Chicago it is...

I'm a bit sad, it's not San Diego but as I said, I haven't been to Chicago before so of course, I'm excited to go. It might not be the best season as it will still be cold in the end of March but who knows... maybe I'll be lucky.

My only concern is that I will probably be on my own... My other phd colleague might be sent to another conference so that we can make a bigger impact, as my advisor said. I don't wanna be a sissy but it gives me more comfort not to be alone in that conference. Let alone the talk and questions... scary...

Outfit #6 +Make-up

Some more of my tutoring outfits... One of my students told me, I'm wearing less and less clothes each day and they're looking forward to the next day. oO haha...

Leggings, cardigan and the yellow top are all from H&M, the tube top underneath and the skirt from New Yorker. Don't know why but the leggings are grayish taupe not petrol, as they appear on the pictures...

Here's my Make-up. I like it green although I don't wear it that often...

I used the following products:

1. Jade - cover stick #24 (green corrects redness)
2. Maybelline - pure. cover mineral concealer #1 (nude beige). 
3. P2 - feel good mineral powder #030 (beige desert) to set the concealer 
4. Essence - eyebrow pencil #02 (brown).
5. ELF - mineral eyeshadow primer
6. Essence Ballerina Backstage LE: 01 Dance the Swan Lake - Eye Soufflé
7. Essence - quattro eyeshadow: 06 Rock Angel - both dark green color for the outer corner of the eye
8. Green Pencil Eyeliner (can't read that anymore...) and dark green eyeshadow to set the eyeliner and avoid smearing
9. Catrice - All Round Mascara Waterproof #010 Blackest Black
10. Alverde Mineral Rouge #2 (Cherry)
11. Rimmel 1000 Kisses - Lipliner Pencil #014 Wild Clover
12. Alverde Lipstick #55 Rosy Caramel

Confusing...

As I've mentioned in August, I was supposed to go to a conference in San Diego next year but with the deadline for the abstract coming next Friday, there is some confusement... The submission process is quite complicated, so that my group started debating on whether another conference around Chicago in March or another one in Sapporo, Japan in August wouldn't be better... not only because it's complicated but also thematically. With the pending deadline in our neck everything is just messed up... Who would have thought the submission to be more complicated than writing the actual actract. Shouldn't the scientific work be harder?

I know... I should stop complaining... I just can't help it. It's a bit disappointing...

Edit: I'm over it :) I haven't been to any of these places, so whatever... woohoo my flight will be payed, so what else should I want?! ˆ-ˆ

Physics Sensation?!

I originally didn't want to write about physics... but if it's true, it's a huge sensation...

Researchers of the OPERA expriment in Swizzerland found particles faster than light! Originally, they wanted to see the muon neutrino oscillating into a tau neutrino but found something with a way bigger impact instead! Neutrinos, which are particles with mass, were 0.0005% faster than light. According to Einstein's theory of relativity (you all know E=mcˆ2, right?), nothing is faster than light (if we talk particle-wise, they are called photons). Especially particles with mass have to be slower than light... Einstein has been proved right tons of times. Therefore, the researchers are very sceptical and careful with their conclusion. They hope the Fermilab in the US will repeat their measurements (from 2009-2011) in order to find the possible mistake. But if they confirm that neutrinos are faster than light, you know who'll get a Noble Prize, don't ya! And another one for the theoretical physicist who finds the according theory to explain all that...

I'm very excited since lunch, when I heard about the measurement. The poor freshmen wanted to watch the livestream of the OPERA press conference, which turned out to be a lecture... haha I didn't even understand too much of what the professor said because it was so technical (where the satelite is, how far away, how accurate they measured, the whole statistics,...) and everything combined with a thick accent...

Then a freshman asked me, what's the big deal? So at least you know ;-)

If you want to know more, click here.

Outfit #5 + Makeup

Monday was my first day of tutoring freshmen and that's what I wore.

 

Dress (I think it was supposed to be a top but I'm small so I wear it as a short dress) and Cardigan are both from Forever 18, Leggings from H&M.

I just did a very easy daily make-up based on brown shades...

Tokyo by Night

Starting off my Japan series with Matcha Latte and Gion Tsujiri, a green tea café, I'll continue with Tokyo by Night (2009). I love Tokyo for being so enormously big but still having these beautiful areas like little islands of peace and harmony. It is so well-balanced and perfect. I felt so at ease, even at night when I was on my own. Incredible how save Tokyo is. There's no other city like this.

