Katrina

For awhile now, I've been using Spectro Gel cleanser and Complex 15 moisturizer each time I wash my face (morning and night). That's it. I don't use anything else. My skin is in pretty good shape (I finished taking accutane over a year ago now and my moderate acne is mostly gone) and I've been worried by using different products because I don't want my acne to come back. The thing is that even though my skin is mostly under control (I get breakouts a week or so before my period) I want it to be as close to perfect as possible. I don't get large pimples, but my skin occasionally looks grainy and my face becomes red very easily in various situations. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with my sensitive skin though...Anyway, I'm looking to improve the overall appearance of my skin, while at the same time converting to more natural products. I don't use toner because I don't know what it's for or what it does. I don't use makeup remover, just my Spectro Gel which takes most of my makeup off, but not all of it, which I know isn't good...Complex 15 was recommended by my derm, but after researching it, there seems to be some pretty unhealthy things in it that I'd like to avoid. So, long story short I'd like to have suggestions on what I can replace my cleanser and moisturizer with. Also, perhaps a natural toner...once someone tells me what it is used for! :P

Also, what can I do about breakouts around that time of the month? Even while doing the same facial routine as normal it still acts up due to hormones. How can I settle it? I'm 18 if that has anything to do with anything.

Thanks in advance! And thanks for reading. :)

Earlier this afternoon, I pulled my car into a Texaco station in my neighborhood; as normal,  I watched the attendant come to the window and ready himself to fill my tank. Today, there was a small difference though. When I said, "Fill and top it off, please," I was told that the gas stations across the state could no longer "top it off" for safety reasons due to a bill being passed which was called the "Gasoline Vapor Recovery Program". This was the first time that any attendant had told me this, and, when I inquired about this new law, he mentioned that it went into effect on July 1st. I was perplexed and asked him what the cutoff level was for filling my car, to which he replied "Whenever the pump stops,"

Honestly,  I don't understand this. I have read the new law on the DEQ web page but I still don't understand the complete train of thought behind the law. I DO understand that this is a law that is supposed to stop, or lessen, the spilling of fuel onto the ground, making for a hazerdous environment or danger to employee / customer. This new law makes drivers, in essence, LOSE mileage when driving. For instance, my Subaru has a 13 gallon tank (13.7 gallon if I push it) listed from the factory. The safety stop switch is designed to make the fueling stop at 11 gallons, allowing the fuel to finish draining into the tank so that the operator doesn't get gasoline on him / her from forced air coming back out of the tank. With this new law, I'm losing two gallons every time I fill. Losing those two gallons means I'm losing an additional 60 miles of driving range that my car could have. This new law basically makes me fill my car again sooner than I normally would. I understand the thought that if I were to have the gas attendant push the fuel capacity to the 13.7 gallons that this could be considered "overfilling", but how is it overfilling when the gas tank itself has another two gallons available before completely being filled?

In looking at the law, there is a section that states, "...If an attendant can confirm that a vehicle tank is not full after the click off, the attendant may continue to dispense fuel using best judgement and caution to prevent a spill..."

Was this not what fuel attendants were doing to begin with? Does this mean that when the fueling is finished, I should have the attendant remove the hose from the gas tank, start the car so he / she can look at my gas gague and verify that it is NOT full, and then shut the car off and fill the additional 2 gallons? Should I carry a 2 gallon gas carrier and fill that, move my car, and then finish fueling the car myself? That seems to be a bit of a waste of time, in my opinion.

Now, I know I'm going to be snarked...I know I'm going to get the "Ride the bus..." or, "Ride a bike..." and honestly, I do take the bus / Max when I can and I do have a bike, but, I'm sorry Portland, I'm a driver. I always have been and I always will be...I feel more comfortable in a car. But you can still feel free to snark if you want...


I'm looking for a VALID reason (and not a repeat of what the website says, which isn't a very good reason at all) behind the new law. Stopping the spilling of fuel is one thing, but to not allow me to have a full tank is something completely different and that's what is happening.


~D.

Project Sarurun's auction of 1000-paper-crane chandelier 'Corsica' has begun!

please peruse - the item description is worth a read: Auction to benefit nonprofit Namaste Kathmandu, a nonprofit founded in Portland to help children affected by civil war in Nepal.

--->

More examples:


Comments/PSD located here.

( They're trying to build a prison. )

dear peeps,

what naturopathic, homemade, OTC, etc remedies do YOU use for nausea? cause i've already been to the doctor and she can't pinpoint the problem. it's been weeks now and i'm almost ready to try anything. ideas?

thx

Shrug made with whitneysews's tutorial. Made from a large grey tshirt.

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I live in Tennessee, so I have taken countless childhood field trips to the falls. Now that I look back on it, a giant underground waterfall probably ISN'T the safest environment for children. :)


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I am looking for, but have been unable to find so far, some small 1 oz - 2 oz  condiment type cups with lids.  It's the "with lids" part that seems to be so hard!  I need them for various things, among them sending dips to school in my kids' lunches, and portioning out syrup, honey, butter, etc. ahead of time so they can make their breakfasts independently.  I'd like to avoid any type of plastic, as even the PBA-free kinds tend to hold smells even after washed (like the ones that come with Laptop Lunch boxes...I have a few of those already).  So I guess I'm wanting stainless steel, glass or ceramic.  Plastic lids would be fine though.  I've googled myself crazy with this!

