Tag Archives: lipgloss

Angry

15 Aug

 

I recently read a post on cancer anger and loneliness written by someone who recently found out she was cancer free. I would reference her but I can’t seem to find the exact post I read. Anyhow, after reading about her current feelings it helped me sort out mine. Ever since the news from my ultrasound last week I have been trying to figure out how I feel (not to mention the fact that people close to me keep asking), and I haven’t been able to articulate exactly what I was feeling. I don’t think the news was terrible but I don’t think they were perfect either (perfect would’ve been ‘all clean, see you next year’). After reading her post, I knew what I felt. I am angry right now. Not crazy with anger, just resting in it. I’m angry about the news, the fact that I cannot seem to move forward, away from the cancer path of my life journey, the fact that I am always trying to overcome the changes in my body. If you’ve seen the movie Enchanted there is a scene where Giselle is trying to articulate to Robert how she is feeling,she gets all flustered and blurts out, ‘Angry…I feel so angry!’ but then she starts laughing. I believe she laughed because it was so freeing for her to feel it and say it. Well, here I am. I’m angry…so angry. It’s ok, I’m dealing with it and still functioning like a normal person, all with a smile on my face; and I know I will get over it. However this turns out, I know I will  go through a plethora of feelings but this seems new to me. I don’t think I allowed myself to get mad before, or maybe I just didn’t have the time between the surgeries, treatment, and the cancer coming back. For now, I rest easy in ‘angry’ mode and I know it’s probably normal…just don’t make me mad..just kidding.

Today I wear Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance Lipstick in Fierce. Remember, Tarte lipsticks are all natural so this contains amazonian clay and shea butter which help keeps this long lasting lipstick moist on your lips. I chose Fierce because it’s red and I’m feeling the name right now…watch out!

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Unexpected

30 Jul

 

Just goofing off

Last week was a good week. If you recall, I had some different tests done the week before, last week was all about results. I really hate the cancer roller coaster of emotions. I wonder if there will ever be a day when whatever I’m feeling (a cold, a sore throat, or for that matter whatever lump or bump appears or disappears) will not be about cancer. Oh well, such is the life of a survivor or fighter, whatever. Anyhow, last Monday the tissue they saw on my optic nerve turned out to be just an extra bundle of nerves and tissue and was not abnormal. Wednesday, the MRI results showed I had a bulging disc in my neck explaining the numbness and tingling in my left arm; not related to the multiple surgeries in my neck or the radiation. Friday my laryngologist did a follow up check of my vocal cords and the hemorrhage on my right paralyzed cord is healing and my left vocal cord is starting to move again. Whew, now I wait for my ultrasound and those results in two weeks. From the extreme emotions and weaning off the high steroids, by Saturday, I was exhausted so I think I slept half the day. Life comes fast and furious sometimes. Cancer has introduced me to a whole new set of emotions and there always seems to be something unexpected that comes up, but it’s not all bad, each day is new and I choose to trust God….not fear.

Yesterday we dropped off all three kids at camp for the week. It was the first time for our youngest to go so I was sad to let him go yet excited for him and his new adventure. What was unexpected for me was how I felt saying good-bye to my oldest. I was proud and sad at the same time. He will be 15 in a few weeks and will be starting driver’s ed when he gets back from camp. I am so proud of the young man he is becoming but as I watched him walk away I was saddened at the fact that he is edging closer to legal adulthood. Have I done enough as a mom? Have we taught him well so far? Our time as parents molding and shaping our kids into adults is so short. I have great kids and I feel truly blessed.

Today I wear Bobbi Brown Creamy Lipcolor in Blue Raspberry. I LOVE Bobbi Brown lipsticks. Most of the colors have a brown base so they work for most skin tones. The Creamy Lipcolor is so moisturizing it feels like a balm but these have lots of shine and color. If you love lipgloss but need more color, these are for you. I chose Blue Raspberry because it’s a great berry tone for summer, and who doesn’t love blue raspberries?

