undrinkable Brandy

three big updates

April 5, 2016

So there have been lots of things happening here lately. First: back in January, we had an announcement at work that threw everything on its head. It was the opposite of what we thought we’d hear, and threw me into a depression because I was suddenly faced with having no idea what was going to happen with the future. There was a very large possibility of moving to the west coast, where I would make roughly the same amount of money as I do here, but be facing housing costs three to ...

budgets, life

no-spend: April

April 1, 2016

via I saw this on a forum and decided that it was a really great idea for (at least) April. I’ve been pretty good with spending in March, but I definitely need to get it together even more! So, I made a list, things that I CAN spend on, and things that are not allowed: allowed – obviously basics like rent, utilities, phone, insurance, gas, etc. – necessary medications – maybe toothpaste? – refills on makeup/skincare/hair stuff if I run out (which I ...

makeup

eyebrow tattooing: hairstroke process

March 29, 2016

I was not blessed with thick eyebrows, and had the misfortune of growing up in the 90s when pencil-thin brows were all the rage. It was around this time that I plucked the crap out of my brows–my grandma has pictures that make me absolutely cringe–and they never grew back. A few years ago, I tried RapidLash, which didn’t work, then Latisse, which also didn’t work (turns out that you have to have active follicles for the hair to grow, and I had killed mine). I tried ...

nerdery, WoW

WoW: albino drake acquired!

February 5, 2016

This is really nerdy, but I got my albino drake mount today! This one is an achievement reward for obtaining 50 mounts. I’m kind of an achievement geek and mount/pet collector, so I was scrolling through lists of non-purchasable mounts yesterday and saw that I was only four mounts away, so off I went this morning. I think it’s a she, but I’m not sure what her name is yet. Anyone else name their mounts? Speaking of achievements, I finally grabbed the Elder title for Lunar ...

budgets, clothing, reviews

Zenni Optical review

January 26, 2016

I have like ten posts in draft mode that I can’t seem to finish. Blah. I’ve actually been using Zenni Optical for years, since I didn’t have insurance for roughly ten years, but, you know, needed to see. I have coverage now, but I’m still pretty frugal in certain areas and don’t particularly care about brand names for glasses. I usually only wear contacts, but having a pair of glasses around to wear before bed or throw on in the middle of the night is always a ...

getting to know me

friday introductions #2

January 22, 2016

1. I’m a little obsessed with cooking competition shows like Worst Cooks in America and Cutthroat Kitchen. 2. I never wanted to learn to cook growing up, so I’ve taught myself over the last few years. I’m DEFINITELY still learning, thanks to Bobby Flay and Anne Burrell, but being able to make delicious food from scratch has really made a big difference in my life. 3. I’ve been playing video games since I was a toddler; I couldn’t necessarily understand them ...

life

hello, 2016

January 1, 2016

This past year has had its ups and downs for me. I like to think that the good things outweighed the bad–my best friend got married, the two of us and another best friend all turned 30, I headed to Portland, OR for Christmas, and then ended the year with some of my favorite people, drinking and dancing to the wee hours of the morning. (Also, I made cinnamon rolls, from scratch, for Christmas, which was a huge accomplishment, so…yay, me.) via Power of Positivity 2016 is going to ...

clothing, makeup, outfits, yasss

photoshoot with ArtistiCaise Photography

December 15, 2015

One of the things that I wanted for my birthday this year was a small photoshoot so that I could have some decent non-selfies to use. I met Danielle of ArtistiCaise Photography at a group photoshoot for a local arts group and absolutely loved her photography–her editing style is natural and gorgeous, and after working with her, I knew that she’d be a great photographer to help direct someone like me, who feels really awkward having their picture taken. We booked on Black Friday ...

life

this is 30

November 8, 2015

On my 28th birthday, I had a panic attack about turning 30. I had just gotten married, and I think I was scared of how my life wasn’t really anything like I’d wanted. I didn’t go to cosmetology school like I’d wanted to since I was 12 years old. I had just started a corporate sales job that I already hated. I had a few friends I never saw, and the people I did hang out with were my (ex-)husband’s friends, who I’d always felt never really liked me. On my ...

nerdery

#SeeingStarWarsVII

October 20, 2015

As a huge fan of the previous extended universe canon (RIP), I’m having a hard time reconciling my knowledge of that with what’s in the trailers for Force Awakens (but every time Han Solo is on screen, I tear up). That said, I’m still pumped. We’re seeing the movie on the 18th as a part of our company holiday party! Moving sucks, but it’s happening, so until that gets settled, enjoy Daisy Ridley (Rey) and John Boyega (Finn) watching this new trailer for the ...