Yeah, it's been a while lol

Wow. So my last entry was about six months ago, and so much has changed! First and foremost, I graduated in May and received my diploma. I graduated with a 3.127 GPA, A-'s in my internship and global health issues classes, an A- in Philosophy and a B+ in Psychology. I did it!!!!!! :)

Secondly, I am now single. I realized that the relationship wasn't working out and there were things that led me to the last straw. He's never going to change and I got tired of feeling like a bird in a cage. That's all that I will say about it. I'm actually at the point where I don't even want to waste my time thinking about him or the relationship. Of course I still have feelings of anger and resentment, but I'm just trying to let go and move on with my life. This single thing is kinda new to me because honestly, I haven't been single in a while. Um. Well, there's a somebody that I'm talking to, but I guess were taking it slow? I don't know, man. I don't know. I do have feelings for him and like him alot, but like I said....were taking it slow. I mean, real slow. Lol. Whatever happens I guess? Ah.

Anyways, as of right now, I just came from an amazing summer and dreading that it's over. I have been job searching like crazy. I've applied to about ten jobs so far and no replies yet. Most of jobs, if not all of the jobs, are all in NYC, specifically the Bronx or Manhattan. Most of these jobs are kind of like health educator jobs, but based on what I did in school and at my internship, these are the things that I am capable of. Other than that, I've also applied for research assistant jobs. What I get out of this job searching is that I discover the kind of public health jobs that are out there, as well as what I want to do and what I don't want to do. For example, I am least interested in anything environmental health related or health administration related (such as dealing with health insurance). I'm attending an alumni event for my major later this month, so I'm hoping I can get some advice on the job searching or at least do some networking.

As for weight loss, I joined a gym back in June and at first, I used to go more than once a week. However, I think after my cousin's wedding in mid-June, I lacked a little. I checked my weight at my grandma's house a few days ago and it said that I dropped to 128lbs. Back in May/June, I was 140lbs. That's amazing that I dropped 10lbs., more or less.

I'm debating as to whether I should continue blogging on here or just end it. I mean, as of now, I have a ton of free time on my hand (until I get employed LOL) but this blog has been around for four years and I've changed so much. I don't know if I should make a brand new one to start off new or not...eh maybe not because I'm lazy and plus I'm hardly on here. Eh, who knows? lol

As for beauty products, I haven't really found anything interesting, except for a few things, like the They're Real Lashes mascara by Benefit (that is my absolute favorite) as well as the MAC Red lipstick, Snob lipstick and Ravishing lipstick, all of which are satin finishes and from MAC. Also, I saw this one shade called Sushi Kiss but sadly, I didn't catch it in time to get it because they were already sold out. It was this gorgeous bright pink-coral color. NARS has this jumbo lip pencil in the shade Lodhi which is quite similar, but I don't want to spend $25 bucks on it...I'm broke and jobless lmaoo. I finally got the NYX eyeshadow base in skintone and I think it's okay. I've only used it once or twice so I really can't tell. It kind of reminds me of their jumbo pencils, which I use as eyeshadow bases. I've been also obsessed with the YES TO line of products. I love the Yes to Blueberries facial wipes because it's the best in removing makeup, especially eye makeup. I also love their Yest to Carrots daily moisture body lotion. It smells good and is super moisturizing. The Milani baked blushes are great too! I got one in Rose d'Oro and it is gorgeous!!!! I also love the healthy sexy hair soy renewal hair treatment (it's like a serum). Ever since I dyed my hair (to a color called "Red Violet Brown" from Ion) I've used this in my hair to blow dry. Then I use my Garnier Fructis sleek and shine flat iron spray to straighten it. I'm mad that they don't have the straightening spray from Dove anymore, but this is my second favorite. So its all good.

Today is my cousin Tiffany's 15th Birthday!! Ahh, these kids are growing up way too fast! I'm getting old
>.<

Here are some pics of the past few months..mainly this summer lol

Until next time!<3 p="" x0="">

Update

Update

Hey! So, it's been quite a while since my last post! I've been so busy lately although I say this all the time lol. My parents left for Cambodia two weeks ago, and my grandma volunteered to come and stay with us lol Mind you, me and my brother are legally considered "adults." haha. It's fun to have her around I admit. I really do miss them!!!

