On Indefinite Hiatus

no more negative vibes

it is true. God truly has a way of shifting things around and moving your life. i can attest to that. there are times when circumstances make me feel bitterness, although in my mind i really want to feel happiness for others. there are times when my self-confidence have almost gone down the drain. times when i felt that i gave everything i've got, and got zilch in return. these are the moments when i ask myself "am i good enough?"

aside from sending me friends & family, God has sent me helpful strangers who eventually became new friends. then it would seem that the universe is aligning itself correctly and everything just falls into place. and then you realize, everything that gave you those negative emotions - frustration, sadness, losing heart - are actually blessings in disguise. and something more amazing is waiting for you. all you have to do is say "God will provide" and hang on to Him until the storm is over.

as what Mr. Rocky Balboa said, "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" 

no more negative vibes! SMILE EVERYONE!

self-induced facebook ban

everytime i login at facebook, i get mixed emotions. thankfully it's mostly positive. but i don't like the negative vibes i get once in a while. so i'm trying to be facebook free for one week. let's see what happens after facebook detox :)

taking it easy

this week has been quite different. i'm used to being on the go, keeping my schedule busy. 

unfortunately, last tuesday, my body said "take a break". i scraped my knee. i could not bend my knee very well, so i could not go to the gym for the whole week (can't do Body Balance! waaah!) then i got a fit of major dizziness (i was already at the office by this time). everything sounded far away, like there was something blocking my eardrums. then i perspired a lot. so i had to hail a cab and get my ass back home to rest.

so my tuesday was basically this - went to the office, got sick, went back home, slept for 3 hrs, woke up at 1:30PM, ate instant noodles (my first meal of the day), ironed some clothes (see? i could not not do anything! i have to do something), made some microwaveable fudge brownies with cream cheese, slept for 2.5 more hours, had dinner (BON CHON!), did some groceries, did my manicure, vacuumed the house, watched Naruto on cartoon network, then went back to sleep.

for the past weeks, i've been doing a lot of pondering. too much mental and emotional stress can wear me out. so my bad day is like a wake up call to me. it reminded me to take it easy. that the Lord will provide for me. if it is meant to be, it will happen. if not, then i'm still thankful. either way, i have crossed out one item from my bucket list, and that's something to be damn proud of :D

for now, i'm happy watching Naruto (gah astig talaga! sana mag shippuden na!) and reading fiction (a hardbound book from one of my fave authors that i got for Php99.00! yahooo!) while sipping my 50% sugar Taro Pudding Milk Tea with Extra Pearl, and meeting up with friends. YEAHBAH!

favorite-est band

when it comes to music, i really appreciate almost all kinds of genre. i can listen to rock, alternative, hiphop, pop, jazz, ballads, etc. i have a lot of favorite artists too. i listen to 30 seconds to mars, alicia keys, breaking benjamin, korn, my chemical romance, james morrison, jennifer lopez, justin timberlake, linkin park, steve tyrell, michael buble, just to name a few. locally i like pinoy bands (bamboo! wolfgang!) 

but there's one band that has really emotionally moved me with their songs - the red jumpsuit apparatus. their lyrics are just always spot on. one of their songs already brought me to tears. another one almost did (again). plus of course, i love how ronnie winter sings the songs (ok, biased remark. i'm on fangirl mode, so please let me indulge haha!)

i can still remember when they performed in glorietta. talagang effort ako to get tickets! sobrang saya nung performance na yun! and during the cd-signing, that was the only time i got starstruck EVER. i literally could not speak when ronnie was in front of me. all i did was smile hahaha! darn it. but he shook my hand!! woooohoooo!!

can't wait for their new album! c'mon august 30!

"so will you be my valentine for forever, not one day

cause when this day is over, know my feelings haven't changed."

