Cosmetic Dentistry: Consultation and Background

                Tuesday November 11 was the day I woke up and decided that I really wanted a cosmetic surgery done…and soon. Immediately, I grabbed my tablet from my bedside and started researching possible options for a new smile. I concluded that I would be needing dental implants, and braces could not possibly close the window gap that I have. Before I proceed, I’d like to give you a lil background of my "signature smile".

                When I was about 2-3 years old, I had all four upper front teeth. Soon, a gap began to form, moving #7 & #8 and #9 & #10 close to each other. One fateful day, I was playing around with my siblings and fell face down. I lost all four front baby teeth. Surprisingly, when my permanent teeth started to grow out, my roots had a joint decision[literally] to send two teeth out (#8 and #9) and retained the rest, thus leaving me with a very huge gap in my mouth. And because it was such a little gap as a child and having a gap teeth was sorta in vogue, I grew up with it.
When people ask me if it has affected my self-esteem, I say NO. If anything, it made me subconscious because I soon realized that my mouth became the center of attraction in that during a conversation, I would trace people’s eyes going to my mouth. This made me very conscious of the way I talked and laughed. But one thing it never did was bring down my self-esteem. It came to a point that some people would want to see my teeth out of curiosity and ask me to smile. Weirdos. Haha.

                So on the 11^th, I did my research and found Clear Choice. Did I know how much I’d be spending? NO. Had I saved up enough money for this journey like I planned to in the future? NO. Jeez I just got my first big paycheck in august and I wasn't ready to dig into my savings. However, I prayed and went with my gut. I set up an appointment for the 13^th and went in for my consultation which took roughly 4 hours. It entailed talking about the company, options that I had, financing options available, and fitting.
Cool fact: I found out my teeth color is an A1-B2. Not bad ;)

                Moving on, I left that facility feeling ecstatic and nervous. Nervous that I would be spending a NEW Car [metaphor] on this. Happy that I would have a better smile moving on.  The conclusion for the cosmetic was for me to have a 4 on 2, meaning, they would extract my two front teeth. And instead of drilling in four prosthetic, they would construct four to be drilled into two holes.

               

  My appointment was set for December 2nd. Today!

Later,

IG Flicks

Just some photos from my Instagram page...

At Jummy's wedding 2weeks ago.
Guipure fabric. Dress made by Puduci

Knit Sweater- Zara (buy Here), Pants- F21

Top- Akira, Skirt(old), Heels- Akira

Went out to dinner at the Signature Room
Dress- Akira (buy Here), Heels- ASOS (similar Here)

Later,

xxxo

Hello?

Is anyone out there?

*dusts cobwebs* 

Well, it's been a while since I logged in to my blogger account, and the sole reason(s) being...

So I haven't talked much about work. But like I said on my last post, my facility is under new and better management- Warren Barr. I like the change that comes with it, but sometimes things get really busy.

I'm yet to sync my life with my work schedule.  I work the 3-11pm shift. It gets really, really busy sometimes with admissions, labs, etc etc, but I'd rather have this than the 11-7am shift. Ultimately, I'll like to work 7-3pm. I've always been a morning person, so getting up at 5:30 wouldn't be a big deal.

My day in life: After work, sometimes getting off as late as 2 AM, I go home, shower; go to bed; wake up the next day at like 9-11 AM; eat; get some work done, and repeat the whole process all over. And on my days off, I run errands and try to catch up with friends.

Besides my previous excuse for not blogging, not having a laptop was another. But I recently acquired a new laptop (thanks to a dear friend), so that will change.

Btw, I'm still plan on having my house apartment-warming.

We'll see how it goes,

See you on my next post.

xxxo

Happy September

Happy new month.

The month of August was an eventful one for me, friends and family.

I moved into my new apartment in Chicago. I love it out here; it's right by the lake and I love being on the 14th floor. I've furnished the unit for the most part, but still getting things in order. I'll bring in the photos later.

