xSimply Reikox

★☆ Happy 2011! ☆★

2011-01-01T08:53:00.004-05:00

[Currently listening to the BlazBlue Original Soundtrack - BlazBlue is a fighting game for the Playstation 3; I recommend it for it's interesting storylines, characters, and of course, the rockin' music by Daisuke Ishiwatari!]
Good morning everyone, and a Happy New Year 2011 to you all! Can you believe it? Another year has come and gone, so you know what that means right?

A brand new year - a brand new day - a brand new start!

A lot has happened to me this year, but the most unforgettable thing about 2010 was when I had my car accident in March. I may have mentioned this quite a bit in my blog this past year, but this accident really turned my life around as well as my family's. We've gotten much more close than we did before and I feel like I've grown into a stronger and wiser person in many, many ways.

And speaking of a lot, I realize that it has been a little over a year since I started this blog! I have a lot to catch you all up on, but I will do that in my next post :) A couple of highlights I do want to mention, so that I won't forget:

~Update to the conclusion of the car accident case
~My new second job!
~My new YouTube channel - my plans for this year: new vlogs!

A year ago, I wrote down my New Year Resolutions for 2010 - let's see what I wrote and how I did!

1. Controlling my food intake and drink more tea/water.
I think I've been doing well with my food intake. I learned to tell when I'm getting close to being "comfortably full" and overindulged a lot less. There have been a few times that I have over indulged in my favorite foods, but at least I'm doing it when I know I have been doing a good job for a while. :D I've been drinking a lot more water this year, especially where I work. Water is essential to the body especially if you plan on moving around a lot, and I think I did a really good job. :)

2. Making the most of my day by getting up early.
Actually, since I started exercising after getting off from work, it had been harder for me to fall asleep easily as soon as I get home. That's because while exercising my endorphins kept my mind awake. There are times when I force myself to get up early when I need to but then I feel extremely tired later on. I think I've been doing a good job with getting up early when I have to, but at the same time I need make sure that I take care of myself so that I won't overcompensate my body from lack of sleep.

3. Do a few minutes of yoga every morning and hit the gym at least 3 days a week.
I have done some yoga in the morning, but what I've been doing more of was actually stretching. I like to feel all warmed up before I start my day, so I made sure to stretch, even if it was only for a minute or two if I'm in a rush. I made it part of my work routine that if I work at my main job at the retirement home, I go to the gym after I clock out. I do at least an hour of workout, and a few minutes to cool down with stretches or yoga. As a bonus, I motivated a few of my co-workers to work out with me after work! Motivation is contagious!

4. Read a little more each day.
I'll be honest: I didn't do a whole lot of reading as I hoped to do this year :( There were a list of books that I really wanted to read, but I get so caught up in wanting to rest after work or playing my video games or even cleaning up around the house that sometimes I'm just not in the mood to read. I'm not talking about just reading blogs - I'm talking about reading an actual book. :( I thought about getting the new Nook, but then I thought about how I might not be using it that much either with my schedule... I will have to do a better job and find some time to read even if I am busy. :(

5. Organize, organize, organize!
...I will also be honest on this one: I haven't done a good job with that either... Even right now, my belongings in my room - with exception of my make-up, jewelry, and clothes - are in complete disarray... There are times when I find myself scrambling for my things at the last minute when it's time for me to leave for work or wherever I need to go. This will be added to my personal list of things to improve about myself for this year.

6. As much as possible, try out something new each day.
For this one, I did say that I was going to try to improve my cooking skills. For each month, I made a couple of new dishes right in my own kitchen. I have found a couple of new favorites that I enjoyed making: Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup, Iced Pumpkin Harvest Spice Cookies, and Steak Dianne. I also got the opportunity to explore different restaurants and cafes with my boyfriend Taylor in the last year to get the "taste of the town" and we made a lot of interesting discoveries! We are adventurous eaters and will try almost anything! I plan to keep this up this year!

So I did all right in 2010; there is a lot of room for improvement though!

For 2011, here is my new list of New Year Resolutions:

1. Update my blog daily - I realize that I haven't been connecting with you guys here as much as I really should, so I'm going to update my blog everyday. Even if it's for the most random stuff, I'll post it. :)

2. Update my vlog channel daily - I have created a new vlog channel for my everyday vlogs on YouTube :) My challenge is to record each and every day of my life, even if it's just for a few minutes each day. When I get a laptop at the end of this month, I'm planning to use that to edit my videos for my main channel - look out! I'll be cooking for you all very soon!!

My main YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/xsimplyreikox

My vlogs: http://www.youtube.com/xsimplyvlogsx

By the way, here's an updated vlog from my main channel, taken about half an hour before midnight last night/year:

3. Continue to keep myself fit by going to the gym after work or exercise at home.

4. Starting today, I'm going to cut out SODA from my diet! As much as I like to drink soda, it's got sooooo much sugar! I'm also trying to set an example to my family, especially to my brohters, so that they can control their soda intake. My mom's diabetic and she stopped drinking soda a long time ago. I want to try to do the same thing this year, so for one whole year, I WILL NOT drink soda! :)

5. I need to improve on my organization skills - big time. :o

6. I have also noticed this year that I've had a terrible spending habit - I have thought of a method that will help me to spend money wisely this year :)

7. Try to cook more! :)

...and there you have it guys!

So here are my questions to you guys:
1. What are your New Year resolutions? :)
2. How did you do with your New Year resolutions for 2010? Did you do a good job? Are there things you want to improve for this year?

I wanna hear your thoughts! :)

I'll chat with you all tomorrow! Time to get ready for work!

Happy New Year everyone - I hope your year will be wonderful and bright!

With love,

~Reiko xoxo

~☆Happy Thanksgiving! ~☆

2010-11-24T23:40:00.006-05:00

[Currently looking at my new YT video that I just uploaded! :D]

Hello everyone :)

...and Happy Thanksgiving!! (^o^)

I just finished making some pumpkin cookies!
This is the cookie recipe that I used for a pumpkin bake-off at work last month. I didn't win, but it was so much fun to make! They're soft, chewy and just so delicious...

...want the recipe? Well, here it is!

===Iced Pumpkin Walnut Harvest Cookies===

[Ingredients]

For cookie dough:

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin (either canned or fresh)
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For icing:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoons either heavy cream, Grand Marnier, or Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum/rum extract (tip: try blending each of them together! My personal favorite is the Captain Morgan icing :D )

[Procedure]

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla - mix well. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt (and walnuts too) - mix until well blended.

3. Drop cookie dough by the spoonful onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool onto cooling racks.

(I added some confectioner's sugar snow while mine cooled :D )

And while your cookies are baking/cooling:

4. Cream remaining butter and confectioners sugar together. Add vanilla and heavy cream/Grand Marnier/Captain Morgan until creamy. If consistency is too runny, add a little more confectioner's sugar; if too thick, add small amounts of liquid at a time.

5. Drizzle or brush icing onto cool cookies.

...and enjoy! :)

And speaking of enjoying, enjoy my Thanksgiving video! I will be announcing my holiday contest on Black Friday - here on Blogspot and on my Youtube channel. Details soon!

Gobble gobble!

With love,
~Reiko xoxo

☆~Reiko's Back... Again (^.^ ;) ~☆

2010-11-21T09:41:00.002-05:00

[Currently watching episode 3 of the anime Yumeiro Pâtissière (夢色パティシエール)]

Hello everyone! I'm sorry it has been a long time since I've updated my blog, but I am back!

I've been busy with sewing, working at Nekocon (an anime convention in Hampton Roads, VA), and working very hard at my job (bartending at a retirement home). On top of that, my Internet connection at home has been giving me a hard time so I haven't been able to get onto the computer as much as I would like to and chat with you all online. (-.- ;)

I know I have a lot to catch up with you all on...

I'm running short on time since I have to get ready for work soon, but I wanted to make this post and say a quick hello to you all before I do that. :) I have missed you all, and I want to catch up with my posts now that I've gotten my Internet to finally work properly. (^-^)

I'll update you all later on tonight - see you soon and have a beautiful day!

With love,

~xoxo Reiko!
(Do you like my purikura pictures? Leave me a comment and let me know!)

♥Reiko Made a Vid Again! :D ♥

2010-10-21T13:35:00.006-04:00

[Currently listening to "SIGNAL" by the awesome KAT-TUN - gotta have my Johnny's Entertainment fix for the day XD ]

Hello everyone! I know it's been a while since I've last updated and I apologize (=__=) I've been so busy but I made a vlog so you guys can watch me talk about what I've been up to lately :) I'm still new to video editing so I apologize if you can't hear my voice very well from the music (^-^;;) More videos will come soon!

The topics of the video:

-As you guys know, I bartend at a retirement and in the last couple of weeks I've been working very hard XD

And I didn't mention this in the video but I've also been back at the gym working hard on burning off some water weight. I love staying physically fit and I've been going with a few people in the last few visits - it's fun and even motivating when you're doing this with others!

-I mentioned this in a previous blog, but I'm going to Nekocon, an anime convention that will be at the Hampton Roads Convention Center on the weekend of November 5-7. I was not endorsed to advertise and/or announce the convention by the way - the announcement was made from my own free will and love for the con since I've been going to it since my junior year of high school.

I've also found out after inquiring that I am officially going to be in the Nekocon staff! I've never done anything like this before and I'm not sure what I'll be doing just yet... I'll find out in the next week, but much excitement to come!

If you are going to Nekocon this year, I can't wait to meet you!

My cosplay for Misa-chan of Kaichou wa Maid-sama is going very well! I will be finished with the first version of the costume by this time next week and finished with the second version a few days afterward. I don't like to show pictures of the works in progress, but don't worry - the full costume is going to look so cute upon completion!

-My car accident case is still ongoing... I've yet to explain to you guys what's been going on but I will update you all soon. I have to appear in court again a week from today and (hopefully!!) get this case done...

Well, anyway, that's just the gist of what's been going on in a nutshell... And I've been feeling so much better since my last blog update! Thanks for the well wishes on here, Facebook, Twitter, etc.! :D

And heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's me! Enjoy!

Much love,
~Reiko xoxo (=^o^=)

♥ A Meme :) ♥

2010-10-10T23:56:00.003-04:00

[Currently listening/watching Ah! My Goddess - this was one of my early favorite anime back in middle school/high school :)]

Hey everyone and happy 10...10...10! I'm back after being gone a couple of days - I had a great weekend and I hope you all did too (^0^)

Lots of things that I'd like to talk about, but to get things started, I thought I'd share another meme with you all (^_^) If there's one thing that I don't think I'll tire of, it's answering memes! I think memes are really neat because not only do you answer things about yourself and share them with others, but also... people who read your answers get to know you a little bit better! :) And not to mention - they're fun! (^~^)

Feel free to tag yourselves to this meme and copy and paste to your blogs; I can't wait to read your answers! xoxo

Here we go!

1) Who is the last person you high-fived?
That... is a good question! It was someone at work, I'm sure... but who it was and when I last did it I'm not so sure now... When I'm working, my mind is mainly focused on work. ...now I feel bad. D:
2) If you were drafted into a war, would you survive?
I'd like to think that I would :) I'll take on any challenge that comes before me!
3) Do you sleep with the TV on?
Not as much as I used to whenever I play video games or from watching late-night television with my mom after a hard day at work (^-^;) I'm trying to make it a good habit to use less electricity when I'm not using it!
4) Have you ever drunk milk straight out of the carton?
I used to drink out of the milk cartons from elementary up until after middle school. I like drinking milk in a cup or glass now :)
5) Have you ever won a spelling bee?
From what I remember, I haven't :o
6) Have you ever been stung by a bee?
I've only been stung twice, but in the oddest places! First time was during a tennis match in high school and a teammate noticed that the area below my armpit was swollen. Second time was about 2 years ago at my school; somehow I must have stepped on a bee and it was squashed right in the middle of my foot. Talk about PAINFUL! (;-;)

...thankfully, though, I'm not allergic to bees. (^-^;)
7) How fast can you type?
Last I checked, about 70+ wpm. I'd like to try a test and see how I'm doing now :)
8) Are you afraid of the dark?
Sometimes - it depends on the situation. If I am in a place where there is no light at all, then I'd panic :(
9) What color are your eyes?
Dark brown :)
10) Have you ever made out at a drive-in?
If it's a drive-in, such as a drive-in movie, I've never been :o
11) When is the last time you chose a bath over a shower?
It has been a while... I don't spend very much time bathing :o
12) Do you knock on wood?
Only when I realize that I haven't said, "...yet". I certainly did that today!
13) Do you floss daily?
Though I don't like to, I do that a few times a week (^-^;)
15) Can you hula hoop?
I can, but not for a very long time... In time, though! :)
16) Are you good at keeping secrets?
;)That... I will never tell
17) What do you want for Christmas?
Every year I ask for the same thing, and every year I get it: your happiness :)
18) Do you know the Muffin Man?
The one who lives on Drury Lane? Why, are we going to need lots and lots of flour? (^-^;)
19) Do you talk in your sleep?
I'm pretty sure I do - I caught myself doing that one night a couple of years ago... Pretty embarrassing too because one of my roommates noticed too (>_<)
20) Who wrote the book of love?
He did. :)
21) Have you ever flown a kite?
Oh yes! It's really fun, especially when you have a beautiful kite and the perfect windy day :D
22) Do you wish on your fallen lashes?
...I've actually never heard of that before... Can anyone tell me the meaning of this?? (^-^;) I'm willing to learn new things!
23) Do you consider yourself successful?
I think I can and am successful in most things :)
24) How many people are on your contact list of your cell?
I just checked - currently 69 contacts... ...wait. (T_T;)
25) Have you ever asked for a pony?
I did when I was a kid... But more to just to have so that I can just feed it and pet it - everyone else could do the rest, lol!
26) Plans for tomorrow?
Going to pick up my co-worker Doris to go to work, pick up breakfast smoothies, work from 11am-9pm (or hopefully before that!), then finally hitting the gym. It's been a long week and I finally get a chance for a workout! :)
27) Can you juggle?
Not very well... I used to juggle scarves back in elementary school though :)
28) Missing someone now?
I'm missing him every moment... Maybe one day...
29) When was the last time you told someone I Love You?
Last night before leaving him for the night... :(
30) And truly meant it?
I mean it every time I say it :) xoxo
31) How often do you drink?
Not very often. I treat myself to a drink once in a while; mostly beer but I like liquor drinks too!
32) How are you feeling today?
Much much better! My nose and throat are almost cleared up! Thank goodness! ...and a little sleepy from a busy day at work today... (^o^)
33) What do you say too much?
"Heh heh..." The way I say it is like I'm about to do something mischievous XD
34) Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
Never. I was a goody-goody student, even up to now (^-^;)
35) What are you looking forward to?
The day when I'm finally going to be with him everyday :)
36) Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yup - at my old house my room was right above the garage; I used to climb onto the roof and watch the stars at night :)
37) Have you ever eaten dog food?
...ew, no! (x_X)
38) Can you handle the truth?
Yes - I'd rather be told the truth than to be hurt with lies.
39) Do you like green eggs and ham?
I think I'd like green eggs and ham - I'm always up for some adventurous eats! :)
40) Any cool scars?
I'm not sure if I can call them cool, but Tay and I got injured from a fall at a theme park last year. I ended up with the worst injuries on my right leg and have deep scars from them. :(

There you have it everyone! Have fun with this! Another post to come soon! :) Until then, be well! With love,
~Reiko ('-^)v ~ xoxo ♥

♥Tips for Treating the Common Cold ♥

2010-10-08T08:59:00.007-04:00

[Currently listening to the first episode of 会長はメイド様! (Kaichou wa Maid-sama)]

Good morning everyone :)

I think I'm getting over my cold more quickly than I thought - usually it would take me a couple of weeks to get over :( In the last year, however, I've learned a few tips that I'd like to share with you all:

-Drink plenty of water/liquids, especially if it's hot :)
I've been drinking plenty of water in the last few days so that I won't get dehydrated. Orange juice or having something that's high in Vitamin B and C will help to boost your immune system; I've done this by buying a Stress Defender smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe - the ingredients are oranges, orange juice, yogurt and a Vitamin C immune complex. Hot tea with honey and lemon is a great way for me soothe my throat and it temporarily relieves me of a stuffy nose. I've also learned from a co-worker of mine that drinking ginger ale during the time that you're coughing will not only relieve your throat from coughing, but the properties of ginger will help break down the mucus slowly but surely. :) Thanks Philip!
-Gotta cough it all out...
At the current stage of my cold, I'm now to the point where I'm coughing - it's a sign that I have to somehow hack all that gunk out of my throat. Now you're probably wondering why I have to do this... I know it sounds gross and all, but you have to do this because not only does it feel gross in your throat but also... If all that stuff stays in there even after you feel better from your cold, it's more than likely that you'd get sick again because that "stuff" can catch whatever germs might be floating around in the air around you.
-Take a hot shower/bath
Just like the effects of drinking hot fluids, the steam from taking a hot shower/bath will help relieve you from nasal congestion :)
-Blow your nose often... and gently.
It's important that you blow out all that stuff out of your nose so that it will not build up; I'm sure you wouldn't like the feeling of a stuffy nose either. (Personally, I'd like to be able to catch the smell and taste of what I'm eating, thanks!) Be careful as you're blowing your nose though. A couple of times I have sneezed so hard that my nose started bleeding... I didn't mean to, but you gotta be nice to your nose even though it's giving you a hard time.
-Exercise
Not too much though - you don't want to wear yourself out. I like to do some stretching or work on the Ab-Ripper X workout to keep my blood going.
-Gargle
I kill off all the germs in my mouth by gurgling a mouthwash that kills off bacteria and germs. If mouthwash is too harsh for your mouth, try with salty water (I know it'll taste gross but both work the same way).

And most of all, don't forget to do what I've been doing:
-Rest, rest, REST!
Give your body a break and time so that it'll focus on getting better. If you work at a place that may seem physically stressful (like mine), slow down and relax - you will be able to focus on your work with better accuracy and your body will not tire out as quickly. With plenty of power naps or even sleeping earlier and longer, it will allow your body to focus on building its immune system and help you get better sooner.
Remember - the best way to prevent you or anyone else from getting sick is to WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN. Lather the soap in your hands and rinse them in warm water for 20 seconds. Why? You may not realize it but your hands have a lot of bacteria in them. When was the last time you washed your hands today? How many things have you touched?
Hand sanitizers work great, but you also may not realize that the alcohol in it may damage your hands and cause pH imbalance in the skin. Washing your hands is your best bet over anti-bacterial gels.
Keep your hands away from your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth - you can spread germs onto yourself or others this way.
And don't forget! It's the flu season, so it's important to get immunized! I'll be getting my vaccine next week.

So if you are not feeling well right now, or need some tips to prevent yourself from getting sick, I hope my guide helps. This compilation came from personal experiences and tips from my friends - friends help friends to not get the cold/flu!

Be well everyone, and cheers to your health!

With love,

~Reiko (^0^)/ xoxo ♥

♥Road to Recovery♥

2010-10-06T22:44:00.004-04:00

[Currently listening to 野に咲く花のように by the one and only - Gackt-sama :) ]
Another short post for you all. :)

I proudly own 2 copies of the single - the black one contains the bonus DVD and the white one has the single only.

Webcam pics for now - sorry for the low quality... But what I really like about the DVD single version is that it comes with a lovely folded piece of fancy paper with the music sheet and lyrics of the song. It's one of my favorite songs by Gackt :) This song, especially the piano version, is quite lovely. I'm very happy to be listening to the single as I get ready to doze off to sleep. Most of all, I love the fact that Gackt wrote this song to a high school whose seniors were graduating :)

...oh yeah!

To update you guys on my health: I'm now having a mix of runny AND stuffy nose. It certainly isn't a pleasant thing to have... And the worst part is when you begin to cough because all that stuff is going down your throat...

...I think I'm feeling even more sick thinking about it... (=___=;)

Twice now I have sneezed so hard that my nose bled a little... Needless to say, I'm not happy about that... :(

The best thing that I can do is 2 things: drink lots and lots of fluids, and get lots and lots of rest. I slept very well last night and felt as though I was feeling a lot better when I woke up this morning. I've also made sure that I drank lots of tea with honey and lemon - even now that I'm trying to recover, I find this to be very soothing :)

I'm hoping for a speedy recovery soon - I'm going to do my best! (^3^)

Well, I got my warm flannels out again now that it's getting chilly. I'm going to go to bed now - I'm thankful that I get to go to work later in the day. (^0^)

Good night, sweet angels! Be well!

With lots of love,
~Reiko ('-^) v xoxo ♥

♥I Caught a Cold... :( ♥

2010-10-05T22:36:00.003-04:00

[Currently listening to Do As Infinity's "Deep Forest" album - great recommendation for those who enjoyed the ending theme song for Inuyasha :)]

I'm making this a very short post because I'm going to head to bed in a bit.

Sadly, I've caught early signs of a cold. :( *sniffle*

Last night, I noticed that my brother, Jonathan, wasn't feeling very well - my parents told me that they noticed that he was getting sick. I told myself that I was going to be careful so that I wouldn't catch it early...

...I should've known I was heading into more trouble when I noticed that my throat and nose were a little scratchy when I woke up this morning :(

I made my own lunch today: spaghetti noodles with bacon bits, chopped artichokes, chopped broccoli and mushroom alfredo sauce. I added a little bit of Mrs. Dash's Italian Blend to make it more delicious and aromatic. It was quite yummy. (^-^) On the way to work I also got the Stress Defender smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe - it's full of oranges, yogurt and a Vitamin C complex mix to boost my immune system. I also made sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

It's really that time of the year already...?

Well, I ate good meals today and loaded my system with lots of Vitamin C. The hot shower and hot tea that I had when I got home from work really helped. I hope I'll feel a little better in the morning...

Sweet dreams everyone, and be well~!

With love,
~Reiko (=__=) .o( xoxo)

♥50 Question Meme and Lazy Day♥

2010-10-04T23:47:00.009-04:00

[Currently watching/listening to Azumanga Daioh (^-^;)]

Good evening everyone :) I hope you had a good day today. I know I did. I mainly did nothing but rest, rest, REST!

After updating my status on Facebook earlier today, my co-worker Jordan commented that she liked this one because whenever she sees me, I'm always on the go. I guess I can say that I'm naturally energetic when I'm at work; even when I'm physically exhausted, I find that I'm still running. Pretty much like the Energizer bunny: Going...and going...and going... (^-^;)

Today I decided that since I have a day off to prepare for another busy week at work ahead, it's time to recharge my batteries and rest. It is nice to be able to sleep in, have naps, and be lazy in between. (= o =) zzz

Hmm... I guess if I had a highlight for today, it'd be that I caught up with some anime again (^-^)

As I'm typing this I'm also watching/listening to another episode of Azumanga Daioh. For those who don't know what this anime is about, it follows the lives of a group of high school girls who go through some... um... very interesting scenarios. Such as dealing with a very competitive, self-proclaimed diva of a teacher; competing against one another in contests whose names make little sense; a girl's love for cats who chomp her hand(s) whenever she tries to pet them; and sadly, yes, dealing with a perverted teacher who likes girls.

... (^-^;)

I first read the manga and watched the anime during my junior and senior years of high school and thought this series was the cutest anime. ...and now that I'm seeing the series for the second time after not seeing it for a few years... I've also forgotten how ridiculously ridiculous it is/was... It still made me laugh though; I've been needing a bit of laughing today :) Yes, the anime is quite silly, but it's still pretty good.

