What I wanna hear now...

...is a song collaboration of Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) and Hayley Williams (Paramore). I wanna write a song for them to belt out. But of course, I will not publish the lyrics here. I'll send them to Fueled by Ramen and cross my fingers. For the hope that Pete Wentz will even glance at it. Or even make it to their mailbox. Haha!
Pat and Hayley both have a wickedly amazing voice. 'love 'em.

Who Can Really Wear a Pencil Skirt?

Whether you are curvy like America Ferrera or skinny like Angelina Jolie, there are rules in wearing pencil skirt. It is a tricky piece of clothing. You’ll never know how much it hugs your butt and thighs unless you’ve tried it on. If your shape is more like America Ferrera’s, then you’ll opt for loose type of skirt. Her version has a high waisted, wider-hip cut as shown above. Surprisingly, it seems like there is enough space for movement, depending on what kind of fabric is used. On the other hand, zero-fat ladies like Angelina Jolie’s body can mostly pull off a pencil skirt with no mess.

No matter whether you’re a lovely Ugly Betty or Lara Croft, you can always invest in undergarments that minimize the chances of pantyline visibility. There are boy short hot pants type of undies available like that of Jockey’s No Panty Line Promise. That way, you can never go wrong. Also, If you’re like me who will never get caught dead in this kind of situation:
Then you’ll avoid wearing pants or skirts that showcase your panty lines. Not only it is one of the ultimate fashion faux pas, you will definitely attract different sorts of negative attention.

With the right size of garment, you won’t look bigger than you are, and most importantly, you won’t look trashy and unkempt.


***FYI: Yours truly is the author of the deleted blog "modestapparels.wordpress.com" - I do transfer some of my blog posts (such as this one) to this new website.***

Buttons!

My love for playing dress up emerged as I grew up. I remember sewing dresses for my dolls and show it to my friends. Eventually, they end up asking me to dress up their dolls too. And as a teenager, I used to rip apart old garments and reinvent new style out of those pieces. I’m always the prime suspect when Mom asks where the pins in her sewing box went. I also remember having a huge collection of beads and buttons that I use to jazz up my plain clothes with. While some of my friends thought my creations were cool, some also think I’m not making sense. Well that’s a good thought. I don’t try to make sense out of what I do. If I incorporate large colorful buttons with a knit sweater, it’s because the knit sweater is too boring and I just want to have fun with it. Colors make people happy and smiling. Why? I don’t have a ready explanation for you. In fashion, you don’t need to over-analyze, just make a statement. Try playing around with buttons.

Fashion Philosophy

“Roman Holiday” is the very first Audrey Hepburn movie I saw. I was in 5th grade when I swooned over and admired this delicately beautiful and elegant woman in black and white film. Ever since then, I’ve researched for and loved the late Miss Hepburn. For me, she is the ultimate fashion icon.
Over the years she aged gracefully and one thing I love about her is that she knows well what accentuates her beauty and stuck with it. From simple hairdo, shapes, and colors. She made it a point that she owned her look and nothing is overdone.
My fashion wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline inspired by Audrey: You don’t have to follow what ever is in-style or hot out there. Not because everyone wears skinny jeans, you have to wear them. There is an appropriate style for each individual. You just need to find what suits you, and just subtly play with it.

Tear Here clan sets foot in Wood Mountain.

Note: This is about Perfect World RPG developed by WanMei China and published by LevelUp Games in the Philippines.

On November 23, 2008, our clan Tear Here stood as victor in battle for the rights of Wood Mountain against Aether extension. It took us a long hour and 45 minutes to succeed against the defenders. For the record, this is the first land we claimed through player versus player in full battle royale. It was an adrenaline-rushing close fight. The defenders intimidated us by their number of high level players but our clan members' fighting spirit is rock solid. We started tough, played it rough, and ended it like mad men in unison.

Congrats to all of us! (^_^)

I can't stop...

...listening to Keane songs, my ipod is audibly Keane. How could I possibly stop the addiction? When their lyrics are so beautifully woven just like this song titled "Untitled 2"

You chewed me up and you spat me out
Foolish boy that I am
So I choose to wander and amble around
And make myself a man

I thought the world could be changed by
A good soul and a song
But it's been this way such a long time
So maybe I'm wrong

So long ago, it must be
That you're still the one that's troubling me
And still so far, so far away
I sat with a tear in my hand
On a day, so long ago

Inside I am an ogre
With the simple thoughts of a child
I say what I think, and I need to be loved
But I guess that's not your style

So long ago, it must be
That you're still the one that's troubling me
And still so far, so far away
I sat with a tear in my hand
On a day, so long ago

Yes, yours truly is mushy on this very Sunday morning. What the heck, right? Must change mood. Have a good day everyone.