I got done with my job training after 4weeks, and I've been doing well on my own, thank God. The facility is under new owners and management, so things are getting very busy.

My father turned 60 on the 24th. I thank God for his life! He's such an amazing father and an inspiration (I'll talk more about him in another post).

My big sis Rosie, got engaged to her boo! Those two are so cute together! Can't wait to begin bridesmaid duty and the whole wedding process.

I pray this month brings us all joy, love,  peace, and fulfilment.

Have a great week ahead, and enjoy Labor Day!!

xxxo

Birthday Dinner

My birthday was on Tuesday, July 15. To be honest, I didn't have anything planned until a week before, because I thought I'd still be prepping for my board exam.

Actually, I did have something in mind. I was going to do a joint shindig with my friend, Clara in Champaign. My plans fell out because I was to go to Chicago for my mom's event (I didn't want to miss it).

Anyway, I called a few friends of mine, and because it was sorta late notice, some couldn't make the  trip cos of work.

I wanted to have an intimate celebration. Although I tried my best to stay off the dinner cliché, it was scheduled a day before. The reason being was because my initial plan (to go wine tasting) was almost impossible. We couldn't find good deals, wineries and vineyards were not within range, so I settled for dinner at a Brazilian Steakhouse, Brazzaz here in Chicago.  And honestly, I enjoyed my night. And because it was an intimate outing, everyone was free to talk about anything. Highlight of my night was cracking up at Funke's expense (private matter) haha! We then went to Nouveau Tavern to end the night.

I won't bore you any further with the stories...here is a collage:

I went with a neutral theme: gold, silver, beige, ivory, cream, metallic grays, nude, soft pewter...you get the gist. I wanted sexy and elegance which was to tie in with wine tasting.

I still want to go wine tasting. Might set something up with the girls.

Thanks for stopping by

Life...

Between my new job and moving, my life has been pretty busy, to say the least. 

I started work as a registered nurse two weeks ago, and for someone who's never gotten a working experience (Clinical don't count), it's been a lil challenging, and by challenging, I mean handling paperwork, documentation, etc etc

All we use here is paper-chart. It's very different from the computer charting that I'm already used to...but I'm getting the hang of things. I work 3-11pm shift, but there's no telling if I'd get off at that time--always expect the unexpected (I think that's how you say it).

Moving on...

Last weekend, I moved in a day and a half from Chicago to Edwardsville and back, then again the following day...driving for 4+hrs was not the ish at all! I hate moving, so the whole process was quite frustrating. I moved my things to my parent's basement, but since they live in the suburbs, I thought it'd be wise to squat at a friend's apartment for the mean time. Her apartment was only 13mins away from my workplace, whereas the suburbs is about 45mins.

But yeah, yesterday (Sunday), I moved into my apartment in South Shore, off S Lake Shore Drive. 

I love this place, it's environ, the lake view, and oh my unit is spacious!! Closets everywhere...I so needed that. I'll bring in pictures when it's furnished. I'm off work this weekend, so I'll definitely go furniture hunting/shopping/whichever. 

P.s. I'm blogging from my iPad, so I'm not sure how the format will turn out. Guess I'll find out later. My laptop is down, finally. I've had it since 2009...it's served me well.

Happy Monday. 

Have a blessed week.

xxxo

New Beginnings

This month of July has been more than a blessing to me; in fact, this year has!

You recall that I took my boards on July 3rd. My official result was sent a week after that. 

I've been at my parent's for a week now and I've spent my days here chillaxin.

Two days ago, I got desperate as I thought I should resume my job hunt as my post-nclex-break came to a halt. I reached out to a nurse friend of mine who told me to apply at a facility. I immediately got on Google, called the healthcare center, and thereafter, was told to come in the following day-- yesterday.

So yesterday, I walked in with my resume, filled out an application, and took a short readiness nursing test, after which I had an interview with the nursing supervisor/hiring personnel. I thought it went well as she eagerly congratulated me for passing NCLEX.