...oh, Chiyo-chan... X3

I've also tried to take some time to figure out what's going on with video editing... If you saw the video in my previous post (in "It's Fall!"), you'd see that the video footage appeared on the top half and my texts appeared at the bottom half. The program I used was Windows Movie Maker for the Vista system. Last month I tried to film a "Products for September" video to upload to my Youtube channel, but the same thing happened after I published the finished video onto my hard-drive. This was bothering me for a while, so I decided to experiment:

First I experimented with my web-cam (QuickCam® for Notebooks Deluxe). I recorded a short test video, added subtitle text, and published it to my Videos folder. After viewing it on Windows Media Player, there was no problem: the video footage was full-screened with subtitles, which was what I've been aiming for with the other videos.

I currently don't have a proper video camera to record videos with, so I use my digital camera: Samsung Dual Screen TL220. I've tried all the video sizes, from 320x240 as the smallest setting to the largest setting at 1280x720 in HQ and made one video for each. Sadly, I didn't get the same result as the webcam video.

I'm feeling a little discouraged about this... As much as I would love to have an upgraded webcam or even a camcorder, I cannot afford one right now... However, I'm thinking later on I'll create another video with my digital camera, edit it and post it on Youtube - maybe someone out there would be nice to give me advice or even a tutorial on how to fix this! :) If you guys have ideas on how I can fix my videos, I'd appreciate that too :)

Well, it's been a while since I've done this but I've added a meme here! I used to do this all the time for my Myspace bulletins, but I'm almost never there anymore. I figured that since it has been a while, I'd try something fun here and finish this meme for you! Feel free to add this to your blog and add your own responses. I hope that through this and perhaps future memes, I'll get to know you all and you'll get to know me :)

Without further ado, let's START! :)

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

"...my hair looks ridiculous... Day~um!" XD

2. How much cash do you have on you?

Hmm, about $10 - lunch money for work! :)

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?

Adore! :)

4. Favorite planet?

There's no place like Mother Earth :)

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?

I don't recognize the number; he/she must have called the wrong number by accident... Ah, well. :o

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?

I have a lot of customized ringtones on my iPhone right now, but this week it's set as "Vanilla Twilight" by Owl City (^-^)

7. What shirt are you wearing?

I'm currently wearing 2 shirts: a dark teal spaghetti strap and a black long-sleeved shirt with pink flowers :) Most of my wardrobe is bought at Kohl's :3

8. Do you label yourself?

I am not sure if this counts or not but: I am the one and only Reiko! (or Jenni if you know me in real life :D )

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing?

I'm not wearing shoes right now - but wearing black socks :3

10. Bright or Dark Room?

I prefer a bright room, but not too bright - so long as I'm able to see what's around me, that's fine by me (^o^)

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?

I don't know the person who started this meme, but I'll say that he or she is cool to make one for us :)

12. What does your watch look like?

It's a slim, light-blue Fossil watch given to me from my mom on my sweet 16th :)

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?

Editing my entries for my blog; sadly I lost the one I wanted to originally write here on Blogger... (T 3 T)

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?

I was texting my friend Justin; after I replied with a "Yup. Might be updating my blog", he said, "That's good." ...I think he's still not doing too well on his end... :(

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?

There are 3 close to me, all about the same distance way from my house. We have one almost every half mile in the city where I live, I think... (o_O)

16. What's a word that you say a lot?

Not really a word... But I do say, "Heh heh" a lot. (^-^;)

17. Who told you he/she loved you last?

Taylor :3

18. Last furry thing you touched?

My Webkins polar bear. I named him Yuki. And he has a rude personality against guys. ...he's really nice to the ladies though... (^-^;)

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?

None at all. :)

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?

None; I'm so happy to have a digital camera :)

21. Favorite age you have been so far?

So far... When I was 16 - I had my first boyfriend and first kiss with him. ...I'm pretty sure you can guess who this is! :)

22. Your worst enemy?

Myself sometimes... :o

23. What is your current desktop picture?

"Transient Princess" by the awesomely talented MontyOum, creator of the Dead Fantasy series (check out his work on Youtube!)

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?

Hmm, online or in person? If in person, I said to my mom before going to my room after dinner, "I hope the router will behave..."

Online: I want to stay in the vb area; definitely not norfolk (while talking to my high school friend Jason about moving soon)

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?

I'd choose the million bucks - I have plenty of ideas on how to use it :)

26. Do you like someone?

Oh yes. It's more than like though. :)

27. The last song you listened to?

"Telephone" by Lady Gaga and Beyonce (-^__^-)

28. What time of day were you born?

11:34am :)

29. What’s your favorite number?

Hmm... That's a good question... I don't think I've ever had a favorite number :o

30. Where did you live in 1987?

In my mother's belly until I was born into the world :)

31. Are you jealous of anyone?

I'm a little jealous of high school students for some reason... Maybe it's because my co-workers who are in high school are making wonderful memories such as prom and football games... I'd love to relive my high school days... but then again, I'm happy with what I do have. :)

32. Is anyone jealous of you?

I'm pretty sure there is at least one person... :o

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?

Freshman year in high school; I was in my English class when I learned about this.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?

Shake the machine and curse a little; if my food comes out fine, I'm happy but if not, I sigh and move on :o

35. Do you consider yourself kind?

For the most part, yes :)

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?

Either on my torso or on my back - I have a tribal dragon tattoo design I'd love to have one day (^.^)

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?

Hmm, well I am fluent in English and Japanese... but I can't speak a lick of Filipino... I'd love to master it one day!

38. Would you move for the person you loved?

Yes; I think it would also give us a chance to spread our wings and get ourselves out into the world (^-^)

39. Are you touchy feely?

No, but I like to give hugs! \(^0^)/

40. What’s your life motto?

Be true to yourself - stay original, never a copy.

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?

Glasses, cell phone, and a pretty necklace :)

42. What’s your favourite town/city?

I have three cities: Virginia Beach (my hometown), Staunton, VA (where I went to school) and Tokyo, Japan (where I went for my trip with my girl friends from college)

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?

A smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe: the Tropi-colada has coconut, pineapple and banana; I don't like it when the banana is too ripe, so I replace it with strawberries. Yum! :)

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?

It's been a long time since I wrote one, but my most recent was when my elementary school friend Kandice and I wrote letters a lot until we found each other online. (^-^)

45. Can you change the oil on a car?

Sort of... Well, Dad showed me how to change the oil only once on my old Rav4. With my new Rav4 we need a special tool to take out the filter... Still some learning to do... (^-^;)

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?

That he is going to be busy for the rest of this week, but he can't wait until we are able to see each other again ♥

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?

I don't know much actually... My last name is Spanish, so it's possible it's derived from when the Spanish conquistadors came to Philippine soil back in the16th century. Also, it's possible that I have a bit of Chinese ancestry from my mom's paternal side - I guess it's no wonder people ask me if I'm Chinese... (-.-)

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?

My elder cousin Douglas was married this past July in Philadelphia. It was summer so I had to wear something cute and summery :) I love that summer dress ♥

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?

Not at the moment (^o^)

50. Have you been burned by love?

Absolutely. :)

Mmkay, well, time for me to rest one more time before I go to work tomorrow morning - until then everyone, take care and I'll see you next time!

Be true to yourself, and stay beautiful :)

With love,
~Reiko (^o^)/~ xoxo ♥

♥ ...sigh. ♥

2010-10-04T03:32:00.003-04:00

[Currently listening/watching The Online Gamer series on Youtube - check out RecklessTortuga!]

I'm sad... I had an awesome post I wanted to share with you all before I go to bed tonight, but... Somehow Blogspot ended up not saving my entry and now I lost the entry entirely...

And what sucks even more is that when I'm trying to recall what I wrote... I forget. :(

...and it's almost 4am...

...

...I should probably get some sleep. Perhaps I'll remember it when I get up later on...

...

...sigh.

Well, until then my angels...

"Hey Angel! You duh... sexy~!" XD

~Reiko (=_=) zzz xoxo ♥

♥ Le Téa Et Crêpes ♥

2010-10-03T01:01:00.004-04:00

I'm currently not listening to any music right now, but I wanted to make this quick post before I go to bed - I did promise a post, did I not? ;) I literally just got back home after spending a wonderful day with Taylor :) I also got to see a couple of friends of mine whom I'll introduce in a bit. (^-^)

I wanted to share with you all something that I've been meaning to post all week:

I have a newfound adoration for tea and crepes! :)

Tonight I want to quickly talk about a little cozy hole-in-the-wall place called Le Téa Et Crêpes. (In French, meaning "tea and crepes").

Now, if you hang out with me and Taylor a lot, you'd know that we are very adventurous eaters and both of us try to be on the lookout for new places to eat. (Tay is better at this than I am, though, heh heh) I go down the road where the cafe is located everyday when I drive to and from work. For a while, I've wanted to go there, especially since there was a display board inviting customers to try their fruit and savory crepes. I realized that this was the place where my high school friend Brandon works - actually, he's one of the chefs! I contacted him letting him know we were going there and we made our first visit last Saturday. :)

I did a little research about Le Téa Et Crêpe and learned that Brandon's mom, the proud owner, opened the cafe in 2008. The website (click here) has the menu and information about their teas too. :) The crepes are cooked to order and made with the freshest ingredients.They've received a lot of wonderful reviews, mostly highlighting the food, tea, and comfortable environment. One reviewer said that they were very impressed by the extensive knowledge and recommendations provided from the server about the various teas they offered. They've even received a Best at the Beach award in 2009 for Best Tea Rooms.

...the pictures above was not taken by me, but anyway... It's a calm cozy place to be! I adore the lighting - the green and orange ball lighting design simply rocks! For a more romantic atmosphere they have these cute little candles on the tables; I think it was a very nice thing that Tay and I came in for dinner. :)
I apologize in advance if I make you hungry, but here's the food that we had while we were there that night - and I know I made all my Tweeps jealous when I posted these on Twitter!:

Taylor's Crêpe de Saucisse - Beef or Sausage sautéed with mix Peppers and Onion, topped with white wine sauce. I tried a little bit of it and it was very delicious :)
My Crêpe de Fruit (since I wanted something fresh and light after my heavy late lunch that day) - Filled with seasonal fruit and topped with mango guava sauce. I love the fresh fruit and the mango guava sauce was just out of this world... Wow. Simply wow!
We tried 2 teas: Oolong with Goji Berry and Tieh Kuan Yin (or "Iron Buddha") with osmanthus and honeysuckle. Very yummy! (You will find information about each of the tea ingredients provided in the link above). Enjoying some tea here and being with Taylor just made the meal experience very relaxing and romantic xoxo
And for dessert: Caramel Apple Blossom - it was so warm and cinnamon-y and a great way to end the meal :)

We promised another visit soon, and that's where we went for lunch today :) This time for our tea we had white tea with rose bud and honeysuckle - it was sweet, light and floral... I think that's my favorite tea combination thus far! Tay had the Crêpe de Saucisse again while I had...

OMG, CHICKEN YAKISOBA! Light flavors, yet very delicious :) I really adore the cute carrot flower, by the way. I couldn't eat it. ...yes, it was that cute. (^-^;)
Brandon, along with his older brother Josh who also runs the cafe, suggested that we try a new dessert: panna cotta. I really liked this, especially the creaminess of the Italian cream. The texture reminded me of flan, so the best way for me to describe it is that it's like an Italian flan! I want to get this next time :)
I wasn't going to leave without getting a crepe, of course, so I had the Crêpe de Liqueur - Filled with nutella, strawberry and banana, topped with Berries and Crème de Cassis, Orange Curacao or Crème de Banana. Considering that there is alcoholic ingredients, you must be 21 to order this. I like the flavored liquers of banana and orange, but I thought Crème de Cassis would be an appropriate choice to tie in all of the ingredients together. ...and oh my it was :) Another favorite to add to my food list!

Well, there you have it you everyone! If you're in the Virginia Beach area, or are planning to be in the area sometime soon, please give this place a visit!

...or Brandon will come after you in your sleep. XD

Time for bed, so until next time (and by that, I mean tomorrow) - good night!

Sweet fishie kissies,

~Reiko (^o^) zzzzz xoxo ♥

♥ It's Fall!! ♥

2010-10-01T02:17:00.001-04:00

[Currently listening to おかえり by the lovely ayaka :) ]

Happy October everyone! :) I know it's been long overdue, but I am back!

I've missed you all ('-^)v ~♥

It has been a roller-coaster ride this past month, mainly because I've been so busy working, working, WORKING! For those who have just started reading my blog or just to remind my current followers, I work as a bartender/waitress at a retirement home. :) There are a lot of changes going around at work, mainly construction in the dining room, which meant that we had to push ourselves extra hard to make food service for the residents as pleasant as possible. I will tell you all right now that it really hasn't been easy trying to adjust around the construction site, but somehow in the last 3 weeks of construction, we made it! The Bistro area has been re-arranged and updated, and will open again on Wednesday. We're very excited for this and hoping that with the changes made, operation for making and delivering food to the residents will run more smoothly than before. :)

After working a very busy long week, I finally have tomorrow for a day off! I've been looking forward to this since Monday, my last day off... (^-^;;) I've been running around so much that yesterday (our busiest day) I felt as though I walked a marathon! I've never worked myself so hard until this day, but tomorrow, I will be having some well-deserved rest! Yay!!

The weather here at Virginia Beach has been super crazy with all the RAIN!! Lately the weather's been lacking forecasts of rain, and in the last 3-4 days, we've received... well, RAIN! Lots of it! The day before yesterday there were delays and even cancellations for schools and other places because the rain just kept going! Sure, we've been long overdue for some rain, but... I didn't think we'd be getting this much... (-__-);; The good news is now we've had rain, and... Well, tomorrow will be a good break - it's supposed to be a beautiful day. (^-^)

There will be more rain on the way this coming week though... (O_o);;

In other news... @SleeplessFish, a.k.a. my boyfriend Taylor and I have been together for 2 years and 2 months this past Wednesday :) I've said it before and I'll say it again: it doesn't feel as though we've been together that long... But nothing better than to be in love with your best friend! (^-^)♥ We are able to see each other only once a week now that he's back in school - he is in his last semester at University of Mary Washington studying Political Science. I've given him plenty of space so that he can concentrate on his school work - from what I understand they are writing-intensive classes, and those take up a LOT of time and effort to do. It hasn't been easy waiting on my part, but I always look forward to the day when I do get to see him, even if it will only be for a few hours. I'm very proud of him though, and I'm going to cheer him on until he gets the diploma in his hands :) Let's all cheer for him too, okay??

So, it's October! That means Halloween is right around the corner! What is everyone doing for Halloween this year?? Last year I dressed up as a black cat for work, but this year I want to dress up in something that I know I want to put some effort in. It's been a long while since I last cosplayed so my costume this year will be from the anime "Kaichou wa Maid-sama" - Ayuzawa Misaki!

I actually finished watching "Kaichou wa Maid-sama" last night and this is, by far, my favorite shoujo anime. Long story short: Student Body President of her school by day, Maid Latte cafe's maid at work! It's really cute, so ladies, and guys too - go watch it now! :)

I'm also going to Nekocon this year! I told myself 2 years ago that I wouldn't be able to go to anime conventions anymore, but... Well, I miss seeing my friends, and I would love to go meet new friends too - so I'm making a comeback! The convention is November 5-7 this year, and I've already pre-registered! I plan to wear my completed cosplay at this convention, and I'm not sure if I will have time to make another one by then... We will see, won't we? :) I might be able to buy my materials tomorrow and get started soon!

Before I go, I want to share with you all something that I'm going to do soon: making videos for YouTube! I finally decided that I want to give video-editing and such a try! A few weeks ago, I experimented and made a video. I have it posted below - I hope you all will like it :)

By the way, if you have tips and pointers to fixing this problem with the video, let me know because I'm willing to try and learn!

Enjoy and I'll check back with you all tomorrow!

Much love to you all,
~Reiko ('-^) xoxo ♥

★☆ Typing this as fast as possible! ☆★

2010-08-29T08:41:00.007-04:00

[Currently watching "Dead Like Me" Season 1 Episode 3 - thank you Taylor (@SleeplessFish) for introducing this show to me :) xoxo ]

Hello and good morning everyone! It's been a couple of weeks since I updated, huh? Well, I have been extremely busy - celebrating my birthday all week with wonderful people, worrying about my case for my car accident (which will be written about in a separate post later on today), and spending some time with my wonderful @SleeplessFish :) I hope you all have been well and still enjoying your weekend :)

I'm going to be typing this as fast as possible since I woke up a little bit later than I hoped... Then again, it was good that I was able to sleep in a little bit; I guess I really needed the rest! :)

The main stuff I want to talk about will have to wait until a later post this evening, but for right now I wanted to share with you guys the following:

I bought more jewelry from DSK Jewelry as another birthday present to myself :) Well, what can I say? I'm a fan of Stephanie and her wonderful and creative works! Next month I will be launching filmings for my YouTube channel and this is going to be one of the first videos that I will do. I can't wait to show you guys my DSK hoard! I don't have the picture of the jewelry that I bought, but the day that the jewelry comes in the mail, I'll be filming as soon as possible :)

Speaking of wonderful and creative stuff, I want to share with you guys a really cute store that I discovered in the last week: ekiLove!

I've provided the link to the lovely Eki's online store - just click on the icon above :)

What is ekiLove? Eki, the creator of this kawaii store, makes purses, jewelry, and hair accessories that when worn, it turns a girl into a hime (Japanese word for princess!) ^_^ Just like Stephanie's work for her DSK Jewelry line, Eki's art is handmade - meaning made by her own two hands and with NO assistance from anyone else. What I admire about these girls' works is that they are one of a kind; you cannot find the same jewelry anywhere else - any other jewelry, purse, etc. that is not made by them is simply not DSK or ekiLove because these girls pour their heart, love and soul into each piece. That's what makes them so special and I've become a fan!

Here are some examples of stuff from Eki's store:

I absolutely love this Vintage Hime pouch! But right now I have to save my money, so I hope this purse will still be available by the time I'm able to get this ^-^

This is Eki, the creator of ekiLove - isn't she lovely with her handmade Hime hair bow? :)

This is my favorite necklace from her accessories collection - the Royal Love necklace. Again, I'd love to get this but right now I have to conserve my money :( Isn't it pretty though? And the crystal heart is a Swarovski crystal!

Eki is currently holding a contest at her online store until 9/18 - check out her store at the ekiLove love icon provided above and show her your love! :) For you lovely himes out there, it's worth a few minutes of your time to visit - I promise ^_^

Before I go, I wanted to share with you guys a show that I mentioned that I'm watching while typing this. It's called "Dead Like Me" :)

For a quick simple synopsis: 18-year old Georgia Lass was scheduled to die, and from that moment on, she became an "undead" - or rather, a grim reaper. As in, taking the souls of people, just like what happened to her during the time of her death. The series speaks for itself: A series of life after life. Taylor showed me the first episode from his collection last night and I've gotta say that I really enjoyed it! I'm currently watching the episodes on hulu.com - maybe I'll get my own collection of episodes myself, lol! :)

What really tickles me is that it took me a while to really realize that one of the characters in the series is Mandy Patinkin, the guy who is also in CBS's "Criminal Minds" as Gideon! Awesome!

For exciting news, I will finally be getting my own phone and phone line tomorrow morning: I'm getting the new iPhone 4! I've been using an old Nokia phone that my mom, dad, and I got in 2006 as a back-up phone since my Sony Ericsson phone broke into pieces last summer, so I'm very excited that my phone will be cool and updated! I will also be paying for my own phone bill, so Responsibility +1 for me; just a step at a time to independence :)

Oh so very excited! :)

All right guys and girls, it's time for me to get ready for a good day at work. I will be back tonight to share the rest of my news, especially the court report for my car accident back in March. I can't wait to share with you all :)

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone! xoxo

With love,

~Reiko xoxo

★☆ A Nice Day Off with Reiko :) ☆★

2010-08-17T00:34:00.004-04:00

[Listening to 恋愛♥ライダー (Renai Rider) by J-pop band Buono! - if you like the anime Shugo Chara, you'd know this song! :) ]

Hello again everyone :) I hope you're doing well - I know I certainly am :)

Before I begin, just wanted to update you guys about the DSKJewelry contest:

As you guys know, 44 girls, including myself, entered to be the new model for the DSK Jewelry line. It's very impressive how Steph's work has reached many girls all over the place, and I'm very proud to have been one of the 44 :) I didn't make it, but a shoutout and a big congratulations to Kayleigh! You go, girl! :D

This was one of the best experiences of my life and I'll definitely be doing this again next year :Dv I'll always be supporting DSK Jewelry! Steph's website is here if you want to take a visit:

http://dskjewelry.blogspot.com

So, I had my day off today, and I decided it would be fun to take my camera with me and show you guys my favorite places to go and things to do :) I haven't made many videos since getting my new Samsung digital camera, so I decided try out something new and have fun with it :) I'll be editing later when I get home from work tomorrow, but I can't wait to try it out and share my day with you!

I was able to take some pictures along the way too, and they'll be posted here :)

Here's a few pics I took of me before I headed out the door :) I love the Beauty function on my camera!

I wear my DSK Jewelry proudly :)

I added one of the small crystals from the Strawberry Lemonade necklace for a fun and sweet look :)

My Earth crystal earrings - they're so beautiful and iridescent in the light :)

My Dainty Moonlight Heart bracelet - I love the tiny heart chain :)

I even straightened my hair a bit - I almost never do, but I was feeling good today. :)

The first place I had to stop by before anyplace else was the post office again to drop off the rest of my textbooks. I had two big boxes and one nicely sealed padded envelope. After a 10-minute wait, I was able to drop them off, but there was a problem with one of the boxes: The label was completely different from the ones that I delivered last week and didn't have a label for postage. This was how the label came after I processed the books online, which really sucked because I had to pay $6 extra for postage... Well, you get some and you lose some. =/ What matters now is that the textbooks are well on their way and I should be hearing back soon from the websites about payments for my books. The money will go toward me getting my new phone - I've decided to finally get an iPhone :) Whee!

I love going to libraries; I love being around books and I always find something new each time. It has been a while since I've checked something out so I decided to pay the Central Library a visit for a book inquiry and looking for new music CDs. It turns out that so long as my books are fairly recent (by a couple of years), I can donate them there. On Thursday morning, I'll pay them a visit again so that they can take a look at my books - they might be able to have good use of them :)

It didn't take me very long to find some new CDs to listen to. By the time I came downstairs, I already had 11 albums in my arms!

Jessie James - Jessie James

Ryan Cabrera - Take It All Away

Vanessa Hudgins - Identified

The Phantom of the Opera Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Josh Groban - Josh Groban Live at the Greek

Josh Groban - Josh Groban Awake Live

I stumbled upon a few albums by Japanese artist, Kitaro - apparently he's a Grammy Award-winning artist!

Kitaro - Thinking of You

Kitaro - Mandala

Kitaro - Best of Kitaro

Step Up 2 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Enrique Iglesias - Escape

I wished I was able to take pictures inside the library, but I didn't want to take the risk of getting yelled at...

I got hungry, so I went across the street to one my favorite places: Tropical Smoohtie Cafe :) I worked here a couple of years ago and I come back to visit when I can :)

This a really cool cookie bouquet! This was made by Cookies by Design - The Original Cookie Bouquet Company, just a couple of stores down from Tropical Smoothie Cafe :)

My late lunch! :) A Get Up and Goji smoothie and a Sesame Chicken salad - yummers!

