Looking back at 2012 >.<"

It had come to that time of the year again where I reflect on how 2012 was. I started with reading back on my blog post on 2012 resolutions and realized I didn't complete most of it. I guess I drifted away from it which is sad because I didn't stay focused enough. So below is this year's resolution and my analysis

• I realised that if I wanted to read a book a month then I won't achieve reading 50 books this year, therefore I have to change it back to reading a book either a week or just slightly pass it. Sadly I did not manage to read 50 books but it was more than 2011. In total I read 27 books which was slightly pass half of the amount.

• I only played one game which was a professor Layton series and I loved it

• Continue learning Japanese myself have to relearn everything again. This is the saddest thing I've realized because I left this alone since the first quarter of the year.

• Share my learning experience on blog as often as I can I think I did?

• Gain weight ( a big challenge for me) I'm happy to say I've gained 2kg but my target was 5kg

• Stay fit (eat well, drink less cold drinks/ soft drinks, eat more vegetable) I've learned to eat more vegetable, manage to cut out soft drinks (maybe cheat a little), manage to less fast food.

• Take more photos and learn photography and photo editing Nope

• Learn eye make up techniques Too little

• Learn new programming language Failed T_T

Even though I seem to fail at my resolutions but there are certain things that went really well this year. Firstly I have picked up a sport, picked up a hobby and made new friends. Spending time with my new friends was fantastic and my new hobby resulted from hanging out with them. I didn't read 50 books but I'm proud I did read more than 20. The thing that made the difference for me this year is the boost of visit in my blog and I'm glad that my Kairosoft tips are appreciated. I am also happy that I got a tablet because it made reading eBooks easier than on my mobile. There some things that I'm not proud of and I will work harder to make a difference, there were many lessons that I learnt and I hope I can apply those things my life in 2013.

I have not made up my mind in what new resolutions I want to set, maybe tomorrow after lamenting the good things of this year I will write a post. For now I like to wish everyone in the world a Happy New Year and I wish there will be less war, less disasters and more happiness in the world. I also hope the world economy will be better and recover instead of getting worse.

Fifty Shades of Grey

Anastasia Steel is a student majoring in English Literature but interviewing young entrepreneur Christian Grey was not her assignment. She went for her sick best friend's sake and helped Katherine Kavanagh conduct the interview in Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc. Christian was intrigued by her and Ana was reacting to him and his words which was weird for her. There's something about him that makes her want him and vice versa. There are some terms that Ana have to accept in order to be close to him and that scares her a lot. Slowly, Ana tries to adjust to their relationship and other things that comes along. There is something dark about Christian and his needs for control which is an obstacle for Ana. 

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James is about a girl called Ana who met a man Christian who has secrets and demons to overcome. It is a romantic story about how their relationship started, developed and obstacles that are presented. Their personalities clashes but it's what attracted them to each other. This genre is my first because I've never heard any hype as big as this book before. Because of the hype I decided to read it and I liked it. What I like about the book is the characters and their interaction with each other, how their relationship progressed. 

I have to say this is a really short review because the book is not fantastic, it is romantic and a bit funny at times but the story line doesn't seem to have much climaxes or much excitement and some parts are just predictable. The only thing that is interesting for me is the conversations between the heroine and the hero. The ending is the sort that is left hanging where the story continues further in the second book. Will I read the book again? Yes but only the conversations and speed reading through it without minding skipping parts. I will also only read the parts of the book where I found interesting and fun.

The Pyraplex : Power spots

I have played the game several times now and below are the power spots that are created from building certain shops next to each other. The table is tabulated based on the data I obtained in the game and the sequence is what I have in the game. After the table I will insert the pictures if that is easier for you to understand. I hope this helps your game play and continuing the game I will try to write posts that contains stats of items and other data that I think will be beneficial to know for higher scores. Have a nice day!

