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mebediel · 6 years

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Tagged by @toooldforthisbutstill!

when did you last sing to yourself?

Yesterday, I think.

if a crystal ball could tell you the truth about anything, what would you want to know?

Who wrote the Voynich Manuscript and what does it say?

what is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

Oh, that’s hard to answer. So far, my greatest accomplishment has been graduating university without imploding, but hopefully I’ll surpass that accomplishment soon!

what is the first happy memory that comes to mind, recent or otherwise?

Rather recent one: getting accepted into grad school :3

if you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living?

I’d probably quit my job, decline my grad school offer, and move back in with my parents/travel around the world saying goodbye to people and places.

do you have a bucket list? if so, what are the top three things?

I don’t, but here are three things I’m making up on the spot:

1. Learn Shanghainese,

2. Get published in the academic world,

3. Get published in the fiction world.

describe a person close to your life in detail

My sister:

Short-medium height; long, long brown hair; brown eyes; heart-shaped face.

Analytical, artistic, broad-interests, sometimes awkward and self-conscious, often opinionated and argumentative.

do you feel you had a happy childhood?

Overall, yes. There were definitely a lot of rough spots, and I regret the ways I acted back then, but I wouldn’t trade any of the bad experiences for the world because they’re part of what made me grow into who I am now.

when did you last cry in front of another person?

Literally today on the train in front of a bunch of strangers lol.

pick a person to stargaze with you and explain why you picked them

The friend occasionally nicknamed Egg (he is not on this site) because (1) he knows astronomy and I like stealing knowledge from people and (2) we used to do that in college sometimes and it would bring back good memories.

would you ever have a deep conversation with a stranger and open up to them?

Yes, and I’ve done this before.

when was your last 3am conversation with someone, and who were they to you?

I think in December, and they’re a college friend in a different city.

if you were about to die, and you could only say one more sentence to one person, what would you say and to whom?

"Thanks, Mom, love you.”

what is your opinion on brown eyes?

They’re great, they’re pretty, and I need them to see.

pick a quote and describe what it means to you personally

“All wishes are not idle, not in vain

fulfilment we devise - for pain is pain,

not for itself to be desired, but ill;

or else to strive or to subdue the will

alike were graceless; and of Evil this

alone is dreadly certain: Evil is.”

- JRR Tolkien, Mythopoeia

The poem as a whole is important to me, but this passage in particular I think encapsulates the idea that (sub)creation is an act of hope and defiance in a dark and painful world.

what would you title the autobiography of your life so far?

Not Lost, I Promise

what would you do with one billion dollars?

Pay for education (mine and others), build homes (mine and others)...I don’t really have a conception of how much a billion dollars can pay for, so I guess the rest can go to various charities.

are you a very forgiving person? do you like being this way?

I would like to say that I am, but I don’t think that’s my judgment to make. How forgiving is “very forgiving”?

would you describe yourself as more punk or pastel?

Punk

how do you feel about tattoos and piercings? explain

Cool on other people, but the idea of altering my body wigs me out.

do you wear a lot of makeup? why/why not?

No, I don’t wear any makeup. I never thought that I needed it, and now I’m not patient enough to learn + I break out when I do + it would take too long in the morning + I save money by not wearing it.

talk about a song/band/lyric that has affected your life in some way

CORNY BUT Switchfoot’s “Live It Well” from their album “Where the Light Shines Through” made me cry my third year of college. It helped me change my attitude toward a lot of things that were going on that year, which in turn helped me be more understanding and act more respectfully toward the people around me.

list the concerts you have been to and talk about how they make you feel

Erm, I haven’t been to a lot of concerts honestly. I went to a TobyMac concert once and a Switchfoot/Relient K concert. I tried to go to a Mitski concert with my roommate but we got the date wrong so we’re trying again in a couple months. I like them! I don’t think I could go to a concert alone, though.

who in the world would you most like to receive a letter from and what would you want it to say?

A specific medieval professor (Geraldine Heng). “You are smart and not dumb :)”

do you have a desk/workspace and how is it organised/not organised?

I have one of those corner desks from IKEA. It’s not super organized...there are books on the shelves/all along the top, and the rest of it is covered in papers and stationary and random stuff. Part of the problem is that I need more drawers/organizational furniture, but I don’t want to buy anything until after I move to a new place.

what is your night time routine?

Collapse onto bed, go through tumblr/emails, pet cat, force myself to get up and brush my teeth/shower, crawl back into bed.

what’s one thing you don’t want your parents to know?

All of my political views. They already know some of them and the result hasn’t been the awesomest.

if you had to dye your hair how would you dye/style it and why?

Hmm maybe some ombre of purple or red. I think it’s pretty. I can’t dye my hair easily because it’s so dark, but I don’t want to bleach it.

pick five people to go on an excursion with you. who would you pick and where would you go/what would you do?

