Archive for the ‘General’ Category

31
Mar

The Hunger Games ; Movie Night !

posted by:
justaqi

Directed by Gary Ross

Written by Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins (book author) & Billy Ray

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson & Liam Hemsworth.

Yesterday night, I got to finally watch The Hunger Games! *whooooooot!*

I have been trying to watch the movie ever since it came out, but to no avail. The timing of the movie was never right, since I had tons of things to do during the day, and more tons of things to do at night. The showtimes always ended around 10pm, and the only time I was actually free was midnight.

What was the movie like, you ask?

Well……

It was awesome! Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions I guess, but it was actually good. I haven’t read the book, but I’ve already bought two books from the trilogy. I wanted to get the movie out of the way first, and then start on the book. I never really liked watching a movie adapted from books — yeah the movie could be great, but it wouldn’t surpass the book itself. There’s always something missing when you watch a movie adapted from your favourite book. I’ve always had an active imagination, so I’ve pictured scenes and characters the way I see them. So, when the movie is not up to my expectation — I feel disappointed.

Example — I’ve watched The Vow, and somehow I feel disconnected. Yeah, it’s a beautiful story. It’s based on a real-story. It’s interesting, and moving — but somehow, it felt like the story wasn’t delivered properly. There’s nothing to tie me to the characters. I feel like there’s something missing. I was thinking of buying the book, and reading it myself. See, how the story is portrayed in the book. When I do get myself around to read it, I’ll give you an update on what I think.

So, back to The Hunger Games!

Wait! One quick detour! Im all over the place, today! Yeah, so here’s what I wanted to ask, have you ever read a book called Matched? It’s a wonderful book by Ally Condie. When I watched THG, it felt familiar since Matched is also a story set in the future, of a society that controls the people, and of a love between two unexpected people. The story is somehow similar, but they’re not the same. I should really write a review on that book. *looking at the books stacked against the wall, scanning for Matched*

OK back to THG! The Hunger Games is about a world set in the future, where the Capitol selects a boy and a girl from the twelve districts to represent their district in a fight to the death in a game,live on television. Katniss Everdeen, volunteered herself  to take on her sister’s place in the upcoming match. One thing that my friends were curious about was how many times the name was inserted in the glass bowl called the Reaping glass jar. So here’s why Gale was entered 42 times, the name of the tributes was inserted in the jar when they reach the age 12 and this continues every year until they turn 18. However! The tributes’ names can be inserted again and again when they apply for something called ‘tessera’. This will give them a meager supply of grain and oil. Each time a tribute asked for a tessera, their name will be inserted in the reaping jar. This is cumulative, so that’s why when Katniss turned sixteen, her name has been added for twenty times. How Katniss’s sister, Prim was the one chosen was seriously a one in a thousand probability. Like they say, “May the odds be ever in your favour.”

The idea of a hierarchy this severe is appalling. Yes, we can see that even in our societies nowadays, the poor is very poor, and the rich is very rich. To think of a future where you are placed in that kind of hierarchy is — lets just say, it gives me the chills. Have anyone seen the movie ‘In Time’? The future in that particular movie was also portrayed this way. I think the way people think and live their lives nowadays, the world might just turn into that. The way the young people are portrayed in THG movie was disturbing. How easy some of them kill, and how easy the manipulators of the games test them. How the world was only interested in the game, and forgot how inhumane it is. The logic of letting these kids fight for their lives and kill each other off to survive, for the entertainment of the Capitol citizens — is actually keeping the peace in Panem — well, it’s disturbing. Once or twice, I’ve thought about the cruelty of it all. Thought of how it was just a game — yeah, just plain cruel.

I didnt really understand the bond or the love between Katniss and Peeta — or was it just me? I better have a good read of the book to see if I can find some answers and explanations in there. Favorite scene of them two? :) The part where Katniss was hunting and Peeta was off looking for other things. When the canon sounded, she ran back to find Peeta and he appeared with handful of poisonous berries. She slapped his hand away, telling him that it was poisonous and that told him how worried she was. They hugged and he told her he was sorry and comforted her. That was their best moment together — in my opinion. You can just see how much they cared about each other. Plus, I think it was so sweet. What’s your favorite scene if you have any? :)

If you havent watched the movie, you should really go. I cant wait for the next one. I wont tell you how the story ends, since you should just go ahead and watch it yourself :)

Until the next one! *kissing my three fingers and holding it up high — hunger games style!* Tata!

