APRIL FAVORITES ♥

Alright you guys, I’ve got some AWESOME favorites (and there are a lot of them, too xD) lined up for this past month, so without further ado, let us begin~!

Film

The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron

Oh man, where do I even begin.  There is so much that I would like to say, but I feel like most of that is spoilers, lol.  Hmm…I think I will just give some fairly general comments here, because I’m feeling lazy anyway. x’D

          Pros: 75% of the comedy is spot-on and absolutely hilarious.  The plays on Thor’s hammer, LOL. >D> Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are awesome; character development, costume, and the interpretations of their superhuman abilities were cool.  One of my favorite scenes in the movie was the sequence when Scarlet Witch’s magic is manipulating the Avengers’ subconscious minds.  The fight scene between Iron Man (in the Hulkbuster suit, of course) and the Hulk, as well as the “final battle” are fantastic.  Ultron is a really unique antagonist and it was refreshing to experience his odd sense of humor and eerie perspective of existence.  EVERYTHING about Hawkeye is A++++.  Omg.  Finally, the Vision.  THE FREAKING PAUL-BETANNY-IS-GOING-TO-EPIC-YOU-INTO-OBLIVION VISION.

          Cons: The other 25% of that comedy were either cheap shots or raunchy comments that really weren’t necessary.  This movie is definitely more mature than the first installment in the series.  Loki didn’t even have a tiny cameo—that was really disappointing for me.  Although, I imagine that they’re saving his face for the next Thor film… And seriously, guys?  No after-credits bonus scene?  Way to break tradition!

          Anyway, yeah, a great movie.  Not perfect, but as most Marvel movies have been for my personal tastes lately, pretty damn close (sorry, Captain).

TV Series

Love Rain

I’m not going to spend too much time discussing this kdrama because I tend to fangirl a lot over this sort of thing, and I’m already worn out after semi-spazzing about The Avengers. x’) Basically, this drama is about a stylish guy (Jang Geunsuk, one of the only guys who can actually pull off hairstyles such as a messy ponytail and a “manbun”) and a sweet girl (Im YoonA, who has the cutest facial expressions ever) who together embark on one of the most perilous journeys that exist in this extraordinarily ordinary life: dating.  Their ups-and-downs are heartwarming, and unlike many kdramas, this series has great closure.  Also: the fountain kiss scene is one of the best in kdrama, in my very unhumble humble opinion.

Book

The Book of Lost Tales 1 by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is another case of a lucky thrift-store find; I picked up this treasure for 99 cents at my local St. Vincent’s.  I haven’t finished reading it yet, but I love the magic and lore so far.  I mean, come on, it’s Tolkien.  What’s not to love.

Music

EXO The 2^nd Album EXODUS

Because this group’s stellar first album, I have to admit that initially I was quite disappointed with their follow-up.  While I like all of the songs on XOXO, I was only drawn to half (5/10) of EXODUS’s tunes: ‘Call Me Baby,’ ‘EXODUS,’ ‘El Dorado,’ ‘What If..’, and ‘Beautiful’ after the first few listens.  The other five songs, however, grew on me with time!  Particularly ‘Hurt,’ which has interesting sound and lyrics.  My favorite aspect of this album is the line distribution.  It made me so happy to hear my Yixing’s lovely voice so frequently, and to hear the usually non-existent vocals of Chanyeol.  Please SM, let all my babies sing.  This album is a lot like Overdose, at least composition-wise, with the addition of three ballads.  Overall, it’s a great buy.  I’m looking forward to a repackage album.

Game

Super Mario 3D Land

Everything that I love about Wii U’s Super Mario 3D World, condensed into a cute, portable form on my 3DS.  These games never fail as a quick go-to gaming pick-me-up for those bleh moments in life.

Makeup

CoverGirl Professional loose mineral powder

This product has actually been part of my daily routine for a few years now, but I never really gave it much thought until I recently tried a different drugstore loose mineral powder—one that I didn’t care for at all!  Of course, I went right back to the CoverGirl one, which I can say in all honestly that I think is a great dupe for Bare Minerals powders, which I used during my first few years of wearing makeup.  I’ve never had any issues with it.

