Archives November 2022

have a trendy week!

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, in contrast to its name, an actual poll, like with bit clicky buttons. It’s just a listing of five a lot more or less random concerns I’ve been publishing on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I like reading your answers, as well as it assists me get my week off to a great start.

1. What’s something you state a lot?

I’m 100% guilty of overusing the word “seriously,” both in print as well as in person, as well as when I’m mom-ing quite hard, I likewise say, “Make great choices,” and, “Please utilize your listening ears,” a lot.

2. exactly how tall are you?

I tower over my minions at a staunch 5 feet one inches.

Pretty sure I’m shrinking, too.

3. What are you marathoning ideal now?

Anne with an E on Netflix. When it very first came out, I didn’t want anything to make with it since I have such fond memories of the Anne of eco-friendly Gables series from the ’80s, however I’m happy I provided it a chance. even though it’s darker than the old series (it *really* spells out all the poor things), it still has a sweetness about it.

4. Which would you rather online without — mascara or eyeliner? (Side note: In this scenario, you have to select one or the other. “Neither” is not an option!)

UGH, this is hard, man… I assumption if I had to provide one up, it would be eyeliner.

5. What makes you happy?

Coffee with milk as well as honey very first thing in the morning

Light, melt-in-your mouth cakes as well as cupcakes

Having a feline on my lap

Feeling warm as well as risk-free in my house

Clean floors

Just in situation you haven’t seen a feline in a gown in a while…

Here ya go!

This bit number belonged to Coywolf back in the day, however she graciously made a decision to share it with her kitty feline infant sister. ?

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It’s a holiday right here in the U.S. today (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), as well as lots of people have the day off from work. Whatever you’re up to, I hope it’s going well.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

Karen

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P.S. I ended up sleeping in this morning as well as got a grand overall of nine hours (!) of sleep, however honestly, I felt truly sluggish when I got up, like I might have slept at least three hours more.

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Interesting factoid, however did you understand that oversleeping can make you feel even a lot more tired? I had no idea!

P.S. right here are the concerns to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. speak to ya soon.

1. What’s something you state a lot?
2. exactly how tall are you?
3. What are you marathoning ideal now?
4. Which would you rather online without — mascara or eyeliner? (Side note: In this scenario, you have to select one or the other. “Neither” is not an option!)
5. What makes you happy? ?

keep looking up (because at a specific point, it’s scarier to look down, LOL! That rope was high!)

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with bit clicky buttons. It’s just a listing of five more or less random concerns I’ve been publishing on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I like reading your answers, as well as it assists me get my week off to a great start.

1. What’s your preferred Thanksgiving side dish?

Oh, simple question. all of them? I might happily nosh solely on the fixin’s as well as straight-up avoid the turkey.

But if I have to pick one…it’s mashed potatoes.

Buttery, creamy, silky mashed potatoes with an obnoxious amount of gravy!

2. What time did you get up this morning?

According to my unholy jack@ss of an alarm clock, it was 5:45, however PGR (Pretty woman Rosie) believed it would be fun to climb onto my head as well as turn on her purr machine at 5, so I’ve been up since 5.

Does anyone else online with a furry buddy who gets up at obnoxious hours?

3. select a lipstick color: orange or brown?

Brown! — however not as well brown. A pinkish brown would be ideal.

4. Something you requirement to surface by the end of the day?

YARGH, I requirement to pack for a trip. We’re heading to Hawaii tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving week with El Hub’s side of the family.

Purr usual, I’ve left the packing as much as the last day, however I’m determined to have whatever done by noon… That method I’m not stressed out as well as throwing random crap into my luggage at the last minute.

5. Who’s the very best cook in your family?

In my prolonged family, hmm… Well, most likely my godmother. She lives in the Philippines, as well as homegirl can throw down in the kitchen. Her oxtail soup moves me to tears, no joke! In my instant family, most likely me as well as my brother. We can both comply with a recipe, as well as we both have a general comprehending of the timing as well as components in a dish.

