One year ago I was in Penang

These days I remember my last year's Penang trip. Browsing thru the nice pictures brings back memories. It was a great time. I just graduated and after a long winter of studying, I said to myself, you need to indulge. And I chosen one of my favourite passions: traveling. I followed my feelings and tried not to think too much. Well, that's quite hard, if you are me. I had a lot emotional baggage with me. But aside of all that, I had fun. I saw how life is in Malaysia and I really liked it. It has it's pros and cons, but the pros prevail. The photo shows Batu Ferringhi (Westerner's stone), a famous stretch of beaches on the northern part of Penang Island. I'm happy that I captured this marvellous sunset, it's certainly one of my all time favourites. When I see it, it makes me daydream about a place far far away, where I could enjoy moments like this and just be happy. It's a perfect getaway. Don't you agree?

[Photo by MKL, 2007]

Exploding Hookers

I've done it. I'm finally embarrassed by my manicure.

Today I have on the most obnoxious, hideous, nauseating abomination of a french manicure I've ever seen.

Get ready.

Nails are China Glaze Shocking Pink, with Sinful Dream On tips, coated in OPI Text Me, Text You. Left hand has different glitter polishes (China Glaze Wireless and Fairy Dust, Misa Confection Section, Candy Girl and Sweet Pleasure) instead of Text Me, Text You.

I'm not sure I can leave the house wearing this. It looks like a hooker exploded all over my nails.

Republicans, Democrats and Clintons

I think Bill and Hillary Clinton are destroying the democratic party. I mean, come on, who believes her commander and chief blabber? I don't think Obama is the Messiah, but he's the least phoney of all 3 candidates. It would be better for America and for the whole world, if he became the president. Not only he knows how to unite Americans, he will be able to unite the rest of the world due to his background and looks and of course his character.
America should be ashamed, in 8 years of the Bush administration, they managed to tarnish it's name even in the West. Antiamericanism is everywhere in Europe. And with Obama and his message of hope we feel this resentment will slowly disappear and the ties between USA and Europe will be strong again. We think that the unilateral actions of the USA is really damaging the world peace. Well, USA has 2 oceans on every side of their country, while we have Africa and the Middle East at our door step. We can't just start wars to solve a problem in our neighbourhood. We learned this lesson. So I hope after Irak (and Vietnam) the USA should have learned this lesson, too.
I just hope that the Clintons start backing off and endorse the democratic nominee Obama to bring about a change to the US politics and foreign relations. The world is sick of Bushes and Clintons, please, USA is not a monarchy...

Or... is it?

China Glaze Ink Special Edition Cuticle Oil and Nail Art Polish

News flash!

Much to my surprise, China Glaze Ink (the color with the special nail art brush) isn't black... It's a dark navy blue!

The bottle is slightly smaller than a regular China Glaze bottle (.5oz?) and the brush is long and skinny, like a nail art brush. The brush looks perfect for doing stripes and other kinds of art. I can't wait to use it.

Also, the special edition China Glaze orange cuticle oil in Ink packaging has no brush. It's smaller than I thought it would be, and has a screw-top orange plastic cap. Not an issue, just unexpected.

To summarize:

China Glaze Ink is blue, not black.
China Glaze Ink Cuticle Oil has no brush.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Nail Care Tips

My nails are starting to become claws again. I like the way they look, but they keep getting caught in things, like in between the keys of my keyboard. They're really not *that* long, but they're longer than I usually keep them. I measured. They are one-third of an inch past my fingertips.

I physically can't get my nails shorter than a few centimeters past my fingertips. If I try to go any shorter than that, they bleed and hurt like crazy. I used to work with a habitual nail-biter, and if the habit itself wasn't disgusting enough to keep you from doing it, her nails sure would. Gross. Stubby bloody little nubs that didn't even come up to her fingertip. Just thinking about them makes me a little nauseated.

Aaaaanyway....

I do have a few tips to keep your nails long and healthy.

