Do It For The Love

Money On My Mind / Sam Smith

I don't have money on my mind,
I do it for the love.

Love what you do and everything will fall into place.

Long hours, hard work, sweat, tears and frustration. Joy, happiness, pleasure, pride and a whooping sense of achievement. No longer disjointed, polar opposites but parts of a contented whole.

Go with your gut; trust your instincts. Soar off cliffs and float with the tide.

Believe. It's called the "leap of faith" for a reason.

Keep the faith.

Expectations

I'm Not Your Hero // Tegan and Sara

I'm not their hero

But that doesn't mean that I wasn't brave

I never walked the party line

Doesn't mean that I was never afraid

I'm not your hero

But that doesn't mean we're not one and the same

BBW 2013 Preview Day Haul

December's hands down one of my favorite months. Other than Christmas (frowns don't stay put for long around all that festive buzz and cheerful decorations), year-end sales, and the promise of a new year just around the corner, it's also when I get to stock up on a whole year's worth of good reads. 

Lots and lots of glorious books! All thanks to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale, a.k.a. the one where people go to carting two-wheeled trolleys and luggage bags - you won't be leaving empty-handed, that's for sure! Touted as the world's largest book sale, it's been a fixture on my calender these couple of years, and I was lucky to have won preview passes for this year's edition!

*swoon*

The crowd's definitely a lot less on preview day, as it's closed door and by invitation only. Another plus of getting first dips: the higher odds of snagging coveted books that are in short supply. The Hunger Games series, which was advertised on the BBW Facebook event page, was nowhere in sight by time I found my way to the YA section. 

This stunning hard cover, cloth-bound edition of Treasure Island (RM8, what a steal!) was the very last copy I could find lying around the small literature corner. It reminds me of the books you'll expect to find in the libraries of grand English manor houses of Lords something-or-other, no? :P 

 Be The Miracle (RM6), The Night Circus (RM8) and Winter Wonderland (RM8) are the other ones from my stash in the running for prettiest book cover. Haha, yes, I do have a very soft spot for turquoise green and vintage motifs. So gorgeous and dreamy!

Fight Club! I nearly squealed when I saw this. The movie's one of my favourites and no one does dark humour better than Chuck Palahniuk. No. One.

The infamous bookmarks you get with every purchase. This year's pirate theme is especially adorable :)

The one on the left, with Little Red Readerhood (geddit? :P), you get when making a book donation to the Budimas rural library programme. The bookmarks, by the way, were all gone when I made a second trip to the sale in its final week.

This set of 13 Sharpies aren't from the BBW sale, per se, but from a booth that was outside the convention hall. Got them for a really good price, around RM13+. Can't wait to put them to use!

Did you visit BBW 2013? Which books did you get, and what were your best buys? 

Aside from the Alexander McCall Smiths which I always enjoy, I've read Winter Wonderland and it's really fun! Puts me in a holiday mood ;)

Saying Goodbye

Now I'm All Messed Up // Tegan and Sara

Now I'm all messed up
Sick inside wondering who
Whose life you're making worthwhile

But not any more! Moving on is a great feeling and while I do still want to be friends (why not? that's something I've never understood), I've come to realise there are some things you just can't force.

Speaking of that, time will heal wounds and make them better. So don't worry, you might not be ok now, but one day you'll look back - stronger, wiser - and know you're a survivor.

Let go, move on, cut free of the ropes that are binding you back... no one has any right to make you feel bad about yourself :)

Rinse, Dry, Repeat

Spring cleaning day!

At least once a week, mostly on a Saturday or Sunday, you'll see this strange sight laid out on my study table.

I switched from Ronasutra's Mineral Foundation to Make Up Forever's Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder Foundation about a month or so ago (it's awesome, in case you're wondering!). But I hate the idea of double-dipping as I've got hyper-sensitive, blemish-prone skin and I'm worried about contamination.

