wholeheartedly, not half-heartedly: on band/group tshirts

When I'm into something, I'm into it wholeheartedly and not just half-heartedly...especially when they're really near and dear to me like music.

I've decided to craft this post because lately, I notice I'm into a lot of things fandom merchandise. Most of those I get lately are unofficial ones but I do have some official ones here and there somewhere. Prime example is that one shirt of Golden Child's Y I got from a local (to the Philippines) stay at home cup sleeves event I have yet to wear.

So you can already see where this post is going: band or music-related shirts. Yes, exactly.

Even at this time, I'm currently contemplating really biting the bullet on a light pink BtoB Eunkwang member and number shirt in large and the white version of it so I'd have something to wear on Wednesdays (the pink one) in support of my Presidential bet for 2022 Philippines' National Elections. Okay, that went political really fast and I didn't mean it to go that way. It just happens these days. lol. There are a lot of merch for the said political bet I have but I'll make a post on that one for another day. I think I at least owe myself and others that read this blog a look into how I think and feel about that one because it's an entirely quite complicated thing so yeah...let's talk about this in a future post. We'll focus on music, fandom, easy going t-shirts and just generally, good vibes on this post here.

I'm into music, yes. I'm also into unofficial and official music-related merch, yes. Now that we've established both of that, let's just segue quickly into how the series of lockdowns this still ongoing global pandemic has me looking into discographies of old prolific American pop and rock and roll iconic bands like the Beach Boys and the Monkees (they're made for TV but Daydream Believer made me a fan of theirs and I'm a Believer is a classic for me from them, too, considering how many times I've heard this, covered or in its original recording form, on TV, film and more). I've also looked into discographies of American punk rock and even pop punk rock bands like the All American Rejects, Eve6, Fountains of Wayne, Jimmy Eat World, and Bowling for Soup but true to my being a pop music fan since my dad got me listening to Kenny Rogers, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, John Denver at home and in long and short drives growing up, of course, I'm stuck on the Beach Boys and the Monkees (I also blame Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush way back 2010-ish for why I'm stuck on both rn.)

The Beatles, what? I'm not a huge fan of theirs, to be honest. I think the Beach Boys' music is more to my music palate plus I like Southern California a lot with tons of my family in the mother side residing there and my having visited and stayed with them at least 2 times in the span of the 34 years or so I've been in this world...I think you get where I'm going with this. Let's just say I like the California vibe a lot being someone from the Philippine islands. It can be in music (easy going beach-appropriate music has been an obsession or fixation of mine since some 3 to 4 years ago or so) or/and even in lifestyle.

So by saying going wholeheartedly into something I like, LOVE or am very passionate about like music and the official and unofficial clothes, t-shirts that come with it at times, I mean I would be the type to normally gravitate towards the merch of those I actually am into and am most familiar with. I've been hunting down a lot of merch in shopee, lazada and sometimes, even on ebay lately.

The BtoB Eunkwang member and number shirts aside I briefly mentioned contemplating getting a couple of in some paragraphs of this post back, these are some the Beach Boys shirts from Lazada I'm looking to get one day:

The Beach Boys may likely be more identifiable with Surfin' USA because THEY ARE the Beach Boys but as a true fan, although I got into them really late, my favorite really is Good Vibrations so the first two are definitely in my to-buy list at this point. My top the Beach Boys favorites I keep coming back to on the music stored on my phone are actually: Kokomo, Good Vibrations, In My Room (I swear this is pandemic lockdowns anthem. haha), and I Can Hear Music. All are in their the Sounds of Summer album compilation I have in digital form. I'm looking to own this in CD form and possibly the vinyl record form when I have enough and can actually also already get a decent vinyl record player from somewhere local here. There are some sold online in indie record stores mostly in the NCR up north but I'd need to really save up yet to get those. Okay, I'm kind of sad now. Anyway, this'll happen when it happens one day soon...that is...if I don't get too caught up into adulting 101 which seems to happen most of the time anyway.

Hmn...I do like Barbara Ann too. I mean, who can hate that one from Toy Story, really? The song is catchy as F---. Err...let's not go there. This is a g-rated space I intend on keeping that way. lol.

I think it'd be weird if you haven't ever heard of the Beach Boys when their music is like, EVERYWHERE. It's in the Big Time Rush beach, summer made for TV movie (Dance, Dance, Dance), it's in Toy Story (Barbara Ann and even in that iconic minions scene of said movie)...err...the Beach Boys and the Monkees, both. But should you live in a cave which should be good enough reason to have never heard of anything from these two very iconic bands back in the day and 'til now American rock and roll, pop rock bands, then...I don't think I can do anything about that one. lol.