 Today, I got a call that I got the job and I'm to begin next week! Say whaaa? 

Now I'm left with no choice but to speed up my moving process. Because I've already made plans to look for an apartment and celebrate my birthday this weekend (my birthday was yesterday..yes, I was out job hunting on my birthday), I'll go the following weekend and will only have TWO DAYS to move!

This has got to be one of my favorite birthdays ever!

I got my first nursing job in my city, and downtown Chicago at that! 

Time to start my "big girl" job.

Can't lie, I'm super nervous...as I should be; but I'm very excited for this new chapter of my life!

I'll definitely share how my first week goes. 

Can't wait to sign off as: CUmesegha, RN ;)

xxxo

I Passed NCLEX!!!

I am beyond ecstatic and grateful to God for seeing me through boards.

I received my Authorization to Test (ATT) on the 11th of June and I didn't know what day I wanted to schedule to take the exam. I knew I wanted to be very prepared and so I stalked the Pearson website and changed my test dates 3X! I studied intensively for 3weeks and tested on July 3rd.

As requested, here are the resources that I used to study.
Note that I did not study every material in and out. I certainly did not have the time to do so.

1. Kaplan. I registered for Kaplan the following week after graduation. I took the 4-day review class (which wasn't all that beneficial, in my opinion) and did all practice questions; 1000+ q-banks and 7 question trainers. I reviewed most wrong answers, and rationales. I also watched some of their LOC videos. Watch all of them if you can! I bought Kaplan for $500...you may be lucky to get a discount of some sort.

2. Hurst. My good friend Vanessa gave me her Hurst review book. That book deals with a lot of content but I mainly focused on Peds and Orthopedics. My weaker areas.

3. Kaplan Content Review, Kindle App. This is the review book, but in kindle version and free! I downloaded the app on my iPad from Amazon, skimmed through, and found very helpful information. You can bookmark, make notes and highlight important points. If you want the book itself, it sells for about $40.

4. Saunder's Comprehensive Review, 5th Edition. This has a lot of info, from OB to Peds, to Med-Surg. I didn't get to read the book at all; the sight of it scared me! However, I did some of the practice questions on the CD, though they seemed a bit too easy! Not very helpful in setting standards, but I highly recommend the CD for practicing SATAs(select all that applies). Again, I only did a couple questions.

5. Lippincott's Prep-U. I initially bought this back in March in preparation for my exit HESI exam for about $90. It has lots of practice questions and recommends you reach a mastery level of 8 in all areas to be ready for boards. This was actually the most helpful of them all. [And to think I once took it for granted!]

6. Apps and Google. In the beginning stage of studying, I searched for free apps on my tablet and did some questions and read everything therein. Also, you'd be surprised what you will find on Google, especially allnurses site.

I also practiced the SATA questions found on Kaplan review. I made sure to use every bit of information on Kaplan, only because I spent a good amount on it. Meh!

I had roughly 3 weeks to study, and I did so intensively!..OK, kinda. But the last week, I gave it my all. Went MIA on my social life and I'm glad I made that decision.
You've got to minimize distractions, people!!!

I can't say all of these helped me. Some people have used other resources, or only Prep-U or Hurst and have passed. And on the other hand, unfortunately, many have had to retake the test. I'd say use what works for you. For me, it was Kaplan and Prep-U.
Personally, I think Kaplan questions are a lot harder than NCLEX, and that is why they recommend you reach 60% on the trainers and cumulative q-banks.

Don't forget to pray. I very much believe in the power of prayer!
If you're not religious, do what works for you--yoga, retail, exercise, beer?

And no, I did not take the day before the test off. Studied all night, as per my norm...

Well I hope this helps some of you.
Best of luck. You will do fine!

xxxo

Say Yes

There's no way I'll listen to this song and not blog about it!

Yesterday, Michelle Williams released a video to her new song, Say Yes featuring her sisters, Beyonce and Kelly. This song is phenomenal!

