1/365: Layers To Dust

I am starting off my project 365 challenge with a picture of my Scentsy warmer. I acquired this warmer in December  2011, immediately after my final exams. I loved it the moment I got it.

It just filled my room with lots of wonderful scents which I got compliments on. Today, this warmer

just sits abandoned on top of my cosmetic cabinet. You can even see dust

in the cracks of its floral design. Hopefully, I can replace the light bulb and start using it again.. and fill my life with the wonderful scents it once brought me. 

What's Yours?

I have a few of them actually but I'll share the ones I currently watch the most.

The show I wake up to every morning is Princess. It's a show about young women, usually between the ages of 18 to 30, who have issues staying on track financially. 

How I understand the show works is that a family member nominates the "princess" to receive financial counselling and during the course of the show, the princess is given challenges which they have to complete. 

The plan is that the challenges they are asked to complete would help remold their spending habits and prepare them for a more sustainable future. If they complete the challenges successfully (without wining or bitching), they get up to $5,000. It's a really interesting show from which you can learn a lot and I implore everyone to at least try and watch one episode. If you are interested, you can watch it here.

If you love drama and you are not a fan of the Real Housewives franchise, then you are seriously missing!!! And honestly, you just can never get bored of the show because there's more than one. 

The different Real Housewives shows are named based on where the housewives live. 

So for example, a show based on women in New Jersey would be called The Real Housewives of New Jersey (this actually exists by the way) and one based on women in Orange County would be called The Real Housewives of Orange County (you get the gist). These shows are filled with drama, intrigue, confusion, commotion and are just a great way to pass time. Watch Orange County and tell me what you think about it!

If you know you're not yet ready to retire from going to your favorite restaurant, you probably don't wanna watch this show. Watching Kitchen Nightmares has definitely opened my eyes to how restaurants work and all the struggles they have to go through in order to keep being in business. 

But this show has a downside to it. It shows you the inner workings of the restaurants, revealing the hygiene level that the kitchen runs on thereby making you want to quit going to restaurants altogether. But I won't quit. I love giving myself a treat from time to time. lol.

 This show is all about Gordon Ramsey, a top chef, helping to revive restaurant businesses that are on the brink of closing down. He remodels the restaurants if he has to and brings hope and smiles back to the owner and the customers.

 Like I said, watch at your own discretion. Okay. The show's not that bad. But what you see might shock you. You can watch Kitchen Nightmares here.

I wanna hear what your favorite shows are. Hopefully, I can find some to add to the three I highlighted above. 

Take A Picture... Everyday.

I don't know if I have mentioned this before. but for the records.. I am a picture freak. I love taking pictures of just about anything. At work, I take pictures of the official telephone as much as I get people to photograph my fingers as I type away. The only thing that has the ability to capture a moment as it happened and preserve the very value of that moment are photographs. And this is the reason they have become an integral part of my life.

Now to the exciting part. :-) Starting today, I will be capturing a of a bit of my day everyday with a camera. I will also be posting them here and sharing with you guys the story behind them.

I encourage everyone to join me in the Project 365 challenge and share photos of anything - be it something that you found amusing, precious or even hated. :-)

If it's something you want to appear here, you can forward it to my email address and I'll feature it here on GIAM. Looking forward to sharing in your daily lives!!

How Do You Stay Afloat Financially?

Hey lovelies, how are y'all doing? Today I am going to be sharing with you some tips

to staying debt free in college. I hope you are able

to learn a thing or two from this. :) 

The first thing every college student needs to do in order not to go flat broke the day after resumption is to be on a budget. As you make that transition from high school to university, you will find that you are taking on a lot more responsibility than you previously have, and the best way to keep your finances organized and in check is to create a reasonable budget and stick with it.

Making a budget may seem daunting to a lot of people but is actually easier than it seems. The spending pie chart is a great way to go when creating one but if this seems confusing, I will be making another post giving step by step details of how to create a budget. Keep in mind that the most difficult thing about a budget is not the work that goes into creating it, rather, it's the willpower to stick to it.

..or get a prepaid credit card. If you have any credit card in your name, there is no better time than now to put a pair of scissors to it and do the needful. Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to pass the message that a credit card is the devil's offspring. In fact, a credit card is good in the sense that it helps you when unforeseen circumstances come your way. So if, for example, you find yourself suddenly in a bookstore faced with the last copy of a textbook that you really need, you can buy the text book on credit if you are sure you would be getting money the next day to pay it off. If, however, you don't see yourself paying back the money in the next 365 days, please don't bother with the book. Borrow from a friend instead. 

Another thing college students tend to do is use their credit card like it is a source of income.

We often times fall into the trap of making SEVERAL purchases on the visa so that when it comes the time to pay it back, the sum is so intimidating that we shy away from it. We do this forgetting that every penny you put on your credit card accumulates interest every month and that initial amount you shied away from could only become something bigger if it is not taken care of. You have to recognize that credit cards are enablers. They give you the option of living above your means. The onus is on you to say no to self-deceit. You know what you can afford so stay within that range and away from the credit card. 

If you are anything like me, you always want to make sure everyone around you is happy even if that means making certain decisions you know very well you shouldn't be making. While having friends that are fun seekers is cool, the spending that comes along with all that fun could lethal to your pocket. Again, look at your budget and examine carefully the amount you have set aside for fun. Limit yourself to that amount or say a flat out "no, I can't afford it" to the invitation to spend money. Always keep in mind that at the end of the day, if you are in debt, it is your debt and your friends will not help you out of it!

I hope you are able to apply these to your life. Wishing you a debt-free, money-full college experience.

Did My Boss Just Tap My Shoulder?