Speaking of the Monkees, here are some lazada finds I'd like to own one day soonish:

 

 

Since we segued to how popular the Beach Boys were...are on tv and film, mostly those from North America or the USA in particular, I'd be just as horrified if one only knew of the Monkees lately from WandaVision. I'd come across people on Twitter and others all over the web saying it's the first they've heard of the Monkees on WandaVision and I don't even watch that one because 1, Disney+ is expensive (it's already here in the Philippines, afaik) and 2, I'm not really that into Marvel on tv and film forms except maybe some the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and Spiderman here and there. I'm a DC Comics fan---mostly the Batman fam because the first movie my dad took me to as a kid was Michael Keaton's Batman. Plus Young Justice seasons 1 and 2 in animated form is just...ugh. *Chef's kiss* We're going off tangent again. Okay, so what I mean to say is, the Monkees' I'm a Believer or Smashing Pumpkins' cover of it happened for Shrek way back 2001 and the 2010 Nickelodeon sitcom, Big Time Rush (also the same name as the featuring band of the show) is totally based on the show that also gave us the Monkees some decade or so before this one happened on Nick. (I also like, rather, prefer old Nickelodeon more than I do Disney so...yeah.) 

The Beach Boys and the Monkees ARE pop, pop rock, rock and roll icons, yes, and I'd love merch from both because I'm that DEEP into their discography, especially the Beach Boys' that's eclipsed the Beatles for me. I honestly just can't really care for the Beatles anymore since getting into the Beach Boys sometime middle to the near end of last year despite the many iconic songs from the Beatles. When you find a band and their discography that you can fully identify with, it just goes...it clicks, when it clicks, I guess. This is definitely me with a lot of the Beach Boys' music right now.

I don't think I can ever see the Beach Boys and the Monkees live nowadays and even post-COVID 19...if or when we should ever get rid of it eventually...because most of their members have passed or are on the way to passing due to old age, sickness etc. but American media made me a fan of theirs, the boredom of movement being highly restricted by the intermittent lockdowns due to the global pandemic made me a fan of theirs, their discography and themselves as a band and music maker/s, composers. (I'm not even in America to begin with but one day kind of hope to move there...one day. It's either the US or Australia for me because...yeah.)

Anyway, am I alone in this or has anyone else reached a period of musical eureeka this way like I did during the covid 19 pandemic series of lockdowns? One of my closest friends since my LiveJournal days to my early (til now) blue bird app days also took the ton of time given us by the global pandemic to look into old and new music like I did so I'm totally NOT alone here, at least in my locale, the Philippines.

I have yet to decide if I'd like to make a shrine in my bedroom for the musicians, bands, pop groups I like but I guess I've been building that for a while now with every CD I purchases from South Korea, Japan and the US...or those that are locally printed and distributed here though this has been happening less because there are really only indie record stores left with huge chains of them here closing down with every passing year. We've actually lost Odyssey, Astrovision and SM record bar Philippines in the span of some 5-10 years they were serving music lovers, audiophiles and the likes like yours truly here so they're pretty much, very sadly, all gone now.

***

I mentioned earlier that it's definitely not just band, music-related shirts I'm looking to stock up on. I'm kind of interested in other things like politics or socio-politics too although I'm not fond of anything too in your face or things that show how much I support or stan a politician because it's something I really don't like being seen as: a fanatic of a politician or a specific political party. Politics or socio-politics, in my opinion, has to be aligned more with what one wishes their nation and people would be like so it's not really about the candidate but more about whether your chosen candidates, whether they're in a party or not, would be able to improve the state of the nation from the way it is now.

Aside from that, I'm definitely very much into other things like Sanrio's Gudetama, Takeuchi Naoko's Sailormoon, tv shows like Teen Wolf, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, CSI and even films or movies like Christopher Nolan's the Dark Knight Trilogy to name one...Batman and the Batfam from DC Comics, mostly. Other than that, since I also own a cat, I'm into anything cats like pillows, plushies and figures. Mermaids, unicorns, fairies, pixies are a few things I'm into, too and everything that has to do with Halloween: witches, ghosts, the supernatural in general and more. You can really only imagine what my room is like and I'm lucky that with the abundance of clothes and such aside, at least I have some massive floor space and suhc left to plug in everything else I acquire over time. I'm going to eventually let go of them by selling or donating the ones I hardly use one of these days or even throwing away some that really can't ever be fixed anymore but until then, as a clothes, merch and all lover, I'd make good use of them until they serve their full use or life.

These things are those I'm wholeheartedly into so I'm definitely bound to keep them with me as long as I can because I know I love the people and body of work like music they are attached with and that I'm sure I will not really tire of them for say, some 3-5 years or even longer or so.  

I actually find that owning these things is fun because not only do their existence mean I can get them out and wear them either on specific occasions or casually but that I would have more things to play with stylistically and I definitely like to play with a lot of things in my wardrobe, my shoe rack, by bag rack and accessories stash to liven daily outfits out on every random, casual days in and out of the home, too!

These merch...they're not just there because I love the artists and such they reference or represent, they're there because they can be customized (should I get bored of wearing them the same few ways over and over and over) and styled differently with basics in the wardrobe so not only are they cool to have but they're fun to have, too!

what am I holding on to?

ribbed tube dress, zalora basics; heels, primadonna; red clutch, ninewest; black tiny pouch, coach; necklace/choker, forever21 (old); bracelets/arm bangles, mix of forever21 and dumaguete city and siquijor island souvenir shops'; rings, random and mostly from Bagel Girl in SM Downtown Premier CdeO

New tube dress to play with? It actually goes well with like, A LOT of things like the denim vest from Old Navy I'm currently wearing as I type this. Not really regretting that I carted this Zalora Basics piece upon coming across it browsing around the site. I'm currently devising other ways to wear this out and about in my right now.

