My Public Diary.

Your skin looks perfect .. what's your secret?

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:18:00 -0400

Blessed with it I guess. Maybe it’s because I’m a quarter Japanese? When I was younger, I would always go to bed with my makeup on (gross) and eat ANYTHING I wanted. I still do that actually. These things may or may not contribute to my skin’s appearance but these are the things that I use (but not religiously).

1. I don’t wash my face in the morning. If I wear makeup, I just apply it. Now, I don’t wear thick makeup. I only wear Cover Girl face makeup, and that’s all I have ever used my whole life. It’s inexpensive and great quality.
2. I eat a lot of vegetables like tomatoes and bell peppers. I also drink juices and teas more than I would soda. But, really, I need to start drinking more water. Water is boring to me so I try to add flavor like mint leaves or something of that sort.
3. When I go to bed, I wipe my face with a cleansing cloth then splash it with water. I don’t do this as much as I should but my mom would always tell me to wash with warm water to open the pores and clean them and then with cold to close them up.
4. I usually put something on my face at night. A lot of times I spray a sunless tan spray lightly on my face (it sounds weirder every time I explain this). If I am not using that, I either put on Proactive green tea moisturizer or I just bought a bottle of Burt’s Bees pomegranate lotion. Another item that I absolutely love is a regenerating serum. The name brand is Olay, but you can get generic and works just as well (I use generic).

I don’t drink that much anymore and I don’t smoke. Other than that, I can’t really think of anything else that I do that would affect it!

Hey Janelle, you're having fun in australia? Can't wait to see your more pics. I would suggest you go to the Blue Lagoon in Vanuatu. It 's wonderful! Paradise on earth :)

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:07:43 -0400

Yes! I am having so much fun in Australia. My trip has been extended twice….so I’ve already been here for 6 weeks. The name “Blue Lagoon” sounds like a place that mermaids reside. I’ll have to add it to my bucket list!

Since we have been on the topic, and you really seem to know EVERYTHING ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS!... Let me hear your opinion... My boyfriend and I broke up and he said it was because he was starting a new business that was really consuming all of his time, we lived far apart but he said it wasnt the distance, he said his feelings were the same, he was just so so busy with starting his new business that he couldnt be a 'boyfriend' to me. He still wants to talk and be there for each other because he

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:07:22 -0400

…(con’td) said that there is a chance in the future because we are so good together. We didnt leave any bad feelings really, and we both agreed that we wanted to keep talking with each other and etc. Is this a case of just bad timing and maybe it will work out when his business is up and running and he can think or do you think hes lying to me. Plz help.”

Of course you may have that gut feeling saying, “if he really saw this much potential and it’s not the distance…is he lying?” That thought would cross my mind, at least. But I will give you two examples where a guy has said this to me for the reason of ending a relationship or whatever it may be. A lot depends on the guy. One guy told me this and he had such a kind heart and was so against being dishonest, that I think he really didn’t know how to manage his time and instead of trying to work on things, he took the easy path of just ending it and gave me the comfort words that he wanted me to wait for him o matter how long it was, he just needed to get his work path figured out. As sweet as that is, if I’m not worth the fight and sacrifice now, why would I think I would be worth it later on down the road… Another guy told me he loved me and could see himself with me and just loved what we had but scurried off saying the same thing, in a sense, about not being able to give me time that I needed etc. I believe this guy just didn’t want to be committed to one girl and wanted to do his own thing. Which, I was okay with that, I just wish I was told that very blunt truth instead of hanging on words of hope. It would’ve allowed me to take a different path as well, instead of waiting for him to come back to me. I eventually figured it out that hard way.

A lot of times, you hope that it’s really just bad timing and you can pick up where you left off after you get some of your own life straightened out. The scary thing you can’t forget is how fast life can be. If he is already saying he can’t commit now, that means that for awhile, he won’t be able to commit (otherwise why wouldn’t he just stick through this speed bump). Giving someone time and attention is a HUGE factor in keeping a relationship/friendship/ anything. Otherwise things start to fade a bit and before you know it, you’re not picking up where you left off anymore, it’s almost starting over. Again, this is just from my own experiences. The first guy, in my story, and I ended everything then and there. I was mad at him for not trying harder. We are and good terms now but since then (over three years ago) I have only seen him a handful of times. There are no hard feelings and we never talk of the past. It’s almost like our relationship never happened because time and lack of attention pulled us so far apart we lost all the close connections that we had.

