setting boundaries

How I wish I had the very same remote control Adam Sandler had in that movie "Click". One can simply redo, undo and fore-do a situation in his/her life. But of all the many buttons that remote control had, there's this one that I would want to try in my life right now - slow motion.

Having lived a life of overdue bills, rush hour and rising quotas is insanely overwhelming sometimes. It is either you regroup your senses or lose hope altogether. This used to aggravate me - having no control over time and over numbers. However, when you isolate yourself from the many humdrums of everyday activities and stressors at work, you find a haven that allows you to breathe, lay back and care less as to how the outside world is reacting. 

What I have learned in my almost 2 months of hiatus is this: Don't worry over the petty. If it's something you can get by without increasing your blood pressure nor end up smacking the front screen of your door, by all means, let it go. As how Van Wilder simply put it, "Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but does not get you anywhere."

quirk trip

Wanting to be on the road means bringing just the right amount of stuff to get you by with any given scenario. You need to have the right set of shoes, clothes and a little dose of extra something to keep the whole experience worth the while. 

So, I happen to come across this little haven back when I was strolling the streets of Somerset. Describing the interiors as delish is just underrated. On top of that, they sell vintage-inspired items that are not only stylish, but surprisingly functional as well. Want to know what this mysterious, quirky, little shop is? My friends, welcome to Typo.

Photo blog in coming...

Snooze those little buggies away with this aviator-inspired eye mask

Travel documents in all sorts of mess? These stylish pocket keepers will surely handle that.

Now, I know that everything is digitally convenient with just a swipe of a finger. But this junkie right here still wants her thoughts "physically" tangible. And I picked not just one, but 4 designs out from Typo's wide array of binders and notebooks. 

Come on. What's a quirk trip without a dose of caffeine? This comic-inspired drowse buster will definitely put things in a creamier perspective. LOL

Whoever said that being a verbal junkie on the road would only necessitate the functional? I differ. I  have always wanted one of this dark-rimmed, wide glasses for the "effect". LOL

This brand does not only offer the best buys there is for the literary-inclined individuals or the backpackers who still want to exude glam despite the hustle and bustle of travelling. It also offers a plethora of goodies that can take you from your everyday trip to school or work and bring your journey to a much heightened level by bringing in a more personal touch to your experience. It's a paradise worth scouring. Try it and be Typo-ed!

the next WHERE TO

It seems to me that when somebody mentions the word "travel", we immediately assume International airports, immigration officers and more than a 3-hour flight across some place foreign. It stuns me that most of us would prefer getting out of our birth place rather than basking in a homey bliss of having to learn what our district, city or province can very well offer.

While my thoughts brought me back to my days in Singapore, I've realized that we need not have to be tourists in a foreign country to enjoy travel. It is all about finding out what's MORE in something you have seen a million times, and still find yourself looking at it as if it were your first. I must say that having lived my entire life here in Cebu, I feel I haven't been around much. Yes, I've seen the usual prospects: the malls, the tall buildings within Asiatown I.T. Park, the Fuente Osmeña Rotonda and many other known landmarks. But what I am really after right now, is seeing a much simpler, much smaller-scaled Cebu. I want to discover a coffee shop hidden in some not so famous subdivision that brews one of the best caffeine there is; I want to get my hands on Lapu-Lapu City's Ukay-ukay; I want to ride in one of Ceres bus liner's non-air conditioned buses and explore Cebu's southern region with non-commercialized beaches and food joints. 

I guess, I have reached another milestone with my blogging - well, more of a blinding realization really. While I don't mind taking my verbal senses to a much broader platform, I also would like to rediscover the familiar. Hmm.. This does sound like another plausible concept. (I am one giddy verbal junkie right now!)

And since I am all in rediscovering Cebu, here is a post I came across while doing the using humdrum of stuff in Facebook. Hope everyone gets to see Cebu the way she did. 

on the menu

Here is a blog post from callcentersphil that was downright hilarious and spot-on true. If you've been to the call center block, or basically anyone who has worked or is working in a nightshift job, then read this. 

