SHADOWS REALM

Nothing much to update with yet, but oh hey look, here's a video of Daddie eating :-)

*runs off*

There comes a moment in everyones life that where they have to experience eating dirt (their own words, humble pie, crow). This is a moment.


Everyone who knows me knows that I am ANTI APPLE/MAC. I have been this way for years. I don't have the energy to get into it now, but it is mainly because of thier business ethics. And the fact that thier products are so glorified and monotomous. i-this and i-that.

But as much as I have been a Dell stan for since 2003, I am over it. And I am over Windows too.

Yeah, I said it.


Tuesday night of this week I did a dumb thing. A dumb thing that I never suspected would be a dumb thing. I installed an automatic security update from windows. I clicked on the trustworthy little yellow shield that notified 'You have updates to install', and allowed the 11 packets to successfully be integrated into my system. Trustworthy little data that took only 12 minutes to completely FAIL MY SYSTEM.

Thats right. A MICROSOFT UPDATE carried conflicting data that caused a complete operating system failure so bad to the point that Dell said the only thing that could be done was to format and reinstall. All data would be lost.

I call Microsoft to light into them about how it's their fault a laptop computer less than 6 months old with over 250GB of memory and no history of downloads and still under warranty CRASHED. I didn't even get an I'm sorry. Not even a complimentary product key for my troubles. I get a 'Call Dell, it's their problem'.

Ohweally?

Thank goodness 95% percent of my data has been backed up (learned my lesson the first time). The other 5% I can take as a loss (5 game files lost including the Wonderland Mysteries of Fire Island that I just finished after 6 months of playing! A few songs, one of which I can't find again, and some documents and bookmarks). Right now thanks to my cousin, my system has been wiped clean and I am running Windows 7.... For now.


I hate to say this but.....


I'm saving up for a Mac book air.....

I have something great to blog about for a change!

My birthday today so far has to be the best one in 7 years. Not only have a broken my birthday crying streak (not one tear yet) but I felt so much love and glee today that I had to share.

My day started by a bunch of text messages coming in wishing me a happy birthday from people that I didn't even know would remember. I lazed around in bed and then go up to shower to head to Sephora to pick up my free birthday gift as well as a Benefit product I wanted to try for a while that was on my wishlist. On a whim I headed downstairs to Godiva to try their dark choclate heart shaped cookies for Valntines. On a whim I decided to try thier choclate covered strawberries as I had never had one before, and I told the lady it was my brithday and I might as well give myself a 1st time treat. She was shocked I had never had the pleasure of having a chocolate covered strwberry and gave me a great deal on a cone full of them. She signed me up for thier rewards card, gave me a free piece of choclate, and cut me some beautiful teal ribbon with 'Happy Birthday' printed on it which I have tied into a bow around my neck now. I was already feeling good when I headed back on the train to make my lunch date with Chesca at Veggie Palate on Flatbush in Brooklyn. Grub there was good as usual (thanks again Chesca!); we ordered crispy nuggets, mango chicken and a scallion pancake. I had a carrot & pineapple juice which is my new fav.


After we mused around in Target and walked a bit of the grub off I headed to West 4th solo to grab my anual birthday dinner of lemon chicken at VP1 only to come to the front door and see it completely demolished inside. They had just shut it down yesterday for renovations! I almost wanted to cry and stood outside looking in pouting when a guy named Phillip came out and told me that I can go to the sister store Red bamboo two stores down. I whined a bit and told him I like THIS store and how I alway have my birthday dinner here. He then asked me what were my favourite dishes here and after I had named them off he called one of the guys inside the store to come and prepare me my lemon chicken dinner! I was in SHOCK! He told me dont worry I will have the cook make it for you in about 5 minutes. I cant tell you how special I feel right now! When he brought me my dinner he said he threw in some icecream too because it's my birthday and only charged me for teh lemon chicken and not the rice I ordered with it. I then walked with him to Red Bamboo to pay for the meal and when I got there he said ' Wait, I will throw in an order of buffallo chicken for you as well' (one of the favourite dishes I had mentioned earlier) and was back off into the kitchen. I couldn't thank this guy enough. 10 minutes later I walked back to the subway with 2 bags of yummy grub and only ended up paying $8 for everything.


