3 Things I've Learned During The First Month of Bari Sax and NYX Lippie Countdown Day Fourteen

So, I have officially been playing the Baritone Saxophone for approximately a full month. It is a lot harder than I expected, yet easier than anticipated. I am so thankful that the flute has extremely similar fingerings which have saved me a lot of work. But the following are the top three lessons I've learned from playing this monster saxophone.

1) I am a weakling. 

For an instrument that basically dangles from a tiny little strap on your neck, that sucker is heavy. After only 30 minutes of practice, my shoulders hurt, my neck is sweaty, and I start wondering if my thumb is going to break from the thumb rest. Clearly, I'm either doing something wrong or need to start a workout program.  

2) My breath control is not what I thought it was.

I can play the top register of the flute and piccolo for several measures without getting out of breath. Two measures of the bari and I'm dying. Clearly, I need to work on increasing my lung capacity or risk passing out and dying after that lead weight falls on me. 

3) I'm not a complete failure.

Sitting there and running scales on the bari is not as hard as I initially expected. Sure, I'm extremely weak and dying because I can't breathe. But I'm running scales with almost 100% success on the notes and my tuner recognizes that I'm actually playing the correct note, in tune! Despite all my reservations about this, I think I might actually be able to pull off playing the bari in a concert one day!

So, today is day fourteen of the NYX Lippie Countdown and if we're being honest I completely forgot to pop today's color out until I got home from work. The preview for this color showed a nice pink toned shade that looked like something I would typically wear.

Upon opening the tab, I was disappointed to see that this was a Butter Lipstick shade. The Butter collection has not been kind to me in this calendar. Despite that, I was excited to see today's shade was a mauve/pink tone that seemed like something I would typically buy. 

This color was called Root Beer Float, which is cute and reminds me of summer. 

Root Beer Float applies nicely but has the lipgloss shine that the other Butter collection colors have. Despite this, I actually really like this shade on me. It's a bit different from my typical pinks but it is fun and appropriate for work and play! I'm not sure if I would buy this again but I do plan on wearing this shade until the little tube runs out! 

Bok Tower Gardens and NYX Lippie Countdown Day Thirteen

Today, I celebrated my final day of my vacation by going to Bok Tower Gardens. This is a location that I have been meaning to visit for a long time.

Bok Tower Gardens was donated to the American people in 1929 by Edward Bok, an author and one of the original editors of the Ladies' Home Journal. The gardens are laid out in several different sections including a children's garden, edible garden, endangered plant garden, wetland, and several ponds and reflecting pools.

The highlight of the gardens was the Singing Tower. The Carillon is not an instrument that I am actively familiar with or have had the opportunity to experience. Sitting and listening to the concert performed on the carillon was an amazing experience. I was able to snag a spot by the screen that allowed me to view the carillonneur as he performed his art. It amazed me that carillonneurs have to use both their hands and feet to perform on the carillon. The amount of talent that requires simply blows my mind. I look forward to going back to the Tower and experiencing another performance.

From the Singing Tower, I headed over to the Pinewood Estate. Initially, I believed that the estate belonged to Edward Bok which isn't actually the case. Instead, the estate was the winter home of Charles Austin Buck, a Bethlehem Steel Vice President. In 1970, the estate was obtained by Bok Tower Gardens and added to the areas that visitors could tour. While I did not go into the house, I did walk the grounds and admire the Christmas Tree. My favorite part of the estate was a small pond with a waterfall just off the main entrance. This area begged to have you curl up with a book and a cup of tea.

Overall, I loved the Bok Tower Gardens and fully intend on going back. Because I could apply my admission price from today to an annual pass, I may or may not have purchased one! I promise next time I'll get more, and better, pictures.

Today's color preview made me extremely nervous. It appeared to be a red/brown and I was not cool with that.

After opening it, I was pleased to see that it was from the NYX Liquid Suede collection and was actually a purple/brown which is much more doable for me.

This color is called Vintage which made me smile when I first saw it.

