piece of food I have ever seen and it was rather tasty (no picture available...sorry)

Corn Mazes: This weekend, I am taking my loving boyfriend to his first corn maze. We are going with a few friends from work and afterwards, I think we are heading back to my place to relax. Then comes breakfast, with heart shaped pancakes!!! I am SUPER Excited!

Not being Depressed: My schools counseling center sponsered a depression screening. You walk up, fill out a form, and then talk to somebody about what you put on your form. The guy I talked to was really nice (and cute!) and was saying that I have few symptons of stress! It is so amazing! I thought I had higher stress levels, but I guess I deal with it well! So cool!

Getting my microwave fixed: Tuesdays and Thursdays on my school are pretty crazy. In addition to the depression screening, there are many other tables set up trying to get people involved in this or that. One table was for my apartment. The leasing manager/land lady was there so I got to talk to her! I keep forgetting to mention my microwave to her so I thought she wouldn't believe my story. Apartently, I am not the only one to have a malfunctioning microwave. It is going to be replaced for free! I can make popcorn again! YAY!!!

Going Home: I live an hour away from my home, so I don't go down there often (partly because I don't have time and partly because I don't want to). Garrett and I have a few things we need to do at our respective homes, so that means this weekend, we are heading down that way. For me, this means I can collect more shoes that are in my closet! There is also the added benefit of getting all my warm clothes and such...

Fall Break: Like spring break, but in the fall...and shorter. It's a mid-semester break for the brains of all the students to not fry and fizzle out.

PAULA-CHAN!!!: Paula was training at the Taco Bell I work at (she is a manager for a different one) and she is hands down the favorite manager of everybody...and I got her cell number. Now I can bug her whenever! It shall be AWESOME!!!

For the win. Yay middle cat!

Things I Love Thursday (another late one)

2009-10-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

HAPPY OCTOBER! Here is my weekly Tilt list. It has been a rather exciting week for me, so I hope you enjoy!

October: It is now October. For me, this means a month of wearing Halloween costumes as regular clothing. I mostly stay with darker colors, but I will bring a pop of pastel and bright in too. Mostly, I wear a long cloak instead of a coat (it is surprisingly warm!) or cat accessories (I have 4 sets of ears, 2 matching tales, a choker collar with a bell, and fingerless glove paws). I love Halloween and try to celebrate it as much as possible!

Weight loss: I have been tracking my weight fluctuation all throughout the month of September. My goal was to loose 3 pounds. I lost almost 5 pounds. All was done in a healthy way, and most of it was from fat. Many pairs of jeans are now getting to be rather loose. Who wouldn't get excited over that?(...maybe somebody who is underweight to begin with, in which case it is dangerous...)

Fingerless Gloves: I have been crocheting myself a pair of fingerless gloves. The yarn is a variegated teal and REALLY fuzzy. It is sure to keep my arms warm on the chilly Autumn days.

New wallet: I got a new wallet from Clair's earlier in the week. It was on clearance and is purple and glittery. I needed a new wallet so I can keep better track of my cards (I thought I had lost my drivers license). Now, I know where all my cards are! YAY!

Job Fair: So my school played host to one of these yesterday. I brought in my resume and went to a few tables that caught my eye. Enterprise seems like the one I would like to go to the most. If that falls through, I can always go to another one in the spring. I also got to see a friend of mine there and spent a good bit of time discussing video games and anime. I am such a dork, but it makes life fun!

Fixing my bathtub: My bathtub hasn't been draining properly since I moved in (over a year ago...) so I finally looked up what I could do about it. Turns out it was an easy fix and the drain was clogged with a TON of hair (ew...)! I love being able to fix things! Girls, don't think that because you have a boyfriend that he is also a handyman. Take the initiative and figure out the problem and try to fix it!

Puppies: I have been seeing so many dogs around campus. It is unreal and adorable. I met a black lab puppy who was 12 weeks old. The TINIEST 12 week old lab I have probably ever seen. He was so energetic and playful, it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!

New blog design: I have been working for a few weeks on how I want my blog to look. I can't afford to hire anybody, but I do have a friend who is an AMAZING artist. She draws everybody in "Chibi" form and it is SO CUTE! I can't wait for her new chibi of me to be done (or I may just use an older one she drew of me last year).

Wow, action packed week here (moreso than normal since I don't live the most exciting life). hope you enjoyed it! Same place, earlier time for next week!

Lifting Essentials: A note about stimulants

2009-09-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I commented on diet pills and that the drugs they used to possess are not allowed in diet pills anymore. I went on to say that you can still get them, just not together. I would like to give some warning about them from personal experience.

When I am taking Bronkaid and Caffeine, I find that I have no appetite, increased body temperature, and I constantly feel nauseous. I am not even taking the full daily dose (1 of each pill 3 times a day for 2 weeks) and I feel twitchy (and not in some kind of fun way) and like my heart is going to explode!

Now, I don't mean to scare anybody with this note. I am only saying that this is how I feel. My boyfriend also takes these pills (and he does the full dose) and feels no different than how he normally does. I would not recommend this if you are sensitive to stimulants.

Remember, my lifting posts are only for the purposes of informing, not scaring. I am sorry if I scare anybody with these posts.

More lifting information soon! My next article is on lifting attire!

<3
~Mag-elicious~

Lifting Essentials 2: Myths and Facts of Weight Loss

2009-09-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

OK, so many people (including myself) have at one point suffered from believing myths. I am going to set some of them straight!

Myth: Magazine diets actually work!
Fact: Magazine diets induce loosing muscle and water weight. It does nothing for fat loss and the second you stop the diet, you WILL gain every ounce back. Sorry, but fad diets don't work. Rule of thumb - If it sounds like it won't work (cereal diet, coffee and peanuts, etc.) it probably won't.

