Saturday, August 31, 2013

More Random Facts About Me

1. I have never eaten cereal.
2. I love 80's movies - The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink.
3. I can quote the entire Princess Diaries, books and movies.
4. People stare at me when I use hand sanitizer in public. 
5. Public places, like malls, make me ponder about human life or rather my life in particular.
6. I have been compared to Sheldon Cooper more than once (which is a compliment.)
7. I stopped watching PLL after Soby ended.
8. I am currently reading the dictionary.
9. Words are like dessert for me. I love the sounds and the way you feel when you say a new word.
10. Babies. I love babies.
11. I don't believe in the whole "working mother" thing women do. 
12. My bookshelf doesn't fit all of my books.
13. Online shopping shall be the death of me.
14. I love typography.
15. Oscar Wilde. Just Oscar Wilde.
16. I want to get married. Be married.
17. Whenever I do something stimulating, my reaction will always be:



18. My parents are the luckiest people alive. They never had to be the Dudley's and tell me what to do. I already do it. 



19. I love movies. The actors, the plot, the score, the emotions, the screenplay, the action, the climax - movies are incredible. 
20. Most nights I wake up with a jolt because I dream I'm falling. 
21. Guys with facial hair, have style and have a sense of humor are perfection. And yes. I am talking about Andrew Garfield. 
22. I'm a Marvel girl.
23. When I was a kid I had imaginary friends (yes, more than one) and we had a party and watched Paddington Bear. The fact that my Mum went along with it makes me wonder if she just didn't want me to have any actual friends.
24. I once bit my Mum in the stomach because I didn't want to go for swimming lessons.
25. Marshmallows make me sick. 

I am a circus act.



Twas the time in the year when school begins again and one can only think of the bright "sunny side" of it and for me school's "sunny side up" is stationary! Oh how I love me some new stationary. I mean, the actual studying party is great too but I am not one who can pass up a chance to go wild with crayons and highlighters.

I was thinking of printing out some Doctor Who quotes and using them binder covers but I don't own a colour printer and I'm far to busy to get it printed out so I decided to make them myself. I used pastels (talk about messy hands) and just started drawing. 

Working and studying is a circus act. It's difficult to balance both aspects of life, everyday. The way I handle both is simple. Don't bring work home and don't bring school to work. Saying that, it is hard to separate both because both are extremely time consuming and important. I tend to get anxiety when I have too much on my plate which ends with me lashing out and being very moody, so in order to keep it together I have allocated Friday or Saturday night's as "movie dates with myself" (cue the forever alone meme) A good movie, relaxing lighting, some of my favorite snacks and no little brothers to annoy me can actually help with the whole unwinding and relaxing mojo. Current movie picks have to be: Princess Diaries 1 & 2 (obviously), The Breakfast Club, Pitch Perfect, and Easy A.

 The best thing though, about working and studying, is that you feel accomplished  like you've actually done something worthwhile which makes makes it's all better.  


Thursday, August 29, 2013

I AM SUPERMAN!

                        

The Avengers consist of my favorite superheros. You've got The Hulk - the man whose anger can save people and destroy them, depending solely on he's temperament  Spiderman - the superhero that decided to do good instead of evil; Captain America - the God-fearing, loyal, kind hearted man that never let go of his roots; Iron Man - the superhero whose ego and sarcasm makes friends and creates enemies; and so many more superheros that each have their own "superpower" making them different but important all the same. 

But in the stark reality (which I deist) there are no hero's - there is only you. Just take a minute and think about all the crappy things that have happened to you, from the minute to the big things, and the people that left and all the people that hurt you - in the end you were left standing alone, which can only mean one thing - YOU ARE YOUR OWN HERO. 

So let's get down to what makes a hero, a hero? Bravery, obviously. Courage. Strength. A cause. A cliche backstory and a costume made out of plastic, bascially.

In the brilliant words of Sarah Bareilles: 
Being a hero doesn't mean you have to know kick-ass moves or a tight costume (that people may make fun of). For me, being a hero means being brave for yourself . Once you start believing that you are worth it and that your thoughts and words and existence isn't just a mere coincidence, you could be the best version of you. And by that I don't mean having a permanent smile and being positive all the time - superhero's don't have it together all the time, look at Hulk! Basically, the bottom line is: no one is going to tell you you're worth it till you know you are. No one is going to come up to you and say you're beautiful till you believe you are. And no one will know how amazing and brilliant and different you are till realize you're amazing-ness and how damn brilliant you are! 

Be you're own shoulder to cry on, be you're own bestfriend and be you're own badass superhero.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

The post in which I talk about something very close to me...

I would like to use my blogging powers to talk about something that's very close to my heart and that matters a lot to me. 