- Valentine

image from thisismyfloor.com

image from canyouseethesunset.com

random sweaty stuff

for the past months, i have been buying workout stuff instead of the usual casual/office clothes, and i have discovered a few cool items fit for the gym.

first, the best thing that has happened to energy drinks -- getting themselves powdered! presenting, gatorade thirst quencher powder! now isn't this more convenient than buying and bringing a bottle of gatorade everyday? just put a scoop of this in your water bottle and add cold water when you get to the gym :) plus, it's cheaper too! you get the whole container for around Php290.00 and can make around 7 liters of gatorade. that's just about Php21.00 per 500mL! if you buy the 500mL bottle, it costs around Php 32-35. thanks florian for introducing this to me!

second, revlon colorstay liquid pen. the good: it really is smudge-proof! it stays on even after a Body Combat class with all the sweat and hot lights. i can even line my lower lashes without looking like a zombie an hour after. the pen tip makes it easy to apply too. the bad: is there really liquid in there? you have to shake shake shake the pen before a good amount of color can come out. but all in all the pen is pretty good. although for non-workout days, i still prefer my revlon kohl eyeliner (syempre revlon parin haha!). it's a lot more pigmented and it makes my eyes pop out more :D

third, everlast PINK handwraps! need i say more? LOVE!

aside from the cool purchases, what else have i been up to recently?

- BODY COMBAT 48! kicks, kicks, and more kicks! one of the most challenging releases yet. booyah!

- once launching season is over, i can't wait to try the new release of Body Balance. from what i have seen/heard, it looks freakin hard. WOOOHOOO!

- strength training. ok, so REALLY don't like weight training. i prefer cardio any day. or yoga. unfortunately, i need it. kelangan magpa-lakas. but i don't know anything about it. good thing my strength-training-addict friend, mik, is now training me! we've had 3 sessions so far, and MAN do i feel the burn!

- i started painting my nails again! neon pink, then dark blue, then maroon, then coraly-blue-green :)

- i really really really need to continue writing. i should make time for this :(

- i became a year older! :) thank you Lord for another year. for the blessings, family & friends, for the progress, for Your guidance. i am praying that You would continue to shower me with your blessings, and that You would take to where i need to be. saka po sana yung iba ko pang request, Lord. hehe alam Nyo na po yun :) Amen.

Body Combat, anyone? :D

my writing has taken a backseat for a while (my reading too, actually). it feels like haven't written for so long! 

fortunately, i do have an excuse for that. my hands have been busy punching instead of writing/typing and my brain has been busy memorizing instead of brainstorming for ideas.

so far, this year has been quite a ride for this Little Lady. you see, since late january this year, i have been slowly treading a new path - becoming a Body Combat instructor. 

my friends know that i have loved this class for YEARS. this was my stress-release. my break from hours of sitting and thinking and typing at the office. my chance to live my superhero childhood imagination. but i never thought i would have the chance to become an instructor. i mean, yes my officemate/combat-buddy and i have talked about this years before. how it would be awesome to be on-stage and share the class with gym members. how "work" would mean doing something that you really enjoy doing. but i never imagined that it could actually happen in real life. how come, you ask?

because the only "work" that i knew how to do meant endless thinking and analyzing, not moving around and breaking a sweat. because as i have mentioned in my previous post, i have been quite sedentary for most of my life. for years i have been on the heavy side. i wasn't strong. so being a fitness instructor was definitely not on my mind.

well apparently, with the help and intervention of a few people (you guys are angels!), i discovered that being a fitness instructor IS possible. you really just have to work hard for it. myself especially, given my previously un-fit lifestyle and having no martial arts background at all. plus, it's not just your physical strength and endurance. you have to think while moving too. it's physical and mental work. so for the past months i have been busy training, practicing, trying to get the hang of it - on top of my day job.

honestly, i feel good with what my body has achieved. i mean, it's a far cry from what i was a year ago. i have accomplished 90% of the fitness goals that i've set last year. BUT given this new responsibility, i feel like i have to take my fitness level a notch or two higher. i still need to increase my endurance and strength, and i could do with losing a few more pounds. so yeah, i do celebrate what i have achieved so far (yey to new clothes!), but at the same time, realize that there's a lot more room for improvement. i'll be setting up my game plan for the second half of the year soon. wish me luck! KIYAH!