Meanwhile, new kicks from Primadonna via Zalora. Yay!

It's on sale so I just had to. 799.something Php is a good price already and warranted another pair costing around 699.something Php so yep, the most AWESOME DEAL so far! The tiny skin showing around the bottom part of the bandagey part of this pair disturbs me but I think it'll be fixed with a pair of black socks. I'm counting on this pair to mix well with trousers or pants and jeans I very rarely wear, though. So I'm expect about that prospect too. I'll test that theory out one day soon. Hmn...

Boring few weeks so far but trying to hold on because the new corona virus outbreak certainly IS making a mess of a lot of things at this time. Well, it's boring and slightly not so boring lately because I have a best friend's simple, hopefully super pretty, civil wedding to help with slated in April 26 so yes, there's a bit of cheer to be had amidst this crazy time spent mostly at home or so. I'm looking forward to this one as I'd been, for the first time, named the maid of honor. Hmn...I'm still grappling in the dark with how to do this. I think I'll live? I hope. First off, it's time to go dress hunting! 

currently listening to: Already Love - Great Good Fine Ok

Hmn...I'm currently tempted to get 3 CDs from here but sorely disappointed that the latest one is only in vinyl. Can there be a CD release for GGFOUR? Ugh.

2020 wanderland festival dreaming

dress, zalora basics. heels, primadonna via zalora. clutch, ninewest. chunky chain necklace, forever21. necklace as bracelet and layered bracelet, gifted by grandmum and aunt. rings, new acquisition from bagel girl at SM Downtown Premier 

This is what I imagine myself wearing to the 2020 Wanderland Music Festival in the vast collection of cities up north, NCR. I think they're holding the said event somewhere in Quezon City. Originally, I thought March 7 was the final showdown between one of my favorite local indie bands, Sansette, and the Sundown. It turns out that the competition has ended and the privilege of joining the Wanderland Festival lineup was given to the Sundown. Well, end of story, I missed to support Sansette last February 1. Oh well... Sansette is having their music video launch for Sunburn on the 28th, though! I wish I could be there but yes, if you're in Cebu City and you're going then I hope y'all have fun in there and enjoy the good music they play! Their music is sooooo fun and at the same time chill I just adopted their entry to Wanderbattle here as my personal theme song: 

It's title is Sinking and it's so chill in terms of beats and music mixing and arrangement, you won't know it actually talks about depression, sadness and/or melancholy that comes when the summer ends. Needless to say, I have this on repeat at the moment. I've put it on repeat when I do stuff at work at least. LOL. It's...addicting somehow and lyrically, it just speaks to me perfectly. Definitely a track I would keep on loop when summer ends and autumn, winter settles in, yes. I'm the quintessential summer child who just cannot live without summer, beach, the pool, sand and sea, coconuts and more. Basically...an islander for life.

Anyway, more about this dress? It's almost gone! It's now only available in medium gray. It's SUCH A MAGNIFICENT basic though. As expected of one of my favorite Zalora brands, Zalora Basics. Since it's still quite a tad bit cold tonight, I can imagine this dress shrunk in by an oversized sweater which I seem to amass in multitudes as well as of late. The french striped Forever21 purchase also from Zalora from the end of last year is the latest addition. I know I have a few of the same kind, from Uniqlo and others, thrifted randomly lying around somewhere though. Watch me wear this one as a comfy lounge piece from now on, yes. It'll be a constant thing as it's just sooo wearable despite it being bodycon and super fitted to the form. It's still adequately breathable worn in. 

Life moves on. I might really have to go down to the dentist sometime this week and next week for a quick fix on a fragmented tooth at the back of the mouth. It's causing me discomfort at the moment as it's quite inflamed? And it hurts when touched from the cheeks alone. Wanderbattle Cebu City leg is done for, since February 1, and out the window anyway. I'll just keep tabs on Sansette and my other favorite, Sepia Times, as well as Mandaue Nights, until further notice. Mandaue Nights is actually the only one of three I haven't seen live. I've seen both Sepia Times and Sansette last December 2019 at Chingkeetea. It was my first time to see Sansette and I liked them from the get-go hence why, a while ago, I was raring to go and support them at the Wanderbattle Cebu City finals thinking this was in March 7 still and not the past February 1. 

In other news, I'm still forever waiting my Zalora package to come in the mail among a few others. This...wait... I hope it'll end soon.

Speaking of music festivals...how about you? Would you attend Wanderland Festival this year? They had good lineups way back but this isn't really my thing as it's in NCR and NCR for me can be super stressful especially with traffic and all. I've been eyeing the Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival for the longest time now, admittedly. It used to be in Puerto Galera which is paradise, by the way. Now it's relocated to Quezon City in NCR. Hmn...

one october 6 night with Pentagon at Prism World Tour at the TICC in Taipei

photos by yours truly

The reason I was in Taipei from October 5-7 last year, 2019, was this: Pentagon's Prism World Tour in Taipei. They had three set schedules for it in South East Asia and none of it is the Philippines so it was this, Taiwan, Hongkong or Singapore for me. I thought Taipei, Taiwan would be the cheapest and easiest so in about a couple months' time before the trip...maybe three, I'd already booked my plane tickets via Philippine Airlines, booked my accommodations a month or two weeks before the trip, and bought the concert ticket a couple days or so before I left Cagayan de Oro City for Taipei. Admittedly, it wasn't very easy and I felt my budget for Taipei was pretty short (I only used a 100 USD of 200 USD I'd brought with me, as pocket money) but everything worked well. Somehow.