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CATEGORIES: Entertainment, General, Music & Movie

COMMENTS: 1 Comment »

29
Mar

College wear ; Dos and Don’ts

posted by:
justaqi

I’ve been toying with the idea of this post for a while now. So, now — I am committing to it! I am finally sitting down and writing it up. :)

All of us have had those moments where we look at our closet and feel like there’s nothing to wear to class. Those moments where we would just put anything on just to get it over with. Those moments where we make a fashion faux pas, to the most common and I guess a trivial time for us to even think about wearing anything that needs to be thought through. Or making a bad decision on something to wear, by over doing it. Everyone has different fashion sense, but what looks good is still something that we can have in common with. In a larger sense, I guess. The majority speaks, most of the time.

I have seen people overdressed or even be underdressed for campus-wear. I mean, it’s not wrong to be casually fashionable while going to class, dont you think?

OK, fine. I love dressing up. Even for casuals. Even when I go to class. Even for trivial trips to ordinary places. If you want to look like you dont care, might as well look good. I love fashion. That’s the biggest part of my motivation to write this up!

Some of the Dos and Don’ts in my opinion are ;

0Don’t come to class in something you might wear to bed! If you’re opting for shirts, then don’t wear shirts with tacky cartoon characters on them with tacky humour on them. We’re not in high-school, we’re in college. Or wear sweatpants or pajama pants. You’ll just look like you didn’t take a bath before heading out. Which probably you didn’t, but at least try to hide it.

0Do wear bright colours, or patterns. Don’t wear too many bright colours (e.g red jeans,orange shirt,yellow shoes,green bag) or wear patterns from top to bottom. Keep it simple by concentrating on one/two colours that compliment each other or pick a patterned shirt and let that one stays in the spotlight.

0Do wear comfortable clothes, and not something you’d constantly pull and re-arrange all day long.

0In any sense, don’t wear a mini skirt or a mini dress. It’s just inappropriate. No matter how much you style it, it’s still too revealing. I am pretty sure any campus would regulate a rule where you can’t wear anything like that. Just in case you have any ideas, just don’t.

0Don’t wear sport shoes, like running shoes. If you’re a shoe kind of girl. A canvas shoe looks great. There are hundreds of colourful and comfortable shoes you can wear. Just not the one you go jogging in.

0Don’t wear jewelled heels or heels that are meant to be worn with a cocktail dress or if you’re going to prom. Is it even comfortable running around campus wearing these kind of heels? Well, don’t give me that no-way-there’s-someone-who-wears-those-heels look, because I’ve seen them and I’ve always wondered if they were going to class or if they were heading out to a dinner-event at 12pm in the afternoon.

0Do try wearing a plain fitted shirt with skinny jeans. Hey, even supermodels wear it simple. You dont need to overdo it.

0Don’t wear crocs. I dont care if they’re comfortable. Just dont. I know there are a lot of new designs that have been released, but just dont. Again, dont. Plastic shoes — still, no. Oh, and those shoes that are see-through. No.

0Do wear accessories. I dont mean you have to stack them up. Just, some. That would be enough. Try a gold bangle. Or a long necklace. Or funky earrings. Nothing too dramatic, but play around with it. It would make your outfit look complete, and not boring.

0Do opt for cross-body bags, or messenger bags. They’re functional and fashionable. You can find some that are really cool. My favourite are something like an inspired Alexa Vintage Satchel. These types of bags are perfect for campus. I usually try to find bags that are big enough to fit in an A4 paper :) Just to give me an idea on what would be campus-friendly.

0If you are a bit daring, play around with metallic sheen. Take it from the runways, they’re very trendy right now. Try bronze,gold or silver. Play around with it, but beware. Don’t crash and burn — like wearing a silver leggings to class. Be modest in your choice, but make it work.

0Do try wearing animal prints,as they are also hot this year, choose a zebra/giraffe printed bag or a scarf to wrap around your head or neck. Like above,do it in moderation. Leave it to compliment your outfit, not destroy it.

0Do wear natural looking make-up. In our hot-humid weather, it is best to put on light make-up instead of a heavy look, to enhance your look, so you don’t look like you’re going out at night for a party. Wear neutral/cool tones, to achieve the natural look. If you just got out of bed and you want your eyes to not look like they haven’t had enough sleep or looking like they had too much sleep(yes, your eyes can also look awful if you sleep too much). Line a white eyeliner on your waterline, to make it appear bigger and doe-like. This is what Tyra Banks recommends, and her eyes look gorgeous. So, I’m not complaining. :) Anyway,the natural I-look-like-im-not-even-wearing-any-makeup-but-still-look-flawless look is in.

0If you’re really simple, black and white patterns are timeless,classic and chic.