After eating I headed off to my favorite hangout spot: Barnes and Noble! As I said, I love being around books! If I could, I would spend an entire day either at the library or at B&N :) My favorite sections to read are the cookbooks, manga, and New Age. :)

I posted on Twitter that I love being in the New Age section, looking at the Astrology books because I think it's really interesting and mysterious how it weaves into our lives. It's interesting to read about, but really, I think that we are the ones who have control of what we do in our lives - just got to have strength to believe in yourself! :)

Apparently I spent about 2 1/2 hours at B&N! I guess time really does fly when you're having fun and enjoying yourself!

I gave Sephora a visit since I'm running out of my concealer... I usually use Make Up Forever brand, but as much as I love it, I was looking for something that was still of great quality and easy on my budget. I was referred to the Sephora collection and got the concealer stick. I also got a couple of products from Philosophy that I'm going to try out later on tonight. I guess it's going to be another entry of "Does it Work?" for these products! They'll be shown in the pictures below.

...I got hungry again, so went to a really cute and yummy frozen yogurt shop called Swirls! They opened at the beginning of the summer in Lynnhaven Mall. Taylor and I have been here before and they have neat flavors for the yogurts; our current favorite was green tea :) They didn't have green tea today though, but I picked out the pineapple coconut and cookies and cream yogurts.

You can even top off your yogurt with fruit, cookie dough, candy, cookies, sprinkles and cereal!

I stayed on the healthy side and added my favorite fruit :)
Did I forget to mention that I'm really liking this over gelato?? It's healthier for you and I got 10oz of this for about $4! Healthy for my body and my budget, lol!

From here I gave @SleeplessFish aka Taylor a visit; it was a very short visit, so no pictures >_< onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__rKrk4zfUTc/TGqY8tFDzhI/AAAAAAAAAYA/XtRsHoVfDM4/s1600/SAM_0745.JPG">

Philosophy's Purity One-Step Facial Cleanser - I've heard many good things about this and I can't wait to try it out :)

Philosophy's Hope in a Jar moisturizer

I've never owned anything by Dior before, so this is exciting! This is a sample of Dior's Multiperfection Cream; it's supposed to help lighten darkened complexions and wrinkles on your face.

The concealer stick from the Sephora Collection in Medium :)

It pays off to be a member! I got a free birthday gift!

Included was mascara, white eyeshadow and eye pencil :)

I can't wait to use them soon!

All right, time to rest my tired hands... Again ^-^ I hope you had fun reading :) I'll come back tomorrow with another fun entry for you~! I'll also be editing my videos so you can come along with me on this fun day :)

Until then, sweet beautiful dreams xoxo

~Reiko xoxo

★☆ Late Night Special with Reiko :D ☆★

2010-08-15T03:49:00.001-04:00

[Currently listening to "I Don't Care" by K-pop band 2NE1 - go check them out! :) ]

Hey everyone, I hope you're enjoying your weekend so far :) I certainly am; I'm getting a lot of things done and out of the way - I'm definitely accomplishing things! :D

By the way, I think my Internet connection is finally behaving... It's been acting a little weird in the last couple of days, which is why I have a bit of lack in Tweets and posts so... Sorry about that everyone :( I really don't know what the problem is with it, but what matters now is that it's fixed.

I bet you missed me. :)To make up for it, I'm not planning on going to bed for a while, so tonight I'm going to write a big post just for you! :) Yay~!

Lately I've been doing a lot of cleaning up here in my room. I have the tendency to want a lot of things, but since I currently keep my personal belongings in a very small bedroom (and living on a very limited budget), there's not much that I can really have. Part of the reason is that I hoard some things I don't really use much of anymore. I've already had a lot of things set aside to sell, but I haven't gotten around to them because I've been so busy working (and not to mention that I forget that they've been stored in boxes in the sunroom the last few months... =___= ) A couple of days ago, I've decided that it's about time I start getting a move on getting them out of here. It's fair deal: I can lighten my load and give my things to others out there who would be more than happy to have them. :)

Soon I will be opening up my garage sale blog here on Blogger; I've already got one set up, but I've yet to put posts of my stuff to sell. I'll announce it here on the main blog as well as Twitter and other social sites. For now, the site is here: xsimplyreikosstuffx.blogspot.com The stuff that I will be selling includes mostly manga, some music CDs, anime DVDs and a couple of iPods :)

In addition to selling some of my collectables, I decided that it's time I got rid of the textbooks that had been stacked up underneath my sewing machine table. Some of them are those I saved from when I was at my main college; some upperclassmen advised me that it would be a good idea to keep a few textbooks in relation to your major and/or minor so that you have something to reference from in the future (such as ideas for writing your thesis, etc.). Most of the texts I have/had are in relation to my Business major, and a couple of books for my Asian Studies minor. They are really good books, but I feel that they could be used for something or someone much better. And so in the last week, I went on various textbook sellback websites to find the best quotes for my books and I will be getting quite a bit back :) Yay for money!
Sadly I wasn't able to sell a few textbooks because they're outdated by a couple or so years, so instead of just throwing them away, I thought it would be a good idea to donate these books for a good cause. First thing Monday I will set out to find a place that could use these books - perhaps a local library or someplace like Goodwill or The Salvation Army. I like the idea because it's recycling and for a better purpose. I'm feeling so much better about this so it's a win-win situation :D

On the topic of school, let me get back to where I was in my last entry:

School has been bothering me for nearly a week now... As it turns out, I will have to change my major... Completely. As I said earlier, my current course of study is Business Administration with a minor in Asian Studies. I'm almost done... but as it turns out I won't be able to finish my major after all.

I needed to complete a couple of electives and an Accounting course in order to graduate, but my biggest problem is ACCOUNTING. Now I know some of you guys are going to laugh a little bit and say, "...Reiko, how can that be? You're ASIAN, and with glasses - aren't you supposed to be smart and good in math?" Admittedly I'm laughing a little bit on the inside too, but seriously guys - I'm very good in math (algebra, trigonometry, a bit of calculus - you get it!), but... I simply can't grasp accounting! It shows in my transcripts at my main college and at the community college that I'm attending and it's one of the biggest requirements for my Business major. I barely passed first level of accounting a couple of years ago, and I've slipped my grades in the last couple of semesters... It's very discouraging to say the least. =/

On Tuesday, I made an appointment to meet with the Dean of Students at the community college to figure out my options, and she suggested that it would be best for me to change my major. The idea of doing that floored me at first. I'm almost finished - I've come so far and I just needed a couple of classes to graduate. Now it's going to be further from my reach... What would my parents say to this? "4 years of going to your school and for what?" =___= At the same time, I thought that perhaps it really was time I considered changing my course of study. After all, while at my main college in Staunton, I never really did keep my options open other than being in Business Administration, and... I'm realizing more and more that I wasn't truly happy where I was. Yes, it is a practical degree to have especially with the current economy... but at the same time, this is not what I truly want.

After a few days and nights of thinking, I finally decided that it's time to pursue what I wanted most: Business Administration was not what I originally wanted to major but in Culinary Arts. This is where my passion is; it has stuck with me when I was younger and even while I was in my sophomore year in high school. I entered in a couple of culinary competitions back then, and in my spare time I love cooking and learning about food. It's been right in front of me all along - and now it's my time to take hold of it. My parents didn't want me to go to the college I wanted to go to - Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina - mainly because it was far from home with no one to rely on if something happened to me. That and they were worried that this course of study wasn't going to get me anywhere. I understood their concerns for me, but they need to understand that this is what I truly want.

I will speaking to the Dean of Students again very soon about this. I'm sure she will be able to help me with the process. By next year, I will be well on my way with that. =)

Just one step at a time...

I guess it will seem pretty corny saying this, but I felt inspired after watching Step Up 3D and Scott Pilgrim VS The World (which has been added to my movie replay list if I get a chance to watch it again!). If there is something that you really want, even if it seems like it is out of your reach, by all means GO AND FIGHT FOR IT. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back from achieving your dreams because they don't belong to anyone but YOU. You know yourself best and you know what you want - keep going. The only reason that you will feel as though you failed is if you don't do anything about it and let people walk onto you and your confidence. I'm sure there will be many hurdles along the way, but I'm still going to come right back up. =)

Now I'm wanting to watch Scott Pilgrim, lol! It's such a funny movie, so if you like funny movies and can relate to video games, music bands, and dreams, go see it! :D

Hmm...

...oh! My birthday's coming up in about a week! It's strange, but I don't feel as though I'm going to be turning 23. I'm still young, and I'm feeling it :) ...now that I think about it, when I turned 21, I was complaining that I'm getting old, lol! I still think that sometimes, but at the same time, I'm feeling very good about myself.

I have a day off next Saturday, and I'm planning a get-together with some friends and have an nice afternoon/evening on the shoreside :) I'll take my camera and record these wonderful memories to come. I just want a birthday that's not so crazy, but relaxing and enjoyable with a bunch a friends - catching up with each others' lives, laughing, being ourselves. =)

Speaking of my birthday... Remember I ordered another necklace from DSK Jewelry? :D It was waiting for me on the dinner table when I came home from swimming tonight!

The colors are so beautiful in person, I'm in love! I know this camera doesn't do much justice to show you guys how sparkly and beautiful it really is, but I'm sure you get the idea :) It looks so elegant in its beautiful black box!

Introducing... Strawberry Lemonade :)

They're so small and beautiful, and simple!

Aww, Steph put a cute little note for me! Thank you Steph! I have a little something for you too:

Speaking of DSK Jewelry, the contest will come to a close very soon... I'm anxious to know who the winner of the contest is, but whether I get this or not, I'm so happy and proud to have participated in this :) Again, I've never done anything like this before and this whole experience is something that I will never ever forget. It really brought out a lot of confidence and had so much fun. So Steph, thank you for giving me and the other 43 girls a chance to be a part of your contest and thank you for the wonderful jewelry creations! You've been an inspiration to me and to many girls and guys out there in the world and I can't wait to see more of your work! Keep it up!

So guys and girls, go visit Steph's website if you're interested in her jewelry as something for your own, for a birthday present or a gift for your girlfriend -- tell her Reiko/Jenni(fer) sent you! Visit here at:

http://dskjewelry.blogspot.com

I have another piece that's on my wishlist that I hope I will get one day. If you're a fan of Twilight, I'm sure you'd understand :) Now, I'm not a big fan of the movies (except Eclipse perhaps, which looked so much better than the first 2 movies... but that's just my opinion), but I like the books better. Anyway, I'm for team Jacob, and if you're familiar with the bracelet Bella gets from him as a gift... Well, this is the one I want, made by Steph herself!

One day perhaps... *sigh* :)

Okay, well, sleep calls and my hands are beginning to hurt, so... I guess I will wrap it up for tonight :) Have beautiful dreams everyone, and one other thing I want to say before I go:

I want you to go to your window and look up at the sky. If it's cloudy where you are right now, do this the following night, but look up at the clear sky and make a wish upon the first star you see. Whatever it is that you wished for, one day it will come true so long as you continue to believe in yourself. :) It may seem a little silly, but it's true. You are a shining star! :D

Sweet dreams everyone...

With love,
~Reiko xoxo

★☆ One Step at a Time ☆★

2010-08-12T10:06:00.002-04:00

[Currently listening to "Golden" by Late Night Alumni - this is one of my most favorite songs from LNA :) ]

Good morning again everyone - can you believe it's already almost the weekend? I can't -- and I have a full day off tomorrow, so I'm really excited :) Not sure what I'll do just yet, but I do know that I do need to get some things together for myself first before doing anything else.

Just wanted to put a quick entry before I go to work today. Mainly because it's been a busy and stressful past couple of days, and I miss writing to you all... xoxo

School is what's been bothering me in the last couple of days... At the moment, I'm considering paving a new path in my plans and finally pursue my dream major: culinary arts. And I think I will. I'll explain more with you all later on tonight - there's much more that I want to say, but there's so little time for me to do so...

I went with my good co-worker and friend Justin to see Step Up 3D last night - it was very, very good! Perhaps I didn't mention it in my previous blogs, but I do like dancing! I may not be very good at it, but certainly do enjoy watching dance routines. Movies like Step Up and watching shows such as America's Best Dance Crew actually do excite me, and I'm always looking forward to watching new dance routines. One day I might actually try it out, who knows... But anyway! Step Up rocked -- go see it if you haven't yet!

Another thing that helped me keep mind off of things was looking at one of the games that had been collecting dust on my shelf. I had bought Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time - remember I wrote about this in an older entry? Well, I finally got to take a look at it last night and it's actually a really cute and fun game. :) I'll have to find a little more time to try and play it when I'm free. That's what I enjoy the most when playing fantasy games - it takes you to a kind of faraway place where you can not be "you" for a while, and slip into the shoes of another. The downside of this is that sometimes we are tempted to get sucked into the game that we're unaware of how much time is spent while we're in fantasy mode. However, it is nice to somehow get away from it all just for a little while right? :)
These distractions helped me to keep my mind off things for a little while, but at the same time gave me time to find myself. Slowly but surely I think I'm getting there.

It's just like what the lyrics from Jordin Sparks' "One Step at at Time" say:

One step at a time, there's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly or falling in love
It's gonna happen and it's supposed to happen
That we find the reasons why one step at a time

Time for me to get ready for work guys, but I can't wait to write to you all again tonight. :)

Have a beautiful day and even if there are times when there are things that will make you frown, turn it upside down because, in the end... everything will be okay. It sounds corny, true, but you know it's true :)

You hold the key to your happiness...

Keep smiling,
Reiko xoxo

★☆ Cousin Doug's Wedding and Birthday Thoughts☆★

2010-08-10T08:09:00.015-04:00

[Currently listening to "Your Love is My Drug" by Ke$ha - she's kinda my current music obsession at the moment :) ]

Good morning again everyone :)

I know, I did say that I was going to update last night, but I got an excuse ^-^;; Some of you guys may or may not know about this already, but I do go either to the pool or the gym after work on most days during my week. I love to stay physically active and looking forward going to the gym or the pool after a good shift at work is very motivating. But for something more exciting, I've been doing something in addition to my routine!

In the last week, Rich - one of my good guy buddies who's one of the cooks where I work - is teaching me boxing! He did professional boxing for quite some time, and I learned this when I was working out one night; he came in with a few guys who I see sometimes at work and they put on their gear and started knocking each other out, lol! I thought it looked pretty interesting and asked Rich about it. Soon enough, I started learning how to make the proper fighting stance, jabbing, perfecting my hook, and I'm now learning how to slip (making my body go down to dodge a punch). It's so aggressive, but it's so much fun too! I got a couple of my co-workers Dice and Jas to join too - the more the merrier, right?? :D

...but I think I pushed my limit last night, and sucker-punched myself right out x_X It was so much fun, so I guess it was worth it :)

So now that I probably bored you with my gym story, why don't we get on with some of the pics from my cousin's wedding? :)

Saturday, July 10th, 2010 in the city of Philadelphia was one of the most exciting days for me and my family. My elder cousin, Douglas, married his very cute and lovely wife Christina :) It was a very lovely wedding - Caribbean music played as the bridesmaids and groomsmen made their way to the altar, a song sung by Celine Dion played as the bride's march, a wonderful and motivating pastor led the way, and all followed with a fun wedding reception :) I've been waiting a couple of months to meet this wonderful Christina, and I finally got to meet her on this day - she's so pretty and fun, I'm so happy that Douglas found a wonderful woman like her and I'm praying for a loving, happy life together <3>

Here's me with my mom, dad and handsome brothers Jerome and Jonathan :)

My cousin JR with lil Elijah, the ring bearer - this little guy is so funny: when he approached the altar, he handed the rings over to Douglas and tried to run away, lol!

The cousins! We're from my dad's side of the family. From L to R: Bridget, Kimberly, Richard, my brother Jerome, JR, me, other brother Jonathan, and Ryan. :)

Doug and Christina cutting the cake - it's so gorgeous, I loved the colors!

My cousin Rich dancing with his really cute girlfriend Kristen :)

Just a few pictures for now to show you guys - I've yet to upload the pictures on my Facebook, so I will post a link on my Twitter and in a later edit tonight :) It was my very first time at a wedding, especially at a family wedding, and I will never ever forget it :)

Time for me to get ready for work, guys... I wish I can write to you a little bit more, but look out for an update later on tonight and you guys can always follow me on Twitter too :)

Before I go though, just wanted to say that I just placed in an order for something I wanted to get myself as an early birthday present: DSKJewelry's Strawberry Lemonade necklace :) Isn't it gorgeous? I absolutely love the colors - their warm colors are just so sweet, summery and... I guess you can also say, yummy :)

Speaking of which, DSKJewelry's Model Contest ends this coming Sunday, August 15th - cast your votes now if you haven't! :) You can vote at: dskmodel.tumblr.com (best viewed either in Mozilla or Safari because it's being weird in Internet Explorer).

Have a wonderful day everyone, and I'll check back with you all later on tonight -- promise!! xoxo

Much love,
Reiko

Edit!!
The pictures are now uploaded on my Facebook - visit here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2019471&id=65300438&l=955e740e50

Enjoy the pictures! :D

★☆ Early Morning Chat with Reiko ☆★

2010-08-09T05:08:00.010-04:00

[Currently listening to Best of KAT-TUN - yes, I'm a JE fan too! :D ]

Good morning everyone :) It's now 5:11am, and I've been up for nearly half an hour. I'm not entirely sure why I got up at this time, but I'm feeling wide awake writing to you all, lol! It certainly has been a while.

Since I'm up, I wanted to share with you guys my weekend - it did have it's ups and downs, but I learned a lot in just 2 days...

There are a lot of things going on at work that it's gotten me so busy in recent weeks - if you're new to reading my blog, I'm a bartender in a retirement home - it will seem bizarre to you, I know, but as I've said time and time again, I love my job! :) I've been working full-time hours now and I'm enjoying that, but at the same time it's physically exhausting. (Imagine running around serving food where you have to wear long sleeves with little air conditioning for about 8 hours - ooh, yeah, that's me! >_< ) I like to have a break every now and then, and to my surprise I was given a weekend - Saturday and Sunday - off! It's a very rare opportunity for me, so I figured it's time I took it to fully enjoy it :)

[Saturday]
I met with @SleeplessFish, aka Taylor , my beloved boyfriend (of 2 years now) after he got off work. We did have a rocky start over something that was small and stupid, but we eventually came around and had a good time. He showed me around the church where he works - it certainly is a beautiful place, and it's big too! :) I just wished I had taken some pictures to show you guys, but I guess I will have to do that the next time I visit there :) We headed over to my best friend, Nicki's, house for a party :) Our college friend, Jeincy, is moving to Washington state soon to work there for a year, so we had a party to celebrate her new job! It was an absolutely fun fun night - I got to see a lot of cool people whom I haven't seen in so long!

This is Jeincy! I met her in her freshman year in college, my sophomore year. She's one of the sweetest girls ever!

This is me with @babyroach, aka Nicki, my best friend of 17 years next month - I met her while we were in religion classes and altar serving at our old parish, and we went to the same middle school, high school, and even college! I'm convinced God brought us together for a reason - I'm so thankful to have her in my life!

...oh, right, I haven't posted a picture of Tay and me together yet, right? :D As proof that we were at the party together, lol!

It was too bad that I had to leave the party early, but I stuck around for Jeincy's cake cutting :) It was such a cute and delicious cake!

I had to take a picture of this before I left, but it's one of the yummiest things I've ever tried: it's a can of whipped cream... with alcohol in it. I kid you not - it's flavored with amaretto, and is 36 proof/18% alcohol! I'll have to get me one of these if I ever have a party or something. Have any of you guys ever tried this or seen this before? It was my very first time seeing this on this night and it was so yummy :) I'm curious to see if it comes in other flavors!

[Sunday]

I never thought I'd have a day where I could sleep in and just be lazy for a morning until yesterday - I had gotten up a couple of times to get onto the computer to see what was going on in the world, but shortly after that, I decided to have what I call a "power nap" - I wanted to really re-charge my batteries and I didn't get up again until around 1pm! It was a wonderful feeling :)

I didn't take many pictures yesterday, but I met with Tay again after he got off work at the church in the afternoon. In case you guys were wondering about his job, for right now he's a weekend sexton at his parish until the original sexton, currently stuck in Japan, comes back. ^-^; We had a huge dinner at The Silver Diner - we split a peppermint milkshake; I had a small Ceasar salad and had the Shrimp Scampi with gluten-free penne pasta, which was actually pretty yummy! Tay had a small summer salad with his Grilled Wasabi Salmon Sliders - his was very yummy too :D We topped it off with a slice of the Chocolate Cream Pie :) We were so full, but it was very well deserved meal!

Don't ask me why, but yes, I'm a very silly person when I'm eating out :p

We finished off the day with watching "The Other Guys" - it's one of the funniest movies I've seen this summer, especially with Will Farrell in it :) If you guys haven't seen it yet, I recommend it if you really like really ridiculously funny movies :) I still want to see Charlie St. Cloud and Salt too, and even Step-Up 3D since it just came out in theaters :)

Overall I had such a good weekend! I'm fully relaxed and recharged. I will have to go into a full day at work later on today, but I'll be ready for it when I get in :)

If there were a couple of things that I learned this weekend, it'd be these:

1. Looking back at my pictures from this past weekend made me realize that I should appreciate and embrace each moment more and more, like they were the last moments of my life. I may not see these people or do these activities very often, but I need to enjoy them to the fullest. After all, you only live life once, and you need to cherish and embrace each moment with all your heart.

2. In addition to that, remember I mentioned that Tay and I had a rough start when we first saw each other on Saturday? We love each other very much, but our love is not perfect - we fight, sometimes, mostly over the smallest and ridiculous things. It's normal in any relationship, and in most cases, good because each of us gets to see a side of each other that we may not know about each other; we have our differences, but these can be worked out somehow. Tay and I have our differences too, but we work them out together. I guess that's why he and I have gotten so close, and I'm thankful for that.

So a little message from me if you are lucky to be in a loving relationship or even if you're still waiting for that special person: Love him or her with your mind, heart, and soul. If this is the one that you want, don't let him or her slip away - embrace him or her with all your might.

Immature love says, "I love you because I need you."
Mature love says, "I need you because I love you."

I'm not sure where I learned this from, but I do know that is is true. :)

All right, time to get ready for the day...

...and I just realized that I didn't put up my pics from my cousin's wedding as I promised... I do promise, though, that I will do that tonight :)

Lastly, a pic that I took yesterday that I hope will make you smile too - featuring DSK Jewelry's Rocker Pink Necklace and Heart Love bracelet :) Makes me feel so pretty in pink xoxo

Have a beautiful day everyone :) See you tonight!

With love,
Reiko xoxo

★☆DSKJewelry Model Search 2010!! ★☆

2010-07-14T00:11:00.009-04:00

[Currently listening to "I Like It" - Enrique Iglesias feat. Pitbull; Enrique Iglesia's new album "Euphoria" :) - check out this sexy Spanish man on iTunes now! xoxo ]

Hello everyone! I'm glad to be back - I've been away on a 5-day vacation (well, actually 4 since I had to come back a day early), but I'm so happy to be back on a computer and write to you guys again. I tell you, it's been too long!

I'll tell you guys about my vacation in a separate post, but before I get to that, I just wanna say:
1. Yay, Spain!! Congratulations for winning the World Cup!!
2. ...I gotta say, Enrique is pretty sexy. :) ...just saying! xoxo

...anyway, guys. ^-^;;

It has been a while since my last post, and I've been meaning to put up this post for a while, but I just wanted to let you all know that I just entered DSKJewelry's Model Search contest!! I just sent my entry form not too long ago. I've never entered in something like this before, but I'm hoping I'll make it!! :D ★☆★☆

I wanted to share with you guys in this entry my DSKJewelry pieces as well as my entry form and pictures that I turned in so you guys have an idea of what DSKJewelry is about. :)

Fellow blogger Stephanie of Seattle is the girl who designs and creates her beautiful pieces, including earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Her most known pieces are the Bubbi Necklaces (inspired from YouTube make-up guru, Bubzbeauty - whom I'm also a fan of!) and Everything bracelets: bracelets that have many many combinations in beads, Swarovski crystals, and chains that no two everything bracelets are the same; each one has its own unique name and design and it's really neat how special these pieces are!

