You might not have thought much about this, but your perception of your own face is different than what other people see. The most frequent view we have of ourselves is in a mirror, which is a flipped version of how we really look. However, since the image we see is inverted, we often feel more comfortable with how we look in a mirror, as opposed to photographs. We also have the option of looking at selfies, which are even worse, since they distort our features due to the wide-angle design of the camera lens.
The closest representation of how others see us is via photographs, but depending on the lens type used, even photos can present distortions which don’t accurately represent our faces. We may think the camera is capturing us exactly how others perceive us, but those lenses often make some features more prominent than others, and thus quite different from how we really look. Another big factor which comes into play with looking in a mirror or at a photograph is that both are two-dimensional images, so we can never truly appreciate our own faces as the dynamic, three-dimensional countenances which others see.
There is a concept called the True Mirror which enables us to regard our own faces exactly as others do. For a great TED lecture on face recognition which discusses the True Mirror, check out this link:
The wonderful folks at INEVIFIT sent me this Eros Pro Massage Gun to review, and I have to say, it’s a very high quality piece of equipment! Please check out my video review for more information, as well as the limited time promo code which you can use for $35 off and free shipping.
Evidently there is a money saving hack which has been trending on social media, in which you label 100 envelopes with numbers, ranging in sequence from 1 to 100. The number on each envelope is the dollar amount which you are supposed to put in the envelope. The idea is that you would place money into an envelope every single day for 100 days, and at the end of those 100 days, you would have $5,050, which is quite impressive. The envelopes are picked at random each day, so the amount you place in the envelope will be a surprise.
However, for people like me who are always cash poor, it would be difficult to gather up actual cash and physically place it into an envelope every day. It also seems rather challenging to try to come up with $100 cash when the 100 envelope is pulled, so a couple of variations include numbering the envelopes from 1 to 50 twice or 1 to 20 five times. You could as another option use an online banking or cash app and add the money that way.
I recently had a random memory which popped up in my head a few weeks ago of a maroon satin dress which captured my attention as a pre-teen and which made me feel like a disco queen. Granted, I got the dress in 1977, so it makes sense that I felt disco vibes whenever I wore it. It featured spaghetti straps, had a hidden elastic waist, and a slender A-line skirt which hugged my emerging curves. Unfortunately, I don’t have any images of me wearing the frock, but I remember it so vividly, and I will never forget how it made me feel. It had a lovely silky feel to it and fit so nicely.
Of course I can’t find anything online that approximates the style of the dress I had as a kid, but I found a sexy modern take on a satin dress:
Who remembers the ever so popular kids’ drink Shirley Temple? I recall that this mocktail was incredibly popular in the 1970’s, and I was of course obsessed with it. A Shirley Temple basically consists of ginger ale, grenadine syrup, and a maraschino cherry, and is quite sweet and effervescent. What blows my mind is how I actually enjoyed the maraschino cherries which were part of this refreshment, because I don’t think I would be able to eat a maraschino cherry these days. I’m quite sure that the ones I consumed as a child were colored with Red 40, which is commonly used in making these cherries. The thing about Red 40 is that it is derived from petroleum distillates, a fact which alarms me. Fortunately, Luxardo brand Maraschino Cherries do not have this dangerous food dye.
For those of you who might want to travel down memory lane, here is a recipe for this classic concoction:
Add ice cubes to a tall glass.
Pour 1 ounce grenadine syrup into the glass.
Pour 8 ounces of ginger ale and stir gently. If you don’t like ginger ale, you can use a lemon-lime soda such as Sprite or 7-Up.
Add maraschino cherries for garnish (preferably Luxardo!).
Who remembers these Kissing Potions from the 1970’s and 1980’s?
I remember being completely obsessed with Kissing Potion roller tip lip glosses when I was a preteen and teenager, so I was delighted when I found out that Tinte Cosmetics sold these awesome retro glosses. My favorite scent/flavor was Bubble Gum, an iconic, true bubble gum vibe which Tinte Cosmetics captured beautifully. Of course when I placed an order on the website, I had to get Strawberry Swirl, another favorite flavor. The consistency of the gloss is thick, the finish is very glossy, and Tinte nailed the scents so well that I was transported back to the days of roller rinks and drive-in movie theaters. I might have to order Watermelon,Piña Colada and Cherry Smash so that I have all the varieties I loved as a youngster.
Here’s the description of the Bubble Gum Kissing Potion:
Bubble Gum KISSING POTION ® Roll on the ORIGINAL Sweet Shine! TINte Cosmetics will take you back to the 70’s & 80’s with our delicious KISSING POTION ® ! As ultra shiny and thick & slick as you remember. Each with its own roller-ball top. Roll on our shiny, sweet gloss over bare lips or roll it on over lipstick it’s the perfect product for creating sweet shine that lasts. Get ready for the complements. As always each of our products is enriched with nourishing Shea Butter. No color, just great glossy power and delicious shine. This product is paraben free, and as always cruelty free.