Friday a la Arabica Aroma...

Yours truly, is quite in a good mood. First off, I already claimed my limited edition Starbucks Coffee 2009 planner (in red). Hah! Yeah, that's how quickly I filled out the sticker slots needed because yours truly is a huge coffee consumer (special thanks to Del who handed me his three stickers). And during my visit to the coffee shop this evening, I got a customer voice stub along with my receipt. That's a complimentary beverage in exchange of an online survey response. Spiffy, isn't it? It's Friday, and people here in the office normally have this hyper mood when weekend is just around the corner. Here, I'm presenting some shots from Mars' notebook while the bosses aren't in yet, and yes, before slaving the day away.

Paracetamol Brand and the Irresponsible Product Endorser

That John Lloyd's Biogesic billboard ad installed just as you enter NLEX from Cloverleaf Balintawak is so huge that you won't miss seeing it. Ever. I was just wondering if the people in Unilab, the pharmaceutical company behind the paracetamol brand really takes them each and every time their head aches when it's a known fact that too much of this analgesic and antipyretic medication may cause fatal liver damage and, in rare individuals, a normal dose can do the same. This is a no-brainer. Go see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol. It's a pity that there isn't even a government warning for this drug when they should help educate the masses about the possible damage of whatever enters the state's market. What people need is education starting with these little things like daily headache. Why not ditch the drugs and propagate alternative medicine? It's healthier and has no adverse effects.

I'm disgusted at John Lloyd Cruz for being the face of this stupid Paracetamol ad. For being an irresponsible mind and not researching about the product he's endorsing. Stupid. Ingat!

The Female of the Species

I never was, never am, and never will be a feminist (yada yada yada my site is pink-ish, but believe me, it's not supposed to suggest feminism) however, this poem cracks me up because there's so much truth to what Rudyard Kipling wrote in "The Female of the Species" dated 1911.
The line goes:

"When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,
He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.
But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male."

I agree. Women could be that scary. I could be that scary, if I wanted to be that one heck of a woman. Which I always choose not to, due to the fear of being unable to put back together what I may rip apart. And for the fact that I should respect, first and forever.

Should get this 2009 calendar.

I'm so dizzy.

Midway to my work shift, I had to file an undertime leave. Small details become huge when they pile up and you end up confused enough to get dizzy. At times like these, I ask myself WWJD? Then I would promise to myself that if there has to be any decision, it would be (hopefully) swayed by the best thoughts and intentions.

Start a week counting blessings...

Aside from food at the table, job, family, and place to rest, here are some other great things I want to thank God for:

• Miss Faye, our company nurse remembered me asking for meds that have no PPA. She said she'll research for it since almost all decongestants we have contains PPA. She PM'd me this link a while ago - herbal medicine for colds, cough, and flu. No PPA! Yey!

• My friend Jom's "Hi sis kamusta?" (Hi sis, how are you?) sms. Is always a reminder that my friend (and brother) is still the way he is for almost a decade of friendship. And... Zsazsa and Karen's messages are always a reminder that my friends are still the way they are for more than a decade of friendship!

• Wearing a new purple dress is best matched with Lorie's sweet compliment that goes "Hi Stace, you look yummy in purple!" Well, Lorie is the cutest buntis (pregnant) I've seen!

• My Dad for suggesting another good book to read (which he does best). It's "The Way of the Shepherd" by Dr. Kevin Leman. And again, Dad for fixing our doorknob. He's not the best at fixing things around the house but you would definitely appreciate him for the effort and hard work.

• Del's warm hand on my shoulder when he knows there's much going on and I'm having quite a tiring day. He doesn't need to say a word for me to know he cares.
  

• Mom's gentle remarks like "We're lucky to have you." Mom, I'm lucky to have YOU and Dad. As simple as that.I received an invitation to this conference. This event is happening on Sunday, 11/30/08. I really wish I could clear out my schedule to be there! It would be great to hear some pointers from the experts. I'm (obviously) not a writer so I wish I have more than one body to be in several places at a time and learn tons of things. Now that's multitasking.

