'Ello there! Even though February is the shortest month of them all, was it just me or did this February feel like it was longer than the months with 31 days? Anywho, here are some of my favorite things from this month.
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Just Me perfume & lotion by Paris Hilton, CoverGirl Queen Pressed Powder
My birthday was last month, and one of my presents was the 2-pc. Just Me perfume and lotion set by Paris Hilton. I've been looking for a new perfume to wear on an everyday basis as my go-to is running low and is now relegated to special occasions only (LOL am I the only one who does that?) and this perfume was given to me just in time. The scent wasn't normally something I'd gravitate toward, but that was one reason why it grew on me so quickly. I usually go for floral or fruity scents, and this is more of a muskier, cologne type of smell. The lotion leaves my hands feeling soft and not greasy or oily, and it's got a bit of staying power as well. The perfume isn't very heavy in the air but it too has lasting power and I like it for both special and everyday wear.
A couple of months ago I bought the CoverGirl Pressed Powder and it's been my new favorite. I go pale every year around this time (I believe its the Irish in my blood lol) and my regular foundations and powders tend to look rather orangey on me, but even though this pressed powder is in my regular skintone, it still gives me a natural sort of glow. It has a light feel on the face, it evens out my skintone, blends into my skin flawlessly and doesn't break me out when I fall asleep in it (which is a bit more often than I care to say). It looks great by itself, which is how I usually wear it now, or over foundation. I have no complaints.
The Underground Railroad
I really wanted to read something deeper with it being Black History Month, so when BookShout! offered this as a one-day free book, I had to pick it up and I'm so glad I did. The Underground Railroad is a compilation of firsthand accounts by those who were actually part of the Underground Railroad, both successfully and in vain. The first account I read was a doozy and I found myself near tears by the time I reached the end of the person's series of events. It's one thing reading about the individuals who became known for their contributions to/travels through the Railroad in a third-person manner, but when you're reading their actual correspondence to other people as the journey progresses, it is both heartbreaking and riveting, which I hope is an appropriate descriptor considering the circumstances. There are a lot of new names, names that are left out of the history books and public attention, that finally get their moment in this book. I'm not finished with it yet, but it's still a read I'd highly recommend for multiple reasons.
BookShout! ($15.95) | Amazon (Free)
Kingsman: The Secret Service
I went to go see this gore-fest on Valentine's Day and I loved it. I'm definitely not a gore buff and the movie does have some vomiting, another thing I normally don't do, but the action, Taron Egerton's abs, and the delicious combination of Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Caine all made up for it quite well. I'm really not good at doing film synopses so I won't bother trying, but if you want an accurate summary of the movie then check out Rotten Tomatoes' take on it. The production and style of the film is great, I loved the chemistry, and the fight scenes were probably my favorite parts of the movie. Kingsman ends on a very cheeky note (pun intended) and if you've seen the film you know exactly what I'm talking about. LOL I suggest you consider another movie if you're not a fan of blood or gore, because there is quite a bit of it in Kingsman. There's also not much romance, so don't expect the typical action/passion mix because it's not really there in this movie. There are some sad parts as well, but mostly it's an action/comedy that steps away from the typical skeleton of movies in this genre. And you won't realize just how much you needed to hear Samuel L. Jackson sounding like Mike Tyson until you actually hear it. It is priceless and in a weird way, adds to the paradox that Richmond Valentine is. Seriously--I found it to be a vital addition, for the character and for my life.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for PS3
Let me clarify. I'm not a Call of Duty fan. Never have been and probably never will be. But I do like Black Ops 2. I was okay with the Campaign part of the game, but the Zombies play was actually what I played the most. My brother's friend lent me the game awhile ago and for about 3 weeks, that was all I played. Not the Campaign and not the online multiplayer, just the Zombies freeplay portion. lol I'm not a very good shooter even though most of my games are first-person shooter games, so this was great practice for me. I fully intend to get this game at a later date, just for Zombies. Don't judge me.
Craigslist for Android
This isn't a favorite because it's innovative or amazing in any way, but its the best resource for finding reasonably reliable local opportunities, jobs and items for sale. I've been looking for short-term work so I can have a little bit of pocket change, so I've been on Craigslist on nearly a daily basis trying to find some opportunities. I can see the appeal in larger cities or places where there are actually opportunities to take advantage of, but despite my being on there all the time I have yet to find anything. I still like the app though. lol
I love this site because it fits different parts of the job hunting/career progression process. If you're looking for a job, to develop new skills or to strengthen your resume, The Muse covers it. The email list, which I'm subscribed to, sends you daily motivation and tips on how to find good jobs or how to market yourself better to potential employers. Joining the site allows you to tailor the site content to what fits your individual needs, companies who might gel with your interests, and even free classes to help develop helpful skills. I think it's a pretty useful resource for those in the market or in contact with someone who is.
Color and home decor inspiration boards, canopy bedding
I haven't been looking at too many DIY projects lately but for some reason I've been big on inspiration boards for the past couple of months. I've been restless for a good minute and I find that the themes and colors of the inspiration boards push me to want to make things, to be more creative. If nothing else it inspires me to play with those colors in my makeup and nail polish choices. lol As for the latter, I've been wanting to switch the direction of my bed so that it doesn't take up so much space in my bedroom, then put up curtains to mimic canopy bedding, so I've been looking at photos and Pinterest (bc of course I'm going to look on Pinterest) to get some ideas.
Reese's spread, false lashes, nude eyeliner, DVRs, ibuprofen and children's Triaminic
If you haven't tried Reese's spread yet, you're missing out. That stuff is wonderful and I love it almost as much as I love Nutella. The peanut butter flavor is very strong though so if you're not big on peanut butter I'd suggest you leave it alone. I can't eat too much of it at one time because of how strong it is, but that just means it gets to last longer. Tastes great on toast, bagels, with donut holes (my sweet tooth is obviously something not made of this world lol) and pretzels would probably be fine too. Love it.
I've never been huge on false lashes but I've had this sudden obsession with them; same goes for nude eyeliner. I've been moving away from having the black in my waterline, but leaving them naked makes my eyes look unfinished depending on the look, so I've been on the hunt for a good nude liner.
I got my satellite restored earlier in the month and thankfully all my DVR recordings were saved, which saved me a meltdown of epic proportions.
And finally, I caught a nasty cold/sinus infection at the beginning of the month and spent a week in bed, sweating, sneezing and on the verge of drowning in my own mucus. It felt as gross as that sentence sounded. What saved my life was copious amounts of tissue, Netflix, ibuprofen and children's Triaminic (yes, I take the children's formula. LOL) so it had to go on the list.
Documentary Recommendation: The Real Story: Escape from Alcatraz
I never saw the Clint Eastwood version of this story, but I saw this documentary on Netflix and I found it very interesting. This documentary is about what actually happened during the days leading up to and the night of the huge escape from Alcatraz, followed by some re-enactments to get a better understanding of the challenges the prisoners faced. The question of whether or not these men actually survived the escape attempt has never been answered, but I think this documentary will help you form an answer of your own.
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Well, that wraps up my Monthly Favorites list for February. What were some of your favorite things this month?