San Francisco Spartan adventures

The Spartan race in SF on Saturday was BONKERS, as well as I mean that in the very best possible way. It was truly fun, challenging, as well as I may just do one again.

I suggest it 100% if you ever get a possibility as well as the urge. The one I did was in Oracle Park stadium in SF, however they have them in neat places around the country.

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In situation you have no concept what I’m taking about, Spartans are group running races with extra challenges peppered along the course. The one I did was a “Stadion Sprint,” which was three miles interspersed with 20 obstacles, as well as since it was in a stadium, there was great deals of going up as well as down stairs, which I’m okay with (I don’t mind doing stairs), however there were numerous dicey moments when I was truly high up in the nosebleed seats, as well as I keep in mind believing to myself, “Karen, please don’t fall. It’s a long method down.”

The most difficult parts for me were the challenges including heights. I’m not afraid of heights per se…but the challenges with a height aspect were extremely much off the ground. like the rope climb, OMG! I made it to the top as well as rang the cowbell, however as I was inching my method up, I keep in mind looking down as well as thinking, “Geez, I’m further from the ground than I am from the top, so I should most likely just keep going up before something horrible happens.”

I believe it was 12 feet up? Whatever it was, IT WAS HIGH.

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Also, hoisting myself up as well as over the challenges with high wooden walls was challenging. I believe the greatest one was eight feet off the ground.

I believe those walls are why I keep discovering these weird bruises on my arms…

Oh, as well as that pyramid thingy with the ropes! That was likewise surprisingly nerve-wracking, once again since of the height element.

Overall, it was a fun day, as well as if you ever have the possibility as well as any type of inkling of desire, I would extremely suggest it, particularly if you can do one with a team. I did it with a lot of people from the gym, as well as all of us applauded each other on.

Have a fantastic rest of your day!

Your friendly community beauty addict,

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Karen

P.S. right here are the concerns to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. talk to ya soon.

1. What’s your preferred Thanksgiving side dish?
2. What time did you get up this morning?
3. select a lipstick color: orange or brown.
4. Something you requirement to surface by the end of the day?
5. Who’s the very best cook in your family?

I jokingly mentioned to El Hub that I could fill countless volumes of this blank notebook titled “Ledger of Perceived Slights,” and he replied, “Yeah, you could,” a little too enthusiastically.

HMMM.

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I honestly didn’t know whether to punch him or kiss him… The man knows me too well, HA HA HA! ?

I saw it while shopping for a birthday gift at Copperfield’s books in Novato, but it’s also available online.

Even though I really wanted it and the other notebooks with slightly snarky titles on the shelf for myself, I have a not-so-small collection of blank notebooks threatening to bury me under an avalanche of paper at the moment, so I resisted the urge.

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Marie Kondo would not be proud

A lot of the writing I do is on a keyboard, but there’s just something wonderful about old-school pen and paper! For some reason, the information processes differently, and it sinks in better when I write things down, which is why there are multiple notebooks around me at any given moment.

There are three on my desk right now, each dedicated to a specific subject — an orange one for time management, a purple one for outlines and drafts, and a green one for career notes.

Oh, and I don’t just get notebooks for myself. I also get them for other people. just the other day, I found a cute pink Minnie mouse spiral-bound hardcover notebook in the dollar section at Target that I got for Coco-baby, who, by the way, is currently obsessed with finding “fresh pages” in her notebooks.

Hmm… I wonder where she gets that from.

Shout-out to ribbon placeholders

My number-one requirement for any and all notebooks is that the pages have to be lined, since sloped script on unlined pages is way too much chaos for me.

And while an attached thin sliver of ribbon for a bookmark is also a plus, it’s not a necessity.

I also need a notebook that easily lays flat, and so the first thing I do with any potential notebook is open it up to see how the pages fall.

Oh, and a hard cover is a major plus. When you have a hard cover, the world is your desk!

That’s something I figured out in my early 20s, a time during which I spent countless hours writing things down while waiting for…something (usually public transportation).

