Chuva I'm Grateful For: 2018 Q1

I'm back after a two-month hiatus. The usual- been busy with life and Korean dramas and Gardenscapes. This is my quarterly gratitude list (at least I'll try to make one every quarter), entonces...

(1) I'm still ever so grateful for all the orders we've been getting. I never really thought I'd get into this line of business and it was all some kind of serendipity, actually. If not for the nail spa, I wouldn't have actually discovered this "career." And if not for not having the money to buy my friends gifts during that Christmas, I wouldn't have "explored" other options and made lip balms for them. See, everything works out in the end. Not that this is the end for me. It's just the beginning and things are looking up. Think positive lang, mga besh!

(2) Finding a skincare regimen that is working for me FOR REALZZZZ. Take note, hindi lang dalawa, hindi lang tatlo kundi apat (APAT!!) ang letter Z ko!! I'm that ecstatic for finally FINALLY finding something that's hiyang. Hindi siya cheap but definitely worth it. I've always said that my skin needs alcohol. Well, at that time I just haven't found the right products. I'm still sort of  doing the kagillions-step skincare regimen, that is if I'm not too lazy to do all or most of the steps.

Those are my skin savers! Most especially Thayers Rose Petal Alcohol-Free Toner ♥ Also loving The Ordinary's Niacinamide and Realix Labs's Advanced Peptide Serum (slobong from AB). Well at first nakakatamad talaga, most especially on days when you're super tired and sleepy and just want to crash on your bed. Sanayan lang. I think I just need to find a good pressed powder so I won't need to put on foundation before I leave the house. 

I can't bloody believe that I have almost-empties: Cosrx's Salicylic Acid Facial Wash and Cosrx's Galactomyces Alcohol-Free Toner. I think I've never finished a bottle of any product I use on my face ever kasi nga hindi naman sila masyado okay sa skin ko. So it's really surprising that I stuck to a regimen,,. and that there are products that really work wonders. Next on my to-try list: Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop, TIA'M My Signature Red C Serum, The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution and also their Alpha Arbutin serum. 

(3) The little girl is staying with us. 

Ze yaya left one month ago, hence ze baby has been staying with us for one month already. She brings so much joy to our household kahit mej masungit siya. Haha! Sabi nga ni daddy, ang sound ng tawa niya is music to our ears. OHA! Minsan lang magsabi ng ganyan tatay ko. May aagaw na sa trono ko sa pagiging peborit. LOL. 

Since her parental units haven't found any luck in finding a replacement yet, the old yaya is allegedly coming back. Que horror. I hope when she does come back, the little girl's parental units will, this time around, impose on her what's good for the kid and not just for their convenience (yung tipong kiber nila sa anak nila basta andun sila sa basketbolan o kung saan mang ganap na). 

(4) The construction (or renovation) of the house is almost done. Unting kembot na lang mga besh!!! And my lungga is now connected to the second floor (where my room is) which means mas mabilis nang kunin ang anik anik which also means burning less calories. Patay. And now I have a nook where I can put my boxes of stock bottles in! I love my parents!! Kahit sabihin pa ni Mommy na paparentahan niya sa akin yung extension... HINDI SIYA MAGWAWAGI!! BWAHAHAHA!!! 

(5) I have another "assistant." It's a luxury for me, actually. My original sidekick (O.S.) and I can do everything as of the moment but since said O.S. has been very emotera recently (uuwi na lang daw siya sa probinsya, pagod na siya (at 22 years old!!!) eklavu) and I want to be ready if ever matuloy na chumever na siya. Well I just hope the new girl will actually stay for a long time. I have grand plans for this business. Already paid for 2 bazaars for Christmas season 2018. I pray for more good bazaar opportunities to come :D

So there, those were the stuff I'm grateful for this 1st Quarter of 2018 which flew by ever so quickly. I have SO MUCH MORE to be thankful for I'm sure but these were the ones at the top of my head. 

Ang Mga Ganap at Hanash: Q1 2017

I wanted to post more often than I did the past few months but I was able to post just once last month. Lately, my posts per month numbers to three, tops. The most I've posted was May last year and that was only six posts. I really want to keep this online journal updated because it reminds me of stuff that have happened a kagillion light years ago, how I was feeling this time three years ago. I find keeping this journal easier than a written one- though I also try to keep one. I like the idea of being able to post pictures and embed videos and songs.

Anyway, since the first quarter of 2017 is done (that was fast, no?) here's my Gratitude List for the first three months of the year.

Big orders! 

Sabi nga ni Mareng Oprah, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Got two big orders just this Q1 and I'm ever so grateful to God and to my lucky stars (and crystals)! Well, one big account didn't reorder last year (what a bummer), but I have this new shizz so it's all good. Hopefully, may dumagdag. I need these accounts during off-peak months which is 75% of the time. And worth mentioning also are the not-so-big but keeps-me-afloat orders. These are the 30 to 50 pieces for birthdays, baptisms, etc.

Another pop-up!

What was supposed to be a holiday thing is now a permanent thing (at least for now) and even after the holidays, I'm glad that the stocks are moving naman. Well, they still didn't give my my sales since December 5 but I know they're going to remit those soon. Sana lang. Haha. And aside from the temporary going permanent, I joined another pop-up near UST. Actually, the gig's a little iffy since it is not in a matao na lugar. I hope okay naman. My hopes are up!!!

I now have a niece!

After four boys, I now have a niece. I call her ahjumma since she reminds me of an elderly Korean woman. She's only four months but looks like she's seven months old. She's BIG. And cute in her own ahjumma-ish way :P I can't wait until she's more interactive ☺ Cos right now she's just doing a lot of sleeping and milk-drinking. Occasionally, she laughs at my dance numbers (feeling ko lang) and she's a huge fan of my singing (her favorite is my rendition of A Whole New World). And have I mentioned that she sleeps with me (on my bed!!!) almost everyday. On weekends when her parents decide that they actually want to do some parenting, they take her home with them. On other days, they just meet and greet their baby. On some days, we feel they forgot they have a third child. Ha. But I ♥ ahjumma especially now that she sleeps through the night and no longer feeds every two hours!

