Hello world wide web, I would like to introduce to you my Uncle Karl.

Uncle Karl or, as I lovingly call him, Kuya Kalbo (a nickname he got because he was bald as a kid) is my mom's younger brother. He's also my godfather, so on Christmas days I would go to their house, call him Ninong, and demand my gift. He was married to my Tita Wheng and they have two kids, my cousins Loui and Migui. He was a pro when it comes to bowling and he loved travelling, always taking advantage of airline sales to book flights for his family. As you can see on the photos, he was also very handsome.

He was the older brother I never had. We used to play with his Family Computer when I was very young, and he was the first one to teach me how to use a computer. When I didn't have siblings yet and I was still his only niece, he used to buy me really nice toys. My favorites were the complete Popeye character dolls, the beach-themed Nano-Nano dolls playset, and a Mickey and Minnie kitchen playset. When I used to spend my summers at their old house in Valenzuela, he would bring me the song hits I asked for. When I was in high school, he would tell any guy who called our house that I wasn't there and that they should never call again. It used to annoy me so much, but now I think it was cute.

I would never admit it to his face, but I thought he was really cool. He loved tinkering with stuff, and put something on their bathroom that plays music the moment you turn on the lights and shut the door that you can never shower nor poop in silence whether you like it or not. He also loved making home videos and slideshows. Oh god, how he loved them. Every trip they've ever taken and every occasion celebrated merited a slideshow of videos and photos accompanied with Top 40 hits. Cheesy? Maybe. But sweet, really.

Last night, he was involved in an accident. Motorcycles, drinking, and not having a helmet are never a good combination in the first place, and for him it proved fatal. There was a procession earlier in the day and local officials put metal barricades on the road to stop traffic for the afternoon. They were supposed to take it out after the procession, but they didn't. He was in a coma. We prayed and prayed and prayed for him to wake up but it was not to be; he passed away this afternoon. He was 47.

It's so easy to think that we are invincible, that time is on our side, that it all lasts forever. But as proven time and time again, everything is fleeting. Just like that, his warmth and energy and laughter and light was extinguished.

Why did you have to go so soon, Kuya? I am not ready to refer to you in past tense yet and this is breaking my heart so much.

I am not ready for any of this.

The last two days

I always strive to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and the last two days is a perfect example of that. Although the hours are not that crazy (I get to the office before 8 AM and can leave before 5 PM), I belong in an industry where stress levels are high but in my two years of being here, I have learned to choose my battles and let things that are beyond my control just slide off me. This has resulted to a better attitude towards work and a more efficient way of dealing with things.

Anyway, I just wanted to share the highlights of the past two days. ( ⋂‿⋂’)

Thursday

I went to The Philippine Literary Festival  2014 organized by National Bookstore and held in Raffles Hotel, Makati. Things like this do not happen often so I took a two-day leave from work which my bosses readily agreed to. I spent many days being excited for this and it's extremely important to me that I get to attend.

I am terrified of people I don't know but I managed. The three best things that happened to me that day are:

Finally seeing Miss Pam Pastor again after I sat next to her during a hair makeover-event three years ago. I am so kilig that she remembered me! I'm just going to overlook the part that she probably does because I 'like' her Facebook and Instagram posts all the time. (◡‿◡✿)

Getting Miss Pam to sign my copy of Paper Cuts. I teared up when I read what she wrote. This is my current cover photo on Facebook. ❤

Seeing Manix Abrera again and having him sign my copies of Kikomachine Komix #10, Abangan: The Best Philippine Komiks 2014 where he contributed a story, and his new book of silent comics 14. I think Alvin and I waited almost two hours for my turn, but it was a blip compared to the six hours I spent waiting at Komikon last year. ｡^‿^｡ Bonus points for seeing Manix do a 'reading' of three chapters from 14 and being there for the Q and A portion! (And hey! He still remembers me!)