1. This is the most important. Solar Oil. Constantly. I keep a mini bottle with me wherever I am. Nightstand, car, purse, kitchen, couch, bathroom, desk... Put it on whenever you see it. Not only does it keep your cuticles looking nice, but it helps your nails stay conditioned. I'm sure you can use whatever kind of cuticle oil you prefer, but I have the best results from Solar Oil.
2. Always keep some sort of polish on your nails. Nails can not "breathe", they don't need to "rest"... What they need is to be protected. Polish keeps your nails protected. If you don't feel like having color on your nails, just use treatment like Nail Envy or Nailtek.
3. Use a nail treatment as basecoat. If you're going to wear one, why not have it do something good for your nails at the same time? If you're worried that they don't make good basecoats, let me just say that Nail Envy prevents chips on me way better than Bonder or Stickey ever did.
4. Your nails are not screwdrivers or paint scrapers or crowbars. Do not abuse them.
5. Even if you want your nails very long, you need to shape them. It applies to hair, it applies to nails. Shaping them with a glass file every now and then can actually prevent peeling at the ends and keep them looking nice and not ragged.
6. Wear gloves when doing housework. Scrubbing toilets, doing dishes, scouring the bathtub, whatever. It's hell for your hands and nails. Splurge on a 99 cent pair of rubber gloves. Ha. Anytime you have your hands in water for an extended period of time, put them on.
7. Don't peel off your nail polish or over-buff your nails. This takes off layers of nail and really weakens them. Occasional buffing is good, especially if you have stains or ridges, but every time you buff your nails get thinner.
8. Take your vitamins. Especially Biotin. Do it every day. Fish oil, too. And no, drinking Knox Gelatin or eating Jell-O does not make your nails grow.
9. This almost doesn't need to be said, but be careful. Digging around in your purse or rummaging through drawers, carrying groceries, that sort of thing. This goes with number four. Don't blatantly abuse your nails, but also be careful of inadvertent damage.
10. I'm not sure I can think of a number ten, but the list doesn't look right ending in nine.

Now that you're all sick of me playing self-proclaimed nail Guru.... A quick comment to my googlers.

WHAT IS SO INTERESTING ABOUT SLUTTY RED NAILS?!?!?!

Is it some sort of fetish? I don't get it. I get a bizarre number of hits on any combination of the words slutty, nails, slut and red... (Oh great, now it's going to double.) Are you looking for pictures? Is there some sort of movie or book with that title? Or do you just like hearing someone say red nails are slutty?

I get almost as many hits on "Carol's Daughter moldy" and I can only hope they're talking about beauty products.

Thank you!

Today was a wonderful saturday, at least compared to the other rainy days, we had some mix of grey and blue above our heads. Anyway, I met up with my new friend and I really had a great time. At first, I thought I payed a high price, I had to wait 2h for a bus that never came.. Thankfully she came and fetched me. And it was all forgotten in a glimpse, when we had a nice conversation thru out our ride and later. I was lucky to get treated. These days I seem I can't pay when I meet with a woman. They keep treating me, I don't know how to repay them? I hope my graceful presence is a worthy reward for them.
Well, what actually marked this day was all the things I heard and the new things I learned, I'm still processing them, but it really keeps me buffed at times... I feel much better than before, I wonder what brought this new confidence in my life? Is it fate, as she would say? I don't know, I'll just see how things go, but I'm happy if anything helps me crawl out of my past, out of my mistakes into new, hopefully successful times. A confidence boost from a very intelligent and successful woman like her really means a lot to me. So thanks again, my friend.
Hope this isn't just a dream, that will pass too fast and I'll wake up all sweaty. I want to regain my strength. It's a start.

My Favorite Etailers: Crater Lake Company, Skindazzles, Coconut Hut, Villainess and Wylde Ivy.

I just loooooove Crater Lake Company. I'm so happy she's open again.

Out of all the etailers I order from, Crater Lake Company seems to have the best packaging, most unique scents and flawless formulas.

I used to be hooked on the roll-ons.... I think one time I ordered like 15 at once...

I was sad when she closed, and started hoarding all my Crater Lake Company products. Now that she's open again I can finally use them. I am a little sad that she doesn't have the Butter Cookies scent anymore. That was one of my favorites. And Cola! That was good too.

The thing about Crater Lake Company that's so special is that she has included a hand-written note in every one of my orders... It's refreshing to be seen as a customer, rather than a dollar sign (Isle of Eden, I'm looking at you....) Sharonn is so sweet.

Skindazzles is fantastic too, but the shipping from Canada is a pain. It's not that it's expensive, it's that it takes two agonizing weeks and then the mailman will never leave it at my house. I hate going to the post office. HATE IT! But Skindazzles is worth it. Candy is just the nicest person. She has some awesome scents, and I like the Misfit Tart bags. I love a surprise.

My other favorite is Coconut Hut. I believe I've raved about Coconut Hut plenty of times on here, and my opinion is still the same. Also, if I'm not mistaken, she's the only etailer around with a dupe of Philosophy's Sugar scent, which is one of my all time favorites. It's the same as Sugar Cookie showergel and the Sugar fragrance from the Tea Party set that they used to have.

I would say those are my top three for bath and body stuff.

I love Villainess, but I think I own every single soap and Whipped she makes (all incredible, of course) because the product range is limited. The scents are the most unique scents you will find, and I guarantee that no one else's stuff smells like hers. Shipping is also very fast, and I appreciate that.

I like Wylde Ivy, too. And Skindecent.

This was going to be a post on my least favorite etailers, but I needed some positive thinking today. Maybe I'll do that post later.

So, what are you doing still reading this? Go order some stuff from Crater Lake Company, Skindazzles, Coconut Hut, Villainess and Wylde Ivy!!