2012: Year of the New(s)

The beginning of 2012 has seen a lot of change in my life. A LOT, all at once!

The first and foremost of these things is a new apartment. I was commuting last semester, as the excessive amount of bitching might have given away, and was more than ready to be back in the city. I haven’t been able to “live” in the city since the end of my sophomore year last May, and with the application of AP credits and the passage of a semester, I’m now a first semester SENIOR.

The apartment is great. A small little 1BR apartment about 10 minutes from campus. And by small 1BR, I mean a studio with some sort of a temp wall put up to create an amusingly tiny “bedroom”, if you can call it that. Ha. Amusing.

But I’m a college student. I’ve never been rich. I don’t expect or demand luxury, and with the price point (Under $800 each), I’m satisfied. The lease is only for the semester (So it ends May 30th), and I’m sharing the apartment with 2 other girls, close friends of mine since Freshman year when we all dormed in Rubin Hall. (Living on 5th Avenue for a year, say whatttt)

The new apartment is cozy. I have my own twin bed in the “living room” area of the apartment. I have my own little closet and 2 dresser drawers (We have 2 3-drawer bureaus. 2 drawers each) as well. I share a drawer in one of the desks in the living room, and share the desk with Carolyn. I usually study in my bed or on the dining table though.

We have a small round dining-table in the open area of the apartment, as well as the desk, a couch, and a really classy black bookshelf display thing. I love that. My bed is also in this open area obvs.

The bedroom has a double-closet that my 2 roomies share, and their bunk bed is in the little 1BR. It can only really be used for sleeping or changing though haha. We spend a majority of our time in the open area. Misha’s desk and our laundry hampers are also in that room though. There’s also one of those spider-leg lamps. Or whatever you want to call them. Tentacle lamp? Idk.

It is small, but we’re not paying much for it and it’s only for the semester, so I am pretty happy with it. Super duper happy. Heh.

The problem with this apartment though is that we don’t have WiFi set up yet. We’re trying to use Verizon for internet but it is being a complete BITCH. UGH. UGH UGH UGH. I’ve had to call them 3 times already, and it has been almost a month since we first contacted them. Still no internet. They SUCKKKKK. I’ll keep you updated on the wireless situation. I think we’ll get a delivery tomorrow sometime after 5PM. After that, I’ll try to set this up.

Angel of Writing

Angel of writing,
Hear my call.
I invoke you,
Flow from my pen,
Your soul pour forth from my body.
My pen is a weapon and a tool,
With it, I create and destroy.
Words hurt, they kill, resurrect,
Reminisce misspell.
I dare not break away,
The craft, the literacy
Is my heart.
My power, my nectar,
My Holy Grail.
Angel of writing,
Muse of the night –
Allow my inspiration never to fade,
My aspirations to have no end,
And my rise to never fall.

Spring 2012 Week 1

January 23 – 26

Controversies in Public Policy
[X] Exercise 0 (very easy) due Jan. 27 – Email me what policies you are interested in and what relevant courses you have taken
[ ] Tufte “Do Auto Safety Programs Save Lives?” (excerpt)
[ ] “10 Years of Assessing Students with Scientific Exactidude”

Comparative Legislative Institutions
Week 1: What is an institution and why does it matter? (January 25)
[ ] Cox and McCubbins I (Legislative Leviathan), Ch. 4
[ ] Daniel Diermeier and Keith Krehbiel. 2003. “Institutionalism as a Methodology.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 15, no. 2: 201-232.