I just popped the icecream in the freezer and I am just going to chill the rest of the birthday out.
finally a day when I felt special!


BEST BIRTHDAY EVER.

It's been over a month since I posted. Laziness and lack of motivation. Sometimes I just need to focus on stuff going on in real life and not so much about the Internets.

I started off January with another master cleanse. I am currently on Day 9 and it sucks. This cleanse is the worst ever. This is my 3rd cleanse, and everything I am experiencing is completely different. I figured I had it covered; knowing what to expect based on my first two cleanses and the daily djournaling of each I made. Not so with this one. Day 4 was my expected 'threshold' day when I no longer feel hunger, but every single day has been miserable. I stopped drinking the mixture by day three and have been strictly on water and peppermint tea. The acid burning my throat at nights, teeth sensitivity and constant uncontrollable hunger pains has me in misery. It makes me want to never do this again. I am completing 14 days this time and have no idea how I am going to make it through this week. The plus side is I already have 13lbs loss, and I am determined to make it a total of 20lbs by Monday to really feel like it was all worth it. I will transition into solids for Monday and Tuesday so that I can enjoy my first post cleanse meal on my Birthday.


Speaking of birthday, I can only assume that I have reached the point that most grown ups do when they dread their birthdays and the increase of age it comes with. I found myself just this weekend thinking about next week Wednesday and lo and behold out of nowhere I reminded myself that I was turning one year older. I instantly became depressed! No seriously, this is not a joke; I was nearly in tears. I feel like my life has somehow just breezed right into adult hood and I feel like I have accomplished nothing. At the rate I was going just a few years ago, with me busting my bum in school, I thought I would be in Med school by this age. I should be. But things slowed down and life went in another direction, and here I am just hoping to get employment within the month of February. I always consented to the fact that my childhood was robbed from me. I can't cry over the fact that I was forced to mature so quickly, and the hardships I faced as an adolescent gave me the drive to do everything early and as fast as possible (in college at 16 ect). I flashed back to a time in my early teens where I always told myself that I would have been married and had my first child before 21 (I was stupid! I have to laugh because now I don't want or care for either marriage or children!). But gosh, here I am turning 23 and suddenly I feel old, and wasted and sad. It is sad. I suddenly feel like I am on that roller coaster everyone talks about where 'It's all down hill from here'. I feel like when I blink again I will be 30. I don't know whats going to shake me out of this mood, but I do know I need to get over it.

Aside from my boo-hooing everything is doing well. I just need to keep myself busy instead of driving myself crazy. I am releasing some of this bad energy I have been dealing with via Violin. I take lessons every Thursday and my instructor is very sweet and a great teacher. I want to perfect this instrument (like I did clarinet) yet I am still intimidated by it. My dream is to be able to play all of my favourite compositions by heart.

After this cleanse I am doing a complete diet overhaul, from what I consume to how much. For real this time. I try to eat healthy in my home, but most times I succumb to bad foods just because its there and/or convenient. My younger sister will buy her junkfood and lay it down. And if I run out of my organic snacks and there is nothing but Cheeze-Itz staring at me in the cupboard, I make excuses and eat it. Enough of that. I don't have her metabolism. While she can wolf 6 hot dogs, fried chicken, pizza and mac and cheese along with processed food snacks in one day (no joke, sometimes her daily intake is more!) and not gain a POUND, I, however, pack on a pound for EVERYTHING. I have to do better. I came across a term someone had written online that I had never heard before. Junkfood vegetarian. My eyes popped open. I realized that this was me. Just because I don't eat meat doesn't mean I am healthy. And with my BMI and extra weight, this is obvious.