Myth: Diet pills actually induce fat loss!
Fact: This was at one point a true statement. The drugs used in diet pills that made them work before are banned because they actually worked (I still think its stupid that they were banned from diet pills). You can, however, still get your hands on these drugs. Caffeine and Ephedrine are still highly available in most drug stores and grocery stores (that have a pharmacy). Ephedrine must be purchased at the pharmacy section. It is under the name of Bronkaid. It is also helpful if you have some breathing problems (it is actually used for asthma). Don't worry about needing a prescription. It is the same kind of deal for getting sudafed.

Myth: you can target fat loss by working only the muscles in that area.
Fact: Fat is gained evenly all over your body. Fat is lost in t he same way. You don't want to end up with one part of your body REALLY strong, and the rest pathetically weak, do you?

Myth: I'm a girl, so I need to lift low weights on high reps so I don't get bulky.
Fact: Girls gain muscle at a much slower rate and don't have the risk of becoming body builder bulky. Most women in body building competitions take testosterone supplements to become that bulky. Lift like a guy and see the amazing results. I am a girl who lifts like this, and I can already see the difference! I don't see bulk, I see a natural, sexy tone!

Myth: Machine lifts are just as good as free weights!
Fact: Machine lifts actually don't allow the same amount of motion. You really are cheating yourself by only doing machine lifts. Free weights are more intimidating, but most people in gyms are more than happy to help you out with form and as being a spotter. You always want to do research on your form so that you don't end up hurting yourself (I used to do hyper extentions by arching my back ALL the way up and ended up with a lot of back pain. I started going high enough to make my back even and the pain stopped).

Myth: Running is a good way to loose weight!
Fact: This gets exagerated so much. Running is a good aid to weight loss. There are many different kinds of running you can do (ex: distance training, interval training, etc.) Running is more effective, however, if paired with wight lifting.
Tips for running: Don't run on tredmills, concrete or other very hard surfaces, sand and other extremely soft surfaces. Cushioned tracks and grass are the best places to run as they won't induce knee injury (take my word for this, I learned this the hard way...)

Stay tuned for the next Lifting Essentials. Sorry for the delay between the first and this edition. I didnt feel qualified to write on a topic I wasn't taking part in (I stopped lifting over the summer)

<3
~Mag-elicious~

Things I Love Thursday!

2009-09-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so despite a lot of frustration, I have still managed to pull together some form of a TILT this week. YAY! Also, I have decided to combine TILT and Youtube game together! YAY LAZY!!! So, here it is!

Big bunnies: I LOVE large breeds of rabbits. It's like "my bunny can beat up your dog"! IT'S HILARIOUS! Not to mention adorable!

Shoes: Specifically, a pair of teal and purple pumps I got over the summer. The last time I wore them was in July when I went to see Les Miserables. Well, the nubby on one of the heels came off and I have been afraid of wearing them ever since. I think you would agree with me that not breaking a neck is a good thing. I found out recently that if you take it back to where you bought it from, they SHOULD be able to fix it for you. More on this as it develops...

Reuniting with friends: So my boyfriend is going to a career fair tomorrow at RMU. I have friends that go there that I haven't seen in such a long time. I am going to see if I can hang out with them. If yes, YAY! if not, I will go to a mall that is close by and get a manicure or something...

Boxata: moldy parfait + empty sofa box + a piece of tape + a stick + a stairwell. Confused? My brother is the one who endorsed this video.

Now, some things you may notice:
~the arcade game: My brother goes to RIT which is a school for the tech savvy. Many people who go there enjoy video games. So, in the dorms, it makes sense for them to have it. They also have SOAP (a shower-radio system) and I believe a vending machine that you have to go online to use(?)
~multiple odor eliminators: because that is what you need when cleaning up moldy parfait bits that get smacked everywhere...Some of the faces my brother makes in this are really funny (especially the ones that involve the stench).

Things I Love Thursday! (With Pictures!!!)

2009-09-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Although I don't feel well, I am feeling oddly festive. I also think visual stimulation will help me out. I am going to mostly let the pictures do the talking and let you, the awesome readers, decode the meaning! Note: Some may have multiple meanings, many that I haven't thought about.

I couldn't help myself with the Japanese Hello Kitty flag! TOO CUTE!

SOO much fluffy! who could NOT love this?

I didn't want to add too much stuff on top of the back ground out of its sheer awesomeness!

Because Oolong the bunny will be (and has been for years) missed.

I made all but the Oolong collage. All images were found in Google image search. I do not own these and I borrowed (without asking...sorry). If the owners find the images here and want picture credit, let me know and it shall be done.

have fun untangling (or not) my tilt list!

An Explaination as to My Absence

2009-09-14T08:15:00.001-07:00

Alrighty now, So I haven't posted in almost 2 whole weeks. EEEK!!! Why is that you say? Well, as I said in my first post, this blog is about my transformation into being a better me. I felt myself slipping back into some old patterns (being grumpy and unmotivated) and felt that that wasn't much to be posting about. It was me taking a few steps backwards and that just doesn't make any sense. However, I want to show that I have been feeling love (if only recently), so here is a belated TILT and Youtube Game!

Upcoming Concert: I have been a huge Styx fan since I was 8. My parents would take me to so many concerts without me even knowing. The biggest thrill of all was back in 2003 When Styx was touring with Journey and REO Speedwagon. I love them all and it was an amazing time. I haven't been to a Styx concert (or any concert in fact) since 2003. My boyfriend took pity on this and we went to STYX World to see if there was any upcoming concerts. It turns out that in early November, they will be in Youngstown, Ohio (Only about an hour from where I am)!!! My boyfriend and I got tickets and we will be going. I got the tickets in the mail and didn't open them until a few days after (I only saw that it was addressed to Garrett, and thought I shouldn't open it). When I looked at the ticket, I was surprised to see REO on there. I am so excited that anybody who walks by can feel it!