Classical Literature and Philosophy
[ ] Odyssey, Books 1-4 [THURSDAY]
[ ] Adriana Cavarero, “Penelope” [THURSDAY]
[ ] Pick what week you want to present [THURSDAY]
** Obtain book. Needed after Spring Break though.
[ ]Anne Carson, If Not Winter: Fragments of Sappho

Poetry and Politics in New York City
[ ] Read pp 537-545
[ ] Read & Annotate Hart Crane Poems (The Idiot, Episode of Hands, The Harbor Dawn)
[ ] Must purchase Norton book by next class. MUST!
* Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry, 3rd Edition, Vol. 1

Rule 41: Dismissal of Action

Today marks the day I began my first (non immigration law related) legal internship. That’s right – I’m the legal intern for The Serbagi Law Firm, P.C. for this semester. Super proud of myself for getting this internship. My boss/mentor is a great and extremely knowledgeable man and I’m really glad to get the opportunity to work for him. He’s been teaching me about all kinds of things related to trademark and copyright law. The firm specializes in trademark litigation, and most of their trademark dockets are for pharmaceutical companies. Really cool – I’ve already learned how they write up their local and international dockets, as well as some of the case history for their current clients. But all of that is confidential and won’t be discussed on my blog, of course.

Today, I wrote up a Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal to be filed with the U.S. District Court – Southern Court of New York. If you are at all interested, here is a link to the PDF Template for this form, found on the USDC website. Because there was already a settlement agreement between the plaintiffs and defendants in this case, the case was being dismissed with prejudice I believe. He might have changed it to without – I’m not quite sure as I didn’t look at the final draft.

The next question I had was, of course – What does it mean to dismiss a claim with or without prejudice?

Dismissal with Prejudice: (Taken from uslegal.com) A dismissal with prejudice is dismissal of a case on merits after adjudication.The plaintiff is barred from bringing an action on the same claim. Dismissal with prejudice is a final judgment and the case becomes res judicata on the claims that were or could have been brought in it.

Basically, to dismiss a case with prejudice means that no further action can be brought to court based on the same claim. If a breach in contract was the basis for the original claim by the plaintiff, a dismissal of that claim with prejudice means that the plaintiff will no longer be able to sue or re-file another claim based on that same breach. That’s what I make of it.

Trademark law is fascinating. I’m starting to really get into it. Intellectual property rights and trademark litigation require all the logical reasoning and problem solving techniques they require that you master on the LSAT, but don’t have the heavy economics or finance background that a career in mergers and acquisitions would require. And because I don’t WANT a math-heavy job, but don’t necessarily want to deal primarily in civil or criminal law, this kind of career is starting to appeal more and more to me. I can see myself doing my boss’s job as my own career. And that’s a good feeling.

Today’s day at the office though, involved learning all about Rule 41: Dismissal of Action from the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. I had to apply that rule to the Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal that I wrote up. Because the other party, namely the defendants, had already filed a counterclaim against the plaintiff’s action, the stipulation that I wrote had to dismiss the plaintiff’s action against the defendants but also, in a new paragraph, dismiss the defendant’s counterclaims. To dismiss the original action, I used rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). To dismiss the counterclaim, I used rule 41(c)(1).

Like I said…fascinating stuff. I’m really enjoying this. And now that I’m done typing up this post, I’m going to go head home. We still have no WiFi in the apartment – Verizon claims they don’t even have our order number anymore. Wtf? I looked up their number while here, so between now and this evening, I need to resolve this matter with Verizon.

Wish me luck!

The Coffee Shop Chats

I’m sitting here at this cool Cafe/Chill place right by where I live. It calls itself a Museum and Cafe, but it’s just this really really COOL spot. Everybody here seems like regulars. The iced coffee tastes great, and there’s also live music and pretty funny open mic night too! Love the decor (Lots of statement posters. It isn’t afraid of taking and proudly showing off controversial stances)

I feel so hipster!

There’s also free WiFi so I’m buffering my Vampire Diaries and Fringe episodes haha. I’m too lazy to walk to an actual NYU building and marathon the shows, because I’m waiting for Sara to get here in a few hours anyway + dinner is in my apartment (Mom brought me food, d’aww) so I don’t want to keep walking back and forth!

I spent $20 today 😦 I am way overbudget this week, I need to fix my spending habits. Maybe set up a daily budget like I had in Lafayette. Let’s say no more than $10/day after this. We’ll see how things work out. I shall cook more! Meh. I’m not spending much next week so I feel a little better about the atrocity that was this week. I need stingier friends lol.