So I did pretty great last semester. I received 3 A's, 2 A-'s and a B. I'm actually pissed about the B, but at least I didn't get a C in that class. My professor was such a mess. She definitely had her biases towards her students. Anyways, this semester is HECTIC. I'm retaking Intro to Philosophy and General Psychology. I'm also taking my internship class and global health issues online. Ugh. Such a busy semester, and of course it's before I graduate. I want to say I like my internship, but I don't know. I know it's my fault because I haven't yet attended any programs nor interacted with alot of people. I need to start doing that. However, I don't really mind sitting at the cubicle doing research, but I'm kind of tired of writing the same thing all the time on my timesheet. I want to say that my capstone project seems easy, but UGHHH. The municipality I'm focusing on HAS ABSOLUTELY no health issues (at least based on my findings.) Other than that, it's also going to be hectic because of all the papers I have to do this semester. My best bet is to start on the ones I already know of early, so I can focus more on the capstone. After all, my capstone is what is more important as it stands in the way of me graduating. Speaking of graduation, I took my cap and gown photos two days ago. AHH. I'm graduating! :)

I'm already searching for jobs, and it's going to be quite a struggle. I'm already struggling because I still do not have a part time job, and I really don't like not being able to have money to pay for my own things. I would love to go to graduate school and pursue a Master's degree in Public Health, but it can't be an option right now because I don't have the money to afford it. I want to try to get a job first, then go to school part-time. I also still would like to go to nursing school, but I guess that should wait as well; if money wasn't a big deal for me, I would get my MPH first, then go to nursing school, then get my Master's in Nursing. UGH. How great would it be if money grew on trees lol. Back to job searching, lol, because looking for a job will be hard (especially since my degree isn't in Health Education where there's a certification involved), I want to take the CHES [Certified Health Education Specialist] exam so that I can become certified and increase my chances of getting a job. Honestly, the only difference between my major [Public Health] and Public Health Education is just a few classes on education theories, program planning and the 7 Areas of Responsibility which are things I can just read up on. The program planning thing shouldn't be too bad because my Health Admin class last semester sort of was teaching the same things. Ahhhh. I need a [salary-paying] job!!!! It's been almost three years since I quit my retail job.

Beauty Products I've Been Trying/Loving.

Because I had to take photos, I also needed to add some things to my makeup collection because my NYX HD liquid foundation and primer had expired. -__-. I ended up re-buying the Revlon Colorstay and also bought a Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer (in purple). The primer is okay, I mean...it does its job so I cna't complain. I kinda like that velvety feeling though. I also bought a new daily brush cleanser from a brand called Siegel (I bought it from Harmon Beauty) and it is just awesome. It is so much better than my travel size one from Sephora and they are both the same price! I also bought a concealer palette from Hard Candy and its okay. I bought it mainly because it had a green concealer but the green was a bit sheer. When I applied my concealer on top, the green faded and then the blemish reappeared. Eh, it's alright. I bought the One by One mascara by Maybelline and although I like how it separated my lashes and gave me decent length, I didn't like the formula because it made my eyes feel heavier and the formula didn't make it buildable to apply. I wanted to like it though. I bought more 110 lashes from Ardell and a brush on lash adhesive, which is surely convenient! I love it! I also ran out of my Dove thermal spray so when I re bought it, I also purchased the dry shampoo because I ran out of that as well. I really love it and I think its alot better than the one from Not Your Mother's. Prior, I thought that NYM was my favorite and alot better than Batiste...but when I used Dove's I fell in love (if that's possible). It absorbs the oil faster and smells more pleasant. I am also obssessed with the brand "Yes To [fill in the blank]" I purchased their blueberries firming body lotion, and it has improved my skin where stretch marks are. It also came with a mini pack of facial towelletes and it was amazing enough that I purchased the Yes to Cucumbers one. My cousin let me try her Yes to Tomatoes roll on acne spot treatment [obviously, I took sanitary precaution and used my finger] and it works wonders! It is just as good as the one I bought from Clearasil. I also bought the Queene Helene Mint Julep Mask and I REALLY wanted to like it after hearing all the hype. However, it didn't do too much for me except it minimized most of my blackheads, which are quite stubborn. That's my only pro about it. Other than that, it was okay but I really hated the sulfuric smell after a while. I ended up going back to my Neutrogena Clear Pore cleanser/mask. That is officially my "HG product."