Beauty & the Beast and Brit Brit

Finally got to watch the live action Beauty and the Beast movie and it was nice ☺ Of course nothing beats the original- mas type ko pa rin si animation Belle. Got to watch the movie twice and both times it was for free. Yay ☺ And FINALLY Britney is coming to Manila! AC AD and I are watching but we got general admission tickets only. GAAAHD WHO CARES IT'S BRITNEY, BITCH! Haha! But you know me, I'm a cheapskate when it comes to concerts. I might have actually said somewhere on this blog that I'd spend for Britney's concert but you see, it's hard to let go of hard-earned moolah. GA tickets cost 2625 (plus 100 if you buy it online) and next tickets are at 5K each. If Brit Brit's gonna dance like she did back in the early 2000s, I probably might but I've seen her recent videos and it's more like swaying her arms and walking back and forth than actual dancing. But still... BRITNEY! YAY ☺☺☺

So those are the main hanash lately but I'm sure there are more I just can't think of them right now (and I'm so itching to watch the latest Riverdale episodes- which reminds me, I have to blog about).

Aside from watching five Korean dramas during Q1, I'm also currently watching Strong Woman Do Bong-soon and Radiant Office, both ongoing dramas. Hopefully both dramas finish strong. They're still ongoing so I can't write about them yet. I mentioned Riverdale awhile back and here's my opinion about the show- I'm not crazy about it. I almost regretted watching the first episode because it ruined the whole Riverdale gang for me. That was just wrong, people. I feel they could've used different characters for this series. Plus, Archie's face is annoying. Mukha kaya siyang vampire. I decided to continue watching because I've read about the Betty-Jughead plotline and I thought I'd give it another try. Um, okay lang naman. Let's see if I get hooked but seriously, this is too angsty and messed up for my liking. Ayoko na ng mga mala-Pretty Little Liars na drama. Paikot-ikot na walang katuturan.

Naks. So may katuturan ang iZombie no? Well, yeah, whatever floats your boat.

I miss daddy. He's been in the province since January and since he needs to tend to stuff, he's still there and might be home next month pa. My assistant/masseuse/#1 fan went home to the province and will be there for, more or less, two weeks. Let's try going back to how life was before I had helpers in my business- I have to do everything myself  **hyperventilating as I'm typing this**

So toodles as I have to wake up early tomorrow- you know, grown up stuff needs to be done.

GV GV Lang

Hola! It's me, trying to update this blog as often as I can ☺ Done with the first week of July and I have to say it was pretty eventful and I was productive. I'm so proud of myself, nyahaha!

Last Saturday was our cousin's church wedding and we all had to don red outfits. Well, buti na lang Mommy bought me a red dress to wear (because I refuse to shell out moolah to buy something I wouldn't wear often- I'd rather buy that blouse in Uniqlo I've been eyeing and waiting to go on sale!), or else I would've worn the fuchsia dress we have. Everyone was game so everyone wore red (except the male members of the entourage who wore barongs) and I would've stood out like a sore thumb. Pero may naka-black pala. I guess she was not informed. Hehe.

Crystal shopping last Sunday with AC.

Bought a Himalayan salt lamp for the nail spa
+ an Amazonite bracelet

Now I have lotsa crystals ❤️ I have rose quartz I bought from a stall in Galle (doubting its effectiveness, actually), tiger eye, fire agate and jade bracelets, Amazonite and Aventurine stones- all from AC. Bought myself an Amazonite bracelet. Pikit-mata kong inabot ang bayad ko. Haha. And guess what? I just got myself an Ultimate Protection Bracelet and Citrine bracelets. Gaaahd this is so addicting. Last na 'to for the year, okay?

Also got to try three new restaurants just this month ☺

Reunion dinner with A and with M who's back from London. We ate at Wholesome Table in Estancia Mall. Yummy food. Gaaahd, that cheese! Although I have to say it wasn't really filling. I had to eat pa pansit when I got home.

The second new eats haven I've tried was The Brgr Project with AC after we went crystal shopping. These were what we ordered:

No photo of the buffalo wings. Yummeh food ☺ AC found it expensive- our bill was almost 700. But we ordered a lot so I guess sakto lang. Plus, I remember paying almost the same amount in Sweet Ecstasy for fewer items. Also, I got a little overwhelmed when ordering our burger. Andaming choices at palabok. We settled for the classic cheeseburger.

Eats haven #3 was also located along Maginhawa street- Caution Hot! AC and I noticed the long line outside the shop when we went crystal shopping a few days before. It was AD who suggested we eat lunch (at 3pm!!!) there. And... ahlavet! Eh wala naman ata akong hindi nagustuhan haha

AC and I split a bowl of beef asam laksa. We also had pork dumplings and Oolong Milk Tea. It was bliss, I tell you ☺ I actually preferred AD's order of pork classic broth but the laksa was scrumptious as well. I'll definitely be back.

Had an Alabang trip with V last Friday to deliver a rush order. It was fun at first, but then I had this debilitating headache. I was asleep almost the entire time on our way home. Nagising na lang ako malapit na sa bahay, we were along Floodway actually when V said in a surprised manner, 'Ay nahulog!' We saw a man who got up from the pavement with blood running down the sides of his mouth. Akala ko naka-motor eh wala ako nakitang motor. The man fell from a moving jeep. I doubt he's drunk cos I guess an intoxicated person can't get up that fast from the floor. I just wish he's in good condition, walang broken bones whatsoever.

I made another delivery yesterday ☺ I scheduled the said delivery in Glorietta because my IC friends and I were supposed to have brunch in Benny's. Eh na-postpone. So I just went supplies shopping. Eh di productive ☺Which reminds me to remind J if I should ship her order tomorrow.

I feel so blessed and I'm ever so grateful! Kung payat lang sana ako, perfect life na! Haha :P Anyhoo, here's my latest...

GRATITUDE LIST:

• Crystals Alongside prayers, I am also harnessing the power of the crystals to make the odds more favorable. Happy to have found a trustworthy supplier of effective crystals. 
• Holidays Cos I got to spend time with my sisters and my nephews, albeit short- quality naman. Quezon Memorial Circle with C and the 2 boys came here last Monday. 
• Eats Haven New discoveries to make my bilbil happier 
• Orders It really is fulfilling when people I don't know tell me they love my products ☺ One customer told me my soy candles are at par with the ones she bought in Rockwell and another customer said she looooves my peppermint alcosprays. 
• Being accepted in that bazaar Well, every year I pray I get in (I'm around 95% sure they'll accept me, but of course there's still this nagging feeling na, 'what if hindi?' 
• And joining four bazaars this year ☺ Mejo mahal cos I have to pay in advance the space rental. I just pray that I can recover these costs and I hope and pray even with a lot of competition sa tabi-tabi, I still get to sell a lot of my stuff. Sana ako pa rin ang favorite nila.