Right now (and maybe you guys have heard of them?) I’m listening to that (famous) couple that proposed to each other during Occupy Wall Street sing/strum a pretty cool duet together. I love it! It feels like I’m in the presence of a celebrity! An internet one at  least.

I don’t really know what else to chat to you guys about. I have a bit of soul searching I need to do. Maybe a week in Tennessee away from everything will help? We shall see. I really miss my best friends. Jess didn’t come into the city even once this whole week to see me!! Nabila’s gone to Haiti. Blah. Errything sucks sometimes, life has its ups and downs.

This week was a pretty fun and thrilling high – I lived off of socializing. Now that its winding down I’m starting to hurt just a tad bit again. Not even hurt, but just….haha question my worth.

Even that doesn’t sound right. I’m questioning what I want right now.

Boyfriend?

Friend with benefits?

Long-distance relationship? (Is the answer to that ever a yes?)

One-night stands?

A fling?

I deep and fulfilling friendship with a man? One where we can have philosophical and serious and whimsical phone conversations. Just talk. Chill randomly, make last minute plans?

It sounds like I want the last, but I want more. I want to be appreciated and loved, and treasured and held in somebody’s arms not out of obligation but because he wants it. I want to be clingy with somebody and not feel guilty for it because it is my entitlement.

I just want to know who my future husband is.

So that’s where my first free-write coffee shop chat took me. To the realization that I want to just KNOW.

If I’m not supposed to meet him till later, I just want to know!

How original, right?

 

Upcoming Alternative Break!

Dear blog,

I forgot to mention that I’m heading to Oak Ridge, Tennessee this Sunday! Sunday @ 8AM, Ella and I will be driving 9 participants all the way down to TN!

We will spend a whole week there working with Habitat for Humanity and help them actually construct houses! I’m super excited – can’t wait!

We’ll be staying at a Church that has graciously lent us a room and 11 mattresses. The organization will provide tools and onsite training as well as great home-cooked lunches and dinners. We have Monday off to sightsee, explore, and learn about the city, but will work from Tuesday through Saturday before driving home Sunday morning.

Last year, as you all know, I went to New Orleans, Louisiana over Spring Break. I kept a log of my time there. I’ll do the same this year, and encourage my participants as well! It’s going to be really fun, I know it!

Blogging will probably be minimal as I don’t even know if I am taking my laptop with me (I wanted to send it off for repairs somewhere) and if there is internet available. We shall see how things pan out!

I love my new apartment!

It’s been a week of boys and booze for me folks. Boys and booze. It sums everything up quite nicely. Nothing TOO crazy as far as getting ‘wasted’ goes, but something alcoholic has been drank (drunk?) every day. Bah, I’m catching up I suppose, for all those times last semester I didn’t party or drink.

But we aren’t here to talk about that in this post. This is going to be a ‘normal’ blog post. The fun ones I used to write for myself. Straight up diary style.

I moved into my place this Sunday afternoon. My (ex) roommate Christine came over while I was unpacking to help me, see the apartment, and also just chill after my parents and cousin left. She brought along Yuan, one of the guys I’ve met through her – he’s her (ex) boyfriend’s roommate. But I met him when they were together and I think that at this point, we can say that we are rather good friends, Yuan and I. He’s not somebody I share everything with just yet, but he’s a good person and I know that he’d listen to me rant and not complain about it.

What more do you want in a guy?

Don’t answer that.

It’s pretty funny actually – Christine brought a fancy bottle of red wine as a housewarming gift for me, and Yuan brought me a handle of vodka (Heavy Water? It had a filter in it. Super smooth, all gone. Mostly in my tummy) and we hid it quickly when they came up before my parents could find it. Christine was worried they would hear the clanking, and I was trying so hard not to giggle and look shady. In my defense though, Yuan is already 21, and Christine and I are barely half a year away now.

