of politics and standing for what you believe in

 

Yay! Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, YAY!

It's been a good 3-4 weeks since I ordered these and they finally arrived just this week! I bought these from the Dapat Si Leni merch shop here.

Misleading title. If you think this is going to be a serious post just because there're heavy and very sensitive words, topics like 'politics' and 'standing for what you believe in' on the title, it's really not all the grim and serious. Sometimes politics, what you believe in can be of fluffy bunnies, winged-horseys (to borrow from Timmy Turner's dictionary...if you've seen the Fairly Odd Parents and especially the crossovers with Jimmy Neutron on Nickelodeon, you'd know), pretty mermaids, fairies and more. Which is why, for this post, we'll just stick to talking about the design, feel and look of these merchandises from said online store and not go really deep into politics and all that yada yada. If you want to go into that deeper end, then you should go to my livejournal here: crysta0917. I'm currently running a 5-part, maybe more, blog series there on Philippine politics that focuses mostly on current events we see, read, and hear on the national news. 

 

Going back, yes, I love the look of the shirt and the tote bag! That the tote bag is the only one with the Dapat si Leni (English trans.: It should be Leni...) print and the shirt doesn't have it anywhere at all is what I love about this batch of purchases from the shop! 

I only like the good things and in truth, I'm really not that too into politics, I'm mostly apolitical until I'm riled up, lol, usually by current events so this spills onto the things I buy from merch shops like Dapat si Leni's. 

The Team Leni Robredo shirts and others are everywhere on shopee Philippines, maybe even Lazada Philippines too along with others with her name and face but I'm not too into that because as much as I support her, I'd rather not be that loud, out and proud because...well...there's so much about this I feel like I have to unpack here. It's definitely not that I don't like and support her because I DO! Mostly, it's just that I'd be careful to draw the line around good that are too out there when I'm not even that involved in her causes except by maybe donating what I can here and there when I can. I'm not really a volunteer for her either and I know and follow a lot of those on twitter right now and admire them for what they do.

I'm just a mostly regular person (although, as this blog has been indicating lately, a massive kpop, jpop fan and music nut in general) and I aspire to one day also be a sort of public servant by my attempt to get into public school teaching. I hope to get in by next year, early next year, actually, so I'll be working on that while I work on some writing, editing and proofreading gigs here and there, too. All of that out of the way, my point is, I wouldn't deck myself in these in your face goods to make my being all about a politician or someone else (though I feel like I go this way with the pop music and music in general stuff I'm almost always going in on in this blog of mine, lol) that I end up losing myself and how I actually have my own advocacies and the likes I'd like to push forward, too.  

Aside from not losing myself, there are other reasons why I don't like these too in your face goods with the names and faces of politicians on them. I think you may have heard of trapos in Philippine politics. If not, check out trapo in the urban dictionary here: trapo. This is reason 2. It may not have anything to do with the goods of this kind I'm on about and talking a lot about here in this space but yeah, it gives off the same vibe as that: politicians that do good but put their names and faces on say, relief packages and the likes they distribute to people in need of them. It can be seen as doing good for the sake of themselves and getting people to remember and vote for then in the next elections. Decking oneself in these merchandise or goods from supporters of a, say, aspiring politician for the next term feels to me like you're coming off a fanatic or worshiper of theirs when you shouldn't at all be because the elections should never be about the politicians you put into office, it should be about who you think has policies or a platform that will actually do the nation or even your locale, good. It's more about yourself and the people, and things you care about and not the politicians at all. They are there to lead and most importantly, serve you so you have to be really smart in choosing them and also, criticizing them later on should there be something to criticize them about that comes out.

Elections should be about country and nation, not just the politicians themselves running for office.

Third reason for me is I'm doing my part to safeguard our democracy and it's something I feel I've been doing since 2016 and before that only to see it fall apart from 2016 to now because we ended up with an administration that's messing with yes, 1, our democracy and a lot of our human rights as well. Elections is about choosing the ones who are in our side, those that also safeguard our democracy (and our people's human rights) along with us.

It's really not at all about the candidates for #halalan2022 so why would I want to own a lot of these merchandises that sport their faces and names? I know a lot have built an economy around this now but I feel like they are only serving to amplify the attitudes of some people as people tend to rally around candidates for elections because they share the same sentiments, view points and at times, even values that may be the worst rather than the good that I feel like really shouldn't be amplified at all. Egos also, I feel like, are amplified by these merchandises the more we get more of them.

So yes, honestly, because I keep all of these in mind like most public servants are reminded of (they're actually not allowed to openly tell people to vote for him and not vote for her and all that yada-yada) I'm really only after the designs here and not so much the candidates they're campaigning for.