So life is good right now, maybe except for the nail spa who's not doing too good these days. May dark forces at work daw, but I hope the salt lamp will do it's work. It's supposed to be anti-evil, for protection and can cleanse the energy of a space. Also, someone advised I should light incense sticks in every corner. Gagawin ko yan. Hindi ako susuko. 

Cheers to the first ten days on July! Hoping for a more productive and for more lucrative days ahead of us ☺ 

Gratitude List

source

Again, I have soooooo much to be grateful for. Some things may not be going my way but generally, life has been good.

♦ THE ORDERS JUST KEEP ON COMING This year has been really, really good to me and I hope it stays that way ☺ I know I have to take care of my customers and ensure the quality of my products so they'll keep on coming back and also refer me and my services to their friends, acquaintances, countrymen... hehehe. I computed last month's sales and it was almost equal to my sister's bank officer salary but I don't have transportation expenses and food is on the house, literally. I know it's still not enough, that I have still have to augment my income if I want true financial freedom, but for now, I'm happy with what I do for a living.

♦ NEW EATS I love to eat! Obvious ba? Although people still get surprised that I don't eat that much. However, I've always loved trying out new places to eat most especially if there's cheese involved.

McDonald's BBQ burger. Lasa nga namang bbq, nagkulang lang sa presentation. I loved the cheese dip for the fries though.

OMG this Korean restaurant AC took us to- FTW. Lakas maka-millennial ng acronyms.

plain fried chicken and bbq chicken (ata)

snow cheese chicken ♥

and my favorite- kimchi omelette ganern

I wanna go baaaaack!!! Nabitin ako. Now I'm super craving for Korean food.

Another new burger place along Congressional road I tried with V.

these fries are to die for

but this burger, not so much. hahaha
we expected more cheese. 

Sabi nga ni V, buti na lang we ordered the bacon cheese fries which was the redeeming factor in our Cheddar Burst experience. The burger was okay although we were expecting a cheesier burger, hehehe. Well if you named your burger place Cheddar Burst eh dapat lang naguumapaw sa keso ang burger niyo. Verdict: tinikman ka ngunit kulang.

♦ FAMILY GET-TOGETHERS Because I'm cooped up inside the house almost 24/7, seven days a week- gala with my family is always welcome. One Sunday we had lunch with Manang C who was home for a two week vacation from Switzerland (taray). April 17 we had lunch with another cousin from Canada who's been assigned here for two years for work. Last week  was mommy's side of the family's reunion and although it wasn't really that fun, I had fun with mommy, ate, nephews and cousin in our after-party coffee session.

Puede ko na rin masali and lakwatsa and movie dates namin ni ate. I used to do this before with AB before she moved to New York. Buti na lang nakahanap kami ng middle ground ni AC kasi she doesn't like superhero or apocalyptic or zombie movies. So we watch Tagalog romcoms or comedies. Our latest watch was Echorsis which was a super fun movie and tomorrow is our schedule to watch Jadine's This Time.

♦ ANOTHER NIECE/NEPHEW ON THE WAY Ze sister is pregnant again. A baby is always a blessing. Sana lang matauhan na asawa niya na love only will not keep them alive. He was to find a away to financially support his family. We cannot live on freebies alone.

That said, thank You ☺ I hope You bless us more.

2015: Half Of The Year Comes To A Close

I haven't done a gratitude list post for quite some time now and I think it's high time I write one. I have SOOOO MUCH to be thankful for and when things are shitty or not going my way, I just have to come back and read my lists and be reminded that I just have to choose to see the good.

♣ Gratitude List ♣

1. Finally getting my i-craft plotter cutter and Epson X200 printer ☺ Remember the Cameo Silhouette I was originally pining for? Well, turns out there's a better product out there and it's now MINE! The original cost of the package I was able to whittle a few thousands off due to my sleuthing and research skills. Ho Ho Ho! And Christmas came early because daddy (and mommy) subsidized my purchase, HOORAY!

Inisip ko na lang na bumili ako ng iPhone or ng Samsung S6. Actually, my purchase is much better because it's income-generating. Diba? Now I have a printer/scanner, a cutter plotter, laminating machine and a heat press (na namana ko kay AD) ☺ Ang saya.

Look what I can do with my "gadgets"

Ang bongga, diba?

2. My supplier has finally stocks of my order. After three months, my supplier called to inform me they now have my order. Yippee ☺ I'm trying to start preparing for my Christmas bazaars early so I can accommodate more orders during the season.

3. AC buying me new sneakers. Wala sa plano pero dahil sale siya and it's in my favorite color (and she offered!)- GORA!

Still waiting for the perfect moment to debut my cute mint with neon orange sneaks ☺

4. Bullet Journaling. Not really obsessed with daily planners but I really wanted one where I can plan my day better and be more productive. I noticed that I tend to forget things easily which leads to unaccomplished tasks. I came across an article on Facebook about bullet journaling and the rest, as they say, is history.

A gave me a planner last Christmas but each day has sooo little space and you know, I still prefer my cheap, small notebook I bought in Landmark. The good thing about bullet journaling is any notebook will do and it's freestyle. The video just gives you an idea of how to do it but you're free to do pretty much what you want to do with it. So far, I'm loving it and I do think it's helping me productivity-wise. So I guess the search for the perfect planner has ended. From now on, it's bullet journaling for me ☺

For now, that's pretty much it. I'm sure there were more stuff I'm grateful for, I just forget what they were.

Umm.. another thing, I am ending this post on a sad note. A friend died last June 23. She was just 33 years old. She left behind her parents, a brother, a husband and a three-year-old baby girl. It was all so quick- she had an operation to remove a tumor in her brain last week of March, had a stroke while during recovery just one week after her operation and was in coma for almost three months. I pray that she's in a better place right now and I also pray for her loved ones she left behind. We may not be that close but I am thankful that she was part of my life. May you rest in peace, Lora.

