tea house

(photos by JM Dumlao)

I am floor colored, apparently. Almost everything but the shoes is vintage. I'm super late in posting stuff. There're so much things on my hands and on my head at the moment. That magazine JM and I were discussing on in this new place she recently discovered around the city and brought me to, Chinkee Tea. It's a dainty little tea house near the local Ateneo I used to attend that easily got me addicted to their classic milk tea and some butter cookies. Had I saved enough for this Christmas break, I'd be going back there again and again and again. Otherwise, I'm sticking to the chai tea I concocted earlier today and got my dad into and the rest of the household. Definitely inviting friends over the next time I decide to make another of it. I always often prefer home made stuff to the ones that can easily be bought anywhere. 

Has anyone ever been to this online store What a Girl Wants just launched, shopWAGW? Currently obsessed with the men's section with their large selection of henleys and baseball shirts plus that sequinned mini bandage skirt in black that I think would make an awesome get up for the Christmas and NYE parties to come. That is, if there are any given Pablo who merely, recently passed by and damaged, wrecked havoc on a good part of Mindanao. 

waffle knit thermal, shorts, belt and bag, vintage; random rings and bracelet; wedges, Primadonna  

三浦大知

Can't wait for this to drop come December 12. 

Along with this

 But I'll have to wait until January to get this. =.=U

 

20 things

Left to right: leopard hat with ears, fake leather skirt, quilted leather skirt, leather high heel ankle boot, basic high socks, Da-iCE keychain, bella moon headpiece, velveteen skater dress, pintucked mini bodycon skirt, scalloped mini skirt, human heart nature cleansing oil, Krave liquid foundation in casatta (or any light-medium shade), Miura Daichi - DM + DVD, Miura Daichi Live 2012 "D.M." in Budokan, Miura Daichi - Right Now/Voice with extime tour digest, interlock bra, stretch floral lace bra, abstract lace bralette, Maybelline Volum' Express Colossal Cat Eye mascara, Maybelline Volum' Express Turbo Boost Waterproof mascara

I'm most likely not shopping for christmas gifts this year and am going to diy fun ones instead. I already have a few things in mind. I'm definitely taking a page from my favorite fashion blogger who says that accessories are the classic Christmas gifts, one size fits all. 
Hnn...let's see how many of these I can try to tick off the list since I've decided to try for a part time job. Something I've been doing for years but recently quit to focus on studies. I am going to regret this since I have literary research this sem and the next. I don't want to get overworked since I find it difficult to focus on one thing most of the time. But we'll see if this thing does burn me out after awhile like last time.

09/26-09/30

 

(my photos)

This week was one for walking along the boulevard, trying to capture the waves in photos as they hit the wall prompting passersby to stay away from the ledge. Moon-, star-, sky-gazing was also in the nightly agenda with the penumbral eclipse that occured not so long ago. The night before yesternight, I suppose? And of course, decking myself in blue and black and rediscovering my love for this pair of denim shorts I can apparently shorten and of course, the Primadonna pointy toe heels I fell in love with back home. Note that I rarely ware pumps and am considering getting a few for the wardrobe. Uhmn...but I'd really rather stick to ankle boots. 

Yesternight was supposed to be devotion at the dorm but it didn't come through *insert sigh of relief here*. I always am disturbed by those however wonderful spiritual (and perhaps emotional)respite might be as they offer it. I already feel like a hypocrite enough when I go to church on some Sundays. (This is me being truthful here which is a very rare occurrence.) I know Da-iCE made me happy when three of them: Yudai, Toru and Hayate had that ustream session with AAA's Urata Naoya as guest, though. Yesternight was fun. 

Today, it's listening to Miura Daichi, staying in and reading Modern Feminist Thought by Imelda Whelehan for literary research and trying to finish it so I could read the other book and figure out exactly what my research on Saiormoon and other such manga of the same vein and some classic literature form would be. I know, very pop culture. And it's a long weekend. So kudos.

(random button up shirt from a nearby boutique, thrifted shorts, primadonna pointy heel pumps)

the olsen twins inspiration post

(photos from olsens anonymous, compilation by me)

It's mostly MK, I think with a bit of Ashley's simple, chic and clean styling as is that of their line, The Row. I'm coming to terms with being a big fan of a combination of both their styling. I'm not sure whether I lean more towards MK's homeless looks---sorely tempting, comfortable and shabby but still great-looking---or towards the chic, clean-lined casual that Ashley seems so fond of. Needless to say I like the twins and their styling whichever way it takes them to look like.