Vintage applied nicely but did settle into the lines on my lips fairly quickly. It didn't look half bad but was not a good color for my skin tone. It's a bit too dark for me but not bad enough to where I couldn't pull it off. Honestly, I would not hesitate to wear this again. Providing it is not in a professional setting. If this color seems like something you would like the I would definitely test it out!

*Late Post* Coco Review and NYX Lippie Countdown Day Twelve

I'm sorry for the late post. I went out to dinner and to see Coco with a friend last night and had no motivation to write my review. So, better late than never!

Coco takes place in Mexico and the Land of the Dead. It follows the story of Miguel, a young boy who has a passion for music despite his family's aversion to it. Miguel runs away to participate in a Day of the Dead talent show and suddenly finds himself in the Land of the Dead. To return to Mexico, within a specific time limit, Miguel must find his ancestors and receive their blessing. Along the way, Miguel discovers what family truly means and that idols might not always be what they come off as.

Overall, I really liked Coco. The story is fun and really makes you stop and think. Initially, I found myself disliking Miguel's family because of their insistence that music is horrible. But as the movie progressed I began to understand their initial logic and feel sympathetic for them.

This movie had a perfect balance of comedy and drama. I loved the humor provided by the dog, Dante, and the drama caused by the family dynamic. One thing that I wasn't really a fan of was the depressing build up of the storyline surrounding Miguel's family and what happens in the Land of the Dead when the deceased are forgotten.

I would recommend Coco to everyone young and old. The story was light enough for kids to laugh and enjoy it, yet deep enough for adults to think and reflect on their own lives. Plus, the music was amazing!

The preview for day 12 of the NYX Lippie Countdown showed a nice soft red. I was excited for this as it had been some time since the color of the day was red.

After opening it up I was happy to see that it was from the NYX Matte Lipstick collection.

This shade was called Indie Flick which makes it sound like a fun, cute, and edgy color.

Upon application, I was amused to see that this is a bright orangy/red color. It applied easily and cleaned up fairly nicely but did smudge slightly. This is not a long wear color but layered nicely without looking cakey. While I would not replace this when it runs out, I would happily continue to wear this shade.

For days 7 through 12, I was fairly amused by the color selection. They ranged from nude, to purple, to red, to pink. Overall, my favorite shade was day 11, Sao Paulo because it is closest to the colors I would normally buy. My least favorite shade was from day 8, Creme Brulee. This color had a lot of potential but was horrible to wear. I found myself constantly checking it and reapplying it.

Ulta Cyber Monday Haul and NYX Lippie Countdown Day Eleven

I swear this is my final Ulta haul post of the year. Late last week I finally received my Cyber Monday order which was fairly small in purchases but heavy in samples and freebies.

The first items are the Stila One Step Correct and One Step Prime primers. I had run out of my Smashbox primers earlier and decided to try these since they were on sale.

 Because I purchased the primers I also received a sample of the Stila Magnificent Metals Liquid Eye Shadow in Kitten Karma.

The second items purchased were the Mario Badescu Chamomile Night Cream and the Mask & Mist Duo. The Mask & Mist Duo includes the Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea, and the Cucumber Tonic Mask. I have loved the Mario Badescu products that are currently in my skincare stash so I'm really looking forward to trying these.

Because I purchased the Mario Badescu items I also received two separate gift bags. The first back was the Mario Badescu Holiday Bag. This bag included samples of the Seaweed Cleansing Soap, Seaweed Night Cream, and Seaweed Cleansing Lotion.

The second Mario Badescu bag was the Mario Badescu Cyber Monday White Bag. This bag included samples of the Aloe Moisturizer, Cucumber Cleansing Lotion, Seaweed Night Cream, and Enzyme Cleansing Gel. Both bags contain products that I have never tried before so I'm excited to see how they work!

The final purchased item was the Body Shop Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Night Mask. I have already used this several times and am super pleased by it.

Like always, I selected the skincare products for my free samples. I received the Vichy Laboratories Aqualia Thermal Mineral Water Gel and the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer. 

Because it was Cyber Monday, and I have a slight Ulta addiction, I also received the Cyber Monday Peppermint Beauty Bag. 