Cos It's Just Another Rainy Day

It's raining hard since 3am this morning and once again our area is flooded as in Ondoy proportions. Thank God that until now we have electricity. Hopefully the rain stops pouring soon so water outside would start subsiding and not enter the house. Kaloka kaya maglinis.

I've been meaning to do two book reviews pero eto muna- my gratitude list ♥

♥ Having dinuguan thrice in 2 weeks! And that happens very very rarely. As I've mentioned before, dinuguan is our version of lechon. We only have it on special occasions like birthdays and Christmas and sometimes pag nakakapaglambing kay daddy at napapagbigyan but now that I'm HUGE (Read: Fat), hindi na effective ang "beautiful eyes." So imagine my delight and surprise when we had dinuguan two more times. Heaven.

♥ Two more orders. This time of the year, usually, I'm busy preparing for the bazaar and the Christmas season and not a lot of personalization/party orders. So I was pretty ecstatic when two bulk orders were made. In fair mas may activity ako this year and I promise to make next year even more happening. Thank You!

♥ .And this.

This made my day yesterday. In fair, may bunga naman pala ng aking Eastwood escapades last year. If I had more than enough funds, I would have joined the bazaar organizers last summer pero dahil hindi mahaba ang pisi ko, I have to choose what bazaars to join wisely. Anyway, it always feels good to receive messages like this one. I'm always skeptical pa naman of what I do. Laging may self-doubt. But this kind of messages give me affirmation I need.

♥ Finally finishing two more books (however, I am still 7 books behind). Thank God for audio books which allowed me to finish a book while doing something else- hitting two birds with one stone, in other words.

♥ Divisoria finds! Went to Divi last Tuesday to do some "shopping." Feels na feels ko na ang Christmas sa Divisoria because they're already selling Xmas decors and lights and all Christmas-y stuff over there. So that plus I finally bought a plastic sealer and paper lanterns. Plastic sealers and paper lanterns make me happy. So happy.

I always forget the other things when it's time to write them down. But whatever they are, I am thankful for them. I pray God will shower me with more blessings.

32 and Counting...

Yikes my birthday is only nine days away. I honestly have no idea what I want for my birthday. Well, I am sure what I want is a colored laser printer but I'm also 100% sure no one's going to buy that for me- not even my mommy. I actually have a wish list but I am not very sure if I want them for real.

 ♥ My Birthday 2014 Wish List ♥

{photo credit}

1. Wax Seal Kit with my initial "V" or "J" - I think I've wanted this since I found out about its existence but I keep forgetting that I want one until I go to Scribe and see it on their shelves. They're much cheaper now than six years ago (I think) but I still don't buy it because I do not know where I am going to use it. Although now I think I can use it for packaging purposes.

2. Clarisonic Mia- This is another "gadget" I want and because it's pretty pricey- $100- I am very, very wary. If estimated price is 5K, unti na lang dagdag ko I can buy a laser printer already. So you see my dilemma?

3. 1TB External Hard Drive - This one I've been planning on buying very, very soon because my laptop's free space is only at 45%. If mommy gives me birthday money, this is what I'm going to get. Tee hee.

4. Martha Stewart Large Circle Cutter and all their punchers- but alas, it is very expensive. Maybe if I'm getting lots of orders I can "invest" in punchers for, you know, packaging purposes☺ Nakakatulo-laway talaga pag tumitingin ako sa Amazon nito. Talagang history repeats itself. I was into scrapbooking ten years ago. Now I still want scrapbooking gadgets but not exactly for scrapbooking purposes. I want to have a craft room and am slowly building my crafting inventory.

5. I still want Clinique Acne Solutions but not sure in what shade. AC and I already used up AB's pamana Neutrogena funda and I am in dire need of a new one which will not give me breakouts. I tried AB's Clinique Acne Solutions funda once (I just need to try it once to know if a make-up product is agreeable to my skin- quick reflexes yata ito) and I knew right then we were meant to be together. Maybe next time I feel pangit and splurging on a "beauty" product would be justifiable.

6. A new pair of sneakers- not exactly Converse. Keds or Tretorn will do. But I kinda like these mint-colored sneakers. For the longest time I wanted a new pair of Birkenstock Madrid but I don't like showing my feet and toes to the world as of now. They're pretty fugly as of the moment so I'm shielding them from bashers of ugly feet.

7. A Fraxel Laser Treatment- because aside from having fugly feet, I also have fugly skin.

8. Daddy's Dinuguan ☺


Ayan, my wish list for this year's birthday. And oh, I also want good health for my birthday. My health card already matured last August 10 so I had to pay when I had my FBS, SGPT and creatinine taken. Sana lahat normal. And and and... I really want to get a hair cut NOW. Yep, medyo damaged ang self-esteem ko ngayon eh, so pardon the pity party. Anyway, to battle the demons, here's my gratitude list:

♥ The brow pomade I ordered from Anastasia which I thought got lost in transit has been found! Hallelujah! And I really do mean it- Thank God talaga. Then I guess it wasn't $35 down the drain. Yipee ☺ My sister's former landlady told her my brow pomade is with her. Yay! Yun lang kailan ko kaya makukuha. But patience is a virtue and I have pa my Anastasia brow grooming set from AB. So yuuuh, that's good news.

♥ New orders. Yay! That feeling I get when I check my email without any expectations and then I see that email ordering my stuff- and a repeat order at that- and I feel so so good. Being a one-man production team, what I do requires a lot of effort and attention to details from beginning to end but I love doing all that work. I hope I can be given more opportunities to work on new orders. And also, I'm happy that this time I'm not rushing. Both orders are ready for delivery tomorrow. Good job to me.

♥ Fast internet connection. I don't need LTE. Happy na ako sa 3mbps internet speed. No need to buy DVDs to watch my Korean series. I just have to visit my favorite video streaming sites et voila, I have access to my Kdramas- updated and with good subtitles. Just finished Marriage Without Dating and I loved it. Hindi ko man masyado gusto ang mga bida, the storyline is enough to make me stick with it 'til the end. Currently watching High School King and It's Okay, That's Love. Not as funny as MWD pero puede na. I'm thinking of watching Fated to Love You which I was hesitant to watch again as I already saw the Taiwanese version (which I loved, by the way). I'm so distracted. Oh noes.

