I've been trying to keep myself relaxed by keeping the TV on, but so far it's not working. Here are a few reasons why...
- That damn Carnival Cruises ad. Yeah, that towel-puppy was super cute, but, dagnabbit, who on earth is that person they've hired to sing the jingle in the background? Every time I hear "In the morning, in the evening, ain't we've got fun" I get horrible flashbacks from the audition shows from American Idol. Is this supposed to be an improvement from Kathie Lee's pitchy singing?
- Dear Announcer Guy#1: The correct pronunciation for the word O`ahu is Oh-AHH-hoo. Please take note of this, because every time you tell me to go down to my "WAH-hoo" Ford dealer I am tempted to call up my Ford dealer and ask them why they're stealing car-dealership ads from Nebraska.
-Dear Announcer Guy #2: You know the place where they're going to show The Lion King here in Honolulu? It's the BlaisDELL Arena, not the BlaisDALE Arena. Geez, have a little respect, why don't you?
-I think I stay up late enough to let you all know that our late night infomercials are really, really lame. Seriously, every time I hear something about some late night scam or computer virus stopper, it makes me almost nostalgic for the Showtime Oven or the Magic Bullet. Or - heck, I'll say it - one of those infomercials where hot women tell the male viewers in the audience that their device can help them enlarge "a certain body part." Fantastic.
-... On the plus side, I have finally made peace with KGMB-9 News, or at least the 10 o'clock newscast. Not just for the sweet note that Cedric left for me a few months ago, or the fact that I saw Kim Gennaula right in front of me at Williams Sonoma (yep, she is just as perky IRL, but much more pleasant) and remembered a few nice things that she has done for some friends of mine. It's also because of the little, simpler things... like Keahi's blink-and-you'll-miss-it snark (seriously, guys, you have to watch the news live to catch it here and there... just tonight he was able to zing Dubya and Guy Hagi, which made me giggle insanely), or the sports profiles that don't focus on UH sports (kudos to Liz and Steve). Well played, news team.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Give My Regards To...
Dear Duncan Sheik:
I'll admit it, I've always listened to your music back in college, and I would still not kick you out of bed for eating crackers. But THIS...
...Dude, I'm happy that you've been able to get your show on Broadway and all that, but you owe me (or at least somebody in my immediate social circle) front-row tickets to Spring Awakening just for getting this damn song stuck in my head. (And it doesn't help that it got earwormed thoroughly after that Letterman rerun last week.) Until that happens, I am going to use all of my powers to flush this earworm out of my brain.
Off to request "Barely Breathing" at the karaoke bar,
Meimei
EDITED 4/25/2007: Now I know why "Bitch of Living" is driving me bananas - the song has almost the exact same chords as "On a High," which I just heard at the supermarket the other day. GAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
I'll admit it, I've always listened to your music back in college, and I would still not kick you out of bed for eating crackers. But THIS...
...Dude, I'm happy that you've been able to get your show on Broadway and all that, but you owe me (or at least somebody in my immediate social circle) front-row tickets to Spring Awakening just for getting this damn song stuck in my head. (And it doesn't help that it got earwormed thoroughly after that Letterman rerun last week.) Until that happens, I am going to use all of my powers to flush this earworm out of my brain.
Off to request "Barely Breathing" at the karaoke bar,
Meimei
EDITED 4/25/2007: Now I know why "Bitch of Living" is driving me bananas - the song has almost the exact same chords as "On a High," which I just heard at the supermarket the other day. GAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
A Sad Day in Hawaii
It doesn't matter where you were on the debate of the commodification of Hawaii or the cheesiness of "tourist" culture: Don Ho was The Man. Rest in peace, Don.
Monday, April 09, 2007
An Open Letter
To: Unilever USA and the powers-that-be behind Sunsilk in the United States
From: Me
Re: your new commercials
Sirs, I am a believer in your product, and I honestly think that you have a good enough brand worth trying by all women. So why are you all trying to muck it all up with all these super-annoying ads on my television?
First it's the catty voice-overs from the obviously gay "experts," and now it's the catty blondes making sarcastic remarks about how their hair makes them so much better than everyone else. (Yes, I'm aware that there's a brunette version, but c'mon - who are you fooling?) It's beginning to make me wonder if anyone in your company really, really cares about your target audience.
I just can't believe that you, of all people, would allow these ads to continue, especially since Sunsilk does share the same parent company as Dove - and y'all know how much we enjoy the Dove ads, even if we don't necessarily have to believe in the Dove product itself. Yeah, I know, the whole "Campaign for Real Beauty" can be a little too kum-ba-yah for most peoples' tastes, but that doesn't make the cattiness of the Sunsilk campaign any less annoying... or distastefully fake, for that matter.
Come to think of it, all those Sunsilk ads that I've been seeing on TV lately are beginning to make me wonder if you've hired the same ad agency who's handling the Burger King account right now.
