25 November 2014

And Yet Don’t Look Too Good Nor Talk Too Wise

Just like how the Kardashians are successful in creating their image as a gigantic brand owing to their special talent which is... which is uhm... oh right, vanity (I can watch them endlessly though!), Christopher Nolan is a brand all on himself. He has distinguished himself for telling stories through movies that continuously aim to expand the viewer's area of knowledge. I like him because his respect for the audience is visible in the quality of his films. The fact that he assumes that the audience is intelligent enough to understand the complex machinations of the mind is a clear indication of how he regards us, mere mortals. I watched Interstellar with my brothers 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure if I completely understood all the scenes but it makes me excited in what the distant future has in store for this planet. The overused time traveling plot my favorite movies have employed has finally been awarded a background that's close to being explained in pure scientific words. I wouldn't even elucidate what I believed was the film's universal message for fear of incorrectly overlooking more valuable scenes in favor of the parts that appealed to my humble understanding more. I got even more invested in the film the moment Professor Brand bid the astronauts adieu with Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. It's good to meet a poem our HS teachers made us interpret in a set-up that's fitting of what the villanelle was originally intended for - to encourage someone who's facing an inevitable death to not easily succumb to it. The moment Brand used the poem as his goodbye, it had been a telltale sign that the mission wasn't meant for a return. Clever use of literature, right? Nolan, my friends.

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I logged in my defunct Twitter account just to look for these tweets. (Who am I kidding? I logged into my account that day because I did the most evil act I can ever do. Don't make me mad, else, I'll tweet about you but I won't tag you. I'm wicked. Mwahahahaha seriously, Twitter makes me laugh)

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Black top: Zara (thanks S!) | Shorts: Topshop | Wool wrap: from Australia (thanks Lala!) | Shoes: Zara | Ring: Aldo
I had a long day going in and out of malls as early as 10am and lasting through the night where I had celebratory drinks until just an hour shy away from Cinderella's curfew so comfort played a huge key. Of course I couldn't stop myself from wearing this heavy winter hoodie which my Lala gave me years ago but only remembered now because wearing 100% comfortable clothes is not a good thing as well. Hahahaha.

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Last Saturday was an extremely busy yet memorable day for me. I ran around Makati malls trying to fix what I can fix for the Pacquiao fight as ordered by my Dad while squeezing in quality time in the form of a fast yet satisfying lunch in Apartment 1B in Rockwell with my college favorites Lina and Tin. (Kristina, I miss you!!! You have no idea how much sense you put into my scattered brain. Don't be a stranger!)

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I've been collecting stickers for the Starbucks planner for a good one week already so I had to drag her there and sat down for a gratifying discussion. When my break was over, I went back to fulfilling the rest of the day's requirements.

Come 4PM, not a minute early nor a minute late, I met up with my best friend in Rockwell. See, in our friendship, there's this special bond that can never be cut all because it's entangled around another person who for almost a year, refused to have any contact with either of us. It could've been an easy break but how do two girls cut ties with a person who has made an impression on them despite only being with them for 4 days? That's rare and in this case, we wanted (desperately, unrelentingly) to believe it's because we're meant to be friends with that person for a really long time. Ha!
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As we were capping off the night with the usual drinks in Taft, the unexpected happened. Perhaps we're a little inebriated or the Christmas season is kicking in that we finally mustered the guts to reach out to the person whom we feel emotionally albeit abnormally attached to. We waited for an hour before the person responded to our incessant messages which led to another round of drinks we referred to as the celebratory bucket. Hurrah! We're almost back together! We waited for a year to receive the person's forgiveness, dissected what happened and discussed hypothetically various scenarios, and finally got the permission to call the person on the person's phone. That's victory for us! (Notice how messily I veered away from the use of pronouns? Haha)
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To sober up before we separated, we walked along Taft all the way to Starbucks. I've completed the 18 stickers!

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I used a line from Rudyard Kipling's IF as guide on how to attack this post. How did I do? (wink wink)

24 November 2014

Whiny Little Brat

I miss my pathetic whiny self who used to blog way back in 2009 about things that don't go my way, people who annoy me, and how materialistic a High Schooler I was. Fast forward to 2014 and nothing really has changed. Perhaps except that, I now know how to sugarcoat things. Haha!