This was my first kpop concert and it was just a bit outside the Philippines so yes, it was very memorable and precious to me. 

I'd worried about going to the concert on my own for a time because most of those in fandoms I know were going to Johnny and Associates' Hey! Say! Jump!'s 2-day concert at the Taipei Arena also near the area I was in. Yes, I was once a hardcore Jpop fan but not enough to go on and fangirl HSJ. Hah. But yeah, I knew some people that went there. HSJ's 2nd day concert was around the same night and time as Pentagon's only date there, at the TICC. Luckily, I didn't have to feel so alone there because some Filipino Universes had found out I'd gotten a Pentagon concert ticket and was headed to Taipei the day before the concert. I got to meet them after the concert. Though we were around each other for a while, hunting for a restaurant we could eat dinner in and just have fun chatting, bonding or so...we weren't able to find a restaurant to sit and eat and chat in. We decided to go our separate ways instead because some of us were headed home the next day. Others were going to other places like Jiufen to continue their Taiwan tour with. I was in the former group. My flight back home was at around 7 or 8 in the evening of the 7th. I SO wish I could've stayed longer because there's SO MUCH to see and do in Taipei and the vast country of Taiwan in general. Hmn...I'm hatching another plan of this kind in my head with some really good friends for next time. I'm getting the hang of budgeting and planning trips everywhere as of late. Maybe it's a sign that I keep on going even if I'm running myself broke (but let's hope not? It's tough being broke). Well, I can somehow get used to this sort of or partly nomadic lifestyle.

Anyway, I won't go in depth with the concert. Doing a part by part recount of what'd happened at the concert, what I'd seen and insanely dance to can be quite...tiring. Yes. So yes, let's not. I'll just go through the highlights of the concert along with pictures.

Above is my concert ticket. It's 4280 NTD, yes. This is Less than 150 USD which was, I thought, a good price already for such a good concert, by one of my favorite boy groups. This is actually why I'd decided to go. The concert ticket was quite...affordable. I'd already bought the ticket days before I left for Taipei so I just went to the 7-11 at the first floor of my accommodation there and got the help of the store attendant/cashier in printing this one out. Yep, it was quick! I hung around family mart next door, thereafter, to eat a lunch of an assortment of sliced fruit. Ugh. I so wish our 7-11 had these kinds of fresh eats. I'd gobble those up in a heartbeat...on a daily basis.

The management held contests for ticket holders to win in. I was told by the new friends that I'd won a signed poster. It now sits inside my closet of some everyday bottoms and dresses, still unrolled. I would love to have a lot of the posters I got from buying pre-ordered stuff framed. Yes. But moolah for it isn't enough, yet. Lucky are the others that won photos with Pentagon. One of my friends did. I may get lucky in another time...I hope.

Going back much, much earlier before the day of the concert, I'd arrived around 8 in the morning at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. I had to rush to the accommodation to see if I could check in sooo much earlier than the scheduled check in at 3 p.m. but I wasn't allowed by the person-in-charge so. Apparently a lot of things like hotel/accommodations check-ins are often set at a certain mid-afternoon time. Even a lot of the businesses like malls and more in Taipei start out late. I found it difficult the next day to find a good place to have breakfast in...hmn... Basically, only McDonalds was open and accepting breakfast-searching customers (like me) at around 7 or so in the morning. I had to wait for my check-in time before I prepared for the concert wearing the dress that I wore from the previous blog post...and my VERY handy, super over sized that it makes me sooo happy and warm and cozy and fuzzy, every time I have it, denim jacket. It's a men's jacket, by the way. Anyway, back on topic...so because I had to wait until 3 p.m. to get into my room and check in so I could begin preparing for the concert about to happen that night, I just wandered around the neighborhood and chanced upon a tea and coffee house that allows people to make their own beverages all over their super cute pantry or kitchen. They also allowed food bought from outside. And...best of all? They allowed you to stay AS LONG as you'd liked in their cafe. You can basically do so much there like homework, work projects and more, undisturbed. It was such a cozy place. And because I was waiting for the time I can get into the room I'd booked, I missed the fans event that went on the time I was at the said tea and coffee shop. I could've gotten some freebie banners and more. Hardly matters now, I met wonderful people at the tea and coffee shop I was in and I enjoyed much of my time there. One of the highlights of my Taipei trip so far. I'll recount this again on my Taipei food post later.

Even if I'd missed the said fan gathering prior to the concert proper, a new friend was kind enough to send me off with a Yuto banner! Yay! He is my Pentagon bias and the reason why I got into Pentagon in the first place. But yeah, as with Da-iCE, I'd ended up liking all of 'em in the end. The fan organizers also had a balloon and unibong/mobile phone light event in some songs and some where we had to hold out the white banner and later, the blue and black one so all in all, IT WAS SOOO MUCH FUN! I'd so like to do it again. Yes! Needless to say, when I got home, I contemplated a second Pentagon Prism Tour date in Singapore but I'd already depleted my travel and concert money saved up so nope. Next time.

