In The Religion Of The Insecure

I feel totally uninspired. Lack of sleep does that to me. I want a week of nothing to do (not even blogging) and nothing to worry about.

To be honest, the title doesn't have anything to do with this post. It's just that Maria Aragon has been getting a lot of hype lately and her cover of Lady Gaga's Born This Way is stuck in my head. And I wish I can quote the whole song to ward off haters but you might as well just listen to the rendition if you haven't yet.

Also, I wasn't in the mood to camwhore but here are a few obligatory outfit photos.

 

I still look sickly. I don't really like putting a lot of make-up on. In fact, my idea of applying make-up is just putting on a bit of BB cream and dusting my face with a bit of Revlon Photoready foundation. It doesn't really cover imperfections (dark under eye circles, pimple scars) so much but it puts a nice glow on your face and it hides large pores. All in all, my face looks bare. I'm too lazy to even apply lipgloss!

So anyway, other than posting these photos, I really have nothing else to blog about. So I figured I'd just enumerate the top 5 things most people don't know about me. So here goes:

1. My favorite authors are Lisa Kleypas, Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught.

I like a myriad of authors but if you ask me which book I'd read over and over again, it would be the books written by these three amazing women. I couldn't get enough of historical romance and I'd ditch the internet or the movies to spend the day with a good book by these authors.

2. My feet are not ticklish.

They were once ticklish. But in the past, I spent the better part of the day putting lotion on my feet and tickling it with Q-tips. Needles to say, I have successfully desensitized my feet.

3. I'm terrified of roaches.

I jump, scream, run away in absolute terror or all three when I spot a roach nearby. I absolutely loathe flying roaches and I couldn't fathom why God created them and why they manage to survive even the deadliest and the biggest natural disasters. Seriously, what are they for? Even rats have their purpose and that is to inspire Walt Disney to create Mickey Mouse!

4. I have a love-hate relationship with potato chips.

I can eat potato chips like no other. I'm so addicted to this stuff. But other than the threats of excessive MSG intake, I also have to deal with a few nasty pimples after eating a bag of potato chips. Bummer.

5. I have a secret crush on Pierre.

He's cute. And it definitely doesn't hurt that he is a superb cook. But there are two things standing in our way:

1. I have a boyfriend     2. He's just 12 years old.

Haha! okay I'm kidding. I love this kid. I haven't watched the whole season of Junior Mastechef Australia but I'm rooting for Pierre! Go Pierre! <3

Everything's Peachy. Pun Intended.

The leaves had a wonderful frolic

They danced to the wind's loud song

They whirled, and they floated, and scampered

They circled and flew along

I am facing the monumental predicament of not knowing what to blog about. But the problem with me is that I'm such a sucker for conversations. Whether it's with someone I am completely comfortable with or just plain conversing with my blog readers, I can go on and on about the most mundane things. 

I'm more than a little irked with my camera lately. It's been taking pretty grainy photos. And I look sickly in all of them. Of course I shouldn't be blaming my camera if I don't take great photos. But still. It's  close to that time of the month when I'm a little hormonal and I always end up blaming something or someone for even the most trifling problems. T__T.

Since I haven't been feeling, not to mention looking, spectacular lately, I wanted to don something purdy. I thought it's about time I wear this peachy cardigan with its rose and floral details. It has been sitting in my closet for quite some time now. 

Since most of my photos are a bit grainy, I decided to emphasize the grain by adding a bit of noise. It turned out quite well, methinks. :)

I wore a lot of flowers the day these photos were taken. My post-valentine post. hurhur. 

I'm forced to listen to my brother's friends' videoke-ing(yes I'm inventing this word) as I write this. And seriously, nobody can think with all the noise so I might as well end this completely useless post. haha. 

PS: From neck to feet, everything is thrifted (except for the accessories). Yes, I'm the queen of thrift now. Kill me.

Ask Yourself This: Are You Really Happy? Deep Down...Are You?

Losing one's individuality. This is one of the saddest things that can happen to a person. It breaks my heart to see a lot of people in the process of losing their individuality in favor of adhering to the norms and living up to other people's expectations. If you can't live your life the way you want to, what then is the purpose of living?

Why are some of us forced to live like puppets? Why were we trained to feel like crap when we deviate from the plans other people have mapped out for us? When exactly have we ingrained in the marrows of our bones the complexity of standing up for one's self and the fear of going one's own way?