Elections can indeed be about fluffy bunnies, winged-horseys, fairies, pixies, mermaids and more if we keep ourselves to what we believe in like this and not be stuck up on a politician or would-be politician running for office.

I think, when it comes to campaigning for someone, I'd rather be private about it and just contribute what I can to the campaign like, say, volunteering or giving a certain amount to the people's campaign efforts rather than deck myself in these goods. I'm the type to do these things privately and very quietly and not really shout it out, broadcast it to the world. I'll definitely do what part I can and right now, I'm focused on informing people about things and fighting off disinformation, misinformation, fake news, propaganda and the likes by writing about it on my livejournal. The link has been shared above so if you would like to get into the grim, dark mess that's Philippine politics, that's where it's at. Nevermind, I'll put it here as well: crysta0917 on livejournal. 

So yes, when campaigning for someone, I like to be subtle and quiet. It's something that make people do a second look at yourself as I don't really like attracting too much attention on these things. It's just...not me.

Bottom line of this politically-tinged post: it's not me to really very openly and loudly campaign for someone. I prefer to remain looking like and feeling like I'm left-leaning but still pretty apolitical and focus on daily life and my daily concerns more that I feel also affect people around me, thank you very much.

But that doesn't mean I can't be into giving away things I find I like from people that sell these goods especially if they're designed well like the ones encircled in pink below. These are from someone in facebook allied with another both on facebook and twitter I follow that have been, since the beginning of time, all for good governance and good people in government.

I've kind of been attracted to the Husay at Tibay designs for a while now so I got those from the Dapat si Leni online merch shop. I'm actually looking to go back for a large-sized shirt of the same design I can comfortably wear out on some random days to do stuff. It'd go well with shirts I'm currently getting that's of the music-related kind. I'm currently waiting on the BtoB Eunkwang ones to arrive soon since I'd just checked them out recently (last weekend or I think...just this Monday? I forgot, haha).

I'm kind of semi-attracted to the mugs too since lately, I feel like I'm into mugs. I just got one from the Pentagon anniversary cupsleeves event and it's really pretty and cute. I haven't used it, of course, because I'm waiting for 2-3 mugs to die out that I'm currently using on rotation. One of the said mugs currently in use is in my favorite color, it's not pink, it's the light shade of blue actually...err...kind of close to marine blue. This is actually why I don't own a lot of pink stuff and I'm not too into it much, especially the fuchsia that me pol bet's supporters have adopted for her and themselves. I can into light pink, old rose, rose gold, dusty pink, though! I like those shades of pink along with nudes, some yellows (mustard mostly) and oranges (rust). Going back, before we go too off tangent in this one, I don't really mind adding those mugs to my collection just so maybe, I have something to use while working at home until #halalan2022 May next year.

There's only one of the Husay at Tibay design available in the Dapat si Leni merch store. The ones with the stars things I really like are only sold by someone in Facebook I mentioned earlier. They're definitely priced cheaper than the ones on the Dapat si Leni (DSL) online merch store because they come direct from the production source that someone is tied with. 

Quality-wise, I really like the ones I got from the DSL merch store. So much so that I also mentioned earlier I'm planning to go back for the large sized tshirt to comfortably wear out on some random days with other shirts I have coming in. I also like the quality of the tote bag, actually. It looks and feels pretty sturdy and like, a lot of thought were put into producing these things for the buyers. It's just that they cost more than the ones sold on facebook. Those are production prices so there's no added amount added to it unlike the ones from the DSL merch store. I can't really say much for the quality of those from facebook as I've yet to really try them anyway. 

To give you an idea of the difference in prices between the ones from the DSL merch store and the ones from the facebook seller: a tote bag from the said seller sells for around 90 Php while on the merch store, it's 149 Php. A shirt from the facebook one is 135 Php and on the merch store, it's 299 Php. The mugs are only available from the facebook seller and they cost 100 Php apiece. You can definitely save more when you buy from said facebook seller but be wary of her schedules for buying these things because hers is pretty tight and she can't really entertain that much as she's, I feel like, a one-person team in there. There's more choices from the facebook seller, too, compared to the merch store so you definitely can choose whatever you like from there.

Lol, I have one too many tote bags lately more than I have mugs, actually, and I don't mind them. I like tote bags a lot more than my regular ones I get from aunts, those from closest friends and those that I get from thrift stores, actually. I'm only really out for errands these days and they fit all things I need for a short day out inside them, plus...easy access to those I really need in certain situations even though its a mess of things in there. lol. I currently use this tote bag, the sailor moon tote bag I purchase from a friend from my past workplace last year-ish, and some of the bigger ones my aunt left here that can contain more than the basic things I usually carry around (this one fits groceries and the likes so I prefer this when I have to go out to the supermarket or so). 

