2014: Year in Review

 

Happy belated Christmas!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your beloved ones and had your wishes come true.

I can’t believe this is the last day of December and even more mind-blowing that this is the last day of 2014.

Looking back, it’s been an adventurous year with all the good and not-so-good experience mashing up together.

I remember I had a rough 2013, which is why at the beginning of 2014, I told myself “you know what, I’m in charge of my happiness and I’mma start focusing on myself now.”

So that’s what I did.

Taking that first step was hard, I almost forgot how to be “selfish”. I’m not trying to brag that I’m the most selfless person on this earth, but I used to care so much for every single thing, or every single person, and most of the time, for the wrong people and forgetting about myself.

However, I find myself to be more spontaneous and carefree this year, and it feels damn good. I’ve always been a planner. I plan out everything beforehand and things should go the way I plan otherwise I’d be upset. But I managed to let go this part of me, not all though, because some things are really need to be planned, and I’ve become less rigid.

This explains the impromptu travels, blind dates (yes omg, can you believe it) and generally not giving a damn of what other people think. Some say that this is being ignorant, but hey, ignorance is a bliss.

Oh, I think I have not shared that my name is on the acknowledgement page of a book. It’s my previous boss’ book that I had been helping with earlier this year and this is one of my greatest achievements so far.

So yes, I got a new job this year. Not exactly my dream job but I get to meet a bunch (and I mean a BUNCH) of new people. I also started taking Chinese class again and joined a few interest groups. I’m happy to say that I can call some of the new people I’ve met this year good friends of mine now.

I’m still an introvert though, although I can be the most extroverted person among the introverts. I’ve been working on it and actually I have seen an improvement this year.

I’ve let go of the past that I had been holding on to for too long and I’m not taking the what-ifs and all the “we’ll see”s seriously anymore, because I know they’re just false hopes and hell no, I’m not waiting for anyone or anything to come my way anymore, ain’t nobody got time for that!

On a different note, I’m also very happy that two of my good friends from Uni have gotten married this year. Funny thing is that both of them are the ones who had very little dating experience and ended up with their first bf/gf. I’m expecting some offspring next year and I can’t wait to hold them in my hands.

Again, on a random note, I’m still keeping my hair short this year and I think I prefer it this way. You know what they say, short hur don’t currrrr.

That was my update for this whole year. Overall it’s been a good year, especially that I get to make new good friends from different places.

Main lesson from 2014 and previous years:

Don’t depend your happiness on anything or anyone, because if that thing or that person leaves, he/she/it will take the happiness from you. Be your own happiness.

I hope next year is just as good or even better. Can’t wait for the new adventures and experience in 2015!

Having said this, I wish you a very happy new year! May joy, happiness and blessings be always with you.

Have a great New Year’s Eve everyone! Stay safe and take care <3

 

xo, Jo

Detangling those locks: Bed Head vs Liese Review

Hello lovelies!

Today I want to share with you a couple of hair products that I’ve tried in order to detangle my super tangled hair.

Just a quick background about my hair that I believe I have raged about sometime ago. My hair is super fine (thanks mom and dad), weightless, thin, fragile, limp and of course, can’t get away from fly-aways. I know the positive side from this type of hair is smooth, soft and silky, which some people are begging for, and that’s why I’m happy of my hair regardless of its negative sides.

My hair got tangled really bad when I had a long hair (omg I haven’t posted my new hairdo! Ok soon). Not only that it was dry, but the length just made it worse to comb. I never found a day whereby my hair didn’t get tangled, and one of these products really helped me in cheering up my days. But still, I was so tired of it till I chopped my hair off and permed it! No more combing! Anyways, let’s get back to the business.

First product...

Liese Smooth Hair Cocktail

I got Liese first just to try out because I was so desperate. Liese is a Japanese brand under Kao. I’ve tried their styling products before and found them pretty okay, so I thought why not try their other product?



I’m so glad they have English translation description as some of Asian products may not have it. Here it states that it smoothens out tangles instantly as this product contains:

• Moisture Milk
• Repairing Water

Uhh, I know what you’re thinking. General much?

Especially when most of the ingredients are those that I can’t pronounce. I admit I was sceptical at first but HOLY MOLY, IT WORKS!

Since it’s got milk and water inside, you need to shake it till it’s mixed well altogether. Then you simply spray to the tangled parts and at the same time working it with your comb. The product will make your hair more slippery so that you could separate those bad boys apart. It has fruity fragrance that is slightly strong but not so overwhelmed which I can take. Some of you who like good smell on your hair that lingers for the whole day, you will like this one!

Moving on to the other pink bottle!

Bead Head Superstar

I was just casually taking a look at this product and I thought “oh, another leave-in conditioner”, till I saw the back of the bottle.



It promotes to condition, detangle, add volume and give light hold. That’s all, the rest is not in English lol. But I thought it was perfect! It’s got everything that I need! I was still using Liese at that time but it was running out soon so without any further due, I snatched it from the store rack.

The verdict:

It does NOT do the job. 