Garrett is on my lease: So the people I lease my apartment from are complete scum bags! My boyfriend only has a semester to go before graduation. The only way he can lease for a semester is if he lives with somebody who is leasing for a year. I have a bit yet before I can graduate, so I am staying for the year. They found out that Garrett was staying with me and were going to turn us into the magistrate...not too pleasant. My mom (co-signer) actually consented to having him put on the lease. YAY!!!

Prospect of dying my hair: So, because I have a job, I can only do things that they "approve of". I can't have any visible piercings except for in my ears (and there are restrictions for that too...), and I only recently asked about hair colors. I was told by one manager I can have no more than 2 colors (and I am talking unnatural hair coloring here...who would know if my hair was dyed if I went with 4 or 5 different natural colors that looked nice all together). I tried confirming it with my GM and she was unsure, so she is finding out for me today. YAY!!! However, I have to wait until I go in (the soonest might be Wednesday). BOO!!!

Bangles: I love the skinny bangle braceletes, but I am very picky about my colors. I was suprised to see the colors I wanted in Walmart. 20 braceletes (in 8 silver, 6 teal, and 6 purple) for $6! Who can beat that??? I wear them all the time!

Working out again: So over the summer, because of work and limited summer hours for my gym, I had very little opportunity to work out. Not that I minded because I don't like the act of working out. I do, however, LOVE the fact that my older brother is intimidated by me. I did end up gaining back some weight in the months that I haven't worked out. However, I dropped almost all of the weight I gained back in almost 2 weeks. It took me months to loose that weight before. I am well on my way to getting to my goal weight! That is what I love!

Because who doesn't love cats being silly?

YouTube Game + PSA

2009-08-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

So, everybody has seen this video of prison inmates doing the Thriller dance. I stumbled on another video similar. This dance appears in an anime called "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" I found another video of prison inmates performing the same dance! How funny??? Yay stumbling on awesomeness!!!

PSA: School has officially started for me and because of this, I will have more structure to my schedule. This means more posts, lifting updates (I took most of the summer off from lifting) with pictures, and Daily Outfit posts (because I think some of my outfits are really cute and I would love to share them)!

I will post more information about lifting, and on the first of the month, I will post Progress Pictures. These are a good way of showing yourself (and bragging to others) just how far you have come! So, expect pictures tomorrow!

<3
Mag~Elicious!

Things I Love Thursday

2009-08-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, another week has gone by, and another TILT is here! Lets see what is on tap this week!

School Starting: This may seem odd. Summer vacation is full of free time,part time work, and hanging out with friends until crazy hours of the night. Why would I want school to start again? Well, for one thing, school means classes, which eventually translate into a degree. I am one step closer to a career with every class I take. Another thing is that I get to meet new people (incoming freshman) and hang out with friends who don't stay up here over the summer.

Lush: My brother finally got around to getting me a birthday gift (birthday was back in April). I finally picked it up a few days ago and used it today. He got me Rock Chick. It smells like an explosion at a candy factory (with vanilla and cotton candy)!!! My only complaint is that I think I need to use the entire bubble bar for a decent bubble bath. I don't have that kind of money (or time to enjoy a long enough bath to warrent a new bubble bar each time)

Clean Laundry: The warmth of dryer fresh sheets and towels and the freshness of your favorite shirt is enough to make anybody want to do laundry more often. If you are like most college students, you don't get to do this as frequently as you would like. The main reason is the lack of quarters (which is why I had to put off laundry for so long. Clean laundry is so awesome!

Sunny D: It has such a sweet taste, it can easily overpower the taste of any vodka. Thus, making for a yummy drink!

Magazines: So I have purchased 5 different fashion magazines. I guess the style book that Gala suggested to make utilizes all the ads. Personally, they get in the way of the various articles. If I had the money to buy a Louis Vuitton bag, I might. They have so many cool style tips, make-up advice, and ways to stretch your budget (but it only seems to work for people with careers). I think I will save up my money and check out their websites.

At home beauty tips: This doesn't only need to apply to girls. Soft skin is always in style, no matter your sex. I will write an article on just that very soon.

Tastie snacks!: Wheat thins are so easy to open up and just start munching. before you know it, the box is EMPTY! They are so yummy! Also, Pizza bites are amazing! My boyfriend and I can each eat one of those large bags if we really wanted too (we almost need to get 2 different bags when we do get them because he prefers the triple pepperoni which is too spicy for me.

Booties: I only saw these for a while on iCing. Now, they are turning up everywhere and I LOVE them. However I don't have a lot of money...

Henna: So, I am going back to red for a while, once I get everything I need to dye my hair. I am going for a natural route that won't leave my hair damaged and brittle. Henna is supposed to condition your hair as it dyes it. shinier hair BECAUSE of color? Hello, sign me up! No matter how many chemical dyes say they condition, they still do a fair bit of damage to hair. The only thing with henna is that you can only go darker.

Bindis: What better way to add a spash of color and sparkle to your outfit than with a Bindi. Self-adhesive gems are perfect for spicing up an outfit. Also, they are CHEAP!!! Anybody who makes more than $20 a week and get some!

Wow, this seems like a long TILT for me. Guess I had an AMAZING week!

So, what has made you smile?

<3
Mag~Elicous

Youtube Game

2009-08-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hey Hey! Ready for a daily dose of FUN? Who isn't? And, the youtube game of the week is: A GAME! Yes, a series of youtube videos that form a game. The object? Find Sparta, the owners cat. He is a silly cat with many hiding places. Ready to start? Click Here!

Good Luck!