I remember singing this song in Nigeria every Sunday and in my household. It is very refreshing to hear and holds true to it's meaning.

The song is a remix of an original Nigerian/West African gospel.

"When Jesus say(s) yes, nobody can say no."

Watch Destiny's Child deliver:

All it's telling you to do really, is to trust and believe. Have faith in whatever deity you worship/believe in, and if non...believe in yourself!

The weekend is almost here guys!!

xxxo

Black Midi

Lately I've been very much into midi dresses.

Oh, hi! This is a very late post, and I'm only able to do so because I'm taking a much needed break. But anyway...

I wore this to a friend's birthday dinner last month and I had initially bought the dress for my graduation but decided to stay off black for the occasion. I paired the dress with my silver heels from Asos and I loved the combination along with my pewter earrings. 

Have a great week!

xxxo

Checking In

I have not had much of a break due to my study schedule, but I've been able to hang out with some friends a few times these past couple of weeks here.

By the way, I hope your Memorial Day Weekend was great? Mine was fun!

I'm going back to Edwardsville next week in hopes that I'd be more focused there...

On another note, Olamide will be in Chicago on the 12th of June!!! 

La familia at my baby sis' graduation

Instagram (IG) post

IG post

Thanks for stopping by.

xxxo

Congrats, Grad!!!

Congratulations to every 2014 graduate! We did it!!!

It's been over 2weeks since I graduated with my Bachelors in nursing (BSN) and I still feel like I'm in school. I've been paying the library visits to prepare for my NCLEX examination!

Below are some photos from my graduation. My baby sis also graduated high school last week. #Blessings

Before commencement

My clinical friend, Valery.

Some of my girls from Chicago, Springfield, and Bloomington!

My buddies!

Claraberry!

My dollface

Sibs!

Proud parents :)

YES!!! I did it!

Let's rock summer!

xxxo

What To Wear: Class Presentation

It's that time of the semester where we have to present class projects, thesis, senior assignments, and so on!

Choosing the appropriateness for your dressing choice all depends on the program you're in (e.g. Law students may be required to dress differently from a nursing or an engineering student), and the leniency of your professor.

I have created a couple of outfit inspirations that may guide you to choosing the right fit. I've also written a presentation etiquette that you should abide by, especially if your presentation is to the core.

1.
Don't be afraid to wear color.
This is something I would wear. I always stay away from your typical black on black suits.

What To Wear: Class Presentation by china-young featuring a tom binns necklace

2.
Who says you can't wear peplum on peplum?
Again, be creative with your bottom wear; unless you are told to wear a suit.
Do not overdo your accessories-it can be distracting.

What To Wear: Class Presentation by china-young featuring a wool pencil skirt

3.
If you must wear a suit, make sure it's fitting.

What To Wear: Class Presentation by china-young on Polyvore

Presentation Etiquette: 

- Study before hand; do not read directly from the screen. You want to engage your audience and show that you know what you're talking about. You may use a note card to guide you.

- Scanty slides are the best. Use pictures, diagrams, charts, and key points. There isn't any point putting every detail on your PowerPoint slides. Who wants to read all of that? Not me.

-Don't chew gum! I can't tell you the number of times students are caught chewing gum and ruin chances of a better grade for their peers. It is unprofessional!

-Restrain from "umm" and "uhh" as much as possible. Don't smack your lips either! Annoying much?

-Ladies, ladies. Refrain from wearing tight clothing. You don't want to be self conscious and loose your train of thought when all eyes are tracing parts of your body. Also, pull your hair back and out of your face.

-Be light on the make-up! Unless you're in some beauty school or something of that nature.

-Be comfortable. Wearing heels is definitely not compulsory. Flats go with any outfit choice.


***
I'm done with finals and I eagerly await graduation day :)
Good luck with exams and all. Rock your last week of the semester!


xxxo

May 1st

Happy new month everyone!

This month is especially special for me because I will be graduating next week!! Can you believe it?