Hey, I just wanted to know if you knew of anything that would keep my hair straight, every time I straighten my hair it just goes back to being wavy quite quickly... thank you :-) x

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:05:00 -0400

I have naturally wavy hair so even if I straighten it, the minute humidity or moisture hits it, I can give up on keeping it straight. Now, the very expensive solution would be a Brazilian blowout. I have never done it, but a friend of mine did and it did wonders. Aside from that, the only thing I have done is to:
1. Start with dry hair
2.Turn on your flattening iron
3. You can put a serum for straightening hair in it. There is also a shampoo an conditioner for straight hair that is pretty inexpensive that I used to use

4. Pin ¾ of your hair up and straighten in small sections
5. Gradually let some hair down and keep straightening until you’re at the top.
6. Perhaps LIGHTLY spray aerosol hairspray to just keep fly aways down. 7. Don’t touch it, perhaps just run your hands down.

If you’re hair is like mine and you know it will probably go nuts, I would embrace it hahaha. Style the natural waves you are given. I usually straighten my hair the first couple days, but won’t usually do it for another few days to a week. I’ll just play with my waves and give my hair a messy look. :)

Have you ever lived with friends and it to work out pretty bad?

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:24:10 -0400

Yes I have. I also have friends who ended up moving in with friends and it ended pretty badly. Based on all the stories I have heard and my own experiences, I’ll try to give a few good examples why. For starters, you think if they’re your best friend, or just really good friend, and you get along so well and never argue or are very laid back it will work automatically. Perhaps it will. But I think it’s smart to live with someone where you two have separate lives to an extent. If you and this person live together and always hang out together, you’re starting to spend a lot of time with each other to the point where you don’t really get a break. Then you add in more sensitive subjects like money, bills, chores, making things equal and it starts to get sticky. Another one is if you work with someone or you are trying to work in the same industry. Of course you are going to be excited for them, but it’s hard if you have similar goals and one is flying past you. I’ve seen jealousy get in the way. Or if you have the same group of friends and one gets asked to go out and the invitation isn’t extended to the other. A big one for me is chores. Let’s just say…I really like to keep things pretty clean. I’m not a clean freak, but I like to live in a clean environment that reflects me and my personality. My friend is the same way. I would suggest before you live with ANYONE, you discuss a few rules and establish a few things before making the next step because there is nothing worse than not addressing sensitive subjects that grow anger inside of you because you don’t want to call them out.

-For instance, if you like things tidy, before you live with someone you let them know that chores are to be equal. Clean up your own messes, and when it comes to heavier duty chores, you don’t want to be the only one who is dusting the whole place, cleaning the kitchen, mopping the floor, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom (if you share) etc. Because if you just automatically do it, it will be expected and you’ll end up angry that you’re the only person making sure the place is clean and spending your days off doing it while they are out at a bar or pool.

—Also make a clear agreement on how furnishings, household items, cleaning materials, etc. are going to be purchased. Don’t split furniture items like each pay $300 for a $600 couch. Eventually you won’t be living with each other forever so it would be difficult deciding who gets what. If you’re both deciding on buying things for the place, make sure you know who is getting what. Some people can afford more than others so let them know what you’re able to do. But when you get things, get them knowing they are YOURS. With that said, make sure you respect each other’s things. So don’t be dancing on the couch they bought with their money and in return they should be putting glasses on your coffee table without coasters. You would be shocked to see how much it actually costs to furnish a house, not even including things like TVs and couches. Even the smaller things like kitchenware. Think about a typical kitchen (or at least mine because I cook a LOT). Dishes, cookware, silverware, sauces, pots, pans, etc. Don’t furnish the kitchen by yourself when you know your plates and everything will get used (unless they are buying a dining room table and you pay an equal amount for getting other things like lamps or who knows what). I’m not saying everything needs to be equal but you don’t want to realize that you have gotten everything in the kitchen, when you go shopping together. My last roommate and I went to the store and I got plates, she got silverware and utensils etc. and we tried dividing it. If you can afford to spend more, don’t fret, because that just means when you do move, you won’t have to go out and buy all this stuff again. Once it’s yours, it’s yours forever. I love knowing that I can get a place by my self and the only things I need to get are a couple big pieces of furniture.

