::yawn:: I just woke up. I always fall asleep when I come home from school. So tired. I need to learn how to take power naps or something. Oh my god, I feel like I am 80 years old! XD
Mmm...had a two-hour delay today. I loved it. To quote Mrs. Garforth, my uber-awesome literature teacher, "I like coming to school at 10:00. It's so civilized." My thoughts exactly.
So I'm looking for an MP3 player and I keep being directed towards the iPod, which is apparently the best player on the market. But the iPod still creeps me out. The advertising is very subliminal and very effective. They're marketing a lifestyle, not a player, and they're quite open about it. They have "iLife" software on their Macs, for god's sake. iLife. The iPod is the new center of your iLife. Wow. Creepy indeed. And I saw pictures of people expressing love and a personal connection to their iPod (not an issue, except its such a consumer item, so cliche), and there was a gallery of "iPods around the world." Now call me crazy, but if I went to Tuscany or Ireland, I wouldn't want to share it with my iPod. But that's just me.
The iPods are so demographic and creepy. They take great music and poignant imagery and tie it to their product. They take a basic hard drive and give it a Lucite exterior and suddenly it's worth $300. The iPod costs more per gig than any other player. iPod sells itself as a lifestyle revolution. And people buy it, either consciously or otherwise, for that reason. And they fall into the illusion. Which is creepy. o_O
I still need a player, and I'll probably get an iPod. I just need to make sure I don't fall into the consumer capitalist lifestyle trap that Apple has set for me.
So I'm using a new regimen for my skin, because I want to improve its condition (it is kind of dry from the weather and also has red marks from previous moderate acne). I feel really bad because I am using egg whites as part of it, because they are supposed to really help. And I know the horrors of the factory farm and the laying hen. It really is disgusting and evil. Pure evil. But I'm not going to try to rationalize it or anything; I feel what I am doing is wrong and immoral, no way around it. I'm not going to stop, I really desire better skin, but I'm not going to hide the truth from myself like most people do. I openly face the fact that I am in a tough situation and have chosen the selfish action. I'm not justifying it, I'm merely stating it.
I'm going to actually buy free-range eggs to do it with when I go to the health food store next week. Less evil. Still cruel, but much less so.
Oh, here is my new regimen. Hopefully someone else can prosper from it too!
Morning:
1) Cleanse face. Not with soap, obviously, with a cleanser =) 2) Exfoliate. Scrubs are bad for people with acne, and a much better exfoliant is baking soda (surprise!). Mix it with water to form a paste and gently massage face with it, and wash off immediately. 3) Tone. Since baking soda is basic, you have to balance your pH. Use Apple cider vinegar in a 1: 8 ratio (One part vinegar to eight parts water) and gradually increase to a final ratio of 1:1. Put on, leave on for about 10 minutes, then wash off. ALWAYS WASH OFF. Warning: can sometimes be harsh and make face red. The whole regimen can, whenever you change your routine your skin can react, you could even break out the first few weeks. But don't fear; its not this regimen, its probably the mere fact of change. Let it ride, and keep going with this regimen. You will most likely see results! 4) Apply anti-acne cream or gel, whatever you normally use. 5) Moisturize with a noncogdemic moisturizer with an SPF FACTOR!
Evening:
1) Cleanse face. 2) Apply a mild protein mask. A good one is one tablespoon of egg white and a little lemon (not too much!) Rub on and leave for 10 minutes...it will harden. Wash off, feel instant rejuvination! 3) Apply your evening anti-acne cream/gel/whatever
Do this daily, and see results in one to two weeks! w00t. I'm on day two, and I already notice a difference in my skin.