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Perspective

12 Jul

Alex peeking at the Eiffel Tower around the corner

I just got back from the vacation of a lifetime, almost a week in Paris, then a Mediterranean Cruise through France, Italy, and Spain. It was a memorable trip that we had saved for for awhile. My whole family went along with my mother-in-law. When we arrived in the Barcelona airport after 14 days of travel to finally return home, we were informed that our flight was cancelled and we would have to stay another day. My oldest son immediately replied, ‘of course it’s cancelled, everything that could go wrong, has.’ Funny enough, for a split second I had no idea why he said that, then I remembered the fine details which my mind had already blocked out.
First, our flight out was delayed an hour because as the pilot inspected our plane, some type of fluid went into his eye and he couldn’t fly so we had to wait for another pilot. When the new pilot arrived we were delayed another half an hour because an overhead bin got stuck and we had to wait for maintenance to fix it. After flying all night, we arrived in Paris at 7am were dropped off at an apartment complex with no instructions. At 8, we were able to reach the rental company who told us that we were at a different apartment than they had originally assigned (which they hadn’t informed the driver of) and our new one would not be ready until 4pm. With map in hand we had to find their office to leave our luggage until our place was ready; so, after flying all night we walked all day through downtown Paris. On the third day in Paris the water in our place shut down, yup, six people, no running water…no showers, flushing toilets, drinking water, etc; it didn’t start again for about a day and a half. In the meantime we decided to pay for a hotel room a block away just to take showers and brush our teeth (and it wasn’t cheap). Our last day in Paris I was robbed, this event I do remember. Fortunately, I had emptied my wallet and only had my drivers license, two credit cards and some cash…it was still traumatic. Leaving Paris for Barcelona we flew on a small European airline. Unexpectedly we had to pay for each of our bags and had no assigned seats. Anyhow, I’m sure there were other things that happened on our trip but they are now a distant memory. Literally, when my son said that statement, all I could remember that was bad was my wallet being stolen.

What I do remember is how beautiful and different everyplace was, all the history and the people. I remember our bike tour of Paris and was thankful that as we sped around the crowded city for three hours none of us got hit by a car and that none of us hit a pedestrian. I remember trying on lipstick (how could I resist) at a large Parisian department store and dancing in the streets with a group of breakdancers in front of a whole group of people. I remember being amazed by all the artwork in the Louvre, seeing Mona Lisa, and an original Monet. I remember being in awe of all the churches and the Roman ruins, the beauty of Gaudi architecture. It was incredible,  I also met some awesome people with great stories.
It’s perspective right? As we were funneled to different hotels because of the flight cancellation we met a couple who said everything went wrong on their vacation, lost luggage, cancelled flight, etc. the husband even said he wouldn’t leave the US again. How sad, no good memories? It’s all how you look at it. What could have been changed? What were you in control of? My vacation was awesome. We spent quality family time, we saw artwork and touched buildings we had only read about. The things that happened were only minor and we all walked away unscathed and richer for the experience. Life is a series of circumstances that we have to make the best of, so why not?

Today I wear Buxom Big and Healthy Lipstick in Barcelona. First, I LOVE this lipstick. It’s like a fat crayon but unlike some of the others, it’s MOISTURIZING and stays put!!  I chose Barcelona because it was one of the cities we went to that I loved but also because this color is candy red!  To Life!!

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Laughing still…

7 Jun

As a college freshman my roomate asked me to color and highlight her hair. Here’s the deal, I am TERRIBLE at any type of hairstyling. I couldn’t pull off my hair curled under when the ‘Dorothy Hamill’ was in, I couldn’t do the ‘Farrah Faucett’ feathered look, I couldn’t even get my bangs to stand up when that was in. I was so thankful when perms were in in the late 80’s because I of course was in line to get one. I finally had big hair that I didn’t have to mess with. Anyhow, I told her to ask someone else. I distinctly remember her saying, “It’s easy…I don’t care if it’s a little uneven because highlights should be scattered anyhow.” OK. I put the gloves on and got to work. About an hour later when her hair was dry and styled, the front looked awesome if I have to say so myself, but when she turned around…oops. The back of her hair was blond and highlighted to about the middle of her head, the rest, well, a bit darker with no highlights. When she grabbed the mirror and looked, she laughed and said, ‘cool.’ I was off the hook.

Now that I’m older and have a few strands of gray, I have started coloring my hair but only once or twice a year by a professional. I have long hair which is black/brown and pretty simple. Well, something possessed me as I was at Target and I thought to myself, ‘How hard can it be?’ Why pay $50 when I can buy a box for $6, it’s not like I get highlights or anything complicated, just one color. Now, I know millions of women do this all the time, but take into account my hair history. So, I bought what I thought was a black/brown (what happened to the fake hair pieces they used to have hanging as samples?) and last night at about 10:30, I started. It was a comedy of errors. Remember, I have long hair, so when I was done with the top and sides I couldn’t see the back so I just reached. It was a TOTAL mess. I reached for a clip to keep my top hair out of the way and got dye on my sink and toothbrush, the color container fell into the sink after jugglng it with the plastic gloves and slipping, color was dripping down my forehead as I bent forward trying to get to the bottom of the back of my head. Then, when I went to rinse in my kids’ bathtub (they have a removable shower head), I sprayed myself in the face when I was trying to rinse the front. After I was done rinsing I stood up and looked at the mirror behind me and had to laugh. Apparently the water I sprayed in my face went past me and sprayed their mirror, counter, sinks, etc…water was everywhere and I looked ridiculous. I was by myself, wet from head to toe, hair, towels, and water everywhere. Thank goodness my husband was not home and the kids were asleep. I assessed the damage and could not stop laughing. Oh yeah, and the color I got was too dark,for those familiar with Elvira…yup.