Fine, maybe like 7ish months.

My apartment is pretty small. Close quarters, and best suited for small mini-group parties instead of large college bashes. That being said, I’ve taken advantage of the space this week by spending some quality time with smaller subgroups of friends.

Not going to lie, I’ve also taken advantage of the full sized (super comfy) bed while I have it this week. I may have cuddled with a guy or two.

I know it’s a weird thing, to talk about ‘hooking up’ on a public blog. Even I’m not quite comfortable with it. People can read it and they can judge and I don’t even think I’d be able to have a conversation about this ‘in real life’ if somebody approached me after reading this post. But hey, when I look back in May 30th as I’m moving out, I want to know I had the courage to admit to what I did!

I haven’t had a boyfriend since Tuan broke up with me, January 2011. It has been over a year, and it wasn’t a (too) serious emotional relationship. No I love you, no sex. You can even pass it off as a semester fling – he probably did. But he really was my boyfriend, and there are a lot of things I miss about that.

I miss the cuddling most. I LOVE cuddling. Part of the reason I love being in an apartment is the nonexistent guest policy dorms had. I don’t need to sign a guy in. I don’t have to walk-of-shame down to the lobby with disheveled  hair at 7AM the following morning to sign a guy out. It’s even more weird because usually, the reason I had the guest over isn’t even sexual. Hell, a woman has friends, you know! And if those friends visit you from another campus, they crash in your dorm. The Indian guard who worked Lafayette’s morning shift totally disapproved. Sigh.

But there’s no more of that now. At least for this week, I didn’t really have to answer to anybody. I was free to come and go as I pleased. Christine slept over two nights, Yuan slept over one of the nights. I took naps, I took baths, I cuddled. Spooned. Let loose some sexual frustration that a summer and then semester of living at home had built up.

Face it. You break up, you have the round of rebound sex and just as you’re discovering what your body has the capability of feeling,  you are thrown into a prison with your parents for 9 months.

This is a rebirth. After 9 months, I’m OUT and in this apartment and ready to be independent and grown up. Pay my own internet and electricity bill.

Maybe even have another boyfriend? Doubt you still read this Tuan, but I’m still happy, still smiling. Ready to take on a relationship with a guy less shallow. Maybe somebody who won’t tell his friends that my weight was an issue. If it was, you shouldn’t have dated me in the first place! Either way, this is all just matter-of-fact. I’m not an emotional mess anymore. Ready for a new relationship that will last longer. Mean something more. Involve sex?

We shall see.

But I mentioned bills, so let’s turn the topic to another serious problem with my apartment right now. My crib lacks one very crucial thing. INTERNET!

I’m writing this post on a laptop with no internet connection. It was 12:23 AM at the time of writing this post. It will probably be posted on my blog somewhere around 9AM in the morning once I get to work and have access to the NYU WiFi service again.

Somebody please remind me to call Verizon and/or Time Warner Cable and set my internet up already. This is taking mf’ing FOREVER! I’m dying with no WiFi right now.

There’s this really cool museum and cafe by where I live. I look forward to sampling their coffee and blogging to my heart’s content after work tomorrow. I will diligently spend 9AM-1PM finishing up a Prezi for my boss before he gets back and calls me out for slacking. After that, I will call and obtain an internet connection for my apartment. After that, I will call my internship boss and make sure that my schedule for the spring semester has been finalized. After that I’ll probably scrounge up some food to eat and then head to the cafe to enjoy the coffee and internet.

I don’t know how long this post has gotten now. I’m just typing till I feel too sleepy to do so. Well actually…since it is 12:41 right now, I will probably continue till about 1. My eyes hurt…maybe I’ll end it sooner.

I DO have a separate rant, but I’m going to save that for another post and stealthily change names around and pose it as a story. We’ll see. I just need to get some frustration about a situation out and writing is my go-to channel for venting my feelings in a productive manner. It lets me reveal my emotions but also makes them leses painful, which I really appreciate. Maybe I will just blog, and drop the story charade. I do pride myself on being blunt with most details of my life.