I've been busy with school this past week and haven't gotten around to taking everyday outfit shots and my dorm mate aka personal photographer is going home this week for a board meeting she has to attend in their school so I'll see about taking some everyday outfit photos just to catch up soon. I have research this semester so I am trying desperately to catch up with a ton of school work. After this, I'll be free enough to work on some things I should be working on...erm, namely maintaining this blog and getting started on that plan on the magazine with some people that think very much like me. 

personal style influences

Rumi Neely, Photos from: Fashiontoast, collage by me

 Elin Kling, photos from: Style By Kling, collage by me

This post was due yesterday but because people kidnapped me to dinner dates and walks along the infamous, already over-blogged Rizal Boulevard, I am only able to update with this today. Hmn...bloggers certainly aren't absolved of the sin of late blogging on some days.

Anyway, these two giants in the fashion blogging industry among other things are heavy inspiration for me in terms of casual dressing and other things. My heart goes soft for anything minimally chic and my mouth goes into a grimace when I see people dress in a very-non-minimal, color-filled way and this is a frequency in the local personal style scene so much so that I get bored by what I see in the local streets and out of it. I don't go to other local fashion bloggers' blogs either because of the prevalent trend I am not amused of most of the time which is just my opinion. So go flame or whatever.

 Oh and because I want to turn the local fashion scene around about a hundred eighty degrees from where it is now, there's a bit of something my friend and I are working on. This has sparked interest to some of the people I've shared my thoughts and plans to and this might be a good reference for many random people I meet in reality that ask me where I get stuff I wear on a daily basis. Need a hint? Here's one: Magazine. Drop a comment if you're just as excited as I am about the project or if you are appalled by the idea or whatever.

minimalism at mango winter 2012

(Photos from fashiongonerogue)

Massive fan of anything that can translate to real life wear here and this lookbook with Karlie Kloss from Mango is just one treasure trove of everything wearable. I was casually browsing through fashiongonerogue yesternight and stumbled upon this then and fell in love with it right off the bat. I wander around the Mango Outlet store at the local Lim Ketkai Mall once in a while and right next to What A Girl Wants, it is my favorite source for anything...wearable and palatable to the casually, lazy, fashionable eye. Mango is also opening a branch at the pristine newly opened Ayala Centrio in my local Cagayan de Oro along with an Aldo branch I am obviously ecstatic about sometime this year or the next so might as well check them out when they do open...hmn...maybe this Christmas? A lot of the stuff they offer are out of reach of my budget as a struggling literary studies student but I'm pretty sure I acquired a favorite Mango white shirt basic a long time ago while working part time as a freelance writer that I later lost due to my ex-dorm mate's washlady's blunder. She kept mixing things up between the people she washes clothes for. I always loved Mango for having a lot of things in them that dress you up in a way that you don't look like a clown. Definitely one of my favorite labels around despite it being way above my preferred price range. I definitely love Karlie Kloss in this lookbook. One of my favorites thus far.

devoid of accessories

Things can get really bland when I decide to tone down on accessories. And when I say tone down, I mean not wear anything at all aside from the watch which is a constant and the thrifted belt I've abused so much since acquiring it years ago. If there's anything I'd like to be good at when it comes to styling, it should be completing the looks with random accessories. Too bad my stash hasn't been updated since forever ago.

There has got to be a rule about wearing everything vintage or everything designer or new but it's one I'm bound to break that every now and again. My reason being most of the things I own are vintage somehow.

I'm alone in walking around Centrio today it seems. Sad, I know. I should see it before I go back to Dumaguete tonight. I'm also going to look for somewhere to sit in and read as well. Malls aren't normally my thing unless I'm there to just hang out with pals or check on What a Girl Wants and a few other shops I'm pretty much fond of.

Vintage/secondhand everything; bag, Ninewest

tights

Tights and over the knee socks, and a great variety of them: yay or nay? This one came to me after my mother affirmed we resided in a place where it's colder than the rest of the Philippines. I'm not talking about Baguio. Let's just say, it's one of the coldest around the island of Mindanao. I'm a strong proponent of the denim shorts + tights and have a decent few from SM department store and elsewhere else in my closet whose stash somehow needs to be updated. This will be my next F21 haul, I suppose. Most of the time, it's really hot in my locality so I'll see about wearing them at the right time like these days when rain clouds loom over the city most days of the week.

Crime increasing everywhere in the Philippines. It's not good news but have you seen what TV Patrol reports about recently? Utterly disappointing. I continue to ponder over question why such people with no remorse over what they do to harm others exist. I'll never get an answer, I suppose.

after dark

Some after dark documentation after a late afternoon trip to the dentist. Finally. Yes.

I'll be leaving for Dumaguete City again tomorrow yet I have to pass a few things before I can enroll. Well, kudos to me for second semester. It's my second to the last semester and I already have a couple things in mind for my tentative research proposals. I need as much options as I can find so I could be sure to have at least one of them approved. It's going to be a busy semester again.