A BURNED OUT CALL CENTER AGENT IN THE LAND OF WILLY WONKA

Image via Wikipedia

BURNED COOKIES

A recipe for a burned out call center agent

Ingredients

• 10 kilos of all the resentmentyou have ever felt in the call center but never expressedtowards those shrieking callers who have called you moron, idiot, and/or stupid, those racist customers who refused to speak with you, and those ungrateful ones, whom after you have faithfully helped to resolve their issues, taunted you back with insults, and in doing so, destroyed your faith in humanity.
• 10 kilos of all the bitterness you've ever felt toward those call center authority figures whom you have once respected but didn'trespect you back, who took advantage of your credulity and never appreciated your willingness to tear out your guts at their bidding, and in doing so blotted out your belief in the promise of reward for your sincerity and reliability.
• 10 kilos of all the revulsion you feel towards the circumstances that surround you, that scoffs at an attempt to promote righteousnessand instead rewards perversion, that mocks at honesty and ethical behaviour because "No one gets rewarded for being honest and ethical," and in doing so destroys itself.
• 2 cups of crushed and pounded belief
• 300 grams of ground sanity
• 200 liters of bile
• 1 tbsp of vinegar

Directions

Throw everything into a large vat and mix thoroughly to form a batter.Beat mercilessly until it is soft. Knead the batter with your bare hands and make a dozen of fist-sized lumps. Then shape them into the people you despise.

Bake in 2000 degrees of rage.

Orders, anyone? 

throw back

Everyone in the social media has been frenzied by #tbt - or commonly known as "throwback Thursday". Logically, you are supposed to upload and post pictures taken way, way back. You could either be this ugly duckling nerdy from highschool or a fashion victim back in your college days, or just about anything that would show stuff of you from a not so distant past. And since I am all for the quirks, I might as well jive in this trending topic that graces every Thursday. So here is my blog version of that.

July 2011 at Terra Manna Resort and Camping

Early 2011 at Chowking Mango

 strutting newly purchased bags from Sophie :D

my very first fling with my beloved "bangs" (September 2011)

Goldie's 25th birthday party (March 2012)

I know. It isn't that "vintage" so to speak. But it also does not defeat the purpose of me posting such pics. The faces may have been the same, although, others may have shaved their hair off and strutted the Ludacris mane, some have dyed their hair to such extreme colors that it almost resembled that of Phoenix from X-Men or, others have gone whiter than their skin complexion in these photos. Some have gone abroad to work. Others have sold the very outfits worn when these pictures were taken. Some have fallen out of relationships. Others are into new ones. One even got married! hehehe.

It's incredible knowing that what may seem all too the same in the surface may just be completely different on the inside. Sort of like munching on a chocolate doughnut and you expect to be hitting a much chocolatey-ER surprise center when in fact, it is minty in the middle. Shocking? Yes! However, yummier, giving your taste buds that extra twang. [I am not hungry. I am hungry. I am not hungry.] scratch that!Why am I always associating life's events with food???

I guess, in a way, pictures help us glide through life. It allows us to look back in the past, see how far we've come and how much farther we can go; to appreciate the good and learn from the bad. And most importantly, to treasure each moment that most often, we unconsciously take for granted. :D Happy Thursday everyone! Happy 4th of July America!

and the closet got bigger

I haven't been able to post any outfit shots so far. And it's as if I am experiencing a mental drought because of it. The stress of job hunting coupled with the everyday dilemma of making sure every dollar counts is making stuff here look mundane. Well, may be not all. hehehe.. 

I am trying to uplift my fashion senses before it hits the menopausal route. Google has been a good ally and provided me tons of possible avenues. But having strolled the roads and malls of Singapore, there is this one brand that truly stood out from the rest. It has not graced the beautiful province of Cebu just yet. Therefore, having this and Forever 21 around will create such a fiasco. It is priced a little higher than F21 is but it is insanely good. Fashionably delectable. It's F21's sister from another mother. [what the heck! I have been addicted to F21's fashion stylings since before and may have digressed to another love at this very moment]

You might think I am all just talk. Well, let the photos clue you in:

 First up:

FEMME FATALE

BEACH BUM

ROAD STOPPER

PRETTY AND PREPPY

DAY AND NIGHT

ETERNAL SUMMER

Wasn't that a mouthful?! They've got amazing shoes to boost. Now that's fashion overload. I am just so excited and been praying for dear old Cebu to have this wonder the soonest. As to the brand's name? Tee hee. :D

830 on a Wednesday

Man. It just feels good to wake up at a normal hour. Got some hot choco ready by the counter, some good old not-so-vintage movie playing over the screen and some chill out time by the sofa. Yeah. Life is good. Hope this stretches out longer than expected.

So, I really don't have much to say today but decided to upload some shots I took while doing the usual scheme here at Singapore. Oh! And food. Crazy hormones. 

Took this at Sentosa. Me, my brother and Ate got some good R n R and decided to chill out the rest of the Sunday at Vivo City/Sentosa. It is Singapore's "waterworld". So by that, you can pretty much conclude that this place will be loaded with parks and beaches. And it was crazy hot - probably after all the haze this place has been through, Mother Nature decided to throw in some extra UV here and there. LOL. It was manageable. and FUN! We didn't soak up in any of the beaches though. Being a true blooded Pinoy gives you all the "paradise" advantage any beach junkie could ever want. And if I were to rate it on a scale of 0-10? Man. Theirs would be a 1.5.  