Power Spot	Shop	Shop	Shop	Shop	Effect
Plant spot	Plum Tree	Papyrus			Appeal +5
Oasis Spot	Plum Tree	Plum Tree			Appeal +3
Forest Spot	Plum Tree	Plum Tree	Plum Tree		Appeal +5
Jungle spot	Plum Tree	Plum Tree	Plum Tree	Plum Tree	Appeal +7
Mural Spot	Mural	Mural			Appeal +7
Bread Spot	Mural	Bakery			P. Power +5
Reading spot	Plum	Bookshop			P. Power +5
Paper Spot	Papyrus	Bookshop			Appeal +8
Hammer spot	Hammer Shop	Stone Yard			Appeal +8
Library Spot	Bookshop	Bookshop			Appeal +10
Arcane Spot	Mouth of Truth	Mural			P. Power +15
Poor Planning	Hammer Shop	Glass Workshop			Price +2G
Hot Spot	Hammer Shop	Glass Workshop			P. Power +10
Burger Spot	Bakery	Butcher	Greengrocer		Appeal +20
Beef bowl spot	Cafeteria	Cattle Stable			Appeal +5
Stir Fry Spot	Butcher	Greengrocer			Appeal +7
Tender Spot	Butcher	Massage parlor			Appeal +10
Café Spot	Bakery	Tea House			Appeal +10
Laundry Spot	Fountain	Laundry			Appeal +8
Collaborative Spot	Glass Workshop	Dish Shop			Price +3G
Kiln Spot	Glass Workshop	Bakery			Appeal +8
Hieroglyphic Spot	School	Papyrus			P. Power +8
Study spot	School	Bookstore			P. Power +8
Serene Spot	Massage parlor	Fountain	Plum Tree		Appeal +25
Commerce Spot	Butcher	Greengrocer	Fishmonger		Price +5G
Tourism Spot	Papyrus	Camel Stable			Price +4G
School Lunch Spot	Cafeteria	School			Appeal +8
Travel Spot	Camel Stable	Cobbler			P. Power +12
Fun Spot	Sandbox	Fountain			Appeal +15
Sand Power	Sandbox	Camel Stable			Appeal +20
Lunch Spot	Cafeteria	Curry Shop			Price +3G
Beef Curry Spot	Curry Shop	Cattle Stable			Appeal +15
Meat spot	Butcher	Chicken Yard	Cattle Stable		Appeal +24
Domestic Spot	Laundry	Weaver			Price +4G
Chicken Curry Spot	Curry Shop	Chicken Yard			Appeal +12
Livestock Spot	Cattle Stable	Chicken Yard	Camel Stable		Appeal +23
Kids Spot	Sandbox	School			Appeal +20
Girls Spot	General store	Perfumery			P. Power +15
Soothing Spot	Public Bath	Tea House			Price +4G
Bathing Spot	Public Bath	Massage Parlor			Appeal +25
Turban spot	Carpet Port	Snake Charmer			Appeal +15
Mystical Spot	Carpet Port	Portal			P. Power +20
Handicraft Spot	Weaver	Glass Workshop			P. Power +10
Snack Spot	Vineyard	Tea House			Appeal +15
Outing spot	Dish Shop	Cobbler	General Store		Price +6G
Dance Spot	Cobbler	Dance Hall			Appeal +20
Curry Spot	Curry Shop	Curry Shop	Curry Shop		Price +5G
Leisure Spot	Sandbox	Public Bath	Massage Parlor		Appeal +25
Dress Party Spot	Weaver	Dance Hall			Price +4G
Animal Spot	Snake Charmer	Sphinx	Camel Stable		Price +5G
Celestial Spot	Obelisk	Sphinx			P. Power +30
Golden Spot	Sphinx	Public Bath			P. Power +25
Egypt Spot	Mural	Sphinx	Obelisk		P. Power +25
Madam's Glow	Perfumery	Jeweler			Appeal +15
Celeb Spot	Dance Hall	Jeweler			Price +5G

Click below to view the pictures:

Pyraplex Power Spots

Brighter than the sun

Ellie was minding her own business walking home on a regular day, when all of a sudden a man fell from the sky. Actually the man fell from a tree where he landed on her feet and he reeks of alcohol. Lord Billington had trouble and drinking was a way to help him cope with that day. He needed to be married before he turned thirty to keep his fortune with him or it will be his cousin's. It was hard to find a wife that suited his requirements and here he fell on one that is intelligent, independent and did not look ugly at all. Ellie helped Charles to where his curricle was placed since he sprained his ankle from the fall. Charles was a bit tipsy but he know that Ellie would make a fine wife and hence he asked her to marry him.

