Thinning wallet..

Ack; I've been shopping way too much lately, especially online.
Recent purchases include two pairs of high-waisted jeans (one from ebay, another from punk.com), and a couple of basic tops, but those are pretty self explanatory/boring because they're cookie cutter generic/everyone-knows-how-they-look things.
An interesting thing I did buy is:

"Veggie twister"

A spiralizer! Well, a spiral vegetable cutter, or "veggie twister" as deemed by the seller. I was looking for an affordable spiralizer since going raw vegan, but couldn't find a well functioning one for less than $25. No way I was going to spend that much for what is essentially plastic! So I turned to trusty ebay and came across this guy, MUCH more practical (and cheaper!) than the traditional versions. Very very excited for future zucchini pastas. 

To try and save money on contacts, I also placed an order with pinkicon. They're a circle lens distributor based in China, and one of the few that had clear lenses.. Spent ~$55 on a pair of clear Geo yearly disposables and a six pair pack of monthly Neo disposables (just in case I lost the Geo pair, etc). Quite frustrated with the site because when I try to login to track my order, the password is wrong, but when I try to register, they claim that my ID already exists. It's ridiculous that they require logins to track; I just hope it gets to me, if not thank God for paypal claims!  

The most exciting purchase is:

The Ninja Mega Kitchen System with lifetime warranty

EEEEEE! Lol, I'm so super happy about this purchase. I did TONS of research for a Vitamix dupe and was previously set on the Omniblend V, but came across this baby! Though reviews show that the performance of the Ninja clearly does not match up to the Vitamix or Blendtec, the lifetime warranty sold it for me. The problem I have with cheap blenders is not that they produce chunkier smoothies, but that their motors have such a short life span! A lifetime warranty guarantees that the Ninja will be a consistent tool in my life. Not that I don't appreciate the 2-horse power/1500 Watt motor, which is totally comparable to higher cost models. The versatility of the product is another plus; it is also a food processor! I've been wanting a food processor and now I have it allll. Hehe. 

Apparently it'll be shipped out next month because it is on backorder now, but for the price (and lifetime guarantee) I can wait! 

I guess I would be okay with how much money I've spent/been spending if not for what's tipped me over the edge. My iPhone frigging broke.

It was my fault - I was exiting a car in front of my house when the phone slipped out of my pocket. I noticed it was missing right after I got out, so I assumed it slipped out in the car. However, after checking the next morning, it wasn't there! I assumed it was in the one other place I thought it could be, church. So I go to church and search - again, not there. Later that day, my brother gets a call from my aunt who got a call from the nearby Verizon store, and apparently someone turned it in! I was so relieved, until I actually went to pick it up. When I got to the store, they informed me that the touch screen wasn't working, so I didn't get lucky as I thought. The store staff told me that whoever turned it in claimed they noticed the phone because they ran over it with their car. Yeah right.

I'm guessing that whoever picked it up, did so with the intention of keeping it, but since the phone was out for so long it was already messed up. Since the phone was messed up, they decided to turn it into the store. If they ran over it, the phone would definitely not have survived without a scratch. And my headphones are gone too. Sigh..

So I bought a digitizer,  or touch screen, replacement from eBay, only to read the description AFTERWARDS saying that it did not come with the "liquid clear display" - whatever that means. When I looked more clearly at the pictures, it looks like the frame where all the screws are supposed to go is missing. I think I'm likely going to return it once it gets here. I'm bidding on some cheap smartphones so hopefully I'll win one at a low low cost. I'm due for an upgrade, but want to wait for the Samsung Galaxy SIV release so that I can either: 1) have the latest model or 2) get the SIII at a much more discounted price.

I don't think its worth upgrading to the SIII at full price now, only to have the price drastically drop in about a month. 

Arg, just so annoyed that I couldn't finish off the last month financially strong.

I'm definitely going on a budget plan from this moment on til the summer, when I'll have a job. I don't want my savings depleted!

CHARM✌참

Animal Abuse: A Christian Perspective

WARNING: This post is fueled by anger. It is also not edited/revised.

I just watched Earthlings with my mom.

It spoke volumes about the depravity of humankind.
Yes it is an old film, but the selfishness of man is the same.

I wanted to address fellow Christians who usually respond to vegetarian/veganism as "they were made for us."
Oh, the injustice; how we are so blinded to not even see the hypocrisy in front of us.

Were we Christians not created by God? Were we thrown around and abused? Were we not, instead of being left to die in sinfulness as deserved, made clean and saved by grace and mercy?
Then how do we keep on justifying the way we treat animals? How is "they were made for us" any response to the way they are stepped on and tortured?
The natural separation between us and God is far greater than the differences between us and animals. Yet, Jesus STILL died for us, still became lesser, still KNELT AND WASHED OUR FEET.
And Jesus is the greatest, only perfect example.
Should we not, then, instead of brushing off what is happening, humble ourselves?
How do we call ourselves Christian, accept what He has done for us on the cross, and yet not even attempt to follow His great lead?