Sure it’s got sweet candy fragrance (too much of it makes me sick by the way), but neither does it detangle or add volume. I’m pretty disappointed of this brand, since this is my second Bed Head purchase and both of them don’t satisfy me. This product is more of a hair perfume that you would use after a heavy barbeque session.

On the other hand, I’m pretty satisfied of Liese hair products in general. Besides this hair cocktail I’ve tried their Designing Jelly, Bubble Hair Color (many times!) and Wave-up Foam. The jelly and foam are pretty good for styling permed hair :)

So there you have it!

Have you tried any of the two products before?

Have a good weekend!

xo, Jo

Rockin’ the short waves (#TT84)

Hello lovelies!

Just last Friday, Cher Lloyd released the US version official video of “Want U Back”, click here to view. But I personally like the original version better :) Plus, I really like her shorter hair in the original video!

I also love her style and attitude. Although she’s tiny, the fact that she’s only 18 still gave me a good surprise.

Few months ago, two of Pretty Little Liars stars also chopped their hair to shoulder-length and I guess I really REALLY like this hair style!

Ashley Benson 

Lucy Hale 

I actually wore this hair style back in 2009 when I saw a Japanese model wearing it and I straightaway knew that I wanted it! So I chopped my hair and got it permed. For the first few months it was alright, but since my hair is naturally super straight, fine and silky, it went back to straight really fast so I gotta put lots and lots of hair jelly/wax and hairspray. I needed to do this on a regular basis for over a year, until I gave up and just stopped applying hair products letting it back to straight :/ I miss it!! But my hair is so thin, limp and volume-less. Although if I get it curled, it won’t look as nice as Cher’s or Ashley’s or Lucy’s or anybody else who are granted with lots of hair. Plus, my hair gets tangled like craaaaazyyyyyy. Sigh.

End of my hair rant. Haha.

Despite all that, I still love my hair coz it’s soft and never get frizzy :) be grateful of what you have that others don’t, right? Hehe.

xo, Jo

The little things she likes.

When I saw this skirt on the sale rack in a department store I knew I had to get it! Love the color ;) Oh, do you like the chain belt? I do. Last holiday my mom opened her vintage accessories box and I straightaway grabbed this gorgeous chain belt. Real vintage from the 80’s!

Bambi earrings from Forever 21 for around 4bucks (Singapore Dollars), super cute and cheap!

Last week I finally sewed the bead on this top that fell apart and left abandoned for probably more than a month lol.

Flower ring from New Look. LOVE.

Last week’s hairstyle : flat, boring, and that annoying fringe kept poking my eyes.

Current hairstyle: volumised + HIGHLIGHTED! :D

Have a great weekend everyone! ;)

xo, Jo

New hair-do!

Okay I got my hair permed!
This is the first I time I did it so haven't got used to it.
And ugh I should've not asked the hairstylist to cut the fringe shorter, now I look so funny!
So I realized why he made it at that length in the first place -.-
I can say that I look kinda like Korean now lol. Not Japanese anymore??
Coz I've been asked several times things like "Are you a Japanese?"
In my heart I said "Can't it be more obvious?" lmao.
Today I'm gonna have some study group with a couple of friends in school, but I don't wanna go to school! Aaghhh! Fringe, please grow fast! XD

Estoy confundido ..

Yesterday I finally got my hair cut after 4 months back ago getting my hair cut in jakarta. It is not 100% exactly what I wanted but after considering the price and the result, it was worth it after all. I may be going back again for perm XP

The back part is quite short now, I look more like a kid haha~

New term has started and im gonna be busy again.
business law's lecturer really scared us as he said that many students failed his subject.
i thought the law that we're studying was supposed to be british law (as the course is programmed originally from UK) but apparently it is singaporean law and it's kinda strange, funny and creepy in many ways. one thing for sure is that they fine A LOT. but the hanging and caning punishments are really cruel. it is good though for the country as we can see now the crime rate is low, but it is far from humanism. aghh listening to that part today got me goosebumps """

Assignments had been given out and I'm kinda upset about something related to them, it's not about the assignments themselves but it's because of a classmate. He knew that I got good results for my previous exams so he wants to 'use' me (and joan, cuz we're in one group). For marketing, he wanted to join us as 3 persons are allowed and i know DEFINITELY that he won't do a thing and will just include his name and get the external benefits from us. and for business law, he wants us to help to search for the information as he said that he's going back to china for certain period of time. well, it's his problem right? why the heck i have to help him, moreover when i asked him why he wanna go back and he gave me a naive answer, "to play". =.="""!!!
there's no way im gonna help him, though we joke and laugh together as classmates sometimes but it is not what you call by "helping", isn't it? and he made some kind of agreement stating that if we help him he will drive us from huang zhou airport (or something like that) to shanghai when me and joan go there for holiday and treat us for the meals. i'm not bothered with that kind of so-called conditions though. if joan still accepts it then let her help by herself, i don't have time to do other people's work. i would join faye's group for marketing and the other one i would just do alone. im not trying to be mean but it's for his own good so that he won't be one of those pathetic losers. some people just know how to use friends in times when they need for their own benefits.

*sorry i made the end of this post sounds kinda bitter (again) but that's what's going on now :(