The Egg Tray: Orange is The New Black, IISuperwomanII and More!

Hey guys we are back with another Egg tray where I share my current favorites. I can't help but notice that most of my favorites for the past few months have a specific theme and it is feminism. Like every show and book I encountered involves so much women empowerment. So let's get started!

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I watched a brand new series this year and it is called, Orange is The New Black. I know, better late than never (again)! For the sake of those who are not so aware of the show, OITNB is about this woman named Piper who surrenders herself to a correctional because she was caught carrying drug money in the past. Once she entered prison, she encounters all these sorts of interesting characters with intense backstories. I have to say, Piper is not a very impressionable character in my opinion, but the supporting characters are amazing. So far, my favorite character is Red who is the Russian cook. She's the tough prison mother that you do not want to mess with and want to be friends with at the same time. Am I shocked by the reality of prison? Not really. It reminds me of high school, to say the least (since I went to an all-girl secondary school during my teen years).

I also had the opportunity to watch a lot of movies but two stood out to me the most. The first is Justice League: Gods and Monsters. I have been waiting for this animated film my whole life, so you can imagine the excitement I felt whilst watching this. Obviously the movie is about the Justice League, but in a completely alternate universe, and it only focuses on Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman. I say it is completely alternate, because you will not find Diana Prince, Bruce Wayne, nor Clark Kent in this movie. Rather, we meet Bekka, a goddess who lived in New Genesis; Kirk Langstrom, a scientist who tried to cure his own sickness but ended up becoming a vampire instead; and Hernan Guerra, a son of Zod. Yes, you read that right. Superman in this movie is the son of General Zod. In this movie, they do not have a positive image at all. They are framed for a very serious crime, and they sought to clear their names. Although the original golden trio will have a very special place in my heart, I really love this version of the Justice League. In the movie, you get a glance of their backstories which is entertaining to watch, and you get to see a completely different side of these superheroes. It is so different, that not even the original characters do what they do. And I think that's what makes this movie so badass.

Another movie that I loved was Kingsman: Secret Service. As much as I wanted to see it in theaters, I didn't have the time so I stuck to a DVD copy instead. It stars Colin Firth, Samuel Jackson, and many other notable stars. It takes place in the UK and it is about a secret yet posh spy organization called Kingsman. They are highly top secret and in order to get in, you need to be recruited by any member of Kingsman and once you are chosen, you have to undergo through extreme testing/training and prove that you are fit for the organization. And of course, it revolves around a young teenage boy named Eggsy whose father used to be part of Kingsman, but was murdered during a mission. His father's friend/colleague, Harry, eventually turns Eggsy into a candidate suitable for Kingsman. I do not want to spoil much, but the world-building of this film is fantastic and engaging. And the stunts are so unique. The fighting styles in this movie are very classy, yet very intense. It is probably one of the most creative spy movies I have ever seen, so if you haven't seen it, please do.

I have also been watching way too much Youtube, lately. But I've been way too focused on a specific Youtuber. Her name is IISuperwomanII and she is also known as Lily Singh.

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She's an Indian who lives in Canada, and sometimes she would create skits and vlogs about the most typical things ever, but what makes her very unique is the way she delivers her message. She has this sassy childlike wonder emanating from her, so you can't help but laugh whenever she says something that you can relate to. Also the best thing in her channel is when she impersonates the strict South Asian parent. As an Asian, I can relate to what she says especially when it comes to family issues. She's also a terrific actress, so I suggest you all subscribe to her because her videos can brighten up your day. I stumbled upon her channel during my darkest of times, so watching her videos felt like I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel and I had a reason to laugh again.

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Finally, I've been reading a book and it is called The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. If you're a feminist who enjoys reading Dystopian novels then this book is definitely for you. It revolves around the world of Offred, a handmaiden in the state of Gilead (it used to be the United States of America). And in this world, women are treated like objects and their only purpose is to give birth to babies for men. Apart from that, women are not allowed to have anything else. Their state is much worse than the state of women in the past. They can't read, they can't have other jobs, and they can't wear anything they want, and they are almost obsolete. You will be able to notice that most of the female dialogues do not have apostrophes. This simply indicates that women here do not have a voice at all. I guess you can simply regard this as one of the books you're required to read in school, but it's probably the most terrifying Dystopian world I've ever encountered. Because women suddenly have their rights being taken away from them, and the world that we live in today is considered as a blur for them. The scary part is that the main character is way too realistic. Like if this were to happen in real life, a lot of women will most likely follow Offred's example and if you think about it, I know many people who still act like her. It is a fascinating read and I've always respected Margaret Atwood and her writing. I recommend it to anyone who would also like to try out a classic. It's definitely an eye-opener.