♥ Lower electricity bill. Guess one of the perks of transferring place of business is paying lower utility bills. Sales is lower but I am quite shocked that I am only a few thousands away from hitting last year's sales figures which means bigger income for me. Hopefully come September sales will pick up. 

♥ Friends coming home. I love it when friends come home from where they came from. Haha. I miss my friends. The only friend I used to have regular meet-ups with just recently had a boyfriend and I guess she's spending more time with the boyfriend or maybe she's just busy career-wise, let's give her the benefit of the doubt na lang. So I'm just happy that my friends are coming home and meeting up with me. Next on the list is Ycel. I'm so excited!

Dazzit. I can't think of anything more but I bet there's so much more I have to be thankful for. Bye for now because I'm getting my daily massage bugbog. Toodles xoxo

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

One down, eleven to go. January was okay but not okay-okay although I was a little sulky and emo-ish, which I blame on the weather and the abrupt change of pace. I do love it that I got to rest but rest always came with the guilt that I am not doing something productive.

The start of the year had always brought me employee woes and business slowdowns, but thankfully, this year didn't start off like that. There was a little of that but not too much that would send me into a panic frenzy. There was bad news but I think I'd cross the bridge when I get there. Still there are a lot of things to be grateful for:

♥ Finally getting rest. December was busy and craaaazy (which I love, btw) and very much fulfilling but of course rest is also essential. Without delivery deadlines, I was able to fix my stuff, my side of the room, read books, meet up with friends (which I didn't get to do last December) and catch up on my missed TV series.

ze bed: December 2012
I sleep on the area where the pillows are

ze bed: February 2013
life's little pleasure- sleeping on fresh set of sheets

I just don't know how long it would stay that way. Haha. Seriously, my bed is also my office. And ooh, I used to have blinds in my window but now I also put sheer curtains over the blinds and I love the effect! Parang it has an earthy feel. The sunlight that comes into the room isn't that too harsh and direct anymore.

seriously, does this look like a 30-year-old's room?
can you spot Oprah? hehe

Me love me room. Really really really hope I could keep this up but looking at it now, the clutter is starting again. Must. Resist. Strewing. Everything. On. The. Bed.

♥ Speaking of TV series... I finally got to watch my beloved series and I am not done yet. Still on Bones episodes I missed. Saving GG's final episode last (and I need to do it before Monday because on Monday I am officially ending my lazy arse's vacay). Aside from my mainstay series, added 2 more titles to those I follow religiously- Bunheads and Emily Owens MD. I didn't really give a shit about Emily Owens MD even when I saw it being shown in commercials again and again on ETC because 1) the lead star isn't pretty enough to catch my attention, and 2) I never really got into medical dramas. But one fateful morning, while preparing to go somewhere and the TV's on ETC and Emily Owens was on and my sister has the remote control, I had no choice but to watch what she was watching. Just one episode and I was in love. With Will. Ha. But the sad part is (actually, depressing siya) the show's already canceled. Meaning no second season. Boo.

♥ Free coffee!

Not courtesy of the planner coupons which seriously are getting lamer and lamer every year. All those money spent and calories gained (CALORIES GAINED!!!) and I don't even get a free mocha frap? Upgrades won't cut it. So anyway, AS gave me her Starbucks receipt which gets you a free tall drink after you answer an online survey. Whoopdeedoo ☺ Not absolutely free cos I still paid P15 to make it grande but still...

♥ Playtime with the nephews ☺

FUN ☺
but realizing how too much of a responsibility having kids are,
the more I think I don't want to have my own
sabi ko nga selfish ako. 

I love love love my nephews. But I am not a spoiler. I can't be a spoiler because I'm too kuripot to be one and I want them to grow up responsible and know the value of work. I was raised up like that and I want them to have the same regard for money as we did in this household- you work for your own luho. Seriously, 10-year-old's getting iPhone5s for Christmas is appalling.

♥ I've finally gotten myself a new computer!

She's pretty, no? Ang katas ng kilikili ko. Haha. Sana mas marami pang katasin ang aking kilikili :P But here's the catch- I don't have her yet. Had my sister buy it for me because supposedly it was on sale pero actually I think I still bought it full price. Sana lang makuha yung rebate para kasi $100 din yun no! But still... can't wait to get my hands on it. Aaaaaagh!

So there my gratitude list for January 2013. I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of things. I promised myself to keep an old school gratitude journal where I'd write at least three things I'm thankful for everyday, but when you impose on yourself kasi it starts feeling like a chore. Though I think I still have to do it just to remind me how lucky I am.

February 4, 2013- I officially start my "new year." No more staying in bed until 9am- back to 7am call times, haha :P Batas militar tayo dito. Also, to push myself to do kahit at least 20 jumping jacks a day. At least, it's a start.

When you're open to receiving them, 

the possibilities just keep on coming.

-- galing kay Mareng Oprah

gratitude list july 2012

Ack. It's the end of another month. The days are long but the years are short indeed. It's been a shitty month because it's been raining every frickin' day and consequently, sales were low. I have to be hopeful for August and the of course the following months after it: -ber months!!!

So July was shitty but in fair I got to finish 6 books. Who knew, riiight??? Jessica Darling and Marcus Flutie (MARCUS FLUTIE!!!) were the highlights of my month. So here comes the inevitable... my gratitude list for July 2012:

♥ Jessica Darling book series. If it weren't for the awesome series, I wouldn't have met Marcus Flutie, the (fictional) man of my dreams. It was such a pleasant surprise, most especially that I didn't have expectations for this one. I therefore conclude, Expectations = Disappointment.

♥ Free movies. I have a monthly movie pass c/o my sister. Huzzah! Used this July's freebie to watch Ice Age 4: Continental Drift yesterday with AC. It was a cute movie although I really wanted to use it on Dark Knight but due to time constraints and AC's alam-mo-naman-ayoko-ng-mga-dark-movies, settled for Ice Age na lang. The second free movie pass I got from Smart Rewards.