I don't do new years resolutions but I am promising myself that I will get back up on my water intake. I used to be so good but have slacked because I got into drinking juice again (ones with fructose corn syrup no less). Water is what really keeps my weight under control. I can eat as I normally do but as long as I drink water my weight seems to stay stagnant. That to me is better then gaining. To loose the rest of my weight I want to get rid of, I am going to try a series of more master cleanses (yeah, I know) in 10 day intervals. I didn't know this could be done, but I saw it mentioned on the master cleanse forum that sometimes people do a 40 day cleanse this way by breaking it up into segments. I may have to do this. I can't diet and exercise. I am not consistent and rely too much on having a buddy system to be motivated to do anything. But I will try to incorporate some type of physical activity daily that can help get me fit. Even if its taking a walk around my block after dinner. I have to stop eating late and eating junk food (even if it's natural. (ex. natural organic ice cream and pizza is still ice cream and pizza). I also need to retrain my body not to crave so many calories. Get more in tune with my body's feeling of fullness. Start taking supplements and herbs for constant cleansing.

I can go on and on, but right now it's 4:34AM and I need to pass out. This insomnia is another thing. With my other cleanses I couldn't wait to hit the sack and would pass out before 10pm! Now I am up, in pain, hungry with a throat that feels its on fire, still with another 6 or so days to go. I HATE this cleanse cycle. This is torture, but it is necessary. I can only learn the hard way.

Just a regular ole' day having a snapping turtle in your house.... Just regular ole things you see. Nothing special.....

(Warning: Not for the faint of heart, or weak stomachted)


Like the half remains of a mouse.....


Being devoured........ And ripped....I see intestines.....

And a proud face......

Is mister mouse praying? He knows he's next I suppose.....

So is he.....





THE END

I haven't blogged because I have been too busy shopping... Online and in-store shopping. I have to share all the deals I have been snagging up. The deals have been so good it's almost sheer robbery.


Proper post coming soon when I organize it together.

I just came home from the best night (well early AM) EVER.

But I need to pass out, so I will update later.

I am still swirling....



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's 6pm and I am still over the moon. I went to my 1st ever live show last night and there was no better time to experience my 1st ever live music show then going to see my favorite artist ever, TYCHO.

When he updated his blog and said he was going to be playing in NYC my heart did a flip flop. The genius behind the music I live and breathe was going to be in my neck of the woods, and I made it a point to definitely not pass on such an opportunity.

I must tell you after my experience, if you have never experienced live music, you don't know what kind of outer body experience you are missing out on.

The music is ALIVE. I crowded around the stage standing patiently through some sets I didn't come to see (they changed the set up and had Tycho slated as the LAST set, grr!) and the music vibrated through my body. From the souls of my feet the bass and the booms and the chords wafting in the air literally were so loud and intoxicating, I had to step outside of the room and sit down a few times. I was getting lightheaded, because my body was vibrating, and I could tell the base and the drums were giving me an irregular heartbeat.



(the stage)

I had arrived at Le Poisson Rouge at exactly 10:30pm ready for Tychos performance and he didn't go on until nearly 3AM. But he was WELL WORTH THE WAIT. I cant explain to you what its like to hear your favourite songs live, and watch the artist behind their composition, perform it for you. I kept staring at him walking around the venue for a while. I had never met Scott before but I knew it was him. I was just too chicken shit to approach him. I didn't expect him to look so dreamy. He is gorgeous!




Nearly 4 hours waiting in venue that was as hot as a summer afternoon, paid itself off in a 45 minute set with Tycho streaming live almost all of my favorite songs. While I was on my way there I was listening to them on MP3 and I've come to realize after experiencing music in person, there is no amount of recording quality that can do music justice. Every chord and sampled beat vibrated through me and I swooned and moved and closed my eyes nearly wanting to cry and scream and fall asleep all at the same time. What was even more of a better experience for me, was being surrounded by people who were all into the music and artist as much as I was! I had never been lucky enough to find anyone who enjoys the same music I do, and no one I know has heard of Tycho, and think the music is 'weird'. It was so uplifting to see people sway back and forth, close their eyes and shout and hoot after each number faded off. When he was all done, people shouted his name and said 'Don't Stop!'. I laughed. I didn't want it to end either. The energy was intense. I had only wish he had played 'Send & Receive' (the 1st song that plays on my music player to the right). I so wanted to hear that live (even shouted it out as a request LOL). Thats the song that made me fall in love with him.



(setting up)



(intro and starting!)





