Wake me up - Part 1

Entwined amongst the fulfilling moments of our lives, are the sly vines of fatigue and dreariness. Be it school or work, from time to time I will have a somewhat startling moment where I catch myself in the mirror and think ‘Oh my lord, she needs to sleep.’ Settle down self, she’s been working hard! But lately, I’ve discovered a rather delightful optical illusion that helps the girl in the mirror look just that tad bit more lively – enough to trick my mind and body into waking up. Perky lashes.

Apart from those of you who are genetically blessed with perfect doll-like lashes, an eyelash curler and a good long lasting mascara is the perfect way to open up your eyes when exhaustion is trying to drag you to the Land of Nod. And yes, my little trick is easy enough to do whilst sitting on a crowded train to school or work:

Step 1. Curl your lashes as close to the base as possible to lift every strand

Step 2. Brush through with a long lasting mascara...

…preferably one that has stiff bristles on its brush to separate the lashes well e.g. every Covergirl LashBlast mascara. Just remember that if your overload your eye lashes with too much product they will simply droop back down again.

I’ve been rather infatuated with the COVERGIRL LashBlast mascaras for quite some time now and I find that their new ‘24 Hour’ mascara has the most impressive volume and long lasting qualities in the entire LashBlast range (use the Clump Crusher version if your lashes are already thick enough). For someone with thin Asian eyelashes that grow very straight, I feel nothing but lively satisfaction when they are still ever so perky after very long and very rainy day.

Though I am not one to wear my makeup for 24 hours at a time (Note: please don’t harass your skin to that extent!), this mascara’s shift started at 8am and it is now almost 10pm. Yes it’s been a long day but you have to admit, that curl is pretty impressive.

So they say your eyes are the windows to your soul… Then surely adorning your sleepy soul with a charming frame should help with feeling a little more lively. That, and a smile always works for me!

Love,

Julie T.

Avoiding Mental Scoffs.

On Friday afternoon, I was asked a very basic question: ‘What are the components of composite resin?’ Anyone who has never studied, or is not studying dentistry or oral health, would have no clue how to answer such a question. But if you have, you would understand that not knowing the answer to this question would be quite like not knowing how the water cycle works, what the first month of the year is, or the number of letters in the English alphabet. I searched my mind for the answer, as my clinical educator continued shuffling through her flashcards. Her mental scoff was far from subtle. I don’t blame her.

            Organic resin matrix. Inorganic filler particles. Initiators and accelerators. Inhibitors and stabilisers. Coupling agents. Pigment. Six very simple components that make up the material we often use to fill the cavities in your teeth. I knew the answer. Honestly, I did!

            What worries me the most, was how completely blank my mind was when I went to search for this answer at that moment in time. I’m sure at least half of the most intoxicated beings at the craziest party you’ve been to could easily burp out something about evaporation or clouds, tell you that the year usually starts off with January or something, and that 25 letters in the alphabet sounds about right (close enough). The answers we need are right there in our minds or at the very least, still hanging on by a thread. But how long does it take for that thread to break?

           The extensive capacities of our minds are so incredibly vast – an infinite organic matrix that begins as empty pockets. The ideas and concepts that we discover in school, in university and in general life, become the particles that fill these pockets; the two notions coupled by constant consideration and practice. The inspirations that we encounter along the way initiate more and more pockets to be filled, which become stabilised in our minds over time. Our inner consciousness and sense of existence grows, pigmented by our individual personalities and characteristics.

            The consequences of being complacent become more severe as time goes on and I’ve recently rediscovered a greater respect for time and our human capabilities. No matter where you are in life, I hope that you’ll be able to feel more optimistic about the incredible mind that you were born with. And to those of you who are about to begin or have just begun a new school year, I wish you all the very best with your hopes and goals. I've decided that now is a pretty good time for me to come back down to Earth. On that note, don’t be the delusional drunk who forgot how clouds are made.

Love,

Julie T.