A while ago, Myk and I conversed about a sensitive topic that grasped the very idea of responsibility, expectations and the quality of life. We being free-thinkers (and huge fans of Steve Pavlina), we found ourselves repulsed with the thought of falling in the path of sameness and expectations--of being creatures of the norms.

There is nothing worse that squelching your creativity and downplaying your ability to decide for your own self. A few months ago, I came across an article in Steve Pavlina's blog entitled The Power Of Now. The article shook me to the core not only because it makes sense but also because it underscored my belief of not sacrificing the "now" in favor of the "tomorrow". Because the thing is, there is no such thing as tomorrow. There is just now.

If you asked me 5 years ago if I would willingly take on a difficult task or saddle myself to a stressful job if it means fattening my bank account, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. But life has a way of bludgeoning you on the head and giving you a hard time. From what I've learned, the more that you try to fight the current, the more that it's going to tire you out, making you fall into the clutches of social, emotional, spiritual and mental death. So yes, I have had quite a few brushes with overbearing bosses and arrogant co-workers. And when it comes to finding what I really love doing, I have had my fair share of roadblocks and then some.

But at the end of the day, I always listened to that part of me that says, "you can't take this BS forever". So I got tired of complaining and moping and crying. I finally put the proverbial shears into good use and cut my ties to expectations. And from where I am right now, I can say that it's the best thing that I have ever done in my life.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't bought a trailer truck, packed my bags and traveled to roads not taken and got lost somewhere along the way (although the idea sounds quite appealing). It's just that I have stopped taking life too seriously. I do have a lot of responsibilities. I have a lot of dreams that pretty much involve me giving a better life to my family. But I have since qualified my idea of a "better life". Because honestly, what is "better" in dreading every moment your alarm clock rings in the morning, in going to sleep at night thinking that you are going to wake up in about 4-8 hours to go in the hellhole you call workplace, in facing a firing squad that is your boss, in rendering 8-12 hours of your life with absolutely no personal satisfaction (except maybe for that consolation price we call the paycheck)? Life is way more than that.

So forgive me if I am injecting more than a bit of levity in my life. This is the way I want to live it. I don't want to shy away from happiness simply because we have been taught that every happiness comes with a price. I want to embrace happiness with open arms. I want to be that big happy fish in a small pond. I want to be that fish who has learned that climbing a tree is so far out of my league and I'm better off in the ocean and any attempt in imitating the cunning monkey is pretty much suicide.

This is me. Underachiever but happy. And I can vouch for the fact that there is nothing more pleasurable than not having to answer to anyone else but yourself.

PS: If you tell me that I resemble Charice, I'd bludgeon you to death figuratively speaking. Yes, Charice has been pretty much belting Pyramid in her trademark Sunshine Corazon look with the nerdy glasses and the assortment of hats but puh-leese! She doesn't own the look. She has never owned the look.

Princess Complex

I'm smitten with Kim Tae Hee's wardrobe in My Princess, hence the outfit. But even before that, I have saved a special place for princess-y clothes and outfits in my heart. And occasionally, I let it manifest.

I guess most women have a princess complex. Most of us grew up watching Disney. And I myself have watched one too many versions of Cinderella and have drooled over the various takes of her ball gown and glass slippers. This princess complex is pretty much ingrained in our consciousness.
 

 

But don't get the wrong idea. I don't always go out looking like this. In fact, you can count on me to exemplify the very nature of a himono onna.  I hope I didn't burst your bubble or something. jkjk :"p

So anyways, sorry for the repetitive photos. I do practice posing in front of the mirror. But i completely blank out in front of the camera, regardless of whoever is taking the photo. :'((

Everyday Is Valentine's Day

"The spring's already at the gate With looks my care beguiling; The country round appeareth straight A flower-garden smiling."

All that's missing is a wicker basket and I'm off to do a bit of turnip harvesting. lol, I'm joking. I actually loved this ensemble when I wore it a few weeks ago sans the hat.

The messy hair and the cheesy grin were all intentional. But the sort-of lopsided and blurry fashion of the photos are the products of the photography ineptitude of my tween cousin. My usual photographer, Myk, is not here so I had to make-do with whoever is patient enough to stomach my preening.