(really getting into it)



I knew I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't seize the opportunity to greet and talk to him while he was in the same room I was in (which was unreal enough). I shook his hand and told him I was his number one fan. I grabbed what scrap of paper I had in my bag for him to autograph it (which happened to be a GAP receipt! LOL), which he seemed taken aback that I asked, but obliged none the less. I am still swooning. It will be properly framed along with his artwork.


(Said autograph & my arm band I am NEVER taking off)

I have lots of shaky video footage (I was bouncing to the beat!) that I will upload when I get the time to put all the files together. For now, just the photographs. You can also see my crappy photography skills in dark rooms.

http://tychomusic.com/index-old.html
http://blog.iso50.com/category/tycho/

I always had known something was wonky and creepy about the tester products in Sephora. Certain testers often are a different colour and consistency as opposed to their fresh and sealed counterparts due to being prodded, molested and exposed to air for such a long period of time. What always bugged my brain was how sanitary (if at all!) did the store keep these tester products and how much time had to pass by before they were replaced? Because of the type of high end brands and overpriced mark ups the store seems to be known for, I figured it would be safe to assume Sephora took pride & care in the tester products on display for sampling and viewing, and sanitized and replaced them regularly. Either way I was still very skeptical of what I tested and kept everything on the back of my hand and never to my face.

Of course after what I saw this evening I will not be sampling ANYTHING from ANY TESTER EVER AGAIN. *shivers at the thought*

So I was in my local Sephora tonight (Columbus Circle) wondering around looking at some gift sets I wanted to snag. As I wondered around looking for a sales associate to let me know what in store promotions were going on for the night, a older woman with a beat up wig and over sized male clothes (she looked homeless) walked around the corner where I was standing to the vanity station that is posted there. What caught my attention out the corner of my eye was her wig, which was huge, snarly, dirty and full of lint being held down by a dirty green hat. Of course this detailed description of her attire and appearance is only remembered and relevant due to the fact on WHY I started staring at her based on WHAT she had been doing.

I glanced at her as she generously started applying make up but did a double take when I realized it was a TESTER lip gloss she was GENEROUSLY (and sloppily) applying directly to her horridly peeling and dry flaky lips. I looked on in horror and she put the testers back and then grabbed some more and used them directly on her face. Apparently she seemed to only come into the store to put on a full face of make up to her liking and then leave. She completely ignored the disposable lip brushes, face spongers and mascara wands neatly displayed in bins beneath the mirror she was using. My stomach instantly grew queasy when I got a whiff of the high urine odor that I realized was wafting from her. It just made the whole situation cause me to be vex! I was really angry that she was so inconsiderate; not only for her own health and safety (which was apparent she didnt care about) but the next unknowing person who was going to take up the very lip gloss and swipe their finger or tester brush right on it and apply it right onto THEIR mouth. Finally the sales associate came to assist and I walked away wondering if I was over reacting or if I should have said something.


The thing about it is, I'm sure she isnt the only one who is guilty of doing such an horrid thing. Some people are just gross and nasty and dont care about their germs being spread onto a next person. Like the people that pick thier nose and flick the booger into the air... around other people.... and thier food. Or the women in public restrooms that walk out of a bathroom stall shamelessly leaving an entire toilet bowl full of their drippings and tampon for you to walk into, putting the icing on the cake by walking out not washing their hands. It's just that really outright inconsiderate and thoughtless people IRK me and make me wonder about the state of humanity sometimes. And this woman's obvious hygienic condition (or lack thereof) just made the whole thing really get under my skin.


Maybe I am over reacting. All I know is after tonight, if I didnt think so before, I know for SURE testers are just petri dishes BREEDING with all sorts of mutant germs. I'll stay away, thanks.

It is currently 3:14 AM and I am wide awake and far from sleep. What I thought could get no worse, has not just hit the EPIC status.

The whole right side of my face is swelling by the second seemingly only to reach a point of a ghastly explosion. The pain is unreal. It's like a bass boost sound system with extra base is going off in my gumline. At this point I can barely open my mouth fully. My jaw feels like its going to break off.

Wisdom tooth pain SUCKS!

