I thought I'd give you guys an update on recent events. Firstly, thank you for the supporting comments and tweets that you guys gave me after my 'taking a break' announcement. I might have had a little sentimental moment in the privates of my room when I read each kind word. You guys have no idea how much it means and I'm hoping to gather myself together and get back to blogging soon.
Due to personal issues going on at the moment, I'm taking a break from blogging. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone - it could be a couple of days, weeks, maybe. But I'll try and get back before September. As for the time being, thank you for the support you have shown for SoaD and I hope to see you again when I come back.
Never in a million years would I think I'd go near a red lip. Heck, I even said that back in March. But well, what can I say, I'm not the person I was those months ago.
I don't tan that easily. Nor do I fake tan. So on the rare occasions I do ended up more brown than usual, it's an understatement to say that I have no idea what to do with my makeup. The same goes for bases - I may have near a dozen foundations open, but none are dark enough for the tan I worked for while in Italy.
People find it hard to comprehend how I've been in London near a year and yet, when asked if I've been to the Big Ben or other 'proper' tourist attractions, I just shrug and shake my head. I guess for me, at one point it just felt like this was 'my city', or so to speak, and it was weird gallivanting with tourists to visit the landmarks. However, all this changed when Anya came down and we dedicated the two days to being proper tourists.
I have commitment issues so the weight the word 'favourite' carries is mahoosive. Hence, I always had a hard time answering the standard 'what's your favourite colour' question. I like purple, I like blue, I like yellow, but which one do I love most to call my favourite? Green was one of those colours that I never thought would be worthy enough to crown that title, but I've slowly come to realize that I have an obsession with this nature representative colour.
Once upon a time, okay, more like start of last month, I didn't own any perfumes. Now I have three. People, this is what it's like to fall into the rabbit hole. But it's a pretty rabbit hole.
Oh Italy, I miss you so much! It's near a week since I had to leave the beautiful island of Sardinia, but I'm missing it like I miss nap time in preschool. The gang started talking about taking a week's vacation together since early this year, but it wasn't until a couple months back did things really start kicking into gear. Reservations and plans were made swiftly and it gave us something to look forward to while we were in the deep hells of revision and exams.
Oh June, you're always a complicated month - stressing me out with exams and then giving me the time of my life on vacation. That said, between the two, beauty bits and bobs were kept quite simple throughout the past four weeks.
You guys asked, and I deliver. It was really fun to go through these questions, there are some really good questions in here as it does give me a chance to clarify things (like where exactly am I from...this was a popular one). Anywho, I hope you guys get to know me a bit more through this and I'm not just a page on your computer screen.
General Background Check
Where exactly are you from? (Why were you born in Minnesota and why did you move back to Taiwan?)
People tend be thrown off by this a lot, especially if they hear it in chunks. So here's the deal, I was born in Taiwan, but I grew up in Minnesota, USA as my dad was completing his graduate studies there. We eventually had to move back because a) my dad finished his studies, b) our visa expired, and c) my parents wanted me to experience life in Taiwan.
How did you end up studying in the UK and what are you studying?
I always knew I wanted to study abroad but the UK never crossed my mind until last year when I was desperately struggling to figure out what to do after my standard four years of university. I also always knew I'd continue to get a masters degree, but no idea what I wanted to do it on. Those two reasons combined, I took an extended year and spent it here in the UK, doing a programme that has concreted my interest in Criminology and Social Policy - which is what I'm studying now and will be next year for my masters programme. But back in Taiwan, I was studying law.
What is your first language and do you speak any other languages?
It's quite hard to say what my first language was. Obviously I learned Mandarin first, but it was English that I was fluent with when I started to carry on a conversation that was composed of a lot of 'no's. Besides those two languages, hablo un poco de EspaƱol and fluent in sarcasm.
Any siblings?
Yup, I have a younger brother and a younger sister.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I don't know, to be honest. The world is a grand place.
Three things on your bucket list?
I don't have a specific bucket list per se. It's more of a 'oh, I really want to do that before I die', which I guess is a bucket list? idk, man. But three things on that list: scuba diving in the Maldives again, learning how to snowboard/ski in Switzerland, and go see polar bears in the north pole.
Beauty & Blog Stuffs
How did you start getting into beauty?
I got into makeup and beauty in general quite late. It wasn't until my mom brought me to the benefit counter a couple summers back and bought me my first foundation and primer did I start spending all my money on beauty bits and bobs.
Why did you start this blog?
Honestly? This blog was started out of boredom. I guess that was why I didn't take it seriously the first year I had it. But then I started meeting lovely people that genuinely wanted to read the blog, and the network of friends pushed me to start taking SoaD more seriously.
Favourites
What's your favourite makeup brand?
I don't tend to be brand loyal, but if I had to choose one brand to live on - I guess either Tarte or Laura Mercier. I don't know?????
Favourite books/author?
Harry Potter series, Child 44, Anne of Green Gables, the Stone Rose, Sycamore Row, Little Women, Les Miserables...just to name a few.
TV shows?
I watch quite a lot of shows, but the ones that I keep going back to are Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Criminal Minds, Grey's Anatomy, Doctor Who, and Sherlock.
Favourite music/songs of all time?
It's hard to say, I switch things up quite a bit, but some songs that I'll always jam out to are: Sk8er Boi, Piano Man, Just Give Me a Reason, Africa...etc.
Blogging and twitter. I got to know Vanessa first as she was one of my earliest followers. I somehow discovered Jenn's blog and she would always leave lovely comments. Through Vanessa, I met Jaye on twitter and the four of us would often have long crazy twitter chats.
Do you and Jaye go to the same school?
No. We're not in the same year nor study the same thing. We just both go to school in London.
How did you meet your boyfriend and how long have you been dating?
Um...I am confused by this question???? Last I checked, I'm still single???? Who did you think was my boyfriend??? No seriously, please tell me?
Do you go on double dates with Jaye and her boyfriend?
No, but Jaye's boy does sometimes tag along when Jaye and I hang out. RUDE. (I jest, I jest, Jaye's boy is a great guy)
Thanks to everyone that asked a question, I tried to get them all, but if I missed any, just let me know and I'll get around to answering it!