If you are interested in her jewelry, I highly encourage you to visit her site: dskjewelry.blogspot.com

Here are the pieces of DSKJewelry that I currently own:

The first pair of earrings that I bought when I first visited DSKJewelry's site was this: the AB Star threads. I never wore thread earrings until this pair and it's by far my favorite pair of earrings out of all the earrings I own! The threads are 3 inches long, and are lightweight and comfortable to wear. The cute little stars remind me of the stars in the sky; believe it or not, I actually do wish upon the first star that I see at night and yes, I do believe that one day my dreams will surely come true. When I first bought these earrings, the stars really do remind me that I've got to hold on to my wishes and dreams and with hard work (and perhaps some luck too), one day they will come true. :)

This is the first necklace that I bought: the Large Golden Moon and Dark Teal Starfish. It was one of the simplest, yet beautiful pieces I saw when I first came to the site and I wanted soooo bad; I waited 2 weeks until my paycheck came in so I could buy it! I really liked the golden moon because it reminds me of nights when I would see the golden harvest moon in the night sky - every time I see it, there's just something so mysterious about it that I can't just look away. The cute teal starfish really compliments the golden moon nicely, and when I first saw these two together, it reminded me of a phrase that I saw on one of my friends' Myspace profiles: "Be the moon and pull in my tide." It also reminded not just of the representation of the stars (like the one for my earrings) but also of my boyfriend Taylor who loves the beach and the oceans. All in all, the necklace represents me and Taylor - I just had to get it, and I love it!

These are the 5" Rose Flower thread earrings; these are by far, the longest earring pieces I've ever owned, but they are so cute! I bought this in the early spring because I love the size, shape and color of the rose-colored flower - just like the cherry blossoms, no? :) Not only did they remind me of cherry blossoms but they also represent my love for flowers in general as well as the color pink to represent my feminine side. I don't mind that the threads are this long. In fact, when I'm wearing them, they're so lightweight that sometimes I don't really notice that they are really there!

And finally, my most recent piece: Rocker Pink! This is one of my favorite necklaces, mainly because I really like the combination of the single heart and a wing alongside it - it's simply really cool! Taylor really likes this piece too (which, of course, makes me happy :D ). When I saw the preview for the Rocker necklaces, I thought, "...wow, that's actually really neat!" It reminded me of a phrase that I came up with 2 years ago when I was really down: "You can try to rip off my wings... but no matter what you do, I'm still gonna fly." I bought the pretty heart in pink, again to represent my feminine side, and the combination with the silver wing makes just...awesome. I don't truly know how else to describe it other than to say that I love this piece!

So here they are: my 4 beautiful DSKJewelry pieces! I hope to collect more, maybe a bracelet because I've yet to own one!

This year, Stephanie is hosting a Model contest, a girl (or guy) to represent her jewelry in the DSK family, and I'm hoping to be one of them! Again, I've never entered a contest like this before, but it's about time I got out of my shell and give this my best shot! I want to thank Taylor for helping take pictures of me for the contest - without him, I wouldn't have gotten the pictures that he took (all of which I loved!). I submitted 5 of them, though I would have turned all of them to Stephanie. The voting begins on Friday - I'm very excited for this!!

And now, here's my entry form with 2 paragraphs explaining who I am and why I want to represent DSKJewelry; there's also the 26 question survey - I had fun with these! :D

Hello Team DSK! My name is Jennifer, but many know me as Jenni or Reiko; Jenni shortened from my first name and Reiko from my days of studying Japanese language in my high school and college. I’m 22 years old, and I’m working to finish my undergraduate degree in Business Administration. I’m pursuing my dream in the culinary field; my biggest passion since I was a child has always been food – I love food, as well as making new dishes and eating my work! One day I would love to either manage my own café or restaurant, or move up to become an executive chef. Until then, I have a blog that I try to update often, and I plan on opening a separate blog dedicated to my recipes and other food finds. Meanwhile, I work as a part-time bartender in a retirement home – I know it may sound pretty bizarre making drinks for the elderly, but I love my job! I live with my Filipino family: my parents and two younger brothers, both who have autism. I love adventures and playing sports (tennis and volleyball mostly), but to unwind I love to read, knit, play video games or chat with new friends online… Oh, let’s not forget blogging! I’ve become fond of traveling recently and would love the travel the world someday… I’m a simple girl, living my life by having fun and with a smile on my face. Visit my blog at xsimplyreikox.blogspot.com!

I learned about DSKJewelry in the beginning of this year through YouTuber Lindi from Bubzbeauty – I watched one of her videos talking about her DSKJewelry necklace and I thought, “…wow, that’s a really pretty necklace she’s wearing, but where can I get something like that?” That’s when I visited the website, learned about Stephanie and her works and the next thing I knew… I bought (thus far) 4 pieces of jewelry! The moment I opened my first package, I was very happy and surprised to see how beautiful my necklace and earrings were when they sparkled in the light! I wear my jewelry during my days off from work, and I’ve received a lot of compliments from my friends and family members. (I even got compliments when I window-shopped in a Swarovski shop recently!) Since buying my first pieces, I’ve told my friends about DSKJewelry, and I keep an eye out for new pieces that I would love to own. Recently I came to realize a new philosophy: I believe that each person, like each piece of jewelry, is made unique and original but never a copy. Stephanie’s talent and artistry in her jewelry really represents that and from that came success. Her successes have inspired me to pursue my own dreams and make them come true. This is what DSKJewelry means to me and I want to represent myself as a Model to inspire others to succeed, that they are beautiful and unique and to also check out and support her jewelry.

Now that I’ve given you bits and pieces of who I am, here are some questions that I’ve answered to get to know me a little bit better!

a. What's your name? Nickname?

My name is Jennifer, but many call me Jenni or Reiko

b. How old are you?

I’m 22 years young!

c. When's your birthday?

August 23^rd

d. How tall are you?

5’5”

e. What is your career? If you're a student, what is your major?

I’m finishing up my undergraduate degree for Business Administration. I’m also working part-time as a bartender in a retirement home. (It seems pretty bizarre, but I love my job!)

f. Are you single? Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Married? Children? It's Complicated?

I’m currently in a relationship with my best friend, Taylor – it will be 2 years on July 29^th

g. Where are you from? Birth place? Current location?

I was born in Norfolk, Virginia and now living in Virginia Beach, Virginia

h. Do have siblings?

I have 2 younger brothers, 20 and 17, who have autism

i. What's your ethnicity?

My family is from the Philippines but there’s a possibility of having a bit of Chinese in my background too!

j. What's your favorite food?

Oh gosh… You had to ask, haha! If I had to choose one favorite food, it would have to be mangoes!

k. What are 5 words that describe you? Be Creative!

Loving, Creative, Adventurous, Motivated… and Hungry!

l. What would the title of your autobiography be?

“Breaking Free”

m. What would you do if a vending machine stole your money?

Try to get that snack out, even if it means kicking it or getting a friend to help you out! You know what they say – if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!

n. Do you have a tattoo? If so, where?! If no, would you get a tattoo?

Currently no tattoos, but I’ve dreamed of having a tribal dragon design on my torso

o. How many piercings do you have?

One piercing on each ear, and a belly ring :D

p. What your favorite feature? What's your least favorite?

Favorite feature would have to be my smile since I love to smile and laugh! Least favorite feature… maybe my calves – from running around so much, lol!

q. How many languages can you speak, and which ones?

I can speak 2 languages, English and Japanese, fluently; I am working on Spanish and Tagalog right now!

r. What's your zodiac sign?

Born under the Chinese zodiac for the Rabbit, and am a cusp between Leo and Virgo – I think I’m more of a Virgo than anything else!

s. What's your dream job?

My dream job would either be to become an executive chef for a well-known restaurant or open up my own restaurant or café

t. What's your favorite thing to do on the weekends?

Gosh, I have so many favorite things, but to give a short list: shopping, going out to eat, checking out new sites, going to the beach, watching movies and sunsets.

u. Do you have any phobias?

I have a fear of being forgotten… I dunno why, but I can’t help having that feeling, you know? :o

v. What's your favorite pick up line?

I honestly don’t have one; I’ve never had to use one… ^^;

w. What's your ring tone?

No current ring tone at the moment, but when I get my new phone, I’ll program it to play “Niji” by Aqua Timez

x. What's your favorite song?

My favorite song changes everyday, but for a while now it’s “Niji” by Aqua Timez

y. What makes you laugh?

I laugh when I’m happy, when something funny happens, or just for no reason What can I say? I love to smile and laugh!

z. I can't wait till: ________(Fill in the blank) :D

…the day(s) when all my dreams come true!

And that's that!! I'm going to also submit a video that I am hoping to have posted on my YouTube channel tomorrow morning so please keep an eye out for it :) Don't forget to vote on Friday, the 16th!!

Until then, representing for DSKJewelry!!

Much love, xoxo Reiko

♠ Launching New Blog Soon :) ♠

2010-07-01T08:25:00.005-04:00

[Listening to disc 3 of Fruits Basket anime at the moment :) ]

Hey, everyone :) I hope you're having a good day so far - I know I am :)

Remember Taylor? :D He turns 24 today :) Yay!!

Just thought I'd put a funny picture of him for starters ^-^;; (Tay, if you're reading this... xoxo!)

Sadly, he and I are working today, but we will celebrate tomorrow since he has half the day off and I'm off all day :D We plan on having an early dinner, go see Last Airbender, just have ourselves a good day :)

But can you guys believe we're already 7 months into the year? Like... Where has all that time gone, you know?? I don't know about you guys, but through the good days AND the bad, I'm enjoying each day to the fullest and I'm learning a lot along the way. I hope you all are doing the same. :)

I've decided that for my future entries for my recipes, I'm going to create a separate blog, and keep this blog for random happenings of my everyday life :) I think that's a pretty good idea so that I can keep them organized better, so in the next few days I'll let you guys know when I launch the blog site. :)

Again, I'm crunching on time, but I thought I'd write to you guys for a little bit; not to mention that this laptop that I'm writing to you all with is the only working computer in the house - the computer that I currently have in my room has something wrong with it (I think some spyware worked it's way into the computer and now I can no longer browse the Internet...). I will only have limited time and access to you all here but I will update when I can :)

Until next post, you all have a great day! :D And to celebrate Taylor's birthday, and his love for ocean things, here's a picture of me when we went to the aquarium in May:

With love,

~Reiko xoxo

♠ Court Update and Some Sweet Things :) ♠

2010-06-29T08:27:00.004-04:00

[I figured out the name of the song! It's 3OH!3 feat. Ke$ha's "My First Kiss" - playing that now! :D ]

Good morning everyone! :D I meant to update yesterday, but had a lot going on :)

...I'm guessing you all wanted to know how the court thing went?

Well... I'm sad to report that there was actually no hearing yesterday :( Dad and I were at the courthouse for quite some time to learn later that the lady who hit me had a no-show. Her lawyer kept apologizing to me for having to wait so long and that the case will be rescheduled for August 26th. Needless to say, I was rather disappointed because I had been looking forward to this day for a long time and wanted to have all this behind me when it was over... Now it's going to be a couple more months of waiting... So until then... :(

I wasn't going to let this get me down, so I had some time yesterday to take some pictures with Taylor at the beach :) The real reason for the picture taking, though, is for the contest that I am entering - the DSK Jewelry model search! I will making a post in the next day or two talking about the jewelry, what it's all about, and even show you guys pictures of my pieces :) I look forward to showing them off to you all!

Until then, here is a preview of the pictures that were taken yesterday :)

Taylor and I; it's one of my favorite pictures of us :)

Enjoying the sun at the beach :)

Sitting pretty :)

Reiko for DSKJewelry! :D

Look out for the new blog entry that I'll post soon about DSKJewelry, okay guys? :D

I'll also be able to post new entries for my food recipes :) I know it has been a while since I posted something for all of you, but please be patient, as my schedule oftentimes keeps me very very busy :) And now that I also have a brand new camera, I can add pictures to show you guys step by step how I make my food :D I can't wait!!

Time for me to get ready for work, but I will be back soon :) Until then, have a wonderful day!!

...oh, did I forget to mention that today marks me and Taylor together for 1 year and 11 months? :D

And one last thing...

Think of you, babiiiii xoxo ♥

With love,
~Reiko xoxo

♠ Slowly Counting Down... ♠

2010-06-27T22:20:00.002-04:00

[Currently eating dinner - Wendy's Grilled Chicken Sandwich and a large sweet tea to be exact!!]

Hey, all you cool cats! :D I hope you all had a very good weekend - I sure did :)

Again, I'm crunching on time, and it's late at night... Since I'm in the dining room with my laptop - and with that being the only working computer in the house for now... - I can't play any music since my dad and brothers are trying to sleep... Don't want me to get in trouble do you? ;) Just so you know though, you know that new song from 3OH!3, featuring Ke$ha, the one that has the lyrics going, "My first kiss went a little like this"? It's been on my mind for a while... Pretty catchy. Just saying! XD

Also, I do have pictures, but I will have to wait to post them until tomorrow. So we'll save those and the rest of the most recent news until then. :)

...anyways!

Wanted to let you guys know that the court day is set for tomorrow morning. I have mentioned that this will be my very first time participating in a court session (I'm testifying as a witness), so I'm excited, but at the same time, a little anxious as to how this will all play out. Well, I really shouldn't be so nervous since I am not the one at fault for the car accident back in March, but I guess I just want to see how everything plays out in the very end. My dad will be in the courtroom with me, so at least I'm not going there alone with my lawyer and the other participants.This day has been on my mind since I received the subpeona 2 weeks ago, and now the months of waiting will come to a close... I will update you guys with the results when I return. Wish us luck! :)

Other than that, I'm doing well! It really is summer time, and it's not just from the ridiculous heat that has come to my hometown! Today it reached as high as 102 degrees, or so it said on the odometer on my way to work this afternoon. The notice on the doors said that it is a black flag day and that outdoor activities are to be suspended. I don't really know about that though: even though the black flag warning has been posted all around the building, some of the residents at the retirement still go outside; I don't know how these people do it, but there is a small group who absolutely love the game of croquet - I think they've been outside for an hour or so, with the sun not bothering them at all! (I think they must be real die-hard players to be playing in those conditions...!)

Anyway, when it gets really hot wherever you may be, make sure to keep yourself cool - stay inside if you must, and be sure to drink LOTS of water! I don't want to hear any of my readers say that they're not doing well because they're not keeping cool! T_T Play it safe!!

All right, until tomorrow, everyone, have a good day/night wherever you may be! :)

Lots of love,
~Reiko xoxo

♠ Reiko's Back - About Damn Time :)v ♠

2010-06-24T08:36:00.009-04:00

[Currently having some breakfast with her little brother, Jerome :) No music involved, but has Owl City's "Strawberry Avalanche" playing in her head :)]

My goodness, it really has been a while everyone - sorry for the delays again >_<

I'm crunching on time at the moment, so for now, I just want to bring you guys up to speed to what has been happening with me in recent days:

How's Reiko? Overall, feeling great and just going about my busy days loving each day to the fullest, even on the toughest days :) Due to some personal issues that I have experienced recently (which I can't explain to you guys here, I'm sorry... :( ) in many ways, I feel that I have matured from it all, and I'm taking the baby steps to becoming an even better person than I was a few weeks ago. One day I will be able to tell you all, but for right now, rest assured, I'm doing well, and I'm loving life! :)

Family: In about 2 weeks' time, my family and I will be venturing up north for my cousin Douglas and his fiancee' Christina's wedding. :) Douglas is one of my cousins that I've admired since I was a kid, and now I'm very happy that he is very happy to start his new life with his soon-to-be wife, who will also become a wonderful addition to my family :) I'll be gone for about 5 days to venture up to New Jersey to see my extended family, and then to Pennsylvania where the wedding will take place. I'm very excited not just for the wedding, but for the trip itself. It's been a while since my family and I had a vacation together, and this will be a real treat. I haven't been to New Jersey since seeing my relatives to embark on a flight to the Philippines together 5 summers ago, and I've never been to Pennsylvania before - I'm really looking forward to the adventures to come :)

Work: I'm loving and appreciating my work as a bartender/waitstaff in that retirement home more and more by the day :) I know some of you guys are wondering how on earth I'm able to cope working in a place like this, and I can simply tell you that it takes a lot of love and patience. There are times when it gets busy and difficult, but I know that in the very end, everything will fall into place and will be all right. I like being with people (especially talking to them) and I get along fairly well with the people I work with and work for. Love and patience are the keys, my friends! :)

Friends: Unfortunately, due to my very busy schedule, I only have very little time to see and/or chat with my friends in real life or even online (Facebook, Myspace, etc.). I was able to see a couple of good friends in recent weeks - Kai and Eleni - which is a good start, but when I have time to hang out, or even have an online chat with you, etc. , I will let you guys know :) I may not be able to say this to each of you individually so I'll say it here: I love you all and thank you for being a part of my life :) xoxo

Love life? Taylor and I are doing very well :) I feel that he and I have gotten much closer since the last time I posted, and that makes me feel very good. Tay is a really important person in my life, and I'm very grateful for everything he does and even just being there for me. He's been by my side even through the most recent slumps - I don't think he realizes how much I appreciate his love and loyalty to me... But anyway, we are doing very well, and we'll be celebrating our anniversary (1 year, 11 months) in a few days, as well as his birthday... which is a week from today! Whoo! xoxo

Car accident update: Remember the car accident I had back in March? Well, the case will come to a close in the next few days: On Monday, I will be appearing in court to testify as a witness in the case against the woman who hit me and my car, Rinoa. I have been looking forward to this day for a while - this will be my very first time testifying as a witness in court. As I said before in my post-accident post, I have forgiven the woman since that night, and I still do to this very day. I'm not sure what the outcome will be for the other woman, but I do hope that from whatever punishments and/or fines that will fall upon her, she will learn from that so that she won't have to experience that ever again. After this, my family and I will be truly ready to move forward from this, and I pray that she will too.

So yes! That's the gist of what's been going on with my lately, but I do want to announce one other thing... As of yesterday, I now have a brand-new digital camera!

This is the model of the digital camera that I now have: Samsung T220 digital camera, 12.2 megapixels and dual LCD screens. I'm loving this camera the more I use it :) ...should I come up with a name for it? :D What do you guys think?? Leave me a comment below and let me know!

And of course, I wouldn't end this post without showing you guys a few pictures from my new camera eh?? :D I had to compress them in order for them to fit here, so if they appear small for you guys, I apologize - I will have to work on them later :(

My handsome boyfriend, Taylor :) He made dinner! ^0^

A very interesting mug that held some tea he brewed for me :)

Dinner! Little steak and vodka pasta! We had a huge helping of seconds after that :)

My brother, Jerome finishing breakfast... and trying to be cute. :p

...and there's yours truly! :)

And there you have it guys! Now that I have a new camera, I'm looking forward to posting more for you guys. I'll update when I can, but I'll definitely chat with you all soon. Have a great day!!

xoxo,

~Reiko :)

Can't Introduce Squall Just Yet... :(

2010-04-27T23:25:00.008-04:00

[Listening to "I'mma Be" by the awesome Black Eyed Peas! :D ]

Hey, everyone, it's about 11:30pm, and in about half an hour I will be working on my last Art History homework for the semester. I know, I hate having to do things at the last minute, but... What can I say? Lots of things to do... ^^; I will be up for a while, but I'm not gonna stop until it's done :) No, not an all nighter this time - I hope it won't end up being that way!

...shame on me, what did I say I was going to do for my Resolution(s)...? ^^;

Yesterday, I was supposed to take pictures and tell you guys about my wonderful new Rav4, Squall. Well, unfortunately, my digital camera has been giving me problems since yesterday morning: for some reason, it's malfunctioning even though I haven't done much to it in the last few days... Yes, I've changed the batteries, and yes, I've made sure that they were put in correctly... It's frustrating... :( I may have to invest on getting a digital camera that *will* work for me... That probably won't happen until around summertime because guess how broke Reiko really is... I hope to take a look at the camera and get it fixed soon so that I can show you guys some cool vids and pics of Squall. I will say, though, that I'm in love with it... even if it is a car ^^;

In the meantime, I want to tell you guys a few highlights of what's been going on with me in the last couple of days:

So, my college besties, Stephanie and Nicki, came home for a short break before starting their May Term (Good luck, girls!). I spent some time catching up with them on Thursday night when they came home, but I had more time to spend with them during my day off from work yesterday. We went to California Pizza Place for a late lunch, then went to my favorite gelato shop, Melt (soon to become "Confetti" about a week or so from now). After parting ways for a little while so that Nicki could finish up some homework, Taylor met with me and we hung out at Barnes and Noble for a little bit.

Guess what caught my eye when we reached the comic book section...

Yes, it's Yoshitaka Amano's Final Fantasy "Dawn" artbook. :D Now, for those who don't know, I'm a big Final Fantasy fan, and every FF fan would know one of the artists behind the concept art of the popular series. Amano is not only famous for his art for FF but also in other works such as Vampire Hunter D, another series that I'm a big fan of. What I really love about his work is that it is very beautiful and magical, almost as though the characters and creatures, though in 2-dimensional traditional art, could pop out of the page and come to life. As a fan of his work, I had to get this artbook. :)

This is one of my favorite images in the book - it's Firion, the main character from Final Fantasy II. :)

Anyhow, we were able to hang out, watch ourselves be silly and... just have a great time! Being with my friends yesterday made me realize how much I really love and miss them; I've been working a lot and doing a lot of things myself and with my boyfriend that it made me realize how much I really do love and appreciate people like them in my life. Even when I have my cloudy, gloomy days, I know that these guys and girls would always be there to bring back the sunshine! Much love!!

Another thing I want to share with you guys is that I'm getting into a physically better shape since the accident. I've continued to work out in the gym on the days that I do work, but tonight I started doing some abdominal exercises that I've been wanting to try in the last week.

While I exercised one night, I watched a couple of my co-workers as they did some ab-work; they followed along to a DVD series for physical workouts and this particular one caught my interest. I used to do ab-work a lot during my days in my high school's varsity tennis team; my coach trained us hard doing ab-work, pilates, etc. that by the time I finished my time with the team, I had some nice abs! I wanted to gain that back, and tonight, I started doing it.

I found the workout videos online via YouTube and I'd like to share them with you all in case you want to try this out. If you do decide to work out with these videos, exercise with caution and care - results come in small increments and large amounts of effort!
Here is part 1:

And part 2:

Trust me, after doing these exercises... I feel it in there! o_O Sexy abs, here I come! :Dv

...and I will admit: the guy in the video kind scares me with the way he talks to you while he's exercising... It's scares to where is actually pretty funny that it's scaring me and I end up laughing. ...but what else can I do? =/ Just saying... ^^;

All right, well it's about time I start tackling this Art History homework eh?! Better get a'movin' so I'll chat with you all soon!

Until next time, be well! I hope to get my camera fixed soon too!

xoxo,
Reiko

I'm Back (Quick Updates!)

2010-04-25T10:24:00.003-04:00

[Currently listening to Ke$ha's "Your Love Is My Drug" - it's been on my mind since seeing the movie "Bounty Hunter"!!]