I love dressing up. And yes, I love resembling a female version of the Mario bros. I have a thing for rompers. And I got this one from a thrift store a few months ago. It was in a very good condition. Looks new, in fact. And it's so inexpensive I knew I had to have it.


Before I forget, I would like to greet everyone--single and happily in a relationship alike(I don't discriminate)--a Happy Valentine's day. There is so much love to go around so spread it, feel it, steep in it, bathe in it, breathe it.

I'm sorry that my photos are anything but romantic. I actually have a habit of taking V-day for granted. But in lieu of romance (or something akin to that), let me show you this photo taken last Saturday:

Yep, that's me spreading my skirt, getting ready for my photo to be taken only to find out that Myk, my boyfriend, was stealthily stealing the spotlight! haha. But that's okay, I am more than willing to share my spotlight with you. :").

We haven't really planned anything for Valentine's day. We tend to follow the Japanese way of celebrating Valentine's. It's pretty much me giving him chocolates instead of the other way around. However, we spent the weekend together. He took care of me while I was sick. (aaw).

I really couldn't ask for anything more. And in just about two months, give and take a few days, we will be celebrating our 5th anniversary as a couple. I guess it's not really about the moments that sweep me off my feet or the moments that can outshine the memorable scenes in a chick flick. It's the little things that make our relationship what it is.

Hi nee, I'm sure you are reading this, you being my number one fan and supporter and stalker and all, so I'd like to say thanks and I love you. I'm being cheesy but who cares. It's V-day, after all! I promise to post a better picture of you if you give me all the remaining chocolate bars in your refrigerator. haha! i kid.

And before I end this post, I'd like to thank Victoria for featuring me in her blogs.

Just click on the photos to view Victoria's blogs. <3. You can just imagine my excitement when i found out I was featured with the other girls I was stalking in Chictopia. They are so adorable I can't believe my face is plastered alongside theirs!

Till next feature, I hope? :")

Vintage and Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

 

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.
A Prayer In Spring (Robert Frost)

Oh hello again! I'm on a blogging marathon--well sort of. 

I'm in love with this outfit! This vintage-inspired outfit consists of a one-collared (yes, it has only one collar on it and this is intentional, not a glitch. The top really has just one collar) sheer top, floral semi-maxi skirt, vintage belt and vintage loafers. 

So fresh and girly! I'll try this look again soon. 

I think many women have a mortal terror of wearing floral long skirts. Probably because in our country, this look is often associated with devout church-goers. Prim and proper. Puritanical and untouchable. In fact, I have garnered a few assessing looks from one too many old ladies I have encountered along the way. 


But the vintage look has deviated from just a church-goer look. Numerous young fashion aficionados have embraced below-the-knee skirts, peter pan-collared tops, polka-dotted long-sleeved blouses, oxford shoes and basic loafers with open arms. 


With the likes of Alexa Chung and fashion bloggers such as K is for Kani, Stolen from Grandma and Fancy Fine, vintage fashion is definitely a breath of fresh air.

Is It Spring Yet?

Do i look as sick as I felt when this photo was taken? Thankfully, I'm feeling much better now. I still feel a bit of aching twinges here and there but they are no longer as incapacitating and as significant as before.

So this is the part where I heave a long sigh.

I'm so thankful to Myk's family's hospitality. They've been nothing short of gracious to me in the past few weeks. I'm using Myk's place again as the location for my shoot for this outfit.

So anyway, let me tell you more about this outfit. Nearly everything I was wearing in these photos was thrifted. I got the floral vest last year. It was a tad pricier but I think it was worth it. I have to say, my closet is now full of floral pieces.And it has just occurred to me that my closet suddenly resembles a veritable garden!

A few years ago, the idea of wearing anything with floral prints was totally unwelcome to me. I love flowers and girly stuff but a huge part of the reason why I didn't like it before was because I didn't want to be tagged as the female version of Lito Atienza. /hoho. But now, I couldn't care less.

I paired this vest up with a pair of pastel-colored shorts and a  lace top. I was dying to put something colorful so there you go. 

 

thrifted bag and scarf

 oxfords!

 

Outfit details:

floral vest - Max & Co, thrifted
lace top - unbranded, thrifted

shorts - Wear-Abouts, thrifted

belt - from sister's closet :D

shoes - from my friend Tina's online shop