PS. special thanks to the following: my mentors - teacher ben, kerwin, mark, jon. your comments are very much appreciated and welcome. the one who started it all - winnie :) fellow evils, BC47 batchmates, combat-buddies, friends, mom and dad for the endless support :)

social butterfly. not.

nope, i am not a social butterfly. actually, i am quite the contrary. i really don't talk to people who aren't my friends (unless they talk to me first, then we become friends hehe). when i'm at a new office, it takes me around 3 months to warm up to the people. i can't even hold eye contact with a stranger. that's why i always get the "suplada" or "exclusive" first impression. and why i only have a small group of close friends. but once people get to know me, they realize i talk and laugh a lot. it's not that i don't want to make friends. i'm just really shy... at first :)

however, with my new "engagement" (i really don't want to call it a job), i think i should at least try to change this. i have to practise looking at people in the eye, and not look away after half a second. i have to learn to smile at strangers. ang hirap kaya nun!

i'm glad that i met a couple of friendly people already. when random people talk to me in the locker room or in the elevator, it makes me want to do better. when i realize that there are some people who actually remember me without me even trying to, i feel that i have to step it up some more.

i'm still a newbie, but i really want to improve. so thank you everyone. for the words of encouragement, appreciation, the tips that you give me, the constructive criticism, the small gestures. it means A LOT to me. maraming salamat! :)

loving guy stuff

during my recent retail ventures, i have found myself away from the usual girls' wear and/or cosmetics section. i tried looking at the men's/boys' section and what do you know, i found some great stuff for myself :D

at the men's wear section, i got myself 2 Tapout shorts! thanks to my friend, Clang, for recommending these. amazing, these things! the designs are just super bad-ass. and it's so easy to move in it, except maybe when doing knee repeaters, pero carry lang :) better if they had small slits at the sides, but all in all, i love 'em! too bad there were only 5 designs in Megamall and not all had small sizes. oh, and i saw a Body Combat instructor wear gray and white UFC shorts! ang ganda ganda! i wonder how much it costs? hmmm i will definitely pay the men's wear section a visit again :)

then, i got to the boys' accessories section. and i found a nice little black Maxxe watch :) it was beside Ben Ten watches hahah! i was looking at the displays and the sales lady asked me "Pang ilang taon po Ma'am?" "Para sakin :D" the good thing about buying stuff that is supposedly for kids? it's much cheaper :) well, except of course if it's branded. Bratz watches are still more than a thousand bucks. so i'm quite happy with my new find. pwede na diba?

rollercoaster month

geez, this has been a crazy month. a lot of things are happening at lightning speed! but i like it :D it makes me feel more alive. let's break it down a bit more. this month, i've felt...

very very thankful... that my dear friend BJ is now in remission. the Lord is truly great. to family and friends, thank you for all your prayers and help.

ecstatic... that all the hours clocked in at the gym and efforts of controlling portions are finally starting to pay off. JUSKUPO!

revitalized... at the office (doesn't that sound weird? haha).

delighted... that my article was printed in our company publication. thank you for giving me the opportunity to write.

stressed and frustrated... which is surprisingly not work-related. (hay Lord, i am asking for your help again. i don't know how to do this.)

chillax... while listening to 106.7 Dream FM at work.

relieved... at nakaraos din sa BC tuitions. woohoo!

excited... for the start of mentorship :)

glad... that i met new friends.

cheery & child-like... after watching 2 good movies - Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Rio.

calm... before going to bed, after spritzing lavender linen spray on my bed & pillows.

looking forward... to a SUNNY SUMMER! i love the heat and the sun and the wind! and to a nice Holy Week with family and relatives.

HAVE A SUNNY AND WONDERFUL SUMMER EVERYONE!

struggling with weightloss

i have been chunky most of my life. i couldn’t complain about it though, because i have been sedentary from childhood till early adulthood, except maybe a few summer swimming classes. and then i graduated from college and went on a month-long US vacation (which was when I was at my biggest. hello thanksgiving and Christmas and new year dinners! and NY pizza OMG!). since then i have always been struggling with weight loss. this is one aspect of my life that has been really holding me down. i've been going to the gym for a couple of years now, but i have only started seeing significant results a few months ago. what did i do differently this time? basically i got tired of the jokes and nasty comments and self-pity that i started making a plan to solve it (it’s called Project 2011 FIGHT! hahah!). here are my 6 personal pointers that helped me a lot.