Hello everyone, I'm sooooo glad to be back! I'm sorry for those who have been sending me e-mails and whatnot asking where I've been. Not to worry, I'm coming back, refreshed, renewed and... feeling awesome, basically!

It has been a really rough month since my car accident last month, but with the help of my family, friends, co-workers and friends all over the net, I feel as though I'm back to where I was before the car accident occured. :) Rinoa, my first car, may be gone, but I'll never forget her. I know it may seem a bit fickle since she is a car, but what can I say? She was special to me. Even though she may be gone, I now have a new car that I can also say is very important to me now.

...you guessed it, it's name is Squall. :D I don't have photos of Squall just yet, but I will later on. He's a *brand new* 2010 Toyota Rav4, made in Japan! I love him so much! Oh, you know what you guys, I'll make a blog tomorrow for you guys introducing my handsome car :)

I'm still working at the retirement home, the place I love! I'm realizing each day that I work there how much I really love working there; my co-workers are awesome, I love being with the residents each day to talk to them as well as serve them food and drink, and... well, I love what I do as a bartender/waitress! I'm actually going to get ready soon, but I wanted to give you all a quick update about how I'm doing and that... I'll be coming back on here, full swing!

You guessed it, new blogs, new recipes, new patterns, etc! Thanks for sticking with me on this awesome journey - I promise I won't let you all down!

One more thing that I want to say to you all before I log off for now:

I have had a lot of things happen in the last month since the accident, and I've been taking things in a little bit at a time. Even through the darkest of times, there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel and when a door closes, somewhere out there another door is opening. You've probably heard these kinds of things at one point or another, but these are true. Take in each moment and be happy that you are alive and living. Whether you're having good days or bad, cherish each moment, and live your life with no regrets. In the last month, I decided to live my life thinking this way, and I've been feeling much better since then :)

Much love to you all, and I'll check back with you later!

Blurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

~Reiko xoxo

♥Reiko's Fitness Challenge - Day 1!♥

2010-03-15T08:50:00.007-04:00

[Currently listening to KIRIKO sings "Studio Ghibli Films music" with an ERHU. "HARE-TANE" album - buy it on iTunes if you're a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki's films and music!]

Hi everyone! It's been a long week, but I'm back with some exciting news :)

It's been about a week and a half since my car accident, and my injuries have mostly healed; I'm very thrilled that my bitten lip and tongue are not aching anymore and my bruises and aches have lessened :) I'm healing up, and I'm very excited! I'm also very eager to drive again, so starting today, I'm going to drive me and my mom to work. I know my parents still worry about me about driving, but I'm not going to let that big crash scare me - I'm like a dandelion: spunky and tough! :D

Since I'm crunching for time right now, I just wanted to briefly touch on something that I'll be doing in the next couple of months :)

At work, there is a fitness challenge event where the employees can record their physical activities; it's a contest to see who can complete the challenge, recording the number of minutes of activities done for each day. My mom has done something like this in the winter, and when this challenge came up again, I decided to give it a whirl. After all, I have been going the gym at least 3 times a week and I stretch and do yoga almost every morning and evening; not to mention I do a lot of walking when I'm working - bartenders and waitstaff do a lot of walking! I was curious to know how I was doing as far as average time of exercising for each day and I also wanted to know my average walking distance when I work each week.

In preparation for this challenge, I went shopping with my dad yesterday to buy a little pedometer for me to wear and watch for the times that I clock in and out of work. I'll be recording my progress daily so let's see how I do today! Later on, I'll be updating with some exercise routines that you can try at home. :)

So far today, I've done about half an hour's worth of stretching and warm-up exercises; I do this daily so that my body and mind are awake and ready for the day. I plan to go to the gym later on in the afternoon, and then meet with my boyfriend Taylor for dinner (for sushi night!). I haven't seen him in almost a week, so this is going to be very fun! ^0^

All right guys, time to head out - I'll be back again to record my physical activities and share more fun stuff with you! Have a great start to your week! Be well!

Much love,
~Reiko ♥*.

♥ Miracles and Dreams Do Come True ♥

2010-03-08T22:31:00.007-05:00

[Currently listening to "Breathe" from Michelle Branch's "Hotel Paper" album.]

Hey everyone, I hope you all had a good Monday :)

It's only been a few days since the car accident, and even though I'm still physically hurt, I'm very eager to come back to work. I'm feeling even more strong by the day, and I'm feeling confident about coming back to work tomorrow morning - I miss working, my co-workers, and the residents of the retirement home.

My parents and I took pictures of my bruises and inside my mouth (where I bit my lip and tongue when the airbag hit me in the face) so that we could send them off to my soon-to-be lawyer. We had one come by our house earlier today to speak to me about what happened as well as look at my injuries and taking pictures. I will admit that this guy, though helpful, was right to the point and seemed rather rude when cutting me and my dad off when we were trying to explain some details that may be important... But after signing some paperwork and exchanging information, we'll be getting in contact with the main lawyer in the next couple of days. My parents and I are very anxious to get everything done soon, but these things do take time and careful consideration.

While my parents left for work, I was left at home... I had almost forgotten what it was like to be at the house with no mode of transportation, and it did feel weird at first. But then I kept telling myself that there was no use moping or sitting idly for something to happen (...which is true!). So, I got to work with cleaning up my room, since it had been messy for the past few days from the ruckus, and even worked on my laundry. I made myself a late breakfast/early lunch (okay, fine, BRUNCH) - creamy tomato and alfredo mushroom sauce mix with macaroni noodles. I needed to chew on something soft since it was becoming difficult for me to chew with my injured lip and tongue.

I got a call earlier this evening from one of my aunts in New Jersey; my elder cousin, Douglas, had heard the news of my accident on Facebook and contacted her. It was really nice to hear her voice; I asked her not to worry about me too much because I'm feeling better by the day. It's awesome to have family members who care about you, isn't it?

I received so many responses from the note I posted on Facebook yesterday. I felt that not only did I need to let my family and friends know what happened, but to also spread the word about drunk driving awareness. Something like this can happen to almost anyone, and I wanted to reach out to as many people as I could so that my friends and family wouldn't go through what I experienced. Although I wished this didn't happen, I'm glad it did because I feel like a better and stronger person than I was that night.

There is something that I would like to share with you all before I end this entry because it really changed my view on life after Saturday night:

I went with my family to the church we often go to. We were reluctant on going at first since my brothers were saying that they didn't want to go, but my parents and I knew we needed to go and seek spiritual guidance from God. Throughout the service, my mind blanked out. I coudln't help but to think about what had happened Thursday night... In my mind, I replayed the very moment I knew that I was going to get hit. I was very thankful to be alive from the accident, but I will admit that there were times when I questioned, "What would have happened if I didn't?" or "Was someone really looking out for me out there?". So many questions...

...until we stood up and held hands to say "The Lord's Prayer".

During this time, the community stands up and joins hands with those sitting next to us in the pews or in front/behind/etc. My family sat on one end of the pew row while another family stood at other end, with a gap in between me and them. As I joined hands with my mom and I held my right hand up for the prayer, I felt something warm... The warmth of someone's hand holding mine, though I couldn't see it. I recited my prayers, my eyes still in awe at my hand... I thought, "...could it be...?"

It didn't truly hit me until I received the Eucharist and knelt at the pew - it was Him all along, and now I truly believe. I held back my tears because I didn't want my parents to see. I have no doubt in my heart and my mind about Him anymore - because of Him, I believe that miracles and dreams do come true. Anything is possible, so long as you believe in Him.

Love with all your heart, dream with all your might, and even if you find yourself in times of darkness, believe in Him and he will be your light. :)

Good night and sweet dreams, everyone :)

With love,
~Reiko ♥*.

P.S. Did I forget to mention how really sweet and wonderful my boyfriend, Taylor, really is? He came by my house on Saturday to cheer me up; he even bought me some mango-filled truffles. :) I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have him for support... I don't think either of us would do if I didn't make it out all right from the incident... But I also thank God for sending me such a wonderful person in my life.

♥ Reiko's Car Accident on 3.4.2010 ♥

2010-03-07T14:02:00.005-05:00

[Currently listening to "Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood, the perfect song for the theme of this entry.]

Hello, everyone - I know it has been a while since my last entry but... You guys have absolutely no idea how relieved and happy I am to be alive...

I want to tell you guys about my car accident on Thursday night; what I'll do is copy and paste the note that I tagged a lot of my friends in on Facebook so that everyone can read it. Not only do I want my friends to know about this but also for others who are also reading my blog to know what happened - I care for you all to be safe and not end up like me or the other driver who hit me; you'll see in just a bit.

I'll also post a public link from my Facebook account so that you all can view the pictures of my baby car, Rinoa. The police, my family and I have concluded that from the condition my car is in, it's totalled beyond repair. I miss her so much... I'll never find another car just like her.

Without further ado, here is the copy of my written report on the accident from my Facebook:

Hi everyone! As promised, here is a detailed report of what happened on Thursday night (the scariest moment of my life!).

Some of my co-workers already know that I was released from work very early that day, and since I didn’t have any plans, I decided to go shopping for a little bit but then came back to work to go to the gym and work out. (I try to go there a few times a week for some exercise after work. ) After working out for a couple of hours, I decided to head home.

Between 8:30 and 8:45 was when the accident occurred:

I was driving on the left lane on Shore Drive toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel exit; as I approached Greenwell Road, I saw a Grand Marquis in the opposite direction in the left turn lane. As I approached the intersection, I saw the Grand Marquis suddenly move forward, and before I knew it… I had been hit. The Grand Marquis had been spun around toward the middle of the intersection; my Rav4 moved forward and came to a complete stop further down the street (on Shore Drive, in front of the old gas station lot). When I realized that my car had stopped, I looked all around me; I could smell burning rubber, I saw dust everywhere, and I had also noticed that my airbag deployed (thank goodness!).

My mind was racing, and the first thing I thought was that I just had to get out of my car. I immediately grabbed my cell phone, removed my seatbelt and was able to step out of my car with little to no difficulty. It didn’t occur to me when I looked around that my eye glasses were missing; though I couldn’t see very well, I could already tell that the broken glass and scrap metal scattered across the street was from my car. I just kept thinking, “…I can’t believe I just got hit…” Before I knew it, many people had gotten out of their cars to assist me and the other driver to make sure that we were okay before the police and the paramedics arrived; I never thought there were that many people who were kind enough to care and stop to help! As they asked me questions, I had to interrupt them while I called my Dad; he called my mom, who was at work at the same place where I was.

While waiting for my mom to arrive at the scene, the police and paramedics started asking me questions and checked my vitals. I didn’t notice any injuries at the time since my body was shaking terribly and my heart was racing; later on I realized that there was a taste of blood in my mouth, and learned that I had bit my lip and tongue when the airbag deployed. My mom found me and… words could not express how happy I was to see her face since my dad was not able to arrive (he couldn’t leave my brothers alone by themselves). After letting her and the police know what happened, I couldn’t help but to keep asking how the other driver was doing. I learned later on that the female driver was okay, but had injured her ankle due to the impact of the crash. As for my glasses, a male police officer found them on the other side of the street! My guess is that the airbag must have made them fly off from my face when I opened the door of my car.

What surprised me later on was that she was driving while under the influence of alcohol; before getting behind the wheel, she was coming out of a bar and had herself at least 4 drinks. (The police said that you can tell from a good distance that she was drunk). She had refused to take the breath test and was taken under custody. What happened to her after that, I don’t know… This is all I know about her at the moment.

At the time, I didn’t have a camera on me so that I could take pictures of my car, but when I saw one of my co-workers, Donnell, I was very happy to see him. Apparently when my mom rushed from work to see me, she ran into him and mentioned that I was in an accident. Thankfully, he had a camera on him and took pictures of my car before it was towed away. (I’m still waiting for those pictures though!)

My mom and I decided that it was best for us to get me checked at a hospital. It was a very long wait for the results from tests and x-rays, but as I waited, I noticed pain on my upper neck, shoulders and part of my back; the pain that I had in my mouth (my lip and tongue) had increased and my mom and I saw that I had a scrape and bruise on my left arm. Thankfully I had no fractures or any life-threatening injuries.

My family and I are monitoring my injuries as well as taking care of legal works for my car and the insurance companies; we are working to find a lawyer at this point. In the past couple of days, I have noticed some bruises that developed on my chest, neck, arms and both sides of my hips. I am taking some medications and lots of rest; I won’t be coming back to work until Tuesday morning.

That night, I learned to accept that my car is gone. I am sad that I lost my car that I barely had for 2 years, but better to have my car gone than my life or the other woman’s. You can replace cars and other things but… you can’t replace a lost life. I have also forgiven the woman for what she had done, but I’m still very disappointed that she decided to make an irresponsible act of driving while she was drunk. I hope she learned her lesson and pray that it doesn’t happen again.

As I have said in my response video last night, please please PLEASE don’t get behind the wheel when you are drunk. The next time you know that you are going to have alcoholic beverages, make sure you have a friend to be a designated driver, or call a cab (or stay the night at your friend’s house). Whatever you do, never go drinking alone and drive drunk. You can never tell what could happen: You could end up like me, the other driver… or worse. I’m telling this to you guys because I love and care enough for you guys to make the right decision and take care of yourselves!

I'll be posting the pictures of my car shortly; prepare to brace yourselves because... It's bad. Looking at these pictures were very painful for me, but I want to share these with you guys and girls so that the same thing does not happen to you. I'm just so relieved and happy to be alive...

Again, thank you for your kind messages, etc. I love you all more than you realize! I’ll be better soon, don’t worry. And to my awesome co-workers, I’ll be back soon… headstrong! :D

Here's a public link to my photo album of Rinoa, my poor baby car, on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017374&id=65300438&l=b71e981c37 I miss her so much... :(

But that is all for now; I'll update when I can. I need to get as much rest as I can so I can heal quickly! Until next time, be well, be SAFE, and keep smiling. I know I am - there are just so many reasons to and it's the best medicine!

Much love,
~Reiko xoxo

☆Heart Knitting Pattern :) ☆

2010-02-22T23:05:00.008-05:00

[Currently listening to "Careless Whisper" by Seether; sounds awesome, but you can't beat the original song by George Micheal of course!]

Good evening everyone! :) I hope you all had a good day - even though the majority of the day was a bit dreary due to the rain, overall I had a good day. :)

Guess what! I finished the second knitting square using the heart pattern as shown in the picture in my previous entry. What I love about it? I made it perfectly! When stretched out, it makes a beautiful chocolate colored heart :) I'm very excited to already have 2 squares done, and now I'm making one with the same pattern with the dark brown. I haven't been this enthusiastic about knitting in a long while, and I almost got started on the third square before writing to you all! Yarnwork has become fun again!

Before I share with you the pattern for the heart square, I have a couple of things to announce:

- After I finish with my current project, I have ideas for the next blanket - using the patterns that I'm using now, I'm going to create a similar blanket, but using the colors of... chocolate? Yes, the next one is themed after the sweetness and warmth of chocolate! I was inspired after seeing today's episode of Oprah, where most of the set was made out of Godiva chocolate! From the chandelier, to the fireplace and even the painting on the wall - all were made with pure chocolate :) I bet that the studio smelled AMAZING... *-* Anyway, this will be started after the first blanket is complete. Needless to say, I'm excited!

- While I'm working on these blankets, I also have in mind making either blankets or other simple projects to sell or auction :) The proceeds made toward this will be used to donate to charities. I will look at and select various charities and will let you all vote for which I will donate money to. Let's join together make a difference for those in need! Keep checking for updates on this! :)

All right, fellow knitters! Get your yarn and needles out for this simple and cute heart square pattern! Have fun!

Notes:
-I used US size 8/ 5.0 mm knitting needles and worsted medium (4) yarn for my squares.Be creative with your colors and yarn types, and it's best if you use the proper-sized needles.
- Some of the rows that I put may seem redundant, but I put them there as a guide for each row you knit.
- k = knit, p = purl, sts = stitches

Cast on 38 sts
Rows 1-4: k across
Row 5: k3, p32, k3
Row6: k across
Row 7: k3, p32, k3
Row 8: k18, p2, k18
Row 9: k3, p14, k4, p14, k3
Row 10: k16, p6, k16
Row 11: k3, p13, k6, p13, k3
Row 12: k15, p8, k15
Row 13: k3, p11, k10, p11, k3
Row 14: k13, p12, k13
Row 15: k3, p9, k14, p9, k3
Row 16: k11, p16, k11
Row 17: k3, p7, k18, p7, k3
Row 18: k10, p18, k10
Row 19: k3, p6, k20, p6, k3
Row 20: k8, p22, k8
Row 21: k3, p4, k24, p4, k3
Row 22: k7, p24, k7
Row 23: k3, p3, k26, p3, k3
Row 24: k6, p26, k6
Row 25: k3, p3, k26, p3, k3
Row 26: k6, p26, k6
Row 27: k3, p3, k26, p3, k3
Row 28: k6, p26, k6
Row 29: k3, p3, k26, p3, k3
Row 30: k6, p26, k6
Row 31: k3, p3, k26, p3, k3
Row 32: k6, p26, k6
Row 33: k3, p3, k26, p3, k3
Row 34: k6, p26, k6
Row 35: k3, p3, k26, p3, k3
Row 36: k6, p26, k6
Row 37: k3, p3, k12, p2, k12, p3, k3
Row 38: k6, p12, k2, p12, k6
Row 39: k3, p4, k10, p4, k10, p4, k3
Row 40: k7, p9, k6, p9, k7
Row 41: k3, p5, k7, p8, k7, p5, k3
Row 42: k9, p5, k10, p5, k9
Row 43: k3, p7, k3, p12, k3, p7, k3
Row 44: k across
Row 45: k3, p32, k3
Row 46: k across
Row 47: k3, p32, k3
Row 48-52: k across

Bind off, and you're finished!

Have fun, be creative with your knitting squares, and happy knitting! If you have questions about the pattern, let me know in the comments!

Much love,
~Reiko ☆*.

☆ Fill Your Hearts With Love :) ☆

2010-02-21T22:31:00.010-05:00

[Currently listening to "Vanilla Twilight" from Owl City's "Ocean Eyes" album - if you liked their song "Fireflies", I think you'll like this song as well as the rest of the album! ;) ]

Hi everyone :) I hope you all had a good week - tomorrow's Monday, thus the start of a new week for most of us. This past week has been very long, filled with busy hours, lessons learned, and hearts all around. Thankfully, I was given today off from work - I FINALLY got to catch up on the things I needed to do, especially my laundry (specifically my work uniforms ^^; ). There is still much to be done before today is through, but I'm taking some time from my busy schedule to write to all of you! Why? Because Reiko says YOU ROCK! ;)

First of all, I want to briefly tell you guys and gals about the place where I had the best she-crab soup... EVAR!! You're probably wondering where this place could be? Well, let me tell you: It's called Charlie's Seafood Restaurant!

This family-owned restaurant has been around since 1946, founded by Charlie and Mary Rehpelz (this is a picture of them back in the day!). In recent years, they've been awarded as the Best at the Beach not only for their specialty in seafood, but also for their customer service. I heard from Taylor and a few other people that this little restaurant is a nice place to go; even Tay said that it's so popular that it gets packed during the summer... o_O

So! ...was this popular little place really as many have claimed it to be? Well, this was my first time here, and I was about to find out.

Taylor and I got there around 4:30, a time when usually there isn't much business going on - perfect for a bit of a more quiet, comfortable first-time experience. Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately felt a comforting vibe: first from the handmade painting of ocean creatures on the walls, then to the restaurant itself. It isn't fancy, but it felt like home to me. We already knew that we were going to get she-crab soup, but along with that, Taylor got a shrimp basket and I got shrimp cocktail. I absolutely love shrimp, and the cocktail was delicious... But the she-crab soup topped it: it was so creamy, flavorful (full of crab and sherry) and there was a lot of crab meat! It was so good, it was no wonder the menu itself said that it was "A must for newcomers!" While we ate, I took a look around and... I can imagine how crowded it would be if we got there during the summer, so I'm glad we got to come at this time. I would definitely come back again, even if it was for another helping of that soup! :) If you want to see this restaurant for yourself, and you like seafood, check this place out! And if you do, or if you already have, let me know your thoughts on it (especially the soup!).

I know it's been a while since my last entry, and it's already past, but to those who gave up something for Lent, what did you give up? Let me know in the comments section! I gave up a couple of things; one I will not say due to personal reasons but one that has been very diffcult for me since Lent started was... video games. I knew it was going to be hard for me not to turn on my PSP, Wii and Nintendo DS, but I had to do it. :( I had to hide my hand-held games in a place where I wouldn't get them so easily... The sadness! But Lent is a time for spiritual good, so... No games for me. And I had just bought Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time for my DS... ;-; I dedicate a lot of time to my games, but for the next 36-35 days, I have to deal with it and try to do something else until Easter...

...which brings me to my next topic: I picked up my knitting needles again! It has been a while since I made something so I thought I'd try something new. Have you read my entry about knitting and crocheting? Go read it if you haven't, but if you already have (or if you're just lazy... ^^;) I mentioned that there was a HUGE crochet blanket that my mom and I made together a few years ago. ...and yes, we still have it - I'll have to take a picture for you all next time. ^-^ Anyhow, I thought that for this big project, I'll make a blanket all on my own!

Originally I wanted to have my quilted blanket to be a mix of crochet and knit patterns, but I found that I'm actually more comfortable knitting this. And so, knitting it is! I started the challenge today and made the first square! This light teal yarn is one of the colors that I will be using for the squares; the others are 2 shades of brown, and the bright blue yarn that I originally had for my Rinoa duster cosplay (which I will save for a future project). There is a yarn by Red Heart that has a combination of the browns and light teal in it, and I'm debating if I should use that for a square pattern or for the borders... I'm sure I'll figure it out, but this is what I have as far as colors are concerned!

For the patterns though, you see this square that I'm holding? This one has a huge heart in the middle of it (and though you won't see it in this picture, I did make a mistake in one row ^^;); this pattern will be featured in some of the squares as well as a few more heart patterns that I have in mind. Yes, this is a heart-themed blanket, full of love and warmth! For each day that I work on this blanket, I'll be sure to update you all on my progress. And I'd be more than happy to share with you the patterns that I used for them. :)

There is much more that I would love to be able to share with you all for tonight, but I'll have to save that for next time. :( But on a good note, I wanted to also let you know that... I'm much better! :) I still have stuff going around in my nose, but that will go away in time. But the good news is that I'm not contagious and am feeling really good! It's a miracle what lots of rest and natural remedies can do. :)

I'll be back tomorrow for another fun entry for you all. Until then, good night and be well!

Much love,
~Reiko ☆*.

*Disclaimer: Pictures found for this entry is sourced via main website of the restaurant mentioned here; in other words, I'm claiming that I do NOT own them!

☆Update in the Life of Reiko :) ☆

2010-02-15T10:15:00.006-05:00

[Currently listening to "Deux Tigres (feat. Inguenue)" from The Shanghai Restoration Project's "Zodiac" album. ]

Hi, everyone :) I know, it's been almost 2 weeks since my last blog update - just so you all know, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth yet! I've been really busy with school, work and...

...believe it or not, I actually got sick this past week so I've also been busy trying to recover! :( The common cold is to blame... I don't think I'll ever really know how I caught this, but we're not perfect and can't always be too careful. The bad news is that right now, I'm on (assumingly) Day 5 of having the cold... and my nose is still stuffy... But on the bright side, I'm slowly on the road to recovery, and am actually feeling much better than a few days ago. I thank sleep, prayers, and my Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup! I should be completely over this cold soon! :D ☆

I've received some e-mails from some fellow readers, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your words of encouragement and wonderful ideas for this blog - this means a lot to me, and I really appreciate it!I know I've been meaning to update this blog sooner, but there's so much going on with me in real life. Rest assured, I'll be able to update my blog more often and bring you all more recipe tutorials, cool music finds, and talk about other cool things and places (and eventually, people!).