Product

Neutrogena 3-in-1 acne facial scrub

Long story short: I was on the market for a facial scrub and a treatment for mild acne, so when I came across this product at the drugstore, it seemed like a no-brainer.  It was very affordable so I decided to give it a try without much research, and I am quite pleased.  It doesn’t irritate my dry, sensitive skin (you do have to use a moisturizer afterwards, though, as you would with any other salicylic acid treatment), smells nice, and really does help with what it claims: to clear up “acne’s past, present, and future.”  Next time, I think I will go for something a bit more organic/natural, but I would recommend this product to anyone who’s looking for a different type of treatment for milder cases of acne.

MARCH FAVORITES ♥

I’d like to start off by saying that I hope that you all had as beautiful of an Easter as I did! ♥

Before my Easter break ends and I go back to work tomorrow, I figured that I should stop procrastinating and get up my Monthly Favorites post for last month before April is over! XD Since most of March was in Lent, I don’t have as many entertainment entries this time around, but there were indeed a few things worth mentioning.

Let’s get started ~

Book

Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross

Before Ash Wednesday I had spent a considerable amount of time deciding on my Lenten reading material this year, and most of my choices were books that I had already read before but felt that they merited a second time through.  St. John of the Cross is one of my favorite spiritual authors, probably because of his simple yet elegant style and of course, his poetics. 

          Dark Night of the Soul is essentially Christian mysticism in poetic form, and is composed of two parts: “The Dark Night,” and “The Ascent of Mount Carmel.”  I had read these works, along with his The Living Flame of Love for Lent two years ago, and enjoyed it immensely.  I feel that after reading through them again they have been even more beneficial than before.

          If you’re looking for an entirely different kind of spiritual reading, I strongly recommend it!

Film

The Last Unicorn

“I would enter your sleep if I could, and guard you there, and slay the thing that hounds you, as I would if it had the courage to face me in fair daylight.  But I cannot come in unless you dream of me.” –Peter S. Beagle

Beautiful book, lovely film.  A precious pearl from my childhood days, recently revisited!

 

Food

International Delight York coffee creamer

Just imagine creamy, refreshing peppermint chocolate swirled into your morning cup of coffee, and you’ll understand why this dairy coffee creamer secured its spot on my list this month.

Makeup

CoverGirl Aqua CG Smoothers moisturizing liquid foundation

Now that my facial psoriasis has cleared up and my skin is healing, I have been able to use a medium-coverage foundation as opposed to the full-coverage one (Revlon ColorStay) that I had been using before as the main element of my daily makeup routine.  For the past few weeks I’ve been using this one by Cover Girl and it’s quite nice!  It goes on smoothly, blends well, has no unpleasant scent or side effects, and really does help to keep my face soft and moisturized.  It’s a bit thicker than a BB cream, and is buildable if more coverage is needed.

Product

Thayer’s Cucumber Witch Hazel w/Aloe Vera

Soon after I had successfully gotten rid of the psoriasis patches on my face and neck, my skin became a bit oily and I started seeing tiny pimples pop up here and there, particularly on my forehead and along my jawline.  To help combat this and keep my skin clean, fresh, and toned, I picked up this all-natural witch hazel toner at my local Walgreens after hearing many positive comments on the Rose version of the same product.  I chose the Cucumber version because of the cooling, calming effects that I’ve known cucumber products to provide.  Astringents are too harsh for my sensitive skin, and my acne isn’t severe enough to use topical products such as Clean & Clear’s Persa-Gel 10.  For me, applying a toner twice or day (three times if I’m not wearing makeup that day) does the job just fine.

          I will note that this toner is very mild, however, and must be used in cooperation with a good cleanser and moisturizer.  It’s all about finding the specific skincare routine that works for you and your skin.  If I didn’t use certain other products along with this toner, I feel that it wouldn’t be anywhere near as effective.  The next product under this category that I plan on giving a try is Etude House’s Wonder Pore Freshner.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY FAVORITES ♥

January is such a refreshing month.  It is a time still touched by the pure joy and celebration of Christmas, while simultaneously full of promise and hope for the year to come.  I feel that I’ve had an extraordinarily good start, which I hope will set the tone for the rest of 2015.

And because February is always the busiest month (three birthdays, my parents’ anniversary, Valentine’s Day, school fundraising, and sometimes [like this year ;o;] the beginning of Lent!) of the year for me besides December, I decided to combine my monthly favorites posts together this time around.

That being said, here are my favorites for January/February 2015~!  It’s a longer post, but there are some particularly lovely mentions here so I hope that it proves to be worth your time. ♥

Book

The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler

&

“Daughter of Aero” by Katharine Bond

I was required to read the first book, as it is one of my textbooks this term.  The latter, well… I was also required to read because it is practically my godchild, the work of my dearest friend and writing partner, Katharine Bond.  Both are absolutely incredible works and merit their shared place on my list for this month.