1. Just do it.

-       When you're thinking twice if you should workout because you feel too tired or too lazy, think no more. The answer is "Just Do It". 5 minutes into your workout, you'll feel so energized, you'll thank yourself for getting your ass off the couch.

2. Indulge once, cut back five times.

-        I love food. I'd rather spend hours at the gym instead of controlling my food intake. But even if I exercise myself to death, I couldn't get significant results. So I started making a conscious effort to control my food portions. But after 2-3 weeks of cutting back, I reward myself with 1 Quickly Taro-Taro (ahhh heaven!) or a serving of ice cream. A treat once in a while is ok since it would stop me from eventually losing my mind and bingeing.

3. Get online help.

-       Sign up in weight management sites such as www.fitday.com (It's free!). You input the food you eat and activities for the day so you could monitor your calorie intake versus the calories burned. There are also features wherein you could set your weight goal and then the site would compute what your calorie deficit should be. It really does help because 1) it makes you more aware of what you're eating/doing everyday, and 2) it helps you familiarize yourself with the approximate calories of your food. I did this religiously for 2 months. Now I do rough estimates since I already know how much to eat everyday.

4. Get motivation and inspiration anywhere you can.

-     You need your personal motivation in order to keep going with your weight-loss journey. But it doesn't hurt to get motivation from others too.  Read success stories and be inspired. Utilize your desktop wallpaper. Watch The Biggest Loser. Take a look at your "goal clothes". Looking for a challenge? Make a bet. Have fun working out with your friends (luckily I have this workout-addict friend who made me level up my workouts. LEVEL 5 RAWR!! Now I have my BC batchmates as well YEY!!). Pray.

5. Have concrete goals.

-       You can't just say "I want to lose weight." That's too vague. You have to be specific with what you want and you have to have a timeline (a realistic one, please). When i started going to the gym a few years ago, i had general goals. But I only started to really lose weight on when I said “I want to get back to my college weight. I want to be able to wear good-fitting, trendy clothes. I want to have more defined cheekbones and jaw lines. I want to be able to do higher and more powerful roundhouse kicks. I want to be able to do 8 or more consecutive muay thai jump knees with ease. I want to have stronger arms and legs, all in 6 months." I have less than 2 months to go! Next in line: 5lbs lower than my college weight, push-ups on toes, stronger core, all in 2.5 months.

6. Make time for it.

-       It's all about priorities. When I need to go to the gym, that timeslot is taken. Unless there are special occasions or emergencies, I will be unavailable when it is time to work out. There was a time wherein we had to be at the office until midnight, so I could not go to the gym during my regular schedule which is after 6pm. So I worked out during lunchbreak instead. If you want to do it, there are no excuses.

I haven’t met all my goals yet (and I still get the occasional fat joke)… but i'm street brawling and side-kicking my way to achieving them all. FIGHT!

Creative Critters Art Workshop @ Sizzlers' Blends

Make your kids' summer more fun! Register your kids at the 

Creative Critters Art Workshop @ Sizzlers' Blends

Not your ordinary art workshop :)

From April 25 - May 3, 2011

* Materials and food already included

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

the newest thing that my teammates & i have at the office = romantic thai movies. pauso kasi itong officemate ko eh hahah! the only thai movie that i was able to watch (although not entirely, since i just watched it on the bus) was ong bak (huge dose of muay thai YEAH!)

the first romance thai movie that i watched = Crazy Little Thing Called Love (aka First Love). ok, honestly, i initially watched the movie because p'shone (Mario Maurer) is so gwapo haha! fortunately, it was a really good movie. it was conservative (not PDA-ish at all), but it was still surprisingly sweet. i wouldn't say that the movie is really "romantic". i prefer to call it "heart-warming" :)

and i cried a lot. (how come movies make me cry easily? darn it. haha) 

hmmm... i wonder what made me like this movie so much? the storyline is pretty simple, nothing extraordinary... is it p'nam's (the girl protagonist) one-sided feelings shown throughout the movie? or is it how p'nam was able to transform herself from being an awkward ugly duckling to a beautiful swan -- yet it still wasn't enough? or was it the regret of missing "the one that got away"?  or was is p'shone's awfully cute smile? hahaha! 