Friday

I meant to attend all panels for the PLF 2014's second day. I really did. But the day being the same day as Forever 21's (which is our client) show for Philippine Fashion Week constantly nagged at me, and I felt too guilty for leaving my other officemates to do all the work, so I just decided to go to the show in time to help at the Registration Area. This meant missing at least two other panels I wanted to go to, but it's okay. My favorite parts of this day are:

Being at the Amy Tan | Author Spotlight panel hosted by Jessica Zafra, because what could be better than two literary giants sharing a stage? I instantly liked her because she's funny, self-deprecating, and very inspiring. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never read any of her works *proceeds to hang head in shame* but that will be rectified soon! I regret that I didn't brave the crowds and line up for her autograph today. (⌣_⌣”)

For some people who are sad for missing the Philippine Literary Festival 2014 (like my friend Alex), I'll try to write a more comprehensive post about my PLF experience within the week!

Pulling through for the Forever 21 PhFW show. Despite a teeny-tiny mishap, the show was successful and well-attended!

And finally, that incredible feeling of accomplishment after a long and extremely busy week and you can say, "Hello, Friday!"

So, yes, it is possible to have a healthy work-life balance so long as you manage your time well, sort your priorities, and make sure to attend to your responsibilities! It is important for me to take time away for my hobbies and other interests outside of work because when things in the office get a little bit crazy crazier than usual, they are the only things that keep me sane.

Astounding.

It's astounding how some people lack compassion.

I should be excitedly typing, sharing my experience and excitement at having met some of my idols from the local publishing scene at the first day of The Philippine Literary Festival 2014 held in Raffles Hotel today, but instead I am reeling. 

Yesterday, MRT operations were disrupted after a man threatened to jump. Lots of commuters had to walk or find alternate means of going home, causing massive traffic and major inconvenience. I could sympathize as I used to take the train and I know how much of a hassle disruptions like this bring. What makes me sick though are comments about how that man is so selfish, that he just wants attention, and - this seriously made my skin crawl - that he should have just killed himself at home. For someone to even think of ending his life means he is in a very dark place and help must be sought immediately. Sadly, for most, that is not an option because it's either they don't have the financial capability to support treatments, or they feel the stigma and get scared to reach out until they're driven into that even darker space they can't get out of anymore. Suicide is a serious issue and jokes about it should never be thrown around.

Don't even get me started on horrible, horrible things I hear people say about Jennifer Laude and how she "deserved" what happened to her. I pity them for their bigoted minds, and then I feel disgusted.

Have we become so callous? I know we are all entitled to our own opinion, but with views like this, are we saying that this is the new normal? That hearing news about someone being murdered or someone wanting to take his or her life doesn't shock us anymore? We should be shocked. We should be angry. We should be angry at a society that thinks murder is justifiable and where suicide gets taken lightly.

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I have so many feelings about this.

Forever 21 sets trends at Philippine Fashion Week

FOREVER 21, the Los Angeles-based retail giant known to bring the freshest trends internationally, joins Philippine Fashion Week this October 24 at SMX Convention Center.

Showcasing the brand’s latest collections for women, men, and girls, the show sees the return of Forever 21 to the catwalks of PhFW since the fast fashion brand first heated up the runway in 2011. Taking on the contrasting moods of fun fashion and sophistication, Forever 21 is ready to show the Philippines how to spark up in style this holiday season.

Taking on the contrasting moods of fun fashion and sophistication, Forever 21 is ready to show the Philippines how to spark up in style this holiday season.

What's more, each look you see on the runway will be readily available for your consumption right after the show! Yes, you read that right, a pop-up shop will be set up so the pieces on the runway will be available for purchase right away!

Would you like to go to the Forever 21 show? Check my Instagram as I'm giving away a pair of invites to three lucky winners. ^_~

The Philippine Literary Festival 2014

On my fourth month with ARC PR, my boss Jenny took me to a meeting with a potential client where she said, "We have to do things that move our hearts." when she was talking about one of her passion projects. That quote has stuck with me since then and has been a constant driving force in my life, and so far I know I'm in the right path. (Incidentally, it is also her birthday today. Happy birthday, Jenny!)

