Umbrella! A guide

Every guy and girl should have one!

Coming from the Philippines, I often see people of both genders toting around umbrellas. However, when I go outside the Phil, those numbers decrease- first the males, then the females. I find this strange, considering the sun rises and sets everyday nearly everywhere inhabited. So if you're someone who walks underneath the sun, and you don't wear clothes that cover 90% of your body, you should have one.

So how do you choose your umbrella? The most important thing is to choose the right umbrella for the weather in which you live (or have an umbrella for every occassion):

SUNNY
If the sun is shining, then you should get an umbrella with silver coating on the inside. No ifs, no buts. Open the umbrella under a light; the less light that passes through, the better. I prefer using darker colors since less light passes through, and less light means less UV rays and headaches.

Btw, it is still extremely important to use a sunscreen/sunblock as light reflects off everywhere!

RAINY
If its pouring, make sure that the umbrella you use is waterproof! No lace or canvass ones, no matter how pretty they are. Also, no wooden handles or pieces, you might damage them from the constant dampness.

WINDY
Make sure that your umbrella is reversible. Ask your sales lady if it is, and test it out yourself afterwards: Assume a fencing position, and make quick forward and backward movements of your arm until the umbrella reverses its shape, then do the same to bring it back to its usual shape.

The next most important condition to consider is convenience. Do you want to hold a full size umbrella that can double as a weapon/cane? Or would you prefer a fold-able one you can tote in your bag? Full size umbrellas are generally sturdier, but prone to being forgotten (as you leave them outside/in umbrella stands). Also, if you would like an automatic umbrella, know that your umbrella probably won't be reversible, but could save precious seconds in a downpour.

Less important are size and style.

How many people will be sheltering under the shade of the umbrella? For me, an umbrella that can shelter one person is enough, as everyone I know has one at all times. If you don't have one, your loss. However, I realize that some people prefer bigger ones to shade (potential) loved ones, get less wet (especially when they have a lot of stuff), etc.

As for variety, one has many umbrellas to choose from. I used to have this lovely wood and lace umbrella. Not very effective for rainy days (and for sunny days), but it looked quite nice. You can use your umbrella to express your sense of style! As for color, while black is good because it goes with nearly everything, I prefer more vibrant ones.

My Grosser Schatten foldable umbrella (P390 or less than $8)



Some light still passes through, but not much :)



My umbrella, partially reversed!

The Female O

Nothing dirty here people.

Semi-recently, I watched a part of a video wherein Maggie Gyllenhaal was talking about the female orgasm. I didn't get to the end, but the reason why there is a female orgasm seems fairly obvious to me...

She said that females don't need orgasms to procreate, but men do (when they ejaculate, they orgasm). However, don't males follow the female template? After all, the head of the penis and the clitoris share a common origin. Evolution is a tinkerer, and it would be far too much effort to insure that one gender had orgasms while another didn't. It's so much easier to leave it behind.

Also, it can be called an exaptation... It's been adapted to make sex more fun. If people have more sex, there should be more babies! This was true until the advent of modern,effective contraception.

I hope that's what they found at least.


It just freaks me out how oppressed women must have been if doctors couldn't understand what an orgasm looked like in the opposite gender.

Politics: An analogue

Note: I notice that I switch POVs.



A family, representing the people, shall live in a house called the State, with a garden called the Church. Sometimes, the house you live in is an oldie but a goodie. Sometimes, the house you live in is new and shiny. Though there are always going to be a few problems that come from home ownership, a family with the means, knowledge and motivation will be able to fix, and even spruce up, their home and garden.



However, there are houses that are so broken down (inside/outside) that it is beyond the family's ability to help. In that case, either you bulldoze the structure and build anew or sell it to a sucker out there.



In the same way, the garden is supposed to provide a sense of peace. There are small gardens and big gardens; gardens that require a lot of maintenance and those those that do not; and gardens that are well-manicured and those that grow willy nilly. There are some families who do not like gardens, and that is ok. A family member may decide to put a mini-garden in his/her room instead. It is perfectly fine. Unfortunately, we will not talk about families without gardens.