♥ Reunions. Most of my friends live in lands far, far away, so we rarely hang out. So it was a happy day for me when Juno graced me with her presence last Wednesday. The yummy pork chop at Cyma made it an even happier day for me ☺ Kwento-kwento which consisted mainly of my Marcus Flutie swoonings.

♥ New series!!! Juno gave me Homeland and Downton Abbey. Done with Homeland and I loved it. Currently watching Downton and although I'm finding it a little slow, it's growing on me. And Matthew Crawley's been a big help ;)

♥ My nephews. Whenever I feel shitty, I just see them and I am filled with (fleeting) happiness. Albeit fleeting, happiness pa din :P I love them although they share their food with everyone but me (!) and they make me laugh but at the end of the day, it's still shitty for me. But at least they take my mind away from my thoughts for a while. I really think too much. Buti na lang it's bazaar season soon.

So there. Hopefully, my August Gratitude List will be lengthier.

i'm lazy and i know it

This seems to be my peg now. Bad, I know. But it's just so tempting to lie on my bed all day or play Cityville on the computer or watch TV series from start to finish. FML ng bonggang bongga.

I feel I have so many issues to address and I don't know which should come first in my list. It's actually overwhelming that I end up not doing anything. I know I should be doing A, B, C and D but I can't do all of them at the same time but they all seem urgent so I'd just spend all day thinking which should be done first. FAIL. Anubah.

Anyway, the second half of 2012 is here and although I really hate the rainy season, at least it's almost Christmas- my favorite holiday EVARRRR. And oh, my 30th birthday is just 90+ days away. I really love celebrating my birthday but since last year I'm a bit depressed about celebrating and turning another year older. I'm almost 30 and what do I have to show for my 30 years of existence on this earth- NADA. I thought I've sorted out my quarterlife crisis early on but I think it's all coming back to me now. Celine Dion, isdatchu? I hope this article can still be of help.

I'm having a hard time reading Here Lies Bridget because it is in Spanish. Gahd, how can I still not understand a YA book written in Spanish when I have undergone 28 levels of Spanish class plus 4 more special courses? For this reason, I think I'm reading Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall first.

You know what??? In the surface, it seems that everything's going perfect but when I think hard about it, I feel that I don't really know what to do. So to dispel thoughts of negativity, here's my Gratitude List:

• My FBS and OGTT results are normal. Yay! Which means I still can indulge on sweets and sugary drinks ☺ But boy, was that scary. I don't want to spend my life taking maintenance medications, no. So I've gone easy on softdrinks already and I haven't been guzzling down liters and liters of my favorite drink. Surprisingly, I am not craving for it. I better keep this up.
• Chocolates, chocolates and chocolates! Not really a chocoholic here but I love love love milk chocolates especially Kisses and Milky Way. I happen to not like nuts in my chocolates so that Snickers bar is all yours :P AB sent us loads of chocolates and happiness is knowing I can still eat them.
• Getting my check tomorrow! Whoopeedoo :) I'm treating my family to a nice lunch when Daddy arrives. 
• Complete Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty. Siobhan Vivian's The List. Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall. Thank heavens for ebooks ☺ I ♥ YA books, y'all ;)
• My Singapore trip on Sept/Oct! Since it's highly improbable that I'll be seeing New York this 2012, I'm going to SG instead. Will be going with one of my BFFs and we'll be visiting, actually crashing, Xmas' place for 5 days. Speaking of which, I've yet to decided what I want to do there. 
• Season 2 of Awkward in 3 weeks... 

Since I've started making lists, here goes my To-Purchase List:

SHOPPING LIST

• a laptop. or a desktop. Still haven't decided yet which to get. More people said I should get a laptop since it would allow me to be more mobile. Only one told me I should get a desktop. But there's an 85% chance I'm getting a laptop para makapagoffice-office ako dun. Haha. 
• I need a bag. My current partner-in-crime business is bags but I'm not too much of a fan of her design and also the quality na rin. I bought one from her a few years back but it lasted only a few weeks. I need a sturdy schlepping bag that doesn't give even when holding TONS of personal stuff inside. 

I think that's it for now. I'm not a very materialistic person and the only pressing need I have right now is a laptop. Still using my sister's PC and she's taking it away SOON. I was thinking of letting my sister buy me one in the States cos it's cheaper there daw or I'll buy in SG instead. But time is of the essence and I don't think I can wait for both. I need a new project para mas guilt-free and laptop shopping ☺

Omigosh I feel so much better now after this post. Thank you dear blog for being there. Ha. I really need to buy a laptop soon so I could do these quasi-nonsensical things while overseeing spa operations. 

Good night, loves :) 

mid-month review

I'm having a superb 2012 so far. I hope know things will just keep on getting better.

♥ AD's good news. She's only on her 1st month and things aren't official just yet because at this point it is just a gestational sac, but I'm happy for this good news ☺ I hope and I pray that this is finally it. She's taking precautions (ie. she's not driving anymore. wala na akong driver. haha) to avoid the unwanted but of course my take on these things, if it's meant to happen, it will happen. Sometimes you can't understand the world, there are girls who get pregnant but get rid of the babies and there are women who would do anything to have one. Anyway, I really am hoping for the best here. I want a girl ♥

♥ Hart of Dixie new episodes. Ang babaw ba? But seriously, I am loving this so so so much. After a month of waiting, it is finally back. And oh, we're only one month away from June- the new season of Awkward.

♥ Mini-reunions with college blockmates. Who cares if I got lost walking around Fort/BGC while looking for 20th Avenue? Dahil sa pagka-stingy and for the want to kill time, I walked from F1 Hotel (where I made a delivery) going to Ice's building. So feeling ko ang galing-galing ko while walking around Fort while taking directions from the gps map on my handy dandy cellphone. I've hit a dead-end construction site, McKinley Road and other wrong turns. When I decided to just take a cab, pahirapan na makakuha. So I checked again Ice's text message to me- apparently, her building wasn't at 20th Ave, it's on 30th. FML.

Eventually, I made it to her building. Alleluia! I waited some more (may sagot nako sa mga tanong na 'if ever gagawing movie/book about your life, anong title? The Waiting. Bagay sobra) and then we walked some more going to BHS. Dinner at Clawdaddy. Hindi solb. First of all, we are from the seafood capital of the country and my dad brings home shrimps, crabs and a whola lotta seafood every month so I think it is preposterous to pay such amount of money on a measly serving of shrimps :( But then again, the company was good. I had fun catching up with friends and for a change, walang hirit sakin si Kitty Cruz. LOL. 