Please make it stop - or I will have to ask my parents to start sending me Sunsilk from the Philippines so I won't have to spend American money on your product any more. At least the ad campaigns from our neck of the woods doesn't make me retch with all the forced snark.
Sincerely,
Mei
From: Me
Re: your new commercials
Sirs, I am a believer in your product, and I honestly think that you have a good enough brand worth trying by all women. So why are you all trying to muck it all up with all these super-annoying ads on my television?
First it's the catty voice-overs from the obviously gay "experts," and now it's the catty blondes making sarcastic remarks about how their hair makes them so much better than everyone else. (Yes, I'm aware that there's a brunette version, but c'mon - who are you fooling?) It's beginning to make me wonder if anyone in your company really, really cares about your target audience.
I just can't believe that you, of all people, would allow these ads to continue, especially since Sunsilk does share the same parent company as Dove - and y'all know how much we enjoy the Dove ads, even if we don't necessarily have to believe in the Dove product itself. Yeah, I know, the whole "Campaign for Real Beauty" can be a little too kum-ba-yah for most peoples' tastes, but that doesn't make the cattiness of the Sunsilk campaign any less annoying... or distastefully fake, for that matter.
Come to think of it, all those Sunsilk ads that I've been seeing on TV lately are beginning to make me wonder if you've hired the same ad agency who's handling the Burger King account right now.
Please make it stop - or I will have to ask my parents to start sending me Sunsilk from the Philippines so I won't have to spend American money on your product any more. At least the ad campaigns from our neck of the woods doesn't make me retch with all the forced snark.
Sincerely,
Mei
Friday, March 30, 2007
GRRRR
Due to a booboo on Blogger's part, we regret to inform you that my review of my bathroom stash will not be published any time soon. Wah wah! So I guess I'll have to hold off on this one as well.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Domesticity Reviews: The Contents of My Makeup Bag
While I'm still not shopping for clothes and shoes this year for Lent, I do have a few things that I want to write about - which is why the next few entries are going to be about things that I already have or have bought out of necessity. Today we look at what's inside the makeup bag; next entry we will discuss bath products.
- Rimmel Volume Flash Mascara in Extreme Black: Usually I don't think much of Rimmel's mascara, having had a bad experience with their Extra Super Lash mascara not too long ago. It just so happened, however, that I was in a cash bind and I wasn't able to afford a replacement for my beloved Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara (or the product that I was supposed to buy, CG Volume Exact Mascara) so I went for this. Let me tell you, folks, it's been two days and I still don't know what to make of this. The first time I used it, I applied it straight from the tube - and not only did I get clumpy, spidery lashes that were smudgy off the bat, but the mascara seemed to make my lashes even less voluminous than they should. How could that be possible, if I should ask? Part of the reason might lie in the fact that this mascara uses regular spooly-brush bristles rather than the rubbery polymer ones now used by Cover Girl and Max Factor. So the next time I tried this I did what I usually do with regular-bristle mascara: I wiped off the excess product from the brush and applied accordingly. Much better, if I should say so - no more smudgy tarantula lashes, and the brush gives such great volume and lift that I was not only wide-eyed, but I swear that my eyeballs got a little more air conditioning than usual. (Hee!) And the folks at Rimmel don't lie when they say that this mascara has a "lock and load" formula - not only does it wear off beautifully, but it really, really does not budge until you use an actual eye makeup remover. Verdict: It may take a while; I may end up hating this, but as long as I use it with care I should be fine.
- MAXeye Shadows by Max Factor: Supposedly this formula can be used wet or dry, but every single time I use it dry I don't get as much color payoff as promised - unlike the L'Oreal HIP shadows, the color on these shadows barely show up unless you use a precision makeup brush, and even then they're more of a sheer wash than the incredibly painted-on look that you see on Carmen Electra in the MF ads. Use them wet, on the other hand, and it's a different story altogether: I have the Metalicious trio (apple green/ royal blue/ light purple) and I always use a wet Q-Tip style applicator so I can put these wild colors on as close to the lash line as possible. The effect, surprisingly, is long lasting and devastating, especially after a wild party. Verdict: Not bad - but if you must use them, I'd recommend one of the more neutral palettes like Baja Bronze or Premiere Pink (shown here); otherwise, if you're stuck with one of the wilder-colored ones, use them as liner instead.
- Rimmel Natural Bronzer powder: I can't seem to rave about this enough - even though the shade I'm using right now seems to have been discontinued (the shimmery Sun Dance, which I like to think of as "my cheeks but better") - because it does blend beautifully without making me look like I powdered my face with lava dust. The other Rimmel bronzers are actually quite matte, which I would recommend if you just need a little color.
- Jordana Easyliner for Eyes in Eggplant: Got this not too long ago. It's the very definition of "cheap and cheerful" - easy to apply, easily smudgeable, gorgeous color (black-purple), and lasts for quite a while. Love.
