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In All Seriousness…

I dislike talking politics. I also tend to avoid hot-button issues of the international nature, because there are just so many damn perspectives to consider, and someone always gets screwed somehow. (Trust me, I know. I majored in International Studies at one of the top programs in the country.) But ISIS. Sigh. It's an issue that cannot be ignored. And the first step in possibly making a change — no matter how small — is education. So I'd like to share with you an article by Wait But Why: a crash course on Iraq, ISIS, Sunnis, and Shias. It is incredibly well researched and explained. It adds history, perspective, and even humor to a matter that grows increasingly terrifying by the day. It'll be well worth...

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Learn to Read Korean in 15 Minutes

Life (mainly, my rugrats) has been keeping me busy. Man, are 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds difficult! I'm so drained these days that blogging has been the last thing on my mind. But when I came across this nifty comic the other day, I knew I wanted to share it with you. It won't teach you Korean vocabulary or grammar, but since the Korean alphabet is a phonetic one, you can certainly learn how to read and write in the Korean language. Give it a whirl — and many thanks to Ryan Estrada for creating this wonderful tutorial! ...

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My 3 Minute Makeup Routine

Are you one of those people who likes to get decked out when you’re not feeling well (emotionally or physically)?

I know that I am, along with many of my girlfriends. Improving how I look on the outside really helps me feel better, whether I am recovering from a cold, having a woe-is-me moment, or even suffering from a raging hangover. 😉

This past year, being the primary caretaker of two kids — and thus often being afflicted with fatigue, frustration, and weariness — I have found myself putting on makeup more often than not.

And I’ve gotten pretty good at doing it quickly and efficiently, the whole routine within just 3 minutes. What’s more, the products I use have been tested by yours truly to last the entire day, so this routine is ideal for anyone who’s short on time, lazy, or both, like me. 😛

First, the before-and-after shots, so you can see the difference:

geek_in_heels_3_minute_makeup

Before I start slapping any makeup on my face, I cleanse with Shiseido Pureness Deep Cleansing Foam and moisturize with Philosophy Hope in a Jar. Just recently, I have also started to dab some Philosophy Total Matteness Mattifying Pore Eraser serum on my t-zone after moisturizing, and I love it! It’s been savior for my combination skin as the heat and humidity continues to rise. 🙂

(You will see that most of the products mentioned in this post were listed among my fav beauty products last year. And OOPS! I had forgotten to factor in the cleansing and moisturizing part of the routine in the total time — they would add another minute or two.)

How to Manually Add Social Media Buttons to the Bottom of Each WordPress Post

Ever since I unveiled my latest blog design, I have received more than a few messages from those who are curious about the social media buttons at the end of each post. Not sure what I'm talking about? This is what they look like: (I should also note that when you mouseover each button, it will change colors via a nifty transition effect. Go see for yourself! ;-) ) Now, I know that there exist tons of WordPress plugins for sharing posts. But I also know that oftentimes, these plugins can slow down a site, and/or not have enough customization options for you to display exactly what you want and how you want it. And this is precisely why I chose to create my...

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