Don't get me wrong. Singapore may be all clean and pristine. But their beaches? SUCK! What can I say. I got high standards :D

major YUM! I experimented with pancit - my Mama's forte by the way. And since I miss her so much and her cooking, I decided to get my hands grimy and try out on some good old fashioned pancit. Surprisingly, it turned out reallly gooooood! And since my appetite is all in a mess right now, I fried some chicken (they weren't half burnt this time) and top it all off with these humongous grapes I bought from my recent grocery shoppin'. I am just in 7th heaven! Who would've thought boredom could be so educational? and scrumptious????? :D

I have just finished watching the first 3 movies from the Fast and the Furious franchise. I don't know, but these movies have been a part of my growing up years. Although, I still won't try car drifting or get all involved with any auto scramble, still, the adrenalin gets you into the zone. As how Jessie explained it, "I don't know man. There's something about cars that calms me." So... looking forward to FF4 'til the 6th. This is what I call, movie bingin'. 

wordplay of songs

Have you ever gotten into so much drama and tissue-soaking scenarios after hearing a particular song? Most, if not always, we associate these very instances to our own personal love stories - stories that evoke either pain or elation. 

As how science would explain it, "Music can be used to relax, incite, inspire, excite, an entire plethora of emotions can be surfaced or repressed by the use of music, which explains why music is so often used in various therapies and as special effects in movies."

Our past experiences help fuel these emotions. To some who may have not underwent a breakup or loss may never fathom the gravity of such emotion in comparison to someone who's been around the block a couple of times. In the same manner that if you are ecstatic and hears an amped-up music, you simply just can't help but fist pump into the air. Music and lyrics are such powerful tools that can tap even the deepest recesses of our very own psyche.

Scanning through my not-so-larger-than-life playlist, I've decided to share a few songs that represented a certain "stage" in my life - or love story - or tboth. LOL. Here's my top 10:

[1] What About Love by Lemar
"There is no rule to blame one another
We just need time to forgive each other"

[2] Children Don't Stop Dancing by Creed
"Whatever life brings 
I've been through everything
And now I'm on my knees again
But I know I must go on
Although I hurt I must be strong
Because inside I know that  many feel this way"

[3] This Is My Now by Jordin Sparks
"But I have a courage like never before
I've settled for less, but I'm ready for more"

[4] Shoulda Woulda Coulda by Beverly Knight
"And in  my life there's a love that I put aside,
cause I was busy loving something else
So for every little thing you hold on to,
You've got to let something else go"

[5] Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
"I had a feeling that I belonged
I had a feeling I could be someone"

[6] King of Anything by Sarah Bareilles
"You''ve got opinions man, we're all entitled to 'em
But I never asked"

[7] The Remedy by Jason Mraz
"When I fall in love, I'll take my time
There's no need to hurry love, 
When I'm making up my mind"

[8] People Like Us by Kelly Clarkson
"We are all misfits living in a world on fire"

[9] Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard
"And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out"

[10] When Love and Hate Collide by Def Leppard
"Without you one night alone 
Feels like a year without you baby
Do you have a heart of stone?"

As how Albus Dumbledore said it in Harry Potter's final film, "Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it." There is so much more to comprehend in a song other than the usual cliched response of "yeah. it sounded good". It tells a story. It inspires. It makes a conundrum of past experiences seem understandable and relevant to whichever place we are currently thriving. So, whatever emotion you might be going through, whatever situation you find yourself in, take courage in a song. Sing.

stoic

A roommate of mine told me that locals are into whatever that's fast and easy. And that very notion is applied whenever they converse. Let me say, upfront, that they do not speak good English - although they claim to have been trained under the British-English language. (Don't get too giddy about the last part. It's frustrating as hell!)

Anyway, while I was calling employment agencies for any job prospects, one conversation stood out among the rest. Why? Because the recipient on the other line was all MONOSYLLABIC. Here's the rest of the dets...

(ring ring)
Local: "Hello?"
Me: "Hi. Good afternoon. Is this _____________?"
Local: "Yes."
Me: "Okay. Do you accept foreigner applicants?"
Local: "No."
(call ended)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I was laughing insanely instead of getting all worked up in not getting any positive feedbacks for almost the entire day. That was, by far, the shortest telephone conversation I've had in my life. Either the dude on the other line was just plain apathetic that he really couldn't care less how his mundane responses were to be construed by the other side or that's just how he was.