<3
Mag~Elicious

Things I Love Thursday

2009-08-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have had kind of an exciting week! So many things so smile about, where to begin!?!

Making cheap vodka taste like expensive vodka: I have heard this before, forgot about, and was reminded of it last week. Take some really cheap vodka and any water filter pitcher. Filter the vodka a few times and taste the difference. I was skeptical about it at first, but it really takes away the harsh bite! AMAZING!

Fuzzy pajama pants: So I am always cold. Everywhere I go, everything I do, I'm cold. I can't even explain it, but temperatures that most people find warm can feel that I am cold to the touch. To combat this when I am lounging at home, I wear my winter pajama pants (blue, fuzzy, and amazing)! When people come over and look at me, they think I've gone crazy or something. Sucks to be them being all cold and without fuzziness.

Working in Drive-Thru over summers: I cannot tell you how many people come through with cute (and not so cute) dogs. I even had a family come through with the family rabbit. Awesome? Indeed!

My family feeding into my LUSH addiction: Before I went on my cruise at the end of June, I made my first visit into a Lush store. I came out with 2 bars of soap, a free cream sample, body glitter message bar, and a hangover emotibomb. My brother just finally got around to getting me a birthday gift (my birthday is in April, but I'm used to getting b-day gifts into September because people never know what to get me). My mom also announced that she is getting me some stuff for X-Mas, along with a gift card to I can just go in myself and get more stuff! I like lush stuff, but i like it even more when I can go in and smell everything and decide if it is indeed what I want.

Free Kennywood tickets. For those who do not live around Pittsburgh, Kennywood is the local amusement park. It isn't like Hershey Park or Cedar Point, but it has a lot of charm, and many memories. My parents got us enough tickets to go as a family, but with my brother living in another state, and both of us finding it difficult to get home at all, let alone at the same time, we cannot go as a family. My bother said right out that he won't be able to use the tickets, and my mom said it was cool if I go separate from them (so at least the tickets to in fact get used). My brother gave his ticket to me and Garrett and I are going there on our own. SCORE!

"Random" visits from managers from other stores. We had a manager from a different store for a while. I don't quite know why, and I am far too lazy to inquire. All I know is that she is awesome (she taught my how to make mock ginger ale). She is really fun and easy to talk to. I haven't gotten to see her much because she left for her original store. She pops in periodically for manager meetings and for trading items. I MISS YOU PAULA!!!

My hamster: I have the weirdest hamster. He is so cute, but odd. He climbs up the sides of his home to get to the second floor (where his food is), sleeps ontop of his home, behind his wheel, on the back stand for his wheel, and occasionally buries himself next to his wheel. He is a little fatty, weird as all hell, but I love him!

Flirting with other girls: I have been doing this on and off since high school and I have found it to be quite amusing, not so much the actual flirting, but seeing the reactions from other people...either those involved or spectators. I don't mean for this to come off as offensive. I just think some of the reactions provoked are amusing.

I thought I had more, but I am finding it hard to think of anything. Oh well. Maybe I will remember for next week. Remember, Think happy thoughts!

<3
Mag~elcious

Youtube Game

2009-08-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have spent very little time on youtube this week. So to make this post easy, anything by Parry Gripp is AWESOME! So cute (some)

and funny it's amazing

So many cute animals eating! Who can say no?

Not so cute, but HILARIOUS!!!

If this doesn't make you go "awww..." I don't know what will!

This is so cute it makes me want to cry!

Parry Gripp has his own site here
You can get all of his cute hits there! Sadly no video. YAY YOUTUBE!!!

Things I Love Thursday

2009-08-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

So, iCing just had its 100th TILT this week. Gala said to make it big, so lets see what I can do!

Making Perler Bead Sprites: I go to anime conventions (I call them cons) sell perler bead sprites (I have a deviant art where I will post lots of pictures). My last con, I sold quite a bit and I need to restock the supply of sprites. I am making sprites in poses that we (my boyfriend and I) didn't have before. I miss making these things. They are easy to make, and I can do it while watching my favorite movies! Who doesn't love watching their favorite movies!?

Going to visit Garretts mom: She works at a bar and is really fun. She always is getting us food. Also, she is always getting me to try a new new beer (I like trying new things). I also got to hang out with her ex-boyfriend. We had many laughs over Fail pictures. It was SOO much fun!!!

Plush Backpacks: They are so cute! Not a lot of people wear them and they get a TON of attention! Try to find them in your favorite characters!

Hats: Again, cute. There are so many different kinds of hats that there must be some style for everybody.

Cuddly Cats: So there are 2 cats at Garrett's moms place. There is this MEAN cat who belongs on here, and a really sweet kitty. The nice kitty has been converted recently to an outdoor cat (sad). When he is around, he flops so much (and today, he gave me love bites). He is so cute and sweet. I love him and want to take him home!

Getting more hours at work: So a girl got fired recently. She was not reliable at all and couldn't learn the register after more than 2 months. Nobody liked her and she wasn't smart (and was a bit of a whore-wannabe because she wanted t sleep with half the guys who worked with her). I got one of her shifts and it's nice because I need more hours.

Painting Warhammer minis: Warhammer is game based around minis (miniature plastic or metal figurines). They are really detailed and fun to paint. I just got more minis primed and ready to paint. EXCITEMENT!

Slinky: C'mon! Who doesn't love the original slinky? It makes such a delightfully hypnotic sound and it is mesmorizing!

Posting on Thursday: Holy crap! A TILT on THURSDAY! Sheesh! I have had such a hard time posting when I want to. Jeez!

