So I told you about a misfortune Dane and I had when we went to Cartimar last week so he can get a dog, right? Well, maybe misfortune is a very strong word. Let me tell you now what happened (because I love telling other people's stories as much as I love telling my own :D)
We left his car at SM San Lazaro and just took the train because the traffic at Doroteo Jose and Carriedo was painfully slow and we might be stuck for hours. We reached Cartimar, a place known as pet-heaven (because of the rows and rows of stores selling all kinds of pets and stuff needed to take care of one) at about 4:30PM. We scoured the stores looking for a dog for him, specifically a guard dog but did not get much luck as the stores were only selling cute toy dogs. We roamed the place for about three times but saw only one store selling a Rottweiler so beautiful she can really beg you to take her home already. He needed more time to think about it though, so we went around the other stores some more and ate dinner since it was already 7PM. We went back just before the store's closing hours and by then he was already convinced by the salesman to get the dog. He was short of about 1,000php though, so we went to an ATM first while the salesmen were preparing the papers and grooming the Rottweiler. On our way back, the salesman went to us and told that as they were preparing the documents, their boss (the store owner) called and said the dog was already reserved for another person. Sheesh. We left Cartimar with heavy hearts and went back to SM San Lazaro to get his car. He said it was okay but I know he also felt sad.
And how can you not get sad when you missed out on this beauty:
playfully biting the salesman's hand
very regal in her stance
Imagine my surprise when Dane told me he was able to get her after all! He went back there on Friday to see if he will have better luck when he was told he can already buy the dog! Now, he wants to call her Xena but his nieces and nephews call her Isay :D
Everyone, meet Xena/ Isay! :D
She is a three- (or five? Sorry I can't remember X[) month old pure-bred Rottweiler. She is really a thing of beauty :) Dane said she is a big eater and acts very sweet when carried :)
So yeah, it's a happy ending after all. :)
Today was a fairly good day for ice cream, so during lunchtime Dane and I went to Mini Stop in Technohub for a quick sugar fix.
I'm sorry for the lame photo XD
That is my Hershey's Dark Chocolate and Vanilla sundae cone (which is very, very delish I tell you) with the fountains of Technohub as unwilling backdrop
And a real value of money for only 15php per cone. Sweeeet :)
One of the things I love about my job is how I can get away with wearing stuff like this that would be too casual for others:
One of the things I love about my job is how I can get away with wearing stuff like this that would be too casual for others:
That's me feeling pleased with my ice cream cone and pretty pink dress :D
Imagine wearing that to a corporate office XD
And that's him, feeling pleased with his ice cream cone and the shirt I gave him :D
It's payday today! So yay I can finally finish my Christmas shopping tomorrow! And it's my rest day so I'll be holed up here in my parents' home for the next two days. I arrived here to two surprises, apparently.
A postcard from Nashe^ and my Johnson's Body Care Lotion gift package!
Thank you so much Nashe^! I will be posting your postcard AND Christmas card on Wednesday! :)
My Johnson's Body Care Lotion gift package
I have Mia to thank for the heads-up regarding Johnson's Body Care Lotion gift package. She blogged about it a couple of weeks ago and provided the link. I actually have the full-sized Naturally White and Melt Away Stress already and I love them! I also have a mini bottle-sized Melt Away Stress and just refill it from the full-sized bottle every time I go on sleepovers (because it literally melts away the stress of a long day). But still, a free is a free is a free, right?
It contains four mini-bottles of 24-Hour Lasting Moisure and two mini-bottles of Melt Away Stress
I will give a couple to friends, and some will be very handy during sleepovers :D Want your own Body Care Lotion gift package from London? Click here :) And want a Christmas cheer from me? Click here :)
Remember when I told you here that I might be able to share with you guys stuff I have written from years back? Well, that time has come :D
I was at my parents’ house on my rest day when I decided to go through my old stuff and, you know, walk down memory lane for a bit. I was looking through the pile of notebooks and journals I have collected from the last eight years (our house burned down on 2001 so I started my collection from scratch again) when I saw this yellow notebook.
An old notebook, as in really OLD
This is actually an ordinary notebook that I have personalized by removing the spring binding and sewing the pages together, and then covering it with yellow paper (because yellow used to be my favorite color. I even had yellow_sunshine19@yahoo.com as my email address. I know, right?) and plastic. I also wrote my name on a cut-out sheet of fancy stationery which I glued on the front cover and even put a Tweety sticker for good measure (because in my highschool days, nothing says Kristel like a Tweety insignia lol).
