The Baby Is Now A Lady

It's about time that I learn the basics of looking halfway decent in a corporate environment. So here's the beginner's stash:

Since I'm been using lip balms for a long time now, I figured I could start with lippies and light blush. I never really liked glossy lips so I opt for the Elf lip stain with the separate gloss, and a lighter shade in matte. For the cheeks, I figured a coral one from The Face Shop would suffice. (And because the puff is really so cute!)

My skin's not really oily, most of the time it's dry, and every beauty guru says moisturizers are a must! So here...

 

Apparently, you're never too young or old to have collagen in your moisturizer. Since I was already at The Face Shop, I grabbed a bottle.

It has been an estimated two weeks since this shopping spree, and I'm happy to report that I'm actually using them, although not as often as most people, but at least I'm starting, right? Here's the verdict in details:

• The matte lippie is a bit cakey, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to use anything else with it to make it less so. I'm kinda wishing for an experienced older sister now for these kinds of things.
• The stain one is really bright, but as per the boyfriend, it does look good on me, even with the gloss, so I guess that went well. 
• I'm currently pining on the Melondrama lipstick from Smashbox, but I'd have to wait a day or two to get it. 
• The blush is nicely light and I just apply a bit more whenever I want a darker shade.
• No allergies or itchiness whatsoever from all of these.
• The moisturizer has a nice light scent that I like and is not at all sticky, but sometimes I still prefer my good old L'Oreal only because of the matifying and momentary cooling effect on the face.

 All in all, I guess I'm satisfied. I just hope I don't get too lazy, after all, every time I put make up on, it's practice, right?

Recent Splurges

Not much has happened since my last post. Hence the lack of updates. A few shopping sprees and binge eating, but that's it so far.

I've actually been waiting a couple of months already for the right time to get these:

They set me back more than my usual shoe shopping splurges, but they're ridiculously comfortable and I really need to invest on flats... so justifies the purchase.

Also, I have officially run out of my usual Burberry Brit Sheer perfume. While I am absolutely head over heels with the scent I've been donning for so long, at 5,000 a bottle, I need a change, albeit temporarily.

I have loved the light fragrance Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea carries since forever. My first whiff was when a bottle was given to my mom as a birthday or Christmas gift, not sure which. It was a long time ago. As perfumes come and go, I did not expect this to survive and persist, but hey, lookie what I got more than 5 years since:

It's a set I normally wouldn't go for, but the store had a sale and there was little cost difference from a single bottle to a set, ergo... *wink*

I'd like to think of myself as a responsible shopper, never buying stuff I can't afford. This being the case, I'm not quite broke, but I do admit to looking forward to the next payday. Haha.

Ciao!

Vacation

A few shades darker and a few pounds heavier --that's what I came back with from my recent vacation, but definitely worth it. ^_^ Our family trip consisted of a departure of 2am to arrive on time for our 4am flight. Then a 6-hour drive from Iloilo to Boracay. Summertime peak season meant no more flights left from Manila to Caticlan. 1 and a half day stay at Bora, then a 6-hour drive back to Iloilo. 15 minutes of ferry to Guimaras, 1 hour drive in Guimaras, an overnight stay, an hour drive back to the pier, 15 minutes ferry back to Iloilo, and a few hours short of an overnight stay at Iloilo, and back to Manila via the 6am flight. Sounds stressful? It was. In fact I was kinda expecting the same level of disappointment we had with our Sagada trip. Well, that was the pessimist in me. Surprisingly, it wasn't like that. For every mishap we had, I catch myself actually thinking, "Hey, this is still tons better than the Sagada experience, no biggie." Although tiring, I found myself enjoying the time off from work.

Boracay is Boracay is Boracay. Meaning, Boracay will never disappoint. The long stretch of fine sand and clear water never fails to put a smile on my face. This was despite the algae washing up on the beach and the low tide. I'm still really bummed about the condos being built on the small island. It kinda takes the "vacation" feel away. T_T They're ruining it. Anyway, I got to do some shopping and bonding with my brothers, and the seafood albeit expensive was scrumptious.

Guimaras was an altogether different story. It was a good change of scenery; see for yourself:

Unfortunately, the resort we stayed in exhausted whatever patience we had left from the tiring island transfers. We stayed at Villa Igang. We were originally given a shack (look closely at the walls) which I could not fathom to be a legit room. For people. Actual, real, live people. Not a house of pigeons. Or that furnace box where you roast pigs in.

To give the staff (at least 2 of them, the rest were playing cards the whole time) credit, they were accommodating and really kind, but well their umm policies, for lack of a better term, were weird. This was the only place I ever stayed at that charged for service water and ice and everything else! Anyway, after complaining about the shack, which had one puny light bulb, and a tiny air conditioner (that probably has less than 1 horsepower), we got transferred to a better room, where we didn't have to marinate in our own sweat. This, believe it or not, was a cheaper room.

