D.I.Y. Is This So Fun!? - Oven Light Switch

So the oven light switch broke AGES ago and has been a sad nub for years.

PU1 is away at the moment, so why not try to fix it and see if she notices.

I have this cap that I found, which will make a good substitute.

I put some glue and tissue in it to get the inside nice and tight.

I then stuck it on the nub.

And painted it black.

Awe yeah!

Verdict: PU1 loved it! I had to point it out, but it was very well recieved!

CatBlock

This is an AdBlocker that replaces ads with pictures of cats.

I usually don't mind ads, but this is a (quite old) game changer (for me)!

It's free and easy to install (at least on Chrome, which is my preferred browser).

Pur-furred browser ... hahaha! I'll go home now.

Is this an excuse to post pictures of cats? Maybe.

But I really do like CatBlock.

Garnier - Fructis Fortifying Shampoo - Oily Roots Dry Ends

It has a picture of citrus fruit on the front but smells like FAKE APPLES! Why?! Why you do these things?!


Did it leave my scalp clean and the ends of my hair hydrated? Heck no!

You can't do that shampoo, nobody can! 

As a basic shampoo, there is cheaper things that work better. So not worth it.


Price: 2/5 (rrp $5.95 for 250mL)
Scent: 0/5
Effectiveness: 1/5

Blossom - Royal Jelly - 1000mg

I like bees and the first half of the story 'Royal Jelly' (I never heard the second half), so I thought I'd try this.

These capsules had no taste, I didn't have an allergic reaction to them, and were easy enough to swallow (that shouldn't be a surprise for me, hur hur hur!).

Did I feel any improvement to my general well being? (bee-ing?)
Nah.

I think royal jelly is best just left for the bees.

Price: ($14.99 for 100 capsules)
Scent: 2.5/5 (none)
Effectiveness: 0/5

Same Product, Different Colour - Ulta3 - Over The Rainbow

This is a clear nail polish with large/medium/small glitter pieces, in the colours red, blue, pink, and gold.

UV Filter glasses - 30 Days

On the 21st of January, I put on a pair of UV/blue light filtering glasses.
They are meant to reduce eye strain from computer screens and prevent melatonin breakdown (making it easier to sleep).

21/1 - Everything is yellow tinted, which makes everything look cheerier.
Sleep: woke up several times, nightmares, my 'normal' sleep.

22/1 - My look is so 90's right now I hear Darude Sandstorm everytime I look in the mirror.

Sleep: Woke up at 4:30 am, back to sleep at 6 am. No exceptional improvement.

23/1 - It just makes me stay awake! I don't feel tired at all!

I'm a bail whale.

Art break - Birthday Gift for Parental Unit 2

I already had this stainless steel One Ring and out of everyone who might like it, Parental Unit 2 would appreciate it the most.

So let's make it cooler.

In the first film, Frodo initially has the ring in an envelope.

If you haven't seen these films, go watch them now. I'll wait.

So lets make a cool envelope! 

Using some tea and coffee, I stained a white envelope to make it look aged.

Can you tell I didn't take a before photo?

Once it was safely put inside, I added a red wax seal.

The closest thing I had to red wax was purple...

So I just painted it after it dried.

Verdict: Before he opened the envelope, he thought it was a horcrux :/ but he liked it! (especially when I pretended I couldn't see him when he put the ring on)

Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

Art Break - Lipstick Gift for Miss Buttons

Miss Buttons really liked the look of the Revlon Ultra Matte liquid lipstick in 'Love' so I thought I would get her one.
I had to go to four different stores to find one, they are either popular or in low stock.

Next time we meet, we are going to wear pearls and be fancy ladies, so that gave me a theme for the packaging.
So I used a Bellabox

And painted the inside red, swirling the paint to look like a bed of rose petals.

For the outside, I was just going to cover it in pearls, but I didn't like the result.

meh

So I cut up some (biodegradable) plastic bag as petals and made a flower.