Last week I found an old hardcover notebook from when I was 24, and I swear, half of the pages had been filled while I waited for BART, MUNI or for my laundry at the laundromat.

Lastly, thick, opaque paper is a plus, especially for journals, but thin pages aren’t a dealbreaker. I’m amazing with thinner pages, too, just as long as they aren’t transparent, but I gotta say…those thick pages sure feel indulgent, like putting half-and-half in your coffee, or splurging on Oribe dry shampoo. ?

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Notebook nirvana forever…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Bare skin (just under-eye concealer), with NARS Orgasm blush on my cheeks as well as Afterglow Balm on my lips
NARS Orgasm will permanently as well as ever be the most embarrassing blush to state in front of your grandma. Or your kid! Gee, I question exactly how that conversation’s gonna go. (Connor: “Mama, what does orgasm mean? Is it a color?” Me: “Ummm…”)

Chances are you’ve heard about NARS Orgasm… Yeah, I figured. It’s iconic. This golden peachy pink gets written about all the time as well as referred to as “universally flattering,” as well as it’s one of the cornerstones of the NARS color collection. every year NARS does a few restricted edition products with different iterations of the product, as well as this year there are three pieces in The Orgasm 2018 Collection — an LE large Orgasm blush for $38 (if you can’t get sufficient of it!), a loose highlighting powder ($28) as well as a darling lip balm in increased gold packaging ($28).

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Oversized Orgasm blush ($38)

My connection with Orgasm blush runs hot as well as cold. I’ve used it, however not much lately. sometimes I feel like it’s as well shimmery for me, like whenever I’m using a great amount of base makeup, ’cause then all I see are PORES, PORES, PORES!

But lately, since I’ve been doing the whole very little base/no base thing, which is what I did over the Memorial Day weekend, I have a higher appreciation for Orgasm. It’s wonderful on bare skin or on top of a very little base, like a tinted moisturizer.

NARS Orgasm blush 2018
All weekend long I used under-eye concealer as well as truly nothing else on the rest of my deal with to even out my skin, as well as with this blush, I discover that the less you’re using under it, the better, since when the shimmer isn’t sitting on top of foundation or concealer or powder, it doesn’t highlight pores as much it does otherwise, so what you mainly see is the peachy pink color, which just looks so fresh as well as youthful.

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It looks precisely like my cheeks after I surface a HIIT workout — flushed as well as healthy as well as a bit bit dewy — as well as perhaps even 5 years younger? (Keep tellin’ yourself that, Karen, LOL!) as well as that’s when I totally get the magic of NARS Orgasm. So, yeah, I’m feeling the large blush a great deal this year — however only on bare skin! If you’re a makeup minimalist, you’ll like it.

By the way, if you have this blush sitting around however don’t wear it frequently since you feel like it’s as well shimmery, try buffing it down like crazy with a clean blush clean after you apply it. A powder blush works too, as does a skunk brush. any type of huge deal with clean with a fluffy head should work. The buffing disperses most of the golden shimmer, so all that gets left behind is the peachy pink (just be mindful of not buffing away your foundation as well as concealer, if you’re using them).

4 out of 5 hearts.

Orgasm Illuminating loose Powder ($28)

The loose highlighter caters to the “more is more makeup crowd” that likes a great deal of bling. I’m not into a frosty highlight, so it’s as well shimmery for my taste, however you may like it if you like extremely reflective cheek bones.

NARS Orgasm Illuminating loose Powder
And even though I feel like the 0.09-oz. jar is little for $28, on the plus side, you don’t requirement to utilize a lot…and the powder grains are extremely fine.

2 out of 5 hearts.

Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm ($28)

The balm is shiny, smooth as well as quite moisturizing (although, if my lips were additional flaky, I’d reach for my tube of hourglass Lip Oil in a heartbeat instead), as well as it doesn’t taste or odor like anything. My lips are pigmented, as well as it looks more peach than gold on me. It likewise looks much more intense right after I apply it than it does a bit later.