Gardens can also be a source of problems. There might be pests that come and infect your garden. In fact, bird droppings and ants might be something you will need to deal with constantly. You might not even be able to afford the upkeep of a house and a garden. In this case, compromises will have to be made. A sane person will tell you to favor the house unless your garden is a source of income.



There might also be a time when, if the family does not keep the garden in check, the garden becomes overgrown: Trees might affect the foundations of the house; ivy might crumble the walls; and moss might grow in strange places. This is why you must always know the state of your garden!



In this case, to repair your house, you must tear down some of your existing walls/foundations/etc. Then you must decide: to kill your garden and create more rooms; to trim your garden and rebuild parts of your house; to let your garden grow, sacrificing floor space.



If both the house and garden are not worth saving, move out.

Oil My Life + Bubble Away Orly

The oils in my life: stuff I'm using now.



Hair
Giga Virgin Coconut Oil (I've posted about this: time consuming, but lovely result)
Result: Nice, healthy, shiny hair with coconut-y smell!
Price: Cheap (I've forgotten! see previous post)

Citre Shine Anti-Frizz Serum
Result: Shiny, non-frizzy hair with citrus smell. Need only a small amount or risk lanky, oily looking hair.
Price: Ok, (less than P300, $6 and lasts a long time)

Face
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
Result: semi-clean face, I don't feel comfortable using this alone. I use it as a make-up remover.
Pricer: Expensive (around P800, $16)



Body
Neutrogena Body Oil
Result: Lovely smelling, soft skin. I love this!!! Bottle gets very dirty easily though. Wish I bought the pump.
Price: OK (forgot how much this costs >.<)

Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil
Result: Soft skin. Said to have whitening properties: I use it on my underarm, but no results yet. Can be used on the undereye area. Smells like baby oil to me...
Price: Cheap (P120, less than $3)


Bonus
Bobby Brown Extra Face Oil
Result: Soft face with nice, herby(?) smell. I love this, especially when the weather gets colder. I only use it at night, because oil will cook my face over here in the morning.
Price: This is a sample, so it's free. The real thing is too expensive for me!

On another note: I'm never using Orly Won't Chip Again!

I used it to revive my mani today. I had a hard time using it because it was so thick (this is why I prefer top2bottom: dual purpose AND easy to use). Two hours later, I took a bath and it bubbled like crazy.



It is bubblier in real life. -.-

Also, got a wound in my big toe from a pedi on my cuticle. Now have to put betadaine on it 2x a day ...

Old Manicures + Stickers

An old manicure I had on a month ago. I placed it on, then a few days later, I also added some stickers my friend gave me. You can actually see where the stickers end. I am so fail.

Eyes

People say that eyes are the window to the soul. Maybe that's why makeup artists spend so much time on them, along with erasing imperfections to the skin. Thank you sister!


I wish I could maintain my brows. :(

I'm glad summer term is over. It's time to relax now.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Cakes

The three T's:



Turtle pie (top)
Toblerone cheesecake (left)
Triple decker cheesecake (right)

This is why I have a hard time losing weight.

Review: Superdrug Tea Tree Peel Off Face Mask

Pros:
-A lot of product (10 ml: may be used twice)
-Strong minty feel that lasts (from the peppermint: this could be a con for sensitive people, but I love the way it cools my face)
-Hardens quickly (unless you put a lot in one area)
-Easy to remove

Cons:
-Packaging: bad for controlling amount (because it was a sachet)
-Application is messy, gel-like texture hardens quickly (could be a pro for neater people)
-Strong smell (of tea tree)
-Cost: Expensive (79 pesos) for one-use

This made the giant zit on my face come to a point, which is very good for me.

Will I buy again? No, there are cheaper masks that work well and smell better :)

Papaya

I love how papaya tastes! Luckily, I was able to buy one. Add a little honey and you get yumminess! Just make sure you put your honey in a separate container to make sure you don't use too much. With honey, a little goes a long way.