That is the quote that was running in my mind when I asked her and my other boss Celine for a two day-leave from work on October 23 and 24. For what, you ask? For this:

The Philippine Literary Festival 2014
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The Philippine Literary Festival is a three-day conference filled with book signings, discussions, and panels about books and literature. Think Comic Con and music festivals, but with books and authors. Huge thanks to National Bookstore for making this possible! The highlight of the three-day event is the Author Spotlight on Amy Tan and Chang-rae Lee on Saturday where they will also sign books. It will be held on October 23 to 25 at Raffles Makati and admission is free! You have to come early though, as they do not offer pre-registration and venue capacities are limited. You may view the full schedule of the different panels and speakers here.

My dilemma is that there are a lot of interesting panels sharing the same time slot that I wish I can divide myself so I can go to all of them! Having a Time-Turner may be a better option, if only it were possible to have one. For example: Poetry Jamming and Pushing the Envelope: Trends in New Philippine Writing share the 9:00 - 10:30 AM slot of October 23 while Speculative Fiction: Why Libraries Must Have Them and Writing Non-Fiction Today are happening on 11 AM to 12 PM. The 1:30 to 3 PM slot is the worst, as I would have to choose among Buqo: Publishing in the New Millennium, The Science of Magazine Covers, and Summit Books: Writing Romance! Why why why must I need to be interested in all three? Why why why must they all be scheduled to happen at the same time?

I guess I have until Wednesday night to decide and figure out the panels I will go to. One thing's for sure, though. I will be at Manix Abrera's Book Launch of his newest silent comics titled 14! As you know, I am a HUGE fan and I can't wait to buy his book and have him sign it!

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It is my fervent wish to publish my own work so I'm sure it will do me a lot of good to be there. It would also be a great place to meet people with similar interests and a viable venue to expand my professional network but I'm terribly shy and scared of people so I don't know how that will work. Please cross your fingers for me!

I feel guilty that I will be gone from the office for two days, especially since Friday will be particularly busy as one of our clients has a show for Philippine Fashion Week and the team needs to take care of our guests from the press, but I absolutely, cross my heart hope to die, can't miss this. I will just have to make sure that I take care of all my tasks and responsibilities before I leave the office Wednesday night. Not everyone can say they have bosses that let them do things that feed their soul, so I am really lucky to have bosses who are big proponents of this.

Are you going to The Philippine Literary Festival, too? Which panels are you most excited for?

75 Years of Batman

It's not a big secret that I am a big BatFan. Not only is he my favorite superhero, he's also one of my favorite fictional characters of all time.

Last week, we had a fun Justice League-themed party to promote Shakey's Power Party Packages (more info about this here on my blog soon), and of course I dressed the part by wearing my favorite Batman top and Batman hat I had customized a couple of years ago. I was called Miss BatGirl lots of times that day. ^_^ After the party, my friends and I went to SM North EDSA and as the escalator to the second floor of The Block went up I was surprised to see a huge exhibit set up there for Batman's 75th Anniversary! I squealed in delight!

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, DC Entertainment, and SM Supermalls worked together to bring us this exhibit. There were a lot of posters, toys, and merchandise on display that I almost went crazy because I didn't know where to start looking!

I wish I have more photos, but the toys were put inside a glass case and I was just using my phone so the reflection on the glass didn't make for good visuals.

If only I have Bruce Wayne's money, I would've bought a piece each from all the items available for sale. There were shirts, jackets, toys, and even lunch boxes and tumblers! But I didn't, so I settled in buying just one top instead. Buying P700 worth of merchandise gets you a limited edition 75 years of Batman cap, while P500 worth of purchase gives you a chance to have the Batmobile Experience and see the very first Batmobile Hologram in the Philippines! I didn't want to leave my friends and make them wait for me so I didn't consider that option anymore.

Nevertheless, Batmobile Experience or not, I really love the vintage comics-inspired graphic top that went home with me!

My FriYAY outfit

A closer look at the print

Not gonna lie, I love receiving gifts in the mail. Even more so when they come bearing the Batman logo! These came the other day:

75 years of Batman commemorative cap, shirt, and mug

The print on the back of the shirt and mug bears the various logos The Batman has had through the years

The Batmobile Experience will be in SM North EDSA - The Block Atrium until tomorrow only so make sure to drop by!

