Category Art

Acting Chops

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

comedy and tragedy

Most people who know me would never guess that I have flirted with the world of acting for decades, because it just isn’t something I talk about very much. But from the time I was a child, I have been surrounded by actors, producers, writers and directors. While I don’t live, breathe and eat acting, I respect it and have a keen interest in it.

It had been so long since I had taken any acting classes or workshops that I decided to take an on-camera audition skills class during the months of November and December. In order to go to these classes, I have had to sit through two hours of rush hour traffic to travel 20 miles from my house to the class. The classes run until 10:30 pm, but always go late (usually 10:45 or 10:50 pm), which means that I don’t get home until 11:30 pm. Yet I am completely committed, have showed up on time, and have completed every exercise even if I felt incredibly uncomfortable doing so.

There are many areas I want to study: scene study, cold reading, on-camera, and voice-over study. I am also considering an improv techniques class further down the road. Because of my interests, I plan to spend the early part of 2016 auditing classes to see which ones grab me. Then I will narrow things down and figure out which classes fit my busy schedule.

For those of you who think I may be abandoning my medical or fitness careers to pursue a career in acting, don’t worry. I am simply exploring an interest I have had for a long time, and feel that the experience will make me grow as a person, and will take me out of my comfort zone.

Acrylic Nails

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

full-set-of-full-acrylic-french-tips-997602-regular

I never thought I would be the type of woman who would resort to the regular application of acrylic nails. However, I have spent the past six years living a lifestyle which requires that my nails look perfect all the time, so I truly have no choice but to cover them in acrylic. Though I was blessed with great hair and skin, my nails are paper thin and very weak, and getting them to grow evenly without major peeling and breakage is almost impossible. Besides, I kind of enjoy going in every two weeks and getting a pampering treatment. I say pampering lightly, though, since my nail technician almost always inflicts pain on me when I go to visit her. Grooming can be torture!

For those of you who don’t know how acrylic nails are applied, here is how it’s done. A nail technician mixes a liquid with a powder and brushes the mixture onto the nails, then allows the product to harden. Over time, the acrylic material grows out with your natural nails, requiring application of more acrylic substance in the empty area between the nail bed and the existing acrylic overlay. If you want to have acrylic nails removed, the technician usually soaks your nails in nail polish remover for easy removal, but my nail technician tugs and pries them off me with so much force that I often wince from the pain.

I also get gel overlay because my nails are truly that weak. Once acrylic is applied and is fully dry, the technician brushes on the gel, then the nails are placed
under ultraviolet (UV) light for a minute or two to harden the product. Though there has been some controversy over the UV exposure, the amount of exposure is so brief that it is almost negligible. But then again, there are risks associated with the application of acrylic to the nails, such as fungal infections and damage to the nail bed from trauma. If you have ever had acrylic nails and have had your entire nail lifted off the nail bed from trauma, or a break within the nail bed, you know how wickedly painful that can be!

Despite the fact that I believe the healthiest way to care for one’s nails is to leave them completely unadorned, I am forced to go to the other extreme with the interventions mentioned above, getting my nails covered in harsh chemicals every two weeks. Some ladies will take breaks from acrylics, but sadly, I am unable to do this. Even going for one or two days without acrylic on my nails is torturous, because my thin nails don’t allow me to navigate comfortably through my day to day tasks. It is literally painful for me to go sans acrylics.

Usually I will opt for a basic French tip look, but I wish I could do something more exotic! I have to make sure my nails are practical in length and shape, and they can’t look wild or garish when I have to see patients or do a basic fitness or swimsuit photo shoot. Check out these cool nail looks which I found online:

Acrylic-Nails-Tumblr1

IMG_8888 2011_07_03 Purley Nails Edited (2)

Peaceful Buddha Fountain In My Dining Room

drstaceynaito 3 Comments

IMAG2590

I have had this water fountain in my dining room since approximately 2008 and love the glow which the light casts on Buddha’s face. I remember seeing this fountain at a local garden center and just had to get it. Since I already had fountains outside, I decided to put it in the dining room, making sure to place it in a spot which was clearly visible from the living room as well. This isn’t a small tabletop fountain (it measures 27 inches high, 15-1/2 inches wide, and 7 inches in depth), so it definitely carries some visual impact.

Eventually, this fountain developed a number of issues, such as a burnt out adapter for the light, a spewing corner of the fountain which caused it to leak onto the floor, a strong tendency to build up sediment in the reservoir, and a very loud pump. My cats also were drawn to the fountain and would (and still do!) drink from it, much to my horror, since there was so much sediment floating around in the water.

I finally completely cleaned out this fountain TWICE this year, bought a new light, and connected a quiet pump to the fountain. I also elected to fill the fountain only with distilled water. As a result of my efforts, this fountain is now the relaxing, quiet, and mesmerizing showpiece it was meant to be.