          As a writer, I appreciate any book or article that helps make my job an easier and more fulfilling experience.  Let me tell you:  I have never read a book that has inspired or influenced me more than this one by acclaimed screenwriter Christopher Vogler.  It’s…inexplicable.  I truly believe that The Writer’s Journey is an indispensable guide for writers, regardless of profession or genre. 

          If you’ve never heard of it, click here to read all about it.  If you’ve been putting it off, I’m begging you to find it and read it.  You will not regret it!  There’s something here to be learned and/or gleaned by everyone.

Secondly: “Daughter of Aero” by Katharine Bond, which is the second installment of her The Last Abecedarian series.  I haven’t even finished reading it yet, but I know that I love it.  On account of the fact that it is inherent to my nature to be biased in regards to Katie’s books, I will refrain from discussing it in detail here.  Instead, I would like to present to you shameless best friend promotion I would like to spread the word! 

Purchase the book! -> Daughter of Aero on Amazon

Follow Katie on Facebook! -> Katharine Bond

Follow Katie on Twitter! -> @BondKatharine

Visit Katie's author page on Goodreads! -> Katharine Bond (Goodreads Author)

Visit Katie’s blog! -> Katharine’s Korner

Film

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

This movie is the very epitome of cheesy old martial arts films (which I absolutely love to watch, haha). It features totally not fake AWESOME wire work, cool weapons, fists and feet and antagonists flying everywhere.  …Hey, those “special effects” were revolutionary at the time!  The setting and music, aspects that seem to be fairly consistent in the realm of Asian entertainment, are spot-on as well.

          OH YEAH CAN I JUST HAVE A MOMENT TO SPAZZ ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS A 10-YEAR-LATE SEQUEL TO THIS FILM RELEASING THIS SUMMER AND IT STARS DONNIE YEN WHO IS PRETTY MUCH THE COOLEST GUY EVER.

          For me, nothing beats a chilly late night with peppermint hot chocolate and a good, action-packed movie.

         

TV Series

Coffee Prince

Before Lent began in mid-February, I binged-watched several kdrama series despite having midterms including It’s Okay, That’s Love, Bride of the Century, To the Beautiful You (second time through oops), and this month’s favorite: Coffee Prince.  All of these series were pretty good; I enjoyed all of them and they’re great in their own unique ways but Coffee Prince just blows the others out of the water and far, far off into the distance.

          Not gonna lie, I could write a non-scholarly (on account of the constant fangirling and use of internet lingo) dissertation on why I love this series.  Romance? Check.  Drama? Check.  Comedy?  Check.  Delicious food and coffee?  Check and check.  This series is perfect in every way at least for my tastes, anyway and I just love it. >u< I cried.  Lots.  And I laughed even more.  Coffee Prince’s adorableness and hilariousness are very unpredictable, which I feel contributes to the overall entertainment value for someone like me (a writer who is real tired of predictable plots and dynamics on TV).  It got me over and over again.

          There is no way that I can properly summarize this drama's plot without confusing or scaring you, so I'll just say that if you’re into this sort of thing, watch it.  You won’t be disappointed!

Game

To the Moon (CPU)

Okay, now this is a favorite that I experienced a few years ago when it released, but its beauty and magnificence had somehow managed to drift into the deepest recesses of my memory.

          Last week I found amongst the 3000-something songs that I have on my personal computer “Everything’s Alright,” which is theme song for the game and also a favorite for this past month.  Hearing this beautiful song for the first time in foreverrrr brought the game back to my mind and I decided to play through it again.

          Dear God.  I didn’t remember crying so much back then.  I’ve definitely changed.  LOL

          The developer’s site describes the game as “A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories, in order to artificially fulfill his last wish.”  It is absolutely incredible to me how much raw emotion and plausibility the developers were able to instill to a pixelated game.  It’s a truly impressive, fulfilling video game.  I’m a firm believer in these sorts of games—the ones that make people think and wonder, instead of just hack and slash.

          To the Moon also won numerous indie game awards for the year of 2011, and rightfully so.  If you’re a gamer who’s looking for a new experience, give this a try!  It’s short and sweet and will leave you in awe.  You can purchase it on Steam for $9.99.  It's well worth the money.