Does anyone here have anything like this or know where to get them?  I've considered getting some small "sample" jars with screw on metal lids and I might resort to that, but I'd rather not have to purchase 24+ of them (seems they're only sold in bulk).    

I have a few of the restaurant type disposable 1-oz cups with lids and could get more, but I don't want to be so wasteful!

Thanks.

So, I have a question about testosterone vs. estrogen.

I went to the doctor on Friday as a walk-in patient and I explained my situation and gave him my letter from my psychologist. His original plan of action was to put me on a testosterone blocker for a couple of months and then introduce estrogen, however I told him I'm moving to Vancouver at the end of the month when he told me that the T-blocker would require numerous blood tests. He decided that because I'm going to be leaving it'd be pointless to do blood work now and then have to do it all over again when I get there as they won't have been there from the beginning and be as knowledgeable about my history, so he put me on .625 milligrams of estrogen for the first two weeks at one tablet a day, and then after the two weeks I begin taking two tablets, and after a couple of months I'm to find a doctor in Vancouver and start doing the t-blocker.

So my questions are these: Has anyone else done this, and will the testosterone in my system severely limit the effects of the estrogen while I'm on them pre-blocker, or will the estrogen basically just do its thing around the testosterone? 

Mmk kids so I'm totally bored and recovering from a 24hour flu bug. HOW FUN.

What are you doing?

Also we should have fun with google image search.

What's the first result for your real name -OR- your username? Say which one is which!

Mine?


(my name)
I... always loved Oklahoma.


(my username, a photograph I used as a usericon like 2 years ago)

Chrome Roll-Top Backpack - $125
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bik/1256446044.html

Starbucks Barista home espresso machine - $125
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/hsh/1265469288.html

TEAC 3-CD Shelf System with Turntable - $75
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ele/1256122008.html

We're moving, so they're all OBO. Thanks!

Disclaimer: 99% or more of drivers in Portland are polite and courteous to me as a cyclist.

But argle fargle nargle bargle did I run into a jackass today.

My boyfriend and I and I were going from my house to Chaos Cafe on SE 26th and Powell. We turned onto 26th, and because we were going to be making a left after a single block, we stayed in the middle of the one lane instead of using the bike lane. The light was red, and we were going to go into the left-hand turn lane to wait for a green light.

A guy in a car drives up behind me, honks, and yells "Get out of the way!!"

Dear douchebag: the light here is RED. There are cars already stopped. You're going to have to stop anyway. Secondly, I'm about to turn left, so if I'd been in the bike lane before, I would in the care lane about now anyway.

You new in town or something? Maybe visiting from the suburbs? HEY! THERE'S BIKES IN THE ROAD! Get used to it or leave.

As I was reading the comments of the previous post about an ecological footprint quiz, I remembered another calculator I found online that goes into more detail, and I think is more accurate.
The Carbon Footprint Calculator lets you enter all of your information instead of choosing between one of 4 or 5 options, which may or may not even apply to you. At the end, it tells you how big your footprint is compared to the national average. It doesn't tell you how many planets we would need if everybody lived like you, but it does tell you how many hectares per person we need to live sustainably, and how many you use.
It also lets you choose your country from a list.

I was thinking about applying for it. I'm barely squeezing by as is and my work's insurance is lousy (I work low end retail). I'm part time and was wanting to go back to school. I'm hoping to not have to go back full time because I will still have to work (in other words I would not be eligible to go back on my parent's insurance; I'm only 23yrs old so if I were full time- 12credits+ I would be). I tried going to school and working at the same time but felt like I was drowning. I live at home with frugal rich parents who would rather spend their money on my little sister's apartment, spends hundreds towards church each month, and  a couple hundred a month on Mary Kay instead of paying ~$200 for my medical which includes dental too. Is it possible for someone who makes less than $16k a year while living at home to receive medical in the state of Minnesota? I'm just trying to make good out of a bad situation with people, who have money, that refuse to help me out financially.

Maybe this will be more successful than my dog-walking post:

Anybody seen one of these around town? Anywhere is fine.

http://www.retrousb.com/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=33

Thanksss!

I'm looking to buy a kombucha culture. What would you guys recommend as the "best" starter culture?

edit:

OKAY! so I bought the grocery store kombucha, and am going to start on makin' a mother. Now, my next question is:

I'm going on vacation for a week, and I know my mom won't want to "watch" on my brew. Is there anyway to store the mother (the kombucha mother, not mine, haha) without destroying it?

Anyone confirmed a public bar showing the fight tonight?

This morning we held our protest. Lu's Pharmacy decided to show their true colours and closed rather than allow us inside. We held our protest anyway, and got on camera doing so.
My prescription for Lu's: Take two doses of tolerance and call me in the morning.

Xposted