I made this when I was in second year high school; I was fourteen years old that time. And no I did not have a boyfriend, but I seriously believed I was madly, head-over-heels, the-world-has-stopped-turning, desperately in love with a guy I have had a crush on since I was in grade four (ten years old). I even cried when I learned the next year that he has transferred to another region and will not study in our school anymore. It is kinda pathetic when I look back on it now, but forgive my young heart back then for thinking he was the greatest love of my life.
But that’s beside the point. The point is this yellow notebook contains valuable memories of my teenage years. I have written lots of songs on it that I have liked since I was young, songs that have just been released then, and songs that I have considered as included in the OST of my life. It includes songs such as Stay (by Lisa Loeb), Turn the Clock Around (by Mandy Moore), Sukiyaki (by 4PM), Lost in Space (by Lighthouse Family) and Until the Time is Through (by 5ive). Not only that, it contains poems I have written in high school. I admit I am not the best poet, but that time, I thought I was the best there ever was since I was the only one amongst my classmates who can write a string of words which rhyme at the end of each line :D And mind you, these songs and poems are not written directly on the paper. I wrote them first on fancy papers and stationery, cut them out, and then paste them to the pages. I thought it was the most artistic thing to do at the time. Now that I look back though, I can only smile at how naïve – but cute lol - I sounded :D
This is a copy of the song With a Smile by Eraserheads
Would you want to read one of the poems I have written? I guess you don’t have a choice anyway because I am presenting it to you now haha! This one I wrote on June 2, 2002 (I can’t believe it has already been that long). I just took a pen and paper, and then the words just flowed through me. I cannot explain it, it was almost like the pen has a mind of its own. I miss that feeling, the feeling of transforming thoughts to ink. I do that now as well, the only difference is that instead of ink, my thoughts become transformed to pixels :D
Back to the poem, I want to share this to you guys. Tell me what you think about it, and then tell me whether you have or you know someone who has already experienced it before. Keep in mind though that it is neither Neruda nor Keats. This bunch of lines attempting to rhyme was written by my fourteen-year old self, so please be kind :D
I never realized it would be over too fast
I always thought our love would last
It seemed we turned our backs from the past
Now it felt as if we’re worlds apart.
It all started one fine morning
I woke up suddenly losing the feeling
When I saw him, there is a nagging
Telling me he also felt nothing.
I know he felt the same way too
So I called to say we’re through
It is time to call it quits
But our memories will be for keeps.
The line was busy
Suddenly I felt guilty
So I put the phone down
But then it rang.
I picked it up on the second ring
Asking the other person, “Who’s calling?”
A deep voice answered, “Hey, ‘tis me,
We loved each other, but now we have to be free.”
I said, “Okay fine, I loved you too,
But you have to find the better one for you.”
I know we were breaking up
But surprise, surprise, I felt no pain inside.
And so it happened
We promised we’d be friends
But promises, in time, were bent
Our friendship also ended.
It’s because of a girl he met
Upon her, his gaze was always set
She prohibited him from seeing me
Fine with me, so long as he’s happy.
So we went with our own lives
Absorbing the sights and the sounds
Until I was haunted with sleepless nights
Can’t truly forget him, try as I might.
I realized I love him still
But he doesn’t know what I feel
We’re through, these feelings I must kill
But I can’t seem to find the will.
Until one morning, I saw him by my door
He is waiting with presents from the store
If only he knew how he made my heart soar
That day, a new love was born.
He said, “For a while, I’ve been blind
But I can’t seem to get you off my mind
I realized I’m not really strong
I needed your love all along.”
We found ourselves in a tight embrace
No need for words, I touched his face
I thought of all the times we’ve missed
Guess what, this story ends with a kiss.
Whoah, that was long! I hope I did not bore you. Oh, want proof I wrote that? Here’s the yellowed page:
So there, what about you, got any similar stories to share? Or any embarrassing stories to share about your first loves and puppy loves? Please do tell me about them! There is comfort in knowing I am not alone :D
PS: I just cannot think where my fourteen year old-self got the idea for this poem x_x
PPS: I am still rounding up people who might want a Christmas cheer from me! Click here!