Highlights of the concert for me: Jo Jinho in Havana. So smexy for someone so small...he's their shortest and funnily, their eldest member. I mostly like Jinho because he's cute but he's giving me Yang Yoseob-vibes lately. I think he's trying to grow out his gyeopta phase now. All of Summ(:er)'s tracks performed was HEAVEN! And lastly...THE ENCORE. The encore had all my favorite songs: Thumbs Up! and Spectacular (스펙터클 해), to name a few. Of course, Fantasystic (판타지스틱) is my favorite from Summ(:er) and it was realllyyy rad to see and hear live.

It was a fun night of singing and dancing to what I could at the concert, all in all. 11/10, I'd do it all over again. Hopefully one day soon. (Or I may go to a Da-iCE concert soon, should all go well with something I'm doing at the moment, applying for another job tat pays better than my current job...somehow).

Up next in this Taipei trip series? Food. I'll be highlight vegan/vegetarian food there so wait for it! I already have the photos ready. Unfortunately didn't take much photos of the restaurants and stalls I went to. I'm an idiot, apparently. I plan to go back to Taipei again one day to do a proper food trip and some sight seeing or activities-filled one so yeah...one day soon. 

getting back in the game, let's talk fandom

Hi there, sort of boring...err...Sunday.

Lately, I find myself amassing a lot of things fandom (asian pop music, mostly) so this alone, I feel, warranted a post of it's own. This still has something to do with Taipei's trip last year, October 5-7, 2019. One of the groups mentioned here was the one I went to Taipei for.

A word of warning? This post is photo heavy although most of them aren't high quality...much.

1. Pentagon - Thumbs Up Mini-Album 
I purchased this one two years ago but it came early last year. I think it kept getting delayed. 
I'm not a huge fan of the main single, Naughty Boy, but the B-sides like Thumbs Up among others, are what make this album more full and satisfying for me. This came with a Jinho photocard and an invitation to a Pentagon event with Universe that I couldn't go to because, well...I'm in the Philippines. Maybe next time. I'll definitely try to make it to the Cube Ent. cafe when I am there around Seoul though. Hopefully soon. I've been hearing news that it's more difficult now to go to Seoul. :( They've tightened up some or so.

My favorite track from this album? Thumbs up, currently. I have it on eternal repeat. Kind of.

I am amazed by the all around-ness of Kpop albums granted this is my first Kpop-related purchase. I love the Japanese ones more considering I have lol's Fire! single, Miura Daichi's Right Now single and more (my Da-iCE purchases are also coming in this year so...) but the South Korean pop music stuff are definitely in a league of their own with album booklets that double as photo books. Meanwhile, I have to spend separately for Da-iCE's photobooks and more. RIP wallet, when it comes to Jpop. But Kpop also just about kills the monthly salary/wage as well. Life of an eternal fangirl...

2. Sunggyu's Post Cards and Photocards 
I got these from Shopee thanks to the bff and someone who likely went to Gyu's last concert, Shine, way way back before he went away to serve at the SK military/army forces. (He's back now after 18 months of being away from us so YAAYYYY!!!) Anyway, these are, like, DIVINE because I currently have an obsession with platinum-haired Kim Sunggyu. If only I could rock the same hair color as well as he does. /lesigh.

Infinite's Kim Sunggyu is a current and still ongoing obsession of mine because of not only his full album, Shine, but also because of his variety TV work. The Genius, for one, is one show I will keep on repeat because of how smart he is on there. And of course, many others.

As of this writing, one of the photocards is at the back of my phone and on a wallet I sometimes take with me on whatever trips out. Hmn...

3. Pentagon - Genie:Us
2019 was the year when I amassed everything Pentagon and this was the second purchase I had since the previous one, Thumbs Up! They rarely let me down music-wise hence why I've been constantly getting their mini-albums or so.
Shalala is likely my favorite from here along with the music video for it. And I love, LOVE Round 1 as well though just a bit lukewarm with Spring Snow. I love the stages for the latter though.
As per usual, this came with cool stuff plus an invitation to an event with Universes (their fans' collective name) but alas, as I am in the Philippines...no way can I ever get to that one. Also, it comes with a post card of, I think, Shinwon's arm in a raincoat or so. Hmn...

It also came with some sort of bookmark. I think this one's Kino or...someone else. Hui? I'm not sure. It could also be Yuto though. I'm amazed by the inside of the booklet slash photobook. It's pop-up style and so cute and pretty!

I'm not sure who I got as a photocard for this one. I forgot...I'll unearth it somewhere later.

4. Pentagon - SUM(ME:R)

Hands down, my current favorite of the bunch and therefore the one Pentagon album on eternal repeat for me on a daily-ish basis.

The contents of this one is the best and even my friend/s confirm so. If there's anything I'm devoted to, it's finding gems like this mini-album that's summery and sunshiney and warm. (I actually became a fan of Golden Child because of this...if that's any sort of help or indication of...stuff...) I love everything in this album from 접근금지 (Humph!) to Round 2. But my favorite will have to be 판타지스틱 (Fantasystic, I think?) as it is the best BOP in there~

And whoopy yay! That's a Yuto photocard, yes, and a Yanan post card. I kind of miss him, yes.