There are two full-time biscuit makers in my household, and they certainly take their roles very seriously, especially since their roles were self-appointed. The first is my 15-year-old blue American Burmese cat Tenshi, who likes to make mini biscuits, seen here:
Then there is my 1-year-old cream European Burmese cat Sumi, who is a diligent worker who puts in several shifts each day in order to make sure biscuit production is optimal. Her work sessions are intense and focused:
I’m willing to bet that most of you who are reading this blog post remember your first romantic kiss in decent detail, so I hope this inspires you to think about that special moment in your life. You might be wondering why I gave this blog post the title it is sporting, but after I share the story of my first romantic kiss, you’ll understand why. My first real smooch with a boy was indeed memorable!
During the summer when I turned 12, I would spend alternate weekends at my dad’s apartment, and I would often bring my close friend Dana with me. My dad had moved into a new apartment complex, so I had many opportunities to meet kids who were close to my age, but one boy caught my eye. His name was Mark, he had a crop of wavy sandy brown hair, piercing blue eyes, a charming smile, and he was 16 years old. Mark and I took a liking to each other immediately, and he got into the habit of coming over to my dad’s apartment with his acoustic guitar and serenading me, which obviously had me swooning.
One afternoon, Mark sauntered over to my dad’s place, eating a banana. When he saw me walking towards him, he stopped eating, smiled, and asked me if he could come inside and hang out with me. Since my dad was at his office and wouldn’t be home for a while, I knew we would at least have some privacy, so I said sure. Mark walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa, then patted the spot next to him, encouraging me to sit there. I sat down, then Mark gently moved me so that my head was in his lap, then he leaned down and kissed me. The taste of banana was a bit strange, but the kiss was as great as a first kiss could be, even though I didn’t exactly know what to do. I figured if I mimicked what Mark was doing with his lips and tongue, that I’d be just fine.
After that first kiss, we spent a lot of time kissing and hanging out together, and Mark would regularly serenade me while sitting out on the steps in front of Dad’s place. We might have continued to spend time together after summer ended, but Mark moved away in the fall, and I never saw him again. I guess I could consider Mark my first boyfriend, despite the fact that we only saw each other every other weekend, and only for one summer. Looking back, I find it startling that a 16-year-old boy found a 12-year-old girl so enticing, but I guess that speaks volumes about how two people can be attracted to each other and not give any thought to an age difference or other variables. I thought Mark was so attractive, and I am grateful that my first romantic kiss was with a boy who truly showed interest in me, even though that kiss was tinged with the taste of banana!
It’s startling to hear men criticize women for having cellulite, because anywhere from 80 to 98 percent of women have it. The presence of cellulite on a woman does not indicate that she has too much body fat, or that she is in some way unhealthy. Cellulite occurs when fat pushes up against the fibrous connective tissue which lies over it, causing a “cottage cheese” appearance. Cellulite can become more noticeable with weight gain, hormonal changes, and poor skin quality, but it is absolutely considered normal for those who have it.
I recently heard one of my male friends literally exclaim “Ewww!” when I mentioned that I had some cellulite on the backs of my legs, prompting me to write this article in defense of all who sport some cellulite on their bodies. Mind you, I hadn’t even revealed the area in question on my body, but the reaction from my friend was unsettling. This is the kind of attitude that makes me want to keep my body covered up at all times, just to ensure that the backs of my legs don’t somehow offend an opinionated man. Honestly, even supermodels have cellulite, so could we stop picking on women (and men) who have it?
I realize that I may be dating myself when I say this, but I honestly think that Temu has become the modern version of Harriet Carter, a catalog known for its unusual and practical household items. l remember getting Harriet Carter catalogs in the mail on occasion, and there were times when I would thumb through it, and even made a few purchases. I recall seeing nifty things like strainers which you could prop up on the edges of your sink so that you could wash vegetables right in the sink basin. Harriet Carter would often feature As Seen On TV items in their catalog, which always meant that the products were either quite revolutionary or complete duds.
Now we have Temu, which has continued the tradition of offering affordable and unique household items. Catalogs like Harriet Carter were known for their eclectic selections, featuring everything from clever gadgets to unconventional solutions for common problems around the house. Temu also features similar quirky items, but the odd thing I have noticed about Temu is that very few of their items feature brand names. I would venture to say that Temu’s pricing strategy is even more enticing than Harriet Carter’s, because some of the gadgets they sell are incredibly cheap. But you get what you pay for, and I can speak from personal experience and state that many of the items which Temu sells are pure junk and don’t even work.
A case in point is a hair trimmer which I ordered from Temu which was a mere $1.29. I received the item, put batteries in it, and of course it did not work. Temu issued a refund within minutes of my request to return the item. Another time I ordered three cabinet lights which I wanted to use on my stairs to provide illumination, and when I received them, I made sure to charge them completely before using them. Six days later, all three lights ran out of charge, so I recharged them fully once again. Six days after that, the lights stopped working again. It was at that point that I requested a refund, then promptly ordered lights from Amazon which were just like the ones I had purchased from Amazon for my other set of stairs, and which had been proven to hold a charge for approximately 1-1/2 to 2 months.
Temu gives me the same impression that Harriet Carter once did, that it offers a plethora of nifty and sometimes odd items that I never thought I would need, such as a mesh cover for the condenser unit for our HVAC system, and a telescoping duster specifically designed to clean ceiling fan blades. But there are limits to what I would be willing to purchase from Temu, just as there were limits with Harriet Carter. I won’t order anything which is either chargeable or battery powered from Temu ever again, and I would advise anyone to do the same.