I know these aren't all. Thank you Lord for the many other things I missed writing here and for all the things you've done that I'm unaware of.

My Favorite Beach Boys

Friendster seems to be having technical problems since they've been conducting frequent maintenance of the site, so my next resort as usual is to browse YouTube. I still haven't got over my last song syndrome since Wednesday, so I searched for The Beach Boys! I agree with knowallcity when he commented that almost all the best riffs, backbeats, and rhythm guitar work in rock music are in The Beach Boys' songs. Nevermind their style, the silly dance moves, and the funny falsetto voice, just check these out. And see how wild our grannys and grandpys were decades back.

"Wouldn't It Be Nice"


"Don't Worry Baby"


These two are my favorite songs from the boys because the lyrics are great and they remind me of crisp summertime breeze. (^_^)

I will just sleep my colds away

Most of you probably have received the email and/or sms alert about PPA (Phenylpropanolamine) drug. For more info, feel free to visit these following links:

Link 1
Link 2

I got the email warning about this drug content just last month, saying that it increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding in the brain - scary and gross!). And it's surprising to know that major western countries consider all medicine containing PPA as either prescription drug or completely banned in the market since 2001. Sad to say, here in the Philippines, it's still available over the counter! Phenylpropanolamine is commonly used as a nasal decongestant and almost all common cold relievers that you can think of has PPA. Name it: Decolgen, Neozep, Sinutab, Nasathera, among many others. Although I'm not sure about the non-drowsy decongestants, but I do know those have paracetamol. An overdose of paracetamol is dangerous and capable of causing serious damage to the liver and kidneys. Talk about pills and tabs offering quick relief and long term side effects.

Therefore I conclude: I will just elevate my head with the right pillows and sleep my colds away. Drink plenty of water, take extra dose of vitamin C, & get plenty of rest. After all, common colds is our body's natural way of saying "I need some rest", so might as well take care of it naturally.

I Have Been Kissed

3... 2... 1... 0. Five minutes passed. No Sam. We pan across the crowd, all defeated for Josie. And Josie, as her grip loses the microphone, is shattered.

And then...

A commotion in the stands. Sam bursts through the crowd. He runs toward Josie. The crowd is revived and loud.

Background music: The Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby" as Sam ran to Josie's arms, pulls her and they kiss passionately. The most amazing, most waited-for kiss. A kiss that she dreamt of.

Sam: Sorry I'm late. It took me forever to get here.

Josie Geller: I know what you mean.

Crowd cheers, there was love all over the stadium.

Fade out.

The End.

That is how the movie "Never Been Kissed" ended. I never do movie reviews, and this sure isn't one. But if the movie is your favorite chick flick since 1999, and that you can relate to it entirely, you must have something to say about it.

Last night, I didn't go to work. I switched the TV on while drowsy from acute viral nasopharyngitis, or known as the common cold. Seeing this film one more time makes me remember everything I loved about it the first time I saw it 9 years ago. I was in junior high. At the time I know that like Josie, we might have to kiss a whole bunch of losers to get to that right one, which Josie and I both don't want. And myself, now 24 years old, a real person and not some character from a movie, realized that a real life love story is a whole lot harsh than those beautifully written scripts. When we have found ourself someone to love, and like Josie, we want to laugh and cry at the same time because we're so lucky we found it, and so scared that it will go away. We regret that our fears sometimes overwhelm that it hurts. And it hurts the person who loves us when that person wants to feel trusted in return. After all words of apology has been said and everything's still painful, that's the time you have to let him go. Not because you do not love; rather, to trust the person with your heart, trust that he will be yours if he's yours. To trust and be brave to stand for five long minutes in front of a crowd, gamble your life away whether he'll come or not. If there's a way to end a portion of your life and start another one asking the person you love to kiss you in front of everyone to confirm acceptance, why not? It's not just drama. It's love. Although not all of us are as brave as Josie, we sure do our own crazy version of antics when we're in love, just to be loved back because it's all worth it.

Have a nice day everyone.