There! Some of the ideas you can use the next time you open your wardrobe and you are thinking of what to wear to class. Or if you dont think, then start! When semester starts — you might be busier than bees, and you feel like you dont really have time for any of this. Believe me, it’s not too time-consuming. When you feel confident in what you wear, when you know you look good, you’ll feel good all day long. Who cares if you have classes all day? At least you look good :)

Here are some of my ideas! :)

Have fun exploring! I hope you’ll have a very fashionable day in class today! Tell me how it goes! :)

Until the next one! Tata! xoxo

TAGS: ,

CATEGORIES: Apparels, Beauty, Fashion and Style, General, Life

COMMENTS: 7 Comments »

28
Mar

Beauty Alternatives!

posted by:
justaqi

I’ve been thinking — we conveniently have everything we need for our beauty needs if we ever need them in stores. There are many products on shelves in our nearby supermarkets or their own brand stores nationwide. Some are cheap, and some are a bit more expensive than others.

There are also some alternative, if you’ve run out on your beauty needs and it’s the middle of the night, or you’re short on cash. Or those times when you were thinking if there were any alternatives to the products that you normally use. A few beauty gurus are even finding and discovering some new alternatives. Such as Michelle Phan, when she used her blush brush for her concealer when she forget to bring the normal brush she used when applying concealer to her face. Or Bubzbeauty, when she traded a store-bought cleanser for oats. Sometimes, you can have alternatives for your beauty needs. In this post, I’d like to give you some ideas that you can try out. :)

1) Baby Oil for Make up Remover

I had a dance show a couple of days earlier, and we had to put on thick makeup. When we got back, my friends and I was so tired that we just wanted to clean the makeup off,have dinner and sleep. So I saw that a friend of mine, removing her heavy make-up with just a normal baby oil. Yeah, it works fine. I used to use baby oil too, but now I am using a different remover that’s also oil-based. I used to use a cleansing tissue to get rid of my make-up but it was too drying and it didn’t work well in removing my mascara. So I’d still have some clumps, and look like a raccoon in the morning. The oil helped to remove the eye make-up well enough though. I use baby oil if I forgot to bring my normal make-up remover, and don’t really want to splurge on a lot of money just on a make-up remover during a weekend away from home. So this is a cheap alternative and it works well. Some say it clogs your pores, but for me, if you wash your face with baby oil and not with a proper cleanser afterwards, then yeah it’ll probably will. So, use your cleanser after your got rid of the hard bits with baby oil. :) Your face will feel soft as a baby-bottom. No? Too much? :) Oh well!

2) Hair Treatment Wax

This isn’t so much as an alternative. A suggestion/opinion, maybe? :) I’ve been doing this ever since I joined my friends in representing our club for dance performances. Traditional dances mostly needs us to slick our hair back into a really tight bun and there will no way be any flyaway hairs. So we use a lot of really hard hair gels and hair sprays. Very bad for the hair, I know. After shows, it would take me a really long time to get rid of those products in my hair. So I would be under the showers for hours to get my hair back to its original state. One day, I tried using Watson’s Repairing Treatment Wax — and voila! It takes me 5 minutes now to make my hair manageable. I usually take around a scoop of three-fingers, and just work them through my wet hair and it’ll get rid of the hardness left by the gel/hairspray. Then I would usually just wash it off, and put on my conditioner and rinse again. I’d shampoo my hair the morning after, and put on conditioner again. I havent tried any other treatment wax, but I am pretty sure that any brand would be fine. Just a tip for those who constantly have to abuse their hair as much as me. Good luck!

3) Lemons

I came across an article a few days ago, and they talk about some of the supermodel’s beauty secrets. One that caught my eye, is the one about getting an even skin tone. What do they use? Lemons, of course! Some of the benefits from lemons that have been discovered are such as detoxifying your body, by drinking a glass of warm water, mixed with the juice of a squeezed lemon. It has been said that you could lose weight by doing so. I used to go into my parents’ kitchen and cut a lemon in half and the half into four, and eat them like oranges. I dont know why I love the sour taste. I dont do it often though, it would really eat away at your teeth since it’s really acidic. So, the supermodel secret! It is said to even the complexion. Lemon is a natural lightener,and will lighten dark spots on your face to create a more even skin tone. How? Squeeze the juice of a lemon, and apply it evenly on your face with a cotton ball, leave for 5 mins, and rinse off with warm water. All done!

4) Oats

Oats are remarkably cleansing, anti-inflammatory, healing, softening and moisturizing. Oatmeal is good for people who has eczema, dermatitis or sensitive-skin. It can be hell to find a cleanser that is good when you have sensitive skin, I know because my skin is sensitive. If I use something that is not natural, then my skin would freak out and get all flaky and itchy. A study showed that oats have a natural chemical in them called Saponin, it has a ‘foaming’ characteristic which helps lifts oil and dirt from skin. How to use? Keep some in a jar in the bathroom. Lay a long thin cloth on your sink so that it wont go down the drain — if you dont want to get it clogged. Take a handful and run it under the tap water, until it gets soggy. Apply it on your face and move your fingers in circular motion. Rinse, afterwards with warm water. Some prefer to mix it with other ingredients. You can! Try adding some honey. Honey is good for your skin too :) You can use oats as a cleanser, as a scrub or even as a mask. If you’re using it at night, you can add some drops of lavender oil to soothe. For a really good mask, add eggs,milk and honey and leave for 5-10 mins, and rinse with lukewarm water. It is also good for when you take a bath too, put it in a muslin cloth and place it in the tub under the water! Enjoy!