Moving on, we went island hopping and stopped to take pictures with a hundred year old pawikan, bigger-than-me groupers, and tons of colorful fish I can't name. My brother and the turtle:

For pasalubongs, we stopped to buy mangoes to take home. I have yet to taste one so the verdict on them would have to wait.

Going back to Iloilo, we sent the rest of the trip with my brother's girlfriend's relatives --hands down, the coolest family I have ever met.

That's it so far. If you think I've had enough, you're mistaken. I'm still hoping for at least two more summer outings. I guess It's the heat. :D Ciao!

P.S. I'm not ready to go back to work yet. x_x

Credit Card Confusion

Finally, my BDO credit card arrived yesterday. Although I am undeniably happy at the arrival, I was less than satisfied on the whole process. Before I walk through it, let me clarify though that it was not entirely BDO's fault and I am by no means condemning their services to hell. This is more or less a petty grievance rant vent thing. So those avoiding a teensy bit of bad vibes, go browse someone else's blog. Ok, here we go.

December 2012, (yes, it was that long ago) if I am not mistaken, I decided to apply for a BDO credit card. I have recently terminated my Metrobank credit card due to their unsatisfactory service and their audacity to bill me for the annual fee, which they promised to waive for a lifetime --an altogether different story and I'm not in the mood to get into. Anyway, the lady at the counter said that since I had standing savings accounts with their bank, I could be recommended for the card instead of applying for it from scratch. She assured me that this would entail a shorter processing time. True enough, by January 2013, taking into account the holidays, etc. the recommendation was approved and my card was supposed to be enroute to my billing address.

I usually use my home address since I do not want bills coming for me at the office. I was not aware, however, that BDO has a strict credit card delivery policy, wherein upon unavailability of the card holder to personally receive it, they do not deliver/release the cards without proper authorization and/or endosement. Moreover, even if the receiving party does have a letter of authorization, it is still upon the courier's judgement whether to release the card or not. Since during their delivery hours, nobody's at home to receive it and they won't trust the condo's guards with it, the delivery kept being deferred... for months.

Now this rule speaks volumes of the importance BDO puts into their customers' security and I was really impressed, albeit the hassles I was about to go through to change the delivery address. I had an HSBC credit card before, and as previously mentioned, a Metrobank card as well. Both cards were delivered without needing any authorization note. I can just imagine the horrors of going through endless hours of trying to sort out a fraud.

To change my delivery and/or billing address, I needed to email them a formal letter of request as well as a billing reference to prove I am indeed working at my office. Since all my my bills are being sent home, I did not have anything with my name and office address except for my mobile account statement. The hurdle? Since it's being sent to me online, the billing team did not have the correct floor on the address. I had to have it changed. They told me it would reflect on the next bill... a month from then. After a month, I was finally able to sent the email request to BDO.

In less than a week, I was able to receive a response confirmation that my request has been processed and to expect the adjustments 10 working days after. This would have been more impressive had the card been delivered to the new address. Guess what? I received it at home (original address provided) yesterday.

To add to the confusion, I distinctly remember wanting and ticking the BDO classic mastercard black on the application, simply because the black card looks sleek and elegant. Yeah, I'm shallow that way. So, which one did I get? The white shop more card. I'm guessing this might be because I went through the recommendation path instead of the usual apply from scratch path. Luckily I've been on a fancy-white-feeling-classicly-clean phase for a while now so I did not throw a fit.

I wonder what my first unjustified purchase will be.

Edit: By the way, they also sent me a complementary SM advantage card. I already have one. So I guess I would have to go to SM to sort the cards out. I don't know whether to be happy or sad about it.

New Things

Item 1:
Out of practicality... (yeah, let's call it that :D), I bought a new phone. It's a Cherry Mobile P9. Here's my justification: I desperately need an mp3 player for my jogging / running needs, and a 2Gb Mp3 player costs around 3,000 php. This little thing set me back 1,300 php and I can plug in an 8Gb micro SIM for media. As added bonus, I can have my Smart SIM plugged in for basic calls and texts. It even has bluetooth and radio functions. The best thing about it? It fits the palm of my hand.

Item 2:
I bought new shoes. They've been tried and tested. Walked through Rockwell Mall and Ortigas Park to Pearl Drive on these and my feet didn't die. Wedges with fun colors are LOVE!!!