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Polka-dotted top: from Korea | Skirt: Mango | Glasses : People Are People| Shoes: Aldo | Ring: Aldo | Bracelets: from Bangkok

These days, my dad is putting responsibilities on my shoulder by assigning tasks that would (hopefully) help his company as it meets the demands of the projects for November. I'm particularly designated in the Pacquiao fight department, which I am enthusiastic for since there's hardly any marketing effort needed to sell his pay-per-view right aside from being contacted to set up satellite dishes for. He's Pacquiao; and to every Filipino, myself included, he's a hero. As soon as the 2nd week of November set in, everyone in the company devoted the bulk of its brain and labor to the boxing champ's fight. I had to call tens of cinema managers all over Luzon to secure passes. It was tiring but I couldn't help but feel very excited!

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I'm petulantly stopping myself from spouting out my fangirl screams over Pacquiao's overwhelming win against Algieri yesterday because I cannot articulate my happiness into precise words without shrieking aloud. Algieri, on one hand, impressed me not so much for his boxing style although his endurance to have lasted for 12 rounds was laudable but because of how much of a gentleman he's been in accepting his defeat. (I'm not discounting that his academic accomplishments wowed me more initially). All in all, the fight served its purpose in establishing that Manny's on his way back to the top after his defeat from Marquez in 2012.

For having put the Philippines on the map, there has to be some percentage of immunity bestowed on Pacquiao. The principle covers his tax issues. Perhaps I'm misinformed or my knowledge, as usual, is limited (it still baffles me how I've gotten a really good grade in my Income Taxation class to be honest) but he has to be awarded a leeway.

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Unlike the satellite dishes my Dad occasionally installs at home whenever there's a big international sports event that we want to tune into, this time's satellite is as small as a wee baby. Boo. My closet is shrinking, I noticed, that's why I have no choice but to constantly re-use my clothes. To somehow offer the illusion of a dress, I picked my top and skirt in the same print. Oh the problems of a penniless girl. Woe is me! Hahahahaha.

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29 October 2014

Coffee Date

I'm in a desperate position at the moment so even though I'm still sporting my long hair in the first photoset and the outfit is only an incidental accessory, not the focal point of the story, just let it slide and chalk it up to my laziness to take more recent photos. 

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Toby's Estate (Century City Mall)
Dress: Giordano | Cropped army-print top used as jacket: from Bangkok | Sandals: Celine
I love meeting friends over a cup of tea, though the word 'tea' has different connotations depending on who I'm sharing it with. (With my HS friends, it's never been just the comforting kind.) I rarely drink coffee so to me, tea is my cup of tea. But there were a few instances that I had to pick coffee over my all-time favorite because we purposefully sought out certain coffee shops to sample their trendy handcrafted beverages. The list of the coffee places we'd like to try is HERE

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Matgalne Korean Restaurante (Kalayaan Ave., Makati)
Up to this day, it still amazes me whenever Lina and I wear clothes in the same hue. We've never discussed what we'll wear beforehand so it's fascinating when we find ourselves facing each other with the same "we're matchy matchy today!" expression. Of course, things got funnier when her boyfriend Julian showed up in the same green and white combo. Should I say that we're just a bunch of kids who pay their respects to their beloved Alma Mater by wearing its official colors? Haha! 

Months later, we met up again for a quick break from our daily engagements. This time, we checked in in Intercontinental Hotel. 
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Swimsuit: Dorothy Perkins | Sweater: Ralph Lauren | Shorts: Zara | Bag: Juicy Couture

For dinner, we met up with Debs in Commune Cafe which is another coffee shop in the list. 
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Having read plenty of courtroom novels, there's one thing that I came to realize. The law provides rules to ensure that the citizens would live only within the structure. Once someone goes astray, there will be consequences equivalent to the weight of the action. What the law doesn't state but implies is that, most of the time, it equivocates in favor of the argument that best tugs at the emotional level. Let's call this emotional loophole. A person who's being tried for murder can get away with it if the lawyers are cunning enough to design a strategy that will appeal to the judge or the jury's emotions. (Yes, I'm referencing to a sensational case.) It really pays to be manipulative, isn't? It makes me think that a case's success lies not on the evidences but on how crafty the lawyer is, may it be the prosecutor or the DA. A person whose IQ is only average shouldn't be allowed to enter the law school, right?

