Game review: Bayonetta εїз

This is a little bit of a throwback post, since Bayonetta's actually 

not a new game - it came out back in 2010 (way before I had a PS3).

I picked up a used copy for PS3 about the week before finals - I'd seen gifs and

fanart etc. all over Tumblr before & looked it up on wiki because it looked pretty interesting.

The game's actually really quirky and silly, it's just a trick how serious it looks.  Bayonetta's

extremely sassy and camp, & her entire design is so detailed.   At the same time

she's a very strong character even from the start, despite her amnesia.  

Austin watched me playing for a bit and commented that it seems like my kind of game, 

and it is!  A beautiful & confident lady, tons of humor and a bit of weird, the music's 

super dance-able, and the central theme is witches+supernatural beings+Dante's Inferno.  

(The power ups are lollipops, how great is that.)  It's perfect imo.  

Gameplay wise: so far I think the best thing about the game is the Very Easy mode 

(which A gave me crap for, boo).  No I'm kidding - that's probably just because I'm hurrying 

to finish the game and see the whole story...I only have 2 more days before school on Monday! :c

But really I love the designs of all the attacks and the guns & weapons (I skimmed along the wiki, 

since all of this is old news I figured it wasn't cheating).  

And "Very Easy" is exactly what it says - auto combos, all you have to do is randomly

button-push and you perform the most powerful attacks.  (I tried not to button-smash though - 

the loading screen practice field is very helpful for that!)

I do agree with the reviews I've read - I feel like it's extremely underrated.
(Hopefully the upcoming sequel will get more visibility?)  

I've played for a total of about 7 hours & I already got extremely addicted, 

it's just a very fun game that makes fun of itself!

Anyway I would really recommend this to anyone who likes a relatively straightforward

hack and slash, with a few puzzles, plus a well written plot and colorful characters.  

The Easy/Very Easy modes make it fun for people used to games where you just hit

X to punch like me and my Kingdom Hearts history.   

I think it'd probably appeal to fans of Lollipop Chainsaw (which I also heard

a lot of good things about - I'll probably try to play that next over summer).

PS.  Bayonetta 2's going on the Wii U, which is weird considering the first game was Xbox360 and PS3.  I'm a bit sad because I won't be getting to play it after I finish Bayonetta, but definitely if you have a 

Wii U I'd recommend checking the 2nd game out, just based on the first game.)

PPS.  At the end of the game you get a fancy dance sequence as the credits!

I haven't played to the end but I had to see it c: 

you can watch it here

Generation Know - Freebie Bracelet!

U by Kotex is giving away these bracelets for free!

They're meant for women and girls, to promote awareness about 

our bodies and how they work, and to spread that knowledge.    

It's a cute way to show you're in the know -  girl power~!

The giveaway's still available on the website - I just ordered one for my 

sister and for myself, you can get 2 per address.   

U by Kotex Brand is committed to empowering girls to change the way the world thinks about periods and vaginas through Generation Know, the first generation of girls comfortable asking questions, gaining real knowledge and spreading information about their health and bodies to others. To get the facts, learn how to make a difference and get a free Generation Know bracelet to symbolize your commitment, visit http://www.GenerationKnow.com. For every girl that joins, U by Kotex brand will donate to Girls For A Change to continue to create change.

So not only do you get a pretty bracelet, you're also contributing to

an important cause for girls everywhere - what are you waiting for? c:

Plus I really recommend checking the site out, there's a lot of interesting and

important facts about your period and the female reproductive system (I found

a lot of helpful information on there for myself, you might too).

you can get the bracelet here!

Edit:  I'm actually not sure if this ships outside of the US.  But I think
Kotex has websites for other countries - if you know please leave a comment, it'd help. Thanks!