The question gave Ellie quite a shock and she dropped him which resulted him to fall to the ground because his ankle could not support him. Ellie thought that it was a cruel joke to be played by him but Charles explained his situation to her to clear the air. Ellie told him that she will consider his offer for a few days and then left for home. Ellie did not feel the need to get a husband and was okay for being a spinster. When Ellie reached home and it did not please her that her father's fiance Mrs Foxglove was there. Ellie was heading to her room but was stopped by Mrs Foxglove with a list of chores for her to do since Mrs Foxglove will be the lady in charge soon. One of the items on the list is cleaning the chimney and they could very well afford a person to clean it for them, Mrs Foxglove also commented that Ellie ate too much and asked to eat less. 

The thing that made Ellie even more mad about Mrs Foxglove is the list of eligible bachelors that Ellie should pick as her husband. One was younger than sixteen, few were older than sixty and there was one who was known to beat his wife. Ellie was determine to leave the house and live on her own till her sister is back from overseas. She was into investment hence years ago she used her own money to do so but with her father's name. She decided to remove some money so she could sustain herself till her sister is back. 

The next day Ellie went to the place to retrieve her money but was refused because her father was needed to come in person to get it and there is no way that she could let her father know about the money. So Ellie decided to discuss more on the marriage arrangement with Lord Billington and she headed to his home. She was upset as it seems the world was against her, with Mrs Foxglove setting her up to not getting her money and soon it rained a thunderstorm. She showed up all drenched in front of Charles's home and was mistaken as a person who wanted a job but she put her boot at the door and demanded to see Charles. Charles asked the butler to let her in and said that he did not recognize Ellie and so she went straight at him which caused both of them to fall to the ground and then he said he now remembered her. Charles noticed the desperation in her eyes and knew that she would accept their marriage deal which is he will help her get her money and their marriage would help him get his money.

Brighter than the sun by Julia Quinn is about a marriage convenience where both parties get what they want. For Charles it would be to keep his inheritance and for Ellie it would be her money and also a way out of her household. I have to say I loved this book because the story line was good, you would not know what to expect after the characters had a deal to be wed. You would be thinking how else can the story go on since marriage seems to be the end but this author made it funny, interesting and romantic. Their marriage was just the beginning of this wonderful story and it was satisfying for me. I finished reading this book in about one days time and enjoyed every part of it. The characters have personalities that suited the story very well and the minor mystery of the book was exciting. I am glad that I picked this book and Julia Quinn made me love historical romance more and more. If I could choose a time to be born into, I would picked the 1800's that is portrayed in the author's stories.

Vroooooooom.......

I saved the best for last and indeed one of it was real fun assembling it. I know nuts about Ferrari cars but in Lego form it's just adorable. As you browse the photos below, you can see that the FXX model had many parts and the more it has the fun I get. The other model 250 GT Berlinetta had very little parts and it didn't take long to complete it. Playing with Lego really brought back some childhood memories though my Lego was those big block sets. I've never played with these small piece sets because by the time I'm six, Barbie dolls were all I wanted. It was great fun and now all the cars go into a tin container and into my cupboard, LOL.

The Pyraplex : An overview

The Pyraplex is a complex in the shape of a pyramid. This is Kairosoft's new game in Google Play Store that was out a few days ago and I was so excited to purchased it at 4.99 USD. The concept is similar to Mega Mall story where you built a shopping complex but there are some extra things in the game. Firstly you will have to build rooms to house your employees and also complete requests from merchants to obtain stamps. The more stamps you obtain, you collect gifts from it which unlocks new stores and events. 

