spinninghead

Making my yearly birthday and Christmas wish list here again, since I would rather people get me things NOT from Amazon when possible... so here we go, some things I would love for my birthday and/or Christmas:

1. A sewing machine, doesn't have to be anything really fancy, just a normal one that can get the job done. Here are 2 different ones that are lower budget and I'd enjoy:
https://goseni.com/product/singer-m1000-mending-sewing-machine/
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Brother-LX3817G-17-Stitch-Portable-Full-Size-Sewing-Machine-Grey/474020562

2. Winter/snow boots, size 6.5: https://www.sierra.com/item~p~1cccx-01-9/

3. Knit tights, in Black, size M/L: https://www.target.com/p/women-39-s-cable-fleece-lined-tights-a-new-day-8482-charcoal-heather-m-l/-/A-85379593

4. Fleece-lined leggings, in Rubellite, size M: https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-high-rise-serious-sweats-fleece-lined-pocket-leggings/id_359400

5. Tall knit socks, in Blue: https://www.fairyseason.com/Warm-Over-Knee-Extra-Long-Knitted-Socks---Blue-g-102981-584680

6. Frida Kahlo print skirt, size M: https://artistic-pod.com/products/frida-kahlo-print-retro-skirt

7. Valfre 2023 Wall Calendar: https://valfre.com/collections/new-valfre-items/products/valfre-calendar-2023

8. Built NY Laptop Case: https://poshmark.com/listing/Built-laptop-bag-6357e6d756b2f8085dbb5e65

9. Donations to Days for Girls: https://donate.daysforgirls.org/give/136291/#!/donation/checkout


I think that's all for now, I don't really need/want a lot right now so if you can't get me anything it's all good, and if you want to just donate some money to Days for Girls on my behalf, I would love that, too. <3

Here's my name & address for shipping:
Rose Netherton
2826 Northwest Golden Dr
Seattle, WA 98117
USA

I'm making my first post here in YEARS, to put up a wish list for my birthday and Christmas. If you want to switch back to LJ from Facebook, comment here to let me know - I'd be happy to just come back here if that's what others wanna do, too. :)

I'm posting links here to things I'd like to have, and I'll update with my postal address once I work out how I can receive parcels (at my home residence I can't really receive any parcels). Probably will get a post office box.

Update: I spoke with my friend who runs the guesthouse where I live, and he said that I can receive parcels, but I must have them addressed correctly and include my phone number. I can provide my address and phone number to you if you want to privately message me - not gonna post it publicly here, but just let me know if you haven't got it and I'll pretend like I have no idea why you might be asking for it. :P

Here are things I would like:

New pillow - a new memory foam pillow would help me a lot with getting to sleep and sleeping well at night. My first choice is the Sleep Innovations Memory Foam Contour Pillow, but if for some reason this link doesn't work anymore when you try it, or it's out of stock, something like this one or similar could work well.

External microphone for narration and recording - I have wanted to try my hand at audiobook narration as a way to earn income, but I lack the technologies, particularly in microphone capabilities. The Blue Snowball Ice is decent microphone that is recommended for beginners in the voice-over and narration field. I'm hopeful to make use of my good reading skills!

Student Flute - I had to leave my flute behind in Malaysia when I left, and I miss playing. Here is a link to a suggested flute that would suit my needs, and which ships to Hong Kong. If you find an alternative option I don't mind. :) Link here

Leggings - I had a couple of pairs that I really liked that lasted me a few years, and now they're worn out. In the cooler months, these are comfortable and practical to wear. Here are some pairs I would like:
Size 12 please
Colour Long 0 3, Size M please
Size L please

New headphones - I have been using the same sad pairs of ear buds for months now and they're not comfortable and don't get great sound quality. I had a pair of Aerial7 headphones for years when I was DJing and they're definitely my favourite. This pair in green would be great.

Drinking fountain for Simone

New phone case - Huawei P30 lite, design 4 here would be great. If you choose anything else, please make sure it is a solid print or colour, not transparent. I made this mistake last time and 'transparent' silicone just turns yellow/brown after some time.

Incense kit - I am trying to put together a plan and tools to quit smoking, and getting incense and an incense holder or two would be a good way to help me have burning rituals without harming my body. This incense holder would be great, along with lavender incense (my favourite scent) along with some palo santo incense sticks. This could be a good incense holder, too.

Along the same lines, Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking is a book I've wanted to try reading since a friend of mine was successful in quitting once she read this book.

Red hair dye, which is not easy to find in stores here, but apparently exists online. I want to get my hair to be all red again. :)

Nose jewelry - I have literally one stud that I can even find anymore, and it is always in my nose! Would be nice to change it up some. I really like this one, preferably with the moonstone and rose gold filled options, and I like this ring in Sterling 18 gauge, 10mm diameter because it's snaily!