Stay tuned for more posts

Mag~Elicious

Youtube Game

2009-08-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

So it's Monday. The start of another week. You just had a fun weekend partying with friends, shopping, or just doing stuff you like (unless you work at a fast food place and work weekends like I do). Summer is winding down and many of us are back to school. Right now, more than ever, is a depressing time of the year (unless going back to school means being liberated from family, like in my case). Either way, we can all use a good laugh. So, I propose the Youtube game. It is simple: hop onto youtube, do a search, and click various related videos and see how far away it takes you from your original post (or just check out all the funny stuff that you get).

On one of these rounds, I started by looking for cute animal videos (I like looking for animal videos), and these are some of the results:

Ok, that is kinda sad, but I laugh SO MUCH at this video.

This video is so cute and sweet! Also, Muffy is my absolute FAVORITE! Check out her awesome personality!

Ok, so check for this every week for some new awesome hilarious videos. Post your own too. It is fun to share videos that you find!

Things I Love Thursday!

2009-08-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

So it's a bit late again, however I haven't had working internet in my apartment for about a week now. This would also explain the lack of other posts recently. So, here is my list of awesomeness for the week!

Finding beer I actually like: So, I have been drinking more beer recently. It hasn't been terrible because it's wheat beer (I got a raspberry flavored one, but I couldn't taste any raspberry). It doesn't have that horrible bitterness associated with most beers, but it is a good way to relax after a ton of unnecessary work-related stress.

Hanging out with my boyfriends mom: So, she works in a bar, and is now constantly asking me if I want something to drink. She also is constantly feeding us, and last time I went down to that area, she offered me one of her cats (the mean one who left a scar on my hand...but it's the thought that counts). She treats me like I am family, which is awesome!

Kennywood: Ok, so anybody from around the Pittsburgh area knows of the amusement park Kennywood. It is just a bit of local flavor, and it's a very small park. It is fun though and has lots of fun rides. My mom has some tickets to go, but it is hard to organize for all of us to meet and go (my brother is going to school in New York and my managers are jerks when it comes to calling off). Because my brother might not be able to go, she told me that she was going to maybe just give me 2 of the tickets and I can just go on a day I choose with my lover boy!

Going through old music in iTunes: I have a different computer hooked up at my apartment (the one without all my music) I fully plan on going through it and picking out some classic tunes to listen to (having only the same few artists and albums to listen to can get boring quickly). All of my awesome Japanese music is on there, plus a slew of other stuff I can't even remember. I also have some awesome CDs that I need to rip onto my computer and put onto my iPhone (can you say "spice girls"? I know they aren't that great, but it is hilarious to listen too).

Crocheting: I love all kinds of crafts (and soon will be making an etsy account). I have recently started crocheting again. I am in the middle of the floppy beret and it is AWESOME! Garrett also said that he wants to learn how to crochet because he wants to make me a scarf! That is ADORABLE! He even picked up this giant thing of yarn so that he knows he will have enough.

Breakfast: Yummy cereal and turkey bacon? Who can say no to that? Also, omeletes are pretty amazing...if only I had eggs in my fridge. I cannot start doing anything without breakfast! Without it, I get REALLY grumpy (and that isn't a good thing with an Irish temper).

Upcoming Fall Fashion: So I looked up up the the lastest fall trends. I don't typically do that kind of stuff, but did it anyway for laughs. Fashionising has some amazing articles about what will be in. I am pleased to see that cloaks and capes are in fashion! I have had a cloak in my closet since high school and wear it all the time in october. I figure that is the only month I can get away with it with the fewest amount of jerk comments (but those comments still don't deter me from wearing what I love). I also like the new boots that are coming in. They are SEXY!

Renesme: My friend got a kitten a few days ago and names it Renesme (she is a huge twilight girl). This kitty is so cute, small, and playful! She was found at Macy's (I forget which mall it was at) and my friend took her in. She has been saying it is "her cat". She has always wanted a kitty like her. YAY FINDING LOVE!

Stay tuned for more awesomeness! (I have a number to call now to get my internet working again, so my next post WILL BE SOON! I promise!)

Lots of Love!!!

Mag~Elicious

Things I Love Thursday (just a bit late)

2009-07-31T18:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so getting on a computer is sometimes difficult for me. Yesterday was one of those days where I was busy at work and running errands that I was unable to get to. SO! Here is my TILT!

Hanging out with the people I work with. I work with a fun bunch of people! They get along with so many people (and I know the people they don't get along with). Talking about fashion, shows, and general insanity is always humorous!

Clearence Sales!!! I got this AMAZING purse at Target for only $6!!! can you believe that? It is bright blue and awesome! It was originally supposed to be $30! LUCKY!!!!

Cleaning hamster cage. This sounds a bit odd, and I know it. The act of cleaning the cage isn't all that entertaining, HOWEVER, Maestro ( hamsters name) is so cute when his cage gets cleaned. He usually does laps climbing up his cage (then falling down). I love my hamster! Cutest and weirdest hamster ALIVE!

Looking through unused cosmetics. I have a basket of avon stuff I got at a wedding shower last summer. There is some stuff in there that I have used (mostly nail polish). Turns out I had shave gel and a hair removal cream. Sweet Deal!

Being asked to host a Twilight Party. Now, I am not particularly a fan of Twilight (I don't agree with any of the sparkling at all because vampires DO die in direct sunlight), but I get to hang out with more people I work with, plus consume baked goods (which I am not supposed to have because of my diet, but screw that! cake!!!). Good times shall be had by all!

Thats it for this weeks tilt! Tune in next week for things that have made me smile!

Lifting Essentials 1

2009-07-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

So I go into the gym, and every time I see a slew of people doing exercises wrong, or doing a useless workout. Everything I see is absolutely ridiculous! Here are some tips for in the gym

Clothing: Loose, comfortable shirt, stretchy pants or capris (I recommend not wearing shorts for a variety of reasons, but the main one is because it is physically painful for certain exercises), and the proper shoes. I wear converse low tops because I have a lot of ankle mobility, and I am not fighting against a lot of cushion for some of my exercises. Don't go and get really stylish clothing for the gym. It makes you stand out and it looks ridiculous and is not necessary at all (there is a girl at my gym that dresses like an '80s music video dancer).

