*♥*Tips for Treating the Common Cold *♥*

[Currently listening to the first episode of 会長はメイド様! (Kaichou wa Maid-sama)]

Good morning everyone :)

I think I'm getting over my cold more quickly than I thought - usually it would take me a couple of weeks to get over :( In the last year, however, I've learned a few tips that I'd like to share with you all:

-Drink plenty of water/liquids, especially if it's hot :)
I've been drinking plenty of water in the last few days so that I won't get dehydrated. Orange juice or having something that's high in Vitamin B and C will help to boost your immune system; I've done this by buying a Stress Defender smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe - the ingredients are oranges, orange juice, yogurt and a Vitamin C immune complex. Hot tea with honey and lemon is a great way for me soothe my throat and it temporarily relieves me of a stuffy nose. I've also learned from a co-worker of mine that drinking ginger ale during the time that you're coughing will not only relieve your throat from coughing, but the properties of ginger will help break down the mucus slowly but surely. :) Thanks Philip!
-Gotta cough it all out...
At the current stage of my cold, I'm now to the point where I'm coughing - it's a sign that I have to somehow hack all that gunk out of my throat. Now you're probably wondering why I have to do this... I know it sounds gross and all, but you have to do this because not only does it feel gross in your throat but also... If all that stuff stays in there even after you feel better from your cold, it's more than likely that you'd get sick again because that "stuff" can catch whatever germs might be floating around in the air around you.
-Take a hot shower/bath
Just like the effects of drinking hot fluids, the steam from taking a hot shower/bath will help relieve you from nasal congestion :)
-Blow your nose often... and gently.
It's important that you blow out all that stuff out of your nose so that it will not build up; I'm sure you wouldn't like the feeling of a stuffy nose either. (Personally, I'd like to be able to catch the smell and taste of what I'm eating, thanks!) Be careful as you're blowing your nose though. A couple of times I have sneezed so hard that my nose started bleeding... I didn't mean to, but you gotta be nice to your nose even though it's giving you a hard time.
-Exercise
Not too much though - you don't want to wear yourself out. I like to do some stretching or work on the Ab-Ripper X workout to keep my blood going.
-Gargle
I kill off all the germs in my mouth by gurgling a mouthwash that kills off bacteria and germs. If mouthwash is too harsh for your mouth, try with salty water (I know it'll taste gross but both work the same way).

And most of all, don't forget to do what I've been doing:
-Rest, rest, REST!
Give your body a break and time so that it'll focus on getting better. If you work at a place that may seem physically stressful (like mine), slow down and relax - you will be able to focus on your work with better accuracy and your body will not tire out as quickly. With plenty of power naps or even sleeping earlier and longer, it will allow your body to focus on building its immune system and help you get better sooner.
Remember - the best way to prevent you or anyone else from getting sick is to WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN. Lather the soap in your hands and rinse them in warm water for 20 seconds. Why? You may not realize it but your hands have a lot of bacteria in them. When was the last time you washed your hands today? How many things have you touched?
Hand sanitizers work great, but you also may not realize that the alcohol in it may damage your hands and cause pH imbalance in the skin. Washing your hands is your best bet over anti-bacterial gels.
Keep your hands away from your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth - you can spread germs onto yourself or others this way.
And don't forget! It's the flu season, so it's important to get immunized! I'll be getting my vaccine next week.

So if you are not feeling well right now, or need some tips to prevent yourself from getting sick, I hope my guide helps. This compilation came from personal experiences and tips from my friends - friends help friends to not get the cold/flu!

Be well everyone, and cheers to your health!

With love,

~Reiko (^0^)/ xoxo ♥

♠ Slowly Counting Down... ♠

[Currently eating dinner - Wendy's Grilled Chicken Sandwich and a large sweet tea to be exact!!]

Hey, all you cool cats! :D I hope you all had a very good weekend - I sure did :)

Again, I'm crunching on time, and it's late at night... Since I'm in the dining room with my laptop - and with that being the only working computer in the house for now... - I can't play any music since my dad and brothers are trying to sleep... Don't want me to get in trouble do you? ;) Just so you know though, you know that new song from 3OH!3, featuring Ke$ha, the one that has the lyrics going, "My first kiss went a little like this"? It's been on my mind for a while... Pretty catchy. Just saying! XD

Also, I do have pictures, but I will have to wait to post them until tomorrow. So we'll save those and the rest of the most recent news until then. :)

...anyways!