Dontcha like the increased gold?
It’s about half as intense after five minutes, by which time I’m able to see a great deal of my natural lip color, together with great deals of shine, however I believe that’s the point — it’s a balm, after all.

I like it sufficient to have kept it in my handbag all weekend long, as well as I couldn’t assist however reapply it over as well as over again, since it feels so darned good.

It’s a bit overpriced…but I can see myself utilizing every last drop.

Approved, however only for the minimalists who like a bit color.

3 out of 5 hearts.

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The blush has been around f-o-r-e-v-e-r, so I’m guessing you’ve tried it at least once. What do you believe of it? Do you like Orgasm, or do you believe it’s all hype?

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

It looks like this is the new normal.

Neighborhood ne’er-do-well Harris the cat attempted another brazen assault on the safety and security perimeter this morning. Thankfully, special agent Tabs was there to stop him.

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This time, Harris tried the direct approach, but Tabs, looking as sharp as ever in a black tie and white collar, was ready for him. He feigned disinterest, then whirled around into one of his favorite kitty Krav Maga moves.

It took Harris completely by surprise, and his confidence was shaken. At that point, the mental game was won, and it was only a matter of time before Harris fled.

With the perimeter secure, Tabs was able to finally relax.

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He also made himself a yummy bamboo shoot salad….

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen

got nothing however like for ya on this gorgeous Monday! (These are a few of the new MAC like Me Lipsticks, by the way.)

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, in contrast to its name, an actual poll, like with bit clicky buttons. It’s just a listing of five a lot more or less random concerns I’ve been publishing on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I like reading your answers, as well as it assists me get my week off to a great start.

1. exactly how frequently do you contour?

These days, never…although I did go with a short phase in 2014 when it was an daily thing for me…and by “everyday,” I indicate every. Day.

2. massage or a mud bath?

I’ll take a deep-tissue massage. Please, oh please, oh please, oh please.

I did have a mud bath once, though, as well as I never want to have mud in any type of of my bodily crevices ever again…

3. have you ever had acrylic nails?

They were huge when I was in college in the early ’90s (#datingmyself), as well as everybody I understood had acrylics, however I never got around to trying them. Plus, I didn’t truly have additional space in my budget plan to keep them up with the beauty parlor appointments, as well as whatever money I did set aside for appeal products I normally spent on makeup. I’ve always liked nails, however my very first like is as well as has always been makeup!

4. Do you tend to stay with the exact same perfume, or do you like to switch things up?

I tend to stay with the exact same core group, however I will integrate them often in a halfhearted however somewhat severe attempt to produce something individualized to my mood.

5. Leopard, zebra or snake print?

Leopard print all the way. (What else would you expect from a feline lady?)

Please pass me some coffee…

Because coffee is the elixir of life.

Happy Monday, friend. It’s a new week, as well as I’m feeling ecstatic as well as energized since 1) COFFEE, as well as 2) I’m slowly working with my MAC lipstick collection.

MAN! — rediscovering gems I haven’t used in a while is providing me life. I just used this quite pink Cremesheen yesterday called MAC Fanfare… keep in mind when the Cremesheens came out in 2008? I feel like it was just yesterday…

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Keep looking up.
I’m likewise swatching my method with a few of the new MAC like Me Lipsticks (pic at the top), as well as a few of the new sincere appeal liquid Lipsticks (which I’ve been wanting to try).

It’s gonna be a lipstick kinda week, as well as I’m not mad about it. Lipstick may be a bit thing, however those small tubes are packed with mood-boosting power.

And we gotta get our happiness anywhere we can discover it, ya know? since the world can be a frightening place.

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I hope your week goes well, friend. like you additional today.

Your friendly community appeal addict,

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Karen

P.S. concern time! right here they are to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. speak to ya soon!

1. exactly how frequently do you contour?
2. massage or a mud bath?
3. have you ever had acrylic nails?
4. Do you tend to stay with the exact same perfume, or do you like to switch things up?
5. Leopard, zebra or snake print?