Photo from IMDB

Our Office Party

I heard that the staff didn't want to bother decorating a venue for the company party so they decided to pick the Embassy for this year. I also heard they'll be opening the venue exclusively for Branders that day. Well, all is OK as long as a good program is planned. We have approximately 1 month to decide what to don for this event. The theme is 70's, 80's, or 90's. That is sooo easy.

I guess I need a wig... NOT.

Good intentions, bad interpretations.

Have you ever experienced being misjudged by an action out of good intention? Yeah, it sucks.

It's like when the famous PBA injury happened. Robert "Sonny" Jaworski was heard asking "Patay na ba?" ("Is he dead yet?") referring to Allan Caidic who was vomiting after a severe collision with Nelson Asaytono. He didn't mean to sound as if he's anticipating Allan's death. In fact, what he meant was to tell everyone to stop watching Allan suffer and rather, send him to the hospital already for immediate professional check up! That's Jawo telling everyone not to watch and wait for Allan to die! But negative interpretations poured in especially by anti-jawo viewers. Jawo's lucky to have my dad (a hardcore Jawo fan) who gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Oh well, what happened to me today is like that. Yeah, I'm reckless. But please know that I do have an insy bit of a heart. I'm pissed off but I'll be fine later.

Not quite what I expected...

And so after my anticipation for the new weapon, I was a bit surprised to see how it actually looks like. I mean, it wasn't all disappointing. I never saw the actual Chaotic Annihilation before, so seeing it, man, it's hilarious. I was expecting a sleek bad-ass ammunition but what I'm seeing now looks like a dried mini sea monster with a bolt of red electric current flowing to it. Click on image to zoom.

Have a great & surprising week ahead, guys. I've had my fair share of it already.
Ha-ha!

Something to inspire you...

Click image to zoom in.

Atlantic City in the Philippines?

I just read the news about business tycoon Donald Trump eyeing on developing Subic Bay freeport here in the Philippines as a tourism complex. It is said that he's working on definitive agreement with a South Korean company for the development of the said location. Imagine an Atlantic City by the bay, more jobs for my fellow Pinoys, & powerhouse cast of government officials squeezing in the limelight of success (tsk tsk tsk).

I've read Trump's book "The Art of the Deal" back in college, and it entered my mind way back then that he would check out the Philippine archipelago someday. Well, I guess it's happening now. Interesting. I also hope for a season of "The Apprentice" showcasing a bunch of Filipino professionals trying out for a job in his business empire. (^_^) That's gonna be exciting.

Thank Goodness It's Friday!

I must say, the new red cups concoction from Starbucks, Dark Cherry Mocha is delish and satisfying. Mars and I discovered it just tonight. T.G.I.F.! It's the end of workweek. My plans for the weekend includes cleaning up my room, redecorate it, go to church, & go shopping! I figured it's the perfect time of the year to wear booties! I'm excited (^_^)

One of the get-ups I can think of right now:

Vintage doll dress, tights, booties, and a fab tote. I love vintage looks. I'll make sure to get more vintage-inspired dresses this time.

Sher turns 20.

November 7 is my sister's birthday!
Happy! Happy!
Although I still haven't bought a gift for her, I'll make sure to get her one this weekend.
I wish you all the best. *Hugs*

Graphics made by our friend Joiye (^_^)

'tis the season to be lippy!

Even if you stay hydrated to obtain that natural glow, external elements like dry air from the AC, heat from the sun, or this season's dry wind causes your lips to chap and crack. You lose focus when the person you’re talking with is staring at your unsightly lips, and that is just uncomfortable. To prevent this, we use lip balms. End result: Natural, moist, and healthy lips. Here are my top 5 picks.

#5 Softlips Vanilla

I am unable to find this in Watson’s nowadays, but I do remember using this very effective lip balm when I was in middle school. I remember showing it off to my friends who were all using either a classic chapstick or Avon’s Flavor Savers Lip Gloss (Avon ladies offer these to students at buy 1 take 1 deal) and they were like, envious of my genious discovery. But actually, I just arbored the stick from my mom. The slim stick makes the glide on your lips more controlled. And the moisturizing power is superb. There are days when I get into a lipbalm-gliding trance… Oh I really miss this product. Recently, I looked this up on the internet and found out they’re still selling this wonderful thing so I’m thinking of maybe getting value packs online.