Wanted to let you guys know that the court day is set for tomorrow morning. I have mentioned that this will be my very first time participating in a court session (I'm testifying as a witness), so I'm excited, but at the same time, a little anxious as to how this will all play out. Well, I really shouldn't be so nervous since I am not the one at fault for the car accident back in March, but I guess I just want to see how everything plays out in the very end. My dad will be in the courtroom with me, so at least I'm not going there alone with my lawyer and the other participants.This day has been on my mind since I received the subpeona 2 weeks ago, and now the months of waiting will come to a close... I will update you guys with the results when I return. Wish us luck! :)

Other than that, I'm doing well! It really is summer time, and it's not just from the ridiculous heat that has come to my hometown! Today it reached as high as 102 degrees, or so it said on the odometer on my way to work this afternoon. The notice on the doors said that it is a black flag day and that outdoor activities are to be suspended. I don't really know about that though: even though the black flag warning has been posted all around the building, some of the residents at the retirement still go outside; I don't know how these people do it, but there is a small group who absolutely love the game of croquet - I think they've been outside for an hour or so, with the sun not bothering them at all! (I think they must be real die-hard players to be playing in those conditions...!)

Anyway, when it gets really hot wherever you may be, make sure to keep yourself cool - stay inside if you must, and be sure to drink LOTS of water! I don't want to hear any of my readers say that they're not doing well because they're not keeping cool! T_T Play it safe!!

All right, until tomorrow, everyone, have a good day/night wherever you may be! :)

Lots of love,
~Reiko xoxo

♥Reiko's Fitness Challenge - Day 1!♥

[Currently listening to KIRIKO sings "Studio Ghibli Films music" with an ERHU. "HARE-TANE" album - buy it on iTunes if you're a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki's films and music!]

Hi everyone! It's been a long week, but I'm back with some exciting news :)

It's been about a week and a half since my car accident, and my injuries have mostly healed; I'm very thrilled that my bitten lip and tongue are not aching anymore and my bruises and aches have lessened :) I'm healing up, and I'm very excited! I'm also very eager to drive again, so starting today, I'm going to drive me and my mom to work. I know my parents still worry about me about driving, but I'm not going to let that big crash scare me - I'm like a dandelion: spunky and tough! :D

Since I'm crunching for time right now, I just wanted to briefly touch on something that I'll be doing in the next couple of months :)

At work, there is a fitness challenge event where the employees can record their physical activities; it's a contest to see who can complete the challenge, recording the number of minutes of activities done for each day. My mom has done something like this in the winter, and when this challenge came up again, I decided to give it a whirl. After all, I have been going the gym at least 3 times a week and I stretch and do yoga almost every morning and evening; not to mention I do a lot of walking when I'm working - bartenders and waitstaff do a lot of walking! I was curious to know how I was doing as far as average time of exercising for each day and I also wanted to know my average walking distance when I work each week.

In preparation for this challenge, I went shopping with my dad yesterday to buy a little pedometer for me to wear and watch for the times that I clock in and out of work. I'll be recording my progress daily so let's see how I do today! Later on, I'll be updating with some exercise routines that you can try at home. :)

So far today, I've done about half an hour's worth of stretching and warm-up exercises; I do this daily so that my body and mind are awake and ready for the day. I plan to go to the gym later on in the afternoon, and then meet with my boyfriend Taylor for dinner (for sushi night!). I haven't seen him in almost a week, so this is going to be very fun! ^0^

All right guys, time to head out - I'll be back again to record my physical activities and share more fun stuff with you! Have a great start to your week! Be well!

Much love,
~Reiko ♥*.

♥ Miracles and Dreams Do Come True ♥

[Currently listening to "Breathe" from Michelle Branch's "Hotel Paper" album.]

Hey everyone, I hope you all had a good Monday :)

It's only been a few days since the car accident, and even though I'm still physically hurt, I'm very eager to come back to work. I'm feeling even more strong by the day, and I'm feeling confident about coming back to work tomorrow morning - I miss working, my co-workers, and the residents of the retirement home.

My parents and I took pictures of my bruises and inside my mouth (where I bit my lip and tongue when the airbag hit me in the face) so that we could send them off to my soon-to-be lawyer. We had one come by our house earlier today to speak to me about what happened as well as look at my injuries and taking pictures. I will admit that this guy, though helpful, was right to the point and seemed rather rude when cutting me and my dad off when we were trying to explain some details that may be important... But after signing some paperwork and exchanging information, we'll be getting in contact with the main lawyer in the next couple of days. My parents and I are very anxious to get everything done soon, but these things do take time and careful consideration.