great first thai movie! more movies woohoo!

nagging thought

my mind has been loaded with so many thoughts recently. so many things to accomplish, so little time. well, i guess that's quite a bit normal by now, hihihi.


there's work (as usual),
then brainstorming & meetings for Sizzlers' Blends,
then memorizing,
then social gatherings,
then squeezing in workouts whenever possible,
among other things.


but the most nagging thought that i have at the moment is...


CONQUER THAT DAMN PLANK ALREADY! GRRR! (WHIP WHIP WHIP!)

lip ice sheer color lip conditioner

new fave lip balm! lip ice sheer color lip conditioner. the balm itself is clear, but when you apply it on your lips, it gives you lips a hint of pink. the product "changes color to a natural sheer pink according to individual lips". (it turns a darker shade of pink on me. i like it!) i'm not a lipstick person, but i want color. so this is perfect :) plus, it looks more natural than the color left by tinted balms. and the packaging is so cute and slim, so there's more precision in applying (unlike the usual thick tubes). it's also not as waxy as the usual lip balm that i use but it's still moisturizing. you can wear it on it's own, but i still prefer to apply lip gloss over it. and even when the gloss fades, the color is still there! the best part? Php 145.00. not bad, right? give it a try and see what shade of pink pops up on you!

dreaming of falling teeth

for the past two days i have been having vivid dreams. and both of them got me thinking. one dream is actually about myself, watching what i do in real life, which made me see my actions in a different perspective. but we'll leave that for now. 

the other dream is about me having falling teeth. out of all the dreams that i could remember, this is the recurring incident (my mom has a different one - struggling to climb up the ladder/stairs). it has happened many times on different phases of my life. i got curious, so i checked the net to find the meaning of this dream.

according to bellaonline.com, "Teeth are symbolic of the ability to make decisions, and problems with teeth can be related to indecisiveness." hmmm... not far-off actually.

the author of the article says that in this kind of dream, the meaning of the dream is based on how i feel about the dream. and i would have to say... 

"Are you anxious about losing the teeth? Any anxiety in dreams generally means there is something in real life that's also causing anxiety. Do you have anxiety about any changes coming up? Are you fearful about making a wrong decision?"

and there goes the "fear" again. hrrmm... i think my subconscious is really telling me something. 

hay Lord.

CoverGirl Advanced Radiance Liquid Makeup

last year i have started using mousse and liquid makeup to even out my skin tone. i use Revlon ColorStay Mineral Mousse and Revlon Beyond Natural Tinted Moisturizer alternately.

once my emptied my tinted moisturizer tube, i started looking for a new product but with the same characteristics - liquid, light on the skin, moisturizing, reasonably priced (a.k.a. drugstore product hehe), SPF would be a plus, and hopefully with a bit more coverage since tinted moisturizer is too sheer.

after searching on the net and beauty counters, i opted for CoverGirl Advanced Radiance Liquid Makeup. i must say i am loving it! 

at first i tried my usual regimen which is Physiogel moisturizer then makeup. but my face became too oily and i had minor breakouts. so i tried skipping the moisturizer (since CG Advanced Radiance already has Olay in it - which is amazing!). the finish was just right and no more breakouts :) 

first that you would notice is the pleasant scent. i do love the scent, but if you're sensitive to scented products then you might want to rethink using this. it glides easily unto skin and blends well too. yep, it has a bit more coverage than my previous tinted moisturizer, but not as much as my mousse foundation, so i can't double it up as a concealer. but that's fine, i'd want my skin to breathe anyway. the mixture of olay is really a plus :) and there's SPF 10 too. the negative comment that i have read about this product is that it makes skin "greasy". hmm... well my mineral mousse does make my skin stay matte longer. there may be an oily feel after a couple of hours with this CG liquid makeup, but nothing that oil-blotting paper or a dab of powder can't fix :)

what's stopping you?