Photo lifted from SM North EDSA's Facebook page

For the Caped Crusader's fans who live too far away, don't worry because they will also visit SM BF Paranaque and SM San Lazaro! SM Store and Toy Kingdom will also be having their Batman 75th in-store promos until November 1. ^_~

And now I just want to share some of my favorite Batman loot I have accumulated through the years.

The Forensic Files of Batman by Doug Moench and The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy
I love books, movies, and books about movies so the latter is a sure winner!

A peek at the genius behind The Dark Knight movies

Office supplies don't have to be boring! Superhero paper clips from my friend Chum

A BatGirl Krissy sketch my former officemate Marco made for me

Aaand me and my Batman Waldorf doll from Dolldalita Dollshop
I wish I can say I made it, but no.
The Batman shirt is a gift from my friend Ed.

Among others I also have The Batman Begins book, a Batman LEGO, and another shirt with a slightly smaller Batman logo given to me by my friend Anne. Yes, my friends are total enablers.

Are you a BatFan, too? If not, why not? who's your favorite superhero?

When all else fails, wear something cute.

You'll never know just how precious five minutes can be, until you've had to press the snooze button on a cold, rainy, dreary morning. Truth.

Have you ever had one of those days when you just want to stay in bed and not deal with work, or hellish Manila traffic, or any other adult responsibilities? I'm sure you have. Welcome to the daily struggles of a yuppie.

Yesterday I was feeling so sleepy, tired, and grumpy for feeling sleepy and tired that I was on the verge of cursing my alarm clock. I wished I can skip work but I don't have the gall to do that especially when we're all busy planning for various events and press launches for our clients. I'm a functioning twenty-something adult and even though I can't do long division and other complicated math problems in my mind, I do know I should be responsible.

My solution for when days like this strike? I wear something cute.

My "I'm too lazy to go to work so I'll just wear something cute" outfit

Yes, I find motivation from dressing up,

Purple hair + purple lips
JuRo Salon Exclusif hair and Wet 'n Wild Mega Last Lip Color in Ravin' Raisin on my lips

... and a killer lipstick,

... and killer heels, of course.

What are your foolproof ways to motivate yourself to face the day? I'd really like to know! Let's trade secrets! ♥

Review: The Body Shop InstaBlur

At the risk of sounding like a total narcissist, let me confess that I have hundreds of selfies in my old computers' hard drives long before the term 'selfie' was coined. I was a trigger-happy kid who, with the help of my then 5-megapixel digital camera (which was a big deal back in 2006, LOL), enthusiastically took a photo of everything that struck my fancy - including my and my friends' faces and the many different ways we can smile (or grimace, or smirk, or make faces) in a photo, for "documentation purposes." I cringe when I think of it now, but my old Multiply account had albums and albums of myself hamming it up. It helped in a way I guess, because it helped me determine my most flattering angle heh.

These days, I still do it but not as much. I have decided that acceptable situations where a selfie is warranted include: meeting a famous person or a person I idolize, seeing a friend I haven't seen in a long while, taking FotD (Face of the Day) photos while doing makeup reviews, and when I'm feeling particularly cute.

But then, I discovered something that reignited my love for taking selfies. Don't worry, I won't subject you to too much of those. (^_−)

Everything I need for taking a perfect selfie: my iPhone and the new
The Body Shop All-in-One InstaBlur 5-Action Perfector
(Optional: Olloclip Clip Lens) 

The new All-in-One InstaBlur 5-action perfector from The Body Shop promises flawless, photo-perfect looking skin in an instant so you're prepared for every Ready... Blur, Snap! Now you're ready to say, "Don't retouch me, Instablur me." and ditch those photo apps. Feel free to include the #nofilter hashtag on your Instagram snapshots!

InstaBlur is available in one universal shade: a translucent white gel-like formula that becomes transparent once blended.

What's its secret? A unique formula made of mattifying spherical powders with smart-filling properties and moisturizing Vitamin E. InstaBlur controls shine for up to 12 hours, smooths pores, hides blemishes, evens complexion, and extends makeup. It joins the best-selling The Body Shop All-in-One makeup family, providing makeup and skincare solutions in one.