—If you guys are making dinner or dessert or whatever for one another, split food. It’s not fair that just because you can cook, you are the one going out at spending $20-30 on materials, taking the time to make it, then they eat it, then you do the dishes…… Unless you’re totally okay with doing that…but it will get old very fast. With that said, I would recommend getting your own groceries and not sharing. My old roommate and I never shared groceries unless we had a massive bottle of ketchup or something. If one of us ate or drank something of the others, we would go to the store and replace it.

—Sharing clothes…. Some people love it, I hate it. What I have is what I bought with my own hard earned money. Maybe that’s selfish of me but I’ll never forget the time I went to work one day and came home to my roommate leaving the house in my brand new shirt without asking me. I have lent my clothes out before and I have borrowed. I have also lost clothing doing that. It just depends on the person and if they ask etc. —Cleaning items. I will be honest, the amount of glass cleaner, wood cleaner, a vacuum, dish soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, kitchen towels, sponges, etc. really adds up. Make sure you guys split that sort of thing. If you have your own bathroom, get your own stuff and it’s yours. If you share, splitting toilet paper is a pretty big deal. Especially if you are spending $15 each time, and they are the one who always uses it.

—Bills. Rent, electric, gas, cable, internet, etc. Make sure you are opening accounts in both your names because late payments affect credit, which is so important. Also get a board or calendar to put the bills so everyone is aware of the due date so ALL payments can be made on time. If you gave the other your portion on time but THEY failed to pay it, they pay the late fee, not you. Always make sure you look at bills to catch everything. I have caught so many corrections that I would’ve just paid even though they weren’t my fault. Also, be careful with utilities. Don’t be the person that turns the air conditioning on ice cold but leaves the house with it running or with the windows open. If you are, you should be the one paying for that.

—Another important one, before deciding how much you’re paying for rent, make sure you know whose room is bigger. One time I had a much smaller room but I paid the same amount as the bigger room for 11 months which added up to about $1200 I paid for absolutely nothing. Then I moved into a second place where my room had it’s own bathroom inside so I paid $100 each month then I looked at the floor plan and saw their side was actually bigger, had a walk in closet, and their own bathroom and they said they wouldn’t change the amount because we agreed to me paying more in the beginning. So just make sure you two AGREE on a FAIR amount.

Omg, that was so much but I’ve had my own ups and downs with roommates and I have had conversations with a lot of people with roommate issues who lived with their really close friends and they usually never worked out very well. I was told years ago to never do it, and I did and it has always been just sensitive at times. Some of these probably sound obvious but believe me, it’s easy to let things go at first, then hold resentment later.

Hi everyone!Sorry I’ve been so absent lately, it’s been a pretty overwhelming week....

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:20:43 -0400

Hi everyone!

Sorry I’ve been so absent lately, it’s been a pretty overwhelming week. I’m going to be writing back to some questions I’ve been sent so keep your eyes peeled!

Childhood friends mourn loss of Phoenix firefighter

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:25:09 -0400

Childhood friends mourn loss of Phoenix firefighter:

Last night we lost someone who was like a son, in a group full of brothers.

YUM.

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:35:22 -0400

YUM.

Photo

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:29:43 -0400

QUACK. Happy happy birthday to the one and only...

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:13:22 -0400

QUACK. Happy happy birthday to the one and only @chasemckendry !! I miss seeing you around but I love you Mckpoops! (still no idea why I call you that) 💙

Double rainbow 🌈🌈

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:04:27 -0400

Double rainbow 🌈🌈

The cutest lunch ever. (at Mockingbird)

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:30:42 -0400

The cutest lunch ever. (at Mockingbird)

Hey (: You always give such great relationship advice. I have a question. I'm seeing this guy since about three months now, we go out and I already met his friends. But he just broke up with his girlfriend two weeks before we met. They were together for four years. He told me he does not know how far he can go emotionally and if he wants a relationship. But we get along so good and for the first time I have the feeling it's a guy I really want to be with. What do I do? Wait longer? Thank you ♥