5) Vitamin E Capsule

The most important part of beauty is moisture. If you’re dehydrated, you would look tired and your skin wouldnt be at its best. Moisture helps your skin to stay fresh, feels soft and appears dewy. I discovered that using Vitamin E helps you to stay moisturized. If you want a quick fix, then this will help you. Take a Vitamin E capsule and pierce it, squeeze the oil out and apply it onto your face. It can make your skin glow. You can apply some to your lips. Vitamin E is also good for the hair. Some believe to achieve a good balance and to moisturize inside out, it is recommended to drink coconut water as it is high in potassium and contains anti-oxidants and naturally high in electrolytes. So, if you want to keep a healthy skin,hair and nails. Try taking some Vitamin E capsules. When you’re away on hols, and you seem to forget that moisturizer of yours — which I always do —  you’ll know what to do! :)

I hope you’ll have some ideas on what to do the next time you find yourselves looking for alternatives :) These are just some of the examples and ideas  I have for you. If you have any that you’d like to share, just leave some comments below. Maybe I can try them out :)

Until the next one! Tata!

TAGS: , , , , ,

CATEGORIES: Beauty, General, Hair Care, Health, Life, Skin Care

COMMENTS: No Comments »

28
Mar

Baby Be Mine ; Paige Toon !

posted by:
justaqi

So I’ve read a new book recently. I finished it within a week, since I was so busy with a lot of things. OK, I finished it a little late than I expected because I kept re-reading some chapters since I didnt want to end the story so soon. It’s a good book and it’s really something that I recommend anyone who loves light-reading. So the book is called ‘Baby Be Mine’ and it is from the author, Paige Toon. She is starting to be one of my favourite authors other than Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk.

Synopsis

“You see, I have a secret. My son is not fathered by my boyfriend, but by one of the most famous people that ever lived. And he doesnt even know it.”

Meg is terrified. She lives in the South of France with her doting boyfriend Christian and their beautiful son Barney who has just turned one. Life should be idyllic, but she is living a lie — a lie that will turn their lives upside down and inside out. Because, as everyday goes by, Meg’s son looks less and less like Christian. How much longer can she keep her devastating secret from him, from their friends and family, from Barney? How much longer before the whole world realize that the father of her child is none other than Johnny Jefferson, wild boy of rock, constantly in the headlines, constantly in Meg’s thoughts?

(more…)

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CATEGORIES: General

COMMENTS: 1 Comment »

17
Mar

Isabel Marant ; Bohemian-chic !

posted by:
justaqi

A couple of days ago, a friend of mine posted a picture of a shirt and asked me how to dress it up to make someone look glamorous. Needless to say, I was very excited for the challenge. I was out when she posted it on my facebook wall, so I was imagining and picking up clothes in my mind while I was out for dinner with some friends. I am weird like that. :P
I cannot put my mind off something, if it excites me too much. I wanted to type all of my ideas onto a comment, and send! Somehow my mind wouldnt stop styling the shirt up and down and in the end, I was overwhelmed. I decided to think about it when I got home, rather than exhausting my brain while I was out. There was nothing I could have done, anyway.

I got home a little late, but I decided to just have a go. I started to think about what would suit my friend and added a touch of what I would love for it to look like as I go along. Something simple, yet chic. Not too dressy, and not too revealing. I decided to create the look using Polyvore (if you’re wondering what this is — I’ll give a more detailed information about the site and how to use it in a later post!), but I couldnt clip the image to use it. So, i had to do everything else on Polyvore, and edit it in Photoshop afterwards with the shirt. Here’s what it looks like!

**note : I like to stay as muted as I can in dark colour, and then add a pop of colour in the assemble by choosing a bright-coloured shoes or handbag. In this case I highlighed the shoes because a coloured bag would have been too close to the shirt, and I feel like they would be fighting for the spotlight. :) The shoes are a little away from the patterned shirt. I added the layered/tiered necklace so that it would draw the attention away from the shirt’s round collar — to make it look less like a shirt. For me, I would’ve gone with a smokey eye,bronze,nude-pink lipstick and hair swept to the side. My friend doesnt really wear make-up, so I asked her to use a liquid eyeliner and make a ‘winged’ effect on her lids, red lips, and hair swept to the side. :) I can really imagine her in everything and it would really look gorgeous on her.

