Wanderlust

This Christmas I Give You My Heart

2010-12-13T06:46:00.000-08:00

I now have come to a point that I am giving up the rest of my goals on my list... for this year at least. I still have no concrete plans on how I am going to accomplish all the things that I want but at least, little by little, I believe I am getting there. Baby steps, Jen... baby steps.

My personal accomplishments for this year may not be a lot in terms of the projects I originally had in mind, but to the destinations my fate brought me to, I loved each one of them.

To wit, in 2010 (in no particular order):

I traveled a bit around Asia and the Philippines (Vietnam, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Caramoan, Bicol, Donsol in Sorsogon, Cebu, Malapascua, Moalboal, Dumaguete, Sibulan & Valencia in Negros Oriental, Padre Burgos islands in Quezon, Subic, Baguio, Batangas, Potipot Island in Zambales, San Pablo, Caliraya and Sta. Rosa Laguna.)
I spent a considerable amount of time with some amazing people
I bonded and got to know some of my friends better
I accomplished a lot of work related tasks
I attended a lot of fun blog events and received a ton of freebies
I was able to register my Sexy Nomad Enterprise with DTI
I was able to cash in one of my insurance policies
I finished reading a couple of my books despite my hectic schedule at work
I bought more books about culture, civilizations, how-tos, self-help, comics and fiction novels
I spent most of my party nights with my fave band, Brownman Revival
I became more religious in my spiritual practices; I meditate more; my spell-casting has been more effective and I read my Tarot almost everyday.
And, from time to time, I was able to do the things on my original list.

So this holiday season, Peter and I won't be celebrating like we usually do. I've already used up all of my vacation leaves and I need all the hours I can devote to work so I can encash my full salary at the end of the month. So instead, I will be giving my heart to my virtual assistant job. Work and travel have always been my top priorities so it's no wonder I wasn't able to take up driving lessons; why I never really memorized two songs each month on my keyboards and guitar; why I never got to bake anything else except brownies; why I wasn't able to manufacture as many spa products as I want, nor create as many bead designs as I would love to; why I say no to many blog events; why I never get to visit my family and friends as much as I ought to.

But I never lose hope. In fact, I've added a new hobby to my list --- drawing, which I am also excited about. But before I fully delve into that, I want to finish all my VA tasks first, including those I personally choose to do (like personal blog posts) before 2010 finally ends so I can start fresh in 2011.

By starting fresh, I mean practicing one of the things I relearned (from Carelle and RR) this month --- that in order for me to get to my destination much faster, I have to be able to say NO to things that don't help me get there. It could be as simple as not watching Harry Potter on DVD over and over again, or not sleeping more than 8 hours a day even if my body craves it, or not saying yes to every exciting party invitations or not spending too much time deciding what clothes to wear. I want my 2011 to be more focused, streamlined, spiritually enriching and more profitable as well. I want my 2011 to be different... A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT. I only want to say YES to things that help me achieve my goals.

And with this kind of anticipation in my heart, I wish all of us a joyful Christmas this month and a prosperous New Year ahead! Ho! Ho! Ho! ^_^

November Rain

2010-11-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not entirely sure why I entitled my post "November Rain". Perhaps, it's the fickle weather we're experiencing these days or maybe it's just me. I feel dark and gloomy about the fact that I only have two months to go before 2010 ends and it seems like nothing has changed with my list of unaccomplished projects... they still remain unaccomplished. My hectic hours at work are to be blamed, as well as the fact that I seem to be attending more blog events now. The rest of my so-called free hours are left to do house chores, watch my favorite DVDs and read some books. I don't even get to sleep a lot anymore. So what's new?! Sigh.

However, I am happy about the fact that my days last month have been filled with meaningful work and a lot of fun blogging events. And now that Halloween has just been over, which means that Christmas is almost here, that's a whole new reason to be excited about! ^_^

Anyway, gloominess aside, I still have hope. If only I can discipline myself to only take care of things that really matter, I know I can still accomplish my personal projects, even if not all of them. So let me rack my brain for a little while and think of a good schedule that I must keep (by hook or by crook). Hihi.

Nuninuninuninuninunu.....thinking....

Okay, here is my basic plan:

If I'm invited to events, attend only one-two events per week as much as possible. Choose the ones that I am passionate about and ones that I'd really enjoy. Like, later, I'll be at Resorts World for some food tasting and on Nov. 6, I'll be at Nido Discovery Center with my parents.
On Nov. 8, Monday, I should take the time to take care of my DTI application and business permits.
Do general cleaning and laundry once a week, preferably middle of the week, after work, so my weekends can be allotted for more important projects.
Avoid doing more than 10 hours of work per day from Mon.-Fri. unless really, really necessary.
Every work week, after work, I should allot 1 hour each day for beading, 1 hour each day for spa making, 1 hour each day for drums/guitar & keyboards, 20 minutes for biking, 20 minutes for Wii workout, 20 minutes for tarot.
On Nov. 11, I shouldn't stay so late at the Brownman Revival Gig. I should also avoid getting so drunk so I can still work once I get home.
On Nov. 13, I should accomplish all the things on my errands list (like buying my own mannequin, a couple of photo frames, baking ingredients, soap making ingredients, candle making ingredients, some potted plants and a wall mirror; have my nails done; buy new DVDs; check out Citibank promo --- I want a simple digicam with video recorder coz our Olympus digicam has been having problems for a while now).
On Nov. 14, Peter and I should continue with our windsurfing lesson plus camping & picnic.
On Nov. 15, I should start uploading my new supply of clothes.
On Nov. 16-19, I should urge Peter to finish processing papers for the Bulacan house, have the Yaris aircon fixed and schedule our Boracay trips c/o Panoly.
On Nov. 19, I should allot a few hours for HARRY POTTER screening. *Excited!*
Nov. 20 will be for baking, soap making & candle making, plus a few blog posts about my Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur trips if possible.
On Nov. 21, I should start packing for our Dumaguete trip.
Nov. 22-25 will be devoted to work and the scheduled personal projects.
Nov. 26-30 will be for fun, fun, fun!