My sister, my three childhood friends, and one of my college friends...lets call him Potato. We’re all pretty different, but the combination of the five of us would mean that there’s enough overlap in interests that no one would have to do any activities on their own. And I’d pick Japan because (1) one of the childhood friends is currently living there, and (2) it would be cool to take a couple weeks to explore the different aspects of historical and modern culture there.

name three wishes and why you wish for them

1. That I were better at abstract analysis. So that I could analyze better,

2. That I could memorize things better. Faster language acquisition + know more facts/poetry,

3. That I had more time in the day. Get more things done.

what is the best halloween costume you have ever put together? if none, make one up

I made this really janky Glunkus costume once and it worked out pretty well. It was a joke on the “sexy cat lady” costume...you see a girl in pleather and cat ears and then she turns around and her face is just a void with teeth.

what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done while drunk or high?

I’ve never been drunk or high, but the number of dumb things I’ve done while sober is still pretty considerable.

if you’re a boy, would you ever rock black nail polish? if you’re a girl, would you ever rock really really short hair?

Sure, why not.

what’s your starbucks order, and who would you trust to order for you, if anyone?

My Starbucks order is literally just a tall chocolate milk or a tall Chai, depending on my mood. I’d trust anyone with that order...it’s pretty hard to mess up.

what is the most important thing to you in your life right now?

Learn all the things and learn them well.

Tagging:

@paranormal-paralegal, @ashinypenguin, @molybendium, @pekasairroc, @mnmdash...anyone else who wants to do this?

#meb's stuff

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gothify1 · 5 years

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OK, team, it's time for a little mid-December holiday shopping check-in. How's it going? While I encourage you to maintain your sanity by all means during this wild time, I also want to remind you that there are only a couple of weeks left until the big show. If you haven't started shopping yet, it's not too late! It is time to take action, though, and there are no better giving options than beauty gift sets to really get cooking on that shopping list . I. Love. Beauty. Gift. Sets. Seriously, they're a passion of mine. Not only are they an easy intro to brands we're curious about, but they also make for the most thoughtful gifts (hence, the name). But, of course, all gift set are not created equal. Among the many compelling reasons to bye them for ourselves and our loved ones, there are also a handful of traps these mini product collections often employ that make them unworthy of space in our lives. As an editor who's seen just about every variation of gift set known to man, I consider myself particularly well equipped to spot these scams from a mile away. Ahead, read up on the 5 most common gift set traps, and what to buy instead. We've all been fooled into falling for the idea that more is better. Sometimes our eyes play tricks on us, signaling to our brains that a set packed with dozens of products is the dreamy addition you've been waiting for. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is the 70/30 rule: if you or the person you're shopping for wouldn't be interested in at least 70% of the included swag, then there's probably a smaller, more curated set that would better serve your intentions for giving it. There's no crime in being a major fan of certain brands. We all have those connections to certain labels that stick with us for life. But, don't fall into the trap of buying a gift set just because of the brand name on the package. Really consider what's included in the collection, and whether those items would go to good use. Gift sets tend to have special packaging, signifying a seasonal theme. We're all about some gold leafing on the box, but we take serious issue with gift sets that employ highly unnecessary packaging, like extra plastic wrappings, boxes, and sectionals. Not only does this practice tend to be a cover-up for the fact that there's not as much actual product inside that package as it seems, but it's just plain wasteful. The point of a value set is–you guessed it–to deliver some sort of value. If a set costs more than buying each of the products inside individually, then there's really no point in spending the extra coins just to have them neatly packaged together. Samples are a wonderful way for consumers to get acquainted with a brand, which is why retailers like Nordstrom and Sephora routinely offer them...for free. If you're investing in a gift set full of testers, I'm sorry to tell you that you're doing it all wrong. Deluxe samples are about as small an item as you should pay for. Healthy hair, anyone? Any haircare fanatic will appreciate this discovery set of French favorites. I don't play games, but when I do, it's in the name of a good hair day. While you're nursing some epic hangovers this holiday season, treat you hair to some TLC, too. Commemorate the holidays with an at home spa day. Detoxify your bod wherever, whenever. Who's due for a shower product upgrade? Snag this set for the pal who needs to relax this season. Now, this is a set you'll probably want to keep for yourself. No judgment! You deserve nice things, too. You really can't go wrong with Jo Malone. I'm pretty sure heaven is scented with Boy Smells candles. The natural beauty guru in your life deserves to spritz a new, clean fragrance in the new year. Is there anything better than a Herbivore bath set? I think not. Get the salon manicure look at home with this collection of high-shine, long-lasting polishes. A box full of nail tools to help you achieve the best at-home manicure of your life? Sold. Discover your new favorite shade of nail polish with this set of 24 mini-bottles. Do you know someone who's constantly polishing on the go? She'll love this non-toxic set of essentials. This soothing oil and textures jade roller are must-haves for combating indulgence-related facial swelling this season. Trust me: the Glossier stans in your life want this. This is the perfect collection of products to ward off the winter blues. Tone, hydrate, and soften your skin in three easy steps. This is the perfect gift for that friend who swears she doesn't need to wear sunscreen everyday. Before there was hangover brunch, there was hangover skincare. This tried-and-true set of Caudalie classics will excite any true beauty lover on your list. Brighten up that mug, just in time for the new year. When all else fails, French pharmacy favorites are always there to save the day. Who doesn't love a classic Burt's Bees moment? Give the gift of celebrity skincare favorites. This line is beloved by everyone from J. Lo to Victoria Beckham. Your gua sha curious comrade will be pleasantly surprised to open this chic set. Kiehl's is always a good idea. If you know anyone who's been toying with the idea of hopping on the Drunk Elephant train, this comprehensive set might just be the deciding factor. Dewy skin is always in. Whether you're shopping for a first time La Mer user or a superfan of the brand, this gift is sure to impress. This is a dream kit for the Sephora lovers in your life, who are always down to try the latest and greatest in skincare. Noni fruit and turmeric drive this range of brightening, purifying skincare favorites. Plus, they're totally clean. Introduce a friend to this cool-girl approved line of clean cosmetics. Even the girl who has everything will be impressed with this luxe box of makeup artist-approved clean beauty essentials. This one's for the Little Monsters. It's all about the eyes. This luxe set is the perfect gift for anyone who believes that red lipstick and black mascara are the keys to life. (It's me...I'm anyone.) With clear, pink, and bronze balms, this set is the only thing you'll need to create a naturally flushed and glowy face. You can never have too much liquid eyeliner. (Especially when it's vegan and cruelty-free.) Up next, 11 Perfumes Every Fashion Girl Will Be Wearing This Winter.