It was fun while it lasted! I had fun styling the shirt and, it really is something I would wear. I love making collages of styles in Polyvore. They have a variety of options to choose from and you can even clip images from other sites to use, there.

So, let me let you in on a little secret of mine — I am in love with Isabel Marant! Ever since I saw Rachel Bilson wearing her bright colored high-waisted red Isabel Marant trousers. They look amazing! I have been looking at the pictures of her collections and are amazed at some of her designs. Her style is very bohemian-chic.

Check them out here — Isabel Marant Collections : ELLE

Who is she? Well — she is of German-French descent. Started sewing at the age of 15, and wanted to make clothes that are more masculine to set herself apart from her more feminine peers. First, started her own line of accessories  and jewellery before launching her own clothing line. She had the vision of making the worn-in look of Parisian girls hanging out in little cafe’s style sweep the fashion world. Her silhouettes, often feminine and fitted, are informed by women on the street. Marant’s designs are a favourite as she mix bohemian with minimalist. Marant created a lower-priced diffusion line, Etoile in 1999. She has three stand-alone boutiques in Paris, nine in Asia, one in New York, and wholesale locations throughout Europe and the U.S.

Here are some of my favourites from her!

I went and had a little fun with Polyvore again, this is me styling around

‘Isabel Marant’s Fidji washed-georgette drawstring pants’

**note : I love color-blocking. Tucking in the shirt will create the illusion that you’re taller and slimmer than you are. I love the colour, and I dont need the other colours to be too striking. I love how everything else is almost nude and the black just brings it all together. For me, personally, if I have a lot of light colour incorporated — I’d like to have at least one dark colour to bring it all together. In this case, I choose a little black bag. A dark chocolate/tan colour would look amazing too. Colour-blocking can be overwhelming sometimes, so I keep the accessories light. How would you wear the make-up for this outfit? Simple. Like Rachel Bilson, stick to earthy tones and just keep it simple. If it’s hot out, wear a statement eyewear like the one I showed in the picture above. Keep hair loose, or if you’re a ponytail girl, keep it high and sleek. :)

Ahhhh — now I am making myself feel like I need to shop. :) Maybe next weekend! Sorry, for the late update! I have been really busy for the first week of semester and was in a really bad mood since the L’oreal moisturizer I just switched to made my skin break. Now it’s all dry and flaky :( Stopped using it, since maybe I am allergic to it due to sensitive skin. Need to get my hands on Pevonia again, I guess. I might give the moisturizer away for free since I didnt really use it. :) If you’re not allergic to it.

So, until the next one! xxxx

TAGS:

CATEGORIES: Apparels, Beauty, Fashion and Style, General

COMMENTS: No Comments »

13
Mar

Elianto Safari Shadow! Natural Day ; Smokey Night !

posted by:
justaqi

Elianto’s Safari Shadow review!

♡ Elianto Safari Shadow with extremely luminous, velvety texture that is long-lasting and blends easily with intense shimmer make you look shining & sparkle all day!

Usage direction : Gently dab on eyelids and smudge to desired effect (note : if you dont want your fingers to look all shimmery all day, I suggest you use a brush! It’ll have the same result, without you looking like you wear your eyeshadows other than your eyelid!)

Made in Italy.

♡ I usually only use a little, and it’ll be enough. I am using Safari Shadow in 04 Soft Sandalwood in the picture above. It’s a really subtle shade of pink/peach. I love how it matches my Benefit 10! I find it hard to find an eyeshadow that looks as if I dont really have any on. The shimmer is not glittery, instead it makes the eyeshadow looks natural. It stays on well, and hold for a whole day. I love it so much that I wear it everyday. People have been commenting how I look so natural, and that they thought I wasnt really wearing any make up.

♡ This is great for the day and you can change it to fit the night, by turning it into a smokey eye. HOW? :D Try this! Dab some of the Safari Shadow to darken it more than you would during the day. Use a a dark pencil eyeliner as this is easier to smudge. Line it close to your eyelashes with it starting as a thin line from your inner corner of the eye, and taper out. Smudge it afterwards, so there’s no hard lines! Sweep a dark eye shadow over your lid and into your crease,and then blend it up and outwards. Blend,blend,blend until you get the desired effect. Don’t forget to line some of the eye shadow under your eye in a thin line, ending at the middle. So you don’t look top heavy. Dust some lighter eye shadow colour i.e Ivory onto your brow bone and the inner corner of the eyes, and you’re all set for a night out! (note : I didn’t get to show how it would look like for the smokey look, as I was rushing somewhere, but I hope it works out for you guys! Have fun with it!)

