Cheap Clarisonic or Pro-X or Clinique Sonic

No, I'm not selling those products at reduced price. Just wondering why would one spend money on buying a pulsating, electric brush and face wash. Can't normal face washing do all the job?

Well, I've tried Clinique Sonic once at a booth, it's in one of my earlier post. It's divine! I can feel my skin breathing. But the price inhibited me to buy one.

So, I came up with an idea. Why not use an electric toothbrush and use natural face cleanser? To me, using electric toothbrush is not worth it. The replacement is still expensive. I use a regular toothbrush then.

I brush my face with lemon. Thinking of using yoghurt but again, it's not worth putting yoghurt on my face (I'm still a cheapskate Asian... just kidding). Actually, I'm out of yoghurt and driving to the shop just to buy one, maybe later... I just want to have my me time. Yoghurt is a good cleanser too. I've tried it before.

The verdict
My face feel fresher. I can see that the brushing action lifted up dirts from my face. Girls wearing make up, don't be surprised if you have tons of dirts on your face especially if you're a girl who doesn't remove make-ups regularly.

Try using a soft brush, I used medium because I'm a 'tough' guy. On a serious note, use a soft brush to minimize damage. Exfoliating should do more good than hard. Abrasion is ugly. Nothing happens overnight, so be patient and do this regularly. Don't expect instant result. Cheapos can't be a chooser.

When using lemon, beware of the sun. Well, maybe that's why vampires are so fair but sensitive to sun. They do facial like me. Lemon and sun doesn't mix well. First hand experience when I tried to highlight my black Asian hair with lemons. I burn faster.

Brushing also could improve blood circulation to your face. If you want a glowing complexion, go ahead. Brushing stimulate vasodilation. Heat do improve circulation too. That is why, steaming your face is also good for your complexion.

I think lemons have BHA (beta hydroxy acid) which is commonly used in skin exfoliation. I first heard of BHAs when I was 16. It was 'a-must' ingredient in face wash back then.

Well, if you have enough money to spend, Body Shop do sell face brush and it is soft. I had them before but it's not available in our local branch.

Don't forget to apply regenerating oil after each session. I use Rosken. It's a bit expensive than BioOil but I like the consistency.

Well ,when life gives you lemon, do facial...

This Old House marathon...

Watching one of my favourite TV show. Yup, I am not your regular guy. I don't watch Running Man, I don't watch mainstream TV show. I watch American house remodeling TV show. I prefer watching sweaty DILF's remodelling houses than watching absurdly cute plastic surgery face Korean men. (Sorry for the stereotype, I never watch Korean drama. All I know is they look too good too be true)

Did is call Roger, Richard, Tommy, Norm and Kevin DILF's? Whoops! Hey! I meant I prefer watching regular men doing regular things. I like Tommy's tips and techniques. Finding a stud, (frame stud, not stud stud) just by knocking the wall. That's akin to doctor's percussion. Doctor's percuss patient's chest to look for liquid accumulation or mass in the lungs. Tommy percuss old houses wall to find stud.

Norm is an excellent carpenter. He had his own show on replicating antique pieces. He is also to coolest one. He's more of a father figure among all these men.

Kevin, is the host. And I quite envy his job. Playing with power tools with his colleague. Kevin is quite cute too. I just wish I am as cute as him. Just kidding.

Richard is always up to date with his plumbing and HVAC technology. And a great diagnostician. He applies doctor's differential diagnoses to plumbing and HVAC.

Roger is great with landscaping. I like when he design retaining walls and patio, always beautiful. He also lays brick walkway, built fire pits, dry well, french drain and hardscapings.

But one thing that makes me nervous. They seldom wear PPE's. It's quite scary to watch Norm cut woods without guard, Tommy ripping dry walls without helmets and mask and all. Or am I just too cautious? Or is my imagination too vivid?

However, looking at the results, it's worth watching all those things. It's like an ugly duckling transforming into a beautiful swan. Still worth watching even though the building codes and techniques here are different than in North America.

DILF - daddy I like to xxxx (well, aren't most sweating men doing macho things are?)
HVAC - heating ventilation air conditioning
PPE - personal protective equipment

Selfie while......... donating blood?

Apparently, you can 'selfie' everywhere... grave yard, in the car while driving, diving, on a long flight, everywhere. You can also do it while you're dressed, in the dressing room or in your birthday suit. The possibilities are endless. Anywhere, wearing anything, all the time, you name it.

So after getting the key to my 'Alfa Romeo', I went to the blood bank in Canada*. While donating blood, my seatmate or cubicle-mate did a selfie. Do you really need to tell the word how you lose 1 pint of blood? Or as an evidence for your leave. (Yup, one can take a half day off after donating blood in this region... not sure about the real Canada though...) Funny thing people do here.

Donating blood is another story. I am naturally talkative. So it's my second nature to chit-chatting with salesperson or a seatmate. I can be a nightmare. It's my way of exchanging ideas. I'm not really an extrovert. So imagine if I were to be a doctor. I'll be the big mouth one. Not sharing gossip, sharing ideas. That is why I always exceed the time limit for viva voce examination.

See, one paragraph just to tell you that I am talkative. Back to the story, the doctor, a pathologist, needs to interview me. I lost my booklet, so it is a routine procedure. Furthermore, I never donated a drop of blood in this Canada. I intercepted, most of her question, and sound to be knowledgeable in the medical field. So she asked me what did I study. I lied. "Business" I replied. "I just read a lot of Wikipedia". Lying on a Friday?