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fesahaawit · 7 years

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Why I Finally Decided to Do a Spending Cleanse

Hi friends! For the month of October, I’ll be publishing a new post every Monday talking about work + my slow work experiment. As part of that work, I want to share stories + the results of experiments other people are doing. These are guest posts that have been sent in from online friends all around the world, and my hope is they will remind you that it doesn’t matter when you begin a new experiment. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s always worth changing things up and trying something new. This first post is from Chelsea in Vancouver, BC.

It was the lady at the post office that did it. The packages from my online shopping sprees kept getting diverted to my nearest post office, and I kept having to trudge there, not excited about the package awaiting me but dreading seeing the post office clerk. Idle online shopping had become such a habit that I sometimes lost track of what deliveries I was expecting.

During my last pick-up in May, I had three packages to pick up at once. The clerk fetched them, then said casually, “Lots of new clothes, hey?”

Ugh. I left feeling disgusted with myself. I’m sure she meant no judgment; she was probably just making casual conversation. Much of the judgement I perceived was my own, projected onto her.

But on the bright side, someone who shops that much must have an expansive and enviable wardrobe, right?

Wrong.

No one who sees me regularly would say that I have a particularly noteworthy wardrobe. I wear the same favourite items over and over and over. I have stacks and rows of clothes I never wear or wear a couple of times before I shrink them, stain them, or grow tired of them. Or they, being poor-quality fast fashion, look terrible after a couple of washes.

Clothes weren’t my only problem. I bought books like crazy – faster than I can read them. Until I was out of bookshelf room (I’d best be getting myself to IKEA to buy some more shelves, I thought) with a solid collection of books I’ve been meaning to read, but haven’t.

I had known for some time that I needed to change. But it was that casual comment from the post office clerk that finally made me do something.

That’s how my spending cleanse began.

The Rules for My Spending Cleanse

It was decided: starting June 1, I wouldn’t shop for six months. It started as three, but I quickly realized that to break my bad habits and recalibrate my relationship with stuff, I needed to make it longer and at least a little uncomfortable.

I’ve long been a reader of this blog, so I knew where to look for tips and tricks. Cait’s shopping ban resources helped me to plan my cleanse. I decided on the following rules:

Obviously, I could buy food.

I could also replace any health and beauty products that run out – provided that they’re ones I use daily: mascara, under-eye concealer, shampoo, moisturizer. No new nail polish or lipstick or elixirs or balms or anything that isn’t already part of my routine.

Per Cait’s practice, I also created a list of allowable items that I knew I would end up needing sooner than later, including a vacuum cleaner, a new sleeping bag (mine had a broken zipper), and a new blazer for my rare but important in-person meetings. The rule for these items was this: I had to do some research and buy quality. Nothing designed to be disposable – think fast fashion or Canadian Tire throwaway camping gear. (If you had told me five years ago that I would buy a $400 vacuum cleaner, I would have called you crazy, but I did and I love it. I’ve bought and discarded three $100 vacuum cleaners, and they suck – or don’t suck, actually.)