I've decided white shirts and denim shorts are going to be the regular uniform for school and all. I find that they are the best thing to play with among other things. 

Shirt, Black Sheep (c/o Robinsons Department Store); shorts, mossimo and co.; vintage laced up ankle boots; vintage sunglasses; necklace from random local store (Aizilim); vintage bag

catch up post

Going back to this in a few days.

About the only place I visited when I was passing through Cebu City a week ago to board a flight home. I still find this place beautiful among other things in the city.

 First day Ayala Centrio opens and it's chaotic. JM and I ended up hanging out in Chowking, Gaisano Mall right across it then I decided to roam around, get lost in Lim Ketkai Mall for the nth time. I never tire of the place.

 Something I've been meaning to finish and write a report on for school. I already finished the other one so this is the only one pending at the moment. About to devour it today and tomorrow before the trip back to Dumaguete on Wednesday.

Some of the few things on the plate today. Never got around documenting daily outfits because I normally stay home and don't get to hang out much when I'm at home. Domesticated, homebody, boring person, I know. I missed out on a best friend's birthday party Sunday last week due to a couple days of trying to recover from RCT (root canal treatment) which I most positively abhor and plan to never undergo again. Health purposes in mind and all. I just don't think it's a safe dental procedure but really, not all medical and dental procedures are a hundred percent safe. Had an early start this Monday morning which is pretty rare but worthy enough to lounge around in this. Oh, how. I. Wish. I'll look for something similar locally made some time.

All photos taken by me by phone. :) That's erm...a rarity as well.

Definitely a better post than last time's. Pretty sure I'm not sorry about the most recent post. Ha.

random fandom stuff

Missed out on a ton of things due to a puffed-up left cheek from RCT (root canal treatment)---horrible, horrible experience I wouldn't like repeated again, ever. I also long to someday take off this toxic tooth if it decides to bother me with mercury poisoning. I've read enough RCT horror stories online I'm convinced this isn't a very healthy dental procedure at all. Y'know, being a health buff and all. I've been in bed two days to this week due to on-and-off fevers, too, prompting me to miss a bff's birthday. Yes, I'm devastated. But plans are underway, I guess? Alternative ones, yes? It's the first time this year I'm under antibiotics again. 

Seeing as I am unable to get outfit pictures at this time, I'm going to go the other way instead...fandom. Yes, fandom. I might've only been collecting useful clothing recently but really, silently, on twitter...I've been fangirling...a lot on...tokusatsu, yes. Toku or what's known separately as Kamen Rider (Masked Rider) and Sentai rangers (Power Rangers). At the mention of Power Rangers, I'm reminded of my childhood spent in my grandparents' home in Jasaan, 30 minutes from the city I currently reside in, with my cousin every weekend when we'd often watch that (Power Rangers), Batman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Baywatch and even Beverly Hills 90210. Uhmn, it was tradition on weekends to spend a ton of them in the couch, being a couch potato and fantasizing what it would be like to be in high school like those in 90210 or something along that line between me and the cousin. And now I'm missing her. Ah, childhood. Exposure to Kamen Rider Black and Jetman through another local channel came much, much later. I only got intrigued but never really followed through until Kamen Rider Blade through Cartoon Network and Kamen Rider Den-O through fangirling over Sato Takeru. I know, weird. 

That was long and pointless. 

Anyway, Kamen Rider Fourze. Yes. I spent about a few days watching and re-watching Sakuta Ryusei's bits on this series just because, hello, ikemen~ Yoshizawa Ryo~ (and my Amuse-boys fangirliness. I have a bias, yes, and sadly, it isn't the overly popular Johnny's Entertainment.) Who's Yoshizawa Ryo? Who's KR Meteor/Sakuta Ryusei?

(screencap taken from shinigamigirl at tumblr...because I'm too lazy to cap stuff on my own at the moment)

/Points to picture above. Yes, him. Meet Ryusei. I already met one of his many adorkable alter-ego from the Amuse play, Black Pearl and another in Pinocchio...virtually, so let's leave it at that. It makes me want to re-watch those plays again and I think, even Mystic Topaz whose DVD I currently have but haven't watched since a few months ago when I received it in the mail. 

And yep, this is turning out to be a pointless KR fangirling post. Sorry. Antibiotics must be getting to me along with music from Chemistry and Daichi Miura.

