CATHY HUANG

1. POWER OF NOW: I read this book 2 years ago in the summertime, and it really inspired me to try some sort of spiritual practice because it gives direct instructions on how to improve your life. I feel like this book is like my version of the bible..because it combines the best of every religion with a special emphasis on Buddhism. Actually, this book introduced me to the concept and teachings of Buddhism and I find that it fits very relevantly to my needs in everyday life. The biggest lesson of the book is that the PRESENT moment is the most important, and it should never be used as a means to an end. For example, many spiritual teachers or motivational speakers tell you to "look forward to the future" "live in the future of success and never stop going" and that to me is why people suffer and stress so much. I think people are taught to reach for the future since they are young, for example how parents want their kids to aspire toward Ivy League universities and olympians to dedicate years of training for a gold medal. This book isn't saying to NOT HAVE GOALS..but rather to not get attached to the end outcome. This is because no event or person can bring eternal satisfaction, but many people still look for the "grass that's greener on the other side" while ignoring the "little garden" they have in front of them.

I ALWAYS tell my friends coming to me with trouble on their love life, lack of excitement in life, or just overall going through difficult times to read this book or other ones he wrote. But unfortunately people brush it off and never read it...but if anyone that reads this post ends up getting a copy please read it!! It is definitely so life changing and tells us how our "thoughts" or mental process affect the rest of our physical health and can lead to long term illnesses. I occasionally still relate back to this book when life gets too hectic or there's too much "mental noise" as it serves as a reminder of how to find true happiness and peace in life.


3. Why Men Love Bitches: This book taught me to stand up for myself and most of all keep my dignity as a girl! Although sometimes I still slip and over exert efforts that go to waste ...I'm slowly learning the teachings of this book. The author tells woman that they should not go out of their way to give men "their all" or "give them everything they got" right off the bat. For example, why cook men a 3 course dinner when all they did is cook you up some instant macaroni? Why show up to their door at their request of "well you see me now or not in a long time?" Why drop your priorities and focus on school/work when relationships turn bad? This book shows why men do not appreciate this kind of attachment, especially when women don't have the self respect to say NO. After all..


Many people think "bitch" in respect to dating terms mean the women is snobby, high maintenance, demanding or non affectionate. However, this book says "bitch" is a girl who is sweet but doesn't let men push her around. She has her own morals and life priorities. She will not drop everything for a man and will not give her time and energy up easily. I think girls will like this book because it's like motivational girl talk! After this book, I constantly remind myself that "men drama" is no longer necessarily if they do not benefit me in any way whatsoever.



4. The Secret: I read this book since high school and saw the film for it as well. This book changed my life as well as "the power of now" because it taught me to take active control of my life. Before, my thoughts were always on auto-pilot and if I was in a bad mood- I accepted it and felt worse and worse. However, this book made me conscious of my thoughts and how they ultimately shape reality in the long term. I know now that life is really in your hands, and thoughts you hold repetitively in your mind really do come true in the long run. Maybe its the placebo effect, or maybe its mind power. But I love this book because it inspires me to change my thought frequency and always stay positive as well as keep the best mindset possible for good things to happen.

Face:
- chanel illuminator
-Dior effects foundation
-Revlon just bitten in smitten balm
-Bella Bamba Blush by Benefit
-NYX eyebrow pencil
-NYX jumbo eye pencil

I remember much of my growing up being centred around marks of technology and the evolution of electronic gadgets. Since I was a child, I always had a fascination with technology, different kinds of computer programs, the internet, and all the different gadgets that were available on the market. Now when I look back with all the gadgets and technology that I have available now, I find it hard to believe how I "survived" my days back than without dying of boredom and entertainment at my fingertips.

The first time I came to Canada, all I possessed with a giant radio with a disc option of which I would borrow audiotapes from the library that I played for hours on end. When I discovered the internet, I was allowed 30 minutes on a weekend day (asian helicopter parents rule) and I went on basic sites such as Neopets and online games. Than in grade 7, I got my first "IRIVER" MP3 player for like $150..with around 500mb of storage and a single slot screen displaying the song title playing, with a AA battery at the back of which I had to charge every few hours. Than, I got a creative ZEN with a tiny screen that allowed the revolutionary technology of video playback. I would painstakingly sit by my computer and wait for the conversion of multiple videos to put into my device so I could enjoy some watching MVs and films on a screen the size of a matchbox. I thought that technology was mind-blowing at the time, no matter how long it took to convert the video files. Than came my first iPod generation 1, which I thought made me one of the "cool kids" at school and I'd play that ball bounce game which was among the 2 set on default in "games" section.