Culture differences I should say.

everyday snippets

The inside on the many "what's" in my life so far.

First up...

This was the first interview I went to. I wore a nude blazer and a nude cami top for that business-like look and a mustard peplum skirt for the extra twang. Initially, I was on my LeDonne mid-heels but opted to change in my strappys right after getting lost in the venue for about 20  minutes spent walking back and forth while asking a local in the Informations desk and having to deal with his lack of English proficiency - which by the way, was an added burden on my end since I literally had to decode the things he was trying to say through his hand waves and facial expression. I was dripping in sweat and frustration. Thus the disheveled look. LOL

After I lived with my Kuya and Ate for almost 2weeks, I had to move out and look for another room to crash in. These are few shots I took with my new bed bunk located at #06-196 Avenue 10 Ang Mo Kio, Singapore. (The name Ang Mo Kio which in Hokkien literally translates as "red-haired man's bridge", where ang mo was a colloqial term for a Caucasian person. The Red Hair referred by the locals was a British Lady called Lady Jennifer Windsor. Lady Windsor was the wife of Lord Windsor, a wealthy merchant who had a huge estate in the Upper Thomson Area in the 1920s until after World War II.)

good morning. 

good night.

Living the "solo" life was a breath of fresh air to me. Although I was not entirely independent so to speak since I still had to gate crash my brother's flat for some free grub and some needed essentials, but managing to get through an entire day on your own is pretty cool. One of the many perks is being able to stroll around the city on a whim. And last Thursday, I did just that. I took the bus to Ang Mo Kio MRT, bought some goodies over at Bread Talk and some soya smoothies at this cool place called "Jolly Bean" and decided to take the MRT bound to Marina Bay thereafter to get some peace and quiet moment with the Lord at Novena Church. Then, I made my way back to Lucky Plaza (this is where you get to see a lot of anything tatak-Pinoy: food, pasalubong area, groceries filled with Pinoy goodies including the ever famous "buwad", money centers, and even couriers). 

Novena Church

I know I am not the smartest when it came to directions but not to brag or anything, I did come back in one piece and with no need for any GPS-tracking device not even gothere.sg. What I lacked in directions, I've put a great deal in memory and intuition. :)

Now, weekends were made for outdoor hoorahs. And by outdoor it means hitting the mall. 

trying on the swaggers I chose at Cotton On.

I pitied my surf-inspired shorts and took this sunday dress out for a little spin. Not bad

gifted Sundress - Cotton On

And what's a verbaljunkie post with nothing to quench the eternal thirst for earthly food?

My dear, you are in for a treat:

Wallys. Gotta love Wallys. And let me say this again, its delicious for just a dollar. *sigh*

As much as I love food, I got to say that breakfasts to me are just pure heavenly bliss and definitely is my favorite. And since I needed a little "homey" feel, I conjured my own Brown Cup breakfast meal version.

This was what I devoured just hours ago over lunch. It's composed of fries, garlic bread, coleslaw, mushroom soup and grilled lamb chops. All for a promo price of S$7 instead of 9. Whew! Hawkers in here are serving some insanely  orgasmic treat! 

Fried Hokkien Mee topped with shrimp, squid and chili paste! Hoo! (S$3)

Charr Grill's Halfspring chicken with California raisin rice and Coleslaw on the side (S$4.90).
Unfortunately, Ang Mo Kio does not have this treat within its vicinity and I have to board the MRT bound to Sembawang to get my gastronomical reprieve. Worth it though!

dots of three

When I first came across blogging, I thought to myself, "WOW! Technology has found a way to create a virtual version of a typical diary". I was euphoric. Not because I had with me a diary or something, but that, I get to read other people's opinion at just about anything - views on politics, sports, travel, food and my own personal favorite, fashion. And not only that. Bloggers are actual people  sporting honest-to-goodness point of views on anything or anybody. And they are not castigated as the bad ones or villains by the entire blogosphere population. Other readers and bloggers hear them out. On top of that, they are simple people, everyday people, that speak, move and dress how they feel on any given day. I've found another piece of heaven in this crest fallen era filled with fabricated stories and melodramatic synopsis of persons we can't even relate to half the time and they even have the guts to call it LIFE! Absurd.

So, while I was taking a shower, something got me thinking: Every single day made in this lifetime is never a story filled only with promises, happy endings and positivity. There are days when you are not in your best and life is basically biting you right in your ass. There was a nagging part of me that wanted to let off steam with the raging thoughts I've been having lately. And being alone in a new country does not provide me the much needed comfort of family and friends that my very own Cebu could. So, I mentally scanned all other outlets, and here I am writing just about the tip most part of my #notsogreat #nearingthebrinkofdesperation Tuesday.