"What is the first - perhaps the only - difference between living your dream and stagnating? The fundamental difference is fear. Fear of losing it all; fear of what another might think; fear of being less than enough."

i read this in an article from urbanmonk.net. this simple statement actually hit home.

eversince i was in college, i had bouts of uncertainty. what if i took liberal arts in college? what if i became a professional musician? what if i went into advertising? what if i became a wedding planner/event coordinator? what if i took fashion design instead? what if i worked for a fashion magazine?

a lot of what if's, right? although through the years, i have slowly found appreciation for my "craft"/work. but of course there are still times when these what if's play with my head.

so why did i continue with IT? 

everyone can feel fear. but out of the three fears stated at the beginning of this blog, i guess i could relate most to the third - fear of being less than enough. at first i thought it was fear that my earnings would dwindle drastically since i would have to start from scratch. but i realized that that's not the main reason. no matter what i do, a part of me always wants to prove myself. to prove my worth. to prove that i'm good at what i do. and since the education/training that i got is for IT, then i guess i stuck with it instead of doing something that really interests me yet i have no background/experience at all.

so yes, i have fear of being incompetent. and i haven't realized it until a few months ago. as the article said, "fear is obvious when someone holds a gun to our head, but it is harder to recognize in our everyday lives." and this "everyday life fear" is not just about one's career. it can be about a college student's choice of course. it can be about trying out for your school play. about asking someone out on a date. about traveling to a different country. or even about deciding to take culinary classes.

so what does the author think we should do?

he says we should face and take a closer look at our fears. "when we lay bare our fears, when we examine them with an honest and courageous eye - what we find are not limitations. what we find are alibis. sometimes these are unconscious. they stem from events, insults, and harsh judgements that we have taken to heart."

the article suggests a method which is pretty similar to what i do when i need to make a big decision: COST AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS (i prefer doing the PROS and CONS given the different choices)

COSTS: what is the price you pay for your decision? does it make you unhappy? what would happen 5 to 10 yrs from now if you continued your current path?

BENEFITS: what are the perks that you get with this path? support and approval from friends and family? is it less troublesome to just continue?

from there you can see the bigger picture, and it makes you more objective.  we then acknowledge the fear and take action - which, of course, is still entirely you're decision; whether the BENEFITS outweigh the COSTS and vice versa and depending on your priorities. i believe that priorities of single and married people are totally different. so ultimately, it all boils down to you. as the article said, "our purpose is our own; life is asking and we answer".

Burlesque

last weekend i was able to have my "me-time-movie-time" again. usually i opt for action movies when i watch alone. this time however, i watched Burlesque (cher, christina aguilera). the movie was a flop actually. i think there were only around 10 of us in the cinema. but i never cared if something (whether it's music or movies or television shows or clothes) is sikat or "mainstream". sometimes i even prefer the uncommon ones. plus the pink and black (one of my fave color combinations) poster got my attention.

anyhoo, back to the movie. as for the storyline, it was ok, i guess. ordinary talented girl starts as underdog, a legend makes her a star, with a dash of rivalry and the required love story. i'd say it was typical and a bit predictable - which i expected anyway. so i wasn't that disappointed.

but if you're like me who appreciates theatrical performances, you will love this movie! they have lots of songs and production numbers. and i have to say, christina aguilera's voice and stage presence is awesome. and i love the stage design! and the lights! and the costumes! and the make-up! and cher's gay bestfriend :D there was just one song which was not bagay for a burlesque show but was included to emphasize the storyline. but that's forgivable. of course cher & kristin bell had good performances as well. all in all, i enjoyed the movie, but i would say that you'll appreciate Burlesque more if you saw it as a stage show instead of as a movie :)

 

giving in to my inner little girl

work. bills. loans. mortgage. budget. stress.

all these things surround the normal working-class adult. and these grown-up stuff can be stifling (a bit exaggerated. but you get what i mean).

so what does this 20-something pondering little lady do? i give in to my inner little girl, while still catering to my grown-up needs. you know, just to get back that giddy feeling.