That's more like it!

I put some pearls in the middle of the flower as well.

To keep the lipstick in place, I glued down some single sticky sided foam (the sticky side facing up for the lipstick).

Once it was all dry, I stuck in the lipstick.

And we are done!

Verdict: She loved it! :D

Weaning off Effexor - 150mg to 100mg

So we (read: I) are going from 150mg daily to none.
Very, VERY slowly!

Let's go on this journey together! 
This post will cover the first step, going down to 100mg.

28/1/17 - Went down from 150mg to 100mg tonight.
I hope that isn't too much of a jump... Future me will tell you!

29/1/17 - No negative effects felt so far, had sex dreams last night (I'll take that over nightmares any night!).
I feel a bit euphoric.
As the day went on, I'm still feeling lustful.
I know that antidepressants can suppress libido, but I didn't think I experienced that side-effect.
Oh no! What if it DID suppress my libido and without them, I'm going to be even more lustful?! 

Am I actually a succubus?
It does not help that I've been getting some hot messages of late!

30/1/17 - OMG! I can't sleep!
I'm lusty and someone suggested something that has me going mad! ('March')
Midday and the succubus thing has passed.
I had vivid dreams last night, but they were not nightmares.
I'm having racing thoughts and difficulty focusing on one thing.

31/1/17- It is the wee hours and I have not slept.
I am really enjoying music and getting feelings of true love (both old flames and current loves).
I feel so good, everything feels so reminiscent of true love.

This next song sounds like what romantic love feels like (not necessary the lyrics, the music and feel):

Ok, that may be the decrease in meds and/or synaesthesia talking.

Did I ever disclose on this blog that I have synaesthesia?
Despite what that last sentence may seem to imply, the rapid thoughts have stopped.  


1/2/17 - I have a dull headache at the front of my head (near sinuses) that I think may be from the drug reduction, rather than my current cold.
I'm feeling pretty good cognitively, pretty 'normal'.

I had a nap an had terrible nightmares... now we are getting to the normal 'you need the medicine' symptoms!

Nightmare cure... you are welcome!

Also, I have a SERIOUS craving for chocolate ice-cream, as of an hour ago.
Earlier in the day, I was just thinking about it, now I NEED it!

Do I have a time-headache?!

2/2/17 - I got chocolate ice-cream after work today.
But today, nothing tastes appealing.
I don't feel hungry.
Aside from this taste-apathy, I am feeling pretty stable today.

3/2/17 - woke up with a growling stomach, but no appetite.
Forced down a piece of bread and drank a lot of sweet, sweet water (not actually sweet).
As the day went on, nothing looked good for eating.
I have no appetite.

5/2/17 - I am feeling perfectly fine... I may be calling this too early, but I think I have successfully adjusted down to 100mg.
If it all stays stable, I'll go down to 50mg on the 17th.
I can eat easier now, but I have to really feel like it.

This evening was the biggest test of my 100mg so far.
PU1 told me an infuriating story of someone else's stupidity, another person won't fulfill a request that I had done for them many times over (making me feel like they don't give a shit about reciprocity), and PB decided to list just a select few things which are horrible within the political world (then suggested I don't get depressed by it... how could I not when people are so freaking awful to each other sometimes?).

Also 'Interstellar' is on television and it is a stupid film.
But I haven't felt the coldness of depression spread over my heart yet.
Nor have I had any 'you just get this because genetics' depression yet.

I couldn't sleep, decided I might be hungry.
I can't eat much because I feel fussy.
I'm now gassy (burps).
I laughed because I felt like I was a baby... then I had 'the thought'.

Oh crab apples, what if I'm pregnant!? o.O
Highly unlikely, but that doesn't make it any less scary!
Guess who will be peeing on sticks now.

Test 1: negative

Test 2: negative

I have cheap tests just for freak outs like this.