To get around that problem, I use a clean sponge every time to pat on my foundation. There isn't enough time to clean my sponges daily in the morning, so I stack them aside and wash them all at once over the weekend. And there you have it, my lazy busy career woman's solution ;)

My sponges are from Guardian (RM24.90 for 20) and they're rather well made - dense, firm and able to last at least 3 washes before becoming too rough and grimey. Plus, they're sold in a resealable zip-lock bag so you won't have to worry about dust getting in!

Super detergents

I've been using Daiso's trusty sponge & puff detergent (RM5, very purse-friendly) on and off for a few years now. It gets the job done and I love squeezing out all the grime that has accumulated and watching the brackish water, which takes on the colour of teh tarik, swirl down the sink. I'm weird, I know, but it's strangely satisfying and I recommend doing it! :P

For brushes, my favourites are either a very mild shampoo or e.l.f.'s Studio Brush Shampoo (US$3). It's colourless, odourless and comes in a chic, slightly masculine clear black bottle. It isn't easily available in Malaysia though, so your best bet is to wait for an e.l.f. spree on lowyat.net. I bought mine sometime back from StrawberryGirL.

Otherwise, just use baby shampoo, it's generally as good and more affordable than high-end brush shampoos :)

Guess Who's Back?

bigbadwolfbooks.com

It's dear Wolfie, ashore after a perilous journey across the Read Sea in hot pursuit of the villainous B.A.D. (Book Acquisition Department), who made off with all the books set aside for this year's sale *gasp*.

But fret not - his ships have returned victorious, reclaiming no less than 3 million books for your reading pleasure. Hoorah! Full speed ahead for the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale 2013!

Should you rather shop than sleep (me too!), no problem, drop by Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre any time - 11pm, 3am, 7am, it's your call - between 6th to 15th December for a serious dose of retail therapy, as the sale goes on for 230 hours without pause!

Phew, it's exhausting but so fun just thinking about it. Talk about making it almost impossible to find an excuse for not visiting. Don't forget your recyclable/luggage/trolley bags as you'll need them to keep your books safe and hands free to pick out more steals.

Take a day off from work if you have to and go during off-peak hours (11am-5pm on weekdays; 2am-6am any day) for maximum shopping comfort. Digging up hidden gems are a lot easier when you don't have to jostle against sharp elbows for standing space ;)

If you've scored preview passes, check your inbox as emails have been delivered with instructions on how to collect those precious passes. These "golden tickets" -  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory FTW - grant bearers access to the sale one day before it opens to the public, and they're highly coveted!

I'll be keeping an eye out for Haruki Murakami's works (sold out really fast like musang king durian ice cream last year), YA gems (Jellicoe Road's my best find to date), pop up books, and The No.1 Lady's Detective Agency series.

See you there? What titles/authors do you hope to find at BBW 2013?

NARS!

NARS is finally here in Malaysia woohoo! I'm a bit worried for my bank account, to be honest :P

"Find your own way, have an open spirit and believe in your own beauty." - Francois Nars 

The maestro himself, Francois Nars

I look like a raccoon when I line my eyes like that :P

I've yet to pop by Pavilion to check out the store but word is it's a little small and product prices aren't displayed at all (nope not on counters, displays or the retail units, nadah), so you'll have to ask retail associates for exact figures.

If you're shy like me and prefer flipping price tags over as discreetly as possible, or have an image to maintain as the kind of person for whom price is no concern (whyy??), you're in luck! :D

Nicole of Nicole's Mirror has compiled a price list here. Girl's a lifesaver! Prices are pretty reasonable given NARS' positioning as a high-end brand. Affordability, however, is subjective.

Personally I do consider RM90 quite steep for a lipstick, but I'll be KIV-ing it, along with the Radiant Creamy Concealer. 

That said, the Guy Bourdin 'Fashion. Glam' holiday collection's so pretty - vintage pin-up looks ohemgee - that it's really testing my resolve not to splurge!

What about you? Are you jumping onto the NARS bandwagon and which products do you have your sights on? :)