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year yesterday - I know I did, even if I was still sick! I did my make-up inspired from the tiger from the Chinese zodiac; this is not a recent picture of the look, though... The picture that I'm showing you all for right now is my first trial of the tiger-eyes look (which I used to scare my brothers and, surprisingly, my dad). My boyfriend, Taylor, made these really yummy strawberry pastries - he knows how much I love strawberries! I wished I had my camera at the time so I could show you all how cute and yummy they were! The neatest thing about this was that not only were the paper towels stained in red and pink to make it look pretty, but also, Taylor shaped the strawberries into the shape of hearts! How cute is that?! :D

We had a late lunch and went to this cozy place called The Atlanta Bread Company. This was our first time here, and upon stepping inside, it had a very comforting vibe :) We took a look around, and saw that they also served these big portions of muffin tops and other pastries - the breads were the ones that really caught my eyes because I love freshly-baked breads :) Tay and I each enjoyed Italian Wedding Soup and Butternut Squash Soup in sourdough bowls. Both soups were very yummy and the bread...! I have tried butternut squash soup where I work, but the soup I had defintely topped it! It was rich and flavorful... I'd love to try making it sometime... Oh, but the best part? We got to sit at the table by the fire - how warm, comforting and romantic is that? :D

We finished off the day with watching When In Rome! We got the best seats in there, and if you go to movie theatres often, then you know where I'm talking about (and it's not on the front seats!). It was almost a full house, and I understood why - When In Rome is a very good romantic comedy! Since I'm crunching on time here, I will say that if you're up for some laughs, I think you'll like this movie, so go see it! :D

There is much more that I would have liked to have said in this entry, but I'm out of time for right now. I'll make an effort to make another entry tonight though, so be sure to look out for that!

Thank you everyone! Have a wonderful day and be well! :D I know I will be... soon! <3

Much love,
~Reiko ☆*.

☆Does It Work - 5-hour Energy Update!☆

2010-02-03T21:54:00.008-05:00

[Currently listening to "Vertigo" by U2 :) ]

Hey everyone, I'm back! ...after a really LONG day, yes, I'm alive and... surprisingly very much awake!

...I'm guessing you guys are wondering, "Reiko... Did you even go to sleep last night?"

Well, truth be told: I only had about 2 hours of sleep in the last couple of days. No joke, and I know that it's not something that I really should be proud of either. If you saw my face this morning prior to putting on concealer and the rest of my make-up, you guys would be 99.9% be more likely to run for it... if I could put it that way. I put on A LOT of make-up to where I don't think you could really tell that I barely slept. (Actually, very few of my co-workers knew or even noticed... or so I may think!)

I was very much awake all day, and I'll get to the Does It Work?! product in a bit, but... I do want to touch onto something on the side for a moment.

Remember when I said that I wouldn't be doing all-nighters for my schoolwork? Well... You guys can slap my hand: I didn't follow through. I was able to finish my Art History homework this morning and did very well on it. However, as good as it may have felt to be able to finish my work, I'm actually a bit more disappointed that I wasn't taking care of myself as much as I should have while doing so. As a result of lack of sleep and high levels of stress, I noticed upon cleansing my face this morning that... Yes, my face started breaking out with a few small pimples on my forehead and face. =(

For those of you who may not realize this: yes, stress can cause your face to break out. An adequate amount of sleep allows your body to rest and recooperate; when you're awake the next day, the stress levels in your body won't be so high and you will feel less stressed and more relaxed. In addition, your body (rather, your immune system) will become weaker and your body will become more vulnerable to getting sick... or worse. If you want to stay strong and healthy, love your body by giving it some time to rest. I know, I've done it too and may still do it here and there, but I'm taking the baby steps to get better by making efforts to sleeping better.

Okay, now let's get back to the Does It Work?! product: the 5-hour Energy drink. Not long after finishing my previous blog (past midnight my time), I drank half of the bottle for a safe start.

When I consumed the first half of the bottle, I thought that the drink actually tasted nice, but a bit tart. I guess that's supposed to give the impression that you'll feel energized starting from the pang in the aftertaste; that didn't really work with me, but soon after, I began to read and review my materials for Art History before taking the homework quiz. I never really paid attention to the time while I was buried into my notes and monster of a textbook, but by the time I finished everything, it was almost 6 a.m. and I had to leave for work at 9. I was shocked. When did the energy truly kick in? I don't think I'd really know, but what I do know is that while I studied, I never felt so focused and awake for doing homework in such a long time... It actually felt great.

As I got myself ready for work, I wondered what would happen if I drank the other half of the bottle while in this state. You guys are probably thinking, "Reiko, you're out of your mind!" and... yes, I very well may have been, but you know what? That small bit of "energy" kept me up and alert during my 8-hour shift today. 8 HOURS. And long was it orginally supposed to last? It was another busy day during lunch and dinner and not only did I feel awake and alert, but I had this feeling like I wanted to keep moving, to keep going... as if I were a machine or something! It felt good, but I'll admit it was a bit scary as well. Again, I'm shocked that this product had kept me up this long, and as I'm typing this, I'm feeling a little bit tired. Not to the point of passing out though, but we've yet to see about that, right?!

The pros: For me, the 5-hour Energy drink kept me awake, alert and focused. I may have yawned a few times during the day which would lead to where I may be feeling tired but my mind stayed focused and sharp.

The cons: I mentioned that this product made me feel like I want to keep going, and I had the feeling that this may not be a good sign. True, I was going about very well with what I was doing at work, but at the same time I couldn't help but to think that if I kept going, what were the chances that I might lose focus and I get myself injured or something? For the rest of the shift, I definitely slowed down despite the jitters.

I can't truly determine if I'll feel the crash when I get to bed after this, but that's something to blog about later on. So here's the verdict:

Does It Work?! : YES

Would I buy this product again? : I'm not sure!

I would think that I may use this product again in the future if I really do need to be up and focused. And as I learned the hard way, I wouldn't recommend doing this for an all-nighter for homework... or even after! (So to my fellow college student readers: try not to make this too much of a habit!) I'd also recommend to not rely on this product too much though for health reasons, and you also need to allow your body to do what it can do without it. We're only human and can only do so much so don't push yourself over your own limits... Otherwise, you're going to crash in the end. =(

...and speaking of crashing, it's time for me to get myself to bed. Good night everyone! I wish you sweet dreams and an even brighter tomorrow :)

With starry love,

~Reiko ☆*.

☆Does It Work?! - Smooth Away and 5-Hour Energy ☆

2010-02-02T23:38:00.015-05:00

[Currently listening to Britney Spears' "The Single Collection" in random, starting with "3" ]

All right, something new and interesting to share with you all! I’m starting a “Does It Work?!” series, where I find some interesting products, try them out, and review and share my results. In this entry, I’ll be sharing with you 2 products I just so happened to find today!

So before getting home earlier today, I stopped by a 7-11 close to where I live to pick up a snack. On my way to the snack aisles, I happened to come across a box on the front shelf for the product called “Smooth Away”. Perhaps you’ve seen the infomercial claiming that this product gently exfoliates your skin while “smoothing away” unwanted hairs anywhere on your body. Yes, I have seen the infomercial myself, and I too have wondered if it really does work. For some of the guys who may be reading this blog, in case you don’t know – most of us, the ladies, like the feeling of having soft smooth legs, which is why we shave them. Now I don’t mind using razors, but I too have wondered if there are other ways of achieving this without the fear of using razor blades or waxing. Feeding to my curiosity, I decided to buy the pack and try it out for myself.

After picking up my snack, I realized that I’m going to have to find some way to keep me awake after finishing my blog entry so that I could work on my Art History homework assignments. I wasn’t in the mood for coffee; I needed something good that would help keep me up and focused. Then I decided to buy the 5-hour Energy drink in pomegranate flavor – the tiny bottle with the drink that supposedly works more effectively than coffee and without the crash. I’ve been wondering about this product for a while, so tonight, I’m going to try this out.

So there we have it! Our 2 products, Smooth Away and 5-hour Energy: Do They Work?!

I’m starting with opening the box for Smooth Away, and here are the contents:
-A light green travel bag
-1 large pink applicator (to put on your hand)
-1 small pink applicator (to put on your finger)
-A sheet manual
-Small pack of exfoliating pads

Upon seeing the products in the pack, and even before opening the pack itself, I had the feeling that I wasn’t going to like this, but I had to give this a try. After applying the small exfoliating pad with its corresponding applicator (which, by the way, are like stickers), I tested it out on my left hand. It does feel like very, very dull sandpaper which is good so that it doesn’t roughen up the skin; after doing 3 circular motions counter/clockwise as according to the manual, I felt no immediate reaction on my skin. So far so good – I’m not allergic to it! The sheet manual says to continue doing this to the area until all the hair has been removed, “smoothed away” rather, so I kept doing so until I noticed a difference on my hand – it felt nice and smooth, and the thickness of the hair on my hand (not that I had much to begin with anyway) had lessened from the exfoliating pad. So from what I could see, the small application worked out well.

Now for the bigger challenge: the large applicator for bigger areas. Unfortunately, I failed in attempting to make a “before” and “after” picture since my camera’s being lame, but I decided to test this applicator out on my left knee and part of my leg. Again, I used counter/clockwise motions and upon doing this, I saw that the hairs were basically being sanded away. The results: my knee and part of my leg felt smooth and soft and it did a very nice job in “smoothing away” the hairs without much irritation or bumpiness. It’s actually quite nice as opposed to having to deal with razor burns afterwards.

The pros: This product has proven itself to be a pain-free way to remove unwanted hairs. The exfoliating pad leaves the skin smooth and without leaving bumpiness on the skin.

The cons: Later on, I tried using the product on my upper lip, and again the hairs were removed and my skin feels very soft. Sadly, not all of the hair could be removed from this area due to the shape of the applicator; it could not reach the corners of my mouth no matter what I did, but since the hairs were close to the crease and were very light, I don’t think it would be that very noticeable.

Now, how long would the smoothness last? My prediction is that it will come back just as fast as it would if I were using the traditional razor. I’m going to wait a few days and see what happens, and I’ll let you all know the results when I do.

So… Does It Work?! YES

Would I buy this product again? Probably not. Yes, this product worked out well for me, but I don’t think I’d be using this very much. My Venus Soleil razor works just fine so I’m more than likely to be using the traditional stuff than this product after all.

If you have used this product before, or if you are interested and want to try this product for yourself, share your experiences with me in the comments section below. I know that there will be a lot of different opinions about this, and a lot of products are not for everyone. Oh, I should also say that the box says that it’s not recommended for diabetics so… Use at your own risk, and let me know!

I’m going to try the 5-Hour Energy drink now, and I’ll begin doing my reading and homework for Art History. I’ll post the overall results later on, so be sure to look for an updated entry for the blog.

I’m already feeling confident about this product, but I can’t go flying off the handle on it just yet. Upon looking at the bottle, it says that I should be feeling the energy within minutes of consumption and should last for hours. Hmm… We shall see about that, now won’t we? ;) The instructions on the bottle say to consume half the bottle for a moderate amount of energy or a whole bottle for the maximum strength. I’ll start off consuming half the bottle and see how this goes.

Stay tuned for the results!

xoxo,
~Reiko ☆*.

☆Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup and Irish Cream Brownies – The Tutorial!☆

2010-02-02T00:09:00.009-05:00

All right you guys, the moment you’ve ALL been waiting for! …okay, maybe not. :p

Anyway, it’s another food tutorial! Today I’m going to share my recipes for Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup and Irish Cream Brownies. You can multitask making these two recipes so you don’t have to make one thing at a time back to back. When I know I’m going to have to make a lot of things, I prepare all of my ingredients first – all of them measured and using whatever preparations needed before I begin. In this way, my flow of cooking is more smooth and efficient.

We’re going to start with the ingredients for the Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup:
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup celery
- ½ cup diced carrots
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock (I used Swanson Broth with less sodium)
- 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley (I used dried parsley since I already had that available)
- about 4 cups of chopped cooked or un-cooked chicken meat (I like chicken breast best!)
- about 8 ounces of dried egg noodles, or you can get creative and use your favorite noodles! (Here I used Rozoni’s Healthy Harvest Rotini.)

First, in a medium soup pot, melt your butter/margarine. **If you haven’t cooked your chicken yet, cook your uncooked chicken with your garlic, ginger, ground pepper and onion until the onions have softened and the garlic has lightly browned – this’ll intensify your flavors. After that, add your carrots and celery; sauté for about 2 minutes. As you can see, I just added the ingredients I mentioned into the pot already since I was crunching on time that day.

Then, add your chicken stock to the mix and blend in your parsley; let it come to a low simmer. **If you had your chicken already cooked prior to this, go ahead and add this to your mix. Turn the heat to a steady simmer and let the ingredients cook for about 20 minutes – this will tenderize your chicken meat and your veggies as well as bringing the flavors together.

Now while that’s going, we’re going to get started on the Irish Cream Brownies! This was a recipe that I recently found and wanted to try out since it is fast and easy to make, so here’s the recipe to that:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup butter or margarine
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup sugar (that's what's in that mushroom jar, lol!)
- ½ cup egg substitute such as Egg Beaters
-1/4 cup Irish cream – I used Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Some cooking spray

Prep your oven to 350 degrees F. While it’s warming up, prepare in a medium bowl your flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda and salt – mix them together with a whisk. Don’t forget to also prep a 9-inch square baking pan (or a pan of similar size, like what I did...) by spraying a light layer of cooking spray.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and butter/margarine and blend until the chocolate chips are completely melted. Add the sugar, Irish cream and vanilla to the concoction and mix until the sugar is completely melted (you may need to microwave it for a few seconds until it’s warm enough to do so). Now, the original recipe said to also add the egg substitute, but when I did so, I may have made it too warm. You can try this yourself if you’d like, or you can wait until later to blend it in.

After that, it’s time to bring the wet ingredients with the dry – add your dry ingredients into the large bowl with your melted chocolate mixture and fold them all together with a rubber spatula until you a nice fudge-like batter. Pour your batter into your baking pan, and spread into a thin, even layer. Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes.

While your brownies are baking, your soup is ready for the noodles; you can use egg noodles or be fun and add your favorite noodles. Don’t add too much (like I accidentally did) or your soup will end up thick and starchy. Best to serve this while it’s hot! The soup will be a bit spicy – that’s because the ginger is doing its work!

And here’s a tip about brownies: For a more fudgy texture, take the brownies out of the oven when your toothpick comes out slightly wet, but not too dry (otherwise you’ll have extremely dry brownies!).

Unfortunately, the brownies did not turn out the way I wanted them to and I think it’s because the egg that I added before ended up getting too warm and didn’t give the fluffy, fudgy texture for the overall product. =( The flavor came out nicely though – you can really taste the Irish cream in it too. Try this recipe for yourself, and let me know how this turned out for you in the comments section below. In the meanwhile, I’m working to see how I can improve this recipe in the future. Also, the soup ended up a little too starchy since I accidentally went a bit overboard with the noodles (because I love them sooooo much!); it ended up being just as delicious… I just gotta be careful for the next time around!

Again, I was crunching for time, and I didn't realize that I didn't take as many pictures as I hoped... But I'm very sure you all got the idea. I hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial and hope you guys will have fun making this as much as I did; again, if you have any comments regarding your results or curious about any improvements on my end, let me know in the comments section!

Happy fooding!
~Reiko ☆*.

☆Let It Snow! ☆

2010-02-01T23:39:00.007-05:00

"Happy Snow Day 1/30/2010"
[Currently listening to Oceanlab’s “Sirens of the Sea” album, beginning with “On a Good Day”]

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend – mine was very busy but also very good for two reasons: I started off my weekend celebrating me and Taylor being together for a year and a half and we *finally* got some snow on the East Coast, where I am!

Since I haven’t been able to get on here all weekend, let me bring you all up to speed to how my weekend went down:

Friday: I got up very early to get the rest of my ingredients to my Chicken Noodle Soup tutorial (which I know you guys are DYING to see at this point!). Since I had already made plans to meet with Taylor, I had to work in haste – not only did I make the Chicken Noodle Soup but also tried a new recipe: Irish Cream Brownies. Both recipes are very easy to make, and in the next blog entry, I’ll add the tutorials and pictures to show you guys how it all turned out =)

Taylor and I went to lunch at The Cheesecake Factory; it was very nice because not only was the food (and cheesecake) good, but the time spent chatting and laughing away was just… priceless. It didn’t feel like we were there for a couple of hours, but it was still fun and relaxing nonetheless. By the way, if you like mushrooms and pasta, try the Pasta di Vinci (or if you don’t like mushrooms, like Taylor, just give them all to me!).
Afterwards, we got to watch Avatar! I know, we got to see it so late, but the waiting was worth it. Although it reminds me of a mix between Ferngully, Disney’s Pocahontas, and Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke, Avatar was actually a very interesting and entertaining movie. What really stood out to me the most were the vibrant colors in the world of Pandora – how cool is it to see the plants and other surroundings glowing brilliant colors at night?! Each night scene had me mesmerized… Why can’t our world be like that?! Anyway, I really enjoyed Avatar, so if you haven’t seen it yet, see it while it’s still out in your area!

Saturday: Woke up to SNOW. Finally, we got some snowfall for the first time in a long time. Tay and I said that we’d believe it when we see it… And we did! Thinking about it now, I think the last time we had good snowfall like this was when I was in middle school or beginning of high school… Luckily I didn’t have to go to work until later in the afternoon, and even though I don’t like being in the cold very much, it wasn’t a good snow day without pelting my family with snowballs and building a snowman in our yard. YES, IT WAS A REAL SNOWMAN - one of my co-workers thought that we just put a trashcan and covered it up with snow, when really the whole thing was completely made of snow!! T_T I have a lot of video footage that I need to transfer to my hard-drive, but I’ll come up with a compilation video in the next couple of days, assuming that I don’t get too busy then. Work was actually very good despite the limited amount of workers, including me, who could come in. The coolest part about the day was when my dad helped out my co-worker, Yolanda, by getting her car unstuck from the black ice that developed while she was working. Yeah, Dad was being awesome about taking me to work and back home since I was very reluctant to drive my baby Rav4 onto the developing ice.

Sunday: Busiest night on a day that wasn’t supposed to be! Again, we only had a limited amount of workers with us and so many people to take care of. I thought I was going to go berserk from the madness. Good news was that I kept my cool as much as I could before *almost* brain-farting the rest of the night. By the end of the night, I was so tired that while waiting for my mom to finish her shift, even waiting by working out at the gym made me even more exhausted! As exhausting as it was this weekend at work, it was worth coming in taking care of the elderly and chasing paper =)

So, did you all get some snow where you are? I think we got at least 4.5 inches altogether; how about you? Leave me a comment and let me know!

All right, I’m going to go ahead and get started on the next blog entry and you guessed right: the food tutorials! Read on and enjoy!

xoxo,
~Reiko ☆*.

☆Filler: "The Most" ☆

2010-02-01T17:18:00.004-05:00

[Currently listening to episode 5 of Gokusen Season 3 :) ]

Hey everyone, I'm sorry for the delay in the entries; if you've been following me on Twitter, I've had a very busy weekend and I hadn't found much time to work on them. I will be finishing them tonight, so I hope to have them up by then. I hope you all are doing well, and I thank you for your patience :)

As a filler until then, I'd like to share with you something that I received from my tennis coach in high school a few years ago; it's an e-mail that he gave to us during tennis practice one day and I recently unearthed it from my old possessions. I want to share this with you all because this applies to all of us. This is called "The Most"; perhaps some of you have seen this at one point, but please read it:

"The Most"

The most destructive habit:

Worry

The greatest joy:

Giving

The greatest loss:

Self-respect

The most satisfying work:

Helping others

The ugliest personality trait:

Selfishness

The greatest problem to overcome:

Fear

The most effective sleeping pill:

Peace of mind

The most powerful force in life:

Love

The most dangerous outcast:

Gossip

The worst thing to be without:

Hope

The two most power-filled words:

"I can."

The greatest asset:

Faith

The most beautiful attire:

A smile

The most prized possession:

Integrity

The most powerful channel of communication:

Prayer

The most contagious spirit:

Enthusiasm

Our greatest teacher:

Experience

...and remember: To the world YOU may be one person; but to one person, you may be the WORLD.

Keep this in your thoughts and in your heart, you guys because these are very true. Which one of these are most true to you? I think all of them do, but for me, I would have to say that Love really is the most powerful force in life; a life without love, for me, isn't life. That's why as much as possible, I try to love as much as I can with the things that I do and in the things that I say.

All right, I have to let my dad use the computer for right now, but I hope to have the other entries up by tonight. Until then, be well everyone, and don't forget to love with all your heart! :)

Much love,
~Reiko ☆*.

☆Reiko, the Dream-Weaver :D ☆

2010-01-28T00:07:00.010-05:00

[Currently listening to "無能為力 (translated as 'Helpless')" from the Cantonese movie "Love Is Not All Around (十分愛)".]

Hi everyone :) I hope you had a good day, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to make a blog post as I orignally planned for yesterday because I was very busy getting some homework done for my online classes. Ever done all-nighers? Regretfully, I've done it too; sure I got a lot of things done, and yes, I know it's not a healthy thing to do, especially for my body. ...but you know what, guys? I'm breaking the habit, starting now. From now on, I'm not doing that again for my assignments. Ever. Time for a readjustment in my schedule and routine for a little bit, but at least I'm taking the baby steps to get me there. :)
As you may have guessed from the title for today's blog, I'm going to talk about knitting and crocheting for a little bit. No, it's not a tutorial, although I am planning on putting up tutorial blogs in the near future. The main reason why I brought up this topic tonight is that I noticed recently from one of my college friends on Facebook that she was struggling to learn how to crochet. I was actually very excited and happy for her to take on a new hobby, so I encouraged her to keep on trying (and eventually she got past making the chain stitch!).

I'd like to share with you all a little bit of my experiences with crocheting and knitting, so please sit back and read on! :)

I learned the basics of crocheting from my mom when I was in middle school. My mom taught herself how to crochet during her younger years and growing up, I learned to appreciate the art of crocheting through the lace doilies she made. The way the lace looped and intertwined within itself was fascinating, and I couldn't help thinking, "My mom made something like this?" When I was in sixth or seventh grade, my mom and I came up with a project: to take turns crocheting my blanket. I chose the colors and patterns, she got the yarn, and for each row of color, I learned a new stitch. I'm not sure how long it took us to finally finish it but long story short, it did take a long while and the blanket acutally ended up being very BIG. Big as in... you can fit 3 grown people in it very comfortably. Yeah, it was that BIG.

By eighth grade, Mom slowly taught herself how to knit, but I was reluctant to learn since it looked difficult and confusing. I continued to crochet here and there until I got to college, and I haven't done much crocheting until this past year. During my junior year, I asked my mom to teach me how to knit, and yes, I will admit that I was very confused and stubborn at first - it took me days to finally understand how to cast-on on my own (no help of books or even the Internet at the time either!). Eventually, through the help of online videos and forums, I have advanced in knitting techniques and have made blankets and scarves for myself and my friends.