Knowledge: Know what you are doing, how to do it, any why you are doing it. Before trying a new exercise, look up videos of how to do it. ExRx is a great place to see how an exercise is done properly. It also gives a nice description of what it does and breakdown of how to do it (the videos are small and in black and white, making them hard to see). It shows you perfect form so you can see EXACTLY how to do it. Youtube is a bit spotty with these kinds of videos...it ends up mostly being videos of people showing off how much they can lift (usually with not very good form). However, good lifting videos DO EXSIST on Youtube. I found one for bench press and the guy talked everything through. It was amazing!

A spotter: Not only is it safer to have a spotter, they can tell you how to improve your form (assuming they know what the proper form is). Don't risk it and rely on your own strength. Don't cheat yourself and not do as much as you know you can if your spotter isn't there. If you can't have your normal spotter, ask around in your gym. Most people there are more than happy to help another in need!

Water: Being properly hydrated eneables you to lift more and it prevents you from being really dizzy. I cannot stress enough the importance of proper hydration. Years ago, I ran cross country. Our coach always told us that if you are only 10% dehydrated (which would not sure in your urine), you would be about 15 seconds slower. If that is what 10% does, then I don't want to know how what happens when its more than 10%...

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more lifting essentials (I didn't want to overwhelm everybody)

XOXO
Mag-elicious

Make it your own!

2009-07-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

Wow, so it has been a long time since I made a real post. Not a lot has happened...working mostly and not being around a computer has contributed to a lack of new posts. Also, finishing up Final Fantasy 6 is eating up most of my free time. Having a few friends over tonight just to hang out (all people I work with, plus their significant other and kids). I WILL get back on track with posting though! Now, for your feature presentation:

I bought myself a new purse! It is bright blue and awesome. I think that I can make it more me...more personalized. I like to modify things by adding something to it. So, I went to a few craft stores (Joanns, Michaels, and a local bead shop) and picked up a few charms (mostly heart shaped ones since my focal piece is a large purple heart). Now, I know how to weave some chain mail (a basic European 4-in-1). I am going to make a diamond shaped 4-in-1 and at the base of it, attach the main heart. I will learn how to make one of the many styles of cord and attach the rest of the charms. All of this is going on the large ring that attaches to the purse strap. Project finished!

Find something you like and make it your own. Modifying stuff isn't that hard. All you need are a few tools and a sourse of inspiration. Google can be your friend. Many other people modify lots of stuff and you can just look at what they did, and try to re-create it. Give it a try! If you are hesitant, try a practice run (or don't do modification that involves cutting).

~LOVE~
Mag-elicious!

Things I Love Thursday!

2009-07-23T19:07:00.000-07:00

It's that time of week again! The day where I relive all the awesomeness of the past week!

Seeing Les Miserable. Ok, so navigating through Pittsburgh is nothing short of hell. I usually end up crying from stress. The traffic around the theater was deadlocked, so my boyfriend let me out so I at least can see the beginning of the show (he has seen it twice now). He drove around for another 40 minutes before he found a parking garage with an open spot. He was so frustrated and tired when we got there (and sad that he missed his favorite song)

Being told that you are the only one working who didnt drive the manager crazy...more of the people working that night were being loud and unruly. I was the only quiet "normal" one.

Painting Warhammer minis. Warhammer appeals to both my boyfriend and myself. Garrett loves board games of all kinds. He also loves how different we can make the game. I love it because I love anything that involves crafts. I am not good at painting, but I love it anyways. Painting in such detail on those small figures is impressive and I applaud those who can do it well.

Watching The Office. I love the Pam/Jim thing is so cute! Also, the Dwight/Jim thing is HILARIOUS! I like when Jim convinces Dwight that it's Friday (it is supposed to be Thursday)

Hanging out with tattoo artists. They are really cool guys, although a bit intimidating. They are fun to talk to. They are also very friendly and enjoyable people.

Being done with classes. When I was in the middle in classes, I got no hours at work and I was just very stressed in general because of tests and projects. I just really like having time to myself and for relaxing. I will finally get around to my bubble bath!

Savannah cats! These things are totally awesome! They are larger than most cats (about as big a medium to large size dog), they LIKE water, and are really curious about anything that you do. They are so cute and silly. They jump REALLY high (they can easily chill on top of a fridge without having to jump on anything...just floor to fridge top). The only down side is that they are one of the most expensive breed of cat...($6,000-$21,000 for an "f1" which is mostly wild cat so they are bigger).

I think it's good to think about all the good things that happen. When I think about all the good things that happen, then I take focus off of all the negative things that have been happening. I find that I have been happier since I have started doing this. It really does help.

What a Weekend (and it's not even over!)

2009-07-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, Friday started as any other day really. Got up, went to class, got picked up and went to work. Read a few hours (since I ALWAYS show up early on days I work), then clock in. Deal with the various stresses of work, come home and relax. Well, after I got home to relax, my boyfriend and I got into a huge fight. The end result was that I wanted to kill myself and we slept separately that night.