I love that the move feature is already include and need not to be unlocked. I also love the idea of housing your workers and being able to assign them to jobs and training them is also a plus. The game is more realistic this time where to build stores, stones are required and the workers have to carry it there. I love the idea that besides building you also have quests to fulfill which allows you to collect stamps to unlock things. Most Kairosoft games always revolve around pleasing the different type of customers visiting the place and I'm glad that this game does not have this. Instead you trade with people from different countries and unlock more people visiting the place. The game also included the feature of power spots where when you build certain stores next to each other, you'll get a combo and a boost of stats. The stats of your pyraplex influences the amount of people visiting, their spending and also attracting new employees. 

This game is addictive like any other Kairosoft game and it's good that it has a lot of new features to it. I have no complains for this game except for the bug that everyone is facing now which is the text in the message box are out of alignment and words that fall at the corner cannot be read. Hopefully that bug will be fixed soon but it's not much of a trouble if you play the game without reading much of the messages. Below are some pictures of the game play and I took many screenshots this time. Absolutely love this game, will play more to collect data to share. Have a nice day!!

Update: I've got a post on the power spots, check it out here : Pyraplex Power Spots

Starting screen

Your assistant

Starting worker

Starting worker

Starting worker

Underworld

Pierce was taken to the underworld by John because that is the only place she will be safe from furies. John is able to protect and be by her side anytime if she were to be in trouble. She was shocked that her grandmother tried to hurt her and she did not like the way she had to leave. She wants a chance to say goodbye to her mom and at least let her know she was safe but John insisted that she stays in the underworld.

John tried to make his home good for her and provided her with food and clothes. He told her to not wander off anywhere and just stay in the mansion. Pierce couldn't help her curiosity in wondering how did he prepare the clothes and how food magically appear on the table. She waited for the table to be cleared and there was a boy who came in and did the work. She trailed him and ended in a place like a kitchen and there were quite a few people working in there. She was shocked because she thought she was all alone with John but there were other people. John was furious that she found out because there were his ship crew members from his past. John was not ready to tell her his past for he fears that she will leave him. Pierce still insisted to go back Isla Huesos because her phone was working and she received a terrifying message.

Underworld by Meg Cabot  is the sequel to Abandon where it continues about Pierce and John's story. This time Pierce will find out more about John, save a family member and also learn how to defeat the furies. A lot happens in this second book and this book tops off the first because I treat that book as an introductory to the main characters. This book gives some answers to the questions that are in book one and it's definitely more thrilling knowing someone is in danger and you have to do something about it.

I'm really satisfied with this book. This is because I'm really interested in the John Hayden character more than Pierce, the mystery about him that the author prepared in the first book is revealed here. I have to say the heroine is a damsel in distress which think not herself, kinda annoying and adorable at the same time. I adore Pierce but I think she quite a pain in the ass to John in terms of keeping her safe. But without a character like that the story would not be entertaining. I have always loved how characters' behavior are important in a story line because it's that element that builds up the story. I might be wrong about this but it's how I feel.  I am so looking forward to the third and final book and hopefully there will be a happily ever after for our dear Pierce and John. Two people from two different worlds, will they be together? One is alive and one is the dead will it possible? I'm devastated that I have to wait for the last book till next year, damn trilogies =(.

Abandon

Pierce had a life changing experience, a big one where she tripped, hit her head and fell into an icy cold swimming pool. She survived but it was all because she escaped the underworld and she knew it was real.She was there in the underworld after she fell, she felt cold and there were a lot of people lining up. She didn't know where to go and somehow she had found him. He took her to his home and made her tea but she threw it in his face and ran away through a door and back to earth.