♥ Trying out three new restaurants- Clawdaddy, Hermanos Tacos and 4 Fingers. As mentioned earlier, medyo feeling ko narip-off ako kasi hindi na busog, hindi pa masarap. 4 Fingers is very similar to Bon Chon. It's okay but Bon Chon is still the best double-friend chicken in town. AD likes Chicken Charlie but my heart still belongs to Bon Chon. Hermanos Tacos is to die for! I love love love their beef taco and rolled taco. Medyo masungit lang si ateng kahera na mapula ang lipstick and bummer that you'd have to pay for extra salsa. I will go back to try their quesadilla :) 

♥ Having AB's room all to ourselves! Idol has left the building. I repeat- Idol has left the building. So ngayon mas relaxed na because we don't have to share our floor with other people (esp. people who don't know how to show appreciation for ALL the help extended them) and mas guilt-free ang aircon-ing. Woohoo! 

♥ Free gelish trial ☺ Seriously, I want this service on my menu but it costs a kagillion. Before I was contemplating on getting a new laptop because endangered species na ang desktop ko but now I am thinking of getting the gelish package instead of the new laptop. Whatchatink? 

Could it be that I am having so much fun that time is ridiculously fast these days? Now I can understand Kylie cos I'm spinning around, move out of my way!

Lazy Sunday. Actually, more like lethargic Sunday. But I can explain- I feel sick. Must have been the full-blown stress for the past two days and my biology. I've actually written two posts about the shitty business deal but I decided to not publish- too much drama! Well, let's just say I would charge it to experience [and the 2,000++ loss incurred].

Enough with the bad vibes. Let us release the goooooood

• Back to back holidays. Not exactly holiday for us but business was good during those two days so I am really grateful.
• -BER months! So what if the country is a little too atat for the Christmas season? It's just how we roll, people. Never mind that the start of September was shitty, I hope it gets better. It will get better. 
• Fast food. Is ChaTime Pearl Milk Tea considered as fast food? I loooove ChaTime <3 more than Happy Lemon. I think ChaTime is value for money and their staff are friendly. Happy Lemon staff are snooty and super unfriendly and mataray. And oh, also had Uncle Moe's beef shawarma! I've been craving so bad that I even dreamed of it. This is why I'm fat.
• Facial. Super tigidig galore na ako so I needed that facial badly. And whaddya know they're on promo- 20% off on my service :)
• Nail polish stash from Thailand. Very pretty colors. I have gray on my nails right now.
• Spicy dilis and sampaloc :) 
• The 240-peso hair keratin treatment I bought from Ensogo.
• $50 birthday gift from AB!!! I am planning in my head as to how I'll spend my birthday, maybe a movie and a yummy lunch then coffee or ChaTime then I'll buy a book or something that catches my fancy.
• Yummy lunch- inihaw na bangus ang baboy :) I want dinuguan pero daddy said maybe we shouldn't be eating dinuguan anymore since there are lots of impurities in the blood. Pero nag-request ako kasi birthday ko naman. Sa birthday ko na lang daw. Yahoo!

I'm sure I have many, many more to be thankful for. I really want to maintain a small gratitude notebook I can bring everywhere I go so every time I feel grateful for something, I can write it down right away.

September has been sucky so far, but we're only on the 4th day of the month so may chance pa and I hope by tomorrow this sucky weather stops being frickin' extremely unpredictable. I'm so excited for my series!

• Sept 19   How I Met Your Mother 7
• Sept 20   New Girl (Zooey Deschanel!)
• Sept 26   Gossip Girl 5, Hart of Dixie (Rachel Bilson <3)
• Oct 21    Chuck 5
• Nov 3     Bones 7

Patience is a virtue. Well, I have no other choice than to wait. Plus, I have my Korean/Asian dramas to keep me occupied [that is if I am not swamped with more life-relevant to-do's].  Currently watching Scent of A Woman which is a little depressing. Every time I'm working on some order in AD's house I catch The Fierce Wife and it's pretty interesting, too, so I'm thinking on getting the DVD. Other dramas I want to watch: Heartstrings, Best Love/ Greatest Love and Protect the Boss. I really want a wireless connection so I can kill two birds with one stone- Rex Manning and my series. Oh that would be great!!! Should I get Sun already and get rid of my super unreliable Globelines?

GTG. Will get ready for bed already because I think I need to get plenty of rest so I'll feel better tomorrow. Will go to sleep right after Awkward. Toodles xoxo

para akong CHED...

pag nag-declare ng SUSPENSION hindi na umuulan. So I will channel my energy to creating this list instead of regretting cancellation of work today

Lunch-outs with the family, actually basta meals with the family kahit hindi sa labas • thrifted books from Booksale and National Book Store • lunch with Ycel • all the food consumed the past two weeks. nom nom nom~ but seriously, I should stop making food the highlights of my days • Ycel's pasalubong- a teal nail polish and a keychain • a regular milk tea from ChaTime • mint 3 Musketeers pasalubong from AC • fixed water closet • new DVD titles and a downloaded movie, Garden State • sold two bottles of citronella bug sprays today • playtime with my nephews • good business week (but looking forward to a much better week) • free movie • that we're already in the eighth month of the year and we're only a month away from my birthday and four months away from Christmas • new orders •