Beach day at Coronado Island c:

So this Wednesday I spent the day at the beach with Austin - 

it was nice taking a day off to go outside in the warm weather c:

It was nice and warm, with just a bit of sun (not enough to burn though).
but the water was still too cold to swim so we just rolled around
and lay in the sand under my hat.  (Seagulls tried to steal our bread. :c )

Then we went to Cold Stone for icecream and dinner at Costa Azul. 

 I hadn't been there before but the food was pretty good - it's a Mexican food 

restaurant, & the waiter was a funny dude!

(Hopefully the photos show up okay, I made this post from my phone 

so I'm not sure how this post will look online. :o)

butts

look at that sky though. <3

live music at Costa Azul big daddy Curtis band

Pikachu 3DS XL! ♥

 I got my Pikachu 3DS XL this past Tuesday, 2 days after it was released!  

It's supposed to be for my graduation present c: but I'm taking

pictures and posting about it now because I really wanted to take a look at it.

This is a really big deal for me because I don't usually go in for updating my game console
every time a new one comes out (usually the new one plays the previous console's games anyway),
& when we do buy a console it's been the larger ones for multiplayer games (aka PS3).
I'm so glad I decided not to get a 3DS back when they came out - originally I didn't like the 3D aspect because it made mea bit dizzy, so I'll probably play with the 3D setting off/super low.  The big thing on this
imo is the really nice large screen, and the longer battery life.  My sister got the Legend of Zelda special 3DS back in 2011 for Christmas.  As pretty as that edition was, I was a Pokemon kid so I'm biased toward this one!
  

(With school starting on Monday I'm not really going to be able to play much anyway, 

so it's not so hard to wait until June to open in - I wouldn'tve played until summer vacay!)

I was worried they were going to sell out of it everywhere since I waited so long,

and I saw the kerfuffle on Tumblr... but luckily a store in El Cajon had ONE more left 

and the lady there put it on hold for me. (  .u.) b

Here's everything that came in the box: charger cord, instruction manuals, & AR cards.

Here he is!  I did sort of see how people were saying the camera lenses looked like nipples..

but it's not (too) obvious!  It's a nice size - my sister has a standard 3DS and it's way bigger

in comparison (more than I was expecting).  It's also really smooth - it's fun to pet hold it c: I guess

it goes with the XL being designed for kids, or so I've heard?
(I'm getting a clear shell to help prevent scratches .x. )

& here's the case I got with it - Princess Peach c:

(they were out of Mario, but I would've liked either Mario or Peach)

so now my 3DS won't get scratched, hopefully (I'm

the kind of person who always has that happen to me, so

I've learned my lesson the hard way ^^; )

It has a bunch of pockets for games, and a really cute pattern 

on the inside too.  Plus it came with two styluses 

(the flower is my favorite ;u; ).

And a bunch of illustrated AR cards to access games 

(I like the Kirby one myself,  but I have a feeling my sis 

would like the Link card c: )

I don't have any 3DS games - all of mine are regular DS games.  But I'm excited now

for the Pokemon XY coming out c: (now that I can actually play it).  

& I want to play TWEWY on the larger screen, yay!  Also I want to try out

the 3D camera, I wonder if you can view the photos in 3D on a laptop or such?

Also on the subject of games: expect a few game reviews coming up - 

I've been playing Bayonetta and Resident Evil 6 over spring break.  

( ps. Bayonetta's AMAZING. ♥ )

My bag contents c:

Here's a few of the things I usually carry around with me c:

This is what I bring to go generally anywhere - shopping,
on dates, out with friends & family, and errands.  

I've realized I don't use 3/4 of what I usually load up with in the morning,
so recently I've been narrowing down what I take with me.
My bag's much lighter c: (and my posture's gotten better - or maybe it's
just easier because I don't have a rock on my shoulder?).

< ahcahcum muchacha cat tote! >

I got my bag on Ebay, it was originally given out in ahcahcum muchacha's

fashion lookbook but it was much cheaper on Ebay (& the same quality, I hear).  