So how do you use it? You can actually either use it alone to smooth out imperfections for a mattified no makeup look, or as a perfecting base after your daily skincare routine and before applying makeup. Personally, I use it after applying my Burt's Bees Daisy White Serum and Belo Essentials SunExpert Face Cover, and before my choice makeup for the day.

My personal favorite though is the InstaBlur with my
Pixy Ultimate Makeup Cake in Natural Buff 

How to apply? Just dab and blend. Apply dabs of InstaBlur on your cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose. Gently blend in all over face with small circular motions and voila! You're InstaBlurred!

Here's the InstaBlur in action with my favorite powder:

#nofilter #Instablur #NoRetouchTBSPH

Seriously you guys, this is also the makeup look I sported (plus smokey eyes) at two big events we had towards the latter part of last month, and we were so busy that day and our schedules were so tight that I was glad and relieved that I didn't have to retouch my makeup before the event started!

For P1,195 per 25mL tube, The Body Shop InstaBlur is not exactly inexpensive, especially for something used just for prepping the face for makeup. But for someone who considers makeup costing P1,000 upwards as costly~, I would gladly purchase another tube when mine runs out. I mean, I love it a lot more than my Makeup Factory Makeup Base and Ellana Minerals Let's Make It Last Primer!

InstaBlur is now available in all The Body Shop branches nationwide. I suggest dropping by soon so you can try it in-store. You can also take advantage of their huge pre-holiday sale and start shopping for gifts for your girl friends as early as now! You may also visit The Body Shop on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

Do you like taking selfies? Why do some people call them 'obligatory selfies', anyway? Were they somehow forced to do it? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Disclosure: The product was sent to me by The Body Shop but I was not required nor compensated for this review. All opinions are my own. Please see my blog's complete Disclosure Policy here.

Movie review: Gone Girl

That feeling after you watch a brilliant and harrowing movie based on an equally brilliant and harrowing book that you don't even know how to begin writing a review. That's exactly how I'm feeling right now.

Today I took half the day off work to see the movie adaptation of Gone Girl directed by David Fincher. Based on a novel of the same name written by Gillian Flynn, the movie is about Nick Dunne and Amy Elliot-Dunne and their tumultuous marriage. On the day of their fifth anniversary, Amy mysteriously vanishes. All clues lead to implicate Nick, who is not winning any fans because of his "villainous chin" stand-offish way of dealing with people. It's 149 jarring minutes of red herrings, twisted lies, selfish motives, and you-thought-you-know-what's-going-to-happen-next-but-you-don't, and I loved every single one of them.

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I am all for justice and getting one's comeuppance, so I have to admit I was terribly affected by the ending when I read the book. However, as a reader, I am more than satisfied. Still, it's a very polarizing book and although it has a lot of fans, it attracted criticism as well. Oh well, I can just imagine Flynn smirking at every one of us who fell for this book's wiles.

Comparing a movie from its source material and enumerating where it fell flat is like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg: it's pointless and the debate will never end. All I can say is that the movie FELT like the book: creepy, compelling, and diabolically good. It helped that Flynn also wrote the screenplay, deciding which parts to cut and which parts should stay. I literally felt physically drained after seeing the movie even though I was seated comfortably for the whole duration of the film.

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My Film professor back in college told us before that you would know a score is good if you don't notice it as it blends seamlessly with the scenes. Kudos to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for providing the perfect music accompaniment. The cast and the score are my favorite things about this movie. I read the book just this July, so knowing who the cast are helped me immensely in putting faces to the names. Kudos to the director and the casting team as except for Casey Wilson as Noelle Hawthorne (I couldn't help but picture her as Penny in Happy Endings as she acted so exaggeratedly that it almost looked campy), they couldn't have come up with a more fitting set of actors and actresses. Ben Affleck IS Nick Dunne and Rosamund Pike IS the Amazing Amy Elliot-Dunne.

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Come see it and learn to be more wary of the people you meet, heh. Towards the end of my Gone Girl book review, I wrote that the moral of the story is to never marry a psychopath. How do you know if someone's a psychopath? That's the problem. Choose well.

The Happiest Thank You

I was touched and felt really giddy when I received a Coke bottle with my name on it as a surprise months ago, so just imagine my reaction when they contacted me to say I can surprise two more people with their own personalized Coca-Cola bottles!