Thank You. Keep 'em coming, Lord ☺

• daddy home from the province
• daddy's dinuguan
• new product finds: hair-grower shampoo and stem cell face soap
• movie date w/ myself ♥
• the new mouse for AC's notebook
• three juxtapose finds
• more organized space
• J2's 8th month birthday
• being able to borrow and/or swap clothes with my sisters
• sister living on the next street- a place I can seek refuge 
• talks w/ AD, being able to tell her I feel sad
• Sun Cellular's 3-day unlimited internet connection for P100

gratitude list 5-16

juxtapose finds ♥ having a sister who lives on the next street- very convenient ♥ korean dramas. now watching secret garden. giddiness galore na naman- why i like watching kdramas. next on my list is my girlfriend is a gumiho ♥ new dvd stash including seasons 1 to 3 of lie to me. if pleasing my parents wasn't on my mind when i was choosing a course for college back then, i would have chosen psych as my major. well, i wanted to have a double major but i made a booboo with my application and just wrote LM there. as they say, everything happens for a reason. and it's not too late if i really want to be a psychologist, ya? ♥ fixed microwave. just in time for all this non-katulong mode in the house ♥ m&m stash from AC, including a bag of mint m&m's ♥ mocha frap pasalubong from AC two days in a row ♥ custard cake ♥ orders almost done ♥ very convenient ♥ the lrt purple line for easier and much faster commutes ♥ 

week 15: surprisingly pleasant

seriously, i thought the past week would suck. but surprisingly and to my delight, it was okay. i survived. it survived. we survived. finally, things are starting to go my way. little by little does the trick ☺

rest day i actually used for rest ☺ finished reading helen fisher's why we love and then proceeded with my movie marathon mondays- the chaperone, out-of-towners and morning glory. then continued with my dexter season 2 marathon. must find ways to become landlady of leisure quick!

supplies shopping at makati. so i can save on cab fare, i took the fx going to ayala then took a cab going to supplier then back to glorietta. still it cost me 150. next time i have to plan these trips to really save on fare/gas money. anyhoo, went to glorietta to meet with AD who will buy me my balato. but first, had my lunch at food choices. nagpakiyeme pa ako ng unti- bought mary grace cheese roll and lemonade from potato corner. nabitin ako sa cheese roll. parang panis na ang lemonade. so i bought chicken wings from slammer burgers and apple-flavored iced tea. solve. should've been more honest with myself from the start. haha. after lunch (at 3pm), AD took me to the newly-opened forever 21 in sm makati. i'm not really an f21 fan and i do not go ballistic over cute clothes like other girls do, but i do understand. in the end, got myself a sleeveless floral  top with crochet detail at the back. my first forever 21 purchase. milestone, woohoo! over.
from makati, we went to cubao. thrifted two blouses. i ♥ juxtapose. and to cap off our day, a burger and nacho salad at mama chit's.

can't remember what happened. watched dexter, perhaps? can't even remember if i went to the shop.

at the shop. yay! a quick "seminar" on customer service. basic customer service not so basic and common sense not so common. or baka tamad lang talaga? ewan.
ocular on a prospective location of new shop. i agree we need to expand. i need to expand. this park is too small for me already. and with the proliferation of shops like mine? seriously, people? go fug yourselves. ha! anyway, i am still unsure. do or do not? hmm... higher risks, higher returns. do i risk it?

concocting orders and supplies inventory in rome. seems like we're on a roll these days and i am praying that it won't stop. just keep 'em coming, Lord. being a one-man production line is really my thing ;) although AD said i should learn how to delegate things. yung mayayaman daw magaling mag-delegate. but but but i'm such an oc perfectionist who wants everything done correctly but am very impatient to teach people again and again. if i've shown you how to do it, i think that's enough to do it right. if not sure, ask questions. effin' mediocrity. or maybe these people are just plain lazy. DO. IT. BETTER.

día del libro. no more classes actually. just went to ic for the día del libro. volunteered to help in lourdes' booth but i wasn't much of a help and i think it wasn't needed anyway. was able to buy two comics en español- snoopy and mafalda. sorry naman at hanggang ngayon yan pa rin ang level ko. waited for a 2-volume dictionary but since i had to go and meet with ycel at 2, left sans dictionary in hand. but my classmate got me one. yay! sabi nila steal na daw yun at P500 at wish ko lang ay gamitin ko siya.
lunch with joji at chicken bacolod inasal. it was okay though i think mang inasal is better. mang inasal is more barbecue-y at hindi ko masyado gusto ang maasim-asim na timpla. but they said inasal is supposed to be maasim-asim.
rp with ycel. gallivanted around the mall for hours. looked for leggings made of smooth, shiny material na walang garter daw. peace! haha. when we got tired from walking, merienda at starbucks and still i kept my penitensya and just had caramel macchiato. i thought additional choco/caramel drizzle is free? strolled for a while, killed time while waiting for the main event...
left rp at 5:30 and made our way to cubao via lrt/lrt. epic concert that was. the script was amazing. awesome. still under the spell.

a new person-of-interest. impeccable timing, i must say. although he looks a bit like an owl. and i just adore owls right now which explains why i crush him. had a blast with ycel and our seatmates. hahahahaha
arrived home 11:30pm. past my curfew. no worries though because i already left home as a pumpkin.

no lunch-out. pero may merienda-out. at nasunod ang gusto ko- stuffed crust at pizza hut. whoopeedoo! i'm a happy bunny ☺ then strawberry banana for dessert. life and its little pleasures.

things are looking up. thank God. i hope that things will continue being this way from now on.

3-in-1 coffee mixes ♥ spare rooms ♥ cheap thrills ♥ thrifted blouses ♥ sisters who give me stuff, drives for me when i need a ride ♥ a nice cab driver who didn't ask for "dagdag" ♥ sampaloc ♥ cheetos jalapeño ♥ discovered tomato soap and how it's doing wonders for my skin, so far ♥ a bundle of new 20s bills ♥ friends ♥ going to epic concerts with an awesome friend ♥ getting new orders. i don't really mind being busy ♥ daddy back from the province ♥ noticing you noticing me from across the room... chos! ♥ having great friends. it's not the quantity. it's quality, people! quality! ♥ breezy summer nights ♥

must practice my gratitude journaling.

counting my blessings

my tumblr find told me to count my blessings instead of my worries so here it goes...

♥ nephews living with us again ♥ (quasi) free movie tickets ♥ ebooks that i get free on the net or c/o good friends ♥ homemade rootbeer float ♥ sugar-covered camote cue and coke for merienda ♥ being able to come up with a bazillion justifications for my excessive soda intake ♥ cottage cheese + crushed pineapple dip ♥ mineral make-up doing it's work- that is, concealing all the flaws and bumps and holes and discolorations on my fezzz ♥ ooh, brasseries on sale. not dirt cheap but a really good steal. olga/warner's brassieres originally sold for 2k each are now sold for Php1.000, buy 1 take 1! ♥ starbucks' free size upgrade on drinks ♥

 More blessings to come! Thank you ☺