Today

Today was an interesting day.  It began rather early, but I'm trying to learn to embrace getting up earlier rather than later, as to not kill my entire day.  :)

Last week, was one of the best weeks in a long time.  I had a visitor from Dallas (who happened to be subbing with the orchestra also) from Tuesday to Sunday.  I had so much hanging out with him, and showing him around Kansas City.  It also happened to be a beautiful weekend to boot!  We got to do so many of my favorite things too!  BBQ, going to the Nelson Atkins museum, walking around Loose Park, hanging out at the Plaza, JP's wine bar, Westside Local, and hanging out with friends.  He also wanted to go to the World War I museum, and it was incredible.  I would highly recommend this museum to ANYONE.  I had never been, and want to go back soon.  I think there is always something I can read and learn!  It was nice to talk while walking and to see different points about art that were new to me!  I was very sad when he had to leave on Sunday...but of course he has a job to go back to! 

Today, I went over to the box office at 9am to help with the annual selling of the Flint Hills tickets.  :)  It was a madhouse, and we ended up selling 5,000 tickets in 90 minutes.  Can you imagine?  But, everyone was super nice and I enjoyed the chats, albeit brief, with the patrons on the phone.  I stayed for the majority of the day, taking calls even after we were sold out, to ensure that as many people as wanted, got on the wait-list.

At 2pm, I had an orthodontist appointment.  I enjoy going to the doctors, dentist, and orthodontist's offices.  I mainly just enjoy talking to different people, and all these offices have lots of friendly people who smile a lot! :) I also like hearing stories and how their day is going.  I'm progressing very well with the braces, but this time, I think that I would have rather been numb.  Instead of a power chain (lots of bands hooked together to ensure the wire doesn't pop out), which hurts for a day or two until it sufficiently stretches out, I got WIRES tied around the braces.  Apparently these don't stretch out.  Haha.  Sure doesn't feel like it.  Plus, I got an extra heavy rubber band for the left side of my face.  They laced the wires (like you do your shoes) over the entire top row of teeth, and the front half of the bottoms.  Plus, they are moving the molars on my left side too.  When they pushed the main wire through my top molars, I almost passed out.  I haven't felt pain like that since I woke up from my shoulder surgery.  My teeth have already bled a bit.  However, they are much better now.  I would like a double dose of codine, please. :)  The only consolation is that I will end up finally feeling pretty, and having nice teeth.  :)

So, I got back to the box office and took another hour of calls before I left, and on my LAST call....I got a VP at Hallmark Corporation.  He knew he was probably too late, to get tickets, and was very nice about it.  He sounded also about 70 years old.  SO cute.  He was my favorite all day (and I have some pretty funny stories), and after I told him I didn't have anymore tickets and would gladly add him to our wait list, he asked me.... "Well, do you need a roadie?"  HAHA!!!!  I told him although that no, in fact we don't have those, but I could stuff him in my trunk.  HAHA.  A great ending to a day.

Love and hugs to all!

Mascara

Lately, I've been thinking about my friend's evaluation of mascaras in her blog, about a year ago.  I loved it, and am going to expand/do one of my own.  

Currently, I own seven mascaras.  I love them all, and they have their own special place in my heart.  Some need to be tossed soon, and I probably won't replace them, because even I acknowledge that owning eight mascaras is a little much.  I think three or four could be enough! :)

Let's dive in!  (and in NO particular order)

Yves St. Laurent Volume Effect Faux Cils

$30 at Sephora

This mascara is the end all to end all.  It grabs EACH lash, coating it with the perfect amount of mascara, and providing the illusion that you have mile long lashes.  It provides a bit of volume too, and lasts ALL day.  I was told about this by a friend, and it will always be one of my options.  My only dislike was that it dried out more quickly than others.  They say that you should toss the mascara after 3 months or when it starts smelling....whichever is SOONER.  I'm not sure this will last 3 months...maybe just 2.

Benefit Bad Gal Lash  

$19 at Sephora

You want volume?  You GOT IT!  This is a great mascara for volume, but not a heavy lash.    It gives the va-va-voom without the clumps.  I've been using this for years, and it ALWAYS performs.   If you've been shopping only at the drugstores for your makeup your entire life, this would be a great first 'nice' mascara to try!  If I had to pick a dislike, it would be the brush is longer and wide, and you have to be careful when trying to get the little lashes on the side of the eyes.

Cargo Texas Lash 

$20 on Cargo website

VA VA VA VA VOOM!  You won't have to apply a second coat with this one.  Lots of volume.  Sexy, Texas lash is what it is.  Buxom.  :)  It applies a LOT of mascara instantly.  Love it.  Lasts all day.  Doesn't dry out.  At all.  Be careful though, it has the potential to clump!

Christian Dior DiorShow Waterproof   

$24 at Sephora

My favorite waterproof mascara.  Comes in several different colors.  Recently, I wear this almost every day!  It is the ULTIMATE triple threat!  Volume, Lengthening, and NEVER smudges.  I have full on cried and this stuff doesn't budge AN INCH.  Be careful where you put it though.  If you smash it against your face while applying it, you have to use waterproof eye makeup remover.  This will last even through a shower.  

Imju Fiberwig Mascara 

$24 at Sephora

Another mascara you will never see me without.  This is a very light formula that I use over my regular mascara.  It actually has fibers in it, along with the mascara, to attach to the ends of your eyelashes like extensions!  It provides volume and length (volume only when used over a regular mascara).  You can put as many coats as you want on, and the lashes just get longer and longer.  Washes right off!  Japan is my new favorite country for mascara design.  They have embarked upon a brilliant product.

I don't typically shop at the drugstore for ANY cosmetics.  I don't think.  However, there are two mascaras I love.

