Saturday 31 January 2015

A Sunday Morning Mish Mash.

I have no cohesive topic for a blog post, so it's a miscellany this morning...

From the department of WTF: Melbourne weather. Seriously. 20 Degrees and rainy? NO WAY. This sucks. Though Syd I see has had its share of rain.

I have some serious skirt wearing plans, Melbs, so buck up, princess.

From the department of Painful First World Issues: Since coming off the pill, I have a number of less pleasant side effects.

My hair is falling out a bit more than usual. This, according to Google University, is common and usually temporary. I have not seen the hairdresser in a while, thinking "what is the point?" but now I am a bit more "treat yo self". I might even change up the 'do a bit. Maybe some blonde streaks? Who knows.

I have had my perioral dermatitis and oily skin/acne return with a vengeance. I went and saw the dermatologist. Unfortunately, the singularly effective treatment, tretinoin, is absolutely out of the question at the moment. Hence I am on some special cream to my chin, and a particular skin care regimen. I have to avoid oily products at all costs. There are days when I need to cover my skin a bit, and I am now on the hunt for some good cosmetics that won't inflame anything. I have been doing some research - perhaps some Clinique or Jane Iredale? Hmmm.

The dermatologist also sent me for some extractions of clogged pores, which was very painful and I felt traumatised. I am on the hunt for some good products.

From the PhD and Work House of Pain: I now have 3 chapters of the PhD in the can. I am now impatiently awaiting consultation with a statistician to show me the way forward with the number crunching. I have my completion seminar, where I present all my results to the boffins in the department, on the 19th of March. I hope to get the beast written by June/July. While I am at it, I am putting more participants through my study, and working lots of sessions. This next 4 or so months will be frenetic and I am stressing about it a bit. But un giorno per tempo... (or one day at a time).

From the department of Vacations and Leisure: The frenetic pace which I must keep has exacerbated some post holiday blues. We all know that the best way to tackle post-holiday blues is to plan another big holiday, amirite? Well, for the first half of the year, there will be none. Hence I will need to maximise active de-compression on the weekends. Binge-watching Orange is the New Black. I am reading a book called "The Girl on the Train", which I recommend. I have binge-read two Liane Moriarty books.

I went and saw "Wild" yesterday. That Reese Witherspoon deserves an Oscar for it.

The Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibition is finishing next weekend, hence we are off there.

I have a week of leave in April, which will be used to whup the PhD writing into shape.

I have changed my Boston conference to a Barcelona conference. Barcelona in June will be lovely. My fella will be on another Euro conference then so we can meet up. Mixing business with pleasure.

I am planning a proper holiday in August. It will be needed then.

From the department of Health, Wellbeing and Fertility: The very last thing I feel like doing when I get home is doing exercise. I just want to curl up in bed. I know the routine. I also drag my carcass out to exercise activities because I always feel better for it, and it is a social thing too. So I am keeping it up. 

My fella and I are going to see a dietitian who does couples visits. Our bodies being temples and all...

My back feels marvellous after some pilates sessions. Yin and Yang, I say.

And I am waiting patiently for the body to do it's thing. It is getting there. I am trying not to get too stressed out about things, as I am doing all I can to optimise things, and that is all I can do.

From the department of Canine: The dog is delightful and regardless of whatever stress we are under, she always makes us smile. God bless the woofy.

Over to you
What beauty products do you use for problematic skin? Any exfoliation tips?
What are your weekend delights?

8 comments:

  1. I just downloaded Girl on the Train!

    Good work re PhD progress.

    Barcelona, I can feel it in my waters too. Hopefully I can make it happen.

    SSG xxx

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  2. You are right about planning the next thing to look forward to. I like. I enjoy my end of year break so much that I really worry about being to settle in with a working routine again!!!! It's hard to exercise if you don't sleep enough - how are you going there? Do you manage to get eight hours or so?
    I have been to Barcelona only once - I loved the place!!! We stayed at the Bagues hotel, it is boutique and lovely, right on the Ramblos (the mall that never sleeps). Check it on the 'net. You know I adore my canines. The 17 y/o is still going strong. Keep biting and slowly chewing the PhD. Clever thing. Xx

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  3. Peri oral dermatitis is a bitch - mine went crazy post-pill, and worse again during my pregnancies. I went back on the pill for a few years to settle it down in my late 30's, now in my mid 40's it has calmed down without the need for medication. I'm pretty careful with products - Clarins double serum, l'occitane moisturiser and sorbolene to cleanse. Use my clarisonic Mia every second day too.

    Post holiday blues here too - Barcelona sounds fabulous.

    All the best with your PhD.
    Leigh x

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  4. I once had problem skin and I went to every dermatologist out there and in the end acupuncture sorted it out. Am a huge fan of it for balance and tuning. Exfoliate only after skin is wet and never use the apricot granules.

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  5. Wow, makes me glad I never took the pill. I went off it after I got pregnant cos I figured getting pregnant on the pill means it's not doing its job.

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  6. Absolutely God bless the woofy. They are the best humans :)
    Skin-wise I am no guru but I use Simplicite products, very good for sensitive skin, not tested on animals and not too expensive.

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  7. (((hugs))) challenging times :)

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  8. I like your departmentalism. Hope your skin is cleaning up and wishing you all the best in the fertility department.

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