Oh well, here’s the lesson, don’t take yourself too seriously. I laughed for a good 15 minutes at myself and it felt great. Sometimes we are not able to laugh at little mishaps and let things go. Those things not only drag you down for the moment but if you dwell, they will always drag you down. Laugh and learn, then move on.

Today I wear Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait De Gloss in Exces. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that right now for me, this is close to perfection. This gloss is shiny, moist, and long wearing. The colors are beautiful and although it’s a gloss, it has the perfect amount of color. The color I chose today is a sheer cherry red on my lips, I love it. Cheers!

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The Break Up

2 Jun

How do you break up with a friend? Sorry to start off as a downer, but it’s something I’ve been struggling with for awhile. There are several things that I have a difficult time tolerating post cancer. Things such as stressing over things you can’t change, complaining about things that cannot be changed (if there’s something you don’t like either walk away from it or try to be the change factor), people who’s glass is always half empty (pessimism really brings me down), judgement without knowledge,etc. Anyhow, I have been friends with someone for awhile now and for whatever reason our relationship has changed. I know relationships go through changes, but I can’t put a finger on when or how this one changed, but it is no longer something I want to be a part of. After years of get togethers we cannot seem to get past the surface level of conversation and our friendsip has become stressful. I feel as if it’s a competition and our meetings make me feel like she’s trying to somehow ‘one-up’ me, her tone a little condescending. I am to the point that I only ask her questions about herself and I barely share information about me (she doesn’t seem to notice). Well, life is short and I don’t want friendships to be stressful, it’s not a competition. Can you tell I’m struggling with this?

The other side of the story is this, she was a great friend, supported me through all of the cancer stuff, but now that I’m healthy again, well, things have changed. When I try to share something I’m struggling with or even something I’m excited about, she seems to blow it off and turn it into a conversation about how awesome she’s doing…what’s the point? Well, another thing on my mind is this, it is very difficult for a woman in her 40’s to make new friends because many women in this age group already have their core friendships. Not that I don’t have any other friends but it seems silly to drop one and look for another. I’m not looking for a replacement really, I’m just struggling with her. It’s too hard to be her friend…did I mention everything in her life is always perfect? Oh yes, never a problem with her, her kids, her marriage, etc,  in all the years I’ve known her…always 99.9% awesome, maybe that’s why it’s been hard getting under surface level.

Oh well, I just wanted to vent and ask for advice today. Obviously this weighs heavy on my heart. Do I just ignore the invitations, text messages, etc? There are complicating factors to that but I can’t get into it. No worries, she doesn’t read my blog, too busy.

For today I use Dior Addict Lip Glow. This is by far one of my most favorite lip balms. It moisturizes and brings out the natural color of your lips, it’s awesome. I chose it because I believe that friendship should be similar,sheer enough to reveal the real you, but a good friend brings out your natural ‘colors’ and make them shine.

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Impact

30 May

“Moments of impact…these moments of impact define who we are. Each one of us is the sum total of every moment we’ve ever experienced with all the people we’ve ever known and it’s these moments that become our history. Our own personal greatist hits of memories that we play and replay in our lives over and over again.” From the movie The Vow

I watched the movie The Vow the other day, total chick flick by the way, and this was one of the quotes. After the main character said it (which is pretty much in the beginning of the movie), it made me think of all the people in my life and all those moments of impact, good and bad. It is a greatest hits list because it has somewhat made me who I am today. There was the high school teacher who made me love chemistry, the other high school teacher that told me I was a great singer and supported and encouraged me throughout high school and even beyond. My first boss out of college who not only told me I was smart but also said I was classy and that was why he hired me (I was 21 for goodness sakes but then I had to continually live up to that). More recently with cancer over the years, my last surgeon at U of M who said ,’We’re going to take care of this once and for all.’ My voice team who never stopped believing in me, who never stopped calling me a singer and who pushed me and gave me confidence to even try to continue singing, and of course all the people praying and supporting me through the most difficult of times. All the stories I was told and e-mailed from others, so many moments of impact in my life, so many greatest hits.