I received samples of the Becca First Light Priming Filter and Backlight Priming Filter, along with the All Nighter Liquid Foundation samples. 

The fragrance samples were Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani, Sexy Ruby by Michael Kors, and Bloom by Gucci. 

The hair samples included Bed Head Screw It Curl Hydrating Jelly Oil, Sexy Hair Color Lock Conditioner, Hask Biotin Boost Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner, and Klorane Color Enhancing Anti-Fade Shampoo and Conditioner. 

Makeup included was the Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer, Dermablend Loose Setting Powder, Ulta Super Blender, Tarte Lights, Camera Lashes Mascara, Philosophy Time in a Bottle Repair Serum, and Stila All-Day Liquid Lipstick in Rubino.

For skincare, I received the Clarins Multi-Active Yeux & Multi-Active Jour, Proactive Green Tea Moisturizer, Bliss Grapefruit and Aloe Body Butter, and Cotz Flawless Complexion Mineral Sunscreen. 

Finally, I also received the Savvy Travelers Speakeazy Teeth, Lip & Mouth cleansing wipe, and Vitabath Asian Orchid & Coconut Body Wash. 

After yesterdays successful color, I was excited to see that today looked to be a reddish pink color. 

 After opening the tab, I was happy to see that this color was part of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream line I have really enjoyed the wear on the colors I've sampled from this line so far.

Today's shade is called Sao Paulo, which plays into the city theming in the Soft Matte line.

This color applies nicely and has a super pretty raspberry shade. It is easily corrected and does not settle into lines. This is a long wear color and only needed to be reapplied after lunch. I really like this shade and fully intend on repurchasing it after I run out.

That's All Folks (2018 Music Goals) and NYX Lippie Countdown Day Ten

With thunderous applause, the curtain has closed on the CFCArts Once Upon A December show and I am officially on break from orchestra until 2018. It was an amazing show and I am so proud to have performed in it. So now the big question is where do I go from here. I've got the following orchestra goals for the 2018 performance year.

1) Strengthen my low notes on the flute.
For the 2018 spring concert, the CFCArts Orchestra will be performing Maurice Ravel's Bolero. A large part of the flute part involves playing in the first octave. This is an octave that I rarely perform in so I'm a bit weaker in it than the others. My hope is that, through frequent practice, I'll be able to proudly perform Bolero without worrying about having a funky sound in that first octave.

2) Practice my piccolo.
I did not have any piccolo parts, by my choice, this year so my poor piccolo sat in my flute bag without being used. My plan for 2018 is to at least pull up the piccolo parts on Dropbox and run through them. When I finally decide to try and get a piccolo part for a performance I want to be confident in my skills.

3) Relearn/Learn the saxophone.
I've played the sax before. I know the fingerings and how to play basic items with it but I want more. I want to actually feel confident to perform both the bari sax and the alto sax. I've swiped all my brother's sax books from my mom's house and have been working on the bari. I have reeds for the bari but am still waiting for the alto reeds so picking that up might take a few more days.

4) Perform in the major choir concerts.
This goal is a bit out of my control. Even though I played in Once Upon A December I am not guaranteed a spot in the choir orchestra. Just like everyone else I have to apply and get selected for each individual concert, so my goal is to at least apply with the hope of performing in the choir concerts for the 2018 year. I would love to perform at their spring concert and would kill to return to the holiday concert.

They might not be big goals for 2018 but they're goals that I'm pretty confident that I can accomplish or at least attempt to accomplish. Here goes another year of musical progress.

Day 10 of the NYX Lippie Countdown looked like it was a color that would be more my style than the purples that were included in previous days. From the mini preview, it appeared to be either a pale pink or a nude which, if you haven't been able to tell, are both colors that I love.

After I opened the tab, I was amused to see that this lip color was from the NYX Lingerie collection. Because this collection was the entire calendar last year I find it interesting that two have been included in this year's calendar, so far.

After removing the tube from the box, I was pleased to see that this was Corset. Corset had been included last year and while it wasn't my favorite color, it was a nice soft color that worked ok with my skin tone.

