Thursday, January 8, 2015
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Monday, January 5, 2015
January 5th 2015, Monday
Today I went back to work for the first time since winter break (19th of December last year).
I had a number of conversations with other foreigners about coming back to Japan after experiencing the freedom of other countries. You're so constricted in Japan. Slowly converted to uniformed thinking and behaviour you barely notice it happening. If you do resist the culture shock is harsh and unforgiving. There is no flexibility for open mindedness and progressive thinking here.
But, at the end of such a tiring and thought provoking day I arrived home to an incredible parcel full of goodies from Maxine. Couldn't have been timed better. Late Christmas is the best kind of Christmas in my opinion.
As always with Maxine, it was gorgeously packaged.
In anticipation of my big move coming up this year Maxine had a running theme. Let's see if you can guess...
THANKS Maxine!
I'll be sure to upload my completed London doodles to this blog!
Night xoxox
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
The 5 Year Diary
I searched NZ bookstores high and low for one of these diaries only to find one in the Loft just 15mins walk away from my apartment here in downtown Hamamatsu, Japan.
I saw these online and thought they were a brilliant idea (if I could keep up with them for that long).
So today starts 1 of 1,826 days of chronicling my everyday.
I thought I'd share my days here on my blog as a digital record for you all to see. Sometimes I will use the digital to expand on my writing, or perhaps add a photo or a video. Other times I will simply leave you with my written words for the day.
As it is ALREADY the 4th of January I will include days 1 to 3 in this post and my next post will be today's entry.
Wish me luck ^^
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Sephora Lockout
I don't know what is going on in Sephora land at the moment.
With the 20% off sale I was excited to go and get my family and friends a bunch of Christmas gifts and perhaps a few exciting new additions to my own collection on the side. But, no. I live in Japan. A place which, it seems, Sephora is deliberately blocking out of this major sale.
I guess the politically correct way to say that would be 'ALLEGEDLY' deliberately blocking.
Granted I have only recently been able to purchase from Sephora. I went on a trip to Hawaii back in July of this year and was overwhelmed by the excitement of a store centered around us beauty product obsessed. A shop you could walk into a complete and utter mess and walk out of with a brand new face.
So many brands and a variety of prices it's hard for me to find a reason not to validify my expenses resulting in almost immediate upgrade to VIB level.
I thought when I returned to Japan a week later, laden with nail polish, lipstick and bronzer, I would never have a chance like that again. Japan is sorely lacking in the ranges I crave and, especially, the colours I need for my porcelain white skin. But then, I discovered Sephora.com the remedy to all my woes.
I saved a bit more and by the time my Hawaiian purchases had run dry I was ready to make another order. I anticipated my new makeups arrival every waking second. When it finally came I played around and changed my whole makeup routine. With the help of Kat Von D I was now an eyeliner specialist where before I would get frustrated before I even began.
As my makeup once again began to dry up I started saving again and researching into more new and exciting brands. A constant flow of filling and emptying my basket. I looked forward to the help of First Aid to clear my dry spots in the colder season and the use of Bite lipstick to give me gorgeous lips but still keep it appropriate for the work place. I even listed up a bunch of gift sets ready for the season of giving.
Then I got the 20% off email.
I could've screamed but the walls here in Japan are very thin and explaining my excitement over a beauty sale to my neighbour would've been a hassle and my vain would have been open to judgement.
I counted down the days and talked over my intended purchases with my friends. I even recommended and directed a few new-to-makeup types to the site and showed them my favourites.
But for the past few days I have been completely blocked from the site.
A supposed 404 message stopped me at every link.
I read the articles online and, while I still don't believe they are 100% the truth, I do find some of the evidence astounding.
What I'm trying to say to you, Sephora, is; I'm here for the love of makeup, not the blatantly illegal profit making business.
Twitter keeps assuring me that the tech people are on it and it will be fixed soon but the time is almost up and I have no answers.
Whether or not this will stop me from purchasing from Sephora in the future, I do not know. But it will, most certainly, stop me from refreshing my supply for now and you can bet I will not be buying Christmas gifts from Sephora this year.
You missed out on one loyal customer Sephora. I will not be going back to the norm once this sale ends.
As Walt Disney said to P.L. Travers, "That ship has sailed".
With the 20% off sale I was excited to go and get my family and friends a bunch of Christmas gifts and perhaps a few exciting new additions to my own collection on the side. But, no. I live in Japan. A place which, it seems, Sephora is deliberately blocking out of this major sale.
I guess the politically correct way to say that would be 'ALLEGEDLY' deliberately blocking.
Granted I have only recently been able to purchase from Sephora. I went on a trip to Hawaii back in July of this year and was overwhelmed by the excitement of a store centered around us beauty product obsessed. A shop you could walk into a complete and utter mess and walk out of with a brand new face.
So many brands and a variety of prices it's hard for me to find a reason not to validify my expenses resulting in almost immediate upgrade to VIB level.
I thought when I returned to Japan a week later, laden with nail polish, lipstick and bronzer, I would never have a chance like that again. Japan is sorely lacking in the ranges I crave and, especially, the colours I need for my porcelain white skin. But then, I discovered Sephora.com the remedy to all my woes.
I saved a bit more and by the time my Hawaiian purchases had run dry I was ready to make another order. I anticipated my new makeups arrival every waking second. When it finally came I played around and changed my whole makeup routine. With the help of Kat Von D I was now an eyeliner specialist where before I would get frustrated before I even began.
As my makeup once again began to dry up I started saving again and researching into more new and exciting brands. A constant flow of filling and emptying my basket. I looked forward to the help of First Aid to clear my dry spots in the colder season and the use of Bite lipstick to give me gorgeous lips but still keep it appropriate for the work place. I even listed up a bunch of gift sets ready for the season of giving.
Then I got the 20% off email.
I could've screamed but the walls here in Japan are very thin and explaining my excitement over a beauty sale to my neighbour would've been a hassle and my vain would have been open to judgement.
I counted down the days and talked over my intended purchases with my friends. I even recommended and directed a few new-to-makeup types to the site and showed them my favourites.
But for the past few days I have been completely blocked from the site.
A supposed 404 message stopped me at every link.
I read the articles online and, while I still don't believe they are 100% the truth, I do find some of the evidence astounding.
What I'm trying to say to you, Sephora, is; I'm here for the love of makeup, not the blatantly illegal profit making business.
Twitter keeps assuring me that the tech people are on it and it will be fixed soon but the time is almost up and I have no answers.
Whether or not this will stop me from purchasing from Sephora in the future, I do not know. But it will, most certainly, stop me from refreshing my supply for now and you can bet I will not be buying Christmas gifts from Sephora this year.
You missed out on one loyal customer Sephora. I will not be going back to the norm once this sale ends.
As Walt Disney said to P.L. Travers, "That ship has sailed".
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