♡ The price is RM14/each. Elianto is having a sale right now, so they have a 10% discount for the eye shadows. Head on to your nearest Elianto store and have fun picking up the different shades that are available. Ask the sales assistant for an opinion,they’re really friendly && do not bite if they are asked :) I went today and got myself another Safari Shadow in 01 Snowflake && Madigra Shadow in 01 Blossom Pink. I also bought the brush set for RM25 after discount! Consist of 5 brushes, 2 sponges and a little kit to put them in. I just need to use them sometimes, so the price was just right for my tight pocket right now. So what are you waiting for? Go to Elianto now, and explore!

Until the next one! xxxxxx


CATEGORIES: Beauty, Cosmetics, Entertainment, General, MakeUp Tutorials, Sales

COMMENTS: 1 Comment »

11
Mar

Sophie Kinsella : I’ve Got Your Number !

posted by:
justaqi

So.. the title says it all! I got this book about a couple of weeks ago, I think? If you’re wondering where you can get this amazing book — I think most of the bookstores here in Malaysia already released it. I got mine at Popular, and I saw it in MPH a week ago. I was wondering when she sould release a new book. I love all of her stand-alone books! I’ve read all of the shopaholic series, and I cannot get enough. I re-read them all the time if a book I recently bought and read, couldn’t live up to my expectations. She is one of my favourite Chick Lit authors, and she’s doing a great job. I cannot wait for her to release a new book soon!

As you can see below, she has two covers. One is for the US version, and the other for the UK. So here’s the review! :)

♡I’ve lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her ‘happy ever after’ begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents… she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

My opinion : This book  is so well written and plotted, I had to stop myself from finishing it, in a day! There is always something going on and something popping up. Sophie Kinsella, has always had a way in writing something that is different from the other chick lits. That is what I really like about her. Take her other works such as The Undomestic Goddess,Twenties Girl,Remember Me?, etc etc.

Who would have thought that you would find a phone in a bin, and the thing is — if I was in her position, I would have done the same thing. Well, desperate times calls for desperate measures, dont you think? :) I love how she connects two people in a very intimate way, in a way we didn’t thought to imagine. I mean, I would never share a phone with anyone too. It’s private to me, and my emails are where I correspond with a lot of people for business and for personal matters. Why would I want anyone to get a look at it? We all have those moments where we cant really say what we want, and we’re all too tongue-tied — and the only thing we can do is to type it on a phone message, and send it instead. I’ve had those moments. I think a lot of people can relate to Poppy, on how she handles herself. Too afraid of confrontations and who are we kidding? We’d like to think ourselves as the strong-women type, so we’re constantly in denial. I never knew a smile or kisses at the end of a text message/email can mean a lot!

Tell me, why wouldn’t anyone want a guy like Sam Roxton? Really? You want to know what he’s like? Go read the book! I think aside from Alex from the ‘I Heart’ series, he’s great too. Yes, I scrutinize the guys in the books too :D

She talks about her book in this video, where she says that the book is filled with ‘what ifs’. It really is — but what kind of life would we be living in if it’s not filled with ‘what ifs’? And in the other video, she tells the synopsis of the book. Enjoy! ( Yes, I still cant post a video!)

Sophie Kinsella introduces her new book!

Sophie Kinsella’s synopsis of I’ve Got Your Number!

So now! It’s 4 in the evening and I’m curled up in bed. Gah! I have a sore throat and the flu. I think the weather nowadays are a little whacked, so that’s why I am not feeling well. I didnt even get to jog this morning. Maybe I’ll try to jog around the campus field tonight if I’m a little better by then. Since, I have nothing else to do at home — I’ve picked up another book! It’s from another favourite Chick Lit author of mine, which is Lindsey Kelk. I love her ‘I Heart’ series! So this one is a new one from her called I Heart Vegas! I’ve just re-read the I Heart Paris book, and I am stoked to read the new one! I’ll review it after I finish it. It’ll take a while i think, since classes are suppose to start tomorrow. I’ve got a lot to do!

Until then! Ta-ta!

TAGS: ,

CATEGORIES: Entertainment, General

COMMENTS: 1 Comment »

10
Mar

Work it out!

posted by:
justaqi

What gets you going?

The sound of feet pounding on the road as you go? The light breeze in your hair as you pick up the pace? The smell of trees,dirt from the earth and dry leaves wet from the morning dew?

I have been jogging for the past few days, early in the morning, with some friends, in this place called Taman Botanical in Ayer Keroh. All I can say is, hands down — it’s the best feeling ever. I was never really a morning person, but the thought of not experiencing the things said above is enough to get me off the bed in the morning. I do alternate days if there’s a dance practice the night before. Which I would make up by rope skipping at home for a good few minutes just so my body would still have a little workout everyday.

