Things you don’t know about me Part I

Many of you asked me to tell you more about me during these...almost...two years. 

Finally, here it is! A story in two parts about the things you, probably, don’t know about me. The serious part, today and the fun facts, tomorrow. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it. And please, be gentle, don’t laugh...I’ve opened my heart, here ☺

My full name is Nadina – Alina Filipescu

 I love my last name and I’m secretly planning to keep it, although I don’t really fancy the idea of having such a long name. Anyway, my first name was my childhood nightmare. Not a single person seemed to get it right: I was either Nadia, or Adina, never Nadina. Plus, everybody used to ask me what’s with it, since it’s not a very common name in our country. My mother chose it inspired by a character from a famous Romanian novel: „Răscoalaˮ by Liviu Rebreanu, plus she loved the french version Nadine and that was it. I was doomed for life! Since it is my first name, everybody used to call me like that and it drove me crazy. I was so happy when I finished school...Still, my boyfriend and his family still call me Nadina! I hate him for that! I hope you’re reading this, hon!

  

 I have a brother

I don’t know if I ever mentioned that on the blog, but I do. I have an older brother, nine years older, actually. Yes, we’ve been through that older brother-little sister phase...not with the protective attitude, oh...no way. But with the teasing and fighting, and constant arguing. We’ve been there, of course, but then again, who hasn’t?! We are quite different so, as time went by we drifted apart. I really, really, reaaaally wish I had a sister, also. I am so jealous of those of you who were so lucky to have a sister: older, younger...doesn’t matter, as long as she’s there. I don’t think that a relationship more beautiful than the one between two sisters, exists. Really. In my opinion, it is the most sincere, honest, pure and strong relationship you can have with another human being.

I have a serious relationship 

since my last year of high school, so for almost 7 years, now. 

It feels like forever. I literally can’t remember how my life was before him. My boyfriend and I have been friends for three years before we got together, so we’ve known each other for ten years, now. It’s one of the best things in our relationship. He is my lover, my best friend, the person who has always been there for me, the one I’m torturing with my shopping addiction and...my photographer.  

 

I love animals

I have three dogs: one Labrador, one Labrador Retriever and that little white puffy thing. When I took him home with me, two years ago, I thought he was a Pomeranian. Well, it grew, and grew, and grew and now...my little „two kilograms fur ballˮ wannabe is a 9 kilograms pony.
 I’ve found out he was a Spitz, after all. 

And of course, my beloved Birmanese cat, who has been with me since I was nine years old.   
He is quite old, but he hasn’t changed a bit. He is extremely playful and naughty and I hope he’ll be with me for as long as possible. I love them, all, with all my heart and I couldn’t imagine my life without them. 

I work as a manager at my own Beauty Salon 

 Well, my mother’s, actually, since it was founded 14 years ago. 

I’ve been going there almost every day since I was in high-school and I love it. It feels like my second home, really. Most of the girls work there for almost ten years, so it’s like a small family, right now. We struggle to offer our clients only the best of everything at affordable prices. We work only with the best brands and products in every field (L’oreal, Kérastase, Moroccanoil, Guinot, Babor, Anesi, Alessandro, OPI, CND, Essie)  and our girls are the best at what they do. 
And that’s a fact, not a marketing  phrase.

 Also, at the beginning of this year, I’ve started my own online shop. 

Its name says it all. Luxury Beauty offers a wide range of professional luxury beauty and haircare products. L’oreal, Kérastase, Moroccanoil, Guinot andBabor. 

Everything you wish for, you’ll find it there at the best quality! 

Oh, yeah...and I’m a blogger :)

I don’t have any vices

 I don’t smoke, I never drink alcohol...like never! I’m that person who refuses to take even a small sip of champagne for her birthday or on New Year’s Eve. I absolutely adore the smell or coffee flavor in everything (candy, cakes, macarons), but I never drink coffee.

I am addicted to sweets

 And I mean, literally addicted. I can’t live without them and that is a fact. I have to eat something sweet after every meal I have, or else I feel like there’s something wrong. It is impossible for me to start a diet, because I really can’t live without my precious dessert. 

I am addicted to gum

  I really can’t live without chewing gum. I have this addiction ever since I was in high-school and I honestly don’t think I will ever loose it. I have dozens of packages at home and I can’t leave the house without it. If I do, it’s worse than forgetting my phone. 

I absolutely adore reading 

 I could spend hours and hours reading. It’s the perfect form of relaxation for me. I was that student, who, at the beginning of a new school year, had a list of 20-30 books read during Summer. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to do it as often as I would like, 
but I still read a lot, mostly online, but still.

Although people see me as a calm person, 

I am always on the verge of a breakdown. 

I have a choleric personality and most of the time, I act impulsively. It’s not something that I’m particularly proud of, but unfortunately I can’t control it. Also, I am order obsessed. That’s why I choose to do most of the things myself, just to be sure I won’t have to do them again. Weird, I know!

I got my driver’s license exactly one month after I turned eighteen,

 on July 14. I was that terrified of the exam, that after I got home (at 10 a.m.),

 I slept for 8 hours straight. I was literally exhausted from all the emotions. I love driving, but I always prefer the right seat, when available.