Cue Saturday morning. Wake up and surf the internet for a bit. I have recently been reading up on eft (Emotional Freedom Technique) and how it can be used to heal your body of many things (what research I have done shows that it can do amazing things, like cure what medicine cannot). I have many negative things in my life, just like anybody else. I was watching a few videos (with headphones on) when My boyfriend finally came down to talk to me. I decided I wouldn't let him know what I was up to because if ever there was a skeptic, it would be him. He realized that that his reactions were comepletely uncalled for, and wanted to go through with what we had planned for the day (he got me tickets a few weeks ago to see Les Miserable at the Benedum (in Pittsburgh)). He was so much nicer and sweeter than the night before (and was making sure to be extra kind and was holding me a lot which helps me calm down)

The show wasn't until much later in the evening, and we had some errands to run. I picked up a medication from the drug store and we went to his house to drop stuff off and pick up a few things. When we got to his house, he got a call from his mom asking to stop by where she works (currently, she is helping renovate the bar she works at). We get there, and she gives us really yummy food and offers me a beer. Now, at this point, I have tried a few beers and haven't found one that I actually like. Yesterday, however, she finds one that I actually would tolerate for an evening (I have been forced to tolerate beer before because that was what we had bought, but this beer was much better). It was an apricot wheat beer, and it was a lot milder than other beers because of the wheat. I was just really shocked that I found a beer that is closer to me liking something.

Nothing really special happened the rest of the night. City traffic sucked and my boyfriend let me out of the car and gave me a ticket to the show so that I wouldn't miss the beginning. He went on to try and find a parking garage and was about a half hour late for entering the show (he had seen it twice before though, so he knows what happened).

I just think that it was weird how we started out in the middle of a fight and went to really happy (and me having the slightest of buzzes...).

This I Love Thursday!

2009-07-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have been taking part in this for the past several weeks on Gala's site, but I always felt a bit weird expanding it. Now, I can post as much as I want. This week, she assigned homework. Not just a regular "TILT" post, but an alphabetical one. So, here it is!

♥ A is for...Aoife Fae! This is the new name I want. Seriously, I want to change my name. This morning, I found out what I want to change it to. I looked for a site that had baby names and meanings. Aoife(pronounced EE-fe) means Beautiful/Radient. Fae means fairy. This is the closest name I have ever encountered that I feel is me! I'm excited and I am going to try it on!

♥ B is for...BELTS! I always see such nice outfits and really cute belts on people I see on campus or just walking around. This is the first I have actually seen that I fell in love with. I typically don't find much stuff at Forever 21 that I like. The website almost seems as messy as their store (I may have just had a bad experiance at the particular store I went to, but there were huge piles of clothing that didnt seem to be folded and at the racks, many of the hangers were just thrown onto the racks and trying to take down one item to look at it seems impossible).

♥ C is for...Chocolate. Really, who doesn't love chocolate? Everything about it is amazing. There are also so many different kinds of chocolate that there is something for everybody (personally, I enjoy dark chocolate, but I won't turn any of that away...I guess that is why I needed to start lifting...^_^)

♥ D is for...Dwight K. Schrute. The Office is such a funny show, and Dwight probably my favorite character. I know he is supposed to be the jerk, but he does it in such a funny way...usually while shoving food in his mouth.

♥ E is for...Eating. Food tastes so yummy, and it gives us the energy to live. Because we have this energy, we can do things and not be dome boring, cranky person.

♥ F is for...Forgetting lyrics. This may sound terrible of me, and I realize that. However, it is one of the most obvious indicator of whether or not a singer lip syncs or actually sings. Ayumi Hamasaki, one of my favorite J-pop singers, is ever. She is so cute when she forgets her lyrics (and her audience still loves her). She even shouts an apology at the end of the video. There is another video of her at a New Years count down a few years ago, and she forgets the lyrics for quite a long time, and just goes with it. The audience kept on singing and dancing and just had fun with everything!

♥ G is for...Google. I love being able to put in a ridiculous "how to..." question, and then getting so many hits. Not only hits in general, but accurate hits! I also like how it doesn't have all the annoying junk on the front page (see yahoo).

♥ H is for...Hats! I have had this hat since high school. It is missing a charm (it was a star), but I still love it! It's teal! It's soft (It is made of suede)! It's SUPER CUTE! If ever there was a "signature item" in my ward robe, it would be this little number!

♥ I is for...iPhone! They are so convenient. It's like a micro computer! Apple is so innovative and awesome! I would never want another phone in the world...except maybe a newer iPhone a few years down the road!

♥ J is for...Japan! I love more Japanese singers than American singers, I would rather watch a movie with Hiroki Narimiya (Nana (see N)) than Owen Wilson. The language is mysterious, beautiful, sexy, and awesome! I know so many nice people from Japan, and everything about the people, the language, the culture, and the pop-culture is so amazing and awesome!

♥ K is for...Kariza Wraps. I first found this little treasure when I went to Miami (yay cruise!). They are over priced for what they are if you go to one of the stands. I found them in many other shops in Key West, however the quality was terrible. Trying to find a color combination that I actually liked made this quest much more difficult. I ended up buying a few because even if the quality sucks, I would be able to still be able to use it as a pattern. They are simple in design and one wrap can be worn is so many different ways.

♥ L is for...Love! My boyfriend of 2.5 years. He is so sweet and puts up with so much of my crap. How can I not love him??? He got some of my technical stuff for this site to work properly. He is amazing, he's adorable (look at his picture!), and he's mine! He also smells REALLY nice!

♥ M is for...Molly. She is the best pup I know. She had to be put down a few weeks ago, and I am still coping with everything. She was 16.5 and very sick when she passed away. She stopped eating and even drink water. It was a very sad sight, but I love her. I will forever miss her. She was my little sister.

♥ N is for...Nana. I love this manga series so much! I cried so much at the end of it. It was also made into an anime (which I love!) and a movie (which I also love!!). The movie stars Mika Nakashima, an amazing j-pop singer with an air of "don't make me kick your ass"! She has an amazing voice and I love her style.

♥ O is for...Old English Sheepdogs! They are so cute, giant, fluffy, and playful!