These first pictures were taken in Asakusa, a district of Tokyo which is very famous for its temples. It was one of the first locations that I visited and I couldn't believe how clean the streets were... so surreal, just think about how dirty most big cities are and how many people there are in Tokyo (almost 9 million). I used to think Germany has the cleanest streets but now I think it is Japan... (and don't say Singapore... Been there... )

Haha you probably recognize this place... The famous Shibuya disctrict which is a very popular shopping and entertainment area for young people in Japan. I almost got lost because it is so big.

Full of Fashion, department stores and people... There's also a salsa bar on these pictures - it's a world-wide trend. Haha... maybe I'll do a salsa post as well ;-)

Kebab is also such an international thing... Döner for the world!

Another entertainment district is Ginza... I think it is more grown-up than Shibuya because the department stores are more luxurious, there are also theaters and galeries and it is less crowded...

Quest Crew

Quest Crew is a hip hop dancecrew from California (once again California coz that's the mekka of all dancers). They won ABDC Season 3 with a mix of entertainment, musicality, tricks and incredible dance abilities... Not only have they won over America but also Asia, Australia and Europe. They worked with Usher, Far East Movement and had appearances in all the major shows and events (Ellen, Teen Choice Awards, ABDC, SYTYCD, Dancing with the Stars, Emmy Awards, NBA All-Star Game, Disney, ...). It's an incredibly long list, I can tell you.

They have worked with LMFAO lately - making the choreography to "Party Rock Anthem" and "Champagne Showers" and touring with the artists.

♫ Every day I'm shuf-fle-ling... ♫ ♪

Hok, Ryan and D-Trix also participated in SYTYCD prooving they can be more than only b-boys. But more of that in another post...

Lübeck

When it is unbearable in big cities, this is the perfect city in summer. Not too small but still pittoresque and lovely. The weather's not too hot or humid - merely soothing.

Being Asian, I have a big advantage. I can take pictures whenever and as many as I want without people looking funny at me... haha... so good to have prejudices...

Self-made Make-up Box

Since I wanted a red make-up box matching my IKEA Expedit shelf, I bought small wooden drawers and sprayed them red (of course outside on the balcony).

Et voilà le résultat!

I matches the expedit shelf just wonderfully. I even bought small silver buttons for the mini-drawers but the screws were too big and I still haven't bought smaller ones... too lazy... *sigh*

I was so excited that I didn't take any pictures and started right off with the paint...

Can you tell that I love red?

Autosymphonic

 

This week-end, I went for a walk with my boyfriend. At the water reservoir in Mannheim, there was a huge event, called Autosymphonic, because of the car's 125th birthday. It was the world premiere of a multimedial symphony, including "Die Söhne Mannheims", a choire, orchestra and real cars which were used as instruments throughout the piece. I took a couple pictures from the light beams because they were so strong and beautiful...

Uninformed as we were, we didn't know about it and didn't buy any tickets. Unlike the first rumors, they were not as expensive as we heard - starting from around 27 EUR (but up to 195 EUR for the VIP). There were white screens all over the place so that nobody could really sneak inside or even watch for free... But even outside, there were tons of people sitting in the grass and just listening and watching the light beams.

The music was contemporary like in "Donaueschingen Festival" but not as crazy. It is a huge project incorporating visual effects as well but I didn't find it very special. Cars as percussion instead of trash cans. great... oO

But anyway, I read a lot of positive comments about the visual effects. They made the water reservoir turn in an illusion. Sitting inside, it must have been a great.

Edit: Just watch the video below... soooo impressive... wow

[Tagged] Spleens

Lovely Freya tagged me for five of my spleens...

The biggest spleen is probably to study the nerdiest subject ever: Physics... Hopefully next year, I'll have my phd.

For some reason, I normally don't get along very well with girls/women, especially in physics. Thank god, there aren't many of them...

I just can't be nice to people that I don't like... 

I sometimes start crying, when I'm actually angry and mad...

I love dancing to music that I actually don't like and would never listen to on a normal basis. Sometimes the music is really annoying but dancing to a choreography makes the ticks and beats interesting.

[Tagged] Mirror, Mirror on the wall

A self-created tag from lovely Miss Winkelmann.

1. Describe your style. What does it say about you?

I like different styles: From chic to classic to sporty. It can be anything, depending on my mood... I love sophisticated, elegant looks but nearly never do I have an opportunity... Preppy Style is soo cute (though I like that more on blonds than on myself).

Since I dance a lot, I have also quite a few sport outfits. But mostly it's just casual...

2. Your Color Scheme

My favorite color is red. I love bright colors in general... mostly combined with neutrals.

3. Your favorite clothes

It's from the Dominican Republic and I love the asymmetric cut and how vibrant the color is...

4. Your styling rule

Only wear clothes that highlight your features but don't overdo it. Don't follow trends blindly because it might not be made for you.