And that is it for my favorites. Sorry if I've been delaying my posts for a while. I just started school and I've been trying to get used to handling a schedule and all that. I've also been getting easily tired these days. My eyes grow heavy by the time night falls and my head goes pounding. So usually, the moment I get to bed after a long day of work, I don't bother with my laptop anymore and I go straight to sleep. Or sometimes, I would just read and check my email. Right now, I still do feel kinda tired, but I am getting more than enough sleep. So hopefully, I will be able to pick up the pace with my blogging. Till the next post~

The Egg Tray: Jurassic World, Sense8, and More!

And we are back with another egg tray, where i show my current favorites. So let's get a move on!

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Of course, one of the most anticipated films of 2015 is on this list. Jurassic World was definitely a must-watch for me because Jurassic Park is part of my childhood. Plus, Chris Pratt is in this movie, so how can I not watch it? My verdict is yes, it's a good film. I have to admit, it got very interesting the moment the dinosaurs came in, especially the raptors (they're so adorable). The dialogue maybe needed a little work for me, but that didn't stop me from enjoying. If you haven't seen it, give it a try. It may not be too thrilling, but it will give you the good vibes.

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My next favorite is a recent series. It is called Sense8 and it was highly recommended by my friend because.... the Wachowskis made this. Sure, Jupiter Ascending may have been a descending to the majority, but it doesn't mean that the talents of the Wachowski Brothers have been diminished. I just started on the first episode and as far as I understood, it is about 8 people from around the world, who have this unexplained connection with each other. They are all able to sense each other, but this has yet to be explained in the show. So far, it's intriguing. The cast is so diverse and foreign, because they are not a bunch of white people attempting to be foreign. Plus, what I like about this series is that I get to experience the character and their culture at the same time. For example, we have Nomi, who is a lesbian fighting for the equality of the LGBT community in the United States. I was able to see the reality of the LGBT and what they are doing just to achieve gender equality. So yeah, I will most likely continue this series.

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I was able to watch another anime show and it is called Steins;Gate. Since I've been a major fan of The Flash and the Insignia Series, I just had this sudden desire of more Science Fiction. Plus, I wanted to watch another anime to get over Akame Ga Kill, and this was the solution to all my problems. Basically, the anime focuses on Okabe Rintarou, as self-proclaimed mad scientist who aspires to change the world through science and technology. But he is particularly interested in Time Travel, and he and his friends managed to create their own Time Machine, which is in the form of a microwave. Unfortunately, this caused a major change in the timeline, created a whole new world line from there. I guess explaining the whole thing will reveal spoilers, but this anime has a very good build-up and the concept of Time Travel here is very unique. Plus, the characters are really good, even the minor characters are well-written. Also this story takes place in Akihabara, which is one of the "techie" and "moe" places in Japan. I'm not sure if I will be able to make a review of this, since I have a lot in mind, but all I can say is that I also recommend this show.

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I was able to play a game, and it is called Pokemon: Sapphire Version. I know, it is a pretty old game but I miss playing Pokemon and I don't really have the latest model of the Nintendo DS. I really love the pokemon in Hoenn, all of them have been my favorite since I was a kid. My starter pokemon was Torchic. I only have four in my party so far and they are Flygon, Blaziken, Aggron, and Gardevoir. I'm about to get my eighth badge and hopefully defeating the Elite Four wouldn't be too difficult.

So that's all in my egg tray! Till the next post~

The Egg Tray: Adult Wednesday Addams, Love Rosie, and More!

Today I'd like to do something new. I'd like to share my current favorite shows, movies, anime, music and books on my blog every once in a while. It is kinda like one of those monthly favorite things beauty bloggers and Youtubers do, only I will not do it monthly because I get too excited about something that I have to share it right away. If I had to wait till the end of the month, I might just end up forgetting about it, you know what I mean? Anyway just like "Let's Review" and "Fangirl Moment", I shall call this segment, "The Egg Tray" meaning to say I shall show what's new and what I am now loving in my egg tray (that sounds kinda wrong). So let's get to it!

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The Tale of Princess Kaguya
I did a quick review about this on my previous blog post, so I think I've already established how much I love this film. It is very simple, yet it is so full of meaning, color, and life.