And what makes it worse, this new demon inflicted tooth is bearing down right above an already sore semi-impacted wisdom tooth that refuses to finish tearing the last of the gum tissue off to properly pronounce itself as a tooth. Instead, for the past several months it has decided to leave that annoying flap of tissue right over itself which is a neat little pocket for food to painfully get crammed under. As if to mock me.


Ok, my ranting is done. I must find a way to sleep through this pain and not go mad from the painfully numb like throbbing going on in the upper right hand corner of my mouth.


HELP. ME.

I know I haven't posted in a while. My thanksgiving holiday wasn't a most enjoyable one thanks to my rags wanting to come down that day. I ate dinner alone in my room after 9pm, curled up in my blanket watching youtube videos. At least the carrot cake I baked came out better then my last one. Moist and perfect. Couldn't get to take a photo because it was nearly devoured as soon as it was frosted. Which is the best compliment for an armature baker.


Last night I stumbled upon a blog that was linked from another blog that happened to pique my interest. There was a post on some Lush products and I discovered that they made deodorant; a coconut powdered one to be exact and I decided I MUST try it. One thing lead to another and soon I was on the Lush website scoping products and trying to get to know the brand a bit more. I soon realized thanks to the nifty 'store locater' link, that there is a store I can head to in no time flat and I figured, why not go and experience the textures and smells first hand? Off I went to the Lush Cosmetics store on 34st and Broadway.

The first thing the smacks you when you walk into the store is the smells; all of the different fragrances blended into perfect harmony to create one unison smell that says 'Welcome! Come in and buy stuff!'. I started to help myself right away picking up items that caught my eye on the website and groped and sniffed my way along into the store until finally a very friendly sales associate offered her assistance. I told her what she wanted to hear; that it was my FIRST TIME trying the brand but had heard lots of stuff about it for a while and was interested in a few things to try. Of course her eyes lit up like fireworks and she instantly goes into a frenzy grabbing bobs and bits and having me smell almost everything that she claimed were her personal favs. I got to smell the popular 'Honey I Washed The Kids' and 'Rock Star' all of which smell great enough to understand why there are so many positive reviews on those soaps. I, along with her, partially loose my mind and ask her to cut me a chunk of everything I liked (which was 98% of what she had me smell that she recommended) nearly forgetting the coconut deodorant I mainly came there for. I nearly passed out when she told me my total was over $50! I realized that I had bought $50 worth of soap I probably would hardly use (I have enough bars of soap from Whole Foods to last me till spring) all based on how yummy they smelled. She of course clapped her hands with a big grin on her face letting me know I had hit the $50 mark and was now entitled to a free full sized 'Snow Fairy' shower gel which does smell absolutely divine and did take the sting out of my over budget purchase.



So here are my goodies:





Soap: Honey I Washed The Kids, Rock Star, Sultana Of Soap, Sexy Peel
Bomb Thingies: Butterball (in the shape of a snowman for the holiday) and Candy Cane Bubble Bar.
Deoderant: Coconut Powder
Freebie: Snow Fairy Shower Gel & sample of You've Been Mangoed Bath Melt


I must say after I left the store and continued my shopping in the area, a smell lingered around me that I couldn't place my finger on. Every turn I made I got a whiff of this wonderful sweet yet mellow fragrance like I was wearing it as perfume. It was only until the train ride home that I realized it was one of my Lush goodies that smelled so bold and was overpowering all the others. That is the candy cane bubble bar bomb thingy and it is by far my favourite scent out of them all right now. Even my finger tips are strongly scented with it just taking it out of the yellow paper, frangrancing my entire laptop. The scent is very strong; obviously in the air yet pleasant and non stiffling. Even those with fragrance sensitivities may find this pleasant & tolerable.


In a nut shell, the Lush store will make you break the bank! Be prepared to spend more then what you bargained for especially if you are a weak store patron like myself. It will also probably have you spending more time in the bathroom then your house mates may appreciate.

If you'll excuse me, I am off to take a bubble bath. That I HARDLY EVER take.



Update: Duh! Who wants to see soap all wrapped up? Here's what they look like RAW.

Clockwise from left: Sultana Of Soap, Rock Star, Honey I Washed The Kids, Sexy Peel.