I have been crocheting for many years and am still branching out with knitting, but overall I enjoy yarnwork with either technique because each completed project is unique - you put your time, effort and your heart into making it so with each item made, a part of you will remain in it. It's also a very relaxing activity; I use it as a method for clearing out thoughts or even daydreaming - sometimes I'll visualize the future image of my project and think, "I can't wait to give this to so-and-so" or "I can't wait for my very own so-and-so" (if I don't feel like buying new clothes, lol!). What I like most about doing this is that it's not only a personal activity but a social one as well. In my last year in my home college, I joined the knitting and crocheting club and I got to meet a lot of young women who shared the same interest as me; I even received a lot of advice from advanced knitters within the group, and thanks to them, I've become more confident in my yarnwork skills.

So girls and guys - yes, guys can do it too! - I encourage you all to try out something new, especially knitting and/or crocheting because it really is fun. It really does take a lot of time, patience and concentration to learn and make new crafts, but in time they can be done. If you get yourself caught in a slump, don't give up! Remember that success comes in cans, not can'ts, so ask for help if you need it and don't stop until it's done! (...yes, you can have breaks in between - I didn't mean it like that lol!) If you'd like to seek help, I'd be more than happy to share my advice personally through my blog, so I hope you'll stay tuned! :)

Okay, everyone, I need to get to bed soon, so I wish you all sweet dreams :) And speaking of sweet, I'll be buying the ingredients to my chicken noodle soup tutorial and my secret sweet tutorial for my boyfriend, Taylor, for our anniversary (1.5 years!). The full tutorial is scheduled to be up on Saturday night. :)

Until next time,

With love ~Reiko ☆*.

☆ New Blog Line-up :) ☆

2010-01-25T21:44:00.003-05:00

[Currently listening to/re-watching one of my favorite Japanese dramas: "Ryusei no Kizuna" (Bound by Shooting Stars). I recommend this if you like Asian dramas!]
Hi everyone! I hope you're having a good start to your week :)

Today's entry will be brief, but I have an announcement!

I've come up with a decision earlier today to make this blog a daily blog. I would like to make this blog more interesting by sharing my thoughts, words, pictures... pieces of me that I hope will reach out to you as well. I haven't truly decided what to do as far as format, but topics that I have so far are the following:

-Beauty and Health - I'll share some simply beauty tips such as caring for your face or taking care of your body!
-Let's Talk About Reiko - Where I can share some things about me; for example, I'll talk about school and how I'm doing
-Music of the Week - I love to listen to different kinds of music, so if there's anything that I find or already have in my collection that I like, I'll suggest them to you all :)
-Book Finds - I am currently taking classes, but I always find some time to read something other than textbooks. So, once a month, I'll post a book find of the month.
-New/Recommended Places - I mentioned in my New Year Resolution entry that I would find new places to explore. I'll be doing that too, hopefully with some pictures to follow if I am able. It's nice to explore new places that you've never been to before :)
-Crafts - I'll share my crafts with you all too since I also like to knit, sew and crochet. If you have a question about any of these, I'd be more than happy to post tutorials for you all. Also, I encourage for crafting to not be limited to young women and children - the guys can too!
-Ask Reiko - Got a question that you'd like to ask me? The floor is open to you guys! Appropriate questions preferred, of course :)

The reason why I've decided to do this update was because of inspiration this past weekend: While helping my parents with rearrangements at our house, I came across from old issues of cooking magazines; after flipping through the pages and finding some recipes, I want to try them out, so I hope to be able to share my culinary adventures as well as adventures outside the kitchen with you all too. :)

So, what do you guys think? Please leave me your feedback in the comments - I'd really appreciate it!

Well, I'm off to brainstorm for tomorrow's entry and tomorrow's coming pretty fast! Be sure to tune in for it! Until then everyone, be well!

Much love
~Reiko ☆*.

☆How to Exfoliate Your Face: A Tutorial☆

2010-01-24T23:51:00.016-05:00

[Currently listening to Late Night Alumni's "Of Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Etc." album in random, starting with "Light Reading"]

This morning, as I was working on my Old Testament homework and realizing that I haven't washed my face yet, I also realized that I was in dire need of exfoliating the skin peeling off from my face. See? ...gross. I KNOW.
I had to do something about it - it couldn't wait. And before I even started to fix this problem, I had an idea:

...write a blog entry about it.

Originally, I'd never thought I'd be doing beauty tutorials here on my blog... But why not? I'm still new to this so a bit of support would help along the way! :Dv

This is a simple, inexpensive and effective way to exfoliate the skin on your face: using your facial cleanser, a gentle soap like Dial or Dove and ...a toothbrush.
NO, not using the one you actually use on your teeth, sillies. (That's just gross!) Use an extra toothbrush that you can use to exfoliate your face! Choose a toothbrush that has soft bristles that are also effective in peeling away dead skin, excess oils and dirt from your face. In the end, this should make your face not only free from the dirt and oils, but feeling fresh and radiant. It can also help reduce the appearance of blackheads too. So, if you're ready for a clean face, let's get started!

(Note: The products that I'm using for this tutorial are Clean&Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser with accompanying oil-free moisturizer; and my travel-size toothbrush, a gift from mom. I suggest that you choose facial products that work best with your skin!)
After pulling my hair back away from my face (...okay, not really.), I splash my face with cold water. I know some of you might cringe at the thought of doing so, but this helps to awaken your face and helps the blood flow in the face area. Splash water on your face for about 10-15 seconds. After that, I take a gentle, moisturizing soap (I used Dial here) and lather it all over the face.
Then, taking your toothbrush, let the bristles rest lightly and gently on the face; using light, gentle circular motions, begin exfoliating your face (you may need to look in the mirror for this). Let the bristles do the work, and just let your hand guide the way. You may be able to see the dead skin being scrubbed away. (I know it's gross, but cool at the same time!)
After exfoliating the face, rinse throughly with warm water to get all the soap and other "stuff" off. But don't dry your face just yet! Next, I take some of the Morning Burst facial cleanser and apply it all over my face, using circular motions on my fingertips - this will help to apply the cleanser to all areas of the face. Don't forget problem areas where acne and pimples are more likely to occur. Do this for about 60 seconds. After that, rinse your face with warm water, removing all of the cleanser, and pat your face dry with a towel. Your face should feel refreshed and awake at this point.
Don't forget to moisturize your face! While exfoliating, you not only opened up the pores to clean the dirt but also stripped away the natural moisture in your skin in the process. Bring the moisture back by adding moisturizer - best if it's oil-free so it does not clog your pores.
If you notice redness or irritation on your skin, it's more than likely that you weren't being gentle enough while exfoliating - softer is better! Or, if this doesn't work well for you, facial scrubs may be a better option for you, such as St. Ives Apricot Scrub. (I have Premier's Exfoliating & Cleansing Facial Gel - it's more on the expensive side but I got it from a friend!) Using a toothbrush can be effective, but I don't recommend using harsh materials such as exfoliating gloves - you don't want to roughen up your beautiful face!I recommend exfoliating your face at least 1-2 times a week, best done at night before going to bed; the skin needs to not only breathe but be given time to regenerate and bring out what we like to have: clearer, cleaner skin.

Beauty really is skin deep.
Try this out and let me know what you think! Here's to a brighter face and a happier you!

Much happiness and love,
~Reiko ☆*

☆Chicken Soup for the Soul! ☆

2010-01-22T09:35:00.005-05:00

[Listening to "The Fame Monster" by Lady Gaga, starting with "Bad Romance, of course!]

...holy crow, I haven't updated all week! How is everyone doing? Can you believe another week has already come and gone? I need to get myself back into the game-mode, don't I?

So... I've kept in touch with Taylor, my boyfriend, in the last week - unfortunately for him, he caught the flu the day after we last saw each other, and he's been at home trying really hard to rest so he can get better. I talked to him via Skype last night and he says that he's feeling better. That's great, isn't it? :) Better to be better than not! ☆

Speaking of getting better... What are your remedies for getting back on your feet after getting sick? Mine have always been lots of hot tea with honey and/or lemon, sleep, and...

...chicken noodle soup?

That's right, I'm talking about chicken noodle soup today! No, not the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, although I do own 2 of the first Teenage Soul books myself and they're overall very good books! I'm talking about the real deal here! ☆

We all get sick, and for a long time, one of the most popular remedies for getting better is to have a nice steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup. I haven't gotten sick this year...yet, and whether I do get sick or not, this simple soup is not only delicious and easy to make, but it really is "good for the soul" as well as the body. How? Well, the answer is in the essential ingredients in the pot (and for the record, I'm not a nutritionist - I'm just a normal girl just interested in food and their benefits; and yes, I have done my research from various soures!):

Chicken - Now, it wouldn't be chicken noodle soup without the chicken, now would it? Well, not only does chicken give flavor to the soup, but when cooked, chicken releases an amino acid cysteine and it helps loosen the mucous in the lungs and makes it easier to cough out.
Onion - I know quite a bit of people who don't like onion, but onion not only adds to the flavor of the soup, but the oils that give the onions their strong pungent flavor is also rich in antioxidants. In addition, they also contain antihistamine and anti-flammatory properties.
Garlic - Now, I mentioned this ingredient in my Greek pizza tutorial a little while ago, so if you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do (and you'll be thanking me for your next idea for your lunch or dinner!). In addition to what I said, did you also know that garlic can help boost your immune system and help fight bacterial and viral infections?
Ginger - I know some of you are raising your eyebrow and asking yourself, "...ginger?" Yes, ginger! For some, it may be an unusual ingredient for this soup, but I use it when I make mine. Not only is ginger a spice, but it is also beneficial to your immune system and soothing sore throat, as well as fighting off infection.
Carrots - And lastly, carrots and celery, which makes the soup complete. Not only is it strong in beta-carotine but when it is converted to vitamin A, it acts as a booster for the white blood cells in your body to help fight off infection.

One more thing! The steam and the heat of the soup helps to loosen and soothe your nose and throat when it gets clogged and/or sore. It helps for a short amount of time, but better to have that time than to not have any relief at all!

I'll be sharing my chicken noodle soup tutorial next week when my pay-check comes in, so be sure to turn in for that. You can share this recipe for when you or a loved one gets sick, or whenever you just want that yummy bowl of soup!

Well, I'm off to get ready for the day, but I encourage you all to be and stay well, even during this season since we're vulnerable to get sick. Have a great day, and I'll be back again soon!

Much wellness to you all:

~Reiko ☆*.

☆ Coffee/ er... Tea Break on a Sunday Night ☆

2010-01-17T22:43:00.008-05:00

[Listening to: "Tik Tok" - Ke$ha; currently playing the "Animal" album by Ke$ha]

No, I'm actually not sipping on either coffee or tea; I was just trying to think of something nifty for the title... Although... I might make myself a cup of tea before going to bed tonight. But we shall see.

How is everyone doing? Did you all have a good weekend? After a long week of back to back work days, I got one day off - today - and I won't be off again until this coming Saturday. After that? ...well, I won't really know until the schedule comes out... which should be, hopefully soon.

I've had a good day though; last night after coming home from work, I finally got started on my homework for my online classes, particularly my Old Testament class since the assignment is actually due today. I turned in my acutal response this morning and responded to a few discussion essays from my classmates. I'm actually looking forward to reading the passages in my new Bible; for me, it'll be a refresher because it has been a while since I looked at the Bible seriously, and I'm also hoping to find some spiritual inspiration from the passages. I'll let you all know how that goes as the class progresses. :)

In addition, I'm slowly becoming more acquainted with my other online courses - Accounting II and Art History. In all honesty... I'm not really looking forward to Accounting, particularly because I've been dealing with accounting courses in the last couple of years and... Let's just say that I'm tired of dealing with numbers, and the accounting principles are just too confusing for me to even care. Art history, on the other hand? ...well, I don't truly know. I've actually never taken an art history class before, so this should be interesting.

It has been a while since I've navigated Blackboard for an online course, but I'm now getting the hang of it. I'd prefer to do the online classes as opposed to going into an actual classroom. ...now before anyone starts trolling, here's my 2 cents:

As much as I do enjoy going to campus and getting a better understanding while in an actual classroom setting, at the same time I can't get comfortable for a few reasons: -the time, distance, and additional cost of having to go the campus for a few hours during the day; -tolerance for the professors' teaching styles; -being around other students who act as though it's high school all over again. I could really use the money for something else rather than spend it on gas to get from place to place, so I'd rather not travel a long way. I'm sure a lot of students would agree about the teaching styles of the professors - they're either really good or, put bluntly, they suck. Thank goodness for RateMyProfessors.com. I'd prefer to go to a class that is enjoyable for me that it would motivate me to want to actually go to each class session; however, if a professor can't sell me their best lesson, I'm not buying it. And finally... Gosh, sometimes a lot of the students, even in the community college that I go to, act as though they're in high school all over again. Yeah, after attending accellerated courses last summer for Economics, and almost surrounded by students younger that me who seem to act like arrogant know-it-all-wannabes... Needless to say, I'm never going through that again. Seriously, when will they grow up? =/

Taking online courses is, for me, a better option. It's a given that it takes a lot of discipline to do well in the course(s), but given the time and the will, the work can be done. I'm on my computer a lot so that benefits me in navigating the sites and communicating with my professors and classmates efficiently. What I like most of all is that I can take the course at my own pace; at times I can be a very slow reader, so I make sure that I'm given a lot of time to myself so I understand the material(s) better. The discussion board function on Blackboard is a great source of communication, and I can interact with people without having the pressure of having other people literally watching me. (Paranoid much?)

Oftentimes, I get asked whether it's best to take an online course or actually go to the campus for class. The best answer I can give is to try either one to see which style works best for you. However, when you're taking an online course, you really do need to discipline yourself so that you can understand the materials on your own, so the best advice I can give is to devote your time to do well in the class(es). Yes, you will have to make a few sacrifices by doing so, but you can do it if you really do try. Trust in your strengths, and your instincts!

Oh, remember when I mentioned that I was going to use up most of my check for all 3 of my textbooks for this semester? ...well, apparently I used up to 90% of my paycheck in 1 day just for those books. Did I also mention that I'm taking an Art History course? That new book is a $180+ MONSTER. I better get something good back when I sell it back after the semester. T_T

...just thinking about it just made me not want to make that cup of tea. Damn. =/

~Reiko ☆*.

Edit: Feel free to tell me: What is the best style for you - being in class or self-study for online courses. And why? (This sounds like a homework question, doesn't it? Not intentional, I assure you!)

☆Music of the week: "Wedding Dress" - TaeYang ☆

2010-01-14T11:36:00.011-05:00

Before going to my music find of the week, I wanna mention something: See the Cranberry Apple tea that I have in my hand? Bigelow's Cranberry Apple tea is very delicious, and I suggest you all to try this tea out. Why? Because awesome delicious tea is awesome. And delicious. :) It's a very nice blend of cranberries, apples (duh!), hibiscus, chamomile, and rose hips. Best of all, since this tea is more of an herbal tea, it's caffiene free, so you can treat yourself to a nice cup of this before going to bed. :) I sweeten my tea with a spoonful of honey; it's already sweet, flavor-wise, but I like that hint of even more sweetness with mine. :)v ☆

All right, now without further ado: Music of the Week!

I'm very excited to introduce you guys to a singer whose song that I found so pretty that I even have that playing on loop in my iTunes and on my iPod - a very talented singer from Korea, say hello to TaeYang!
I did a little bit of research on him, and apparently he's the lead singer for the Korean pop band, Big Band and they've been around since 2006. Not only is the band famous in Korea, but Japan as well - I found out that he accompanies Thelma Aoyama, a favorite Japanese artist of mine, in her single "Fall in Love" which is coming out later this month, so I'm very excited to hear more from them! He already has a solo mini-album out, "Hot" and his second solo album, "Real", is said to come out later on this year. :)

"Wedding Dress" came out in November 2009 and I can't believe I missed this during my music finds at the time! But then again, it's better than not at all. This song is the only one I've found from him so far, but I look forward to finding more about him the near future. This song got me hooked - hell, even the music video is very good too. It's the song of a young man who has a love for a girl who gets proposed and married to his best friend. The lyrics express his feelings for her, and now that she is married, he realizes that he will never be able to express them to her; in the end, as much as he loves her, he decides that he loves her enough to let her go and be happy. Music-wise, the piano intro is beautiful and strong, but most of all, I like how the wedding march blended in during the interlude - soft with a hint of sadness. The style of the song reminds me of Ne-Yo's "Mad". Now I'm not saying that either song is better than the other, but overall as much as it is a sad song, it's actually very beautiful.

The first time I read the translations for the song while listening to it (since I don't know much Korean yet!), I cried. It reminds me a little bit about my past, which I won't explain here, but I will say that I do understand what it's like to be in a position like this. ...and love here is the hardest thing to overcome.

To get a better look at this song, check out the music video below - you may need to open this video in a separate window to see all the lyrics translations. I hope you'll enjoy this song as much as I do. (But I take that back since I've had this song on loop for the past couple of days now... XD )

Love with all your heart, everyone!

~Reiko ☆*.

Edit: On a slightly related note (or not...), as of Monday night, my boyfriend Taylor and I are back together after being separated for a (long) month and a half. :) I've been feeling much happier since then. :)

☆Starbucks Shenanigans with tehmetalleer! ☆

2010-01-14T11:15:00.008-05:00

So, I met up with my friend and fellow tweep, Tony (tehmetalleer), a couple of nights ago. ☆ Well, for me this was awesome, especially since I haven't seen him in a long while. :Dv So 5 awesome Reiko stars for awesome friends! ☆☆☆☆☆
...and you know what's also awesome?
Domo=WIN ...just saying. :)v

So, yes, I got to see him at Starbucks after work, and hung out while the place was almost full of people for the Open Mic night. It was pretty entertaining. ...even the barista guy who made our drinks was very lively, and for that, he deserves some kudos. :)

In fact, I enjoyed the White Chocolate/Cinnamon Dolce concoction that he made for me so much that I did this:
"I iz pur~dy~! ☆ Ye~ah!

Being silly is just part of the fun! Live your life in a fun (and silly) way! :Dv

xoxo ~Reiko ☆*.

☆Que Sera Sera, My Dear :) ☆

2010-01-10T19:40:00.007-05:00

Heh heh, you guys thought I fell off the face of the earth here, now didn't you? :)

...I'm just kidding. How was everyone's weekend? Good, I hope! Let me know in the comments section! :)

Also, I'm putting up a new poll for this week; apparently, I don't have a lot of fans who read my blogs just yet and I seem to be the only one answering my own poll... -__- ...give a girl some love, you guys! *shakes fist!*

Well, just to get you guys up to speed with what's been going on with me lately:

1. I noticed that since going to the gym this past week, my endurace for jogging and whatnot has definitely improved! I got to the gym late after work on Friday night and it was as though I didn't want to stop! So, there's definitely been some improvement for my stamina, and I'm very happy about that. :) I haven't felt that way in a long while, not since the fencing competition that I went to last year.

2. I finally enrolled for classes this semester at my local community college... And that left me with very, very little money in my account afterward. ;___; Unfortunately, I won't be able to have money come in until around Friday when my paycheck comes around; by that time I'll be able to pay for my textbooks (all of which will blow-out 75% or more of my check anyway D: ). No, I've decided not to go for financial aid this time around, but I'm actually feeling pretty proud of myself for taking this responsibility upon myself to enroll for classes and do this on my own. I'm taking Principles of Accounting II, History of Art I, and Readings of the Old Testament. I'm pretty excited for taking these courses (seriously) this semester, except for the part where the books are going to bomb my check big time this week. =/

...and speaking of money...

3. I'm selling some of my stuff! ...okay, make that... a lot. In the past few months/years, I've been wanting to sell a lot of my possessions like my manga, DVDs, and other collectables. Otaku, me? Hell yes. In recent months, however, I've come to realize that I can do without a lot of these beautiful possessions and as much as I hate to even think of parting with all of them... I'm doing this for a good cause. Besides, I bet there are a lot of awesome folk out there who would love to give my stuff new homes. So! This past weekend, my project was to re-update my inventory and I finally posted my entries to my LiveJournal Garage Sale! If you happen to be reading this and are interested in what I have to offer, then I invite you to visit my LJ: http://she_sells_stuff.livejournal.com/

By the way, you saw the pic earlier right? That's the same one I used earlier today for my Garage Sale advertisement :)

4. I found out recently that my friend, whom we'll nickname Lara Croft (for privacy purposes), is engaged and last night she asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. ...and I said YES! I'm very excited for 2 reasons: I haven't been to a wedding yet (especially for my friends), and I feel very honored because I've never been asked by anyone to become a bridesmaid before. I'm excited and a little bit nervous, but in time, assuming that things go well in the next few months, everything will fall into place. She and I have a very interesting past with each other, but even after the craziness that happened, she finally found her happiness. I'm very happy for her and I'm looking forward to helping her out in any way I can until the big day. :)

5. I also found out from my mom via text message earlier this evening that a resident I know just passed away, and I didn't see this one coming. His name was Mr. Wilkinson, and over the past few years, I would see him coming into the dining room, always getting his food from the buffet line and serving him cup after cup of hot decaf coffee. He has a wife who is now taken cared of by nurses in the special care department, but when they came down to eat meals together, they were one of the sweetest couples I've ever known. I'll definitely miss him. :(

...see, right there is an example of one setback from working in a retirement home (refer to my previous blog about my job). You get to meet a lot of people there, many with wonderful personalities and with beautiful backgrounds. I've learned by now that the more you get to know these people, a bit of attachment grows as well. I had a similar feeling with some of the residents who have already passed away. A lot of times, they go when you least expect it. I will feel sad about it, definitely. However, I have to keep telling myself that this is a natural process of life, and that's why I decided that I'm going to try harder to live my life to the fullest, and to my ability with a smile. People lead beautiful lives and their stories live on; maybe one day mine will too.

But on a lighter, happier note, I feel that there are a lot of things looking up in the next months to come, so I've gotta keep my chin up. :)

Tell me a bit about yourself in the comments section below: What is your motivation for living your life? :)

That's all for now everyone, and again, sorry for the lack of updates - you'll see more of me soon enough!

Until next time,

xoxo ~Reiko ☆*.

☆Greek Pizza! ☆

2010-01-07T12:40:00.018-05:00

Yup, you guessed it - a recipe for you guys! ☆

Now, I didn't have to travel to Greece in order to learn this recipe; rather, this is my creation of the Greek flatbread pizza that I serve at work. I've been using this simple recipe for my pizza dough at home for a long time and I absoultely love it. I substituted my usual toppings (mushrooms with extra cheese) for a fresh Mediterranen-inspired blend of vegetables and cheese, particularly feta cheese. :) It's fresh, easy to make, and... yummy! And now, I'm more than happy to share this with you all. I hope you'll enjoy making this as much as I did!

First is the recipe for the pizza dough. You'll get the best taste results when the dough is fresh. :) You'll need the following:

-1 package *or* 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast This is what will make the dough rise and give it a fluffy texture.
-4 tablespoons warm water This will be used to dissolve the yeast. It's best to have the warm water at about body temperature or higher (if it's too cold, it won't dissolve and your dough won't rise; if too hot, the heat will kill the yeast cells).
-2 cups flour By the way, you don't need to sift the flour for this. I usually use wheat-flour, but I used all-purpose in mine.
-1/4 teaspoon salt This brings out the sweetness of the dough.
-1 tablespoon olive oil This enhances the flavor of the dough and also helps the dough feel fluffy.
-1/2 cup warm water This brings everything together!

First, dissolve the yeast with the the 4 tablespoons of warm water and olive oil in a small bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes.

While your yeast dissolves, prepare your large mixing bowl with the flour and salt. Combine these two ingredients together and form a well as shown in the photo for the yeast mixture.