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Anna Akana's Short Films
Lately, I have been into short films and I could see a lot of these on Youtube. And one of my favorite short films are the ones created and directed by Anna Akana. I think you can tell that I not only love films of quality, but also films that can deliver messages. Her craft is a mixture of horror, thriller, comedy, Gothic, and abstract. If that's not what you wanted to aim for in your short films, Anna, then I am so sorry for misinterpreting you because really I love you and your work. Never stop. Your films are fantastic.

This here is my favorite short film of Anna's entitled, "Emergency Call". It's totally sick, so you gotta at least check this out! You can learn more about her on her channel.

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Love Rosie OST
I am going to be honest; I was sort of disappointed with this film. I am not saying I hated it but I guess this is what I get for setting up high expectations for a movie featuring the beautiful Lily Collins and a story written by Cecelia Ahern. No worries, the only part I did not like about Love Rosie was the plot, surprisingly. The actors and actresses were superb in their roles, in my opinion. However, it's not the movie I adore, it's the music. The original soundtrack features songs by Kate Nash, Lily Allen, Elliot Smith, and many more. The music for this film is just so great that I had to listen to the original soundtrack. For me, the music is so relaxing that I tend to listen to the songs at night before I go to sleep. Yes, I have a mix for making myself sleepy and this soundtrack is one of them.

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Insignia by S.J. Kincaid
This is a book I am currently reading. It's actually a trilogy and this is just the first book. So far the story is about a young boy who lives the hard (but futuristic) life. He moves homes with his dad, constantly becomes absent for school, and he dreads the possibility that he would not be able to do anything important with his life because all he's good at is just play video games. Until one day, some general sees his potential in some sort of army for the youth and his story begins there. I guess what intrigued me was the main character himself because I have never encountered a character who wanted to do something important with his life that badly. So I am very interested to know on what happens next. 

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Adult Wednesday Addams
Again, I actually heard of this mini series in Youtube before, since I've been a loyal subscriber to Anna Akana since last year. I only got to watch it now because my friends recently started to watch the episodes as well and they highly recommended me to check it out. And so I did, and I instantly fell in love with it. It's basically parody-kind of series that centers around Wednesday--the only girl in the Addams Family--and her life as an independent adult. Melissa Hunter is such a great actress/director/writer and I think she portrayed the Adult Wednesday Addams very well. It also made me miss watching The Addams Family (and its been one of my favorite shows growing up). Currently the show has two seasons in, and I hope that they are able to produce more episodes because it is so good.

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Kimi ni Todoke
I've been wanting to see this anime for a long time, but I have not gotten the chance to do so because I was either too busy with other fandoms or I was just too busy. It's a simple Shoujo Story about a boy and a girl and eventually, they started to like each other but it took them a while to finally confess. When I heard of the plot, I thought it was too simple for it to be an anime (and it's two seasons long???). My friends also recommended me to see this anime because of the chemistry between the characters, as well as the comedy. It's the most recent show that I am watching (as well the most recent anime since Kill La Kill), and so far I love the art and the music. I also find the main girl absolutely adorable. I still don't know how the story will unfold since the main plot is very simple (even more simple than the story of Princess Kaguya), but I will see how this goes.

So that is it for my current favorites in my egg tray. Till the next post~

August Favorites 2014

Today is officially the last day of August and I am thinking of showing you my favorites for this month. I know posts like these seem materialistic or another way of boasting, but this is actually my way of expressing how blessed and thankful I am for this month. There's nothing wrong in counting your blessings, right? Personally, it's a good exercise for me to stay optimistic (since I had a lot of pessimistic issues in the past). So again, I do not intend to show off. I just want to express how happy I am with the month August because looking back, it has been a great month for me. School is back and I actually miss studying and spending time with friends. My mom is blessed with another birthday and I found myself smiling more often, which is great for me.

So here are my favorites for this month.

School 

1.) School days- August is basically the month where I come back to school. The fact that I am finally a sophomore in University makes me feel so accomplished. Right now, I am more than satisfied with the major classes that I am taking and I enjoy every moment so far. My professors are great, I met new people, and above all, I am learning a lot of new things.

2.) Mead Five Star Notebook (Pink)

Mom actually bought me this notebook a very long time ago, and I only got to use it now. Before, I always used pretty big notebooks because I had a hard time writing in smaller ones, which is why I did not use it right away. But I decided to give it a shot in using it this semester, and I do not have any regrets so far. What amazes me are the pockets in each divider. I found them really handy because it spares me from using a file for my papers (which is something I normally do). Too bad it's not refillable. But it's a great item to have at school, so God bless this notebook. 

