In the end, I managed to convince her to get her own domain. She is currently busy filling it up with tons of photos of the latest trends in fashion, from tiny bits and big bits of accessories to long dresses and the latest ensembles that constitute a look, a way of wearing them from hair to makeup. She also plans to have how-to videos in it, which is another reason to get a good host.  To be honest, this should be considered as a way overdue project.  Such a creative person should have invaded cyberspace ages ago.

Most of the people I grew up with are women, two of mum’s younger sisters, my nan and my cousin.  My brother’s cousin was so much into bikes, I would take his even if it was too big for me.  He had a road bike, a mountain bike and a bmx bike which was my favorite (comfort bikes are out of the question because we like it extreme LOL).  I almost made a career out of it until I realised what they can do to my legs.  I started accumulating war wounds as young as seven.  Since the bikes were always too big for me, I would always try to get the perfect saddle for ultimate protection.  Bike shorts were never a problem for me because I like wearing them around the house, as long as they are black and matte.  My auntie used to tell me I already smell like burnt rubber.  I wonder what she would say I got into the habit of wearing a helmet.

The next level is the procurement of non liquid assets such as investments in bonds and gold.  These are assets that you can leave sitting in a safety deposit box for eons until you are ready to liquidate them.  By the time you do, they are worth more than when you first buried them.  They are like wine, they get better as they age.

The price of gold can be relatively affordable.  A select few reputable banks decide on the gold prices.  They start with the gold spot which is the rough estimate of its on the spot value.  The spot gold is often defined by the quality of the commodity, its ability to travel and its liquidity value. Then it is taking to the proper institution for the gold price.

Sometimes, the mere mention of gold intimidates people.  Once people get over this, they will eventually realise what a great investment gold is.  One right move goes a long way.  It can put food on your great grandchildren’s table.

It is more pricey than beer, almost double.  I guess it is proportional to the alcohol content.  I have been teased about how it is a girly drink since they all have beer but let me remind you of the 7% alcohol content, compared to the 4% standard of beers.  I can already imagine how good it is with Jager bombs.  If you drink a lot fast enough, you will feel like you have been having spirits.

I would recommend this to those who like drinking hard liquor but still want to get home in one piece after more than ten bottles.

Being on a budget does not mean you are deprived of variation.  Having gin regularly can wear your tastebuds out.  There are days when I would have cheap brandy that I would get for around the same price as the cheap gin.  I would mix it with mango nectar in a scotch glass filled with ice and voila!  We have the best tasting juice with the right buzz at a low cost.  We would get the bottle of brandy and can of mango nectar from the shop down the street and take it to the food joint where we always have lunch.  The owner knows us so he allows us to do as we please as long as we do not break stuff.  He would even lend us whatever we need for a successful afternoon.  The ice tubes come free with the meal that we pay for.  Since we get mango concentrate instead of regular mango juice, a 500ml can goes a long way.

If our artist friend is not free, this generous man would allow us to have a table at his food place for as long as we want.  He would lend us a pitcher for our alternative mix of gin.  We would have 500ml of water in a pitcher and half of the gin with it.  We would add powdered fruit juice of any flavor except orange because it will only end up tasting like awful cough medicine, and shake it.  After it has been properly mixed, we empty the concoction into the pitcher, light it up and dunk it right in.  The alcohol in the pitcher reacts to the fire in the bottle, chasing it right in and that is how you mix the cocktail.  The liquid in the bottle will pour itself out into the pitcher and the drinking can commence!  It is ultimate betrayal in a pitcher.  It tastes just like fruit juice and before you know it, you are dead drunk.

Ahh, those were the days.