I didn't usually use totes on a regular basis before but this one's great, 

it fits everything and it's just the right length to carry on your shoulder OR in your hand 

(I'm 5'4" and the bottom doesn't brush the floor when I hold the handles).

The material's really strong canvas with plastic coating on the inside, and a little pocket
for phone/lipbalm/whatnot.  I've even put my laptop in this bag and it was fine (granted
it's still probably not a good idea to put anything too heavy in here like textbooks or w/e).

< large things! >

I have sunglasses in my bag now all the time - since it's spring 

and much sunnier,it's really great to have them for when I'm driving.

I always have tissues for makeup touch-ups, nosebleeds 

(I get them a lot inwarm weather :c ) and any spills.

The red cloth square is actually a giant bandanna scarf - since the bag

doesn't have a zipper up top I use it for covering the top if it drizzles 

(I used it to cover from RAIN last quarter at school x_x).

I also use it as a normal scarf, a headscarf to cover my hair, as sun/wind/rain

protection, dust faceguard a la cowboy style, to wrap or carry things, 

as a bento box furoshiki, & more...it's extremely useful and multipurpose!

This is a sketchbook I got a couple of months ago.  It's not full yet

but there's a lot of doodles in there from during class/periods of

boredom (drawing professors is problematic but funny).  It's also

great as a notebook to write down ideas/lists - it's lightweight

& unlined blank inside, so it was exactly what I was looking for.

& my phone, with numbers and things inside of it, and a Yui outside of it. 

(I also usually have my DSlite with me, but I just recently got a Pikachu 3DS!  

I haven't opened it yet - I'm making a separate post later after I open it. c: )

< All this stuff usually gets piled into a pouch together. c: >

Squishy nice pen (it was a present and pricy for a pen :c so I've been

most careful not to lose it!) for writing / drawing in my notebook.

Makeup Forever gel liner & mac liner brush - I changed my old one from highschool

finally for sanitary reasons (5 years is probably a good time to get a new one).

LUSH Karma solid perfume, it smells like heaven and flowers and warm sands

and incense and something sweet & exotic.  I love it so much.  

(it also smells of ancient Egypt 

and reminds me of a certain pharaoh)

Some lipbalm/lipcolor products (I'll probably write a review on the makeup I've switched

to recently, & new things I've tried).  

Tide pen - this thing is a lifesaver, it removes EVERYTHING.

Small flash drive just in case...well I don't know |D I feel like I should have one with me.

Eyedrops for shrivelly contact-lens dry eyes

.

Hair things, collapsible hairbrush, & tiny lotion bottle.

iPhone plug just in case my phone starts to die (if I can find an outlet).

My brass mirror, I've carried this everywhere with me whether pocket or bag, EVERY DAY.  

I'll redo this when I go back to classes after spring break - I'm using a different bag because I don't want to break this one!  I also bring a lot of other things with me because I commute 40 minutes drive away (!), and it's hard to need something and not be able to just go back to a dorm/apartment nearby to grab it.  

Recent 2013 OOTD's!

I've been wearing cardigans and light sweaters a lot recently, since the weather's warming up.

I have long socks but it was too cold to wear them with skirts/shorts this winter!

(I went to OB with my biology lab partners for plankton sampling!  

Comfortable and worry-free (aka sand-ok) outfit.)

(This was what I wore for the Cherry Blossom festival at Balboa Park this year,

so it sort of counts as an "outfit" - I'm surprised it was warm enough for yukata~)

Dry Shampoo (Spray type, Tresemme)

Dry shampoo used to be a little hard to find, but recently it's become more common and popular!

 It can be bad to shampoo your hair every day depending on your hair type.  Not washing every day may also help your hair grow & keep your scalp healthy by not stripping it of its good natural oils too often.  Personally I found that if I wash every other day, my hair's a lot softer and shinier (I have slightly coarse, curly hair & it's not very thick) - but I also get greasy pretty quickly. :c

I picked up Tresemme's dry spray shampoo about a month ago to test it out. 