3.) Pilot G-Tec-C4 (0.4, Black ink)

A long time ago, I was not a huge fan of this pen. Mostly because the ones I used to own broke pretty easily. I also had these for a while, but I used them sparingly because I cannot afford to have another broken G-tec.  I mean, come on...these kinds of pens are pretty expensive for a student like me. When I was preparing for the first day of school, I only realized that these were the only available black pens I could use. I did not want to buy new ones, so I decided to use them on a regular basis. Now I understand why my friends love using this pen. It makes your handwriting look neat and the ink does not run out that easily. So yeah, you can say that I am good friends with G-Tec now. They're long-lasting and good for people who still love to write. But I suggest that you should handle this with care, though. 

4.) Daily Notes (Apple App)

This month was also the time I finally got to use iPad on a regular basis. I used to turn to my iPad to simply play games. But since I needed a decent planner and a place where I can keep documents, I figured it is time to put this 1st Generation iPad to good use. I'm not sure if it's still available in the App Store, but I enjoy using Daily Notes. It's basically like a planner. You can type your notes and it also has a task/to-do list. It can even remind you if a certain task is due today, which I find most helpful. 

Gadgets

5.) Apple Keyboard for iPad

Well not only can I type, but it serves as a stand for me every time I am multitasking. It makes things a little bit easier for me. Hehehe. 

6.) Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H3 (8.1 Megapixels)

Now here is the camera that is responsible for most of my pictures featured in this blog. It used to belong to my mother, but I asked if I could have it and she agreed. It's not really close to the camera that I really wanted, but it's more than enough and I am content with the quality it gives to my photos. 

Fashion

Since the place I go to everyday is school, I was more keen on the shoes I had to wear everyday because I had to do a lot of walking. So here are my top three. I chose these simply because they are simple and extremely comfortable to wear. I don't know with you guys, but I do not really have the time to doll up when it comes to going to school. Maybe because I value sleep too much. 

7.) Crocs

8.) Brand unknown

9.) Primadonna

Beauty

10.) Tinted balms and nude glosses- In university, I guess they are less strict in terms of dress code, make-up, and accessories. As for me, I'm not too keen on putting on make-up during school days, simply because it is time-consuming. But in case I feel like dolling up, I go for the neutral kind of look. For my lips, I would go for nude glosses and tinted balms. On the very left is my Mac Dazzleglass and it's the color Pale Violet Red. For me, it looks nude because it blends with my lip color quite well. The one in the middle is what I normally use when I go out on a leisure activity. It's from Innisfree and unfortunately, I do not know the exact color or the product because it's in Korean. But I can assure you it's a lipstick and it is similar to my Happy Skin Lippie (Summer Crush) only this one is much brighter. The last one on the very right is from Burt's Bees, and it's a tinted lip balm with the color of Pink Blossom. This is the one I used the most this month, and I just love applying it because...it tastes so good. It's like I have honey on my lips or something. 

11.) BB - I've been using very light make-up lately and these are my top two products. The first one on the left is Etude House's BB Magic Mist. My mom somehow recommended this to me. All you have to do is just spray this on your face and you will feel instantly refreshed. There are many times when I feel distraught, so this one is a total life-saver and I love it. The next is Shu Uemura's UV Under Base: BB Mousse. Again, this used to belong to my mom's, but she ended up not using it that much so I asked her if I can have it. Compared to the BB creams I have, this one is the lightest coverage ever and I think that is what I like about it. When you apply it, it gives you this really cool feeling and since it is very light, it doesn't feel like you are wearing any make-up. You don't have to use much either, because just one pump is more than enough. So I think I recommend this for people who are beginners at make-up because it's light, simple, and you won't have to worry about break-outs on your face. 

Music

12.) Ariana Grande's "Yours Truly" Album- I love Ariana Grande. There I said it. Sure, she may be another typical pop princess, but I like the fact that she somehow incorporated jazz into her songs. In this album, the sound doesn't sound too generic to me, listening to it actually makes me feel calm and energetic at the same time. My favorite song out of the entire album would be Honeymoon Avenue. It's just filled with feels that I can relate with (a bit) and even though I suck at singing, I end up belting out whenever this plays in my iTouch. I still haven't got Ariana's recent album. Is it good? 

And that is all of my favorites for this month! Now it's time to tackle September! Happy Ber-month everybody!