For a few years now my greatest causehas been the fight in the Middle East. Palestine, Syria, Egypt  all the countries that have been in turmoil for several years. 
Honestly, I was never one to give a crap about anything or anyone but the things I could physically see and touch but what happens and continues to happen in these rich, cultured lands of not only traditions but religion, had hit me hard in the guts. I've had open wounds about this particular subject for quite a while and I always tend to get offensive when someone brings it up. Now, I personally have never been to these countries but just seeing the images through TV channels and reading articles daily about the grotesque and just bloody unfair treatment towards humans just infuriates me. 

I know I may not be able to do a whole lot but I pray every single day that the men, women, children, freedom fighters, everyone and anyone in those countries, stay safe from the horrors I can't even begin to comprehend, and that they die in the name of God. 

It's amazes me that being who I am - a Muslim -  means I'm connected to a million people just by a vow that we all made to God and that those millions of people are scattered across the globe fighting their own battles and wars while I helplessly, sit and type with tears in my eyes. I can only hope with all my heart that God helps those people with strength and courage to go on. What would it be like to see children dead on the road everyday? To see girls raped and taken away from their homes and families? All those things we see in movies be partially true. I can't even begin to feel the pain they are going through. May God give them patience and all the happiness in the next World.

This may seem like a super religious post for many but for me it was from a philanthropist point of view - I mean that's what people do right? Say everything that they say or do is for the human cause and jump right away from playing the religious card. Well, this is a post that I wrote because it means alot to me, now you can judge if that's religion or love for the human race. 

But I'm going to use this post has a way of making a promise, a vow if you will, that is - I will, even if it takes ten years, visit all of those countries and see for myself the things that happen and even if I can't contribute to anything or anyone in that time span, I would use what I saw as life lessons not just for myself but for my children so we realise that the world may be a pretty rainbow for some but for others the hurricane is still looming above them. 

Please do not assume I'm trying any crazy manipulative brain tricks on you, I just wanted to say something that has been on my mind lately and this is what this blog is - my mess of a mind in words. 


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Lifestyle | a peek into my bookshelf

Beauty | The post in which I haul things.

                         

Over the past month I bought some things that I thought I'd share and do a small review of some of the products I have used. 
        All the beauty items (make up & nail polishes) were ordered for Just4Girls, an online beauty shop here in Pakistan. The service was alright considering it was  Ramadan and a couple of days before Eid when I had placed my order. So let's get cracking!

1. Vineyard Peach Body Butter from The Body Shop - Rs. 1700

What The Body Shop says: Hydration for dry skin. 
So I finally bought the Vineyard Peach Body Butter for TBS and it smells delicious and is moisturizing. When I first applied it, it had a thick consistency but after a few more applications it really does do the job quite well. 

2. adidas Hydrating Shower Gel in relax flower bouquet soothing - Rs. 250

What adidas says: adidas Hydrating Shower Gel line helps to maintain your skin's natural balance and awaken you're senses. 
You can tell I adore things that smell ah-mazing and one whiff of this would get any flower scent loving person on it's bandwagon. I haven't used it as yet but finger's crossed on the results.

3. Suave Professionals Color Protection Shampoo & Conditioner - Rs. 295 each
Living in Pakistan, specifically in Karachi, a problem from the million of problems that arise is that it is so hard to find a shampoo and conditioner duo and if one does find it, they seem to disappear next time you go to buy the same thing. However the Suave hair care line is readily available. I had used this duo the first time I highlighted my hair and the results were fantastic - but being new to the hair color situation I went on to use Herbal Essence which wasn't a good idea. So when I came across this again I decided to try it out once more since I need a color boost and this duo does a great job. Highly recommend it! 

4. NX Nail Laquar in Atlantis and London Baby - Rs 100/ 150 each; Color Studio Top Coat and Base Coat - Rs. 250 each; Catrice Cosmetics in Sold Out Forever - Rs. 750 *Products were ordered from Just4Girls website (I paid for them.)

The NX polishes have a watery consistently and London Baby (which is the sheer pale pink) is very opaque and needs at least 4 to 5 coats to see a visible color however Atlantis is the perfect shade of blue but again, is opaque and needs a couple of coats for visibility.
     The Color Studio Top Coat and Base Coat are worth the money. I use to use Essence's Gel Look Top Coat but it started to get sticky after a couple of months of use. 
     I have yet to use the Catrice Cosmetic's nail polish but it is said to be a dupe for Chanel's Jade, so hopefully I get the perfect shade.

5.  Essence Urban Messages Lipstick in Let's Paint The Town - Rs 350; MUA lipstick in Shade 1 - Rs 200; Maybelline Baby Lips in Quenched - Rs 350

   

Let's begin with Essence. Wow. That's all I can say. I wouldn't call this a lipstick but more of a pop of color on the natural side. It gives that perfect "I just ate a popsicle" tint to your lips and is the most moisturizing lipstick I have ever used.  
    I have yet to try the MUA lipstick & shall review it. But I have tried the infmaous Maybelline Baby Lips and I'm not too impressed. Honestly it's just like any other lipbalm and frankly there isn't much that makes it different. It's a shame because I was hoping for something amazing. I still love my Vaseline. 