I started late on the cancer stick.  When I was twelve, my mates would be sneaking around cigarettes with alcohol.  I can never get myself to have one puff.  It sort of scared me, the thought of having fire in my mouth sent my imagination on overdrive.  I took up the habit when I was sixteen at uni.  I did not think college life would drive me into such a disgusting habit.  I started smoking at least a pack of red Lucky Strikes daily.  On stressful days the number would spike up to unpredictable values.  I kept this up for about three years until I decided drinking a lot is enough without the nicotine so I quit cold turkey.  It has never been hard for me to quit a habit, no matter what it is.  I thought that one incident of quitting would last for the rest of my life but it did not.  I started smoking again after three years.  I was at my first teaching job and I had a hard time trying to segregate my ideals from what needs to be done.   We would have ten minute breaks every hour and I would spend all of it on the cancer stick.  After six months, I decided to leave my job and my dirty habit.  I made it through a year in my new job without cigarettes.  After that, I started smoking like a chimney for three years.  I quit for another six months and as this new year started, my habit resumed.  Eight months into the year, I have decided to be rid of it for good.  I do not even smoke when I am out drinking.  The weird thing is, I do not really smoke when drinking.  It makes me feel sick and keeps me from enjoying my drink.

One mate got me an e-cigarette.  It is like nicorette in a fake cigarette that you charge with the usb cable that come with it.  The filter has a tiny cartridge for the nicotine and you can smoke away without the fire, smoke or tar.  I do not exactly need it since I do not get withdrawal symptoms from not have a smoke.  I do appreciate the thought though.  He got it for me before he knew I quit.

My mission now is to stay nicotine-free until my last natural breath.  Wish me luck.

I used to go on a solo flight with my gin and chocolate milk.  My mates used to stay away from the duo until one of them decided to try it on his own, one lazy Sunday afternoon.  The following day he came to school with a big grin on his face, blubbering about how my drink gave him the time of his life.  Then the following began.  We all had classes from nine in the morning until midday.  After that we are all off to our tattoo artist friend’s shop, armed to the teeth with booze and milk.  Sometimes we would pour the gin into an empty bottle of water to disguise it from local cops who had nothing better to do except harass us young ones into paying them off to leave us alone.  We tried to discourage our friend’s clients for taking part in our drinking session so they can get the work done within the hour.  Being an artist is hard work paired with pain, and wearing art is more painful than making them.  We just try to put the customer at ease and clown around without actually offering him booze.  That was the beginning of the gin and chocolate milk legacy.

As I got older I realise how important sunscreen is.  I just do not like how most sunscreens do not act as moisturisers as well.  You end up having to slather on two different products to get two different things done.  When I saw Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Complete UV Waterlight Lotion SPF 50, I thought my dream of having just one product on my face finally came into being.  I was wrong.  I should have figured from the term Waterlight that it is as light as it can get.  You apply it on your damp face and let the air dry it as you get the rest of yourself ready.  Later during the day, I feel my face getting a bit dry and tight.

For 7gbp, I cannot really complain but I did not even use half of the bottle before I decided to forget about it.  Sun damage and skin dehydration is something you do not take lightly.  Spending a few extra quid on a good product is well worth it.

When I was younger, I never liked moisturising.  I hate the greasy feeling it leaves on my skin but as I got older I realised how important it is to nourish the skin especially during the cold season.  I tried every lotion in the market that promises ultimate moisture but I never got through more than one bottle of the same kind.  I started using Neutrogena Body Oil a couple of months back.  It is very light and suitable for use both in and out of the shower.  Spread it on areas that are prone to moisture loss like your arms, elbows, legs and knees.  At some point, I had to use more of the oil to keep my skin hydrated.  After looking around, I found Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Nourishing Body Oil.  It is definitely heavier than Neutrogena but it seems to do its job.  I chose Mama Bee Nourishing specifically because of all the oils by Burt’s Bees, it is the only one that is labeled 100% natural.  It is made with almond oil and contains vitamin e, all you need for good skin.  at 10gbp for this bottle, it is not bad if it does its job properly.  No need to worry about lugging around a bottle of moisturiser and trying to reapply every five seconds when you are stuck in an air conditioned office.

I was watching Chloe last night and it still amazes me how people can lie to each other with a straight face.  In the movie, Catherine Steward (Julianne Moore) suspects her husband David of cheating so she hires a prostitute named Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce him into sin.  Her suspicions were proven true as Chloe tells her the details of their sexual exploits.  As they sink deeper into their arrangement, things turn out to be not as simple as they seem.

In conclusion, everything is a risk.  Either you take it or you don’t and when you do, be ready to be bit right in the ass because betrayal is essentially well disguised.  It could be your partner that you spend every waking hour with, a close friend that you have known since you have been wearing nappies, or someone seemingly harmless that you see on the train everyday.