- Rimmel Volume Flash Mascara in Extreme Black: Usually I don't think much of Rimmel's mascara, having had a bad experience with their Extra Super Lash mascara not too long ago. It just so happened, however, that I was in a cash bind and I wasn't able to afford a replacement for my beloved Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara (or the product that I was supposed to buy, CG Volume Exact Mascara) so I went for this. Let me tell you, folks, it's been two days and I still don't know what to make of this. The first time I used it, I applied it straight from the tube - and not only did I get clumpy, spidery lashes that were smudgy off the bat, but the mascara seemed to make my lashes even less voluminous than they should. How could that be possible, if I should ask? Part of the reason might lie in the fact that this mascara uses regular spooly-brush bristles rather than the rubbery polymer ones now used by Cover Girl and Max Factor. So the next time I tried this I did what I usually do with regular-bristle mascara: I wiped off the excess product from the brush and applied accordingly. Much better, if I should say so - no more smudgy tarantula lashes, and the brush gives such great volume and lift that I was not only wide-eyed, but I swear that my eyeballs got a little more air conditioning than usual. (Hee!) And the folks at Rimmel don't lie when they say that this mascara has a "lock and load" formula - not only does it wear off beautifully, but it really, really does not budge until you use an actual eye makeup remover. Verdict: It may take a while; I may end up hating this, but as long as I use it with care I should be fine.
- MAXeye Shadows by Max Factor: Supposedly this formula can be used wet or dry, but every single time I use it dry I don't get as much color payoff as promised - unlike the L'Oreal HIP shadows, the color on these shadows barely show up unless you use a precision makeup brush, and even then they're more of a sheer wash than the incredibly painted-on look that you see on Carmen Electra in the MF ads. Use them wet, on the other hand, and it's a different story altogether: I have the Metalicious trio (apple green/ royal blue/ light purple) and I always use a wet Q-Tip style applicator so I can put these wild colors on as close to the lash line as possible. The effect, surprisingly, is long lasting and devastating, especially after a wild party. Verdict: Not bad - but if you must use them, I'd recommend one of the more neutral palettes like Baja Bronze or Premiere Pink (shown here); otherwise, if you're stuck with one of the wilder-colored ones, use them as liner instead.
- Rimmel Natural Bronzer powder: I can't seem to rave about this enough - even though the shade I'm using right now seems to have been discontinued (the shimmery Sun Dance, which I like to think of as "my cheeks but better") - because it does blend beautifully without making me look like I powdered my face with lava dust. The other Rimmel bronzers are actually quite matte, which I would recommend if you just need a little color.
- Jordana Easyliner for Eyes in Eggplant: Got this not too long ago. It's the very definition of "cheap and cheerful" - easy to apply, easily smudgeable, gorgeous color (black-purple), and lasts for quite a while. Love.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Out of the Spotlight
Forgive me for the rare posting on this blog; as you know, I've been terribly busy lately - not to mention strapped for cash - and I seem to have pushed blogging for Domesticity further and further down the priority list. But for now, I've got a few things on my mind....
- 40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Reviews (Blogdorf Goodman): It looks like we now have a new Lenten tradition at hand right here - perfect since I've started my no-shop fasting for Lent this year (really, I haven't stepped into a Ross since Ash Wednesday). Annie and friends are taking us through the fragrance and beauty aisles in alphabetical order (we're now on L'Occitane as of this writing) , and I of course have a few choice comments to go along with them.
- Is it me, or are we finally over this whole cheek-stain thing? I was inspired to ask this after reading this review from Beauty Addict - and for good reason, since I'm one of those folks who can't seem to get the whole cheek-stain thing correctly. Too little, and the color barely registers as a "glow"; too much, and I look like a sunburned clown. (And don't even get me started on using powder to tone it down, because "overly powdered Chinese funeral mourner" is definitely not a good look on me.) The folks at Tarte recently posted a sign at Sephora next to their Cheekstains telling folks that it's OK to use a sponge instead of dabbing the product onto cheeks, which I think is a good idea. For now, however, I'll still need to stick to my usual routine of bronzer and powder blush swirled together.
- Finally, since not shopping for clothes = not shopping for shoes, either, I've found myself on a window-shopping kick for beautiful shoes. Sure, there's no way in hell I will ever be able to fit into any of your fancier designer shoes - seriously, even if I had the cash I don't see my 8.5 Wide tootsies squishing comfortably into a stiletto-heeled sandal soon - but that shouldn't stop me from appreciating the comments of Manolo Blahnik, who apparently shares my no-platform philosophy at this point in time. And speaking of Manolos, I should share with you this flashback from The Life of a Ladybug. Because someday, when I finally get around to finishing this Masters degree, I hope to have the kind of significant other who will, indeed, go out of his way to make sure that I get the royal treatment I deserve. Especially when it comes to shoes.
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