No limits, no boundaries. That’s how I play my truth-or-dare.

Book Tag!

I’m an English major, so you know I love to read (and write). My favorite nail art blogger, GretalRabbit recently posted this Book Tag and I thought I should follow up with some responses of my own. + I have 45 minutes to kill until my parents wake up. At that point, I need to shower and finish stuffing my car to drive it (and me) into my new apartment! More proper blogging on that later.

This is mostly hard because I read sooo many books every year that it’s hard to differentiate what I read in 2011 and what I read earlier. Also, I’ve been reading so much for college that pleasure reading has gone down immensely. NYU is mean.

1. The best book you read last year

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. Also the followup sequel to this. Such a cute pleasure read!

2. A book you’ve read more than 3 times

I don’t read books more than once normally. For school, that’s a different story. I pick a classic – The Aeneid by Virgil. I’ve read 4 different translations of it 😀

3. Your favorite series

See this is hard, as this is my preferred TYPE of book. I love series. Single books are never filling enough. I’ll list my three favorite series (in that order):

His Dark Materials Philip Pullman
Harry Potter J. K. Rowling
The Dragonriders of Pern  Anne McAffrey

4. My favorite book from my favorite series

His Dark Materials – Bah, this is hard. The Amber Spyglass for its lovely ending.
Harry Potter –  The Goblet of Fire hands down. Although I never liked books 5-7 after HP went ‘mainstream.’ The 1st four will always be the best for me.
Dragonriders of Pern –  Dragonsdawn (Colonization of Pern and discovery of the little dragonets and also Thread) and also the The Harper Hall of Pern.

5. A book that makes you happy

Don’t really read books to make me happy, as reading ITSELF makes me happy. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is  a pretty great one though.

6.  A book that makes you sad

The Amber Spyglass. So bittersweet. Also Night by Elie Wiesel. We wrote him letters back in high school, and he wrote us all back.

7. Most underrated book

I haven’t heard much talk about the Dragonriders of Pern series, but they’re all quite amazing. Artemis Fowl too, it isn’t just for kids. I love the books! And because this is the place for shoutouts, Percy Jackson series are GREATTT. They’d be my #4 favorite series of all time, but I capped my blog post at 3.

8. Most overrated book

The Rats of NIMH. Ugh, could not stand. Also the Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. LotR is sooooooo filled with “fluff” its not even funny. Also Twilight series, obviously. They’re okay, but I’ve read better Vampire novels

9. A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving

Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism, Georgia Byng. Also the rest of the Molly Moon books. SO QUIRKY!

10. Your favorite classic book

Dante’s Divine Comedy and The Aeneid. No thought needed.

11. A book you hated

Invisible Man and any and all books with existential characters. I also particularly despised The Stranger by Albert Camus. I don’t much hate books but those two were just…*shudder*

12. Your favorite book cover

Its true, I love books with a good cover. But to scour the web for my favorite right now just isn’t happening.

13. Your favorite writer

This question has soo already been asked in other forms. Because I didn’t mention the series before, I pick Rick Riordan

14. Your favorite book by your favorite writer

Hard to pick just one, so I’ll pick the first. Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It really hooked me into the series!

15. Favorite male character

Percy Jackson, Ron Weasley, DRACO MALFOY, and of course, Will from the His Dark Materials trilogy.

16. Favorite female character

Hermoine from HP, Lyra Belacqua from His Dark Materials, and Zoey Redbird from the House of Night series.

17. Favorite quote from a book

I READ 1000’S OF PAGES A WEEK. I CAN’T JUST SPEW OUT A FAVORITE QUOTE, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I refuse. There are many. Check out the rotating text on the right hand column of this blog, it has some quotes I like.

18. Didn’t see the question on her page. Her answer was Wicked Witch of the West. I’ve never seen a musical or anything, but that one about a boy who likes ballet was good.

