Mea Culpa…

I was supposed to return to blogging much earlier than this.  Consider this an update post.  I still haven’t officially emerged from my blogging hibernation.  I thought I had a few months back, but that petered out fast.  With me, repetition is key with getting back into the swing of anything to make it part of my routine.  Unfortunately, blogging fell out of my routine and it’s been hard finding the will to do so. It’s more a focus thing than anything else.  Rather than try to do an official “I am Back” post, i think it’s better just to slowly easy my way in.  it feels great just typing this.  So here goes…. 

Much of my time the last half year has been focused on my then new job and the super crazy scenarios I have seen play out at work. I have been so hopped up on adrenaline that I couldn’t sleep; I have spent hours dissecting information on phone calls with co-workers late into the night, played a live action cloak and dagger game and all because of a few toxic people creating a quite dysfunctional work environment.  But it has oddly been very fascinating at the same time.  It is really interesting to see how literally one or two toxic people can create chaos within supposedly sophisticated corporate organizations.  Also, very interesting how these people can out last so many others!

My current employment has been incredibly informative on office politics, office drama, office personas, and office inefficiency and that funny thing called the “merit system.”  What’s so funny is how not perturbed I am by the whole thing.  What has happened at my job resembles a corporate version of a daytime soap opera.  I watch and play defense.  The best defense of course is being above all OBSERVANT and after that damn productive and helpful and getting along with everyone.  Not that it makes you permanently immune to being targeted, but that regardless of the warring personalities involved, they want you on their team – for now.  No one wants someone who can’t do what they are supposed to, is too slow, or can’t work independently without asking a billion questions.  But who wants to work in an environment like that?  

It’s been a crazy ride and this pleb needs to plan an exit plan that doesn’t involve unemployment or being overworked!  🙂

Aside from work being all consuming, I have had a product whore moment of truth during this time.  Technically, it’s my second.  The first beauty ban I imposed was right after grad school and I actually had less than I have now (!)  I was very good for a long while and then it all went to hell.  Again.  Since my beauty ban I have unceremoniously dumped products that expired or I figured should have since I have had it too long.  This has thinned out my drawers.  And yet, I STILL have too much.  I know you are all aware of that Sephora promotion going on right now and the end of my beauty ban was very much planned around the discount/promotional season for a reason.  However, despite filling up my online cart I had to ask my self if I needed any of it.  I still have product in their boxes.  I ended up having to throw out a gorgeous full bottle of Suti’s Rejuvenate Face Oil because it went rancid (or smelled like cold pressed meaty butter….GROSS!). I dumped over a dozen nail polishes that had separated.  I dumped over half of my bottled foundations and I still have product for at least several months use.  I’ve got tons of sunscreen bottles (mostly Elta and Shiseido).

The point? 

I don’t need much and I don’t want much in the beauty arena.  

But who am I fooling?  I am not going cold turkey.  So, yeah…this reformed product whore IS getting a few items this holiday season.And I can’t wait to blog about it and all the other goodies I have been diligently using up.  Plus, I want to let you know what happened during the course of my official spending ban.  It wasn’t a perfect record…and yet, I am still reformed.

ALSO, A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO THE MANY FILIPINO BEAUTY BLOGGERS I FOLLOW.  I HOPE YOU, YOUR FAMILIES, YOUR FRIENDS AND THE REST OF YOUR COUNTRYMEN ARE OK!