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:31:51 -0400

Yuck. These situations are the worst (okay not really the worst, but they suck). My HONEST opinion would be to just slowly back off. Four years is a long time to be in a relationship with someone and a two week “break” isn’t nearly enough time to clear your head before getting into a new relationship. I don’t know their relationship and I don’t know your relationship but I know it’s easy to already be emotionally deep even after a couple months, so imagine adding 4 years onto that. He PROBABLY doesn’t want a relationship. Again, I don’t want to speak for this guy, I am just giving advice from my own experience. When you are with the same person for that long and you break up, you either are probably still pretty upset deep down about the ending of a relationship and/or you want to finally “be single”. I doubt he really wants to go from one relationship and dive into another. It absolutely sucks when you guys have a lot of chemistry, but it probably scares him to see him already invested and devoted to someone else. It’s probably best to see where you guys stand. You don’t want to make any decisions without knowing his side of things. It sucks when you have to get straight forward answers like, “is this just a fling for you?” or “I understand that you just came out of a break up, are you wanting/needing to just have your own space and be single?” Those might feel like you’re prying but if he is giving you something to chase, then your own feelings are now involved and it’s only fair for BOTH of you. If he does want to be single, as hard as it may be, know that it is best for both of you. Imagine diving into a relationship with you two weeks after the break up, and half way through he has this sudden urge to do his own thing leaving you in the dust after investing time and emotion. If you really do have a good connection, continue to hang out and do your own thing and hopefully he will finally come around. The reason why I suggest having a straightforward talk is so that if he wants to be single, he has to realize that’s you being single. It’s not fair for him to go out with other girls while you’re sitting on the sidelines waiting for him. If he isn’t okay with you going out with other guys, then you need to really come to some agreements with one another.

Why do guys give up relationships for careers? I also had a similar thing happen to me: told me I was the one for him, we were perfect for each other, and then told me he cant do it because i deserve better? what the heck? what type of career was the guy who did that to you in? I dont get it

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:31:25 -0400

That is a good question. I know that girls and guys think differently, so what seems to us to be absolutely absurd, may seem completely reasonable to them. I don’t know if the phrase “you deserve better” coms up because they feel guilty about something and that’s their way for sugar coating something or if they truly feel like you deserve something better. Sometimes what they think we “deserve” is not what we want. Like a previous post, if someone wants to focus on their future so they end a relationship because they feel they can’t give what you want…they may not realize that you’re willing to make those sacrifices for them. It’s even more confusing when they hint that you are “the one”. I guess my best advice would be to just let them know how you truly feel and if you really are willing to make dedicated compromises and sacrifices, tell them. If it doesn’t work, then now isn’t the time. They may come around later, or you may find someone who is a better fit for you. I thought I was going to end up with this person at one point in my life. It didn’t work out and I’m still happy. It’s hard to see the good in things but know that you’ll find it once the smoke clears away.

I was just wondering if you could help me? A lot of my friends have been losing their virginities recently, and just going farther with guys than just making out. I wouldn't say they've been pressuring me into going farther with guys, but they would make sly jokes/ask me quite bluntly when it's going to happen. I just feel like I should get it over and done with, but then on the other hand I have the dilemma of him telling everyone and being known as slutty?

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:31:04 -0400

Peer pressure drives us to do things that we wouldn’t typically do on our own. People (and our friends) will always joke and tease with us for one reason or another. I wouldn’t recommend doing something like this just to “get it over and done with”. Guys like to talk, brag, and worst of all, exaggerate. Not all of them, but a lot of them. I used to look for all these qualities in a guy, and as I’ve dated, I have learned that my list has changed. One of the most important things is respect. I don’t want to sound like a mom, this is advice from a 24 year old girl, who has talked to a lot of her friends about this as well. I have no idea how old you are, but things seemed a lot different years ago then how they are now that I’m older. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it no matter WHO is giving you a problem. You wouldn’t wear a bad outfit just because your friends told you to. You wouldn’t choose a specific career just because your friends told you to. Again, I don’t want to sound like a mom, but we are individuals and as we get older we take different paths. It’s nice to have input and opinions, but you should really only do what YOU want.

my boyfriend recently broke up with me because I wouldn't have sex with him... we were only dating for about 3 months... but I still have feelings for him, because everything he said to me made me feel like I was on top of the world. and now I don't know what to do.. please help me!