Fast forward to grade 7, I sneakily went into Best Buy to get a phone behind my parents back. Not that I even wanted to call people or needed it, but thought I needed to have it as all my classmates around me were showing off their flippy phones and Motorola RAZR. I didn't even have phone contract at the time, but used it strictly as a accessory and prided in using its 0.5 MP camera to snap selfies and send it to my email..that costed $2/picture to send through.

Than to first year university, getting my first iPhone and laptop after my PC system breakdown and several phones that failed to perform their expected level of functionality. I thought I had the complete set..for only a year or so. Slowly, the laptop began getting slower and the rise of MacBooks began knocking off every other laptop brand off the market. Suddenly, there were bigger and brighter displays, retina display functions, gigantic screens the size of my hand. This really started to evolve around 2012-2013 I think..when Samsung began their Galaxy and Note phone products and suddenly I could see what apps people were from their car window. I remember going into Future Shop this winter break to look at MacBooks and decide if I wanted one. The salesman kept pointing out BIGGER SCREEN and FASTER SPEED and IF YOU PAID $500 more there is retina display which is that many times better than the one with a little less functionality. Over the break, I switched both my iPhone (which stuck with me faithfully for 2 years with perfect functioning) with a Galaxy s4 and a new MacBook Air.

When I realized I was holding the newest and top two pieces of technology in my hand, it suddenly made me kind of sad. I was sad that even though the screen I'm typing on now is lighter and faster than any laptop I ever owned, it seemed like further down the line I would look back to now and think "how did I ever survive this age?" And the first time I used my S4, it made me sad to think back on the years when this technology wasn't available to me and I was able to make due, but now I can't even imagine life without a smartphone. A few years ago, I thought a Motorola Razr was revolutionary and couldn't even imagine a s4 with data, screen the size of a tablet, and the functionality of both a gaming device and DSLR camera. Everything seems to be getting bigger and better...and it makes me kind of anxious and nostalgic for the older days when I would go on camping trips with a iPod nano 1st gen with no other purpose than to listen to music. A camera was a camera that was to be developed by purchasing film. But now, every platform seems to converge together and we are spending less time in the present and more time trying to capture the present for the future.

I find myself worrying about camera angles and what kind of Lightroom filter and colour correction I should be applying when I get back home, before I even take a picture. I worry about how many memory cards and backup cameras I should bring on trips to make sure I get that HDR quality. Where should I check in on instagram, Facebook and the list goes on. It's like I can't separate my life from technology anymore. Everywhere I go I am picturing it through apps and technology, I think as time goes on I'll forget how to actually enjoy the present moment. Those stereotypical "leave your phone behind and venture into the wood days" now leave me with insane boredom..and this summer when I went vacationing in a rental lodge, I was on my iPad,phone and camera even in the hot tub. Sigh...its just never-ending but such a habit and addiction that I don't know if its good or bad for me/society. I guess I'm just trying to say that technology both gives more advantages but also takes away something.

received 3 sally hansen nailpolish compliments of influenster for testing purpose! ! Came with 3 colors "jaded"  "red my lips" and "pat on the back." Each of these colors are VERY vivid in color and I tried on "jaded" tonight.  The brush is very thick and good quality, thus easy application.  I have trouble painting nails because the skin that surrounds my nails are usually very close to the nail so I always get nailpolish on the skin. But with this applicator, it was easy and not much bleeding outside of the color.

this nail polish says to have long lasting wear,and with the cconsistency I see it looks to be true! 

PROS:
- wide application tip
- vivid and nice pastel color
-comes with alot of product and variety
-has a very shiny and clean finish,  similar to salon quality in color evenness

CONS
-takes ALOT of coats for color to show through. FIRST few applications were transparent almost and took almost 5 or 6 coats to achieve the desired nail color.
-drying time is slow due to the amount of coats that need to be applied. 
- strong smell and a little bit too sticky.

OVERALL, I give this product 7/10 because it achieves a great shine BUT just require way too many coats which needs alot of time to apply and dry.

Back to school for me again...but had alot of fun with my bff and coworkers over break!! We went laser tagging. Had good food and some epic sleepovers and crazy times at work. Now its back to class mode...heres to a good start of 2014

Some looks i did over break. Done from too faced "return of the sexy" shadow pallette and too faced smokey eye kit ~