5. Your biggest mispurchase

A white cardigan from Orsay. It had a stain that I couldn't bleach out and the fabric was so poor, I had to throw it away. Next time, I'll invest in a better brand... maybe Tommy Hilfiger... I saw a really cute white cardigan last time but they didn't have my size...

6. Your fashion secret

Always wear the right underwear (skin color and seemless for a lot of things).
Edit: And most importantly, have the right attitude. Without self-confidence, the best outfit is worthless.

7. Your problem area and how you hide it

I'm small but still curvy so I have to be careful what I wear. I avoid too low-cut tops and in general clothes that are too tight because I don't want to look like head cheese (Presswurst). And I try to wear heels but sometimes it's just no option...

8. Where you buy your clothes

Probably everwhere... I even try to buy clothes whenever I travel. I like the memories whenever I have the chance to wear some outfits from abroad. But of course, I mostly buy my clothes from stores like H&M, New Yorker, Zara, etc.

9. Where you get inspired
Internet, videos, blogs, travelling... There are lots of different ways to get inspired. Some cities are just more fashionable than others. For example, in Tokyo I already felt bad going outside without make-up because some girls just doll-up so much.

Of course, I wouldn't wear that but still there's more pressure.

Dancers also inspire me a lot. I like their urban style...


Don't have any... Maybe I'll find one when I really start working for a company rather than the university. I try not to think about brands because I can't buy most of them anyway.

11. Do you tailor your own clothes?

No. I'm not talented enough and my sewing machine is really bad... I can only shorten things. Since I'm so small, I need to sew all my jeans.

12. Do you collect anything?

Scarfs and belts to match my outfits... I also own tons of tanktops, neckholder tops and bandeau tops.

13. How do you like partner looks?

Only on twins and only when they are little. I don't even like uniforms for dance groups...

14. Do you like Halloween?

Not too much... I once dressed up as a Hawaiian Hula dancer during my year abroad at an American university. Since I actually dance Hula, it wasn't much of a dress-up though :D. To that time, I also liked to accessorize with a flower in my hair. No wonder that most people thought I was from Hawaii. 

15. Your own wedding-look

White and beautiful of course... Maybe something red incorporated but I don't know... My own wedding is still far away.

16. Your go-to wedding-look

Definitely a dress... If long or short depends on the weather and the style of the wedding...

17. Your shopping rule that you always break
This time only window-shopping.

Physical Funk

Physical Funk are a German hip hop dancecrew. They were founded in 2006 and have been successful ever since, winning the German Dance Masters Competition several times as well as the UDO European Championship of 2011. They also competed at Hip Hop International, where they placed 5th in 2009 (watch their performance in this video) but in 2010 and 2011 their chances became lower and lower. I suppose it is because Hip Hop Internationals has become more and more commercial - the direct link to ABDC speaks to itself. It's not a judgement, just a note!



Anyway... Physical Funk just opened a Dance Studio in Edingen last week, which is between Mannheim and Heidelberg. So if you're looking for Hip Hop classes, this is the way to go! They are very nice and humble people and what I've experienced so far, they're great teachers as well. And if you're young and talented, you might be interested in the fact that they want to build a junior crew for competitions. It costs only 20 EUR per month for as many classes as you want to take until December. Compared to other schools, it's a really good deal! Especially for the quality they offer... 

I hope they will be very successful because I find it really sad that dance is the only artform that doesn't pay off (except if classes are given or a school is opened). Well-known painters, actors and singers earn soooo much more than well-known dancers... but maybe times will change...

Make-up #3

I also captured my Make-up to Outfit #4, though I think I shouldn't have gone for black but maybe for gray.

But anyway... this is what I used:

1. Jade - cover stick #24 (green corrects redness)
2. Maybelline - pure. cover mineral concealer #1 (nude beige). I forgot to take out the P2 - feel good mineral powder #030 (beige desert) to set the concealer and the Essence - eyebrow pencil #02 (brown).
3. ELF - mineral eyeshadow primer
4. Essence eye soufflé from the Ballerina Backstage Limited Edition #01 (dance the swan lake) - all over the eye.
   
5. Essence eye soufflé #03 (grand-plié in black) - from the outer corner to the middle of the eye.
6. H&M eyeshadow #28 (Clear Night) - above the black eye soufflé and blend
7. MNY eyeshadow #625 black - just in the outer corner of the eye.
8. Manhattan Pencil Eyeliner #11 (black) to rim the eye and set with the MNY eyeshadow
9. Alverde Mineral Rouge #2 (Cherry)
10. Rimmel Lipliner #14 (Wild Clover) - my exact lipcolor
11. Alverde Lipstick #55 (Rosy Caramel) - my favorite nude color
12. Nivea Mascara - Extreme Resist Volume & 24h Hold Waterproof (black)

And here is the total result.