#4 Badger Cocoa Lip Balm

Now this one is best described in one yummy word: Creamy! (Gooey if it’s high noon here in Manila and you slather a tad bit more than necessary).
The tube artworks are the best balm designs around. And I hope they come up with a cap design where you can wear it with a lanyard! Sweet!

Badger balms are certified organic and are perfectly scented - not too mellow and not too overpowering. The creamyness makes it perfect for healing and comforting chapped lips. It contains Aloe Vera which is known to have healing properties, it comforts dry skin, scalp, and lips very well. I got my first tube at Rustan’s. If you’ll find time to check out all the Bagder line, you’ll fall in love with the cute tin cans and cuddly teddy bears and raccoons they showcase in each item. Lime Rocket flavor seems to be a public favorite as it’s always one of the first to run out of stock. ‘Love Badgerrrrrr!!!

#3 Blistex Lip Tone

The one I used during my O.J.T. I’m not a big fan of lipsticks and one of my superiors in my on-the-job training complains that I look too pale. Hello world! I wake up 6 in the morning everyday to make sure I won’t be late for my 7.30AM time-in, and after 3 in the afternoon, I have to commute to my school where I have to stay another 5 hours before I can head back home. Not to mention I had to finish homeworks and projects, review for exams, and do my own laundry. That’s why I was pale and that’s when I squeezed out some P120 out of my lunch money to buy Blistex Lip Tone. Voila! Imagine a pale girl evolved to a mist-enhanced beauty. (Self-patronization… that’s just it. haha)

Does it color your lips much? No. Blistex Lip Tone complements the natural complexion of your lips by combining the effective moisturization and protection you’d expect from a Blistex lip balm with a very minimal tint. It also smells good enough to eat, it tastes sweet but never distracting. You can think of mocha latte; very comforting and delicious. Your lips will just look healthy, natural… great!

Sun Protection: PABA-free Lip Tone provides SPF 15 protection, which is recommended even for people who burn easily and tan minimally. Remember, lips don’t tan but they do burn.

#2 NIVEA Lip Care ESSENTIAL with Moisture Store Effect

At around P80-P90, this one is great for dry lips because it provides long-lasting care for hours. I mean, true to the word, it will last long because unlike flavored lip balms where you have a tendency to lick your lips, this one doesn’t smell or taste like food. It doesn’t smell or taste bad either. It’s just that, it’s too natural and plain… like a good old friendly balm doing what it’s created to do: provide moisturization.

As far as I know, it contains natural ingredients that pampers your lips: jojoba oil and shea butter. If you check out Nivea’s ad campaign for this line of product you’ll notice this technology they claim:
“NIVEA Lip Care innovative moisture store effect – highly effective formula based on skin’s own Hydramine and Grape seeds extract, supports the natural moisturisation of the lips for longer.” I believe this because my sister and I are living testimonies that the product is not disappointing. Just make sure you store it in a cool, or room temperature as it will melt in humid places. It’s fairly priced, and is available in almost all drugstores in the Philippines.

NIVEA Lip Care’s tag line: “Live life with a smile”. You can’t argue with that.

#1 CHAPSTICK CLASSIC!

Tell me, oh tell me… Who among the people of the universe who tried Chapstick did not appreciate this time-tested lip saver? It’s got all you need in a tube of lip balm. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
- It’s inexpensive so you can leave one in your drawer, purse, car, office desk, refrigerator, dog house, underneath your couch… Haha.

- It stood the test of time. Chapstick has been around for ages, so that’s some pretty strong proof on how mankind found this tube essential for daily survival.

- I love the exterior coloring of each flavor. Collect them all and they look like a set of crayons. Cute.
- Chapstick offers SPF (except for the All-Natural).
- Another reason is: Chapstick = Nostalgia. It reminds me of my life as a student. It’s like a friend I got used to.

My favorite chapstick flavor is Vanilla. They could do the Cherry and Strawberry some improvement because they have this medicine-ish scent at times (or is it just me who thinks of it that way). But overall, Chapstick is the ultimate household name for chap sticks.

Feel free to share your favorite lip balms!

Sun Alert: Limiting sun exposure, wearing protective clothing, and using sunscreens may reduce the risks of skin aging, skin cancer, and other harmful effects of the sun.

I think I'm a girl.

I'm a big fan of dresses, skirts, cardigans, anything knit, vibrant, fresh, and colorful. I want the dress shown above and the shoes shown below. They're yellow and they make me smile big time.