Like other Lingerie colors, Corset applies nicely and mistakes are easily corrected. This color does settle into the lines on your lips but does not make them look overly dry. It lasts long and only needed to be reapplied after lunch. One word of caution, Corset does look cakey if too many layers are applied.

Overall, I wouldn't buy Corset just to have it but I would not shy away from using it. This is a nice solid color that can be extremely useful for a nude lip look.

NYX Lippie Countdown Day Nine

It’s official. For me, this is the craziest week in December. Between work, making sure Cupid gets worked properly, making sure the cats receive adequate attention and remembering to get to the orchestra concert on time, I am officially a chicken without its head. Because of this, I do apologize but today you’ll be left with only my feedback on the NYX Lippie Countdown day nine.

Before we get started with today’s color I figured I would share my social media accounts with you in case you wish to follow them. My Facebook for this page is Run, Ride, Read, Repeat. My Twitter is Equestrian Bookworm. My Instagram is Laura under @EquestrianBookworm. Finally, my Pinterest is Laura @RunRideRead. Feel free to follow me there and reach out if you’d like!

When I saw the tab for today I was extremely dismayed. It was another purple. It has been officially decided that I do not look good in purple.

Popping the tab revealed that this was from the NYX Matte lipstick collection, which I was pleased with on the first.

 This shade is called Up The Bass which is super cute and totally appropriate for the last night of Once Upon A Time.

It is a pretty shade but applies unevenly and requires two coats. This is a long wear lip color and only needed reapplication after eating.

Passion Planner Review and NYX Lippie Countdown Day Eight

I'm one of those crazy planner people. I live out of my planner and panic just a bit if I can't find it. If something isn't in my planner then it isn't a priority, and if something has to be erased from my planner or moved to a different time/day then I get slightly irritated.

Back in high school, we were provided planners, but my biggest issue with them was the lack of time segments. I love planning out my day minute by minute. It helps me stay organized and on top of things if they have a specific time to be worked on and time to be completed by. It took me a few years but I finally found a planner than meets my hourly requirement while still looking cute! Enter the Passion Planner.

The Passion Planner is not your typical planner, it is more of a yearly roadmap and goal map than just a simple planner. The year starts out with the Passion Roadmap which helps you map out your goals for the next three months, the next year, the next three years, and lifetime goals. I love using this roadmap because it helps me figure out where my priorities should be for the entire year.

Each month in the Passion Planner is laid out in an overall month format and a week format. The month format has spaces for the monthly focus, in both personal and work life, people to see, places to go, a not-to-do list, personal projects, work projects, and a blank space for whatever you feel like entering this month. I like using the monthly format to track when major things, like credit card payments, are due, along with figuring out what my focus should be that month with Cupid.

The week format has space for a weekly focus, good things that happen, work and personal projects, and a blank space for other items. It also includes a new quote each week, and some motivational advice. My favorite part of the weekly format is the 30-minute increments under each day between 6:00am and 10:30pm. This has really helped me stay organized between work, running, Cupid, crochet orders, and orchestral rehearsal and performances.

The final unique section of the Passion Planner is the Monthly Reflection. Throughout the month I'll use this to keep track of everything major that happens. At the end of each month, it allows me to sit down and figure out if there is anything I should change or keep the same with what I have been doing.

It's hard to believe that I'm already on day eight of the NYX Lippie Countdown. Today's preview showed a nice pale pink which is almost the complete opposite of yesterday's purple shade.

When I opened the tab I was a bit disappointed to see another butter collection item. This time the lip color was from the Butter Gloss collection.

This shade is called Creme Brulee, and I after thinking about it for a minute I suppose the name does make sense

Once applied this color is a nice, soft, pale pink. It is more of a tinted gloss than a lipstick, but it is very appropriate for almost any situation. This does retain a bit of a tacky feeling for quite awhile, but once that feeling ends it leaves behind a nice soft hint of color. This is not a long-lasting lip color, but because it is so subtle it is not one that is super obvious that it has worn off.