19. Favorite that has been turned into a film

Harry Potter! The earlier ones were great adaptations but BOOO, the later ones were such disappointments.

20. Favorite book illustration

I don’t read many illustrated books.

21. Favorite book from childhood

Winnie the Pooh. Totally partial to it, it was the first book I read by myself growing up. I’ve done book reports and illustrations on it, I love it.

22. Favorite book you own

Well if I own it, I assume I like it, right? Lol another stupid question – I love all the books in my collection.

23. A book you’ve wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t.

The entire and complete LotR trilogy. Quite sad that I’ve never been able to push through and read it all (YAWNNNN) but I need to persevere.

24. A book you wish more people would read

The Percy Jackson & Molly Moon books for sure.

25. The character you relate to the most

Meh. I relate to bits and pieces of many, many characters.

26. A book that changed your opinion about something

Night by Elie Wiesel just because it was such a thorough eye-opener at my tender young age.

27. The most surprising plot twist or ending

*shrug* Read too many to have one strike out at me

28. Favorite Book Title

SO YOU WANT TO BE A WIZARD (How could I not mention the series till now. My sincere apologies, it’d be #4 or #5 on my top series list)

29. A book everyone hated but you liked.

Not a conventional answer, but I enjoyed reading Dante’s Divine Comedy much more than some of the other students in my lectures.

30. Your favorite book of all time

Don’t have one. The 5 series I mentioned are my favorites. Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, Percy Jackson, Dragonriders of Pern, So You Want to be a Wizard

 

It’s now 4:01. Time to finish packing, cheers!

My (Sephora) Recommended Skincare Regimen

Here’s what I’m trying out! As I said earlier, my skin is:

– Slightly dry
– Acne-prone
– Oil-prone/
– Sensitive to stress
– Has a lot of blemishes from acne breakouts

This is the regimen I was given:

1. Use makeup remover every night to wipe off makeup as well as the dust and grime of NYC. Use even when I have not worn makeup.
Product: Korres 3 in 1 Cleansing, Toning, and Eye Make-up Removing Emulsion, $21
Initial Thoughts: Click the product name to be led to Sephora’s site with the description, pricing, etc. I do like that it leaves my skin feeling moisturized but I feel like that part of a remover is sort of useless when it is being used only at night, pre-cleanser. I’m going to apply moisturizer later anyway, and all the hydrating milk protein is being washed off by the steps that follow! If I can find cheaper (but still gentle) makeup remover that costs less, I will probably do that. This poduct does leave your face feeling great though.

2. Cleanse face twice daily. Morning and night.
Product: Ole Henriksen – Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser, $30
Initial thoughts: Sounds expensive (Compared to my previous Neutrogena or Clean & Clear type products) but it is for acne-prone skin, which is good. It smells great, you get 12oz for that price, so you know it’ll last you a while. I’ve used it 4 times now, and it doesn’t dry out my skin. That = a plus.

3. Moisturizer – MORNING ONLY – Use after cleanser prior to makeup application
Product: Boscia – Vital Daily Moisture SPF 15, $36
Initial thoughts: Not impressed at ALL. It’s lotion for your face. I am not paying 36 for a mere 1.4 oz of lotion. That shit’ll finish in like a week! I know I need moisturizer, but I don’t think this one is going to be it. Obviously it works, but so do many other products at a fraction of its cost. Also not impressed by its SPF. My foundation has twice that…

4. Spot Treatment – NIGHT ONLY – A thin layer. Little goes a long way, every night right before bed
Product: GoClear – Intensive Acne Treatment Salicylic Acid 2%, $25
Initial Thoughts: This is another small bit of product IMO, this is the prize for 1oz. I like that there’s enough active Salicylic acid in this for it to be effective. I haven’t been using any spot treatment, and obviously…no clear results yet, but this is only day 2. My redness seems to have gone, but that could just be in my head. I really hope my sample lasts long enough for me to want to purchase this product! This makes my eyes water, so I dont put any on unless its straight to bed right afterwards.

