Passion

A Moment for Tea Classic:

This is my first entry for this album, which is designed for "The Thinking Woman" (Man is invited too).

Ok... A Moment for Tea #1:

After reading Dostoevsky, Rizal, and Coelho, and watching one too many Asian dramas, I understood that human beings crave for passion. There must be something that we can passionately live for. Or in many cases, *someone* we can passionately live for. 

We are playing a part in the most passionate story in all creation. It is the drama we call life. Weren't the songs written, stories told, movies made mere echos of the human experience? And still, and still, and still, although we've heard the stories numerous times, we still cross our fingers for a happy ending.

Passion- we are actively being pursued by the MOST PASSIONATE PERSON who ever lived. In his passion, he formed the universe. In his passion, he accepted torture and death with no dignity and beauty. In his passion, he left an empty tomb. In his passion, He will come again to give the happiest ending that one could ever hope for. And even now, in this very minute, we are still being actively pursued by Him- Jesus Christ.

May we live lives where passion is a virtue; where we are also in active pursuit of Him who has said, "My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore" (Psalm 139:17-18).

With Inspiration from:
Rob Watt and C.S. Schreiner
Image:
Source 

Dolly Wink False Eyelashes No. 10 Sweet Cat and No. 13 Baby Girl Review

Meow, meow, meow?

(Translation:  Can I ever look as sweet as a cat?)

I've been a cat owner for quite a while now, so I should say that I'm getting pretty good at the language.  XD  Hoho!  I'm leaving that as that...  

Tsubasa Masukawa recently released her Otona Kawaii line with Dolly Wink, as you all may well know now.  I purchased No.10 Sweet Cat and No. 13 Baby Girl, hoping to sport that feminine, yet with an edge, look.  Kinda like cats' eyes!

  

Here's my two-cent about No. 10 Sweet Cat:

Pros

• Hair looks and feels natural and soft
• Flexible, delicate, and invisible band
• Not shiny
• Nicely curled
• Glue stays put
• Makes your eyes sultry and beautiful ^^
• POINTER: just remember to trim them to your eyes' length so it will not look messy

Cons

• Can look too dramatic or exaggerated if you're not used to falsies
• Does not feel as comfortable as No. 11 Pure Sweet

Here's my other two cents (a total of four cents! :D) about No. 13 Baby Girl:

Pros

• Hair looks and feels natural and soft
• Flexible lash band
• Not shiny
• Glue stays put
• Not individual lash pieces so it's easy to apply
• Makes your eyes look cute

Cons

• Can look too exaggerated
• Lash band is quite visible on the lower lash line

Honestly, when I was wearing these lashes altogether, I felt I had hairy creatures on my eyes!  They're too dramatic together, and the hairs of the Sweet Cat looked really messy.  Without the bottom lashes, Sweet Cat looked less exaggerated.  Would I dare wear these outside the comforts of my home?  Most likely not... D:

UPDATE: How comfortable you will be with how these lashes look will really depend on you.  Now that I am more used to falsies, this Sweet Cat has been great because I personally think it makes my eyes look adorable.  I'm comfortable enough to wear them in public, but not together with the bottom lashes.  That would need another getting used too.  ^-^  However, I wouldn't want to discredit my older opinion because as a first time user, Sweet Cat did feel too dramatic.

Maybe with Baby Girl 13, it would look more convincing if it were closer to the lash line, which I forgot to try.  If you do try that out, then please tell me~  Thanks!  ^.^

Look of the Day
Etude House Dream On Foundation in #2 Natural
Beige, MAC Studio Fix NC 30, Skin Food All
Over Muffin Cake in Choco
Brownie, Etude House Model Face Shade, The
Face Shop Lovely Me:ex Cushion Blusher in
Jenny
Eyes: Anna Sui Face Primer, The Face Shop
Baked Triple Color in 02 Gold Brown (choose
the champagne shade in the inner corner of the
eyes), Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow
palette in 10 Berry Bloom (choose the hot pink
shade on the lids), Clinique Color Surge Eye
Shadow Quad in Chocolate Chip (on outer corners
of the eyes for 3D effect), Nature Republic Prism
Star Eyeshadow in GR602 (on lower lash line),
Etude House Proof 10 Liquid Eyeliner in Proof
Black, Cover Girl Volume Exact Waterproof
Mascara in black-brown, Skin Food All Over
Roll Powder (glitter for the eyes for extra twinkle)
Lips: MAC Lipstick Frost in Angel, Lancome
Juicy Tubes in Miracle
Whew!  SO much!