I got into an argument at work. 
My supervisor wanted me to invent time (when others there were sitting around doing nothing) and I wanted them to go f**k themselves. 
I probably could have let this one go, but everyone had already been pushing me, work was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

7/2/17 - I went to the doctor today and got some 75mg tablets.
I go back in three weeks for some 37.5mg tablets.
Tonight I will start the 75mg :)

Stay tuned for the next exciting post!

Masquerade! - Aritaum - Fresh Power Essence Mask - Lemon

A cheerful yellow packet for a cheerful lemon mask.
A nice lemon sheet mask for travel.

Nature's Way - Beauty Collagen Gummies

These supplements are meant to support collagen production.
They have 'bioactive collagen' to allegedly smooth wrinkles and fine fines, improves skin firmness and skin elasticity.

You get 40 gummies in a container, and are meant to take 2 a day.
On that system, one jar wouldn't even last a month.
I only took one a day.

After 40 days: My skin doesn't seem that much better.

They taste pretty good, like strawberry lemonade (not so much 'berry' like the container says).

Overall, it seems like a pretty pricey way to support your collagen.

Price: 3/5 ($19.99 for 40, huh a dollar a day)
Scent: 3.5/5
Effectiveness: /5

Garnier - The Radience Renewer - Cleansing Gelée

I picked this up at 'The Reject Shop', it is not a common item here.

This is a thick (dare I say 'gel'-like) soap for washing your face, I almost feel it is too thick, because it is a bit hard to wash off.
Pro-tip: lather on your hands, then apply to wet face.

The scent is like lemon and orange oil, but it isn't too strong.

It lathers well and leaves your skin very clean.

As far as skin radiance, I didn't notice much change.

Price: 3/5 (~$7 for 236mL)
Scent: 3/5
Effectiveness: 3.5/5

Purple Prairie Botanicals - Shampoo Bar - Cedarwood & Tea Tree

This was a free sample! :D

I had never used solid shampoo before!
It smells really nice, the cedarwood is the main scent (which I freaking love!).

It leaves your hair SUPER clean, squeaky clean!
If you want your hair CLEAN clean, try this!

The only downside was my scalp didn't like being THAT clean, I had bad dandruff afterward.
In retrospect my scalp may have liked a conditioner afterward.

Price: 4.5/5 ($5.50 for 226.8g)
Scent: 5/5
Effectiveness: 4/5

Special Post! - New Sponge!

I got this in the post and I didn't buy it after a late night drinking session! 
After a little investigation, I found out it was from J!

Thank you J! I love it!

Gosh, I am getting so spoilt!!!!
Everyone is too amazing!

Pharmacy Choice - Expectorant Mucolytic - Chesty Cough - Cough Syrup

If you have bacteria-ridden mucus in your lungs (green junk), and expectorant can help get it out.

Expectorant - cough it up (a medicine which promotes the secretion of sputum by the air passages, used to treat coughs).

Mucolytic - breaks up the mucus so it's easier to move.

This one contains guaiphenesin (100mg per 5mL) and bromhexine hydrochloride (3mg per 5mL).

The guaiphenesin is your expectorant and the bromhexine hydrochloride is your mucolytic.

The guaiphenesin will also make medicines like paracetamol have a greater effect.

Even when you get over the counter medication, do check with the pharmacist for any drug interactions with other things you may be on.
I was told to take less than the full adult dose if I intend to also take Seretide.
Knowledge is power.

The flavour is listed as strawberry and vanilla... strawberry and vanilla my butt!
Like all cough syrup, it tastes like misery.

Half an hour after taking it, I cough up some mucus and feel less terrible.

Price: 4/5 ($9.95 for 200mL)
Scent: 1/5 
Effectiveness: 4/5

Special Post! - Gifted Make up

S cleared out her makeup collection and asked me if I would like some of it for review.
I of course said yes! (I take no issue with S's germs)

This is what she gave me:

Sensory Overload!

How amazingly wonderful!!! Thank you S!!!

I am the luckiest little bean! <3