  (again from movielosophy on tumblr because I have not re-learned how to make epic gifs until this time, probably never will. ;;)

Angry Ryusei will always be epic, he's short tempered, after all. XD

Hmn...is Kamen Rider Fourze, despite being a 48-episode(d) tokusatsu worth watching? Answer: Yes. Some seem to have been disappointed by the end of it but I think it was rather a fine series. Tons better than Kamen Rider Decade, anyway, for fans of toku like me who've seen KR Decade and the fine mess it was from series to its movies. Ryusei is basically a rip-off of KR Accel from W, they have basically the same entry and pathway/development and differ only in their reasons for doing what they do, but pretty much bearable in the whole series. But it's probably just my Amubias speaking. 

Ah, finally blogged about fandom. I've been itching to blog about one once although, erm, this one's pointless. Pretty much pointless. I didn't even seem to dare inform readers about the premise under this series. Whatever. Fans of Toku should understand what I'm blabbering about. ha. Consider this a filler post or something. It's been awhile since I had a Jmovie to peruse and review like I normally did for a time in my old blog. If you did follow me on LJ like last time, you'd know I sporadically posted stuff on fandom. This is just...one of many to come. Ah, there goes my fangirly-nature...exposed.

Back to Miura Daichi-listening. Will head to bed in a few minutes. Trip to the dentist again tomorrow before he goes to Camiguin island. Doubly jealous of people I've come to know, including my parents are on work-vacation mode. I just hope my mum would bring me some fresh strawberries from Baguio after her and my dad's trip there for dad's convention. ;; Heaven knows how much I want to be a beach bum somewhere nearby or in Camiguin Island.

And in the spirit of being random: I did once think about gaming then realized it wasn't for me. Yes, I am no gamer. Simply someone who likes watching Jstuff that are quite...well, intriguing.  

I'll try to come up with a better fangirly-post somehow. One that merits this pristine random-themed blog. Hmn...once I'm out of RCT and all anyway. When will I ever be? ;; 

Meme time: 7 random things

Needing a distraction while writing a paper on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (yes, I am doing it just now when it has been due quite some time along with All Things Fall Apart by Achebe), I decided to wander around old posts from my favorite fashion blogger, fashiontoast, and decided to jump in an old meme. Memes exist since way back my LiveJournal days, I just never really got into them. Maybe I did a few but I haven't been tagged a lot even then. I'll, uhmn, try to do a few. There's not much outfit photos to post at the moment, anyway. I've been having random dinners and lunches out with old dorm mates, however---my girls, who want to hang out from time to time as they have moved into a cozier pad this time, feeling the dorm fees are quite high with every passing semester here.

Anyway, I'm putting forth 7 random facts about good 'ole me. Sorry this is one narcissistic post but, well, it's a meme for bloggers. And really, it's difficult to not be narcissistic when the blog owner has full command of a certain blog like this one. I don't really even get what meme means, someone please enlighten me?

1.  I've fancied going pure vegetarian for years now but can't seem to be so. I do have some triumphs here and there seeing as I am now occasionally just eating meat but going pure is the way to go then going vegan.  It's not just for the health benefits it gives but for ethical/environmental reasons as well. I am that kind of person, yes. People I've met everywhere say it's unhealthy but I will have to disagree.

2. Currently addicted to iced coffee, hot sweetened cocoa and Nutella cupcake. I don't drink my coffee hot anymore these days, it seems.

3. It amuses me when someone wears socks in the house or the dorm room. Never really got used to doing so. That probably goes with the fact that I have lived in a tropical country most of my life. 

4. I try to learn a language or two: since forever, it's been Japanese (on all 3 areas: reading, speaking and writing---mostly self-taught as I haven't decided on lessons yet) and French though it's mostly the former I focus on. :D And I would always fail at Kanji, always. Except maybe recognizing a few here and there.

5. I have this thing called 'momentary obsessions.' Two of them include Bao Ninh's The Sorrow of War (a Vietnam-set war novel---considering it the book that changed my life and it is a must-read even for civilians who aren't in any way connected to the government) and the Japanese drama, Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyuu. There's something fun about room sharing with girls so you won't have to live alone and pay much for rent and all. 

6. Chocolate keeps me going. I can never live without even the cheapest ones I can find in the supermarket these days. To quote my current roomie, 'I need my daily dose of sugar,' or something along that line.

7. I do write fanfiction, I just never get to publish them just because... It goes with being a fangirl of many things, I guess, and being a literary studies graduate student. I'm currently imagining Usagi/Mamoru (yes, my childhood-and-up-to-now obsession since rediscovering the manga and all things the fade away scenes stand for---I am a romantic at heart, very, very hopeless one at that) in various scenarios like the characters in The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh or some other film/book I've watched/read. My old LJ is something I plan to use to post my fanfics. Better to post them there than in my fanfiction.net account since some or most of them have mature content. Erm...you know what I mean. 