 Then come to the procedure, the lab technician also asked the same thing after I told him, "This vein is prominent, but it's darker. You can just blind poke it... no wait, you can blind poke for venepuncture, it's small bore needle. Ok just do your job. How many G is the red hypodermic needle again? I can't remember". I accidentally let the cat out of the bag. And I got the reaction I dread most. I told him, I'm actually in my final year before I got 'kicked out'. "Why?" actually it's "WHY?"... he is friendly though. We share our experiences of studying in the big city. He studied 10 miles away from my former faculty. Then, we talked about Jackie Chan because Jackie Chan movie is playing on the telly.

And yes, I have a new booklet. Yay. Although at first I was nervous, it's a new place and new people, new environment. I got desensitized in just half an hour. Thank you, for making me at ease. And apparently, I am the first donor today in the blood bank. Yay! They thank me for breaking the jinx.

Ok that's for now. Quebec Alfa Romeo is still dirty. Ughhhh.

*Canada is just a nickname. It's somewhere over the................................... arc en ciel, not the real Canada.

p/s my sister called me while I type this post. She asked me which rice to buy... I should open a helpline.

house husband and stat at home dad

When I was younger, I thought how easy it is to be a housewife, early morning prepare your family some breakfast, send your children to school, shop for groceries, watch telenovelas while cleaning the house, or other house chores. Fetch your kids, continue watching telenovelas while ironing, Prepare dinner, wait for your husband, sleep and .... I guess you can figure out the last part. Repeat. In Australia, even better. School starts late, ends in the afternoon. So you have more time for yourself such as mani-pedi.

I know I'll get some backlashes mainly from feminist. Hey, I know women are not slaves. It's actually kinda my dream job. Just ask my friend how often I ponder "If I were a girl". But, nope, I have no serious intention to go for gender reassignment. I like to be a man.

Can I be a house husband? Most Asians would not agree. Men are supposed to be the bread winner. Macho men don't do house works. What would your in-laws say?

I beg to differ. If I have a choice, I would rather be a stay at home dad. Not that, I am lazy to work. It's workplace makes me feeling anxious. My Chinese zodiac is Rabbit. And rabbits stay at home, keep their home tidy... home there home here... you can look it up. Yup, that me. One could say I believe too much in horoscope. But somehow, astrologic prediction can be true, or is it just a coincidence?

First, I like to cook. Just ask my friend... oh, you don't know my friends. Yup... cooking, trying new recipes and all that stuff. Just don't ask me to bake cake. My cake would 'collapse'... Imagine a big edible sinkhole, or an abandoned diamond mind in South Africa or Australia or Canada, whichever you prefer. My bestie likes my cooking... and she is not the kind who kiss asses. And her family have a catering business.

I like to clean the house. But not as much as cooking. This is what happen if you watch too much Martha Steward. Back in my university days, I would skip my 10 am class just to watch Martha Steward. Luckily, The show aired only on Wednesday and Thursday. Yup, as long as I have vacuum cleaner with steam cleaner, I okay. Bed making? Easy peasy. I can lift a queen-sized mattress with one hand.

Laundry? Hey, I'll let the washing machine do all the washing. I must admit, I don't like washing clothes. But I'm okay with ironing and folding clothes.

Gardening. Basic gardening skill. Cutting the lawn. Cleaning the pool? That is why men should be a stay at home dad. You don't have to hire the gardener or pool guy.

But the primary reason why I would rather be a stay at home dad is to spend time with my kids. I'm good with kids. Ask my nephews and nieces. Actually, they're my cousins once removed. I am their favourite uncle. I can help them with homework too.

Why fathers should spend more time with their children? Why father should actively participating in raising his children? There are lots of studies on benefit of having father raising his children. One if it is children have better EQ. I could relate to that. See, my father was seldom at home when I grew up. It's his job. I have more than average IQ, but I must admit my EQ is very low. It's hard growing up with absent father figure. Being the first son, I even harder. And one thing that I hate is my father's excuse of not becoming a good father. He said that he is not a good father because his father died when he was young. His excuse is he grew up fatherless... But it is not fair for me and my sibling. We have a father but our father is not a good father. Sorry Pa. That's what I think about you. You should have tried harder to spend more time with us, not just bickering and blaming us for the f***-ups.

So some might ask, how about babies. Can we handle babies. I don't know about other men, but I do know a lot more about babies than average Joes. I studied Paeds and hell yes. I even delived babies. More than 10 babies. It's a requirement to pass our OBS-GYN posting. I don't understand why men are afraid of babies. Only babies are afraid of babies. BABIES!

Other than that, I like about the idea of becoming a SAHD is it is a physical job. You don't just sit in front of the desk all time. It part of your workout. There are even workouts you can do with your children. Ask Andy McDermott, http://www.youtube.com/user/andymcd23 No wonder DILF are like hot buns. They are caring and HOT!

Is this my resume? or my dating profile? Not really. Just my take on Stay at home Dads.

Love and hugs and kisses
Me the HomeHomme* wannabe

*home (English) = a dwelling, a place to live, homme (French) = man. Pronounced as Om, just like the Indonesians

p/s If I were a SAHD, I have more time for blogging... keep reading my blogs ya?