Hey girlies! :) How's everyone doing today? Enjoying the summer, are you? I wish I was. I don't know if I have said this before, but this has got to be the most busiest summer I've ever had. I am doing a lot more for myself this year and trying to make the best use of the "free" time that I have now. Like many college students on the block, I picked up a summer job. It's a really interesting job in the sense that all I have to do is maintain company websites and all, but boy, the hours stress me out.

Anyways, yesterday was quite interesting. I was hanging out here on blogger during one of my breaks when my supervisor creeped walked up to me very quietly and tapped me on the shoulder. I was startled! I was so tempted to blurt out the words "DO NOT DO THAT TO ME EVER AGAIN" but that would have cost me my job.. so no, thank you! Turns out the poor guy had good intentions though. All he wanted to do was go over my work performance for the last two months and let me know where I stand in comparison to my colleagues. I was beyond happy when he told me I was at a good place with my stats (yay for being a slacker and still managing to pull that off). He let me know that the company is really pleased to have me working for them and I was overjoyed! Appreciation is always a nice thing, eh?

We ended up just discussing about my (and his daughter's) future- we both wanna become dentists so that gave us common grounds to make a conversation out of. It ended really well and I felt good the rest of the day!

~What is what doing at all is worth doing well~

It's 20 Degrees Centigrade In Canada!

Who has been outside lately? How hot is it in your area? Do you find that you have to open all the windows in your house just so you can breathe, or do you find yourself in the pool of your own sweat when you wake up in the middle of the night to pee? These have been my fate of late! Here in the Maritimes, it's been awfully hot.

Since the year I got here, I have spent all my summers in Nigeria (which is hot anyway) so I was hoping for a cooler and much more breezy summer when I changed my itinerary and decided to not go home as early this year.  The fans in almost every store in this area are sold out. Everything is just so hot.. humid.. and the air is..for lack of a better word.. static. I never knew the day would come when I would see 20 degrees centigrade for this city on the weather report (it was 26 yesterday by the way). 

It is just so damn hooooot!

 A sure way to combat this temperature menace is by going to the pool and staying hydrated. These are the only things that seem to help. Of course an air-conditioning unit would be a superb option. Anything.. just anything to make this heat feel better. Haha.

I Take Care Of My Skin... On The Cheap!

Today, I am going to be sharing my daily facial routine ( I promise to do an entire body one soon). I am doing this for people who may be having trouble getting the kind of skin that they envy on others.. or who are just plain scared of the price tags they see on products that look promising. I am also doing this for myself.

 I say this because even though I don't change the products I use very often, I would like to be able to come back to this, if anything ever changes. and make alterations. The products you will be seeing are arranged in the order in which I use them.

The first product I use is the St. Ives  Timeless Skin Daily Microdermabrasion.

Price: $3 - $4 (depending on where you get it)

What is says it does: This daily microdermabrasion scrub gently exfoliates to reveal younger looking, refined skin.

How I use it: Right before I get in the bathroom, I press a little bit onto my hands and scrub on my face (like you would any other scrub).

Difference: I have been using this for about two months now and I can definitely say I have seen improvements. It strips dead skin cells right off your face leaving you glowing. This is definitely worth a try.

After scrubbing with the Daily Microdermabrasion, I wash the residues off with the St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Cleanser.

Price: $3

What it says it does: "This face wash deep cleans leaving skin fresh and clean"

How I use it: Just like you would use every other cleanser, I press some onto my hands (about three drops as this product produces a lot of  lather) and wash my face.

Difference: It basically keeps my face clean throughout the day. It's like every other cleanser I have used, to be honest; but it's price is its major sales pitch. 

These twin products come next in the routine.

I especially like this product because of this squeaky-clean feeling it leaves on my face. With just a drop, it seeps down every pore on your face and just cleanses. It does just what it promises to do. 

Price: $4

What it says it does: "Olay Conditioning Cleansing Milk is specifically designed to gently and effectively cleanse your skin, removing make-up and impurities. This special formula, enriched with Olay Moisture and Vitamin E, effectively replenishes normal/dry skin's moisture loss. Thoroughly cleansed, your skin looks and feels comfortably clean, soft and smooth. 

Of course the Olay daily cleansers refreshing toner comes next. Once again, this for me does what it says it does!

Price: $3

What it says it does: This product "is specifically designed to clarify and revitalize your skin. This special formula, containing chamomile and the astringent Witch Hazel, helps to revitalize your skin and make it look and feel refreshed and purified. This alcohol free and pH balanced formula is suitable for dry, normal and combination skin."

 This product is totally optional but I like to use it anyways. It's not so much a toner, it's more of an exfoliating agent. This product is the second product/step in a three-step cleaning routine but you can absolutely use it alone! When I was buying this product, I asked for something to help control my oily skin so I was given this particular one. I know $16 may seem like a lot to someone who is on a budget, but trust me, this product lasts! I have had mine since September of 2012 and I still have a fair amount left even though I use it generously everyday!

Price: $16

What it says it does: "Comfortable, non-drying exfoilator instantly clears away dull flakes to uncover skin that's fresh, glowing. Deep -cleans and refines pores. Controls the build-up of flakes and excess oil. Over time, helps revitalize skin's natural renewal process. Result- clearer, healthier skin"

Price: $12

What it says it does: "active hydrating cream"

I am surprised this does not have any more description on it (perhaps there's a bit more description in the box it came in) but that's basically what it is. A moisturizer. I use it everyday to keep my skin hydrated and it does not disappoint. Plus it lasts long. A cup of this could last you about 3 months so don't let the price impede you from getting it. 

I hope you are able to incorporate some of these into your routine, and will see all the visible improvements you want.

 I am not a dermatologist so be sure to check with your dermatologist before using any of these. I will not be responsible for any adverse skin reactions caused by any of these products if you do choose to try them out. 

XOXO

Kay.