Next, pour your yeast mixture into the flour/salt well, and add your 1/2 cup of warm water and mix everything together until the mixture turns into a moderately stiff dough. If needed, add a small bit of warm water at at time until you achieve a nicely shaped dough ball. It's also best to use your hands, like I did (not like in my photo, haha!).

Now we let the dough stand in the bowl for about 15 minutes. I covered mine with a paper towel. And then when it's time:

See how much bigger it is now? :) After kneading the dough on a lightly floured surface about 5-8 times, you're ready to make your pizza! (You don't want to knead the dough too much though because kneading brings out gluten and it'll make your crust hard.) You can use this recipe and use your own toppings too :)

Now for the Mediterrenean toppings - and you can use as much or as little of these as you like:-shredded mozzerella cheese This yummy cheese has many vitamins and other great
benefits that are good for your body; it's also a good source of calcium.
-feta cheese Not only does this cheese make this pizza taste yummy, but it is also full of calcuim as well as vitamin B12 and protein. Don't go overboard with it though; some feta cheese can be high in saturated fat.
-black olives There are many varieties of olives, but nonetheless, they are a great source of iron, vitamin E and other great health benefits.
-artichoke hearts I know they have a weird texture to them, but they have fiber, vitamin C and potassium - all of them are good for your body :)
-tomatoes I absoutely love tomatoes because not only are the delicious and versitile in many recipes, but they are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene (an antioxidant that helps fight back cancer and other diseases!)
-garlic Now, I know some people don't like the taste of garlic itself or may be allergic to it, but it does enhance the flavor of the pizza in this recipe. If you don't like the harshness of garlic, you can substitiute it for garlic powder instead. ...but also did you know that garlic also contains anti-oxidant properties that help you regulate your blood circulation? Think of products out there for the heart such as Garlique. :)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface again, roll out your dough until it's nice and flat. (The thinner it is, the crispier, but since I like it fluffy, I didn't roll out mine as much.) Take an olive oil/canola spray and spray a light layer of oil onto a baking sheet; transfer your dough to the baking sheet. Spread a light layer of olive oil on top, and add your toppings. I like to put a lot of tomato and olive on mine because I love their sweet and savory flavors.

Pop the pizza into the oven and bake for about 15 mintutes, or until your dough is golden and crisp.

And this is optional, but you can top it with fresh basil for a flavorful bite each time. :) ...but since the grocery store didn't have fresh basil last night, I substitued for Mrs. Dash's Italian Medley blend instead, and it's just as delicious. :) And you're done! Enjoy your yummy pizza :) I know I did...

Bon appetit,
~Reiko ☆*.

Edit! : My co-worker, Malica, suggested in mixing sour cream with garlic to cut down its harsh taste. I'm going to give that a try and put a new entry with the results. Thanks Malica! :)

☆Stealing's Not Nice! T_T ☆

2010-01-05T22:32:00.003-05:00

Brrrrrrr~! Why on earth is it so cold in my room? As you can see, I've wrapped myself around in my favorite fuzzy blue blanket to keep myself warm... I even had myself a cup of green tea a little while ago, so why am I cold now? ...oh well, it's something I'm going to have to deal with for a little bit. =/

...but then again, even though I am rather tired from working very hard today, I'm actually feeling pretty good. (Okay, confession: my feet hurt from running around a bit too much... ;-; ) How was everyone's day? Good, I hope! :)

Noticed what I put in my title for this entry? Yes, I'm going to talk about stealing for a bit.

Okay, admit it: we've all done it. Sometimes on purpose or sometimes when we don't truly realize it (an accident). Not only is it a sin, but generally - stealing is unfair; unfair for the person doing the act, but also unfair for the person (or people) who may have put in a lot of time, effort, and perhaps monetary or sentimental value for the item being lost.

During "show time" at work earlier today, one of my co-workers brought up something that concerns all of us: apparently there have been some stealing incidents occuring recently, from taking food to stealing a change of clothes. There are very few lockers in the facility for many of us, the employees, to store belongings, so the only place that we can really place our coats, etc. is on the hangers provided in our departments. I'm really glad someone actually did say something about this because I have been affected too: I did have some food leftover from lunch that had gotten stolen a few nights ago; even if they were with my jacket and purse (and even had my name written on there), someone greedy and dishonest took that from me. Now, I'm very thankful that nothing from my purse was stolen, but still... The fact that someone took something that wasn't theirs is quite upsetting.

I thought about this during lunch today, and the biggest thing that came to mind is that... Well, we are currently going through tough times in this economy, and... in the minds of many, desperate times mean desperate measures... But even so, why steal? Stealing is just going to put yourself into more trouble. Why the risk? If you are that desperate for something, how about trying to ask for help? There are many people and organizations out there that can help those in trouble. After all, better to do that and relieve stress and worry than to take risks and getting yourself in trouble. Or even worse, have them steal back from you... but twice as bad. It's called karma, guys. ...I'm just saying.

Overall, stealing is a very selfish act, and sometimes I shake my head trying to figure out why people do it. If you don't like people stealing from you, why still do it?

Well, let me know what you guys think about this. I'm open to any responses, even trolling, so speak out!

So guys and girls, as far as stealing goes... Don't do it! And besides, you have better things to do than to steal things like... underwear or something (I dunno, you guys, I'm just saying!). Live your life with honesty, be generous when you can, and never be afraid to ask for help. Who knows, you may be able to get what you want and/or need and both sides can benefit for the better :)

Let's make this a better place for everyone, okay? :)

Much love,
~Reiko ☆*.

[Currently listening to: "Cave In" - Owl City]

☆ A little bit about my job! :) ☆

2010-01-04T23:34:00.007-05:00

Hey, all you beautiful people :) How's everyone doing? I hope you had a great day today. I know I did! :) *thumbs up!*

Okay, now for the topic of the day...

Well, let's talk about... Working with the elderly.

...I know, you're probably raising your eyebrow and thinking, "...okay, what the hell?" Allow me to explain:

I may have mentioned this in one of my past entries, but in case I didn't, I work in a retirement home where I serve food and make beverages for the residents who live there (cuz I'm a bartender!). It was my very first job at 16, and I will admit... Out of all the jobs I've worked thus far, this one's my favorite. I wanted to work with people as well as food, so waitressing was naturally my first choice of work at the time. My mom, who happens to work at the same place as I do (but as a housekeeper), was the one who referred me to this facility, and said that this is a great place to start. I've grown to love working in this place, and today, I want to share my experiences and some advice if you happen to work or live with the elderly. (This goes to any of my co-workers who happen to be reading this entry too!)

At first it was not as easy as I thought it would be. It really does take a lot of patience and understanding in a job like this. Here are the top 4 things to remember when working or living with the elderly:

-Be their guiding eyes. As we age, our senses - sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch - grow weak, and it's frustrating when we are unable to use one or more of them. Many of the residents that I serve have can't hear or see very well, so it's very important to help them out and become part of their senses too. What exactly do I mean by that? If they can't see very well, guide them with words and gestures. If they can't hear very well and need things repeated to them, don't get frustrated! Believe me, it has taken me a very long time to be able to accomplish this, and even though there are times when I do get a little frustrated, I think of it like this: One of these days, I'll be like that too - how well would I like to be treated?

-We can be forgetful too. Parts of our memory deteriorate over time as well, and I understand what it's like to not be able to remember certain things during a short or long period of time. For example, if a resident initially orders a hamburger, you order it and then when you serve it to them, they say that they didn't order that ("I asked for a sandwich, not this.")? Stay calm, and put out reminders for them. Sometimes they'll forget what happened just a moment ago, and a reminder does help sometimes.

-Respect your elders! I'm serious about this one, you guys, because... It's true! A lot of the residents whom I see when I work there are very old-fashioned, and even if generations do clash from time to time, you still have to treat them with dignity and respect. "Yes sir, no sir" and "Yes ma'am, no ma'am" apply to this, as well as saying "Thank you" and "You're welcome". You'd be surprised with how many of them really do appreciate things like this. And did I mention to also smile? :)

-And lastly, my personal favorite: Listen to them! I'm not just talking about the things I mentioned a bit earlier, but listening to them as in... getting to know them as people. Sometimes it's hard to be able to have a good conversation with them, especially in the department I'm in. At first, there were so many residents that I served that I could only recognize them by their faces, but very few by name. Since my transfer to the newly constructed bar, I got to meet some new and old faces and over time, I learned a lot of people by name, a bit of their history and even got to meet some of their family members and friends who come to visit them. I've come to have a deeper relationship and appreciation for the residents whom I serve there over the years, and that's what makes my job very enjoyable.

I hope some of you, if not all, got something out of this because, again, we ALL, whether we like it or not, grow old. One day, you too will be walking around in a walker and can barely see or hear. Tell me... How would you want to be treated?

Believe me, patience is virtue.

All right, well, time for me to wrap this up. I've got a busy work schedule ahead of me and I need to get me some rest for it! Until then, everyone, be well! ...and did I forget to mention... SMILE! :)

Much love,
~Reiko xoxo <3

☆Reiko's Resolutions for 2010 :)☆

2010-01-02T21:34:00.009-05:00

(Oh, hi! Looks like you caught me taking a sip of my orange/vanilla milk tea :) It's really chilly in my room and I needed something to warm me up. It's great stuff, by the way ☆)

Happy New Year, everyone! Can you believe that another year has already come and gone? I know I can't. However, a new year means a fresh start, and another chance for us to do the things that we've been meaning and/or wanting to do. Hence the topic for today's entry... New Year resolutions!

Everyone's got one or more (and even if you say you don't, I know you do!). However, how many of us have actually followed through? I'm not afraid to admit that I've done it too. Yes, I'll do great a few days or a couple of weeks after I start. And then... Well, you know how it goes. Some factors contribute to this; my excuses were school, work and many other things that are going on with me in real life. The biggest factor, however, is that I tend to make goals that are very un-realistic. I'm sure a lot of you have done that too (hey, we're not perfect). It's always best to set goals that suit best for you because if you push yourself over your limit, you'll just mess yourself up. Easier said than done, yes. However, you have to believe in yourself when doing this and by the end of this year, you'll be feeling great about yourself and improve your lifestyle. :)

I'm going for the goal too! So, without further ado, here's my list of resolutions for 2010:

1. Controlling my food intake and drink more tea/water.

For those who know me very well, you'd know that I can eat... a lot. Whenever a co-worker or a friend asks me how I keep my figure while eating that much during my lunch break (example: 1 plateful of meat and a side or two, 1 small bowl of soup, 1 large drink of iced tea, and 1 small dessert), I'm not exactly sure how to answer them. Sure, running around serving food to the elderly gets me going, but then again, it takes a toll to my body later on (such as higher BMI - body mass index - and gaining weight). My goal this year is to continue to eat the foods I like, but cut back. It's nice to feel full, but not too full to where you're feeling uncomfortable. I'm also going to make better choices in the foods that I eat (and I'm not talking about just eating salads either!). And finally, in addition to cutting back on sweets (one of my biggest food weaknesses), I'm going to cut back on drinks such as coffee and soft-drinks and subsititute it for tea - mostly green tea - and water. My mom who has been diagnosed with diabetes for more than a year now has done a great job in not drinking soft-drinks, and now I'm trying to do the same. I'll treat myself once in a while, but not as often as I used to. I used to hate drinking water, but it's not an option - your body needs it like oxygen, so I'm learning to hydrate my body and at the same time, keeping it clean from the inside out. I'm starting to drink more tea in the morning than coffee because not only is it lower in caffiene but also higher in anti-oxidants which is good for cleansing the body of impurities. Green tea is also very good, and as a bonus, it gives a boost to your metabolism. :)

2. Making the most of my day by getting up early.I'm thinking back to my high-school days - which feels like oh so long ago - where I had to get up at 5am, get myself ready for school, dash out the door at 6:30, and start class at 7:25. Thank goodness I don't do that anymore, but as I'm growing up, I'm realizing that there is so much to do in very little time. This year, I'm going to change that by giving more time to myself and start getting up early. This way, I'll be able to have more time to do the things I want to do, such as doing warm-up exercises, doing chores, reading... even blogging! There's a lot you can do in a day... Why not make the most out of it? :)

And speaking of exercising...

3. Do a few minutes of yoga every morning and hit the gym at least 3 days a week.

I know this may seem a bit un-realistic, but I'm very serious about this! After doing a few yoga exercises on the Wii Fit Plus for Nintendo Wii in the last couple of weeks, I find that it helps me in not only maintaining my center of balance, but lowering stress levels. I get physically stressed when I'm at work, and crashing after scarfing down dinner when I come home from work is not a very good way to ease body tension. During my early-bird hours, I'll warm-up my body with stretches and practice yoga poses. (I'm targeting my core-muscles and I want to tone my waist and upper arms!) There is a gym and a pool provided for both employees and residents of the retirement home where I work, and it's about time I started going. About 1 hour of excercise at the gym 3 times a week should do the trick even after a long day at work. At least it's better than to go to a separate gym, and there's no membership fee. My goal in the summer is to improve in my tennis skills - I haven't played seriously since high school, so I'm pretty rusty! >_<>

4. Read a little more each day.

I love to read - comic books, non-fiction, fiction, fantasy... Whatever I'm in the mood for! However, there are some times when I'm not motivated to do much of that anymore, but I'm changing that. I have a huge list of books that I want to read, and I know that slowly but surely I'll get to that. So even if it's just for a few minutes a day out of my busy schedule, I'm going to set some time to read a few pages of a book. Who knows, I may end up writing about it here on this blog! I know that when I'm finished reading "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold, I'll be writing about it. :)

5. Organize, organize, organize!

I've heard from many sources time and time again that "everything has its place". I've been a pretty unorganized person for a long time, and having this kind of lifestyle just adds even more to my stress! In the past week, I've done some rearranging and discarding, and I'm slowly feeling much better about myself. I intend to keep it that way. All of my books and belongings have their own place, whether they be on a shelf, in a folder, or written down in a book. I bought a book to help me write down my work schedule and other important dates. My keys and other personal belongings have their own place so that I won't be scrambling by the time I head out the door for work.

6. As much as possible, try out something new each day.

The food in the picture above looks pretty tasty, doesn't it? Wouldn't it be even better if you were the one making it yourself? If you've read my introduction, I mentioned that I love to cook! In order for me to improve myself as a cook (as well as preparing myself for culinary school in the future!), I want to be able to try something different as my physical abilities (and my money) will allow. I have some recipe books that are collecting dust on the shelves in the living room and I've yet to try a lot of them. I'll post my culinary adventures when I find something interesting and yummy comes to mind. Along with pursuing culinary endeavors, I have other artistic ones as well. I'm an artist: I love to draw, from anime to still-life drawings; I'm a cosplayer (though beginner level) but I'm improving in sewing and crafting props; I also like to knit and crochet.
I enjoy going outdoors too, whether it'd be going into the city, a park, the beach, or even escaping to the mountains. I like to explore new places, such as hole-in-the-wall stores because even in the biggest places, there is one even smaller that can be of bigger interest. I've yet to do that for this year, and I hope to find some interesting places to go. You'll see my adventures here too, so be sure to tune in on my latest finds! Life's an adventure, so make the best of it!

...overall, this is a pretty good list of resolutions for this year, but the best way that I can really sum it up is... Well, live this year to the fullest...and with a smile! I've decided that this year will be of self-improvement, reconcile, achievement and love :) You could say that the ultimate goal is to start and end the year with a great attitude!

But enough about me, you guys - I wanna hear from all of YOU! What are your New Year resolutions? Leave me a comment and let me know! :)

And one last thing: As I said, working on your resolutions and following through may be easier said than done, but it's important for you to remember that you can do it. Success comes in cans, not can'ts! I'm going through the same thing, so you are not alone!

Thanks for putting up my somewhat long entry, but until next time, here's to you, your health, and a great 2010!

xoxo,

~Reiko ☆*.

[Currently listening to: "Fireflies" by Owl City]

☆Whoa, first post! :Dv ☆

2009-12-28T07:54:00.007-05:00

Hi, everyone - Reiko here :D ☆

I can't believe I'm writing my first post! This is pretty exciting :D

Well, to begin, I'd like to take the time to introduce myself, why and how I came up with this blog, and conclude with my first... well, film review! Let's get started :)

Who's this cute girl in the picture above? ...oh, wait. That's me!

Let's see, currently I'm a college student and I'm...actually taking a little break from school to find myself. Although I'm majoring in Business Administration, my passion has always been linked to food. I've believed for a very long time that food is what brings people together - not only does food nourish the body, but it also nourishes the soul and the heart. There are so many recipes from many cultures and backgrounds, and once they are shared with many others... Simply put, I believe we're all connected by food! So not only do I like to make food as well as eating them, I'm passionate in talking about food. :)

...sadly no, I'm actually not studying Culinary Arts at the moment; I'm almost finished in my Business Administration major. I guess you could say that I opted for the Business major to please the expectations of my parents, but recently I've come to realize that I don't want to put my culinary dream to the backburner - I want to pursue it. I like to make new creations at home, and I'm willing to learn new recipes too. Yes, Food Network is one of my favorite television channels ("Good Eats" is my show!) In this blog, I'll also share some of my favorite recipes for you all to try in your own kitchens too! :) I do want to go to culinary school one day, and it will take a lot of work to get there. Until then, I'm going to do my best and work hard! :)

Aside from cooking, I have many hobbies too. I love crafting, especially when it comes to knitting and crocheting (I spend more time knitting though). Mom taught me the basics of knitting and crocheting, but just as she learned how to crochet advanced crafts by herself, I'm doing the same thing with knitting. I'm still new to it too, but when I come up with a pattern, I'd be more than happy to share them with you all too. :) I also like to listen to various genres of music: rock, pop, a little country here and there, and even some music from different countries such as Japan and Korea. I love to play video games, such as Dance Dance Revolution and Final Fantasy. (By the way, I have the same birthday as Squall Leonhart!) In addition to being a fan of video games, I like to watch anime and cosplay. :) ...well, I've only cosplayed a couple of times, but nevertheless, cosplaying is fun! And since I am a girl, I'm discovering and enjoying the art of make-up; I'm no expert, but I do enjoy experiments even if my face ends up looking like a clown. :)

And for a couple of extra notes, I also like going on to the computer browsing the web and... shopping! :) Especially for clothes and... food!

Okay, okay, enough about food, but anyway, I'm just a girl who lives life to the fullest, through good and bad days. Simply being me, simply... Reiko! :)v

I'll post more about myself in the future, but for right now, I'd like to briefly talk about how and why I came up with this blog:

For a long time, I've been a very shy person, and even now I'm slowly coming out of my shell. Recently I've come to realize how much I enjoying talking to people, and I wanted to explore and take things up to the next level. I enjoy going to YouTube daily for the latest videos, especially in the How-to and Style section. My favorite gurus are Michelle Phan and Bubbi (bubzbeauty); they are actually my inspirations to creating this blog - they are confident and beautiful young women who put themselves out there and their messages have reached out to other young women... and they eventually got to me too. Being able to express yourself builds confidence. If others can, why can't I? I'm not to the level of putting videos of my own just yet, but by starting this blog, I think this is a great start. I'll talk about food, crafts, cool finds, and even some advice dealing with life based on my experiences; I hope that by sharing pieces of me with you that you too can build and share your own confidence and happiness with others. :)

Finally, I want to share with you guys a quick review of a very interesting clip that I watched last night. Just for clarity, I'm not gonna be bashing the films I talk about or critique to the grainiest detail because... that's just not my style. I just want to briefly talk about it. Here's a preview from YouTube for Discovery Channel's documentary "Somali Pirate Takedown - The Real Story":

I came across this when a co-worker of mine mentioned that he saw this documentary recently. And the coolest part? Another co-worker of ours just so happens to be an actor who acted as one of the Somali pirates! How cool is that? :D ...but I'm not here to talk about my actor friend (who did a great job, by the way), rather the film. It's about the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama and what the crew did to save the captain and their ship. Watching this documentary last night was actually very interesting and thrilling, even sent a chill down my spine. I can't even imagine how frightening and exhausting this attack may have been, but unfortunately pirate attacks still occur; not just in the seas near Somalia, but in many various oceans in the world. I give props to the military branches who risk their lives in attacks like this, even if they help reduce pirating to some amount. Unfortunately, I'm crunching for time here, but the best thing I can say is to please check this documentary out (my actor friend lent me a copy of his DVD). If you do watch it, or if you already have watched it, let me know what you think in the comment section! :) Personally, I found it educating and I'm glad that there are documentary videos out there that take and show us to lots of things that we may not know about. (^ ^)

Well, that's all for right now. Stay tuned for more fun updates! Have a wonderful day, and whether you have a good or bad day, always remember that you are a wonderful, loved person and keep smiling!

xoxo,
~Reiko ☆*.

xSimply Reikox

★☆ Happy 2011! ☆★

~*☆Happy Thanksgiving! ~*☆

☆*~Reiko's Back... Again (^.^ ;) ~*☆

*♥*Reiko Made a Vid Again! :D *♥*

*♥* A Meme :) *♥*

*♥*Tips for Treating the Common Cold *♥*

*♥*Road to Recovery*♥*

*♥*I Caught a Cold... :( *♥*

*♥*50 Question Meme and Lazy Day*♥*

*♥* ...sigh. *♥*

*♥* Le Téa Et Crêpes *♥*

*♥* It's Fall!! *♥*

★☆ Typing this as fast as possible! ☆★

★☆ A Nice Day Off with Reiko :) ☆★

★☆ Late Night Special with Reiko :D ☆★

★☆ One Step at a Time ☆★

★☆ Cousin Doug's Wedding and Birthday Thoughts☆★

★☆ Early Morning Chat with Reiko ☆★

★☆DSKJewelry Model Search 2010!! ★☆

♠ Launching New Blog Soon :) ♠

♠ Court Update and Some Sweet Things :) ♠

♠ Slowly Counting Down... ♠

♠ Reiko's Back - About Damn Time :)v ♠

Can't Introduce Squall Just Yet... :(

I'm Back (Quick Updates!)

♥Reiko's Fitness Challenge - Day 1!♥

♥ Miracles and Dreams Do Come True ♥

♥ Reiko's Car Accident on 3.4.2010 ♥

☆Heart Knitting Pattern :) ☆

☆ Fill Your Hearts With Love :) ☆

☆Update in the Life of Reiko :) ☆

☆Does It Work - 5-hour Energy Update!☆

☆Does It Work?! - Smooth Away and 5-Hour Energy ☆

☆Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup and Irish Cream Brownies – The Tutorial!☆

☆Let It Snow! ☆

☆Filler: "The Most" ☆

☆Reiko, the Dream-Weaver :D ☆

☆ New Blog Line-up :) ☆

☆How to Exfoliate Your Face: A Tutorial☆

☆Chicken Soup for the Soul! ☆

☆ Coffee/ er... Tea Break on a Sunday Night ☆

☆Music of the week: "Wedding Dress" - TaeYang ☆

☆Starbucks Shenanigans with tehmetalleer! ☆

☆Que Sera Sera, My Dear :) ☆

☆Greek Pizza! ☆

☆Stealing's Not Nice! T_T ☆

☆ A little bit about my job! :) ☆

☆Reiko's Resolutions for 2010 :)☆

☆Whoa, first post! :Dv ☆

~☆Happy Thanksgiving! ~☆

☆~Reiko's Back... Again (^.^ ;) ~☆

♥Reiko Made a Vid Again! :D ♥

♥ A Meme :) ♥

♥Tips for Treating the Common Cold ♥

♥Road to Recovery♥

♥I Caught a Cold... :( ♥

♥50 Question Meme and Lazy Day♥

♥ ...sigh. ♥

♥ Le Téa Et Crêpes ♥

♥ It's Fall!! ♥