5. Pentagon - Happiness

Not pictured but this came to me from Japan. And to anyone interested in getting Japan releases from Pentagon among others, you can go here and request it: @kg_0917. 

I haven't listened much to it but know that I enjoy the music video/pv for Happiness a lot. It's sooo mood for me along with Da-iCE's Damn It. The freebie is a poster and it is immaculate. I'd like it framed, by the by along with other things.

6. Miscellaneous everything from Japan including Da-iCE's Fake Show single (also got Da-iCE's Best album...)

Da-iCE. When it comes to them, I'm usually Hanamura Sota-biased so most I got were Sota everything including a clear file or two I have no idea what to use for. I thought they were big-sized bromides. Hmn...

Also, some fashion magazines, err, well, a Vivi because I love Vivi. And finally, a Junon! Yay! Another one is coming in the mail yet along with a secondhand but still functioning Instax cam I got at a good deal. Er...low price of 3000 JPY! A seriously good deal, like...seriously. 

Not pictured, Da-iCE's Best album that came after. It's a 2-4 CDs in one sort of thing safely nestled now in my music fandom corner nook of the bedroom self with the others.

7. Golden Child's Re:Boot full-length album

My first Woollim Entertainment purchase. Yay! This is also the most recent purchase of mine that was just delivered in early this month.

It's not the whole thing and these are just pages of the booklet plus that Jaehyun photocard but I was awestruck by how tall this one was. It literally took up my shelf dedicated to the fandom stuff and...it also towered over three of my Pentagon albums that were...comparatively just a tad bit smaller.

Anyway, these are just pages showing my favorites: Bomin looking regal, there's also Joochan in pretty pink hair (congratulations on him rejoining Golden Child after recovering from injury! this is late but yeah...it still stands), and Sungyoon/Y.

What I liked about this one? It came with a 2020 calendar so this pretty much stopped me from buying or looking for one of Takeuchi Ryoma's or some other as I have already retired Pentagon's Season's Greetings from 2019. Problem? The calendar doesn't have anything I can use to hang it somewhere to unlike Pentagon's Season's Greetings. I'm too afraid to ruin it so it's just sitting at a desk as of this moment, still unopened.

Still others I got for fandom's sake and being a random fangirl, Infinite Kim Sunggyu's platinum haired 20cm doll I have yet to find clothes for. It came with freebies so, yay~

Others to come soon: the Produce 101 Japan fanbook, Da-iCE's Back to Back single, JO1's (from Produce 101 Japan) single/s I haven't ordered yet. I also have yet to get Produce 101 Japan's Fanbook plus or volume 2. And JO1's single, Protostar. It's for pre-order yet and comes in three types so RIP money. Hmn...I'll pre-order this one, maybe next month. 

Yep, I've been spending so much on fandom lately that I need to get a higher paying job so, yeah, I'm going to toil on this one tomorrow. I have somewhere to be after the work shift tomorrow so wish me luck? It's for the future of myself I have in mind...yet.

white in the summer heat

dress, zalora (similar). boots, something borrowed via zalora.

There's something dreamy and utterly comfortable hanging around the grandparents' or any other rooftop for that matter, in this dress and I'm coming to like the boots so far though I have my eye on others now from Zalora I'm planning to get next time. As to when that next time is, I'm not sure. Well, this dress...I'm aware it's deadly hot outside and even inside nowadays here in the Philippines because it's summer but the fabric this is made of is pretty light though it looks heavy here so it's ideal to wear even then. Or you know, sometime when the sun is about to set and when it has. It might be cooler in this by then. I think this is just perfect for dinner dates for one.

1 week spent at the grandparents outside of the city of Cagayan de Oro felt too short for me. I should spend more time there somehow some other time. There's so much to do there, especially help around the house as they have yet to find their own house help plus there are also other places there to frequent like the park/plaza in the upper part of said town, Jasaan. Other than that, I'd really like to go to a beach or two from there even if it means just having to commute. The island of Camiguin is very accessible from there as the port of Balingoan is just so, so close. So much to be had there, I suppose. The town, Jasaan, is just never boring though it's been such a long while since I get to go home there and spend so much more than a weekend there. I'd also like to re-visit Southern Leyte where most of my grandmother's family are. The beaches there are majestic and I say this in a non-kidding way. I guess these places marked me as a beach lover since young as these are where I grew around in other than this city I'm currently in that's so close to the sea, too. 

Anyway, yes. Next time.

It's Saturday night tonight so here's one of many I'm currently listening to and unwinding with, tonight:

Yet, another version or performance of Shine from Pentagon bbies. I mean babies but I find spelling the word as bbies just more convenient plus I usually call "my" 'baes' as bs anyway for convenience's sake and because I never liked following anything, especially fandom trends on how to call these men I fangirl/stan on a daily basis. Yeah, I call them biases but I only use this one fangirling term/vocab once in a while or so, so... Anyway, back to this one from KCon Japan earlier this week which was held in Chiba Prefecture's Makuhari Messe...what matters here is the fanchant. THE FANCHANT! They're big in Japan apparently but I'd like say it's not because they frequently are there, they're not. They reportedly have high physical CD sales there with them topping Tower Records' chart and the Oricon daily (or is it the weekly? I'm not sure...it could be both...). 