We all live in a world where butterflies exist and flowers bloom while elsewhere, there lies a body that's been robbed off of its breath just seconds ago. I'm not being morbid. I'm plainly stating facts. Picoult succinctly explained why there are deviations in the society. "There couldn't be a bad guy unless there was a good guy to create the standard. And there couldn't be a good guy until a bad guy showed just how far off the path he might stray."

My very very very close friend Lina, who's currently in her first year in law school, is among my few friends who tolerate me when I start inquiring about murder cases and for added awesomeness, she gives sound opinions and corrections. See, one moment I would endlessly search about gory cases and the next I would obsess on what mundane article of clothing to buy next. Hahaha.


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Thanks for the photos, Lins!

07 October 2014

No Shit, Sherlock

If I were to collate a dictionary containing words that I've encountered for the first time as I read a novel, the thickest of which would have to be that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. I have absolutely high praises for the character of the famous detective. Partly because he is exceptionally observant, proving that not even the tiniest of details could escape a mind that's capable of comprehension beyond what average minds can do, but mostly because his adventures are recounted in short stories, which is exactly perfect for night-readers like myself. 

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Dress: from Bangkok, Thailand | Shoes: People Are People | Ring: Aldo | Belt: Giordano

I figured my posts won't publish themselves on their own so much as I'm enjoying indulging my ever lazy bum, I'm forcing myself to spew out my usual psychobabbles here to keep the blog running. Anyway, a few weeks ago, here's the fate that has befallen my trusty laptop's charger. (A vital factor for my absence here) I could've easily bought a replacement in the mall but I opted to prolong my agony just because. The nonsensical sometimes makes sense to me. (No shit?)


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Maybe I can count off on my fingers the number of series I've watched completely in my entire life. I can't condition myself to patiently await an episode after another in-which the flow is of utmost importance. For this reason, I absolutely love BBC's Sherlock. One of my favorite stories is translated into modern times, with episodes written to accommodate multiple chapters from the different Sherlock Holmes novels, and the characters played by equally compelling actors. (Benedict Cumberbatch, anyone?) The tip of the ice berg is its three episodes per series production with at least two year interval in-between the series. Perfect for someone whose regards to time is normally suspended.

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As has been pointed numerous times,  BBC's Sherlock's writers Gatiss and Mofat are very praiseworthy for successfully adapting the novel into a TV show. The essence of the books, at least to my easily impressed eyes, which partly I believe is all about the power of words to drown its readers in its depth and partly to mesmerize through it's pre-, during, post- death accounts, was perfectly captured. Cumberbatch' Sherlock is just as calculative, sharp, and psychotic as described and retold in the novels. The writers were successful in preserving the books' scholarly lines and sarcastic albeit funny remarks without sacrificing easy comprehension. I'm not going to lie, the author's choice of words in the books sent me reaching for a dictionary, even dominating my phone's photo album because for every word that I don't understand, I screen-cap it for later's light-bulb moment.

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from Iconic Fictional Characters

You have to admit, Irene Adler got it right when she said that smart is the new sexy.

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Finally, let me wrap this post up with my photo. My photos are in no way related to Sherlock Holmes, I'm aware but let them be. They were taken a month ago. I'll leave this for now and the promise that the next post would be more coherent and quite possibly better in all aspects. Haha!

13 September 2014

And Listen to the Music of the Night

As for my taste in music, it's quite singular. My knowledge in almost everything that I consider myself an admirer of is disappointingly limited. Still, I'll attempt to talk about the kind of music I appreciate, albeit in hopes of not appearing a smart aleck but simply stating the facts.  

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Chiffon top: Mango | Skirt: Zara | Necklace: from bazaar area in Festival Mall | Shoes: Zara | Flower ring: Mango | Watch: Anne Klein

Unlike most of my friends, the songs I listen to are not eclectic. Sure, I sing along the songs of Taylor Swift and Katy Perry but I am definitely the least person in the room to be asked to plug in her iPod to the system for everyone else to hear. See, I am more of the broadway musical junkie but certainly not because I deem my taste superior to others but because had I been blessed with a powerful voice, I would have pursued a career in theater. Songs come alive when they are listened to in person, whilst the singer is in character, and whilst an orchestra serves as the accompaniment. Since I hardly have the voice, I settle with constant listening to these songs. 