Item 3:

It's an old new thing / new old thing, I guess: biking. I learned to bike at an early age, when my dad used to take us to CCP for this. A few years after, I kinda forgot how to. When we moved to Paranaque, I relearned it within a week. I'm not sure if that proves you can actually forget how to ride a bike, but anyway, n years after, with n being more than 10 years, I tried to ride a bike again. This time, it's like getting reacquainted with an old friend. The first 5 seconds were awkward, but then, everything's the way it was after that. I loved the wind in my hair and the rush when you go a bit fast. I'm actually thinking of getting my own bicycle. A simple and sturdy white one, not for racing... just for leisure riding. Basket optional. ^_^

Item 4:

I have a new godchild. She's the cutest thing ever, and she looks just like her dad, my close friend Mark. She has her mom's nose, and hopefully her hairline. Haha. I have yet to carry her.

Item 5:

Sir RP and I tried this new Jap Resto at Galleria: Moshi Koshi. While the food is not on the to-die-for level, it's fairly good and the serving is just right. Considering the price range however, it's not fit for an everyday habit, unless you're an executive.

Sir RP had the tempura, and I had the katsudon. As our baseline acceptable reference was Asian Bites, the katsudon was compared with theirs. The pork was definitely a bit thicker than Asian Bites' paper thin slice, but the smell of AB's was more appetizing. I missed the onion leek strips, but the taste was not that far off. While Moshi Koshi is acceptable, I'd still prefer AB.

Item 6:
My belated birthday surprise. I love my girls to bits!!! Every one of them: Mami Dada, Rovi, Jean, MJ, Sarah, Ana, Carla, including the almost always absent ones: Norie, Gio, Donna, Jona, Rica, Tina, Dian. I thank God for the coffee tiramisu, the colored-pen-wishes, and Joseph's coat pen case. (You'd have to be there to get it.) I'm so blessed!

Item 7:

Commuting's a b****, and I have yet to learn to adjust. I am yet again late for work today. I have been taking the bus recently and haven't figured out what time I should leave home to arrive 10-15 minutes early. Compared to taking the train, waiting time is more than an hour less, but the duration of the travel itself takes it's toll on me. Another good thing though is that I am comfortably seated from Kamuning to Ortigas, as opposed to MRT's standing ovation from the end of the line in front of KFC to my 28th floor office in Ortigas. My conclusion: I want a house of my own. I need to move somewhere nearer.

Cheers to wonderful new things, and here's hoping for lots more to come! The start of my 28th rocks!

Happy New Year & Happy Birthday

Happy new year everyone!

Here's an updated list of the things I want to do or accomplish for the upcoming year:
1. Blog more often, at least 3 entries a month.
2. Create and keep more memories. This means adventures, travel, and pictures, pictures, pictures!
3. Run regularly at least once a week.
4. Cook more.
5. Go to a beach at least once.
6. Climb a mountain at least once.
7. Ride a bike.
8. Ice skate.
9. Attend Sunday service regularly.
10. Be more faithful with my quiet times.

In other news, I'm really really excited at the moment because I'm actually typing this on my new toy:

(Picture from http://www.hardwarezone.com.ph/)

Yes, it's pink. Don't you just love it? It's a Samsung series 5, slim. It's light and it's pretty. I can't get over how thin it is. I even got a load of freebies when I bought it. ^_^ Yey! A very advanced happy birthday to me!

Christmas Comes but Once a Year

I don't know what it is, but there's something about doing wishlists...

Here's mine for 2012:
1. I currently have an awesome Fossil watch already, but since I've recently revived my running, I would like a sporty one with a timer. G-Shock GR-8900-7DR or G-8900A-7D:

They'd probably be too big for my flimsy wrist, but hey, me want!

 

2. Now that I have more time for myself, I have been reading tons of books lately. I want the old Kindle. I don't really know if this is still available, or which version this one actually is, but here's a pic:

 

3. I want to go hiking. I've been wanting to since last year. Maybe it's time. 

 4. I want a vacation, peferably by a beach. A quiet place to relax and stop worrying about everything.

 

5. Additional 3 more checks on the list. (items 3 & 4 also here)

 



Simple Joy #7 Long Overdue Student Permit

after n years of commuting and enduring the pains of mrt hazards, i finally decided to get my student permit. it was either this or a permit to carry (smirk) as i really need to defend myself from the other passengers nowadays. i opted for the lesser evil. simple joy #7.

here's a layman's run through as based on my experience in their san juan branch.
first, obtain an application form from the man at the first desk you see when you enter the establishment. you will have to provide him a copy of your birth certificate, which he will attach to the form before handing to you.
fill out the form, making sure you write legibly. for someone like me who's already employed, your tin will be required; a photocopy of your tin id will help. in my case, i had a photocopy of the e-confirmation.
after filling out the form, the tin id photocopy and a makeshift oath that you will be required to read out loud (just for them to make sure you can actually read) will also be attached to the application you just filled up.
you will then be directed to the evaluator window. once you have submitted your form, sit back and wait to be called. the lady will be calling you to the window for some follow up and/or further questions and clarifications on the documents.
another call will lead you to the picture taking and electronic signature thing. simply look at the webcam through the window and smile (or not, if you'd prefer a badass pic on your license to hopefully scare off the buwayas).
after a few minutes, it'll be the cashier window for the necessary dues. for mine, it was 317.63php. i would advise bringing smaller bills for the obvious reasons. in less than five minutes your student permit will be released. voila! complete with the hideous picture (no matter how prettily you grinned) and weirdly scrunched signature. yay! the whole process took me less than an hour.

in other news, i have new shoes. ^_^ pictures later.