Not tagging anyone so feel free to do this when you want to. Sorry, this was boring. There's really not much to find here---the perfect way to say I'm pretty much a boring person.

quiet sunday

(photos by Kristel Punu)

Everybody's gone home and I and a few others are the only ones left in the dorm. Dumaguete is often really desolate on the semester's break, even Christmas and summer...but that's probably because most inhabitants of the not-so-city but in-between-that-of-a-city-and-well-developed-town are like me, university students. Though really, what I am completing is my graduate degree (masters) in Literary Studies.

Spent a fun day celebrating dorm mate Kristel's birthday today. Started out with a jog at the oval in which, I ended up recalling yoga poses learned from the yoga book gifted to my dad. I really should consider getting myself a yoga mat and attending some formal yoga classes. The latter are non-existent here and back home at the moment but I'll get to it once I find a good gym with a good yoga teacher employed in it. I've decided I am bringing the book with me so I could perform them from time to time. I don't really do anything too strenuous aside from swimming laps and the occasional jogging/brisk walking. A hearty breakfast followed and now I'm in the study room of the dorm, answering my comprehensive exam for Philippine Literature and reading Dean Francis Alfar's Salamanca for my independent reading paper. I just remembered I need to finish one for South East Asian literature as well. I already finished stuff with Latin American Literature although I might have failed the Jorge Luis Borges part of my teacher's bloody comprehensive exam.

Wore this dress I got from a nearby boutique around here. It reminds me of something Alexa Chung would wear at times and the print is not too in your face either. It's a sort of pixelated/painted flowers and leaves pattern which is reminiscent of Luella's fun flowery prints way back in their NYFW's Spring 2008 show. Let's just say its just one of the many flowery dresses in my closet. I haven't really gotten around to getting a ton of them. My thrift shopping options here are pretty limited at most. I actually can't wait to come home.

dress, some boutique nearby; boots, forever 21; sunglasses, vintage; (not pictured/not seen in the picture) shoulder bag, ninwest

this week

 

 

 

This week was for cupcakes and iced coffee, (yesterday) a big glass of margarita and pizza. And, of course, appropriately inappropriate vintage slip dresses, one of which has had it's lace taken off and shortened a bit. Lazy dressing, go figure.

It's been a busy-ish week with all the papers due and I still have a few more to work on until Wednesday next week and then I'm going home on Thursday. Mall sales, I don't think I can ever get used to. I only go when I want something or whatever. Robinsons Dumaguete went on crazy sale yesterday, that's what prompted this portion of the post. I'm probably glad I never went. I haven't done mall sales in eons either.

silver and shiny

Bedroom shot. As much as I'd like to keep this shiny, oversized vintage number with me, I'm not prepared to challenge it's limited styling options. This one's going out to the ebay account I recently got the hang of using soon along with a few other things I have the heart of letting go already. Hmmmnn...I'll definitely be on a lookout for stuff to thrift and such to make my ebay account a little more livelier. It's pretty much bare and lifeless at the moment.

Accomplished a few good things today by staying in for half a day. The plan is to go to the library and read about women's literature in Latin America or something from the feminist side of that literary world. Laden with a ton of school work to finish today until tomorrow. Next week will definitely be a crazy week. Can't wait to be home the week after next!

the honey trees - wake the earth

(from here)

Put up as a reminder to thyself to get a copy when they stock up on it once again. A must listen if you like that dreamlike quality in the music you listen to. Yep, I'm into indie music more than mainstream most of the time. I used to be too mainstream in the past. Not sure what changed but changes happen.

contemplating ugly shoes

 (photo from here)

Forever21 site says they're in grey but I think they're close to the olive color in the photo. They're actually on sale and still available in my size. But seeing as I might have to put purchase on hold on these things among a few others until at least the start of the second semester of the school year, I might as well just stalk it now and again. Stalking ugly shoes has become quite a habit these days. A pair of these might actually end my craving for ugly high heeled shoes or something. The last pair of misunderstood gladiators I had was from What a Girl Wants, my favorite local shop and they didn't last about a year. Three wears placed them in the graveyard which still saddens me to this day. If I don't get these then I might as well look into a pair from Aldo. I think these things would be good for walking. Yep, project heel whore transformation has commenced. Bye for quite awhile, flats.

It's the first time I've posted twice so yay to me. :)

weather inappropriate but comfy outfit

I didn't get to use the wall I meant to use this time but at least there's documentation today of what seems to be an outfit for the day that's weather inappropriate. Despite being windy, the sun has been shining out this afternoon. There're hints of clouds and I'm silently praying it would rain as the forecast I read was predicting. Never the less the top is quite comfortable to wear even in the searing heat as long as the sleeves are bunched until around the elbows. 

I should have done the trademark blogger pose like usual but this was taken with just a single shot or something like it.  I certainly do come up with the most awkward expressions.