I used to be really clueless when it comes to makeup (as I've said here). You can say that I was just your regular powder-and-lipgloss kind of girl. My line of thinking before was that I don't care if I don't have makeup on, so long as I have my shoes :D Fast forward to now that I'm 19 23, I realized that I have to learn how to take more care of myself and how I portray myself to the world. I became more concerned of my appearance not because I wanted to look pretty for other people but because I wanted other people to see that I do care about their perception of me. At the end of the day, when you know you look good, you become more confident :)
The dilemma: I wanted to learn how to apply makeup but I did not know where to start! Now, thanks to the Internet, I found beauty blogs that were really helpful for someone like who didn't know what primers and highlighters were for :D And since I work for British customers at HSBC, we have regular access to their online newspapers and tabloids, one of which is Daily Mail. Through Daily Mail I found makeup guru Lauren Luke who also has a Youtube channel. Hers is indeed a rags-to-riches story, read here and be inspired. :)
Now, I am not saying I have become a makeup master or anything, but I am glad to say that I was already able to learn a little. One of the downsides of this new discovery though is realizing that I need a lot of products more to fully apply what I learned. Rest assured though that I will not hoard on the makeup products since I do not have any plans to become a professional makeup artist at all; I just read the reviews first and then determine whether a particular item will be good for me or not.
One makeup brand I am very glad to have found is Ellana Minerals. As all other mineral makeup brands, Ellana's products are non-toxic, hypoallergenic and non-comodegenic, but what really sold me to try them is that it is a local brand. I am happy that more Pinoy entrepreneurs are breaking boundaries and carving their own niche in the market :) And best of all their products are really affordable! If your budget is tight, Ellana Minerals cosmetics are great stocking stuffers for your sisters and girl friends.
photo taken on October 29, 2009
I love how their Premium Blend Foundation goes on very light and natural
I love how their Premium Blend Foundation goes on very light and natural
my first Ellana haul
I got the Premium Blend Mineral Foundation in Cafe Mocha, Mineral Powder Blush in Happiness, and Lip Treatment in Strawberry Fresh
The rest are free samples :)
I got the Premium Blend Mineral Foundation in Cafe Mocha, Mineral Powder Blush in Happiness, and Lip Treatment in Strawberry Fresh
The rest are free samples :)
I came back after just two days :p
Makeup Remover, Lip and Cheek Tint in Amethyst, Baby Buki brush, Mineral Powder Blush in Lust, Lip Scrub in Strawberry Kiss, Liquid Lip Color in Lovely, 3-piece Brush Set (contains a lip brush, concealer brush and powder brush) and Non-latex sponges
Makeup Remover, Lip and Cheek Tint in Amethyst, Baby Buki brush, Mineral Powder Blush in Lust, Lip Scrub in Strawberry Kiss, Liquid Lip Color in Lovely, 3-piece Brush Set (contains a lip brush, concealer brush and powder brush) and Non-latex sponges
I applied the Premium Blend Foundation in Cafe Mocha in the morning (before my 6am - 3pm work schedule) the day we went to Cartimar and I am happy that it did not budge at all!
This photo was taken at exactly 4:40pm, eleven hours after I applied the mineral foundation at 5am, no retouching at all!
You see, it did not budge at all! And it also did a very good job at managing the oil and covering up a small zit on my right cheek. Awts, I wish I have discovered the wonders of makeup when I was still in college XD
So much is my trust in this brand that I have even become a reseller together with my friend/ officemate Marsha. Yep, you can order Ellana Minerals through us. Just email me at kristelann.cruz@gmail.com. If you'd like to know what your skin type and undertone is, you may check this easy-peasy guide. Want free samples? Click here and fill out the form. :)
Have you tried mineral makeup? What can you say about them? Share your inputs, I would love to hear them! :)
EDIT: On a related note, I just wanted to say that lipsticks are probably my favorite beauty item. I am slightly anemic and there are days that I look so pale that it seems like I have been bled dry. I am not kidding, it is not a pretty sight x_x So, my go-to items are lipsticks. Incidentally I received the NYX Round Lipsticks I ordered from Sol via her Multiply store.
pretty colors :)
I have tried NYX Round Lipsticks before and I must say I really love them!
Here they are when opened:
Fig
Louisiana
Paris
Rose
No swatches though, because one or two are gifts for my friends :D (Want to receive a Christmas cheer from me? Click here!)
What are your favorite makeup items (that you cannot live without, or if that sounds too drastic, beauty items that have definitely made life much better for you)?
Do you have a dog? If so, what breed? How long have you had him/ her? And what is his/ her name?