I saw these on my favorite shop Anthropologie, and I will own them soon. Bwahahahaha.

My Best Gig Ever!

My nephew Denmarc at two years old

Being an aunt probably is one of my best gigs. During the time when my elder sister's bump was so huge, she would let my younger sister & I feel the fetus' heartbeat & its "kick". The life inside her tummy was moving a lot. My sister said the fetus moves as if it's whining when she gets hungry, so the baby probably feels it as well & therefore, raises the issue. Hmm... Was the fetus' insinuations were normal response to hunger? Or a remarkable suggestion that it has an attitude? Haha! Wickedly cool. The first ultrasound image of it shows that it's a boy & the soon-to-be-mom lets my younger sister & I to name and rename the fetus. I think I've even kept our lists - always divided into two columns; suppose it would be a boy or a girl, since we're still skeptic about its gender. None of our suggestions made it to the cut because it was the baby's dad who filled & signed in the nursery registry sheet.

At about seven to eight months old, he started to stand by himself, take a few steps and by a year old he can speak phrases. We're blown away each time he exhibits his new knowledge. It's been more than two years now since my nephew was added to our family. He gets heavier each time I carry him and he walks as if he's going to tip over. I never expect that I would fall in love this way. It would probably break my heart when time comes his friends will occupy his time. Well, for sure that's going to be inevitable. But for now while he's still "ours", I can snuggle, cuddle, giggle with munchkin, teach him stupid jokes, make him wear shirts that says "Tita Stacey is #1!" Haha! I enjoy taking lots and lots of pictures of him too. It's always fun shopping for his cute clothes, shoes, all the noisy toys, toys that needs batteries, toys he would disassemble & never put back intact again, crayons & sheets of paper, music cds, & kiddie videos. His grafitti is a work of art. He loves to draw circles. When my sister & nephew visit us, munchkin would climb up to my bed, plant me a kiss in the nose & calls me "Tita" -- I can stay all day hearing the young boy's very soft and loving voice calling me "Tita".

Maybe the kid got too sweet, don't you think? He's now an avid fan of Barney & friends, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, crayons, and posing for photo shoots. Isn't it true that Barney influence kids to be queer? Oh well, even if he'd turn out gay, I'd still love him & I promise to be the worst threat to who ever is going to bully my sweet little munchkin. But of course I still think my nephew's gonna learn how to kick butt. My dad - his grandpa is a toughie so he'll learn all the best moves and attitude from him. Naturally, I was planning to give him the first three seasons of Southpark. Or maybe orient him to The Simpsons at the very least. But now I'm thinking it over 'coz I don't want any problems with my sister. You see, my sister is an educator & is currently facilitating a study center for toddlers. So aside from her being the mother of my munchkin & his personal educator too, she will not tolerate Southpark, or The Simpsons, or Beavis and Butthead dvds on their shelves. But! I'll tell that kiddo all about how his mommy was. Bwa-ha-ha! And brainwash him thinking I was the good kid. Haha.. His mom knows all of this already & is on the planning stage for her defense. Let's get ready to rumble!

Being an aunt has its perks, you know. You can carry and cuddle munchkin but when he cries real loud, you can always hand him back to his real parents. I really panic whenever he is upset. Being an aunt is a job I think I can be good at. (^_^)

Chaotic Annihilation

Warning: This blog post can be comprehended easily by RPG players, specifically players of PerfectWorld WanMei published by LevelUp Games in the Philippines.

After months of playing PerfectWorld, Del and I finally reached level 90! Yipee! We're so excited to test our newly crafted armors and weapon sets. I've been having a difficult time finding some materials for my weapon, though. The weapon name is the title of this post, Chaotic Annihilation. Wish me luck 'coz I really want it to have at least more than 1 slot for soul stones fusion.

Standard attributes of Chaotic Annihilation Mystic Sword:
Atk: 411-616
Matk: 748-914
Chanting - 6%
Magical Attack + 77
Mp + 335

Sweet, isn't it? I'll definitely find a way to fuse this with Blue Sea Soul Stones. I love it! Del is an archer in game and I'm a priestess.


***The name above is my in-game name and Del made this little .GIF message. So cute!***

New Look!

Weeeeee! I just tweaked this site's HTML & I think it looks a lot better. I'm happy!

