[Ny Minute Now]

Over at BeautyintheBigApple, I'd written quite a number of times about fragrances. This past year I've featured a number of designer must-haves, but personally, I'm in perfume limbo. While vacationing in Manila last summer, I bought a trusty bottle of Denenes cologne: one I'd frequently spashed on as a preppy tweener. These days, it's my go-to spritz when it gets too hot outside, or if I'm one day short of a bath (oops!).

When I was a full-time beauty editor, I leisurely switched fragrances on a regular basis: one for every season and one for any mood. And if I come across any of the perfumes I've used in the past, I would most definitely associate them with certain points in time, people, and experiences. In a random conversation, I would be able to explain to you my love-hate relationship with Bulgari Omnia Original (hate) and Amethyst (love). By the way if you're on the lookout for new scent treats, these cologne buying guides for women and men at Shopwiki UK might be helpful in your search. As for me, it's Denenes for now until further notice.

Image courtesy of http://www.deliciasdeespana.com

Throughout my adult life, I've been trained to visualize my goals and break them down into smaller steps to make them happen. I usually make a list and a timeline, so you can imagine the kind of frustration I subject myself to whenever said plans fail to come to fruition.

I'm also thinking that, perhaps, I should start focusing on living in the moment. I've noticed a pattern of my relishing and enjoying my achievements (or simply realizing I had any) months, or even years they've happened. Maybe because I'm always comparing myself/my work/what I'm doing to others and I tend to set high standards and that's probably why I always feel like I'm not doing enough, no matter how busy things get.

A recent episode of Oprah guested finance maven, Suze Orman, and an audience filled with people who have lost their jobs and homes, all now in despair and feeling a deep loss. Orman pleaded to the grieving audience to follow this piece of advice:

"Think about what you have instead of what you had."

It's so simple yet so straightforward and true. For those who have lost value in their homes, this is how Orman urged them to phrase their sentiment:

BEFORE: "My house was worth $500,000 and now it's just $200,000."

AFTER: "My house is worth $200,000."

The second statement is uplifting and propels one to a more proactive mindset. (Of course everyone is allowed a grieving period.)

So whenever you find yourself with the blues and the what-ifs; saddled with regret and longing for all that was lost in the past, heed this mantra and watch a small ray of sunshine brighten up a clouded perspective.

I just saw The Ugly Truth starring the statuesque Katherine Heigl and 300 hunk Gerard Butler.

Watching it with my mother was a bit weird, because of the R-rated humor used throughout the movie. But overall, it was worth seeing, if only for the witty writing and comic timing. You'll notice plenty of dialogue between the characters, but the movie is fast-paced enough that the banter stays interesting, and not dragging.

Heigl is stunning, and her acting makes you forget about all the not-so-funny things she's known for in real life. I would even go as far as saying that she seemed like a real trooper in this film, and that she was fun to watch. No spoilers here :)

As for Butler, I haven't seen 300—a movie most people I know have raved about. In Ugly Truth he plays an abrasively frank, to the point of crass, TV talent bent on exposing the 'truth' about men, women, and dating. His lines sound like something you would read from a book He's Just Not That Into You, but with vividly-worded graphic nuances.

The clothes in the movie are okay. I think anything on Heigl looks great; I found no love handles whatsoever on her frame. Butler, seems to be heftier than what I recall from posters of 300; he looks great though. His wardrobe in the movie is a mix of comfy casual knits and sleek grey suits. (By the way, I saw this article at Shopwiki.com on basic shirt-and-tie rules and no-fail combos for guys.)

The movie is now showing in U.S. theaters and more info can be found at the official website, http://www.thetruthisntpretty.com.

(Image courtesy of Justjared.buzznet.com)

I stumbled upon baking in the same way I stumbled upon blogging: An opportunity (or need) presented itself and I took it.

My first blog, Chocolate Soundboard, started as a literal online journal in 2003. I needed a space to write down random thoughts—like one does on a diary—when I was away from my computer at home (i.e. in between writing articles at my work desk in Seventeen). It was quite the private space I'd intended it to be until I accidentally made it show up on Google...quite a happy accident, if I knew back then how important something like that was nowadays.

Baking, on the other hand, was something I did briefly in college. I was living with my cousins and their parents, and my aunt had the Mrs. Fields® Cookie Book. It was a treasure trove of sweet delights and each recipe was surprisingly easy to follow, and not to mention, naturally decadent. At some point, my cousin and I sold white chocolate chip cookies to classmates (for about a week).

Moving houses, even continents, I just completely stopped and moved on to other pursuits both in life and in the kitchen—until recently when I found myself wielding measuring cups and chocolate chips once again. I did make a few batches of brownies and muffins in New York, but for some reason, cookies trigger different memories and touch a special place in my heart.