The varied size of the photos currently disturb me. Is there an easy way to resize these to make them uniform through blogger or do I have to do them on Photoshop or something?

  
waffle knit (lightweight) sweater, vintage; lace shorts, from sparkleshop at multiply; tights, SM Department Store; ankle boots, Forever21

prototypical blogger pose and new favorite wall

 

(photo by Kristel Punu)

Life just became easier after finding this wall by the study room of the dorm. I think there will be more outfit documentations to come yet by means of this place. It's definitely better than having to go to the boulevard on a daily basis. It doesn't help that the place is conveniently accessible, too. 

It's finals week and I haven't taken a lot of things to twitter recently. I've been reading and reading and reading and getting disturbed by my room mate who's currently on a Grey's Anatomy marathon it seems. I'll be found studying in this area on a daily basis now. I have a ton of things to read and write this week, I've barely just started on the rest of the handouts for Latin American Literature. 

This is the only pouffy skirt I own at the moment. Wore it out to complement the wolf shirt which is one of my favorites from Forever 21 then balanced the whole thing with the pointy toe mid-heels from Primadonna. It's made of light denim so it's somehow forgivable both in color and make. I think it's high time I tried acquiring a ton of other skirts from Forever21 from bodycons to the pouffy types like this. I'm still miffed there's none of these in my size anymore online unless they restock.

Currently craving impossibly high-heeled gladiators to play with but I got these online instead. Mayhaps they'll be getting a lot of wear this fall/winter season with all the celebrations coming in. And if I do get to attend them and I don't get stuck in Dumaguete until Christmas. It was really the gold heels that got me into them. Suddenly I'm imagining them with anything white and black, yes, I am that boring, apparently. Pops of color are a requirement to make my outfits livelier I think, but I'll get into that some other time. I'm already stalking a bright light blue bag and an orange one from Aly Mae. I'm not sure if they'll still be available by next week when I can decide to finally get one of them.

I find my natural hair color boring but it's been that way after my aunt experimented with it with highlights and light brown dye. I'm thinking about getting highlights again. Any other ideas as to what to do with my hair out there? I come out with none most of the time seeing as I'm not much of a hair- and nail-salon person.

Now, I'm going back out to read just because this Grey's Anatomy marathon my room mate is into is distracting. Very, very distracting. I'm not even into Grey's Anatomy.  

Forever21 shirt, Never Been Kissed (random Robinsons Department Store brand) denim skirt, Primadonna heels, random (gifted) necklace worn as bracelet

learning to love BB: a reaction to a blog post

I am supposed to be reading and writing---well, there's more than enough time for that today considering I don't plan on going out anytime unless it is to buy something or whatever---as early as now since finals week is coming in but I ended up stumbling on Bryan Boy's I Fucking Hate Filipinos and I just had to put a halt to some things and reflect (or really, not since I don't think that deep at all on some things). Now, if I weren't me, I probably would be offended having read this as it's really all about Filipinos (like myself) but I'm me (despite being a Filipina---I'm female, so go figure) so I actually find this amusing and very agreeable on about every angle, on just about every point. For once, there's someone who doesn't mind every natural thing given him---a gem of a guy **insert a ton of hearts here**. And that I have to agree on everything he's ever talked about in the post. I think it's better than being pretentious and wishing something you really can't be. I, myself, can't fathom the craze on glutathione products and every whitening method created and mass-produced/performed for the public in the local scene who wish to be white when really, brown is all there is to it for instance. I even steer clear of Cyleina's black pearl/glutathione bars given I'm addicted to organic stuff at the moment because I'm basically more into caring for myself and my skin that into trying to whiten myself up to something I'm not. Okay, now I'm yammering on about skin colors and being comfortable in your own skin. I think what it really boils down to is being comfortable with the way you are. And I like that. Oh and yes, those "can I be your friend?" messages...I recently had this experience...yesterday, actually. Some guy sends me a text asking if we could be friends. I don't even know him nor do I know whom he got my number and details from which is just...creepy. Call me a snob or whatever but those messages, that kind of question asked over and over is quite annoying. That doesn't need to be asked except perhaps in some cases, but friendship really just develops overtime. (So to anyone in real life that asks me that question on the phone or whatever, don't be offended when in the end I don't follow through.)