If you’re busy and you dont really have time to jog outside or doesnt want to exercise outside, it’s either you get yourself a treadmill at home or for an inexpensive alternative — get yourself a jump rope and do it at home for a good half an hour workout. I usually use music as a guide. How? Easy! Just pick some songs, and put it in your playlist — usually about 10 songs to get a half hour workout — and start skipping! If you’re someone who dislikes working out because you feel that it’s dull, why not do it while listening to some music? You wont even realize that you just went through all the songs in the playlist. There are a few other workouts other than this of course. I’ve always wanted to try pilates or yoga. Maybe I will, soon!

A friend of mine and I, went to a store called Fitness Concept here in Melaka, and got ourselves a speed jumping rope and an adjustable toning tube. We got it from a brand called NordicTrack. It’s not overly-expensive. The jumping rope costs about RM23 and the toning tube costs about RM45.90. There’s also a cheaper speed jumping rope in a DIY store. I found one before, and it had a lot of different colours, so you can have fun picking one that suits you. :)

A friend of mine showed me this video here — Pussycat Dolls Workout — For those who wants a workout that’s fun, try this! I tried it just now, and yes “I feel sexy and I know it!” *putting LMFAO – I’m Sexy & I Know It on full blast*

OK now! I am going to write about an embarassing thing that could happen while you jog. Im not sure if everyone experience this, but a friend of mine do. Sadly, including me. Since, it’s something that I had to deal with — so I guess I’ll share it with you. I am not a very active person, and I havent been running in ages. I do dance, and I do walk everyday, but never really jog or run. I have this problem, that when I jog, I have this really unbearable itchiness affecting my thigh,glutes,and abdominal, Usually, those parts. Let me just say, it’s a pain! It always makes me feel so embarassed that I have to stop and scratch. Well, try to scratch anyway since I am outdoors! Imagine that! I thought it was something freaky, and I was the only one experiencing it. It always put me off jogging. Then, a friend of mine said that she have the same problem. So, I looked it up and this is what i found ‘Why you itch when you jog!‘ . There are a few other articles and forums where people are talking about this, while giving tips and explanations. Just look it up in Google, I’m sure you’ll find it without any trouble.

So the Prevention that was given in the website says that it will go away after you increase your fitness level. Some forumers even said that you should jog on a treadmill and let the itch subside, before going out to jog outdoors. So you dont have to go through the embarassing phase. I for one, dont have a treadmill and I do not want to suffer the excruciating and annoying itch while increasing my fitness level. Since, I have no idea how long it would take to increase my fitness level and putting into account my theory of me having a low blood pressure is making it worse since blood doesn’t usually rush through my capillaries in normal everyday life, etc etc — I went and got myself Piriton. Read about it here ‘Piriton, what is it?‘ A few forumers suggested anti-histamine, but Piriton is fine. I asked my Dad and my cousin who are working in the medical field, and they told me it was fine. You can ask your doctor to prescribed you some, tell them about the problem and explain to them thoroughly. Some doctors dont recognize these problems and they just write you off. So show them a few of the articles if they have some doubts, I am sure they’ll prescribed you some. There are some side-effects to Piriton though, you can feel a bit drowsiness and it’s important that you only take a little bit. Mine is a really small round tablet and I only take one, 30 minutes before jogging, after drinking some milk or soya. It doesnt make me drowsy, at all, and it makes the itch go away. I’m taking it for a week, and then I’ll be off it if it doesnt itch anymore. Like I said, I am not sure if this is a longterm for me. I hope not! I dont want to rely on anti-allergy meds everytime I want to jog. So I hope they’re right — after increasing my fitness level, it’ll go away. My dad said that I am probably allergic to my sweat, since yeah, I tend to not sweat so much. I do sweat a lot when I jog, maybe that’s a cause too? If that’s your problem, then what I do is I put on some lotion on those problem areas before I jog. Tell me what you think! If anyone else is experiencing this too, then I hope this helps! I know how it’s a pain, when you want to jog and lose some weight, and this problem is making you stop. Well, you’re not alone!

Working out is fun, if you make it fun! :)

P/S : Dont forget to take care of your skin while you’re at it. Be sure to take off all of your makeup before your workout. Carry some makeup remover tissues if you’re working out in the evening after work, or classes. If you’re working out in the morning, I’m pretty sure that wont be a problem. Wear sunscreen if the sunlight is harsh. Wear moisturizers if it’s cold and dry. OK, I sometimes cheat. I sometimes wear my trusty BB Cream from Skin Food. Hey, I might bump into a cute guy. I have to at least look as if I have flawless skin even when I sweat like a pig! *wink*

Until the next one! :)


CATEGORIES: General, Health

COMMENTS: 3 Comments »

6
Mar

What’s your morning like? Mine’s a Youtube morning!

posted by:
justaqi

I have always wondered what other people do when they wake up — do they stretch and go straight into the kitchen for some breakfast? Or do they snooze the alarm and go back to sleep? Or do they just stare at the four walls and just lay in bed? OK, for those who are working I am pretty sure they’d get up and get ready for work. For students like me, it’s either classes or turning the laptop on and there goes my morning!