So much have changed since the accident, Pierce is in a Welcome to Isla Huesos party because her mom and her had moved there. This was because her parents got a divorce and her mom wanted to come back to the island to study some birds. Her cousin Alex was questioning her about the light, whether she had saw one. It was stressful because people would ask her that and she could not tell the truth. She did try to say something but she end up going to a therapist. The party had her mother's family, Uncle Chris, Alex and her grandmother but it felt suffocating to her. Pierce told her mom she had to go and so she hop on her bicycle and kept cycling. She ended up at the cemetery somehow and he was there. She tried her best to avoid him because she was afraid and he showed up there.

Abandon by Meg Cabot is about a girl who came back from the dead where she met someone from the underworld. The boy wanted her and he wants to bring her back there. I have to say I really like this book and it's for the young adults audience. The previous Meg Cabot book that I read was Overbite and I always buy her new stories which always entertain me. This one is a new trilogy and I'm loving the first book. I have to say I did not research the book hence I was not aware of what story this would be. Of course, it would be a love story but what other elements were involved that I do not know. After finishing the book, I can say there's a bit of mystery as the characters slowly unravel a bit of history and a bit of danger surfacing.

I don't read a lot of young adult but it's a breath of fresh air to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lately this is the kind of books that has become popular which are stories having vampires, demon, magic and all sorts. Even though it's common but it was not boring to me. I finished the book quite quickly because I wanted to know how the book ended for our heroine and hero. Since the fonts are big and it's not thick I don't mind reading it again in the future for a bit of romance that's forbidden. I'm looking forward to the next book to know how Pierce and her "Prince" advances after having an unexpected ending.

More vroom vroom

I've manage to purchase two more models which is the 458 Italia and the F40. I like the F40 the most because it has many parts to assemble and I enjoy the process of it. Legos are so expensive these days, it would be wasteful if I just buy those box sets and just have fun assembling it and then it would just take up space to keep it. Oh well, since this is a cheaper alternative and limited edition I think it's worth keeping. Please enjoy the pictures of the two models.

Laniege products that I love

Laniege is a brand from Korea that is famous for using Himalayan Snow water as an ingredient. I first got to know the brand from a Youtube beauty guru Bubzbeauty where she was talking about the sleeping mask that was a star product of the brand. You wear the mask to sleep and you wake up with bright, soft and supple skin. I'm not a mask users then and so I decided to try the mask. I was really impress with the results the next day because my skin was so soft even better than the normal moisturizer. Another thing I love about this brand is that their promotion sets always offer a lot of travel size of their products. The beauty consultant is also generous in giving samples. 

After testing the travel size multi-cleanser, I fell in love with it. I was comparing it with my experience with other cleansers and this one after wash my skin felt fresh and most of all it felt soft like after I applied the sleeping mask. So I tried more products and felt in love with more of them. The products I bought are all over period of time since last year and I have been slowly changing into the brand from Estee Lauder. 

I love the smell of all their products that I purchase, it smells really fresh and soothing. The water essence and the water bank gel moisturizer have watery texture and it absorbs into the skin really quickly, after that my skin feels so soft to touch. I really love how this product has worked for me because lately Estee Lauder has stopped working for me which was saddening. Another thing I like to mention is the price point for this brand is definitely above drugstore but below brands like Estee Lauder, it's somewhat on par with Clinique and this factor is one of the attractions for me because it's value for money. Lastly the packaging of the products are very sturdy plastic, the essence and moisturizer are in glass which the only downside is it will be heavy to travel with.

Free travel size with purchase of sleeping mask

wonderful packaging

face scrub which smells so berrylicious

Another face mask to keep skin hydrated takes only 5 to 10 minutes

travel size of the essence, sleeping mask and multi cleanser

Christmas value set, 2 sleeping mask inside

Christmas set with water essence and water bank gel moisturizer

Multi cleanser, cleansing oil (remove makeup) and Christmas special 400ml toner

Products removed from the boxes, look at how cute the Xmas toner bottle look

Cleansing oil and cleanser

After I'm done with this bottle I'm keeping it

Sleeping mask, water bank gel cream and Water bank essence

I highly recommend you go to a Laniege counter and get samples because they are always generous and happy to help. Hope this "review" helps because I can't really write like a beauty guru.