Okay, it's settled then. Wish me luck!

Early Christmas this October

2010-10-01T22:29:00.000-07:00

The month of October started out perfectly when I went to SM Cubao and experience their Oct.1-3 3-day sale. I got tons of lovely items for the kitchen and the bedroom for only Php1000.00! I got a taste of Impressca and I also got a free beach chair! The day before that, I got interviewed by Go Negosyo Kaya Mo which will air on October 17!

I hope this serves as a good sign from the universe of what else is to come this month.

Aside from work, occasional blogging and VTR activities, plus dates with Peter, I also plan to start decorating for Halloween this month. I should brush up on my Wiccan skills like tarot card reading, palm reading, quija board and the likes.

I still have more to tell. But for now, let's leave it first with the universe.

P.S.

It's now October 9. My German tenant already found a suitable place for him near his place of work in Sta. Rosa Laguna and did not anymore renew his rent with us. He left on October 7. Fortunately, the universe is kind enough to have given me a lady tenant this time who came all the way from Davao. She will be staying with us for at least three months. She moved in yesterday, October 8. Yay! Thank you God for this blessing. And thank you AyosDito.ph for being such a huge help. ^_^

"Everyday and in every way, I am getting better, better and better. All great things are coming to me. Money is easy and comes frequently and abundantly."
- one of my mantras

P.S. (Oct. 31, 2010)

Here are the rest of the things that happened this month:
Wanderlust: Early Christmas this October
The Sexy Nomad: Am I Too Old for Halloween?
Diet Motivator: Greenwich Pizza for Halloween
My Fashion, Beauty and Celebrity Blog: My Halloween Getup
Modern Witchcraft: Happy Halloween 2010
The Sexy Nomad: Bubble Tea: Loving Japanese Food and Milk Teas
Diet Motivator: Bubble Tea the Tokyo Milk Tea
My Fashion, Beauty and Celebrity blog: My Bubble Tea Attire
Sexynomad.i.ph: My Bubble Tea Adventure
Diet Motivator: SM Funky Bowling Treats
My Fashion, Beauty and Celebrity log: My Funky Bowling Outfit... NOT!
Modern Witchcraft: Funky Halloween Bowl
The Sexy Nomad: Funky Bowling at SM Mall of Asia
Sexynomad.i.ph: Funky Bowling at SM Bowling Center
The Sexy Nomad: Thai Food at Marriott
Diet Motivator:Marriott's Global Thai Food Fest
Sexynomad.i.ph: Marriott's Global Thai Dinner Party
My Fashion, Beauty and Celebrity Blog: Marc Jacobs Sunglasses
The Sexy Nomad:Nuvali Fun Activities
Diet Motivator: Starbucks at Nuvali
Sexynomad.i.ph: Nuvali, A First Look
The Sexy Nomad: Focaccia and ekstreme Tower Ride
Diet Motivator: Reyes barbecue at Nuvali
Sexynomad.i.ph: Ekstreme Tower Ride at Enchanted Kingdom
My Fashion, Beauty and Celebrity Blog: Peter Pan Attire
The Sexy Nomad: Celebrating John's Birthday and balancing Blogging, Work and Home Life
Diet Motivator: Focaccia, A Slice of Italy
Sexynomad.i.ph: In Love with Focaccia & Video Blog
My Fashion, Beauty and Celebrity Blog: Butterscotch Wears Enterprise
The Sexy Nomad: A Weekend of Fab and Fashion
The Sexy Nomad: Witnessing the World Trade Center FAB Fashion Show
Diet Motivator:Impressca and the Story Behind Healthy Food Choice
The Sexy Nomad: SM Cubao Bloggers Tour and Impressca Sampling
The Sexy Nomad: Beach Chair in our Bedroom
The Sexy Nomad: Go Negosyo kaya Mo Interviews Sexy Nomad
Diet Motivator:So Happy with my SM Cubao Loot

A Happy Month to Remember... September

2010-09-17T04:24:00.000-07:00

It's the middle of September and I am having a blast! As soon as the first day of the first BER month came in, it already felt like Christmas! The universe has just been showering me with little blessings here and there. Seems like I never sleep and I am just seizing the good stuff that comes in almost every time - job opportunities, parties, events, friends, etc. I know I only have 24 hours in a day and I can only do so much. So I chose to do the things that I love the most... things that make me happy.

