Writing gigs keep me busy

On June 24, 2009

Typhoon signal #2 and I have to go out to meet friends for a project. Thank to my plaid skirts and wellies, fashion saves the day.    

Rash Judgements

On June 22, 2009

I'd like to share with you an email I received this morning. It's from my sister in faith and best friend. She always send out the most sensible stuff she can find and this sure is worth reading.

1. Mind your own business and do not set yourself up as the judge of those around you. There is a good deal that you do not know about your neighbor. It is not easy to judge others as they deserve. Be wise and leave all judgement to the "Authority".

2. It is far more profitable for you to look to yourself for assessment. You can do a great deal about correcting your own faults. As for the faults of others, the best you can do is to give good example, offer help if possible and say a sincere prayer for the persons involved.

3. Your concern over your neighbor's faults, does not always arise from a virtue in you. Some people annoy you because you are not minding your own business or because you have not yet learned patience and understanding.

4. People are not always at fault when they get on your nerves. The real fault is often in you.

5. Get to work and correct your own faults. You will then be too busy to be annoyed by the faults of others.

Have a great day!

Labels

On June 16, 2009

I made some changes in the way I label my blogs here at Stacey Avenue. I took it down to only seven categories namely:

1. Lifestyle St. - Variety of topics about everyday living that you might actually relate to.
2. Advocacy Rd. - All living the life of purpose.
3. Inspiration Station - These are my works that intend to uplift the spirit and invigorate the good in all things simple and complex.
4. Fun Blvd. - Silly stuff, things that makes one smile once in a while!
5. Gaming Kiosk - Talks about my love for online games, otaku, and the like.
6. Food Corner - Yum fest for everyone.
7. Style Corner - Is all about the looks.

So there you go, feel free to browse the old posts because that's the purpose of it, to make browsing old blogs easier! Have a great day everyone!

8th Philippine Toy Con 2009

On June 15, 2009

Last week, we went to the 8th Philippine Toy Convention held at the Megatrade Hall in SM Megamall. It's the best toy convention we've attended so far! Lots of exhibits, cool cosplayers, and toys, toys, toys!

My friends and I bought some really interesting goodies and here are some crazy photos of me having fun with a Jiggly Puff topper and marabou fur bunny headband.

Have a nice day!

Tame thy tension

On June 12, 2009

New work starts two weeks from now and I've been getting the jitters ever since I heard I got the job. I didn't feel this when I resigned from my previous work. We'll see where this road will lead.

The thought of moving to a different flat adds up to the stress. There's a hefty number of things to accomplish which leaves me confused where the heck to start.

Still, I'm thankful that despite all the challenges and tension, I have a handful of supportive friends and family who generously lend their hand, time, and understanding. They're are the coolest :)

Let me share with you some of the things I have been digging a lot while relaxing. Talk about that calm and collected feeling just when you needed it the most.

Herbal teas. Not only do they come in super adorable packaging, this is quite an inexpensive yet really effective therapy for anyone who's longing to soothe his or her tensed mind and body, the healthy and organic way.

The best part is, they're 100% natural and caffeine free. I keep a box of tension tamer tea bags for those stressful moments, a box for pre-bedtime cup of tea, and my favorite honey vanilla chamomile tea. Smells and tastes soothing whether hot or cold, also tastes fantastic with a little bit of honey.

So there you go, I wish you all a healthy mind, body, and soul. Thanks for dropping by Stacey Avenue.

AKF and PAWS on Probe

On June 4, 2009

You'll sense that it's raining a lot outside even without looking at the window when you feel that chilly damp breeze. Last night was just like that. Perfect weather for a cup of hot choco while tucked in a couch watching tv. My dog Wade's warm and furry body was curled up right next to me, making a pre-bedtime tv viewing complete. His weight pressed comfortably by my side indicating that he fell fast asleep.