Dry shampoo soaks up any extra greasiness weighing down your hair, & helps volumize hair and refresh the scalp in a pinch.  They come in both spray and powder forms - I tried the spray out because it's less messy and more portable than a powder.  You just hold the can FAR away from your head and spray very sparingly at your roots, then comb through your hair.  (As opposed to powder where you have to either sprinkle your roots or sprinkle a brush/comb, then run that through your hair).   

I heard that it's best to use only a little bit with dry-poo sprays, and it wasn't a joke - overspraying just caused my hair to get clumpy and stick together.  Also if you have dark hair like me and spray too concentrated in one spot, you'll look like you have grey patches.  I also would use this at most up to 2 days since the last shampoo - 3 days onward and it doesn't seem like it would help much in terms of deodorizing or de-greasing, since the effect is pretty mild.  

But besides that, it's really nice - it has a very light, fresh scent, nothing overpowering/unbearable, & it's not residue forming or hard to wash out.  

I generally use it in the morning if I don't have bedhead and I'm in a hurry before class.  

I've also brought it in my bag on long days/days with high humidity, it really helps calm down my hair if it gets greasy or flat (not sure if anti-humidity is a use for dry-shampoo, but it seems to work).   

There are various brands of dry shampoo out there, spray and powder.  You can get Tresemme pretty cheaply at Target & Walmart.  A similar product is Dove's DS spray, which I've also heard good things about.  Target also sells some of the more high-end brands, like  Bumble & Bumble and Fekkai.  

TYPO by Cotton On (Fashion Valley)

So this is a review for Typo by Cotton On, in Fashion Valley Mall.
(first long post in a while, yay!)

*inside of the store from the back*

Typo's a lot like what would happen if you took a bunch of tags from tumblr and made them into a store.  

I felt like I'd fallen into the hipster tag.  It's mostly stationary and cute kitschy/gift things, as well as some nice DIY and scrapbooking items.  A lot of the merchandise there can appeal to both guys and girls.

*Typo's Woodland Collection.*  

(There's some really nice-looking vintage notebooks - they look like actual books, 

& have really highquality binding and stamped "titles".  I wanted to buy the black owl 

one, but it was lined inside & I like plain-pages.)

The store's attached to the main Cotton On shop, but it  

looks like a separate store because it has its own shopfront.  

*pencil/makeup pouches in pretty much any design or color you would like*

*Pens, shaped paperclips, different stamps, staplers, rulers... lots of well designed and cute 

stationary items - I think I might actually go here instead of the Asian market to get school 

supplies, because a lot of these cost the same/less and are better quality.*

*Notebooks and more pouches.  I'm fond of the "let's blog some shit" pouch.*

They also have little "themed" sections like this one:

based around different "personal style" types or color themes.  They even have a French-themed

section, and a comic-book/newspaper themed section.  All the "personal style" sections

had school supplies and room decoration items, too - really nice if you're looking around for

inspiration to redecorate your room a little~!

I didn't know this place existed (I think I might just be behind on the SD scene, though).    

Anyway, I really like it and I hope I get to go soon.  

Check it out if you're in SD or planning a trip to Fashion Valley, 

or just getting ready for the next quarter/semester!

  

And we're back, folks!

It's been a few months since I posted - I'm sorry!  School and life pretty much took over all of my time. :c

I just had my last final on Wednesday and so it's now early Spring Break for me~!

I'll be posting soon some new stuff - Gabs & I visited Typo by Cotton On in Fashion Valley mall, and it was really interesting, so expect something about that.  Other upcoming things are updated OOTDs, recent activity/a "places" post, and hopefully a bag meme (I've meant to draw one for a long time, but I'm probably going to just photograph it ( .u.); being out of practice).

I'm going to try to post something new almost every day over spring break - hopefully I can do it~

Finally I also updated the blog design/color theme a little bit - plus a URL change (previously INKYUUBEYTOR).  

Till next time~

+Isa