what did i love when i was a kid? barbie, definitely. my neighbor and i used to play barbie all day. complete with our little barbie grocery and department store (yes, we have a department store, with lots of shoes and clothes). but instead of buying a barbie doll (i'm not really a collector,so pass), i got myself a more functional alternative - a Barbie Pink Power Hand Sanitizer! sooo cute :) and it has a powdery scent to it. i got it in the kids' accessories section :D and yeah, this is still a couple of months from now, but my mom said that she would sponsor the Red Ribbon Barbie cake on my birthday! YAHOOO!

hmm what else? i went to Robinson's Galleria's deparment store to buy my usual toiletries. when i saw a Gelato Vanilla Lip Balm! and the container looked like a miniature pint of gelato! i couldn't resist getting it! (buti nalang 100+ pesos lang. kung hindi, pag-iisipan ko pa hahahah!) uh-huh, it does taste like sweet vanilla :) also available in cherry.

so yeah, i have a job and i have bills to pay. but i guess there's still a little girl in me :)

my first "everyday eyeshadow palette"

last Christmas, my aunt asked me what gift i wanted to get. since i wanted to use eyeshadows more this year, i told my aunt that i wanted a neutral-colored eyeshadow palette.

so my aunt got me a limited edition L'Oreal Open Eyes Chrome Intensity in Magic Amber.

the palette consists of 4 colors - Magic Amber, Addictive Yellow, Open Deep Brown, and Open Highlighter. it is on the beige/brown/neutral side of the color wheel. it has a hint of shimmer, but not the really glittery kind. at the back of the palette, it shows a picture on how you should apply it, which is great for eyeshadow beginners like me. it also comes with a little mirror. i don't use the applicator that comes with it though. i prefer using an eyeshadow brush than the sponge-y applicator.

i alternate using my kohl eyeliner + bloom stardust shimmer and this eyeshadow palette.

what eyeshadow do you use?

let's all get together!

2011 seems to be a year of reunions for me.


first, our clan had our 4th Kimpo International Reunion which happens every 3 years. Our family consists of 6 generations, starting with my great great grandparents. relatives from across the country and over the world went to Kalibo, Aklan, just in time for the Ati-Atihan festival.


so here's to give you an idea how big our reunion is:


the 1st generation is lolo juan and lola ganday, who had 7 children (2nd generation). these 7 children make-up the current "7 families" of the Kimpo clan and each family has their respective family color. these 7 children had so and so number of children (3rd generation, which includes my grandparents), and these children and so and so number of children (4th generation), and these children had so and so number of children (5th generation - myself included), and some 5th generation-ers already have their own children (6th generation). whew!


can't wait for the next reunion!

this photo has one generation only haha!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. one of my bestfriends from DLSU Pops Orchestra has been diagnosed with a tough sickness. so my friends and i are doing all we can to help. this led to being in contact with old friends from Pops, friends that i haven't talked to in years! Pops peeps have been my good friends during my college years. they kept me sane. i'm with them everyday. i even stayed longer in the bandroom than in gox (our Computer Science building) that's why i don't know a lot of my comsci batchmates haha! but once everyone started working, i only got to keep in touch with a few of them.

speaking of my friend, please pray for his fast recovery. his sickness is tough, but he is tougher. FIGHT!


hope i'll be able to keep in touch with more family & friends & relatives :)

2011, here I come!

at the start of the year, we usually hear about Resolutions. things that you promise to start doing (or stop doing) for the year.


honestly, i don't feel like giving specific things to do. it would be really hard to remember those come june, right? so i'd rather have general things/goals to focus on, then make mini-plans to make them happen one day at a time.


so for 2011, i will be focusing on the following:
- healthy living (let's start the year with a bet! *wink*)

- enrich my love for make-up (bading!)

- try to travel more (anybody who wants to go to Guam?)

- nurture personal relationships (oha!)

- continue journey towards financial independence

(change bryan to Little Lady hehe)

hmmm... i think those are doable enough.
cheers everyone! may 2011 be a wonderful year for all of us!