While my parents left for work, I was left at home... I had almost forgotten what it was like to be at the house with no mode of transportation, and it did feel weird at first. But then I kept telling myself that there was no use moping or sitting idly for something to happen (...which is true!). So, I got to work with cleaning up my room, since it had been messy for the past few days from the ruckus, and even worked on my laundry. I made myself a late breakfast/early lunch (okay, fine, BRUNCH) - creamy tomato and alfredo mushroom sauce mix with macaroni noodles. I needed to chew on something soft since it was becoming difficult for me to chew with my injured lip and tongue.

I got a call earlier this evening from one of my aunts in New Jersey; my elder cousin, Douglas, had heard the news of my accident on Facebook and contacted her. It was really nice to hear her voice; I asked her not to worry about me too much because I'm feeling better by the day. It's awesome to have family members who care about you, isn't it?

I received so many responses from the note I posted on Facebook yesterday. I felt that not only did I need to let my family and friends know what happened, but to also spread the word about drunk driving awareness. Something like this can happen to almost anyone, and I wanted to reach out to as many people as I could so that my friends and family wouldn't go through what I experienced. Although I wished this didn't happen, I'm glad it did because I feel like a better and stronger person than I was that night.

There is something that I would like to share with you all before I end this entry because it really changed my view on life after Saturday night:

I went with my family to the church we often go to. We were reluctant on going at first since my brothers were saying that they didn't want to go, but my parents and I knew we needed to go and seek spiritual guidance from God. Throughout the service, my mind blanked out. I coudln't help but to think about what had happened Thursday night... In my mind, I replayed the very moment I knew that I was going to get hit. I was very thankful to be alive from the accident, but I will admit that there were times when I questioned, "What would have happened if I didn't?" or "Was someone really looking out for me out there?". So many questions...

...until we stood up and held hands to say "The Lord's Prayer".

During this time, the community stands up and joins hands with those sitting next to us in the pews or in front/behind/etc. My family sat on one end of the pew row while another family stood at other end, with a gap in between me and them. As I joined hands with my mom and I held my right hand up for the prayer, I felt something warm... The warmth of someone's hand holding mine, though I couldn't see it. I recited my prayers, my eyes still in awe at my hand... I thought, "...could it be...?"

It didn't truly hit me until I received the Eucharist and knelt at the pew - it was Him all along, and now I truly believe. I held back my tears because I didn't want my parents to see. I have no doubt in my heart and my mind about Him anymore - because of Him, I believe that miracles and dreams do come true. Anything is possible, so long as you believe in Him.

Love with all your heart, dream with all your might, and even if you find yourself in times of darkness, believe in Him and he will be your light. :)

Good night and sweet dreams, everyone :)

With love,
~Reiko ♥*.

P.S. Did I forget to mention how really sweet and wonderful my boyfriend, Taylor, really is? He came by my house on Saturday to cheer me up; he even bought me some mango-filled truffles. :) I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have him for support... I don't think either of us would do if I didn't make it out all right from the incident... But I also thank God for sending me such a wonderful person in my life.

♥ Reiko's Car Accident on 3.4.2010 ♥

[Currently listening to "Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood, the perfect song for the theme of this entry.]

Hello, everyone - I know it has been a while since my last entry but... You guys have absolutely no idea how relieved and happy I am to be alive...

I want to tell you guys about my car accident on Thursday night; what I'll do is copy and paste the note that I tagged a lot of my friends in on Facebook so that everyone can read it. Not only do I want my friends to know about this but also for others who are also reading my blog to know what happened - I care for you all to be safe and not end up like me or the other driver who hit me; you'll see in just a bit.

I'll also post a public link from my Facebook account so that you all can view the pictures of my baby car, Rinoa. The police, my family and I have concluded that from the condition my car is in, it's totalled beyond repair. I miss her so much... I'll never find another car just like her.

Without further ado, here is the copy of my written report on the accident from my Facebook:

Hi everyone! As promised, here is a detailed report of what happened on Thursday night (the scariest moment of my life!).

Some of my co-workers already know that I was released from work very early that day, and since I didn’t have any plans, I decided to go shopping for a little bit but then came back to work to go to the gym and work out. (I try to go there a few times a week for some exercise after work. ) After working out for a couple of hours, I decided to head home.