A Letter to Portia

Portia is a single parent whose child was in the next room from my grandma's spot in the hospital. The first time I saw this woman, I knew right there that she's the type who wouldn't cry over petty things that I find myself being bothered about. You know, little things like stress and broken promises. She's just so different that I sort of enjoyed observing her quietly from the glass window. Her hair has natural waves that fall to her shoulders. She's just the right fit for a mother of two. Her skin reminds me of olives and mediterranean beauty. Her face is a billboard of integrity, declaring how a single parent should be. Nothing about her is seemingly flirty. Her aura commands respect.

And so I thought this is going to be an ordinary day. I, doing the same thing I do... Observing people & fascinating myself with each and everyone's differences.

My grandma was asleep so I got bored and stepped outside, walking anywhere but away from the crucifix installed against the corner wall of the long corridor. Portia greeted me with a smile so I smiled back. She stroke up a conversation by confirming if I was the lady visiting the next-door patient. I said yes, that's my grandma. I told her that I saw her attending to a child in the next room so that's when she expressed it was her second child with gastroentritis. It was peculiar how she found it so easy to open up her life story to me. I normally get an impression that I'm unapproachable. But this one is talking about her broken marriage and how her life is like as a dutiful working mom of two. I was left with no other emotion but sympathy. Portia claimed to be a Catholic and she said she stopped praying for a while when her struggles poured in. Her husband left her for another woman, and that she's risking even her job to be here beside her sickly little one. Like a story in a movie, it went.

We weren't able to speak much after that since she needed to check on her child for scheduled medications while I have to go back to my grandma. Teary-eyed, she embraced me like an old friend. And I felt like crying.

Going back to this day's experience, I felt her pain and sorrow. God does weave each life form with full complexity, an ordinary mind won't be able to comprehend. Why among all people, you were chosen for a certain task. Why among all people, you were given a sack that seemed heavier than the rest. I'm no genius, nor am I the religious who'll deliver answers to enlighten anyone. But to the best of my knowledge, to the best of my faith I wanted to let anyone like Portia know that there will always be a reason to hold on, and a reason to have faith.

Our pain is unexplicable when inflicted by someone we love. Nothing hurts worse than that... it is hands down, pain at its finest. I could imagine Portia burying her head in a pillow sobbing her way to sleep every night. I know how painful that is. Portia probably still can't figure how the man she trusted with her life and exchanged vows with left. There must be so many questions in her head unanswered still. But life is a waiting game. It sucks when you've given up and yet, answers still aren't available. I am writing for the hope that someone will meet Portia too. And for the hope there's someone who'll also listen. It doesn't have to be me. What's important is that we listen to each other, we listen and feel each other's pain. I have this little theory why our country is over populated... Given that we've so much wasted resources and that poverty rate is high. Oppression rate is high. Maybe there's too many of us so that anywhere we go, there's someone we can turn to. Someone to serve as an outlet for our heartaches.

Tonight I'm signing off with thoughts of finding my friends who are in pain & giving them all big hugs. It's not any big of a help but it's a way of letting them know that somone cares. Someone gives a damn. Someone gives a shit for a life falling apart. That someone needs not to be alone in times of trials. We don't have to act blind or pretend not to feel just to secure our emotions for the world not to see. It's a matter of getting your message across... and feeling.


***This is one of my longest post in my old blog at Yahoo360, dated August 4, 2007***

We all get to a point like this.

It's one of those days when I think of my aging parents, career, relationships, and pringles. Oh, my mid life crisis twinging every now and then (since I was twelve). I'm such a worrier (sometimes) but I'm very fun to be with (sometimes). I guess I need some sleep. No, I HAVE TO WORK. Hand me a nice cup of java, please. Oh! I remember it's the start of "red cups season" at Starbucks. 'Will grab my most awaited Toffee Nut Latte (^_^)

I am now very happy.

Office Cosplay Convention 2008

"Moments..."

Once a year, we pimp up and enjoy a fun costume night at the office. I went as Deadly Little Miho from Sin City.

"Magic effect! Miho and the Mystic."

Michelle and I did a great job in this photo. Well yeah, it could have been better but this sure looks fun to me.

L-R: Shiela, Muffet, Chris, Me, & Cyra :)

So how does one become a standout cosplayer without having that oriental or anime-ish look? All you have to do is be fun and crazy like Chris in the photo above!