Outfit #4

Time for another outfit... I just bought these white pants at New Yorker last week-end and I ♥ them (only 7,95 EUR ^.^). The red tanktop is from H&M, the black shirt from the US, I don't remember, where I bought them but the store probably doesn't exist here anyway...

Since it was so warm, I decided to do a French Braid with a little twist, starting from the left side of my head and slowly working my way down to the right side... It wasn't easy taking this picture, I can tell you... haha it kinda looks like I had highlights or white hair but it's just the sun
:)

My Make-up is captured in this post: Make-up #3.

Castle Illumination

This year's last castle illumination in Heidelberg.

Tonight's Dinner

My roommates and me tried to make "Schwäbische Spätzle" tonight but as it turned out, it wasn't easy...

With the mushroom sauce it tasted great, although I don't think we found the right consistency for the dough...

Well but anyway... we had this fabulous dessert... cake, icecream and whipped cream... hmm yumyum

ELF: Eyes, Lips, Face

I ordered the following products on the e.l.f. cosmetics homepage.
I originally bought the Mineral Eyeshadow Primer, the contour brush, the natural radiance blush (innocence), the mineral blush (berry merry), the waterproof eyeliner pen (black) and two nailpolishes (light pink and white).

Unfortunately, the white nailpolish leaked out and wasn't very good either, so I threw it away. The innocence blush wasn't very satisfying either because the pigmentation is quite weak, especially for my dark skin - I use it as an eyeshadow now. But the other products that I've bought are quite great. The contour brush is soooo smooth and soft. I need to buy a couple more, besides the powder brush from the studio line (it was sold out the last time). Because of my Asian eyes, eyeshadow normally doesn't last on my eyelids but this mineral eyeshadow primer works wonders... it's better than the Manhattan base that I used before (dried out very fast). The waterproof eyeliner pen is empty now but I used it very often and I will buy a new one.

ELF light pink (2 coats)

pure nails

Sorry for the change of lightning... Somehow the sun came out, when my nailpolish finally dried. I'm not sure yet, if I'd buy any other nailpolish from E.L.F. anymore. The white nailpolish was a big disappointment but the light pink is just great. Two coats are enough for my perfect rosé.

Whacking and Voguing

Whacking (also Waacking or Punkin') and Voguing are quite similar dance styles which are often confused because they both started as underground dances and battles in the gay scenes. As often, they are more up-to-date. Whacking evolved at the west coast from funk and dance music in the early 70s, while Voguing has mostly been danced to house music at the east coast in the early 60s. Since nowadays dancers use all kinds of music to dance, a seperation is difficult.

Voguing consists of poses (like on a runway) and also the transitions between them. There are three styles: 1. Old Way (formation of lines and symmetry), 2. New Way (more rigid and geometric movements, influenced by mime) and 3. Vogue Femme (exaggerated femine movements, influenced by modern and ballet - with 6 elements: hands, duckwalk, catwalk, spins, dips and floor performance). The events are called balls with battles on a runway clearly demonstrating the influence of fashion runways on this style)

Whacking is more fluent than Voguing, accentuating the beats with the hands and the body rather than the poses.

The following video shows Kaba Modern at the Body Rock in 2010. This section concentrates on whacking with the slow motion in shablam, death drop or dip (however you wanna call it).

The Big Bang Theory (real life)

Sometimes I tend to believe, I could write plots for The Big Bang Theory because all the major characters exist in my life... I wonder, if studying physics made us this way or if all those stereotypes just study physics. But it's probably like hens and eggs...

Do you know the feeling, when you watch a movie and you know exactly what will happen next - for example a kiss or a slap? That's how I feel about my friend C. But unfortunately mostly in a bad way... and no matter how hard I try to warn him or tell him not to, it will happen... For example recently, he made friends with a very pretty but taken colleague who came here from abroad to study here. On a night out with some other friends, we were joking around and she said, she wished their meetings could be at her home because the weather is always nice and she lives close to the beach... somehow it ended up with him making vacations at her hometown for a couple days. Her boyfriend was of course a bit tense but nevertheless he had a great time with her and her friends. Even her parents really liked him... so far so good... Coming back from his vacation, he was all tanned and relaxed... He told me that he didn't know if he should mention anything to his other colleagues because it might look weird that he visited her and I told him to do exactly the opposite because he can't hide it anyway and he shouldn't try because it would look like he would have an affair with her which would make her look bad and she would be mad at him...

Guess what happened the next day... The girl told everyone that my friend visited her but he refused to say anything about the vacation...
'-.-