CoverGirl Lash Blash Waterproof (orange tube)

It's a great mascara.  Period.  Tends to have a little flaking after 8 hours or more of wear.  BUT, it is most definitely waterproof, and has a GREAT plastic, flexible brush.  I have never experienced any clumping and it gives me a lot of volume!  It's a little difficult to reach the tiny lashes because of how big the applicator is.  If you REALLY can't wrap your imagination around spending $20 on a mascara, this will be the one for you.  

CoverGirl Lash Exact 

It's a simple product and provides consistent results.  Nothing fancy, nothing outstanding.  Grabs all lashes, and provides an even coverage.   Again, the same as the LashBlast brush, it doesn't clump (ever) and the applicator provides even coverage.  

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NOW that you've read all that....all these products (minus the drugstore ones) can be found at Sephora.  But, they can also be found at Ulta, and probably also on Amazon, and maybe even some department stores.  And, I most always use just the plain black.  ALSO!!!  If you don't like something at Sephora, you can ALWAYS return it.  No questions.  Even if you've already used it a few times.

NO woman should EVER go without a eyelash curler.  I haven't met a woman yet who SHOULDN'T use one.  :) :) :)  My favorite is the Shu Uemura. Yes, it's $19, but I NEVER go a day without it.  Even if you don't use mascara everyday, it brightens your face, and is a #1 "must do" to instantly make you look more awake. (You can also find others that are cheaper, but this one will never assault your face or pinch you!)

My favorite eye makeup remover is the Sephora house brand, FACE.  It's VERY gentle, not greasy, and takes off everything.  Make sure you get the waterproof kind, just in case you ever use waterproof makeup. (Shake before you use!)  I've probably tried 7 different kinds, and NOTHING even compares.  $10 at Sephora

Also, no one should be without an eyelash/brow comb either.  It combats clumping, and also keeps those pesky brows in check.  :)  

A little mascara, blush and lipgloss will instantly make you look perkier and polished.  Always a must, even if you're running out the door.  Remember, just because you feel like poop, doesn't mean you have to look like it!  Love your face, and it will love you back!:)  

Movies

I watched three movies today.  The first one was on Lifetime, the second "The Holiday" (again), and the third "Because I Said So" (again).  They all touched my heart in different ways, but are all good for the soul.  Since I can't remember what the first was called, you'll have to take my word for it...but if you haven't seen the other two, you'll just have to go watch them.  I do have to go to work tonight, but I would much prefer to sit and finish the last 20 minutes of "Because I Said So" in my pajamas.  :)

Organization Saturday

I finally did it.  I re-organized my bookshelf.  All the viola related music is in a filing cabinet, and the other stuff is organized on the bottom shelf.  Paperwork is filed as well, and labeled with my new lovely label-maker.  I also changed the spacing of the shelves, rearranged the pictures and categorized the books differently.  I need something on top of the bookshelves though.  Some flowers or SOMETHING.

I also dusted, re-organized my shoe rack, and cleaned out the fridge today.  It's very freeing to have things slightly more clean, and organized.  To celebrate I made some homemade chocolate chip cookies.  And I only ate one!

Tomorrow, I think that I will do some laundry, practice, take some things down to the storage unit, go to a Super Bowl Party and hang up clothes.  We have Monday and Tuesday off too!  :)  What to do?!?

Determination

I am determined to get something done today.  It's really hard for me to accomplish much of anything on my days off, mainly because I sleep in.  But, even with that, I am such a couch potato on these days! :)  It's pretty easy to do in my loft, because the windows look directly into a garage and another building.  I don't have much natural light, so I can pretend all sorts of things...like it's not 3pm and that I'm still in pajamas. :)  

I love to organize things, so that's usually my fall back plan when I don't want to do something.  :) My to-do list for today consists of only practicing, and maybe doing some dishes.  But, I've included organizing my bookshelf and labeling my pantry on the list for today.  :)  That should buy me some time so that I don't have to do dishes, right?  :)

It snowed about 7 inches yesterday and was JUST gorgeous.  But, it was a wet snow, and a lot of it has melted.  I'm sad about that, but not sad that it's going to snow more on Sunday and Monday.  Since, I don't have to work until Wednesday, this provides me with a lot of catch-up-on-projects-while-still-being-able-to-practice time.  :)  

Off the couch I go...onward!

Blessings in Disguise!

My speakers on my computer have been mysteriously broken since the beginning of January.  One day they were working, and then next they weren't.  I could still use the headphones to have sound, but nothing else.  The sound came back as mysteriously as it went away.  I will never know the cause of this or the reason it came back.  It was a wonderful surprise though.  :)

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"If you didn't do what you do, and I didn't do what I do, would things be different?"

What does that quote mean to you?  

I was watching a movie this morning and it really stuck in my mind.  I'm not exactly sure how I would describe how it applies to my life, because there are so many facets to which I could apply it.  Funny enough, it came from a silly, girly movie, but I remembered it a few hours later, so I thought that I should think about it more.  

The first thing that comes to my mind is my relationships.  In the past year, there has been more than one instance where me living where I do, and doing what I do for a profession has gotten in the 'way' of a potential relationship.  And frankly, I didn't like the outcome of either situation.  It's very unfair to the other person and really disheartening when someone assumes you would always choose your career over your heart.  Sometimes maybe, but not every instance, or situation is the same.  Another meaning that I think it might have to me is about how I choose my words and delivery.  I tend to be very blunt and direct.  I'm sure there are times when people think I don't choose my words or have a filter, but 95% of the time I always am sure of what comes out of my mouth is exactly what I want to say.  It's just the way I am.  Sure, there are people that I'm slightly more careful around, because I know they are extra sensitive, but most of the time, it's just me!  :)