Between 8:30 and 8:45 was when the accident occurred:

I was driving on the left lane on Shore Drive toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel exit; as I approached Greenwell Road, I saw a Grand Marquis in the opposite direction in the left turn lane. As I approached the intersection, I saw the Grand Marquis suddenly move forward, and before I knew it… I had been hit. The Grand Marquis had been spun around toward the middle of the intersection; my Rav4 moved forward and came to a complete stop further down the street (on Shore Drive, in front of the old gas station lot). When I realized that my car had stopped, I looked all around me; I could smell burning rubber, I saw dust everywhere, and I had also noticed that my airbag deployed (thank goodness!).

My mind was racing, and the first thing I thought was that I just had to get out of my car. I immediately grabbed my cell phone, removed my seatbelt and was able to step out of my car with little to no difficulty. It didn’t occur to me when I looked around that my eye glasses were missing; though I couldn’t see very well, I could already tell that the broken glass and scrap metal scattered across the street was from my car. I just kept thinking, “…I can’t believe I just got hit…” Before I knew it, many people had gotten out of their cars to assist me and the other driver to make sure that we were okay before the police and the paramedics arrived; I never thought there were that many people who were kind enough to care and stop to help! As they asked me questions, I had to interrupt them while I called my Dad; he called my mom, who was at work at the same place where I was.

While waiting for my mom to arrive at the scene, the police and paramedics started asking me questions and checked my vitals. I didn’t notice any injuries at the time since my body was shaking terribly and my heart was racing; later on I realized that there was a taste of blood in my mouth, and learned that I had bit my lip and tongue when the airbag deployed. My mom found me and… words could not express how happy I was to see her face since my dad was not able to arrive (he couldn’t leave my brothers alone by themselves). After letting her and the police know what happened, I couldn’t help but to keep asking how the other driver was doing. I learned later on that the female driver was okay, but had injured her ankle due to the impact of the crash. As for my glasses, a male police officer found them on the other side of the street! My guess is that the airbag must have made them fly off from my face when I opened the door of my car.

What surprised me later on was that she was driving while under the influence of alcohol; before getting behind the wheel, she was coming out of a bar and had herself at least 4 drinks. (The police said that you can tell from a good distance that she was drunk). She had refused to take the breath test and was taken under custody. What happened to her after that, I don’t know… This is all I know about her at the moment.

At the time, I didn’t have a camera on me so that I could take pictures of my car, but when I saw one of my co-workers, Donnell, I was very happy to see him. Apparently when my mom rushed from work to see me, she ran into him and mentioned that I was in an accident. Thankfully, he had a camera on him and took pictures of my car before it was towed away. (I’m still waiting for those pictures though!)

My mom and I decided that it was best for us to get me checked at a hospital. It was a very long wait for the results from tests and x-rays, but as I waited, I noticed pain on my upper neck, shoulders and part of my back; the pain that I had in my mouth (my lip and tongue) had increased and my mom and I saw that I had a scrape and bruise on my left arm. Thankfully I had no fractures or any life-threatening injuries.

My family and I are monitoring my injuries as well as taking care of legal works for my car and the insurance companies; we are working to find a lawyer at this point. In the past couple of days, I have noticed some bruises that developed on my chest, neck, arms and both sides of my hips. I am taking some medications and lots of rest; I won’t be coming back to work until Tuesday morning.

That night, I learned to accept that my car is gone. I am sad that I lost my car that I barely had for 2 years, but better to have my car gone than my life or the other woman’s. You can replace cars and other things but… you can’t replace a lost life. I have also forgiven the woman for what she had done, but I’m still very disappointed that she decided to make an irresponsible act of driving while she was drunk. I hope she learned her lesson and pray that it doesn’t happen again.

As I have said in my response video last night, please please PLEASE don’t get behind the wheel when you are drunk. The next time you know that you are going to have alcoholic beverages, make sure you have a friend to be a designated driver, or call a cab (or stay the night at your friend’s house). Whatever you do, never go drinking alone and drive drunk. You can never tell what could happen: You could end up like me, the other driver… or worse. I’m telling this to you guys because I love and care enough for you guys to make the right decision and take care of yourselves!

I'll be posting the pictures of my car shortly; prepare to brace yourselves because... It's bad. Looking at these pictures were very painful for me, but I want to share these with you guys and girls so that the same thing does not happen to you. I'm just so relieved and happy to be alive...