For the Sake of Posting

i've been wanting to post some updates, but as usual, fighting my lazy bones have been oh so hard.

anyway, since my last post, i have been hospitalized.. first time ever in my life, i think.

stayed there for two days, diagnosed with gastritis and severe dysmenorrhea. crappy girl thing. still currently doing follow up checkups. tsk.

then i got sent to marinduque for work... i don't have any pictures as we were not able to go anywhere apart from the hotel. by the way, marinduque apparently doesn't have jollibee or mcdonalds. still better than the office. haha.

new shoes from so! f.a.b.

after that, dampa dinner at home depot with officemates and ex-officemates. good food, great friends, we should do it again soon.

last friday, we became the unexpected champions of the office bowling event. yey.

last but not least, watched batman with rovi and jean yesterday.

overall, a pretty balanced month of july.

Asparagus to Studded Heels

was reading one of my old cookbooks and came across benefits of opting for organic food. tried researching nearby organic food stores, failed miserably, ended up browser shopping for heels. epic fail. how i ended up looking at studded heels from researching food products boggles even my mind. go figure.

so why was i leafing through my old cookbooks? once upon a time, i had the balls (pardon the term) to wear sleeveless tops to work everyday. today, a pair of flabby arms shamed me and i immediately regretted wearing my old black sleeveless top.

where do i start? the skinny bitch recommends having meatless mondays, or some other day for a start. this i am willing to try. which day though? thursdays? other than that, organics are always always better than the regular thing. unfortunately, because of our fast food dependent generation, almost if not all organic stores are extinct.

the plan is to get off my lazy bum ass and plan 2-week healthy meals, and stick to it without cheating. not exactly depriving me of anything, just making better choices. at the moment, i'm still a complete stranger to what i'm about to do. baby steps. real cute, tiny, baby steps. that ought to get me started.

if i don't post anything about losing a couple of inches and/or pounds for the next month of so, alam na! lazy bones > vanity. ^_^

Getting Over Summer

500 days of summer. i love katy perry. i hated the movie. this isn't about that.

it's been raining at least once a week now. a sure sign summer's ending, and i haven't been to the beach yet. this summer sucks. let me show you the path to getting over it...

step 1: fall prey to an impulse buy. damage: black shoulder bag slash purse from girbaud. (don't mind the baby wipes. was a little too excited to use the bag)

step 2: treat yourself to a new lip & cheek tint (that you probably won't use for your cheeks since you have absolutely zero knowledge and talent on that), particularly on a pretty pretty shade of pink that is nowhere near glossy.

step 3: accept the fact that your mom will never get to use the uber cute bag you gave her for her birthday (or was it christmas, 2 years ago? i forget.), and volunteer to use it for her. ^_^

step 4: browser shop (kinda like window shop, but on a laptop. normal people probably have an appropriate term for this. it escapes me at the moment) and either make plans in your head to go visit and purchase, or drool.

somewhere along the way, i've managed to buy a pair of cute swimming shorts as well. i lack the talent for a good pic for that. maybe when i get to wear it...

Simple Joy #2

i needed new shoes for a friend's upcoming wedding, so i shopped.


at four inches above ground level, i seriously need tan not to leave my side during the wedding to avoid fashion mishaps, i.e. sprawling on the floor.

as with all shopping adventures, here's the impulse buy:


technically, shopping's not a simple joy since it requires a whole lotta effort as well as a really really fat wallet. effectively lessens the frustration though. so here's a product of this weekend's shopping that shall count as my simple joy #2:

really really cute hair thingies. i know the bears aren't really age-appropriate, but i couldn't resist. they're checkered! at least i don't do pigtails anymore.

It's Checkered and Pink!

pipay's camera sucks, but here's my new oh so big backpack!


i love that it has the laptop space thing and the padding


and it even has that little pocket at the top for my mp3 player and/or ipod. will have to look for ways to lock the zipper though.

What I Want For Christmas

i know it's still a long way off, but what the heck, here's what i want for christmas this year:


too much?
it's a canon powershot sx230 hs, and right now it costs 21,950 php. i know, i know. i'm not techie, but it's really really pretty, and any camera i can use for macro photography works for me.

crossing my fingers for holiday sales, promos, and 0% installment plans!

(edit: i would settle for the sx220, without the gps, costing around 19,950 php. that's 2,000 php off! besides, it comes in purple! ^_^)