Looking back on the months that's been, I was all in full force thinking that change was what I needed. I was stuck with a job I don't understand fully, I was complaining to both family and friends as to how things are not coinciding with the dreams I have planned out for myself, and I was unhappy. I felt I was missing out on something, something I should've done a very long time ago, but then fear got to the best of me. Probably, leaving what I've always known should've shocked me, but there was comfort when I finally made the step. I can't quite explain it. Perhaps it was because the people I left knew that this is what I should be doing - claiming the dream of making it, and they loved me no matter what. I guess, it provided me something to anchor my dreams with and not totally rely on whatever bad stuffs that might come my way. 

Now, I am on my 3rd week - still job hunting, with 3 interviews made from the past 2 weeks, and still flat out zero with any job contracts. I am unemployed, stuck in this new flat and I haven't had my dose of exercise nor shopped for the last 3 weeks. You might ask me how I am holding up? To be honest, not good. Living in an unfamiliar territory without any promising deal is very challenging. And every decline or mismatch of job credentials is a constant cut to my catatonic, already bruised up psyche. Am I enjoying this? No. But am I going to give up? HELL NO! 

At times it would've been easier for me to simply pack my things, leave Singapore and head back home and keep doing what I do. But, as comforting as it is to see my loved ones again, it just doesn't feel right. It's a mantra I keep telling myself that risks were made and giving up should never be included on the menu. 

Basically, I am at a certain point wherein I can't really seem to make things out. I know it's suppose to be that, but it's just plain surreal. Meaning what you really want and wanting it badly is probably the scariest thing to ever feel in this lifetime. Because it could either be life-changing or life-damaging. Either way, there's no turning back.

So my official status as of today is, still hanging on. Please make this rope extra durable , my biceps extra strong and my hands extra non sweaty so I can really make it no matter how hard things might shake me up. Lead me to my dream Lord.

of buses and trains

" Buzzin' like neon lights " ... My girl Natalie Bedingfield clearly knew what she was sayin'.. And the feeling is very much akin to a heart beat that kabooms twice as fast than the usual. 

Singapore, aside from being The Earth's Greenest City, is a melting pot of all sorts of things : food, work, culture, even fashion. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity of being out of the country and getting wrapped up in this mania, I've put my not so comfortable strappys on and headed out with my brother and sister for some exploring.

pardon my stupid lookin grin. i just cant hide the humor behind this all. while i was doing crappy bisaya conversation with my ate and kuya, that dude behind me was smirking the entire way. little did I know, he was bisaya too. he got all the dirty dets.. hehehe!

Changi Airport. But the interiors are crazy good. I just wasn't able to snap anything from the inside.

the almost an hour bus ride from Changi to Canberra. I was not paying attention to the time and the duration of the whole ride. It was just a lot to take in from touch down. lol. thus, me, dazed, and was interested in just sight seeing.

The next day, a Sunday, we went touring. Starting with...

a Catholic Mass at SG's famous church : Novena Church

not everyone gets to sit when you board this piece. and here I was, learning the ropes of balancing while standing inside an MRT. lol

Orchard. and yeap. That's Prada behind me. hehehe

okay, so we were experimenting on taking the bus from Tang Plaza to Marina and skipped getting inside an MRT altogether. They've got locality maps too to help you out where you're suppose to be going and what route to take. 

Marina Bay Sands. Ridiculously expensive. What's even more ridiculous is the fact that there is this ship-like rooftdeck that houses a pool and bar while being shouldered by these 3 pillared buildings. How does one crosses from one hotel pillar to the next is beyond me. lol

I have always thought before that since the Merlion is sort of SG's official trademark or something, that its statue is basically placed almost anywhere but then again.. I thought wrongly. lol at me for not googling.. hehehe

Fullerton. 

Getting a dose of all things spicy: spicy squid, spicy kangkong, spicy grilled sting ray and seafood rice with chili paste all from Makansutra Glutton Bay. - a hawker spot, or commonly known as "carenderia" back at home. but the food is just.. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! and affordable!!! weehee!

H & M

the best tasting ice cream ever! and it only costs S$1. Y U M!

next hotties to be featured on FF7. LOL

ride or die 

And as you may have noticed, I have been sporting the shorts-look. Blame it on the luggage limit. So unfortunately, there wasn't much space for me to put some extra dresses and other stuff in it. It also came in handy since everything in this place is just on the GO! Will try to squeeze in some muchness in my next outfit posts. :)