I started this blog when I got into nursing school, and it has stood by me all the way; keeping me sane and what not :')

May this month bring us all the greatest joy for the rest of our lives.

Good luck to those of you taking finals, doing presentations and job hunting!

Talk to you soon.

xxxo

Weaves on Wigs

Recently, I got asked by a guy about the reasons why people look down on wigs (I'm not sure where this random question stemmed up from). Mind you, this is a guy that is all for naturalistas, so I'm not sure why he's concerned and I didn't bother to ask.
Let's call him "Bob".

***

Let me say that my love for wigs has increased immensely for a very good reason: I love that I can take the wig off to wash my own hair. Like some of you, I have a very dry scalp and it tends to flake...this was one reason why I could never wear a weave past 4 weeks; 6 at the most.

Well, I was never one to wear wigs because of the stigma that came with wearing one. Besides, I was too conscious for my own good. What if it got blown by the wind, what if someone accidentally/intentionally pulls my hair?
Fast-forward to March when I was to go to Texas and Miami, I wore a wig for the second time EVER. The reason being that there was not enough time to buy and get my hair done; and so, I rushed to my local beauty supply store in St. Louis and got this wig for $50. Great price huh?
The way I tweaked the hair [by plucking strands to create a natural-like part and cutting layers] made it almost unbelievable to my friends that it was actually a wig until I pulled it off at night to sleep! Lol

Wigs aren't bad at all. As a matter of fact, that's what most of these "Youtube gurus" wear. Beautybyjj and Peakmill for example.
The art of making a wig myself is something I am yet to master. Lord knows I will not buy the ridiculously expensive wigs online made by someone else.


So my question is (referring back to Bob's question), why do some people look down on wigs?
Most celebs [like Ciara, Beyonce and best of all, Wendy Williams] wear lacefronts 100% of the time because it looks more "realistic", perhaps they don't have enough hair of their own to do a leave-out? #ikid

We all know the hair we rock isn't ours, be it weaves, clip ins, or wigs. So what does it matter anyway?


xxxo

New In: Silver Metallic

So I recently purchased this silver sandals from ASOS and I loveee it! From the look and feel of it, it's very comfortable to last a whole night out. However, I hate that it's a bit tight on my toes and extremely loose around my ankles. I'll most likely punch in a couple of holes to give it a snug fit.

I'll like to believe that the color silver is in for this summer (kinda like how white was last summer). And while I'm not into trends, I only bought this for a wedding I'll be attending next month. 

Meanwhile, you can get a pair here on sale!

More here:

ASOS

ZARA

Topshop

Lulus

River Island

And I'm pretty sure they're sold everywhere else. You just have to look for it.

Enjoy the rest your week. The weekend's almost here.

xxxo

"I'm in Miami, Trick!!"

Hey hey. Excuse me while I clear the cobwebs from the boo (ChiXtine) lol.

It sure has been a while since I got on here...man have I been extremely loaded seeing as graduation is only a few weeks away!!! Ahhhh!

Moving on...

Spring break for me was on the 10th of March and so on the 13th, I went with friends to Miami to also celebrate my roommate's birthday. It was fun while it lasted; spent about 3days there (arrived Thursday evening, left Sunday morning). Not a long vacation at all.

We did't get to do a lot of "fun" activities as planned like parasailing, jet-ski, kayaking, etc because a lot of them weren't in the city of Miami at that moment, and because non of us drove, transportation was quite difficult. Don't let me get started on the cab drivers there.

So yeah. We went to south beach and walked the walk on Ocean Drive. Miami is a beautiful city, let me tell you if you don't already know that. I did enjoy our 3 night-outs, day at the beach, and boat ride/cruise in which we got to see Usher's boat, J Lo's house...and lots of cabanas (some belonging to some celebs I don't care to remember).

I really didn't take a lot of photos...my phone was out of my reach for the most part.

I'd definitely visit again though. A longer vaca this time.

Later,

xxxo