For some reason, even if they're not too in-your-face, I'm not fond of the masks from the facebook seller. I know there are more designs other than the ones here but they just don't cut it.  This here from shopee has some 2 to 3 or 4 mask designs I like and they're decently priced at 45 Php apiece. That's the same price as the masks sold by the facebook seller I've been talking of earlier. I think they'd be good for an off day out or just randomly working on stuff out in a cafe for the weekend or so. You can check her whole store, potekxningning on shopee for more of the stuff she's selling, of course. I'm still pretty happy with my Cotton NCR masks, one of which I got in XL because they ran out of the regular sizes, so I haven't thought about buying from her store yet but maybe one day I will. Just to give away and rotate with a lot of the others I already own that's not at all Ph politics-tinged. I use the XL Cotton NCR mask I have only one of (they come in packs of 3) as a second mask after my regular disposable one in the regular medical blue or fuchsia pink when I double mask so I like it a lot and always have it in my bag. 

Aside from the Husay at Tibay designs, the facebook seller also have some new ones out from a local artist's design portfolio. He designs for Papemelroti, I think. It's a local stationery shop. They have a branch here in our own Ayala Centrio and I one some of their things mostly gifted by friends and the younger brother. I usually like their travel themed stuff, pets themed stuff and they always have those super Filipino stuff too that are so fun to have at home. Going back, those designed by an artist that also does the same for said local stationery shop are pretty cute! I would get them to give out too since more than campaigning for my president and vice president bets for #halalan2022, I think the prints are pretty relatable to the regular people that get them. Receivers would surely appreciate them if they were given to them as gifts. One design is for those who love plants and farming, another is for those who love commuting by bus, tricycle and the likes...common Filipino modes of transportation. There's also one for avid bicyclists! (I would ride bicycles around my city too if only we were bicycle friendly here but we're not so I just walk instead.) I think I actually don't mind owning some of those aside from the Husay at Tibay ones I like. The best thing about these special collab designed merch? They can be bought as a package or in gift boxes from the facebook seller herself. So if you have a special someone you'd like to give cutely designed VP Leni support merch to and you know they're kakampink, then why not get them these for Christmas, right?

I would. I just am not sure a lot in my family outside of my ate (kind of sister though she's our househelp/kasambahay for a long time now) and myself. My mom, I'm not sure. Last I checked, she had been leaning towards someone, a male president candidate for #halalan2022, with quite a shady past and something else. We'll just end at that. He's one of the lesser evils so I think a lot other people are gunning for him, for sure. I would only buy these and gift them to people who I'm pretty sure are on our, my side where Ph politics is concerned.

Okay, lol. So I pretty much only talked about politicians' merchandise and goods here although it's only really one I'm leaning towards and talking much of here on this post.

*****

I'm not entirely a big fan of nor am I sold to the color pink (I do like that it stands for love and all things fluffy and nice but yeah, beyond that, pink isn't really my color) but I'm looking to make this Christmas gift giving theme a Pinkmas thing. I'm looking into giving people things in the color pink to subtly nudged them to considering my pol bet/s for #halalan2022. I'm taking the cue from someone I follow on twitter who's, I think, currently working for an office I'd like to one day get into, too. 

I'm into giving people what I think they direly need now so I'll try to be quite creative with that one. I'm still someone who prefers to practice the be practical and do more with less, minimalism thing so yeah. I would want to be creative, resourceful and smart about gift giving this Christmas still, as always.

Anyway, ah...I have more things to do and fix about life stuff this weekend. 

P.S.

I finally got to use the tote bag yesterday on a very quick errand run. 

It goes pretty well with the fuchsia pink disposable mask, I think. 

I'll post a full on shot of this one sometime later that I'm looking to go life with other things. I kind of miss making outfit posts here, on instagram and twitter so I'll look into that, too and will try to make it a more regular thing and not just a wednesday thing for #halalan2022. 

This week kind of got me fired up to go back into dressing up for work from home days after soooooo long since I'm actively looking for jobs online I can do at home again. I hope to get one soon...ish. Crossing fingers. I want to get back into working as a freelance writer, editor and proofreader again actually...mostly part time because I still have other personal projects like this blog, the livejournal blog, and trying to get into the public school as a special education teacher between this late this year and especially early next year. My teaching license is expiring next year sometime around my birthday so I have to be fast about that one now. I need some continuing something something units to renew my teacher license so yeah...it suchs but it is what it is. I think I've rested enough as it is that I'm ready ish to go back to work these days. We'll see.

You'll definitely see more stuff on this blog, yep.