6. Essence Gel Eyeliner in Mindnight In Paris - Rs. 500; MUA Cover & Conceal Concealer in Natural - Rs. 200; Essence Kajal Pencil in Teddy - Rs. 150 (or Rs. 180...not entirely sure) *All products were ordered from Just4Girls (I paid for them.)

Love the gel eyeliner to bits! I have never used gel eyeliner but that's changed since I've been using this little pot of black gold (get it? Hahahaha) It's super creamy and glides on like a dream - and now a must have for me! As for the other two products, I haven't used them as yet either but shall review them in the near future hopefully!

7. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella Rs. 1095 930 off the Liberty Books website.

Should I rave on about my Sophie Kinsella love again? I think not. But I do adore her and so far this book is as I expected funny but in a witty sense. Perfect.

So that's all for now but if you want me to review any item that I haven't, do let me know...! 


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Things I wish I could have told my younger self...

1. Listen to what Mum says! Honestly if I he listened to my Mum I wouldn't have fallen into the things I did.
2. Friends aren't always that important. Put yourself first when needed.
3. Believe in your talent and potential. If I had studied harder in high school I wouldn't have flunked half my classes.
4. People come and go - attachment is over rated.
5. You need to be hard on yourself once in a while. Just because something isn't going right doesn't mean you're life is crap - people have it worse...
6. ...Saying that - don't think you'll fail in everything you do! Have faith.
7. Believe and have a stronghold on faith. God always helps - even when we think nothing is going right.
8. Remember the little things that happen. 
9. Money isn't everything! Who cares if someone has a new phone? You have something they don't - the ability to see things from a different perspective. 
8. Not everything is to be told. Secrets are inevitable and there called secrets for a reason.
9. Think before doing, saying and seeing!
10. Whatever happened, happened. Take the bad and good with you everywhere you go and keep you're head up because you've been through hell of a lot and someday, somewhere, someone may just respect you and look up to you because of that. 

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Why? I can't even



My feels are everywhere. But what better time to talk about my open wounds then now, when they were opened by a man named Steven Moffat. 

If you couldn't tell already I am a Whovian, which means my love for Doctor Who cannot be expressed through the alphabet which consists of only 26 letters. Earlier tonight BBC One did a live broadcast in honor of the Thirteenth Doctor which just confirmed that Matt Smith is leaving - WHY? Why in the universe (and we live in a huge, ginormous universe) would the man who, in my opinion, played a fantastic Doctor want to leave the show? I'm still trying to find my words for the sadness that I feel because I don't want him to go.

  

When they announced who the new Doctor was my reaction was legitimately



He is so old! And I'm not against old people or anything but I can't fangirl over him! That would just be weird. He's name is Peter Capaldi and he was in Doctor Who Season Four when Donna and the Doctor (Tennet) go to Pompeii. 



I had just fallen in love with Matt as the Doctor and gotten over my Tennent feels. This is all so much to handle. I need a moment - or maybe a lifetime. 






Thursday, August 1, 2013

Makeup that I do love. I really and truly do.

Personally I don't apply makeup when I'm at home but when I go out I do apply some make up mainly up in the eye region. So here are a few of my makeup items that I use a lot (you can tell by the packing) and highly recommend if you want a easy way out of looking awake and alive.

 

Trust me when I say that I don't use this everyday. But when I do it's the light champagne-y colour that gives my eyelids a good amount of shimmer without looking like a someone off Jersey Shore. I use my middle finger and apply this colour up to my brow bone. Now I don't look like a hungover panda. Plus this thing stays on all day so it's great for running after children throughout the day.



I had never used gel eyeliner before this because I don't have the most steady hand so I always opted for liquid eyeliner but this specific gel eyeliner has changed my mind on what is better to use. It's super creamy and use to apply. I mean a five year old could put this on their eye lids and BAM be the next Toddler's in Tiaras superstar. 



Okay so I cheated on my Maybelline Big Lash Mascara but when I got this tiny sample of Benefit's Bad Gal Lash I instantly fell in love. This makes my lashes look longer and doesn't clump and it's huge brush get's every single lash. Three coats of this and I'm a happy camper. 

Now on a side note, I recently (as in a week ago) bought this bag from Charles and Kieth after months of Stage Two (if you don't know what I'm talking about, read this and then you will!) and I cannot keep my hands off it. I mean look at it! It's so BEAUTIFUL <3 It's the perfect size, perfect colour and has a long strap which is perfect for me! I believe I have fallen in love.