Looking up view

Side-view

Let's get some of these caterpillars off.

I personally think this is better. ^^

You can purchase yours at Shoppingholics.com.  That's it for tonight!  Thanks for stopping by.  A more serious post next time, seriously!  

*Photos taken with new camera*

Spring Cleaning and Circle Lens Review System

Hi!

It's been a while- about a week since I last blogged.  I miss writing for you, guys!  ^-^

I'm cleaning my blog a bit: organizing the labels and planning for a new layout and logo.  I hope to finish all these during the Easter Break.  I didn't really have time recently because I've been spending my past three weekends with friends and it's again the last weeks of the quarter.  XS  Hopefully, I could just have my quiet weekends spent at home again, writing some blogs (I have so many topics in my head!) and drawing/painting.

Oh...  Soon and very soon!

Next, I want to change some of the way I do my circle lens reviews.  Seems like the category enlargement is so arbitrary, which is many times dependent on the preference of the reviewer.  So, this is the system that I'm coming up with:

1- no enlargement at all; example, clear contact lenses 
2- low enlargement, 14.0 mm diameter without bold limbal ring; example Geo Tricolor
3- medium enlargement, 14.0 mm diameter with bold limbal ring; example Geo Honey Wings
4- high enlargement, 14.5 mm diameter; example Geo Hurricane
5- extremely high enlargement, 15.0 mm diameter and above; example Geo Cafe Mimi

I think this system would put some organization and more accuracy with my reviews.  (^.~)v

One more post after this!

The Long Wait is Over! ^0^

SHOUT!

Last week, my bumcheeks are officially sewn together! XD  It's graphic, I know!  Pardon me but I don't know any other way to express myself...  (-.-)  Should I say, "ecstatic with glee"?  "Too happy for words"?  "Smiling from ear to ear"? 

Nope, nope, NOPE!  Much too mild!  Sewn bumcheeks it izzzzz!!  ^0^  

My camera came in the mail last Friday!  SHOUT!

I'm currently still testing it because it was "scratch and dent."  It was the model that I really wanted and was the last one in the store.  The customer service said that the scratch was cosmetic.  So, I just made a grab for it >.<  You know that old saying, "Desperate times call for desperate measures"?  Anyway, so far, it's functioning quite well and that scratch was really faded...  They said that I have 2 months to test it out.  I am crossing my fingers that there is really nothing wrong with it.  ✌

I will give you the honor of seeing some pics of it which are not taken by me :)  Hehehe!

Panasonic Lumix GMC G3
(My lens isn't this awesome, by the way.)

Oh, what's that? O.o A flippy screen!

Oh, rest well!  Rest well, dear Samsung camera!  I will use you when I need lightweight, extra-portable photography.

Samsung TL220

Images:

Panasonic Lumix DMC G3

Panasonic Lumix DMC G3 with rotating display screen

Samsung TL220

LensVillage Sponsored Giveaway via ChouKawaii

Hi!

  Emi, author of choukawaii.blogspot.com, is hosting a giveaway with the sponsorship of LensVillage.  You get 2 circle lenses FREE!  ^______^

So, check out her blog on the link above, and check out LensVillage for your circle lens needs!

Have a wonderful week! ^_____^

Real Life Sundays, ed. 5

I noticed that I didn't get to post one last week.

It's alright, yah?  Every Sunday is church, family time, then when evening comes I blog about it.  Nothing so exciting to post last time...  Thank you for keeping up with my rather normal life ^^;;

But this time is a little different because:

I straightened my hair!  :D  I don't really
like straightening my hair.  It takes so
much time!  I can't be high-
maintenance with everything!

After a loooooong time, I drew!  My sister said that she looks like a
cartoon when I was aiming for something a little more realistic.  -__-
But what can I do?  Tsubasa does look like a cartoon.

Concept for next week's review with Dolly
Wink in #10 Sweet Cat and #13 Baby Girl.
So, please, be watching out for that ^0^

Also, what's a little different this week is........ my new camera will be here!  I am so excited!  \(^0^)/  You know how long I've tried to be patient. T___T  So, next week will be my review of my other Dolly Wink eyelashes.  I think this will be a fitting task for my camera!

Until we meet again, dears!  Have a great week! ^_________^

♥♥♥

Only the Moon...