♥ P is for...ParaKISS. From the same creator as Nana. I have drawn much inspiration from this anime. I even designed a piece of jewelry based on this show. AMAZING!!!!!

♥ Q is for...Quarters! I do my laundry at the facility provided by the leasing agency. Coin operated laundry is annoying, but I can clean all the clothing I want when I have a giant stack of quarters! They are more convenient than we realize!

♥ R is for...Roller coasters. I love going to amusement parks and riding all the rides I can, especially the ones my mom has dubbed "happy-go-pukey". My mom gets dizzy very easily from most rides...the result is the nickname.

♥ S is for...Sakura Trees. Possibly one of the beautiful things in existence.

♥ T is for...Tommy Shaw!!! I have been a Styx fan since I was 8. My parents took my brother and I all the way out to Albuquerque, New Mexico (we live in Pittsburgh, PA) back in 1997 for our fist concert ever. It was amazing. But above all, I have been a huge fan of Tommy. During another concert(when I was still small enough to be picked up by my dad) I had Glen tickle my palm with his guitar pick, and I was still screaming Tommy's name. That's dedication! In retrospect, I wish I did give Glen a bit more credit...

♥ U is for...University. I like being at my school because there are so many people I met here. On top of the fact that it is assisting me in my future, it is a place that I can call home. I know all the short cuts to get to class, and all the side routes to take when its winter and I don't feel like walking outside a lot. It is also where I met a number of my good friends.

♥ V is for...Vanilla, an amazing song by J-Rocker Gackt. This video is particularly amusing to be because he violates a band member on stage for most of the song. Hello fan service! You can tell that they don't lip sync because when Masa (the guy who gets violated) is being violated, you can hear that he stops playing. I respect Gackt all the more for that.

♥ W is for...W. The cutest j-pop duo in existence...hands down!

♥ X is for...X-rated movies...especially when they have plots! It is HILARIOUS!!!

♥ Y is for...Youtube. Really, there are so many different videos. It is kind of frustrating when you are weeding through fan tribute videos just so you can find the original, but some of those fans have talent.

♥ Z is for...Zoo! I love going to the zoo. I love animals, and getting to spend the day going from one exhibit to the next is so much fun.

Ok, that took a TON of effort and a few hours!!! I'm terrible at making REALLY long lists. When you put a length requirement on it, that makes it so much harder...geez!

Love to all!!!

~Aoife Fae~

Day in the life of Mag-elicious!

2009-07-15T11:26:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I am taking a summer class. Usually when I get out, my boyfriend has already left for work. Now, I don't have a car, so if I ever want to go anywhere, I need to hassle him into giving me a ride. Today happened to be a day where I had to walk home because my boyfriend had gone to work. Now, I just put in my headphones and go on my merry way. Today was a bit different. As I was walking, I was passed by a guy whose book bag was COMPLETELY open. There was a lot of papers and stuff, so I let him know. We ended up having to go in the same direction to our respective houses. We talked about music (I was listening to Styx today), roommates, and pets. This is the first time I ever just had a conversation with some guy I had never really encountered before. Sure, I talk to people I have class with. I also talk to customers at work and people I do club activities with (I am in my schools Japan Club). I think implimenting some of Gala's techniques about just faking confidence really does work.

Also, on a completely unrelated topic: We all know the dinosaurs were killed after an asteriod hit Earth. However, what we don't know is that this was self inflicted! The dinosaurs summoned an asteriod by means of magic! They all commited suicide!!!

Last night, I was playing Final Fantasy 6 (the GBA version), and my party encountered a T-Rex monster that summoned a meteor shower. The above is just silliness.

Hello All! ~intro~

2009-07-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody, and welcome to my adventure. I have been a "nonpariel" of the blog iCing for the past few months, and I have started living my life a little bit differently ever since. I have been more concerned about fashion, and I want to live a happier, more "sparkly" life. I will try and update this as frequently as possible. If there is any questions you may have, just e-mail me.

Some of the changes I have made in my life:

♥ Dieting: By this, I mean in the form of a life style change, not just a temporary. It is also not some kind of "fad diet" featured in so many magazines. After lengthy research, all of those diets make you loose water weight and muscle, thus increasing body fat percentage. My diet is more general than these diets. I simply eat a lot of carbohydrates in the morning and after working out. The rest of my calories comes from protein in lean meat. Chicken breast is one of those most common things I eat. I also am trying to drink a ton of water everyday. Another thing about my diet, I cannot drink soda (I was born in New York, so deal with it). Even diet soda has many artificial sweeteners that aren't good for you.

♥ Working out: I go to the gym 3 times a week. My work out then is strength training, consisting of squats, military press, bench press, and dead lift to name a few major exercises. I also do some kind of cardio workout 5 times a week (or at least try to). This ranges from Frisbee, to racket sports. I would just go running, but while I was in high school, I was on the cross country team, and not by choice. Because of this, I now have really bad knees and a deep hatred for running.

♥ Being more fashion minded: I often find that shopping for me is extremely difficult. There are few things I like, and I find that I often have a hard time finding things that fit properly. I even try the next size up or down, but to no avail. This is happening a bit less now, because of working out. I am wearing clothing I bought years ago, and they fit better now then when I bought them.

♥ Being Sparkly: This may sound silly, but I think its fitting. Gala Darling (she will probably get mentioned frequently because of all the recent inspiration I have recieved from her) is the first person I heard of who used this phrase. Its about being the best, happiest, most fun you possible. Nobody likes to be around grouchy people. I don't like it, and despite my best efforts, I know I can be a bit grouchy. I know that when I get like this, people distance themselves from me. That isn't cool at all. I try to do some basic things like smile more, stand up straighter (both of these things sends signals to your brain that you are happy). I find that It really helps.

This blog will probably be changing in appearance until I find "my look", so please be patient.