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Perhaps an excessive devotion to Murakami's books led me to seek out the classical songs he keeps finding metaphorical representations in that's why lately, all my Youtube searches are compositions of Mozart's, Beethoven's, Bach's, and Tsaichovsky's. I haven't completely been convinced that I should declare them 'my jam' as of yet because to be completely honest and stripped off of the snobbish air, I haven't 'lost myself' in them yet. Then again I am particularly fond of Mozart so much so that I have entertained the thought that should I have a son one day, I might make his second name either Amadeus or Wolfgang (his principal name must start with a 'G'). One of my favorite films of all time is Milos Forman's Amadeus and since then, I have sought out other works, preferably in literature, that would shed a few more light on the person of the great composer. I've read half of Nancy Moser's Mozart's Sister but despite being gripped by the story, I had to stop because it was only later on that I read the author's forenote stating that although the events that were recounted were factual, a handful of it left gaps that she filled in as best as she could have done with her imagination. I couldn't read an account, even as fascinating as this book, with the goal of knowing facts when the novel's aim was to entertain. (On this note, I am truly to happy to have been born and raised in our times, where gender no longer becomes a measure of a person's success. Nanerl Mozart would have been great, perhaps even as great as the charming Wolfie.) While on my search of Mozart's compositions, I came across his operas. I haven't tried watching a full-length opera nor have I seen one even in Youtube that's why I can't say it's a genre I'll enjoy but I have listened to some arias and a few Puccini and Pavaroti to conclude that for 5 full minutes, this genre can hold me captive. I'll try to watch an entire 2-hour show and see if I can still say the same. 


Jed Madela's rendition of Nessun Dorma from the opera Turandot. 

It was only early this year when my Mom bought us tickets to watch her favorite Filipino artist on stage but the moment she learned he has a series of shows entitled 'All Requests' lined up, she bought tickets again. Last night, we were in Music Museum to watch Jed Madela showcase his out of this world vocals. The photos show what I wore. It was my first time in that venue which, although has been the smallest concert venue I've been to, proved to be the most intimate. Jed Madela is really among the finest singers in the country. Plus points to him because his voice is suited for the likes of broadway songs. Maybe even after hearing him sing live for 50 times, I'll never tire of him. 

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I think, classical music should be made available to everyone. After all, it's slowly seeping into the mainstream. Even 50 Shades of Grey's Christian Grey name-dropped almost all the popular compositions. (Can anything get more mainstream than 50 Shades of Grey? Almost everyone I know has read it including those who never even touched a book previously Hahahaha). My favorite is written by Bach (Suite No. 3 in No. 3 in D Major especially the Air or second movement) but on a general level, I like Mozart's the most. Of course for beginners like myself who wants to educate herself with classical, baroque, and other early types of music, there's always Tom & Jerry for easier appreciation.

The title I used is from The Phantom of the Opera's Music of the Night.

12 September 2014

The Book Challenge

Taking photos all on your own with only the camera's timer to help you is very stressful, I found out. I had no choice but to take my own photos as everyone else was in a hurry. Then again it was my fault that I had to press the button on the camera then run in front of it to smile, then repeat the process for approximately 3 minutes until I had to ride the car. Oh the stress I put myself under for documentation purposes... Anyway here is what I wore for my cousin Rayne's birthday celebration with the family.

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Top: Penshoppe | Swimwear used as tube top: Anemone (While on my usual strolls in Powerplant Mall, I entered this swimwear-shop and was surprised at how creative and body-appropriate all the pieces there are. The designs are too cute that even though I put myself on a shopping ban, I can't help but get a few pairs) | Skirt: Zara | Peacock necklace and peacock ring: from Macau | Hearts ring: Accessorize | Watch: Anne Klein | Tom & Jerry bracelet: toy in Kinder Joy (My cousin Rayne was eating her favorite drugstore chocolate and inside one of the Kinder Joys was this bracelet)


I don't want to cheat myself out of this post by letting myself babble just to come up with a decent read when I don't really have something worthwhile to share so instead I'll just respond to my friends Kim and Jeanne's book challenge. (Sorry guys, I'd rather post here than on Facebook. Thanks for the tag though!)