Again, thank you for your kind messages, etc. I love you all more than you realize! I’ll be better soon, don’t worry. And to my awesome co-workers, I’ll be back soon… headstrong! :D

Here's a public link to my photo album of Rinoa, my poor baby car, on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017374&id=65300438&l=b71e981c37 I miss her so much... :(

But that is all for now; I'll update when I can. I need to get as much rest as I can so I can heal quickly! Until next time, be well, be SAFE, and keep smiling. I know I am - there are just so many reasons to and it's the best medicine!

Much love,
~Reiko xoxo

☆ Fill Your Hearts With Love :) ☆

[Currently listening to "Vanilla Twilight" from Owl City's "Ocean Eyes" album - if you liked their song "Fireflies", I think you'll like this song as well as the rest of the album! ;) ]

Hi everyone :) I hope you all had a good week - tomorrow's Monday, thus the start of a new week for most of us. This past week has been very long, filled with busy hours, lessons learned, and hearts all around. Thankfully, I was given today off from work - I FINALLY got to catch up on the things I needed to do, especially my laundry (specifically my work uniforms ^^; ). There is still much to be done before today is through, but I'm taking some time from my busy schedule to write to all of you! Why? Because Reiko says YOU ROCK! ;)

First of all, I want to briefly tell you guys and gals about the place where I had the best she-crab soup... EVAR!! You're probably wondering where this place could be? Well, let me tell you: It's called Charlie's Seafood Restaurant!





This family-owned restaurant has been around since 1946, founded by Charlie and Mary Rehpelz (this is a picture of them back in the day!). In recent years, they've been awarded as the Best at the Beach not only for their specialty in seafood, but also for their customer service. I heard from Taylor and a few other people that this little restaurant is a nice place to go; even Tay said that it's so popular that it gets packed during the summer... o_O

So! ...was this popular little place really as many have claimed it to be? Well, this was my first time here, and I was about to find out.

Taylor and I got there around 4:30, a time when usually there isn't much business going on - perfect for a bit of a more quiet, comfortable first-time experience. Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately felt a comforting vibe: first from the handmade painting of ocean creatures on the walls, then to the restaurant itself. It isn't fancy, but it felt like home to me. We already knew that we were going to get she-crab soup, but along with that, Taylor got a shrimp basket and I got shrimp cocktail. I absolutely love shrimp, and the cocktail was delicious... But the she-crab soup topped it: it was so creamy, flavorful (full of crab and sherry) and there was a lot of crab meat! It was so good, it was no wonder the menu itself said that it was "A must for newcomers!" While we ate, I took a look around and... I can imagine how crowded it would be if we got there during the summer, so I'm glad we got to come at this time. I would definitely come back again, even if it was for another helping of that soup! :) If you want to see this restaurant for yourself, and you like seafood, check this place out! And if you do, or if you already have, let me know your thoughts on it (especially the soup!).

I know it's been a while since my last entry, and it's already past, but to those who gave up something for Lent, what did you give up? Let me know in the comments section! I gave up a couple of things; one I will not say due to personal reasons but one that has been very diffcult for me since Lent started was... video games. I knew it was going to be hard for me not to turn on my PSP, Wii and Nintendo DS, but I had to do it. :( I had to hide my hand-held games in a place where I wouldn't get them so easily... The sadness! But Lent is a time for spiritual good, so... No games for me. And I had just bought Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time for my DS... ;-; I dedicate a lot of time to my games, but for the next 36-35 days, I have to deal with it and try to do something else until Easter...

...which brings me to my next topic: I picked up my knitting needles again! It has been a while since I made something so I thought I'd try something new. Have you read my entry about knitting and crocheting? Go read it if you haven't, but if you already have (or if you're just lazy... ^^;) I mentioned that there was a HUGE crochet blanket that my mom and I made together a few years ago. ...and yes, we still have it - I'll have to take a picture for you all next time. ^-^ Anyhow, I thought that for this big project, I'll make a blanket all on my own!

Originally I wanted to have my quilted blanket to be a mix of crochet and knit patterns, but I found that I'm actually more comfortable knitting this. And so, knitting it is! I started the challenge today and made the first square! This light teal yarn is one of the colors that I will be using for the squares; the others are 2 shades of brown, and the bright blue yarn that I originally had for my Rinoa duster cosplay (which I will save for a future project). There is a yarn by Red Heart that has a combination of the browns and light teal in it, and I'm debating if I should use that for a square pattern or for the borders... I'm sure I'll figure it out, but this is what I have as far as colors are concerned!