I have a long list of friends I would love to Share a Coke with, but I just had to give it to the Top Two people in my life: my parents.

Seeing the sheer delight on their faces when I presented them with their Coke bottles? Priceless. It was worth having this huge and heavy box delivered to my office address so I can be the one to personally give them these when I got home. ❤ Thank you for giving me the chance to say The Happiest Thank You to my parents, Coca-Cola!

You may wonder why I didn't request for Mama and Papa to be put on the bottles. Well, I just feel that they are so much more than the main roles they play in my and my siblings' lives, and I wanted to thank them personally with this sweet gesture. Having our own names on these special edition Coke bottles just feels more special, don't you agree?

And since we're in the subject of giving a more personal spin to expressing thanks, why don't we take a moment and think of the people who help us every day, that we have seemed to learn to take them for granted? I'm sure most of you have already seen the video below, but for those who haven't yet, check this out.

I have a thing for sappy commercials and this made me shed happy tears when I watched it for the first time. :,) Such a wonderful initiative, yes? Thank you, Coca-Cola!

Do you already have your own Coke bottle? Would you like to give your family and friends their own? Check the Share a Coke website to see the list of names that have already been printed and to see the Share a Coke mall tour schedule, where you can have the chance to personalize your own bottles!

The Happiest Thank You for visiting my blog and sticking around! You are awesome. ♥～(‘▽^人) 

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

“Why didn't I learn to treat everything like it was the last time? My greatest regret was how much I believed in the future.”

I finished reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer before midnight last night, and this morning I watched its movie directed by Stephen Daldry and starred by Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and Thomas Horn. I don't know if tears are quantifiable, but I know I cried a lot.

Oskar Schell is a nine-year-old inventor, pacifist, amateur entomologist, Francophile, letter-writer, percussionist, jeweller, detective, vegan, and collector of different kinds of things. When his father is killed in the World Trade Center terrorist attack, Oskar aims to solve the mystery of a key he finds in his father's closet and see what it opens. It eventually leads him to come across strangers who share one thing in common - their last name Black - living all over New York and get to know their stories.

It's not stated explicitly in the novel, but I think Oskar has a disorder that hinders him from relating to people that much. He is eccentric, intelligent, clever, empathetic, contemplative, and has a very wide imagination. He also does not sound nor think like kids his own age, which caused a lot of criticism for Foer's work. He is afraid of a lot of things like public transportation, elevators, bridges, and loud noises, and these fears were magnified after the September 11 attacks.

“In bed that night I invented a special drain that would be underneath every pillow in New York, and would connect to the reservoir. Whenever people cried themselves to sleep, the tears would all go to the same place, and in the morning the weatherman could report if the water level of the Reservoir of Tears had gone up or down, and you could know if New York is in heavy boots.”

Interspersed with Oskar's search are his grandmother's letters to him and his grandfather's unsent letters to his father. I read them and wonder, how much hurt can a heart hold until it decides enough is enough? I read the lines "I’m so afraid of losing something I love that I refuse to love anything" and  I decided it's one of the saddest lines I've read in a book, ever. When self-ruin becomes hand-in-hand with self-preservation, what do you choose?

As expected, the movie veers away from its source material but it doesn't make it any less worth seeing. All the actors gave stellar performances that wrung my heart dry, and I wish Thomas Horn can be given more projects as I'm sure he'll improve even more with more exposure.


The author has been met with a lot of criticism, saying that using the 9/11 tragedy as a plot point is a cheap ploy to attract acclaim, but I don't think that was his objective. In an interview, he said, "I think it's a greater risk not to write about [9/11]. If you're in my position—a New Yorker who felt the event very deeply and a writer who wants to write about things he feels deeply about—I think it's risky to avoid what's right in front of you." What happened shook the earth right through its very core and grief reverberated throughout every nation. I didn't know any 9/11 victim personally, but I'm still affected until now.

The horrors of that day can never be erased, and however minute, our lives were changed forever after that day. I won't even try to look for a silver lining from that horrible tragedy, because it still makes me angry that it happened. It doesn't make any sense at all, and trying to find its logic is completely futile.