First off, I would open all the tabs that are already saved on my Google Chrome — which consists of Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo Mail, Tumblr, Blogger & Youtube. I would then go into the kitchen and make myself a bowl of Special K and get right back to business. Mostly, it would be to check if there are any emails, notifications or mentions. Then, I would see if my favourites Youtubers have  posted any new videos or updates.

So this brings it to that!

Currently, my favourites are the boys from YTF. They have separate channels but they sometimes guests in each others’ videos just for the fun of it. Sometimes, they make awesome music videos — using their own songs or by altering a song from a famous artist. It’s mostly fun and humour. I love how they’re all connected to each other, and how such a talented bunch could find each other, let alone be friends. They’re all good at acting, film-making, funny and have great voices. Im awestruck.

Here are some links of their videos, you can subscribe to them if you want. I did. It was one of the best things that I ever did. My mornings are never dull! I tried posting the videos itself here, but since somehow it’s not possible. (I think from all the forums I just scanned through, apparently there’s a slight glitch?) Even though I cant, I still want to share this with you.

♡ Nice Guys

♡ Shed A Tear

♡ Ho Ho Ho (Christmas Edition)

What better way to start off the day with? :) Go on, take a look. Enjoy!

P/S : This morning was a little different. I went jogging with some friends, and it felt good to be out in the fresh air. Trying the new healthy routine, for a change. Will post more on that later :)

P/S P/S : Im new, not sure if I should introduce myself, but I am stoked to be here. So, look forward for more posts to come!


CATEGORIES: Entertainment, General, Music & Movie

COMMENTS: 1 Comment »

26
Nov

One a Day

posted by:
fefe

Aloha! It’s been a while :) How have you all been?

I thought as a come-back post, I would like to share some good stuff with you all, the wonderful, fabulous babes out there :)

Not a lot to ask, just One a Day.

This is the US version.

I bought the one in pink bottle and it was through a young pharmacist at Guardians/Watsons (I can’t remember now) who recommended this. At that time, there was no huge banners of display or any mega advertisements going on for this brand. She said this would be good.

Now before going further, let me share with you why I needed her advice and why this was recommended.

I did some readings and wanted to look for the right supplements for myself.

Not a big secret to reveal, I am not a very disciplined person. All I need is something easy, just one type of supplement so I don’t have to curse and swear if I forget to take one other supplement. I learn about other brands but I wasn’t convinced because I needed something for women. Something that is catered for women, to help me with my PMS, my hormones, my bones, hair, etc.

My aim at that point of time was to find something of high calcium, but not so much of just Calcium supplement. Read here. But my time at the racks of multivitamins, I just couldn’t decide what would be good for me. Then I met her, the pharmacist. I asked for her advice and she directed me to this One a Day (Women). She grabbed it from the lowest shelf and handed that over to me. I took a look at it, dubious at its reliability but upon reading what was on the label, I decided to give it a shot!

And since then, I have no regrets.

To be frank, I have pretty bad PMS symptoms. I’m sure many women experience this and it varies to a great degree. On a personal experience, I had days when I felt so depressed with lots of crying spells over any reasons I could pick on.  On some days, I would have huge appetite, craving for food with high sodium such as instant noodles. Not forgetting severe backache that I had to lie in bed for 2-3 days, swollen or sore breasts, bloated, sluggish, oily skin, sleepless nights or never-enough sleep. Oh my! The list can go on. Sometimes these days (a combination of symptoms) would last up to 2 weeks! Yes 14 days! Horrible! Horrible! Horrible!

So can you imagine my relief after consuming One a Day?

The first month was great. I didn’t have any of those symptoms, maybe too minor that I didn’t even realize they exist. And I definitely feel better. It was good for my emotional health too! I have not stopped taking One a Day and I hope you will start if you haven’t.

I bought a bottle each for my sister, my brother’s girlfriend and my mom. And I decided to buy this for my other girlfriends as Christmas gifts :) What’s better than living healthily and feeling good about oneself?

Disclaimer: This entry is purported to share the benefits of One a Day without carrying any intentions or whatsoever to promote for sales or to rank it as the best multivitamins in the market. The knowledge and understanding of this product are solely the author’s personal experience and blabbering. If One a Day would like her to be the Ambassador for well being, you would hear her screaming YES!


CATEGORIES: Beauty, General, Health, Uplifting

COMMENTS: 8 Comments »

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