Music

“Everything’s Alright” by Laura Shigihara (To the Moon OST)

As previously mentioned, “Everything’s Alright” is the theme song for the game To the Moon.  It’s…a beautiful song.  Definitely one of the top 10 songs that give me emoceans!  There is also a fantastic cover of the song by YouTuber Emily Scholz that gives it a slightly different flair.  They’re both wonderful, and I will embed them here for your listening pleasure.

Original

Cover by Emily Scholz (EmSArcade)

Product

Nature Republic Cleansing Soap

LAY ver. (acacia scent)

Long story short: a friend of mine gifted this bar soap to me because in South Korea, k-pop group EXO is currently endorsing skincare giant Nature Republic and each member’s face was stamped on the sleeve for each different scent of the soap.  My favorite member of the group being Lay, my friend got me his version which is the acacia scent. 

          Apparently, acacia is a thorny shrub or tree that smells like heaven that has been known throughout the ages for its distinctive scent and heavy symbolism.  Different peoples have associated it with purity and endurance of the soul, resurrection, and immortality.  Egyptian mythology associates the acacia tree with the tree of life.  Today, it is still used to make incense, perfumes, and amazing soap bars with k-pop idols on them.

          The soap itself is lovely but mild.  For me it removes impurities without any side effects, positive or negative.  Because of the strong scent, cleansing tends to become more therapeutic, so I don’t use it all the time.  Just when I need something a little extra before my skincare routine.

…And that’s it for this post!  Whew, that was a bit lengthy.  If you’re still reading this, I thankyu!  Thankyu for putting up with my fangirly ramblings. >u<

‘Til the next post~!

DECEMBER FAVORITES ♥

Film

The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies

I don’t need to elaborate on this one because I already wrote a whole long blog post on it already! Yay! Click here to read it. :-)

TV Series

Empress Ki

Okay, so ya’ll know that I’m into Asian entertainment.  Old news.  As of late, however, it seems like this is no exception when it comes to TV shows.  I’ve recently taken a liking to Korean drama, and I’ve certainly had to dig through the dirt to find the gems, if you know what I mean.  There are some really great kdramas, and some really bad ones, too. Ha ha.

          Anyway, I’m rambling again.  EMPRESS KI.  What can I say.  Period dramas are my one weakness.  This series is a brilliant combination of drama, action, romance, and comedy.  All rolled up with lovely music, vibrant costumes, and fantastic visual effects into a perfect little package of perfection. ♥  

Makeup

Hard Candy Glamoflauge heavy duty concealer

A huge part of dealing with psoriasis, especially for a young woman, is being able to cope with the physical effects during the healing process.  I don’t think that any product I’ve ever talked about here on my blog has helped with my confidence more than this one.  I’ve used many, many different “heavy duty” concealers and none of have worked as well to cover up the psoriasis patches on my face and neck.

          I use the shade Medium Light, which is technically a shade too light for my skintone, but I like this shade because of its slightly green tinge.  Anyone who deals with redness knows that green cancels out red, so this is a huge plus here.  The consistency is quite thick but smooth and non-drying, and one layer usually takes care of all of my problems.  It also works great for under the eyes and as a eyeshadow/lipcolor base.  Apparently, with a few layers, this concealer is known for being able to even cover up tattoos.

          Each $6-7 tube comes with a free concealer pencil, too.

Product

Etude House Happy Essential Foam Cleanser

Vitamin C version (yellow packaging)

I don’t need to say much about this facial cleanser except that it removes makeup effortlessly, doesn't irritate skin, smells like Fruit Loops (which is basically happiness), and has adorable packaging.  Oh, and it costs less than 5 bucks.  Mm-hmm.

Moment

various

December, being the month of Christmas, never fails to have more than its fair share of remarkable moments.  And these are the moments that I find most difficult to put to words.  Perhaps I am just lazy, which we all know could very well be the case, but I think that it shall suffice to say that the blessings of Christmas are both beautiful and universal and, luckily for us, they’re also annual.  Family and friends; peace, joy, and love; good food; exchanging gifts; movies, music, and magic~ Every year, I look forward to seeing what miracles the Infant Jesus will bring to this world.  We are all very blessed.  Let us be grateful! 

Deo Gratias, again and again~!

☆ 2014 >> 2015 ☆ Some Thoughts & Reflections

Happy New Year, dear friends!  May 2015 bring you, your family, and your friends many blessings and much happiness.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas season and that the joy and blessings are continuing to linger on as this New Year spreads its wings.