Those are products that I've been trying or loving as of lately.

Products that I've bought from November to about a month ago [from a blog post that I forgot to publish a month ago lol]

-Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipsticks....I own about 7 of these. I love the matte finish and the price of these. The color range is awesome and it would be nice for them to make more.

-The new Dove hair straightening spray. It is just as good as the older version (red-orange bottle) that I like alot. 

-Loreal True Match powder. I hit pan on this. It is soft, blendable and has full coverage.

-Sonia Kashuk Tinted Moisturizer. It has great coverage for a tinted moisturizer and gives off a nice dewy look.

-ELF Powder brush-they're so great for anything that I bought a second one.

-ELF Blush/Bronzer duo in Antigua (bright blue-based pink and a darker bronzer)- great for contouring! The blush, I havent tried so much because I haven't found a look I can use with such a bright blush.

-Elf Blush. I got my first one in Giddy Gold. I like it and I would like to try others.

-Elf shimmering facial whips. Great as highlights. I'm learning how to use highlights right now, but so far, it seems good.

-Elf mini lash curler. Great for my short, straight lashes.

- Mega Plush mascara by Maybelline. Great lightweight formula that helps hold my eyelash curls.

- Lash Stiletto by Maybelline (red tube). I like the lengthening I get from these.

I gotta get back to work, I definitely want to blog more, but that'll be a challenge. Well, anyways, I hope all is well :)

LOL I really havent been on!!

I don't know why I am hardly on here, but it's all good I guess? I spent basically all of my summer trying to find a part time job (sort of succeeded...I still have yet to get a call from them as promised lol), trying to work out and eat healthy (I was on the right track, but needed to self-motivate myself more), spending time with my cousins from Georgia, getting ready for school (buying books, etc.) and a lot in between! Last week, my little cousins came from Okinawa after three years of being there and it was such a great time that I spent with them & seeing how grown they've  become! My birthday was two weeks ago and my family and I went to A.C. It was fun as well!  :)

Soo I finally started school last Wednesday. It is my final year in college and although I am excited, I am also nervous. I am currently taking 6 classes, and so far, they all demand a lot of work. I am currently taking: Health Administration, Counseling Skills for Health Professionals, Intro to Internship, Epidemiology, Intro to P.H., and Lifespan Nutrition. The pressure is on for me to get higher grades. I want A's. It has been quite an adventure these past 4 years in college. 

Although I still want to pursue my dream of being a pediatric nurse, I want to see how far I go into this field. I do see aspects of this field that I like, such as children's health, global health (it has always been a dream for me to go to Cambodia [other countries as well] to do some type of work over there involving medicine, health education [teaching them about sanitation and other issues], general education,building shelters and helping to improve people's lives over there), nutrition, and other issues. I never realized how much of a growing field Public Health really is. 

During the summer, I stumbled upon a photo of me taken 10 years ago (when I was about 12 years old) and I stared long & hard at it. I then stared at a photo of myself from a couple of months ago. I noticed that my faces in both photos were in a similar position, so I compared the two. I thought to myself, these past ten years have been quite something. Looking at that photo from 2002 brought back memories of me being made fun of all the time because of a mole, and how other kids were mean. I do feel a little uneasy every time I see a pic of myself prior to my surgery I had 7 years ago. It's hard. All because of a mole on my chin. But, I think about this young woman I have become since then. (lol, I just called myself a young woman...really? I feel like such a kid sometimes) One thing that is best about being in your early twenties is you discover more about yourself, especially things that you never realized. Maybe college helped a little bit, but you look at yourself, your interests, your associates and you can't help but compare to how you were in high school.  I never knew how much I loved writing until after I graduated high school. I'm not the type that was able to identify hobbies, and I still do have that issue. I'm just glad I finally have some things that I can list as my hobbies! I am so random, but the point is that it is an amazing feeling to finally embrace yourself and find so many things about yourself that you never do. Although my weight is still an issue, I'm embracing who I am. 