I just cannot deal with people on youtube saying their popularity is because they go there every month or so when the reality and thing is, they do not. Their primary target is still their own South Korea considering 8/10th of the members are born and raised South Koreans. The 6 SK mini-album releases are proof enough their focus is SK much more than Japan (although I wish they would focus a bit on Japan as well because my Pentagon bias is Yuto...and I'm known for loving Japan unconditionally somehow...I can just wish though...). Anyway, so those 6 mini-albums come with showcases before their records' dates of official release and they've held more concerts in South Korea than they've ever done so in Japan (and anywhere else for that matter). People who say their Japan popularity is because they are there every month is...quite farcical I can't with idiots claiming this one to be fact. They're being extra stans. Pentagon's 'underrated-ness' in South Korea can be attributed to a lot of things but primarily because the SK pop music scene as of this time is overly saturated with girl groups and pop groups that release good pop music on a monthly basis or so. It's easy to overlook a group like Pentagon there that offers so much more than what meets the eye when there's SM Ent's NCT, Woollim Ent's Golden Child, and others like KNK, Astro, SF9 etc. I even admit to liking Golden Child/Golcha aside from Pentagon. Thing is, I like the way Pentagon starts at the bottom and casually, steadily rises to the top at their own slow and sure way. I think their rise to the top will be faster than BtoB's when this one released Missing You on their 6/7th year of being an active male idol group. I'm hoping it'll be as fast as Beast, now Highlight's meteoric rise to the top during Fiction and Fact (Fiction era) but I'm not all too sure either considering there's too much competition (Astro seems to be that one group that debuted the same year Pentagon and SF9 did that is reaching the top faster than the others...) yet. But all I can do is monitor every promotion they do anyway. I'm sure they'll be quite popular in SK in time to time. 

Some fangirls/fanboys are just so extra sometimes, making them difficult to deal with and especially get along with. Ah well, fandom life...rather, life of a fangirl and music enthusiast.

Also, I just read on twitter that Avicii just recently passed away, at 28 years old too young. May he rest in peace. I enjoyed his 2013 full album release, True, and it still remains my favorite work of his to date. Wake Me Up is still a work of art for me until now.

catching up and with a good music recommendation to boot!

t, sm savemore. shorts, secondhand lowry's farm. boots, something borrowed via zalora. bracelet, lc by lauren conrad.

Lot's of catching up to do on here. I just came from a week stay at a small town my grandparents' home is in and it was relaxing in some way. I was there with the cousin and playing house hermit most of the week, from Sunday until just last Saturday. Other than hermit-ing, I also had a couple of halo-halos, the second one being from a well-known restaurant in the area, Carloise Restaurant. Everything there, in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, is walking distance so it was a welcome change of pace and environment being there. It has definitely been a good rest from the city that is, Cagayan de Oro that's just 30-45 minutes away by car/vehicle or public transport. I love being there and would spend another week with cousins and the grandparents again soon.

Yes, more outfit and random photos post coming from this point on granted I also had a pool trip with the best girl friend yesterday to somewhere nearby and cool. Yay~ As to said pool trip...I'd go back there in a heartbeat. Yes!

And here's what my currently listening to mood says:

It's a recent release from this group, Pentagon that's been active since October 2016. I got into them thanks to clips of Pentagon Maker on youtube. Before, I had been thinking I'd slowly get myself more to know Woollim Entertainment's Golden Child since I enjoyed their 2 mini albums so much and would put some of the tracks on repeat on my mobile phone's music player but then I came across a Pentagon Maker clip---probably of Yuto's since Yuto is my main Pentagon bias---and the rest, as people say, was history. Plus, I checked out all of Pentagon's music releases and yes, I drowned some more into their music and now I'm an official Pentagon fangirl. Part-timing Universe seeing as I'm also a part time-light and a full-time a-i for Da-iCE. I know, I fawn over more South Korean and Japanese boygroups now, right? Yes. My fangirl twitter account is testament to that and it's now quite a mess in there. Haha. Well, it's just full of Pentagon, Highlight and Da-iCE retweets with a bit of AAA, SOLIDEMO, lol and Flowback in between as well as some E-girls here and there since I love my LDH girls too especially when they release really good bops.

I haven't updated on a lot of house music and some western indie and some non-indie pop music yet since kpop especially is keeping me busier these days. And yes, if anyone is asking, every Pentagon mini-album release, since their debut in October 2016 are worth having including the newest one from them, Positive, released just this month. 

Anyway, Monday. I have a few things to do. Pentagon music has been great help for me keeping my head above the gutter...

sweater weather and messy hair

sweater, forever21. slipdress, urbanoutfitters. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar). clutch, diy from a bag gifted by aunt.

Typhoon Basyang (local Philippine name thanks to PAG-ASA), please go away. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of sweater weather but it's here, we're here, at least until the typhoon goes away, that is. Needless to say, I spent it drinking a large mug of milk tea and some iced (decaf is usually all I can manage) coffee.

