patriciao

But I would be fooling myself. I am in Finland- you cannot avoid the occasional drink or five. Especially in the dark winter months. I am also a relatively lightweight Asian person. Although I’ve been known to utilize and even used to be somewhat proud of the amount of alcohol I could handle, as compared to the people I have been keeping company with here, my tolerance is pitiful. I should learn to face up to that fact and not try to keep up.

A stunning but surprisingly wearable true red lipstick. And it has a nifty mirror hidden on the top of the cap!

But I’ve been looking at Environmental Working Group’s reports on the earth-friendliness and safety of cosmetics and personal care products. The results are scary. Some of the most popular brands out there contain ingredients that are of high concern in terms of toxicity. Even the more expensive brands rate shabbily.

With Winter really here, I haven’t been doing too well in the exercise department. I’ve tried to channel the energy that kept me going to the gym 4 to 6 days a week in my late teens and early twenties. Now it’s such a battle to do anything even once a week! I’ve just started an exercise diary on my iCal. Hope it helps!

But I put a deposit down on it yesterday. It’s mine! At least for the next several months.

I made my mom’s recipe of Filipino-Chinese spring rolls or Lumpiang Shanghai. They had a minced meat, shrimp, shiitake, green onion and water chestnut filling. He made prawns in Thai green curry. It wasn’t a veggie meal because Liisa isn’t vegetarian, but it was a start. They both said the spring rolls were the best they’d ever tasted!

I sent it five minutes ago. What a relief.

And already I’m feeling healthier and more energetic. Also taking a serum which is supposed to balance my digestive system. The challenge is dining out tonight. We’re going to an Italian place I like. How to say no to dessert?

Read some comments that made me re-think this entry:The worst was a large second-degree abrasion on my elbow. Got my knees scraped up, too. Just one of many scooter accidents when I was about fourteen. My friends and I were a bunch of hellcats and the direct cause behind our village’s enforcement of the helmet rule.

It’s easy to feel more positive about my scars now that they’ve almost faded, although I remember I obsessed over them when they were fresh. What I meant is that I wouldn’t ever trade an active and adventurous childhood for being scar-free.

My boyfriend and I are both better than average cooks. We should return some invitations and start asking friends over. What to cook for vegetarians, though?

They work with street children and want volunteers. But I’ll have to wait till I am home at Christmas to do this.

Although I have tried the diet, and it worked. I have a recurring health problem directly related to my abuse of starch and sugar. This one’s tough. I’m Asian and rice is my staple food.

Sadly, have only done about fifteen minutes of yoga this week. Nothing else. As if I had anything better to do.

I was able to haggle down the price for “The One”. It’s in a bit of a touristy area, but it’s on a quiet courtyard. Not too far from school. I also found out it’s larger than I expected. Trying to convince myself it’s worth near-bankrupting myself over. Building up the guts to try and settle on it today.

That gives me today and tomorrow. It’s long overdue. I’ve already paid half the fees for school next year. Is there such a thing as writer’s block for these things?

Currently working on my third scarf and planning a couple more to make for Christmas presents! Vogue Knitting’s finally arrived by post, but I think I’ll put off learning to knit till I get tired of crocheting.

But we’ve just started separating our Bio garbage. My excuse is that we were just settling in to the new place. It’s much, much easier to be earth-friendly in a city like this. You don’t need to drive out a couple of kilometers to get to the nearest grocery store. I doubt I’ll be as eager to walk around so much now that it’s turning cold, but at least there’s the tram.

In the process of putting it in my iPOd. Going to walk around town mumbling to myself. “Vorrei un vestito e una camicetta”.

Can’t wait to try it out.