That being said… Woo-hoo for my first post the year 2015!! *^_^* I like to think that my blog has had a pretty productive 2014.  I’m proud of myself for keeping up with it as often as I did… ya’ll know that I have the attention span of a Labrador retriever puppy and I get bored of things so easily and also that oftentimes, I’m just plain lazy.  What a miracle that I managed to mostly keep up with at least the Monthly Favorites posts.

Now that I’ve been able to find the time to look back and reflect on 2014, I can say that I have indeed had a very “good” year in general.  I’ve been going through diaries, photos, writings, and drawings that I did throughout the year.  So many beautiful memories made!  So many inspirations which sparked great ideas that very well may become future successes!  I could spend hours typing up thoughts on these experiences.

As far as resolutions go, I’m pleased to say that I did fairly well!  I’ve been attending Mass and other sacred ceremonies much more often, kept my blog updated, wrote more letters, started drawing realism and painting with watercolor, and if I may say so, I’ve nearly exhausted my supply of charity.  Ha ha!  In all seriousness, though, I was involved with countless projects for church and school, parish and beyond, family and friends.  I admit that, with work and uni, things got quite stressful at times, but Our Lord and His Blessed Mother have helped me every step of the way.  There is no doubt of that.

Helping others is always a rewarding experience, and this has certainly proved to be true in my experiences this past year.  Out of all of the resolutions that I set for 2014, exercising charity is my greatest victory and one that I know God is very pleased with.  I hope that I can continue to be of service to anyone in my community who needs me.

Among my best memories from this is past year are the Klamath Falls trip, counseling at the Girls’ Summer Camp in California, and of course, everything about December and Christmas.  I’ve made new friendships that I hope will stay with me until the end of my days, and the ones I already had are stronger than ever.  As I grow older and I’m finally starting to venture out a bit and test the waters, I’ve spent so much time with my friends, more than ever, and they’ve become family to me.

Speaking of family, my relationships with my parents and all of my siblings have been going strong, too.  They are at the crux of my heart and the foundation under my feet and I would be very lost without them.

My greatest difficulty, as many of you already know, has been my psoriasis.  This is the fourth and worst occurrence I’ve had of this miserable immune system disorder that unfortunately manifests itself in red, itchy plagues of death all over the skin.  I’ve learned how to deal with it, however.  I’ve found the skincare and makeup products that work for me, and I’m sticking to them until I can completely flush this out of my system.  From the inside out, instead of relying on topical prescriptions to only remove the visible signs of the disease.  Nope.  I’m going to root this problem out from the core.

Honestly, despite all difficulties, I’ve had a wonderful year.

…So, what about 2015?  What are my intentions for this New Year that is overflowing with hope and possibility?

My resolutions this year are rather broad and simplistic.

v  Spiritual betterment is always my first and primary resolution.  This year particularly in regards to more frequent prayer, “little” sacrifices, and spiritual reading.

v  I’m just going to throw this out there: I ate a lot of crap this past year.  Lots of sugar and chips.  LOL.  Let’s not repeat that, Ashley.  Also, I think at least 15 minutes of exercise per day would be very beneficial.  This will also help with the healing of my psoriasis.

v  Finish university strong.  I just began my last term with SLU, and I’m hoping for a 95 or higher in these courses, as all of them deal with subject matter that I enjoy and am comfortable with.

v  Focus more on creative hobbies.  I feel that despite small successes like self-teaching myself new art genres and being published in literary magazines, my art and writing really suffered this past year because I missed so many opportunities for no good reason.

v  This goes with the preceding resolution: publish a book.

v  Driver’s license.  I think I’ve put this one off for long enough!

v  Get a summer job.  I’ve been a teacher since I graduated from high school.  I think it would be good for me to try something different for a few months or so and see how it goes.

And there you have it.  My resolutions for the New Year 2015.  Feel free to share your ideas in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you.

That’s about it for this post… Again, there is so much that I could say.  That I want to say.  But there is a time for everything and my time for today is spent.  As stated by a wise character in one of my recently revived writing projects, “The difference between giving up and giving in is the difference between hate and love; stubbornness and patience.”

I would like to mention that ever since I spent New Year’s Eve doing a Holy Hour in the chapel, I’ve had this gut feeling that 2015 is going to be an absolutely beautiful year—the best year yet.  I’m not sure if this is just a consolation from God or something that my optimistic mind has conjured up all on its own, but I’m going to dare to believe it.

This is going to be the best year yet.

P.S. December Favorites post on the way!