Today's music:

Something sunny to ward the gloominess of the day/night away. Golden Child has released two of the most solid mini-albums in the kpop industry so far. I'd recommend getting it if you can. Everything in the two mini-albums, from the bops to the mid-tempo tracks to the ballads are superb and flows so well from one track to another they're both just a treat to the ears. I've been playing both mini-albums on itunes on repeat as of late. 

what i'd go for, for valentines' day

zalora tank dress with twist front. topshop knot front mini dress. elli germany single cuff earrings. elli germany ball basic 925 silver rose gold plated choker necklace. public desire bedlam bow detail wrap around heels. benefit high beam liquid highlighter.

What I'm currently thinking of for Valentines' day dates which I'm not having any of anyway. My hearts' month is already full enough with favorite male idols' music releases and the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics and the men's volleyball event of UAAP's 80th season so I'm pretty relieved nothing's planned for me on the 14th. I'll likely be chilling to my favorite male (idol) groups from Japan and South Korea, Da-iCE and Highlight respectively, on that day and until night time and doing, well, whatever...or nothing at all. A bit of a look back: last year, I'd spent the 14th of February re-watching the Valentines' day case of Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo then followed by a recent Da-iCE concert. How about you? What do you have planned on the 14th? It's only 6 days away or so now, Philippines' time...

It looks like another thing to look out for has just been added for me for this month: Infinite's Kim Sunggyu is releasing something towards the end of February, too. Hmn...this really seems to be such a busy, busy, chaotic month for me where fandom is concerned. It's the life of a typical male (and in the case of lol, AAA and a-X's, co-ed---girls and boys) idol otaku (geek) or fangirl. Sigh. I didn't ask to be like this, it just happened I'd ended up like this when I started knowing boy groups through Boyzone, Westlife, the Backstreet Boys and N'SYNC back in the middle of primary/elementary school... It's been the point of no return since then.

And I leave you with this tonight:

It's a pretty freeing song. 

daisy print

slip dress and blazer, vintage. clutch, diy from a shoulder bag that's a christmas gift. boots, something borrowed via zalora ph. 

Two things vintage, two things mostly new. It's a balance in dressing up that I quite like. Or probably even love. But, to be honest, I just really feel lazy thus the ribbed slip dress in dark blue with daisy prints came out. It's been hot and sunny today, humid like it usually is here, rain or shine so I've been itching to get into dresses and shorts and/or skirts so this is a welcome thing to wear today. Mostly, around the house.

Speaking of vintage pieces of clothing, I visited thrift shops at the city center (Divisoria) this morning before proceeding to do a bit of grocery shopping at Savemore that's only a few minutes' walk away from there. I found two things I liked: a pair of Levis jeans in medium---clearly boyfriend style and with bits of ripping here and there---at just 100 Php; and a cheery yellow dress that's flower-printed and just so darn cute and thinly cozy, perfect for this humid climate, that's about 50 Php more than the price of the Levis jeans. I did not get to buy either. The latter was still quite expensive for thrift shop prices for me, the former did not look like the perfect boyfriend jeans to me but it does seem to make a good pair for casual trips out, errands and more. I'll probably come back there some other time soon, maybe on the next few Mondays when I'm done with personal errands and the likes for the morning.

Today's music is something uncharacteristic of me:

I'm not really one for female idol jpop music outside of what E-girls from LDH release. I just got into this one from AKB48 and one of their sister groups, Bangkok, Thailand's BNK48 because it kept playing in the background last Saturday, while I was watching MNL48's top 200 girls being cut down to 75 that are to vie for the coveted spots that make up MNL48. While I was looking around the thrift stores and doing the groceries earlier today, this song kept playing in my head I even tried to hum it softly. This is how infectious said song can be...to me anyway. It'll likely be a while before I get unattached and/or less obsessed or fixated with this one. I'm surprised though...I actually am liking BNK48 when I thought the opposite. I'm not too into female idol groups in Japan and everywhere else in Asia like these two but I can't dismiss this song, Koisuru Fortune Cookie, as it is a pretty good bop/

I'm keeping tabs on MNL48 on the noontime show, Showtime on the Philippine national TV network, ABS-CBN more because I'm a Japanophile and would want to see how this one turns out but not because I'm an AKB48/Akimoto groups' fan. I'm not really an AKB48 and/or general Akimoto groups' fan. I do like the two second generation of AKB48 girls from Team K though. They are Oshima Yuko and Akimoto Sayaka. I like the former because I was able to watch her in a jdrama that airs on Mondays (they are getsu jdramas, right? I forget what they're usually called...), Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyu (English translation: The Reason I Can't Find My Love), and the latter, because I found her to be charming in a reality talk show with one of my favorite Japanese actors, Chiba Yudai (since Tensou Sentai Goseiger, a super sentai series from eons ago). I haven't really been following both of these ladies since so I'm out of the loop as to their current gigs/activities.

I'm also not one for the really kawaii (cute!) Akimoto groups' stage outfits but I do like their hairstyles and hair accessories. The Japanese really do not disappoint where cuteness/kawaiiness is concerned with hair, clothes and the likes. They just know how to package their ladies in the entertainment business, looks-wise, without resorting to them going under the knife (plastic surgery, so to speak). This is what I like about the Japanese entertainment industry and why I prefer it to the South Korean entertainment industry I don't have much of a feel for. Looking at them through their live concert uploads on youtube make me want to stock up on a whole lot of the really cute, very random hair accessories. Haha.