And lastly, if you don't want to give any of the above or you want to just give me money, money is always helpful since I am underemployed and still have debt. I would like to be able to pay my friends back money they've helped me with over the last couple of years, and I still have arrears from the apartment I lived in before this one. More than paying back debts, I want to also contribute to causes that are close to my heart, so you can also donate to these charities on my behalf and I would be honoured and grateful:

Days For Girls, providing menstruators who don't have access to menstrual hygiene products, free kits that include a variety of long-lasting menstrual hygiene items. This empowers these people to be able to go to school, work, and whatever other activities they might miss out on otherwise during their periods.

Girls' Opportunity Alliance Afghanistan Relief, which is raising money to give to UNICEF and CARE for girls and women's education and empowerment in Afghanistan.

Breast Cancer Research Foundation. My mom has had breast cancer for 20 years already and she wouldn't be alive today if it were not for the medical advancements we have made in treatment and understanding cancer. Continuing this research can help us keep moving towards better treatment methodology, and hopefully, a cure.

And here's my PayPal link, if you just wanna send me some kash.

I think that's all I really can come up with for now. If I think of something else, I may edit this post. Thanks in advance if you do get me anything! :D

Simone!

I wanted to start this list, and I'm going to add to it throughout the rest of my stay here. This entry has been back-dated so that it will be easy for me to edit anytime I want up until I leave. :)

Things I'd see in the US, but not in Shanghai:
- Parking meters
- Parking lots
- People smoking weed
- "Click it or ticket" signs reminding people to wear their seatbelts
- Tanning lotion, spray-on tans, and tanning spas.
- Big families with 4 or more kids
- Hipsters
- Root beer
- Taquerias
- Road rage
- "Pimped out" cars and lowriders
- Super big rolls of toilet paper

Things I'd see in Shanghai, but not in the US:
- Bike parking meters
- People walking around in their pajamas
- Kittens and puppies in tiny cages in pet stores
- Chinese boy-band-wannabes with bouffants
- People riding on motorbikes (sometimes even with their tiny kids) without wearing helmets
- Whitening lotions and creams for your skin
- Buggies, or motorbikes converted into taxis.
- Parents holding their kids as they go to the bathroom on the street, or a woman holding out a plastic bag for her son to pee into on the metro train.
- Squat pot toilets
- People wearing face masks (for filtering air or for keeping their face warm)
- Women doing Chinese folk dancing all together out in the square by the mall
- Geriatric playgrounds
- People doing tai chi in the mornings
- McDonald's and KFC doing delivery
- People smoking inside restaurants/bars
- Buskers on the streets playing erhus

Gah, Yangshuo is amazing!!! I LOVE it here here. I picked the perfect place to come on vacation, specifically the perfect hostel. I'm staying at Climbers Inn and I've connected with a great group of climbers from all over the world. We went climbing today and had a fantastic time! It's so breathtakingly gorgeous here and the climbers are really cool to hang out with. :) We went out for dinner and drinks together tonight, and then some of them had bought fireworks so we went out to the river and they set them off, and we went swimming. Swimming in the Li River, watching fireworks and fireflies is something I'm not going to forget. I'm so glad I have six days left here!!

It's been quite a while since I've updated in here, and I've just been procrastinating cos it always seems like so much is going on.

Well, now I have big exciting news so I figured I really do need to update! I am officially going to stay in Shanghai for one more year, decided as of today, because I got a job offer at a kindergarten that's in my apartment compound, and it will be a really good job. :) I think I'll just copy/paste the email I sent to my parents about it, with all the details, if you're curious to know more:
( Read more...Collapse )

So, there you have it. I went in to do a demo this morning and it went great - they provided me with a book to read to the kids, and caught me up on what the kids are meant to be learning, so I was given plenty of information to go on, unlike what happened at a demo I did at another kindergarten (where I wasn't offered the job), so it seems really good. Right after the demo this morning, a teacher who had been watching (the one who has been at the school the longest) said that he thought I was a shoo-in, which felt REALLY good, and then this afternoon I received a phone call from the Director of Studies saying that they were going to offer me a contract!

Have you ever walked into a place that was a potential employer, and just had it feel *right*? That's how this felt the first time I walked in. It just felt right. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I found myself thinking, "I am going to work here." And it's happening. :)

Okay, job news aside. I have still been dating here and there through okcupid, and it's going all right. Dave ended up deciding he didn't want to keep dating me after 5 dates, and I'm not really sure why, but whatever. In the past couple of weeks I've seen two different guys from the States. One guy seems nice and like we have fun together, but less like he really cares to get to know me that well or see me often (we have seen each other about once a week so far). The other guy I just met this past Tuesday, I've already seen twice and he seems to be very interested in getting to know me and we've been having a lot of interesting and thought-provoking conversations, which is awesome. He definitely seems like he's the type to look for a relationship rather than just dating, though I might not mind that as long as we take time. He's my age and he's pretty cute, and he's been in Shanghai for five years(!) working as a success coach. Pretty cool, I say.

