my latest baby

I'm not one to usually splurge on a gadget. Sure, I've got a camera, an android phone, a Kindle (well, it's dead but that's another story), an iPod Touch, and a laptop, but so far the most expensive thing on my list is my laptop. And it's not even that expensive compared to the prices on the market.

And I didn't grow up with gadgets, either. Looking back, sometimes I feel so deprived. I've never owned a Playstation, a Gameboy, no Nintendo DS, and the like. I had an ancient Family Computer, and the next thing I got was a PSP. Just those two. There were times when I'd envy my friends. I'd listen to them talk about the latest games, and I could never relate that much. The only time I'm able to play was when I'm at my friends' houses.

I guess that's why, even at my age, I still have a yearning for gaming consoles. But I'm trying to supress that urge and go for gadgets that are more age-appropriate. Hence, the camera, Kindle, iTouch, and laptop.

My constant companions were my books. That's why the Kindle was is the perfect gadget for me. Sadly, my Kindle died expired gave up on me is on a hiatus. It suddenly kept on freezing and restarting, and the Amazon live chat CSR I talked to could offer me no solutions that worked. According to my Mom, my Kindle died of exhaustion from being overused.

Anyway, for a while, I debated internally whether I'd get a new Kindle, an iPad 2, an iPad Mini, or the latest iPad with Retina Display. After much deliberation, I decided on the iPad Mini. And, no regrets! I love how small, light, compact, and slim it is. It's a bit pricey (and my bank account is still weeping), but I think it's worth what I paid for.

I still have to buy some accessories to protect my baby, but with it being new (and not yet available at Apple Philippines), I'm having a hard time looking for the perfect bling. I'll just have to be patient (which is so not one of my virtues).

But anyway, I present to you Mini Bellatrix (Mini with it being the iPad Mini, and Bellatrix from my favorite Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange) or Mini B, for short. My friend Janelle coined the name (she calls me B, so my baby is my Mini version, hence, Mini B), so I appointed her godmother.

God, we are so weird. 

Anyhoo, here she is!  

recently read - september - october 2012

September 2012

• Harvesting The Heart
• Perfect Match
• The Pact 
• Sing You Home
• Playing to Win
• Softly at Sunrise
• Echoes at Dawn
• Goodnight Tweetheart
• Delusion in Death
• Night Sins
• Guilty as Sin
• A Kiss at Midnight
• When Beauty Tamed the Beast
• The Duke is Mine
• The Ugly Duchess
• Sex with the Ex
• The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
• Home is Where the Bark Is

October 2012

• Cold River
• Chemistry for Beginners
• Copy Cat
• In the Groove
• The Manolo Matrix
• The Mark of Athena
• The Temporary Wife
• Snowfall
• The Angel

not everything done on impulse is fun...

...and painless.

I'm a pretty impulsive person. When I really want to do something, there's no stopping me once I made up my mind. 

My impulses are usually fun, and harmless. Like buying something so expensive but totally useless, or going out at 3 AM because I feel like having a stroll. There was a time when I cut butchered my own hair, because it was too late to go to a salon, and I really wanted a haircut. Or the time when I joined my cousins at the beach. I didn't have a change of clothes, but I was so envious of them swimming that I just jumped into the sea. I had to go home in wet clothes, but hey, I had fun.

Of course, some of my impulses get me in trouble. Like the time when I accompanied our helper to the market. I think I was about 7 that time. I saw this stall selling catfish, live catfish. And of course, I just had to buy one. My Dad was not happy. When I was that age, I also bought 2 ducklings from a sidewalk vendor. Again, Dad was not happy.

So, now I limit my impulsiveness to myself (no point having Dad rant at me). Like getting my hair permed (I did this twice), dyeing my hair to burgundy with red highlights, and the like.

I was at SM Cebu with my Mom last Tuesday. We were killing time, for our ship doesn't leave until 10 PM. My Mom got tired from all the walking, so we settled on one of the chair at the Northwing. It just so happened that we were in front of Lay Bare, so I went in and ask for details about their Brazilian Wax. And right then and there, I decided to get one.

I've been meaning to try this a long time ago, but the potential pain kept stopping me. I was a bit uncomfortable and apprehensive, and when I got into my cubicle I was asking myself if I really wan to inflict a lot of pain on my body's most sensitive part, but I just decided to go through it.

Jessica, my wax technician, kept me at ease by answering all my question, and making small talk to distract me from the pain. Although, it wasn't that painful. I'd give it a 3 or 4 out of 10 on a pain scale, with 10 as the most painful. 

And I know there are a lot of waxing salons out there, but I'd personally recommend Lay Bare. Their cubicles are clean, and their staffs are all very nice. And as opposed to the hot wax usually used by most salons, they use cold sugar wax, which they make themselves  It is made with natural ingredients (sugar, kalamansi, and honey) and contains no chemicals. It's also less painful, and more comfortable. I tried hot wax once on my underarms, and I didn't like it. I can only imagine how it would feel during a Brazilian.

So, Lay Bare, cheers for making my first time as comfortable and as painless as possible! =)