The Tricks & Techniques That Have Helped Me

I told everyone what I was doing. I wanted my people to keep me accountable – and to risk embarrassment if I slipped up, or (even worse) abandoned the cleanse altogether.

I unsubscribed and unfollowed. As I mentioned, my problem wasn’t too many trips to the mall. It was idle online shopping, often while I was at home on a rainy night watching Netflix. I would catch wind of a sale at one of my favourite retailers on Facebook, Instagram, or in my email inbox, and before I knew it I would have $250 of merchandise on its way to me (but it was $350 full price!, I would tell myself). So a big and important trick was to unfollow all retailers on social media, and to unsubscribe from their emails. I didn’t need to know about all the beautiful things they have in stock, or about the opportunities to get my hands on them for less. Goodbye, digital consumerist clutter.

I blocked my favourite retailers’ websites. For the companies that most tempt me to part with my hard-earned money – Madewell, Aritzia, JCrew, Everlane – I went a step farther and blocked their websites on my browser with a Chrome Extension called StayFocusd. (This extension also limits my time on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to a cumulative 30 minutes per day – great for a writer who’s prone to procrastination.)

I stopped carrying my credit card in my wallet. I still needed it for bigger travel expenses, but on a day-to-day basis it stayed at home, and I used my debit card (AKA money I actually have!).

I gave more than half of my clothes away. I can thank Cait for this somewhat counterintuitive tip. It’s a lot easier to feel like you have nothing good to wear when your favourites are hidden amongst a bunch of items you hate/don’t fit/never wear. Get rid of them, or at least store them somewhere you don’t see them every day. My closet is mostly empty now, but I love and regularly wear everything in it.

The Results (So Far)

Now more than halfway into my cleanse, most of the results are spiritual/mental/emotional rather than financial. I’m a freelance writer and consultant, so my income is inconsistent, and I happily slow down in the summer. Plus, summer life is rather pricy. I’ve been on a number of trips, including to the budget nightmare that is New York City – so my bank balance certainly hasn’t climbed to where I would like. This is making me wonder if I should extend my ban through the winter, since those are the months when I’m most tempted to shop.

Me + Netflix + a glass or two of wine = unintended shopping sprees.

The main benefits I’m noticing are internal. Shopping hasn’t been something I’ve missed; in fact, not doing it has oddly felt like a relief. I don’t miss that walk of shame to the post office, or the feeling of buyer’s remorse I used to experience sometimes just moments after hitting the ‘Complete Purchase’ button, knowing I’d broken yet another promise to myself. For the last four months, I’ve kept this promise to myself on a daily basis, and it has felt really good.

I’ll be back to write more about this experience in December, when I either finish my cleanse or decide to extend it another three months. The way I’m feeling right now, I think the latter is likely.

In 2015, Chelsea (somewhat impulsively) quit her agency job to be a freelance writer/strategist/digital nomad, and she hasn’t looked back since. Her homebase is Vancouver, but that’s just where she gets her mail. You can read more of her work at Chelsea Tells Stories or chelseaherman.com.

Why I Finally Decided to Do a Spending Cleanse posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

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fesahaawit · 7 years

Text

Why I Finally Decided to Do a Spending Cleanse

During my last pick-up in May, I had three packages to pick up at once. The clerk fetched them, then said casually, “Lots of new clothes, hey?”

Ugh. I left feeling disgusted with myself. I’m sure she meant no judgment; she was probably just making casual conversation. Much of the judgement I perceived was my own, projected onto her.

But on the bright side, someone who shops that much must have an expansive and enviable wardrobe, right?

Wrong.

I had known for some time that I needed to change. But it was that casual comment from the post office clerk that finally made me do something.

That’s how my spending cleanse began.

The Rules for My Spending Cleanse

I’ve long been a reader of this blog, so I knew where to look for tips and tricks. Cait’s shopping ban resources helped me to plan my cleanse. I decided on the following rules:

Obviously, I could buy food.

The Tricks & Techniques That Have Helped Me

I told everyone what I was doing. I wanted my people to keep me accountable – and to risk embarrassment if I slipped up, or (even worse) abandoned the cleanse altogether.

I stopped carrying my credit card in my wallet. I still needed it for bigger travel expenses, but on a day-to-day basis it stayed at home, and I used my debit card (AKA money I actually have!).

The Results (So Far)

Me + Netflix + a glass or two of wine = unintended shopping sprees.

Why I Finally Decided to Do a Spending Cleanse posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

0 notes