Other excitement lies ahead as well, if the new job and dating wasn't already enough! This Tuesday (in THREE days!) I'll be leaving Shanghai to visit Yangshuo and Guilin!! It's just starting to sink in that I'll be going so soon. I'll be there for a whole week so I'll have plenty of time to relax and take everything in, and figure out what I'm doing, since I'm going there alone! Should be amazing and I'm definitely going to take lots of photos. :D

Anywho, I believe that's about all my news for now! I will try to update more regularly again, though I am busy so I can't promise. But I hope you're still reading if you're still my friend on here. I am still reading your posts!

I love myself. I'm proud of who I am and what I've accomplished. I feel better about myself and my life right now than I have in a long time. And I'm on the verge of change... but enjoying every second of the ride. I love being me.

I'm all packed and ready to go. I'm leaving my apartment in about six hours, and my flight leaves in nine hours. *sigh* It's going to be a long night. I would try to sleep, but I know it will be smarter to just wait and then sleep on the plane.

I'm excited about this trip, like *super* excited, but there are still the anxious thoughts about Rudy and sadness hanging over part of me. I received a package from Rudy today (that he sent two days before we broke up) of Nyquil, and again it made me sad. I don't know how else to feel about it. Of course, I've gone over this breakup over and over in my mind and I know that it had to happen and should've happened long before it did, but it doesn't mean I'm not sad about it still. And not sad that I won't be able to see him at the dances and feel comfortable or even glad to see him.

But we'll see. Seeing him in person is something I haven't done yet since the breakup and it may surprise me, how I feel. I don't know. But I do know I have a few sexy dresses (including my qipao) to wear to the dances and I'm going to be busy looking hot and dancing the night away with friends I've missed dearly, so I'm planning on having the time of my life and if Rudy sees me, he'll just see what he gave up.

I feel proud of myself for doing this. I also feel proud of myself for the packing I've done! I got just about everything packed (well, just haven't packed my laptop, brushes, and pajamas) and it all fit really nicely into my big suitcase. Half of the suitcase is full of gifts I'm going to give away (TONS of different flavors of Oreos for friends to try!) so I'm happy about that - it means that whatever things I pick up in the States to bring back should fit just fine in my suitcase. :)

I was thinking about making nutella cookies tonight, and as good as that sounds, I am not motivated. I want the time to go by faster so it'd be good to have something to do, but I just don't feel like baking, and I need to lose weight anyway. I do need to find *something* to entertain me for a while, though. Hmm... maybe I'll find some TV or a movie to watch.

Next time I update I'll probably be in San Francisco! :)

Only two more days before I go back to SF to visit! I am getting more and more excited with each task I'm finishing that I had to get done before my trip. Today I presented my workshop at the Teachers' Conference and I felt like it went really well. I was extra proud of myself after then going to two other teachers' workshops and seeing that mine was superior to theirs in a few ways (not to toot my own horn, but still.) The teachers who came to my workshop seemed to receive it well and I felt pretty calm for most of it. :)

Tomorrow I'm going in the morning to get my hair brightened up (I'm thinking a more coppery red this time), and then I'm going over to the old city by Yu Gardens to shop for some souvenirs to take back to friends in the US. Should be a fun day. :)

Then Thursday I just teach two classes, though one of them will be observed by my boss for my appraisal. Hopefully that goes off without a hitch. After that, I'll be free to go home and pack, and stay up all night until my flight! I have to be at the airport at 5 AM, so it doesn't make much sense to go to sleep that night. My plan is to stay awake until I leave Hong Kong (where my connection is) and then knock myself out with some NyQuil and possibly some Benadryl if the NyQuil doesn't work alone. I'm planning on sleeping for the entire flight... if I wake up, I'll just take more medicine and go back to sleep. :P Hopefully this works, cos once I get off the plane, it'll be about 11:35 AM on Friday still (crazy time difference) and I'll be going dancing all night that night. Fun fun!

I also plan on trying to leave the airport for a bit while I'm in Hong Kong for my layover. It's about a 4-hour layover, which should leave me a little bit of time to leave the airport and explore the city a bit, especially since there's a high-speed train that takes people from the airport to the center of the city in about 20 minutes. Should be fun just to wander and see what I can find of interest in Hong Kong. I'll try to do some research beforehand and see if there's anything specific I should try to do, but I think with my limited amount of time, just wandering aimlessly might be my best bet.

Oh, also: I'm going skydiving with friends on the 28th. :D :D :D

Eeee, excitement!

Wow. Just read this entry again. It's from a year ago. A *year* ago. We should have broken up then. But no, neither of us were ready to let go yet. *sigh* I really wish I'd been ready. It all seems so clear to me when I look at this. And justaqt's comment especially rings true. He did care to do small things for me sometimes, but it was generally if I asked him to, and maybe when he felt the relationship was in trouble.

He still never bought me flowers. Dammit, I'm going to find a man who will buy me flowers. And a man who I can have amazing conversations with.

I just wish I weren't already 28, and I wish I knew where I'd be living for the next couple of years so I could actually, you know, try to think about dating.