I think we often wonder who we really are, who our true self is. What is at our core? Are we the same person on the outside as we think we are on the inside? I have always been secretly stubborn. If someone told me I probably couldn’t do something, my mission was to prove them wrong, now I know my limitations. To some extent we are molded by what people think of us, say to us, expect from us. We are also molded by all of those experiences and how we react to them. What I know is that no one can write our book for us, every day is a blank page ready to be written. I want to be myself in and out, authentic. I want more moments of impact but I also want to provide moments of impact for others. Dont you? How? Be encouraging, be loving, be honest and say what’s in your heart, live open-handedly….it comes back ten fold.

Today I wear YSL Rouge Pur in #9, Rouge Laque. First, I have to say that I hate lipsticks that have a number as it’s primary name. Part of the fun for me is the lipstick color names, oh well. These particular YSL formulations are quite revolutionary. They’ve been written up in all the magazines so of course I had to try. They are a stain that shines like a gloss. Most long lasting stains dry out my lips, this is not much different. What I love is the color and shine which are both extremely intense but since it’s generally drying on me, I found that if I put balm on first, the color still lasts, or, if I wear it over a lipstick, that works too. Overall, it’s GORGEOUS. I chose #9 because it of course is red. Live life, make an impact!

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Insomnia

8 May

I have been having trouble sleeping lately. Do you ever feel like there’s not enough time in the day?  I read a quote last week which said, “Sky Above, Earth Below, Fire Within.” That statement really impacted me because that’s how I feel after cancer. I have a fire within to make some type of difference. With my voice still intact despite all the surgeries, radiation treatments, and the loss of one vocal cord, I feel like I might have something to say. With my new found passion for writing, my book, my blog, etc, I feel I may have lots more I need to write. With the people my job allows me to meet and those currently in my life, I feel the need to hear people’s stories because there are so many, and do what, write them down? All the stories, all the backgrounds help me appreciate my own and make me a richer more loving person. With my new found health and passion for life I feel I might be preparing for something to do…I just don’t know what.  All I know is that I’m awake and at times, overcommitted, and add to that all the lipstick…it’s just crazy.

What do you do when you have a burning passion to do something and don’t know which direction to take because you’re not exactly sure what that passion is? ‘To make a difference’ sounds too broad right? I’m curious, really, what do you do? Yes I know I spoke about purpose in my last blog and I still believe that people are the purpose for where we are. For me though, after all this cancer junk, at the end of the day it’s hard for me to sleep because it’s another day, another 24 hours, gone and I’m just wishing I could have done more with that time…. another risk, another phone call, another letter, whatever, just more. I guess for now, I will pray and go about my days with eyes and arms wide open. Eyes open for whatever may lie ahead. Arms wide open to people.  Notice anything with the picture above? There are two rainbows…don’t miss the moments.

Today I wear Dior Addict Ultra lipgloss in Flash which I’m sad to say was a limited color a few months ago ( a close relative would be Outrageous Fuscia or Sari Pink). What I love about the Dior lipglosses is they are so moist and not sticky. They add a hint of color and are beautiful.  Right now, they are my favorite lipglosses. I chose the color Flash because the name reminds me that life goes by so quickly!

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I Ran

29 Apr

Yesterday I ran in a 5K race (3.1miles). This might seem insignificant to some, but for me it was a milestone, a miracle. My cancer surgeries and treatments have made it very difficult to participate in any type of cardiovascular activity because of my difficulty breathing. For those who don’t know, one of my vocal cords is paralyzed and because of scar tissue from three surgeries and external beam radiation along with swallowing I-131 radiation, my other vocal cord sits close to the other and moves a little slower. Picture drinking through a straw…lots of liquid. Now squeeze the straw so that it’s only open less than half the width, not much liquid can pass through and it’s that much more difficult to suck liquid in. That is how I breathe because my opening is less than half of a normal person’s. Without activity, I breathe just fine; but when I’m doing something active like running, I have to take at least twice as many breaths just to get air into my lungs. It’s a whole process of taking shorter faster breaths to keep going. Six months ago I could barely walk a mile on a treadmill without having to slow down and try to catch my breath, yesterday, I ran 3.1 miles. Now, I do have to say there were periods of walking, but a lot less than I thought. In fact, I finished 80th out of 134 in my age group (I pictured being last but finishing nonetheless). As I crossed the finish line, I could not help but break down and cry. It was a run for health, and faith, and for me, after four long years of fighting, it felt like a first step of trusting my body again, or as a quote I read on another cancer blog, ‘honoring a goal after a sea of disappointment’. I felt and still feel great! Of course I couldn’t do it alone. My friend Frances was there to encourage me and coach me through all the way. I knew this was something I wanted to do eventually and she helped lead me and keep me committed to this race (of course, there were times I wanted to back out).