As a rule, I was not supposed to overthink the books I'll include on the list but since I use Goodreads app, it was easy for me to single out 10 books that made an impact on me.

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde- I believe everyone of us have something that we're willing to bargain for with the devil himself. The battling facets of my personality are personified by the characters in the novel.
2. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult - Picoult has one of the best writing styles that I'll never fail to be in awe of. Also, all her stories delicately traverse between the supposedly mutually exclusive aspects of emotional writing and factual writing.
3. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami - It still baffles me how a book that did not completely make sense to me render me speechless but leave me feeling as if a heavy burden has been lifted off of my shoulders. It also showed me that although an extensive vocabulary can go a long way, a common word that was given a loaded and metaphorical substance instantly ceases to be common.
4. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock's adventures with Dr Watson displays how a brain that functions much advanced compared to the average, albeit ruling in number, minds have both advantages and disadvantages. And that in a world as cruel as ours, having an advanced brain is slightly skewed towards what constitutes the person's ultimate weakness.
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera - It delves with the very same philosophical questions that remained unanswered even after I took up my Philosophy class under Gojocco. On average, it's a rather short novel but compared to other 500-page and above books I've read, this took longer for me to finish. Stumbling upon a character who seems to be an extended version of one's self is both frightening and intoxicating.

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6. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - The most reverberant idea that the book left me is that, there is power in words. A person who can win a crowd with only words at his disposal has power within him far greater than he initially thought he has. It was this novel that made me see it wasn't always Hitler's guns and armies that killed millions but his words. (Read the rest HERE)
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë - I've always had a soft spot for all the firsts.  Although I started reading because of Archie comics, different fairy tale books, and Geronimo Stilton, my first leap in a more mature genre was with this novel. And at that time, I kept thinking that there's a madwoman hidden inside the house whenever something went awry.
8. Growing Up Bin Laden by Jean Sasson with Omar and Najwa bin Laden - It was an embodiment of contradiction. I've written quite a brief yet concise view of this before. As I tend to plagiarize my ownself every now and then, I'm doing it again now. (Read the rest HERE)
9. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman - I don't really know who the target market of his works are but I do know that Gaiman is among the masters in fantasy literature. He turns childhood nightmares into adult fears. Just as Lettie Hempstock stuck in his mind for years, I can't extricate her from my consciousness even after months have passed since I finished the book. Also, I wear socks to sleep eversince because I fear a worm might find its way into my heel too.
10. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling - Stories like Harry Potter's and JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings fascinate me not because of the plot and the unifying theme although they can hold a strong argument all on their own but because the author created an entire new world. Harry Potter will be one of those books that I'll require my future children to read, no exceptions.

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I'm tagging everyone who's actually read the list! 
Write the link so I can read them in the comments section :)

09 September 2014

Ladies Who Do No Wrong: Chiara Ferragni

If I can have it my way, I'd rather be strutting around the globe in designer outfit from head to toe, with my entourage in tow. To me, this idea could only be a distant dream that I won't even try to catch but to Chiara Ferragni, it's the life she's living.

You have to give it to her, in an industry where everyone is aesthetically pleasing and their income coming from an influx of products who wish to 'dress you', 'feed you', or just 'use you' thereby making it difficult to to decline a sponsorship even if the product doesn't represent who they really are, she has been successful in tapping into a niche market. Let's give credit to her then boyfriend Riccardo Pozzoli (this is an attempt at my part to drop his name as he is absolutely deserving of the commendation as well. Not to mention he and Chiara used to be my favorite blogger couple) who's one half of the brain that strategically planned where Chiara's career as a blogger should pan out. Whereas other bloggers are non-discriminative of brands, accepting whatever comes their way, Chiara Ferragin (with the help of Pozzoli) concentrated on targeting the high-end market. She dressed herself in designer stuff, which seems ostentatious to others, that eventually everyone who are someone in the designer labels industry welcomed her presence. Furthermore, her importance was acknowledged.

Here is the living Barbie doll of the blogging industry:

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All photos from theblondesalad.com
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