For the patterns though, you see this square that I'm holding? This one has a huge heart in the middle of it (and though you won't see it in this picture, I did make a mistake in one row ^^;); this pattern will be featured in some of the squares as well as a few more heart patterns that I have in mind. Yes, this is a heart-themed blanket, full of love and warmth! For each day that I work on this blanket, I'll be sure to update you all on my progress. And I'd be more than happy to share with you the patterns that I used for them. :)

There is much more that I would love to be able to share with you all for tonight, but I'll have to save that for next time. :( But on a good note, I wanted to also let you know that... I'm much better! :) I still have stuff going around in my nose, but that will go away in time. But the good news is that I'm not contagious and am feeling really good! It's a miracle what lots of rest and natural remedies can do. :)

I'll be back tomorrow for another fun entry for you all. Until then, good night and be well!

Much love,
~Reiko ☆*.

*Disclaimer: Pictures found for this entry is sourced via main website of the restaurant mentioned here; in other words, I'm claiming that I do NOT own them!

☆Update in the Life of Reiko :) ☆

[Currently listening to "Deux Tigres (feat. Inguenue)" from The Shanghai Restoration Project's "Zodiac" album. ]

Hi, everyone :) I know, it's been almost 2 weeks since my last blog update - just so you all know, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth yet! I've been really busy with school, work and...

...believe it or not, I actually got sick this past week so I've also been busy trying to recover! :( The common cold is to blame... I don't think I'll ever really know how I caught this, but we're not perfect and can't always be too careful. The bad news is that right now, I'm on (assumingly) Day 5 of having the cold... and my nose is still stuffy... But on the bright side, I'm slowly on the road to recovery, and am actually feeling much better than a few days ago. I thank sleep, prayers, and my Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup! I should be completely over this cold soon! :D ☆

I've received some e-mails from some fellow readers, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your words of encouragement and wonderful ideas for this blog - this means a lot to me, and I really appreciate it!I know I've been meaning to update this blog sooner, but there's so much going on with me in real life. Rest assured, I'll be able to update my blog more often and bring you all more recipe tutorials, cool music finds, and talk about other cool things and places (and eventually, people!).


I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year yesterday - I know I did, even if I was still sick! I did my make-up inspired from the tiger from the Chinese zodiac; this is not a recent picture of the look, though... The picture that I'm showing you all for right now is my first trial of the tiger-eyes look (which I used to scare my brothers and, surprisingly, my dad). My boyfriend, Taylor, made these really yummy strawberry pastries - he knows how much I love strawberries! I wished I had my camera at the time so I could show you all how cute and yummy they were! The neatest thing about this was that not only were the paper towels stained in red and pink to make it look pretty, but also, Taylor shaped the strawberries into the shape of hearts! How cute is that?! :D

We had a late lunch and went to this cozy place called The Atlanta Bread Company. This was our first time here, and upon stepping inside, it had a very comforting vibe :) We took a look around, and saw that they also served these big portions of muffin tops and other pastries - the breads were the ones that really caught my eyes because I love freshly-baked breads :) Tay and I each enjoyed Italian Wedding Soup and Butternut Squash Soup in sourdough bowls. Both soups were very yummy and the bread...! I have tried butternut squash soup where I work, but the soup I had defintely topped it! It was rich and flavorful... I'd love to try making it sometime... Oh, but the best part? We got to sit at the table by the fire - how warm, comforting and romantic is that? :D

We finished off the day with watching When In Rome! We got the best seats in there, and if you go to movie theatres often, then you know where I'm talking about (and it's not on the front seats!). It was almost a full house, and I understood why - When In Rome is a very good romantic comedy! Since I'm crunching on time here, I will say that if you're up for some laughs, I think you'll like this movie, so go see it! :D

There is much more that I would have liked to have said in this entry, but I'm out of time for right now. I'll make an effort to make another entry tonight though, so be sure to look out for that!

Thank you everyone! Have a wonderful day and be well! :D I know I will be... soon! <3

Much love,
~Reiko ☆*.

☆Does It Work - 5-hour Energy Update!☆

[Currently listening to "Vertigo" by U2 :) ]

Hey everyone, I'm back! ...after a really LONG day, yes, I'm alive and... surprisingly very much awake!