 

I am extremely impatient 

 I literally can’t sit still for more than a few minutes. Getting my nails or my hair done is not a relaxation for me, it’s a torment. I love the result, I just can’t handle the process. I’m just like those annoying kids: „Are we there yet?, Are we there yet?, Are we there yet?ˮ

I absolutely love walking

  During Summer, I spend more than two or three hours a day walking in the park with Bijou. It comes to the point when he really starts begging me to go home. I love this type of normal...boring, might some say...activities. I would give an hour spent hanging out in a cafe,
 for an hour spent in the park, any time. 

 

I always say what I think 

 It’s one of my biggest flaws, although I consider it to be a quality that I would like to see in others, also. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not that annoying person who tells you up front that you are having a bad hair day, or starts criticizing your outfit. On the contrary, I am not judgemental at all. I tend to see the good side in people. I always say what’s on my mind when it comes to feelings, thoughts or opinions, if I’m being asked for it.

I never compromise

  And I despise the people, mostly women, who do. I think that one of the most important things you have in this life is...yourself. The true, pure and inner you. You and the values that have been given to you by your parents, by your culture and education. 

If you screw with yourself...if you disrespect yourself, you disrespect your family, the hard work and years spent by your parents to make you who you are today. A person who doesn’t respect itself, doesn’t deserve the respect of others.  And I truly believe that! 

In other words, I don’t like to choose the easy way, I don’t like to cheat and lie to make my way up top. So, the posts you’ll be seeing on this blog will reflect my choices, my thoughts...me, as I am. I don’t want to pose in a glamorous gown, when I’m wearing a simple black dress for an event. I don’t want to pose in a fake Chanel suit, when I’m wearing pants and a plain shirt to work. I don’t want to pose in a silk dress, when I’m wearing jeans and flats for a walk in the park. I don’t want to borrow my best friend’s designer accessories to show you how cool, chic and glamorous I am. I am not! 

And I don’t want to pose in silk lingerie, when I know that I’m wearing tights and 

Hello Kitty socks when I’m at home.  I will not sell myself short. 

I will not lie to myself and to everybody around me, including you! Neither should you...

I am terrified of public speaking 

 I really am and always have been. It seems like the hardest thing in the world for me.

 And that comes from a person who finished Public Relations and Communication. 

Let me tell you one thing, I won’t be the one sitting in front of you willingly, like...never.

I’m a saver

  Sure, I spend a lot of money on clothes, accessories and so, but this is my weakness and 

I admit it. But other than that, I am definitely a saver. I’ve been saving money ever since I was a child. Love the feeling of safety, security...or fulfilment it gives me and I couldn’t live any other way. Yes, it’s true that most of the time the money I save end up being spent on a fabulous bag, or on...one, or two, three leather jackets, but still. If I want to make an investment, I always think it through, I am not an impulse buyer and I avoid spending money when I don’t have to or need to.

I don’t really like posing

  I know it may seem very hard to believe, but I don’t . 

Of course, we all love to have some nice pictures of ourselves, but other than that,

 I hate it. Mostly because the camera really doesn’t love me that much, so that is why I always pose with my right side (the good side) facing the camera. It’s weird that when I first started blogging, I used to pose with the other side more. Oh, well, who knows the wonders of modelling and photography?! Not me, that’s for sure! 

True fact: I hate posing that much, that in the last two years,
 the only pictures I took are the ones you saw on the blog.

I have the worst short term memory, 

but I remember even the smallest thing I did ages ago

 And that is a fact. I am actually quite worried about my short term memory. 

I always forget what I have to do, so that’s why I always keep lists. Lists with things I have to do, outfits I should wear, stuff I have to buy...Not groceries, actual stuff! When my mother sends me outside to bring her parsley, for example, I always find myself in the middle of the garden, asking myself: „What in the world was I sent for?!ˮ 

Still, I can tell you in a second what I was wearing on my first day of school, 
or what was the main course at my 10th birthday.

I am pro plastic surgery

  I am extremely critic and realistic with the way I look, I am very much aware of the flaws that I have and I would fix them all in a second. Fortunately, I am still quite aware of the downsides of surgery, so for now at least, I avoid falling in this trap. Cause once you’re in, you’ll never get out! I have what I call „a speed bumpˮ in the middle of my nose, so I kinda look like a witch from profile. It really messed up my self esteem during my teenager years, to be honest. So, I was planning a rhinoplasty ever since and, at 18 I almost did it. Unfortunately, I had the „pleasureˮ of meeting a plastic surgeon that wasn’t so good with words and it kinda freaked me out. I’m still planning to do it, though, mostly because of the medical reason: I have a deviated septum, also.

One of my biggest wishes is to have a girl

 I’ve already told you how much I wanted a sister, so it only makes sense that 

I would like to have a daughter, also. What am I saying?! I would give anything to have a daughter, actually. It’s one of my biggest wishes and hopefully, one day, 

I will be able to share with you the good news!

I don’t watch TV, nor do I read newspapers

  I stopped watching TV about two years ago, simply because there’s nothing you can see except violence, scandals, gossip or nudity. This is available for most of the newspapers, also. I am truly ashamed with the low quality level that local media reached during these last years. The level of manipulation, distortion of truth, lying, cheating and dissipation is just outrageous. I love magazines, though. The ones I’m reading: Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, The One, Business Woman and from time to time: Cosmopolitan, Glamour or Tabu. The first two are my bibles. I never miss an issue and I can’t wait to travel abroad to buy the local issues, also. If I understand the language, of course. Also, I am definitely a TV series addict. I could watch them all day, every day. My favorites: Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, 90210, CSI, Criminal Minds and many, many others.

Stay tuned for PART II, tomorrow...