HI! ^0^ 

I had a great day and that's something really nice to hear, isn't it?  That is why I just had to greet you all with a nice heartfelt "Hi!", wishing that the same is with you~ ♥♥♥

As you've seen in the post prior to this, I went to Häagen Daz ice cream cafe(?) for a date...

...With my sisters!  'Twas my treat~ ^____^  (Heehee!)  And we had a great time: being girls and being best friends.  I won't go into details of what we talked about, but being able to share topics other than the usual, everyday stuff was refreshing and profound.  I think it's part of the healing from a lot things that's happened in our lives.  And everything that we've gone through had been a blessing, although some of them were in disguise! :)

After that, we headed to our 언니's birthday party.  There was a lot of good food.  :D  However, some parts of the evening was spoiled by... (I'm awfully sorry to say this! >__<) a couple of uncontrollable kids.! I am sorry that I felt cross, but I've never seen so much energy used in dangerous and "un-conducive" ways.  And take my word for it, I've seen a lot of kids!  

I need to work on more patience, I understand that... but... parents, can you please help in not making this task so hard???  Please please please please! >.< Thank you!

On the way home, my spirit was a bit dampened because of that...  what could lift this spirit up again?

You would not guess this: the moon! 

The moon tonight and last night was the most beautiful thing.  I almost believed that the moon was closest to Guam than any other part of the world.  What we usually see as silver, shed her silver raiment and traded it for a gold one... :)  The moon has secrets she's never revealed to us before... ^__^

Also, the moon rabbit was clearer than it's ever been tonight.  And the stars!  The stars were singing the anthem of the Creator's glory.  They were bright because the sky was so clear. *sigh*  I am so in love with of all this!

Reminds me of my old choir song: "Only the Moon has Secrets."  

...But I couldn't find a decent recording on YouTube.  So, I'll leave you with this: 

Good night!  May the moon shine brightly wherever you are, too.  ^^

The Enchanted Forest

Once upon a time, on the sunny island of Guam...

Breeze: whoosh, whish!

"Oh, an enchanted forest in paradise?" O.o

...Said the dame lost in this forest.

But she caught a glowing fairy-girl to guide her!

♪"We start with raspberry ice, and then
some cakes and tea."♫ Mary Poppins
(This is not raspberry ice.
This is affogato.) 

 Fairy girl, "We must sample this sweet offering of this forest!"

Lost dame, "Looks nom!" ^____^

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♥

 And indeed, it was "Nom"!

Tiny ice cream balls!

Chocolate, meet your perfect match.

The "lost" dame wasn't so lost anymore because she's in her newfound element. 

 The adventures continue next time:

"Well hello there, delicious!"

How He Loves by David Crowder

I couldn't get this song out of my head :)  I would like to share it with you!

Someone's Looking for You

"When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she'd know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.Immediately the two of them did "see what's really going on"—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God.God called to the Man: 'Where are you?'"  Genesis 3:6-9 (MSG, emphasis added).

In studying the Bible, you would find that it is one of the richest texts that you'll ever encounter.  After all, it is quite a library in itself: a collection of sixty-six books bounded together with pages so thin so you wouldn't have to hurt your arm carrying it.☺

One of my most favorite parts of the Bible to study is the conversations between people and the Lord, particularly amongst the first man and woman and God.  What you first assumed is simplicity of words actually convey the deepest thoughts and convictions, of not only the individuals Adam and Eve, but of even the entire humanity and God.

God called to the Man: "Where are you?"(v. 9)
How many of us in the midst of our fall, pain, and difficulty, have asked God, "Where are you?"  Amazingly, this question was not original to humans although we've cried it out for generations and generations!  During the event when the first man and woman sinned and disobeyed God, it was God who first said these words: "Where are you?"

The first response of our loving God when we have lost our way was to seek us out.  "Where are you?" surely is not a question of whether He couldn't find us and lost sight of us!  He always has His eye on us and knows us for who we really are (Psalm 139).  Verse 9 are the words of a Father who is seeking for His children and desiring reconciliation with them! ^____^

So, where are you in this life?  Are you in the part of your life where there are just so much pain and confusion?  Are you only going through the motions of your responsibilities or religion?  Or are you thinking that you are self-satisfied... but maybe, just maybe, there is something more to life?

The One who made the moon and the stars, the One who has in His hands the very atoms that hold us together, the One who has the power to allow history to unfold, is the One who is seeking for you and loves you so deeply, it is truly beyond words.  Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He has made a way for you... ♥♥♥

"Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love” Isaiah 55:13 (NLT).