I also used what was left of the honey to create a lip scrub. Just added some brown sugar. Bonus: it has papaya juice from all the dipping!

Hair Spa at Home

One of the great things about living in the Phil is having access to lots and lots of coconut oil. Using GIGA Venture's cold pressed coconut oil (left) and bath origins lavender aromatherapy oil (right) and a hair steamer (not shown), I was able to make my own cheap hair spa! I don't remember how much the lavender costs, but the GIGA oil is P180 only (I'm not sure how much in ml.. haha, but it's a lot).

I've used it 3 times already, and I still have around 3/4ths of the bottle left- the oil level's above the label. And I don't skimp on product.

Just pour as much coconut oil as you think you need (which isn't much, i just eyeball it, but I think it's around 6-8 tablespoons for me) in a small container, add 3-4 drops lavender oil and mix. Section your hair to coat it evenly. I like to have three layers from crown to nape: the middle layer is divided into two and the last, bottom layer is divided into three. I use one tablespoon on each section and rub the rest into my scalp.

Clamp hair and steam for 20 minutes. My hair looks like this after steaming.



Wash twice-thrice with shampoo :) It smells coconut-y at first (the lavender cuts it and makes it less harsh) but it disappears at the next wash (I sorta like the smell-haha). Hair is now soft and shiny!

PROS:
Cheap
Effective
Natural (for those who care)
Coconut Scent

CONS
Coconut Scent
Need some sort of steamer (maybe only the steam makes it soft??? I don't think so though... maybe i will experiment or find prior research)

Effect lasts around 10 days for me. But I like doing it every week for that pampered feeling.

Sundae Surprise

Last Saturday, I was in the mall craving for a sundae. Since McDo was full, I went to the dessert stall in the food court. I found out that you can ADD toppings! For only 7 pesos, I added hot fudge to my strawberry sundae. Here's how it looks:

Back!!!

I lost my usb connector and only found it now :( It's a new season already :( What have I been up to now...



I received this in the mail! It was from the mystery shampoo thing, but i received it waaay after the event. Anyway, I tried it out for 14 days.

Pros:
-smells good
-lathers well

Cons
-made my scalp dandruff-y after 14 days without an anti-dandruff shampoo (but I can't blame it for not being one too)

It may have reduced my hair fall due to breakage; However, since that really isn't a problem for me, I can't say I saw a significant difference.



I was also able to catalogue all my greens! I have 7 of them! heehee. can you guess the shades?



Compared my nails for holloween and christmas:



Holloween




Christmas and my first time using seche vite's top coat: I don't like the consistency. It's too thick and I can't apply it very well...

I love my long nails but I think I have to cut them since I'm having difficulty typing.

Wish I could post more. haha.

Dream

It is close to midnight and everyone is asleep. I am at my window. Impossibly, it is open. I look outside. A cool breeze comes in. My heart is hollow, but it feels like lead. I am waiting for something. My upper body sticks out, straining to the sky. I know I can do this. I jump.

I jump out the window and land on a nearby tree. I am deliriously happy, though I knew I would succeed. I start jumping from tree to tree. I stop to steady myself. I fear that something is chasing me, so I go further. I hop from tree to empty lot to tree. Each jump lasts longer, goes higher. Again and again until I feel like I can touch the stars.

I want to touch them. I try and I fail, but it's alright since I can try again.

Once more. I am so close. The air freezes in my lungs as my lips turn blue. I am ecstatic, my hand moves. I am going to touch a star. Then I start to fall. It is gravity, yet it is not. It is slower than I would expect. My heart starts pounding: If I crash, would I die? The sky is beautiful. It is a blanket of dark velvet with little glowing lights- crystals creating an unknown design. I fall and this image blurs. I hit the ground, but I am unharmed.

So I do it again, again, again.

I lose track of time. Then the velvet lightens and orange fire lights up the sky. It is morning and my head feels as if it were wrapped in cotton. I am sad, exhausted, overjoyed. I leap to my window and fall into my bed.

I fall asleep and I wake up.