After all the struggles with cancer and consequently my voice and my breathing, I can say that I can talk, sing, and run. Not without some struggles, but I feel blessed. Thank you to Frances and to all my friends and family that have helped and encouraged me. Thanks also to all of you who follow my lipstick journey!

Today I wear Make Up Forever Rouge Artist Natural in N47. It’s red and moisturizing….it is the red lipstick I was wearing when I crossed the finish line!

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Mirror,Mirror

31 Mar

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Most of us look and see our flaws. For me, it’s the new gray hairs, the lines that are starting to show, etc. What about the positives? Do we ever look and say, ‘Dang, I’m gorgeous!’ or ‘Wow, new lines. It’s wonderful seeing life experiences on my face.’ Believe me, those things have NEVER come to mind while looking at myself. But what if mirrors could talk back? What would they say?

Recently, Snow White has made a comeback. Once Upon A Time (a new TV show I love on ABC–I love fairytales), Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts, Snow White and The Huntsman coming out with Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame…remember the mirror? ‘You are the fairest of them all.’ If my mirror could talk to me I would hope it says, ‘It’s ok, you’re beautiful. You see the lines around your eyes, I can see into your eyes and the experience and wisdom you have gained through the years; you see lines around your mouth, I see the imprint of joy and all of your moments smiling; the gray hairs? Well, that can be colored.’

What is a true mirror in our lives? Our friends and family. Think about it, the people we connect with reflect back to us how we treat them. Kindness begets kindness. Love bounces back (most of the time). Authenticity brings truth to relationships; and if you haven’t noticed, for the most part, a smile brings on a smile. What do your friends think about you? They are your mirror. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Look in the mirror and realize there is no one else quite like you!

Today I wear Bobbi Brown High Shimmer lipgloss in Bare Sparkle, a champagne colored shimmery gloss. It is BEAUTIFUL and goes well on top of lipstick to add a beautiful shimmer. I chose it because it’s beautiful and sparkly on its own which is what I hope to be.

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Extreme

26 Mar

The past week or so has been one of those crazy weeks filled with extreme emotion. It’s Sunday night, I’m exhausted and tomorrow starts a new week. About a week ago, I met with a good friend from college for a lipstick and lunch date…now how can you go wrong with lipstick and food? It was great catching up with her while trying on lipstick followed by lunch! Extreme fun! A few days later, I got a call from one of my closest friends telling me she and her husband were getting divorced. This was devastating news to both my husband and myself because they are close ‘couple’ friends. You know, it’s hard to find a couple you both like to hang with. It was a complete shock and so sad, even she was surprised; he just decided to up and leave her and their two kids. Extreme low. Friday I sang at my doctor’s annual World Voice Day Celebration. This was my fourth year attending and singing and every year has been different. The first year was after my first surgery and my voice was decent, the second, was after my third surgery and radiation and my vocal cords were paralyzed. Last year, I was still recovering, and this year, well, I am cancer free. My voice has changed quite a bit (obviously), and singing with one vocal cord is such a thought process, but it was overwhelming and awesome. As I stepped out on the stage I was overcome with emotion because it has been such a long road and not only did it feel like a miracle being there singing, but my ‘voice team’ who took care of me from the beginning was there right along side of me cheering me on. I picked a difficult song and it wasn’t the best I’ve ever sounded, but I was there. Extreme high. Saturday night, I was at a ‘girl’ party with one of my best high school friends whom I reconnected with a couple years ago as I was going through cancer the third time. It’s incredible how true friendship works, we don’t see each other for 20 years and we talk like not a day has gone by. Anyhow, it was a fun party with just a handful of women. Extreme joy and laughter. Today…extreme exhaustion.

Each day was different, each day holds a memory, each day involved relationships. So now, as today ends, we have tomorrow. Life is crazy and fun and sad and filled with so many tidbits in a day. Don’t miss the moments. Take in every emotion, as much as your heart breaks, it gets recharged with love and joy. Love people, they need you as much as you need them and be open to whatever may come next!

Today I wear Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss in Electric Violet, A pinkish, violet shimmery lip gloss. Gorgeous color for spring and summer. This is a newer formulation for Bobbi and it combines vitamins to help moisturize your lips and is not sticky. The colors are still sheer so you can wear it over lipstick if you choose, but they do add a good amount of color on their own.  I chose it because life can be electric if you let it! Enjoy!

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