I switched to the next channel and saw a familiar face. It was Mr. Luis Buenaflor Jr. on air at ABS-CBN's Probe formerly known as The Probe Team with Ms. Cheche Lazaro. Luis is Animal Kingdom Foundation's External Affairs Officer who I met last April through AKF's OIC and Administrative Head Mr. Greg Quimpo.

Next up, (and to my surprise) I saw AKF President Mr. Charles Wartenberg wearing a shirt printed with his beloved dog's photo in it! Sweet! Well, it sure is "sweet" literally and figuratively because his dog's name is Sweet. Sweet is a rescued Philippine native dog that he adopted. Mr. Wartenberg founded the International Wildlife Coalition Trust (IWCT) based in the United Kingdom. Together with the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) advocates, the message is about why dog meat trade is still very lucrative in the country.

The Probe interviewed a local whose specialty is cooking canine meat. He's popular in their area and even claimed to be the person called by policemen to cook dog dishes for them! How sad is that?

AKF and PAWS uses the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 (R.A. No. 8485) and Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 (R.A. No. 9482) as their weapon in a dedicated effort to eradicate animal cruelty as stressed out by Mr. Wartenberg and the rest of the advocates in this documentary.

As explained by science, there's a high risk of rabies infection among people who slaughter and consume dogs. Thanks to the more rigid Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, if the law imposed and penalty against illegal meat traders remained insignificant, what then do we expect from this industry but to continue such ill practice for generations to come. Mr. Buenaflor mentioned that AKF's successful rescue operations and legal proceedings yielded positive results over the years.

It was already very late when the program ended. Wade's still sleeping soundly. Imagine, if only each aspin (asong pinoy) gets a home to treat them well, rabies wouldn't have to be such a threat.

After Sex Video Scandals: Possibility of Another Dictatorial Regime

On June 3, 2009

The year started with a nationwide effort to uphold hope for change that starts within oneself such as UNTV's "Isang Araw Lang" (Just For a Day) and DDB Cares' "Ako Mismo" (I Myself), followed by Manny Pacquiao's triumph against Ricky Hatton. Talk about campaigns and events that rekindled Filipinos' pride and patriotism. My countrymen found these as an inspiration and stronghold amid the global economic crisis.

Until came the possible proclamation of martial law or the "Arroyo dictatorship". The opposition is currently persuading the public to join a massive protest taking place next week, against this "rape" of the Philippine Constitution. Persuasion is indeed unnecessary. After all, the masses' pulse regarding the rushed voting on the House Resolution 1109 only leads to a conclusion that the motive will result in the extension of President Arroyo's term.

Will there be a 2010 Presidential election? That will be revealed soon.

My father used to tell me when I was little, that until I have solutions at hand, I could only cease my peevish complaints. The faith taught in my religion teaches respect for leaders. Now, whether the Malacañang Palace's moves will succeed or not, what are the chances or guarantee that the next leader of this country will lead us to change if any election is easily manipulated and corrupted?

This time, the solution is too obvious, and that's what we have to hold on and fight for.

Let us pray that we will not witness another of those violent protests only because a leader refuses to hear her people's never-ending battlecry. Let us pray that our leaders' decisions will be guided by truth, justice, and fairness. May God bless the Philippines.

While on vacation...

On June 2, 2009

Oops! I have not visited my blog for the longest time! My last two blog posts would explain why. To sum it up, yours truly is on a vacation. So what have I been doing while the hiatus?

During the last week of May, my friends and I went to Potipot Island in Zambales. The place sure is a stunner! Aside from nature-tripping and basking in the sun, I had the chance to play around Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop once again. Here are some of the works! You may click on the image for a larger view.

A photo from the island made to a photo album cover:

Surprise! The new header of this website:

I was hungry one time, craving for shushi, sashimi, and maki rolls but there were no ingredients at home so I hit the Illustrator to draw:

Concept inspired by "Isang Araw Lang" environmental projects (not for commercial use):

I also get to write more so stay tuned for more updates! See? You don't have to be a total bum while on vacation. It's a chance to review old skills, learn new ones, and continuously grow as a person. Have a pleasant day everyone!