I realized that I never really posted anything beauty-related. When I do, they're just brief. With that said, I'll just mention my current favorites:

1.) Sonia Kashuk Tinted Moisturizer 

2.) ELF Powder Brush

3.) ELF Angled Brush

4.) Maybelline Plush Mascara 

5.) Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditoner (lol it's literally spelled like that)

6.) Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters

7.) Lancome Cils Booster Mascara (mascara primer)

8.) Loreal True Match Powder

Speaking of beauty-related things, I colored my bleached hair using Clairol's Nice N Easy in Natural Blue Black...lol back to basics! I just had to because my hair looked so damaged from bleaching it too many times last year and most of my roots came. I wanted the black to hide my damaged ends...it's still noticeable but at least it's not too noticeable! Plus, I colored it because I wanted look more professional for when I go on interviews for internships, jobs, etc., and I wanted to have "normal looking hair" in my graduation portrait. I can't go a lighter color because then I would have to use bleach and I'm trying to grow the hair out to keep it healthy. I had a haircut about a month ago, and it was sort of what I wanted. The guy used a thinning razor for my bangs and I hated that! Plus, he gave me a little attitude when I asked him to have shorter top layers (like I've had in the past). Other than that, he did fine.

Blue black hair. Don't let that face fool you. I certainly did gain weight lol.













This is such a random and long post. I apologize for being everywhere. This was to update on my whereabouts. :)

Oh, shout outs to my cousin Tiffany (not sure if she'll see this)!!! Happy 14th  Birthday!!!♥ I love you!!!

Spring Break

Ahh spring break is almost over as I go back to school this week. urrgh. It was alright I guess, but I could have done more. I actually cleaned my room and STARTED working out hahaha. I colored my hair with Loreal Sublime Mousse in Purest Dark Brown to cover up my colored hair (that reddish/brownish/copperish/blonde highlighted hair that Ive been wanting to cover up for a while lol) and I thought that with drugstore box colors that it would be darker, like almost black but not exactly black. Then I realized that after I colored it that my hair was light enough that it wouldnt come out as dark as I wanted. It's a pretty chocolate brown color, but I missed a few spots so my old highlighted hair is somewhat visible still lol. Its all good though haha. idk what else to say, but Im glad that my room is cleaner than what Id usually do with it. I actually organized my closet.

I recently bought Wet n Wild's Mega Last lipcolors in 901B and 968 ("Pinkerbelle"). "Pinkerbelle" is soo pretty as its a yellow-based pink, which reminds me of the Viva Nicki lipstick from MAC. 901B I believe is in "Think Pink"and its deemed as a "Barbie pink." Im starting to get into lipcolors that isnt "nude." Im starting to get tired of that "nude" color, the one that washes you out. Rather, Im getting back into baby pinks and other colors, like brownish nude, which gives a more natural look. Anyways, these lipsticks are matte and really dry, but I like it.

So..update on school. My semester is hectic, although Im taking only 5 classes, as opposed to last semester. I'm glad to say that ever since I officially declared my major, I'm taking my classes more seriously than I have had in the past 3 years (except my very first semester...I did amazing with a 3.7/3.8 GPA and everything). I do admit that my study habits in the past werent as helpful, but then again, I worked part-time and that demanded alot of hours. I am a bit upset seeing my peers talking about graduation knowing that I was supposed to graduate this year. But then again, I screwed up one semester and this is why I'm in this mess. We all work at our pace and theres some of us that are trying to figure out their career paths. But that's one thing I learned about college. I honestly have no idea specifically what career I want to pursue with this degree. And, I still want to go after my nursing dreams though but I guess that pursuit can wait. Money is the issue. I mean, I do like the major I'm in but I'm not sure as to what specific career I can get a job with. I just know that I dont want to do anything dealing with working with health insurance companies or anything that associates with business. Blahh I just cant! Memories of working in retail come to mind...ugh. Anyways, Public Health is something that Ive been concerned with and I really do want a career in the health field, so I know this major was the best choice. Plus, I can incorporate my writing skills, so at least my writing is useful somewhere :) Im just glad that I didnt switch majors into English or anything because my credits in the class I took wouldnt have transferred haha. Anyways, Ive been focusing on my main research project this semester and I come back from spring break to a paper due and also a 2nd exam. Blehh.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that currently I'm at 145 lbs...seriously, I dont even know how I gained 10 lbs.....ugh. Ima try to work on it....TRY lol.

Anyways, thats all for now. :).