On a random note---and this one cropped in during the usual after-dinner conversation with dorm mates yesternight---that's related to the said guy that sent me the cliched question in a text. That he proceeded to type in Tagalog jejemon which made me mull over the thought of how he is in real life. The three of us (dormers) out to dinner at this time decided speaking jejemon and getting into that trend is pretty much pointless. I only feel mildly irritated about it but most of the time, I don't understand it nor do I get the hype around it. I do find it quite frustrating when you send people text messages in the common, everyday English and Bisaya/Cebuano dialect (or Tagalog, in some special cases such as when I text, e-mail people who are from up north and know only that and everyday English) and they send you a reply in the entirely alien short messaging (I refuse to use 'text' and every derivation of it as I see it improper to do so) language that is jejemon. Is it too much to ask to be reciprocated with a proper, straight text message and not something so alien to my neanderthalic mind? Yes, I live in a cave where that's concerned. I'm not the very trendy kind in the first place. Oh, and Special mention to the 'nym' on the text I read that was supposed to be 'name'. Talk about alien language. It's abuse of common, everyday English and I find it not insulting but rather a really good way to kill education in the English Language and structure, word usage included, ingrained by means of repetition---heaven knows I'm sick of those exercises I had back in grade school and high school in English I'm just so happy I'm over that part of my life---in the head since primary school or grade school. Simply put, it's overkill for the intellect even if intellect is diminishing with every moment spent without reading or something similar.

I giggled when reading about the point raised on the same post on Filipinos being grammar nazis. I think I can be, at some point but seeing as I'm doing literature studies as my masters/graduate studies, I don't really see the point of proper or "perfect" grammar in things like blog entries and such unless they're violations on the basic grammar rules. Now that's based on common sense, really. I might be a bit peeved by that kind of murdering of the common, everyday (I think this belongs to the 'colloquial' category) English language but I don't really go about correcting people on it. Other than that, I don't care about the violations on more complex grammar rules. I tend to commit them at some point in time. But to be honest? Even some forms of literature have had stuff in them that violated set grammar rules from time to time. In my current phase, I think the only ones who have the liberty to correct anyone on word usage, violations on grammar rules and such are those who've studied linguistics or ELS (English Language Studies) and some other forms of it, those who've studied the English language (syntax and all) as a whole. But I think they shouldn't either seeing as it's common, everyday, colloquial spoken English they're trying to correct---my way of saying, correcting everyday, spoken English is just pointless. Veering a bit from the point but still somehow staying on point, I actually tried getting into the more technical part of English like that of ELS or TOEFL at the beginning of my years as a masters in English student but that somehow left a sour taste in my mouth. I never did like nor will I ever like conforming to a set of rigid rules be it in the use of English, spoken and written, or in some other thing like personal style and basically the way I live my life. At some point, some insignificant (perhaps over-the-top, superfluous, rather absurd and non-personally-related) rule or two should be broken for the sake of creativity and self-expression.

And before I jeopardize the rest of my day I plan to spend on reading, lazing about and just writing my literary papers sans the grammar rule violations I think I will be committing in the process of doing so (I do commit a ton, recently), I'm going to end this post by nodding to this one point raised in the post I agree with to the tee: "Filipino showbiz is SOOOO fucking beneath me." I actually hate gossip stuff on tv, nor do I gossip about other people other than if they'd done something that violates the way I see things. Don't even get me started on those shows on tv and the gossipy stuff that end up destroying an individual person. Gossip is gossip. They're pointless and synonymous to rumours. To which I'd say, gossip on because I don't care and I like to live life my way. And yes, "violate" and every form of it is the word of the day.

2-week-absence

 (photos by Kristel Punu)

An accurate description of my 2-week-blogosphere absence in a nutshell. Absence may have been longer than that, however. This one includes almost a week spent at home doing practically nothing besides experimenting with stuff in between attending family events that was primary focus at that time. I should have been reading and catching up with school work instead I waste a ton of time doing zilch, all things irrelevant---bunny ears diy  included.

First time I brought out the oversized plaid shirt (obviously a men's kind of shirt) two nights ago and I ended up sleeping in it. Falling in love with the extreme comfort oversized stuff more and more and more now. A lot of my recent acquisitions, thrifted mostly, are going that way I don't think I feel even sorry for myself. My tights obsession has just sky-rocketed but maybe it's because it's technically borderline fall-winter in some parts of the world and it's definitely getting colder at night here. I plan to acquire some knee-high, thigh-high, over-the-knees stuff in the near future. Havoc will be sought everywhere the minute I get my hands on any of their kind. This is how I'm becoming more and more Parisienne chic au naturale (awkward phrasing, it's an attempt that remains still awkward)...and would legitimately be one...in my very, very distant dreams. 

  

And some random thing done with the hair yesterday in addition to diy-ing my own dry shampoo. Not going to waste money buying something that might not otherwise fit with my hair well at the moment. Probably at least until I can afford them but otherwise, DIY stuff is practical for me most of the time and they're not hazardous to the health which is something I really like about them.