I guess, after all the tears, my takeaway from both the book and the movie is that we should never let a moment to tell our loved ones that we love them go to waste. After all, we don't know until when we will have the time to do so. As Oskar's grandmother pointed out to him, "It's always necessary."

“I hope that one day you will have the experience of doing something you do not understand for someone you love.”

GIF credits: 1 | 2

[Online] Shopping is my only vice

Whenever something happens to me, I can either choose to react negatively or look on the brighter side of things. I always choose the latter. When my friends and I were trapped in the heaviest traffic jam we have had the misfortune to experience so far, I just chose to be thankful that I was with my friends, sitting comfortably on the passenger seat, instead of being stranded out on the streets.

These heavy traffic jams (that we can only expect to get even worse now that the holidays are almost here) are the main reason why I just choose to stay in during weekends and rest in the comforts of my couch or bed with books or movies to keep me company. Save for Liz’s Watercolor Workshop last week (which was held in a quaint coffee shop), I don’t think I have been anywhere near a shopping mall on a weekend for the past couple of months. Sure, shopping is tempting especially now that my salary just credited my account, but I'd rather stay home and save myself the trouble of saying goodbye to my personal space and sanity and battling it out in the metro’s public utility vehicles.

Times like this call for my third favorite thing to do on my computer next to reading and writing: online shopping. Whenever I need or want something, all I have to do is search my favorite online shopping sites, add to cart, consult my wish list on the site and consider granting a wish or two, key in my Paypal details (even better if the site uses COD), and wait for my orders to be delivered. Big triumphant whoops if the site offers discount codes or coupon codes. Convenient, practical, quick, and free from being hassled by traffic jams! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

I looove online shopping. I can’t count the number of times I’ve bought stuff online, and I even had an album on my old Multiply account showcasing my online buys! It has been more than six years since I first experienced the delights of online shopping, and until now I still feel a buzz on my fingertips whenever I open a new parcel. Admitting this makes me sound like a dork, but it almost feels like receiving a gift!

For my friends and readers based in the US, I’ve got great news for you! If you love online shopping as much as I do, you may shop online from retail giant Nordstrom and get big savings using Nordstrom promo codes!

Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion specialty retailer offering compelling clothing, shoes, and accessories for men, women, and children. Currently serving customers in 36 states with 117 full-line stores in the United States and one in Canada, 155 Nordstrom Rack locations, two Jeffrey boutiques and one clearance store, they also serve customers online in 96 countries through Nordstrom.com.

I’ve been browsing the site since I got home earlier tonight and maaan, I am so tempted to shop! Are you going to use any of the Nordstrom coupons provided? Please link me to your purchases and let me live vicariously through you!

As for me, I need to save up for my trip to Tacloban early next year so I better stop checking constantly if the items in my wish list will go on sale or not. Or meh, maybe not. (*≧▽≦)

Oh October!

I was so tempted to use Oh-ctober! as this post's title but was too afraid to be met with crickets and collective booing from the Internet so I stuck with this one instead. Heh.

So, October. This morning I posted this on Instagram:

There's something about the changing of colors and temperature that makes this my favorite month of all.

Funny how in just a few hours, a storm can literally rain on my parade.

Chum, Sheila, and I were stuck in Mike's car for more than three hours trying to get home from Makati to Navotas. 

Expectation : Bokeh-filled, romantic rainy night while raindrops pitter-patter softly on the windows
Reality : Just add water = instant Manila traffic jams resulting to hot heads, angry horns, and hungry tummies

Good thing I bought a pretzel on our way to the parking lot.

Seriously, it has been going on for several years now but we never learn. No improvements on the drainage system, nor on urban planning, nor on contingency measures when the rain comes. All you need is a little rain and Manila gets nearer to Dan Brown's "gates of hell" blurb that got the nation fuming with rage, calling for the author to be considered a persona non grata, what up.

Tried to make the most out of the sucky situation by whipping out my laptop and trying to be productive

At least I was with my friends. Being with them made things 100,000X better.

Hope your October started out better than mine did, and may you have a wonderful month ahead!