Scripture:
The Message (MSG) and The New Living Translation (NLT) from Biblegateway.com
Image:
Girl with Binoculars
Bible with Hearts

Dolly Wink False Eyelashes No. 11 Pure Sweet Review

You wanna be dolly-kawaii?

I've never worn falsies in my entire life, knowing that it would make my make-up routine more complicated  :P  You know, I already take that long in front of the mirror, and my father may kick my butt if I stay any longer (Hehehe...  my father wouldn't do that, but you know!  He's a guy.  He no understand these things.)

But I checked out Shoppingholics because I really like Dolly Wink and since Tsubasa Masukawa released a new line, I thought, "Why not?"  It'd be for review purposes to help other ladies out there who would be considering these false lashes.

Package came after 2 weeks from Malaysia (since there are no direct
flights to Guam, the package went to California first. Hence, the wait).

Tsubasa is so chio here!  Can I be chio
like her?  :D

Nicely curled~

Pros:

• Hair looks natural
• Not shiny
• Lightweight
• Nicely curled
• Quite comfortable, even if I were only a newbie ^o^
• Glue lasts all night, but bring a tube just in case!

Cons:

• May be too dramatic for everyday wear if you are new to falsies.
• Separated hair can look unnatural
• UPDATE: But they are some of the most natural-looking out there

Ja-jang!  My eyelashes will now make any heart a-flutter.  XD

How do you like my dress?  It's only 15 dollars!  Whee~

Look of the Day
Face: Etude House Dream On Foundation
in #2 Natural Beige, Almay Concealer,
MAC Studio Fix NC30, Skin Food All Over
Muffin Cake in Choco Brownie, Etude
House Model Face Shade, Lancome Blush
Subtil in Rose Sable 02
Eyes: Lancome Rose Edition Pallete: white,
silver, grey-silver, Etude House Proof 10
Liquid Eyeliner in Proof Black, FACEitExtreme Mascara
Lips: MAC Lipstick Amplified in
Girl About Town

Wanted my nails to match my lips :)

Btw, I just wanted to tell you a story about this lip color.  I went to Macy's, in mind that I would get the most fantastic lip color I have ever seen.  Since fuschia is so in, I chose this color ^__^  I was beyond happy with my purchase :D  But when I came home and my mother saw me with it, she was horrified! She was watching some scary beans of a documentary about make-up addiction.  She thought I was on my way to becoming a tacky lady with bright green eyeshadow and a saggy face >.<  Anyway, thus my last purchase of make-up for the month.  *sigh*  Life is fantastic like this :D

Real Life Sundays, ed. 4

I didn't get to post last Sunday's photos...  I'm sorry about that!  T___T  If you've read my last post, I've caught a bit of a cold.  I'm on my way to a speedy recovery, but I am really wishing to be able to rest more.  D;   ^___^  How about you?  How are you?

Anyway, be forewarned: Photo Heavy!

We ate at Nana's Cafe in Tumon, behind Outrigger Resort, last Sunday.
Just a stone throw away is the beach :)  Isn't that lovely?  

My usual Caesar salad. :d  By the way,
each meal comes with a salad from the salad
bar and soup.

I ♥ butter fried onions!!  Don't worry, I ain't so piggy.
I shared with my sister :P

The perfect fish!  Black cod (divine
buttery fish) for only $15.50!  SHOUT!

The folks I always hang out with :)  What can I say?  We're tight
like that♥♥♥

*Swoosh!*  *Whip!*
My hair was doing some kind of a kung-fu number on my Mother's face.

This is a good shot!  I have a candid photo of us, but I forgot to
watermark it...  :(

My little sister looks constipated XD

Chooo~~  We so kawaii!   :D :D :D

One word:
XD

I got the time and the look for that day, so I took advantage of that:

No lipstick for me because my lips are
"as dry as a chalky elbow on a winter day."
XD  I heard that on TV and just thought it
was wiggin' hilarious!

Bonus

Pop Rock candies with the lollipop: major
ticket to sweet childhood memories!  ^.^

My take on tea and cakes

Someday, I wish someone can teach me how to put watermarks on photos more quickly and efficiently.  Right now, I am using Illustrator, for lack of knowledge on other means... and it's taking me a loooong time to edit photos :(  If you can help, I'd be so thankful and call you a saint!  ^_^  ☀☀☀

Good night for now!  See you again in the weekend!