God didn't give us animals for us to maximize our sinful natures. They were created to serve us, just as we were created to serve Him. Let us remember this and have respect for what we were gifted. Jesus' death isn't an isolated memory; it was an act of love that should permeate in ALL aspects of our living.

CHARM✌참

Choices, choices

Of course. OF COURSE I'd wake up with a HUGE cold sore today with a wedding to attend just tomorrow.
Oh woe is me, but am I surprised?
Not in the slightest.
On to bigger (hardly possible with the monstrous size of this cold sore) and BETTER things..
What to wear?

Now, I'm hardly the wedding expert; I think I've been to a handful at most in my life, so they've always been a go, eat, leave type of thing for me. Well, the wedding I'm about to attend seems more, how to put this, invested in by the couple. Now, I don't mean to disrespect those who's weddings I've attended (because really I don't), but the wedding tomorrow seems to be on a higher scale in terms of the amount that was paid in money and time. They have their own website for goodness sake! Not that there's anything atypical about that, just that, well I guess I've never experienced such a couple so dedicated (and a super cute/perfect couple they are).
So yeah, it makes me just a wee bit more anxious about tomorrow. Especially my state of dress - what if I'm too formal? Not formal enough? And on top of everything, in terms of weather in the east coast, it's a frigging winter wedding! Darker colors? Boots? AUUUUUUGH. I. DON'T. KNOW.

I've basically narrowed it down to two dresses - working with what I have (as indicated in the previous post). (Sorry about the craptastic picture btw):

1. A damask printed black and white dress

2. A sparkly charcoal shirt tucked into a black skirt.

No, definitely not the best of choices, but what is a girl to do..Sigh. 

My qualms with choice one is that it's a size too big and so it's not as flattering as it should be; also, it's black and white and I don't want to risk wearing white at tomorrow's wedding (invested, as mentioned). That being said, the fact that it's a size bigger makes it SUPER comfortable. On the chance (ha!) that I food coma tomorrow, no belly would protrude as it'll stay hidden underneath all that beauuuutiful fabric. Qualms with choice two is that, well, it's super dark. Granted the wedding tomorrow is in the evening, but weddings are supposed to be like the opposite of funerals! And the outfit looks pretty casual..I hope to fix that up with a blazer; maybe I'll add some burgundy leggings in my pathetic spruce up attempt? (Ick, maybe not).

ANYWAYS, I'm leaning towards two, simply because it's more flattering and fitting for the after party to occur. Idk, I guess we'll see what happens.

On other matters, guess what I picked up?!

My jourrrrrrrrnal huzzah! (Apologizes for craptastic picture number two):

Markings by CR Gibson

I went to Staples in an attempt to find something there and I did! But, and a big but at that (heh), I totally overlooked the fact that it's LEATHER ugh. That may drive me to return it, we'll see. Being vegan is so much easier when it comes to food!

I finally moved my lazy butt to take a profile picture this morning; I don't like taking self pictures when the sun sets because the quality becomes terrible, so if I didn't do it in the morning, I wouldn't have at all. My eyes kind of bug me out in the photo because I was wearing my Geo angel greys. I guess I didn't really realize just how unnatural they made my gaze look until this photo. Oh well, it'll do until I take a better picture (aka overcome another bought of laziness). 

Charm✌참

Public personal content?

I've been getting lazy with my personal blogging on tumblr (public blogging's been dead for me for a while); a friend's creation of a fashion/beauty blog (jsquared921.blogpost.com) has motivated me to get back into the writing grind.
The public state of this blog will hopefully keep me accountable in writing regularly..
HOPEFULLY..

I've been so lethargic and unmotivated lately. Even doing the bare minimum is a choreee -  fuddgetabout working out, tidying up, and makeup!
For example: today?
Stayed home with the excuse of a doctor's appointment - DESPITE the fact that the appointment was scheduled way before my classes. Then, came home; and now sitting in front of the TV, making a blog to feign productivity.
Oh, such is my life (these days anyways).

Planning to head out to pick up a couple of necessities - makeup remover wipes (ha! like they'd be put to use anytime soon), back up headphones (managed to lose a pair and am on my backup now), contact solution (eek! yo neccessito), yam noodles?, a physical journal?, EYEBROW RAZOR ACK! (managed to somehow misplace that too). Pretty catepillar eyebrows are a contradiction and I have a wedding to head to this Saturday.

We shall see where my lazy state of being takes me today. I need something to get me out of this viscious "there's tomorrow" cycle. Alriiiight, can't hold in the contents of my bladder anymore, must.makeit.to.bathroom. Au revoir~

(Then eat "breakfast" and head out...or try anyways).

Charm✌참