The reason I asked is that I just realized I want one. But getting a dog is impossible for me at the moment so I guess I would just have to live through you. XD Why impossible? Let me break down my schedule for you (this is an anwer as well to Kym's question). During my work days (Thursdays - Mondays) my alarm clock sounds off at 4am (because it takes awfully long for me to get ready). I finally get up at 4:30 then rush myself to make sure I get to work on time. My work hours are from 6am - 3pm, and then after work I always get to have plans to go somewhere (this is me milking my independence) unless I am too lazy to go anywhere and would just rather lounge in my Quezon City apartment and watch DVDs (or do nothing, which is equally fun). On days I go somewhere else though I go home at about 7-8pm (making sure I have already grabbed a bite somewhere, thanks to my non-skills in cooking which is proving to be quite expensive). I then read the blogs I follow, Facebook and play FB games for a couple of hours while watching local news, and then finally hit the sack at 10pm. On Mondays though I go straight to my parents' house after work (I'm saying hi to you now from Navotas!) and then go to work on Thursday from here. This is my routine, and I assure you it is not boring at all :D
You see, with my schedule being full as it is, there is no way I can squeeze in taking care of a dog. As with other relationships, it is a big responsibility. And I want to be able to give my full attention to my commitments (especially when it comes to taking care of a creature who would most likely die if not given the attention he/ she deserves and needs), which sadly I cannot do so at the moment. Well, I can prolly get one and then leave him/ her at my parents' house, but my Mom already said no as my two siblings and toddler cousin have asthma. Goodbye dog dreams. :(
So yeah, I just have to be content with my fishes Aziraphale and Anathema.
My dragonfins
You may also call them Yin and Yang for short :D
You may also call them Yin and Yang for short :D
They have been with me for more than seven months now, way past the deadline of three days imposed on me by my officemates (some friends they are)! :D I have taken care of five different species of fishes before but they only stayed with me for a maximum of a week *sniff*
Anyway, yesterday Dane and I went to Cartimar in Pasay City to look for a pet dog for him, specifically a guard dog. (He also has a 75-gallon aquarium housing 9 different species of dragonfins). It was my first time to go there and it was awesome! It is Manila's pet heaven and all you pet lovers out there will surely love it! It is very much like Divisoria, but instead of selling bargain clothes and whatnots, rows and rows of stores sell pet animals (different kinds of dogs, cats, birds, chickens, snakes, lizards, fishes, even peacocks!) and everything you need in taking care of one like cages, food, tanks, even clothes!
Guess what, Dane wants a Great Dane.
Dane: I want a Great Dane.
Krissy: Wow. Okay, so what are you going to name it? Great? (Pet is named Great, Master is named Dane. Great and Dane. Great Dane. Get it? LOL)
Dane: Har har.
Haha! It is kinda funny, right? :D
A Rottweiler will also do. We found one actually, and it is easy to see it has already fallen in love with us awwww but due to an unfortunate incident (I would like to blog about it but will not, as per his request) he did not buy it. Let's just say it was not to be. Sad, I already have a name for it. Yep, I will name her even though she's not mine. I wanted to name her Athena because my officemate Niño's wife is pregnant with a baby girl and he said he is going to name her Athena but I opposed it because I want Athena for my baby's name. So he said he will not name her Athena if I can procure a baby before March. Uhh, no thanks. I will have a baby in my and my future husband's own terms, thankyouverymuch. (Some back story, huh? :p) So, Dane's still on the lookout for the perfect dog (so long as it's not a toy dog. I cannot imagine him with one haha). Any recommendations? :)
PS: I am still rounding up people who would like some Krissy Christmas Cheer! Click here. ♥♥
This month...
I like: that it is the holiday season! Christmas is my favorite holiday! (Want to have a little Christmas cheer from me? Click here!)
I don't like: that I actually have to work on Christmas day. x_x Thankfully I get off work at 3pm so I can still attend the annual reunion in my father's side of the family.
I want you to know: that I am really thankful for each and everyone of you who are reading my blabs here. Sending some digital hugs smothered with pink kisses your way! :)
I've planned: a Christmas party for my officemates. It will be like a semi-reunion for our two former teammates who have already transfered to other departments.
I want to say to someone special: A, I hope that we can get in touch this Christmas. I really do miss you.
This is my December entry for the Toothfairy's A Piece of Me challenge. Want to join as well? Click here! :)
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