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:04:18 -0400

Jeez…first of all, what a prick. In the real world, people don’t get in relationships to have sex. They get in relationships when they have a connection with another person. It really upsets me when guys give a girl the shaft (not literally) when they won’t give them what they want, physically. I’ve talked to some guys about this before because I hate hearing the guy say, “I don’t want to end up with a girl who has slept around” when they are the guy making girls feel like they need to sleep with them for them to stick around. I have had this talk…a hundred times with girls and my advice is to not hook up with someone out of pressure. You will gain SO much respect for yourself if you just hold to your guns. If you feel pressured to go further with someone and you literally don’t know how to get out, stop them and say “look, I don’t want to go any further than this”. If they truly care, they’ll stop there. If they try to make you feel like an idiot then this is where you need to gather all your confidence and just say, “I have respect for myself and I don’t want to go any further so if you can’t find respect for me then it’s probably best that I go altogether”. Obviously, you don’t need to say this word for word but you’re going to meet the jerks that try to bring you down or may even make fun of you in front of others. Just remember you rejected THEM (this is in the case where they are not understanding of your request).

With that said, it’s hard to not have feelings for these people (yes, even the jerks). Because fact of the matter is, you were in a relationship for who they are, not what you expected from them. So you probably invested more feelings into them. Guys have a way with words sometimes and they know EXACTLY what to say to have us stick around and fall even more under their spell. Unfortunately, they do it because they aren’t into it as much they say but they want us to stick around for one reason or another so they fill our heads with the sweetest things making us feel on top of the world. If I were you, I would let him go and do your own thing. If he really values you, he will realize it and want to give it another shot, or take things slowly and at your pace. If he doesn’t come around, be thankful you didn’t go further with someone like him. Good luck!

How do you keep a long distance relationship on different sides of the world? I mean I have one across the country... The world seems even crazier.. Although its pretty sweet you can do like "long trips" hope you're enjoying your time together!

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:41:14 -0400

Long distance relationships…are NOT easy. If you find someone that you think is worth the sacrifice..more yet, someone you can’t live without, you make it work. To me, the biggest factors in keeping it healthy are trust, communication, and compromise. For starters, if you can’t trust the person, you’ll always be wondering what is happening in their life while you’re so far away. Trust goes hand in hand in honesty. If something does happen, or you feel like something may happen, instead of waiting and seeing…it’s probably best to just be honest and communicate. Which brings me to the next point. Communication. Not only does this mean communicate your feelings and thoughts, but make time to communicate in general. I totally understand different time zones, different schedules, other priorities, but if you’re hoping to eventually reunite with this person, make sure you are still making them a priority. You may have had a busy week, but how hard is it to put 30 minutes aside for a call or FaceTime. Text messaging is nice because it’s convenient for both of you, but you can’t base a relationship on test messages. I would include sacrifice in the list as well. Lastly (for now), compromise. There will be many disagreements involved and instead of always winning, start to discuss and compromise and come to agreements rather than always putting your foot down. You guys may have different perspectives on things, but you have to put yourselves in one another’s shoes. I’m extremely thankful for how things worked out in my life so that I was able to come over here for so long because being here has made it so much easier. I still have a good amount of time away once I go back home (which I am not looking forward to). Just remember what’s important in your relationship and remember that you made the sacrifice to do long distance for a reason…or should I say, for someone.

I know I’m way past due but I still just have to say happy...

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:35:46 -0400

I know I’m way past due but I still just have to say happy Mother’s Day to the most supportive and hilarious mom I could ask for. love you!!

matt-molloy: 186 photos of the sunset merged into one image...

Sun, 12 May 2013 03:45:00 -0400

matt-molloy:

186 photos of the sunset merged into one image using the lighten layer-blending mode in photoshop. I like the pattern in the clouds created from the interval between shots.

How do you get your teeth so white? :-) x

Sun, 12 May 2013 02:09:25 -0400

I have never gotten my teeth professionally whitened. I use mouth wash religiously just because I like having fresh breath. I have tried a few different whitening mouthwashes, and my favorite is Crest Glamorous. I have used it for the past 7 years. Just be careful because you don’t want to strip away your enamel. I used to use it way more than I should, but now I usually use it before bed and use the purple one with other brushes. Also try drinking dark beverages with a straw so it doesn’t stain your teeth as much!