...I'm guessing you guys are wondering, "Reiko... Did you even go to sleep last night?"

Well, truth be told: I only had about 2 hours of sleep in the last couple of days. No joke, and I know that it's not something that I really should be proud of either. If you saw my face this morning prior to putting on concealer and the rest of my make-up, you guys would be 99.9% be more likely to run for it... if I could put it that way. I put on A LOT of make-up to where I don't think you could really tell that I barely slept. (Actually, very few of my co-workers knew or even noticed... or so I may think!)

I was very much awake all day, and I'll get to the Does It Work?! product in a bit, but... I do want to touch onto something on the side for a moment.

Remember when I said that I wouldn't be doing all-nighters for my schoolwork? Well... You guys can slap my hand: I didn't follow through. I was able to finish my Art History homework this morning and did very well on it. However, as good as it may have felt to be able to finish my work, I'm actually a bit more disappointed that I wasn't taking care of myself as much as I should have while doing so. As a result of lack of sleep and high levels of stress, I noticed upon cleansing my face this morning that... Yes, my face started breaking out with a few small pimples on my forehead and face. =(

For those of you who may not realize this: yes, stress can cause your face to break out. An adequate amount of sleep allows your body to rest and recooperate; when you're awake the next day, the stress levels in your body won't be so high and you will feel less stressed and more relaxed. In addition, your body (rather, your immune system) will become weaker and your body will become more vulnerable to getting sick... or worse. If you want to stay strong and healthy, love your body by giving it some time to rest. I know, I've done it too and may still do it here and there, but I'm taking the baby steps to get better by making efforts to sleeping better.

Okay, now let's get back to the Does It Work?! product: the 5-hour Energy drink. Not long after finishing my previous blog (past midnight my time), I drank half of the bottle for a safe start.

When I consumed the first half of the bottle, I thought that the drink actually tasted nice, but a bit tart. I guess that's supposed to give the impression that you'll feel energized starting from the pang in the aftertaste; that didn't really work with me, but soon after, I began to read and review my materials for Art History before taking the homework quiz. I never really paid attention to the time while I was buried into my notes and monster of a textbook, but by the time I finished everything, it was almost 6 a.m. and I had to leave for work at 9. I was shocked. When did the energy truly kick in? I don't think I'd really know, but what I do know is that while I studied, I never felt so focused and awake for doing homework in such a long time... It actually felt great.

As I got myself ready for work, I wondered what would happen if I drank the other half of the bottle while in this state. You guys are probably thinking, "Reiko, you're out of your mind!" and... yes, I very well may have been, but you know what? That small bit of "energy" kept me up and alert during my 8-hour shift today. 8 HOURS. And long was it orginally supposed to last? It was another busy day during lunch and dinner and not only did I feel awake and alert, but I had this feeling like I wanted to keep moving, to keep going... as if I were a machine or something! It felt good, but I'll admit it was a bit scary as well. Again, I'm shocked that this product had kept me up this long, and as I'm typing this, I'm feeling a little bit tired. Not to the point of passing out though, but we've yet to see about that, right?!

The pros: For me, the 5-hour Energy drink kept me awake, alert and focused. I may have yawned a few times during the day which would lead to where I may be feeling tired but my mind stayed focused and sharp.

The cons: I mentioned that this product made me feel like I want to keep going, and I had the feeling that this may not be a good sign. True, I was going about very well with what I was doing at work, but at the same time I couldn't help but to think that if I kept going, what were the chances that I might lose focus and I get myself injured or something? For the rest of the shift, I definitely slowed down despite the jitters.

I can't truly determine if I'll feel the crash when I get to bed after this, but that's something to blog about later on. So here's the verdict:

Does It Work?! : YES

Would I buy this product again? : I'm not sure!

I would think that I may use this product again in the future if I really do need to be up and focused. And as I learned the hard way, I wouldn't recommend doing this for an all-nighter for homework... or even after! (So to my fellow college student readers: try not to make this too much of a habit!) I'd also recommend to not rely on this product too much though for health reasons, and you also need to allow your body to do what it can do without it. We're only human and can only do so much so don't push yourself over your own limits... Otherwise, you're going to crash in the end. =(

...and speaking of crashing, it's time for me to get myself to bed. Good night everyone! I wish you sweet dreams and an even brighter tomorrow :)

With starry love,


~Reiko ☆*.