 (my instagram photos c/o tumblr)

On the school front, I need to finish a ton of readings and papers today. Doubt there's something of utter importance I need to do outside of anything else but books and short stories to read and write reports on so I might as well stay in until at least lunch time or something. Part of the reason why I wasn't around for awhile in the blogosphere is my laptop dying on me. It's all fixed now although I doubt 1,500 Php is justifiable price enough for the little repairs this one seemed to require. They never did send me any text message saying it could be claimed already or not apart from that they sent asking for my password.

Taking late lunch/breakfast at 1 in the afternoon. Perfect. I'm not going out to get notes until around 2:30 or 3:30 in the afternoon so I'm going to drown in Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness followed by short stories for tomorrow's reports and a few others. Booksale fun yesterday was, well, fun. I meant to go there to look for something for my Southeast Asian Literature class---seminar paper---but I ended up with one for that and Patti Smith's Just Kids. I've been stalking this autobiographical book since coming across a post on it on Freepeople's blog.

Anyway, off I go to read a bit and perhaps start on some papers then whatever else is up today.

of dancing, hiphop music, soul, ubran and r&b

It's been ages since I last danced, I only do so in the comforts of my room most of the time. These guys make me want to take up the art again, however. But honestly, the only thing I am into is yoga and maybe a few workouts...in my head anyway since I haven't gone and done it and satisfy said need to get into something physical and calming.

My addiction to dance and vocal groups didn't reach its peak until I accidentally got into Da-iCE. They're pretty new. They only started their activities last year, 2011. But they're just the peak of the iceberg. There're more where they come from like...

....Miura Daichi. He apparently has 2 Sh**t Kingz members as back-up dancers in this music video.

These two artists---one being a group and the other going solo on most days---are like a drug addiction to me that I have to watch and re-watch their videos and it doesn't help that their songs are just as good as their dances. In an age where music for most artists are written and created for them (*cough*AAA and Kat-Tun among others*cough*), it's nice to discover people like Miura Daichi who choreographs his own dances and writes his own music. Da-iCE also seems to do their own music but it seems their choreography's are those of Sh**t Kingz among other dance gurus who've helped them in that area. From what I read about Da-iCE or the way I see Da-iCE while I was looking into their ameblo blog, it seems Kudo Taiki is responsible for their music. Songwriting seems to be a collective effort perhaps fronted by Hanamura Sota but this is just a hunch. Hayate, the youngest Da-iCE member, seem to also dabble into music making and that's pretty impressive for an 18-year-old. 

I think it's easy to see the kind of person I am with the kind of music I get into and other things. That aside, yep, I seem to be veering very far away from my usual Jrock interests. Jpop, too, though really, Jpop encompasses a ton of things going on in the Japanese music industry---Miura Daichi on r&b, et al, sugary idol music from AKB48 and most Johnny's Entertainment bands included.

As interested as I am in their dancing and singing at the moment, I'll just stand by and well, watch. I don't see myself attempting to dance and make my own music any time soon. Come to think of it, the last time I did dance and was interested in it in the physical sense was in 6th grade and that is years and years ago. Haha. Oh and a random insert: Miura Daichi is under Vision Factory with a contract with music label giant Avex. Da-iCE is under Avex's label and agency. There's a difference between agencies and labels in Japan, apparently. I think it's the same elsewhere.

simple minded

I'm one year older today and these are about the only things on my wishlist. It perhaps shows I have what people would call the mind of a neanderthal. That's about how simple and basic I can get. I wouldn't name them basics but I think they're essential to about anyone who's been exposed to normal dressing. I often forget people in real life have dubbed me as someone who would frequently refuse to wear jeans when everyone is doing so everywhere. Not my fault the Philippines is one hot place to wear jeans in on a regular, non-rainy day.

I'll mull over the thought of getting one of those ankle boots a couple of weeks from now. Really late birthday present for the self so I hope the size 7s would still be around until then. For now, I have school work to finish. A ton of them. I hate complications but these things I would have to deal with. For now, I'm saving up. 

Frankly, I haven't done a ton of shopping in the past few months. I really rarely do at the moment. I love doing so but these days, it's so easy to get frustrated by the lack of personal style choices going around everywhere here. I want to do away with frivolity personal style-wise but that notion of appearing frivolous (to mean well-dressed) apparently means to stay here. And in case you're wondering why I hardly dabble in all things colorful, yes, I'll admit I'm pretty bland like that. All thanks to the basic-est (that's a word now) neanderthal way of thinking I've adapted since I've started documenting my own style. In the same vein as this weird idea I have on colors and frivolity (word of the day rn), I tend to shake my head (even mentally) on the prevailing style trends going on where I am from. Hmmn...makes me wonder, where have the idea of wearing the most practical things gone to? Shamelessly went introspective in an outward thinking kind of way but oh, hey, that's about the point of having a personal style and lifestyle blog like this one? :)