5. Exfoliating Scrub – TWICE WEEKLY – I massage it into my skin for 1 minute in gentle circular strokes, then rinse. Use this after cleanser (And before moisturizer if used in the morning)
Product: Boscia – Smoothing Facial Polish, $25
Initial Thoughts: I have used this product for the first time tonight. It wasn’t overly gritty, but it wasn’t harsh on my skin either. It was fun massaging it in, and my skin overall after the completion of tonight’s regimen feels baby soft and smooth. This is 2.8 oz of product, and you don’t need very much at a time, so I think this one is good. I’ve used Boscia products before – my face likes them. I have a few samples of their BB cream I use on my lazy days when I don’t feel like wearing much makeup.

And that’s that. My full regimen. I’ll update in a week, let you know if I see any improvement, and if I’m purchasing full size containers of any of these products. I’ll most likely wait for a sephora sale, but we’ll see.

Have my spot treatment on, eyes are watering. GOODNIGHT! Excuse the typos, if any. Will fix in the morning byeee.

Part of growing up.

For me, part of growing up over 2011 involved including more makeup and better skincare in my daily regimen. Before this, I wore nothing on my skin and cleansed it when I felt like it with a basic Neutrogena cleanser. It would be okay with somebody with great skin, but my skin is far from it. We’re talking blemishes and acne. Dry in the winter, oil-prone, and kinda sensitive.

2011 introduced me to my first set of makeup and skincare essentials. Check them out!

My makeup collection –
(All bought in 2011. I basically owned nothing but eyeliner, a simple black/white smoky baked palette, and lip gloss)

– Cover FX – Total Coverage Cream Foundation (SPF 30) – Shade M60 [$42]
– Benefit – boi-ing industrial-strength concealer – Shade 03 [$19]
– Urban Decay – Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Shade Original [$19]
– Sephora – Pro lesson palatte, Brown Eyes – 2 trios of (Universal Beige, Brun, Dore) and (Gris, Midnight Kiss, Peach Beige) – [gift]
– Color Theory – 50 eyeshades [$6]
– Brushes
1. Sephora Pro Foundation Airbrush 55 – full-size [$34]
        2. Sephora Collection Travel Brush Set (Powder, Shadow, Crease, Liner w/ pouch)  [$10]
        3. LookNY Concealer (7) and Eyeliner (15) full-size brushes – [gift]
– Stila – Smudge Pot – Black Cat – gift
– Physicians Formula – Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel Cream Liner for HAZEL eyes (3 eyeliners and a crappy brush) [$.99] – 75% off + $2.00 coupon
– Beauty Rush – Precision Eyeliner – Shade Hot Slate [gift]
– Benefit – Bad Gal Lash Mascara – Black [$10]
– A random Duane Reade eyeliner sharpener [$2] 

My skincare products are unfortunately, not quite as many. I have a sample Sephora Regimen that I’ve been using and when I run out, imma go to another sephora and get more samples of the same regimen. If it works. And if it does, I’ll give it its own post and see if its worth purchasing a full-size regimen (Cost of purchasing all the products will be between $150-200 so I’m not too keen on spending so much at once]

My only full-size skin care product purchase this year was:

– First Aid Beauty – Facial Cleanser [$18]

 

Overall, I spent $161 on makeup and skincare in 2011. That’s not too bad at all (: I’m going to slowly but surely build up my collection to include things I don’t have. Ie. Blush, bronzer, highlighter, powder foundation, tinted moisturizer, BB cream, more brushes, makeup remover, brush cleanser/shampoo, etc. First and foremost for 2012 is my skincare regimen. I’d rather pool the money toward that if I see that its giving me good results, and use less makeup on my face since I don’t want a bad reaction if a certain product doesn’t agree with me.

End of extremely girly post. Inner beauty is great, but outer beauty doesn’t hurt.