For the most part, these things include:

- another VA job which I love (so now I again have 2... at least the 2nd one is just part time which I insisted so I can still have a life.)

- parties with friends, (which happens pretty often since the start of this month):

Cash Cash Pinoy Launch at Lancaster Hotel
Brownman Revival Gig last Sept. 2, 2010 at 70's Bistro
Grade 6 Class Reunion
Ballet Philippines and a whole day date with the hubby
Resident Evil movie date with my best friend
Carelle's Birthday Bash at Maruve Bar
Brownman Revival's Gig last night at 70's Bistro

- series of mini dates with my hubby, time with my books, shopping, and my many rituals for personal development

- and for the rest of the month, there are other events lined up:

date with my best friend and her daughter tomorrow
some VTRs I promise to go to
movie dates with Peter (I got to use those Citibank receipts I have)
spa & skin treatment sessions I should go to (I already have the free gift vouchers)
a trip to Baguio on Sept. 23-24
another Brownman Revival gig on Sept. 30

And who knows what are still bound to come before this month ends?

On the other hand, I no longer try to do everything that comes my way. I let go of a couple of opportunities this month and I don't regret them one bit. I've learned to accept that it's the quality of life that matters and not the quantity of things you do in a given day.

I still haven't forgotten the projects I set out to do at the beginning of this year though, and should I fail to do them all, I know that I am the owner of my life and that I could design it whatever way I want to.

For now, I'm just happy to be feeling joyful most of the time. I thank God every day for all the blessings that keep coming our way, and I know that things will just get better and better as the most joyous of seasons approaches.

Lots of MUSTs this August

2010-08-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, we're now on the 8th month of 2010. I don't even wanna think about the things I haven't even done yet (like learn how to drive, read all my books, make spa products, learn how to surf and windsurf again, make homemade soap, regularly play with my guitar, drums and keyboards, etc...). Honestly, 24 hours in a given day is just not enough. I tried, Oh God, did I try. But it felt like I was killing myself and my marriage. Who really has the time to do all these things?! I'm no wonder woman. I try to be but... Anyway, I still have four months to attempt doing everything that's on my 2010 list. Maybe, just maybe, I can still hack it.

For this month, I intend to continue with my VA work. On Thursday nights, I have the Brownman Revival gigs to look forward to at 70's Bistro. On weekends, I hope to be more productive by hiring part time help to do house cleaning so I can make some more beaded accessories, concoct my own spa products, make my own soap and read my books ( I just recently bought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Eat Pray Love, and 4 new double digest Archie comics. But of course, there are still tons of other books on my bookshelf which I haven't even touched yet. Talk about "takaw mata sa libro"), go surfing at the end of the month and windsurf in between all these activities. I think I need a miracle to be able to do all of these activities. LOL!

On August 10, I'll be claiming one of my policies with Prudential Life and invest it further in a small but manageable business. The amount is not that breathtaking but it will have to suffice. I hope I can make it grow for Popsy's sake. I just dunno how long it will take before I receive the cash. I hope it's not one of those irritating things in insurance companies --- When you need your money, it takes forever to get it, but if they wanna sell you some sort of insurance, mabilis pa sila sa alas kwatro. *Keeping my fingers crossed*

On August 14, Peter and I will be celebrating our 11th anniversary as a romantic couple. We're married 8 years now but those 3 years of just being boyfriend-girlfriend prior to our marriage marked the real foundation of our solid relationship. I have nothing planned and I doubt Peter has either. We'll just see how our days go and just do something at the spur of the moment.

I'm hopeful that August will bring us a lot of blessings and wonderful surprises. It's the month before the BER months begin. I really hope we can make the most of it.

Til my next post. Ciao!

Rasta Bead Necklace

2010-07-29T00:09:00.000-07:00

I made another necklace. It is inspired by my love for Brownman Revival, thus, is rasta-inspired, exuding a fresh reggae vibe. I used glass beads and various semi-precious stones. This will go well with my old rasta earrings and bracelet. I hope you like it.

The Limit is in the Sky this July

2010-07-02T02:04:00.000-07:00

My goal starting this month is simple: Invest my time, effort and money in profitable and productive things BUT should be enjoyable and fun to do. In the event that it's just purely investment in fun, it should be an activity that will build my strength and character.

Having these rules in mind, I have made my new schedule:

TUESDAYS - SATURDAYS

12 midnight - wake up
12:00 - 12:15 - daily tarot reading, spells & meditation

12:15 - 12:30 - finish 1 chapter of Jack Canfield's book on success
12:30 - 1:00 - exercise

1:00 - 1:30 - brew coffee, cook food
1:30 - 2:00 - shower & prepare for work
2:00am - 12:00nn - work
12:00 nn - 1:00 pm - lunch, rest, watch DVD
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm - Do other projects, blog posts, etc.

3:00 - 4:00 pm - Play with my music (keyboards, guitar, drums)
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - clean the house, do other chores
5:00 - 6:00 pm - shower, read novel/comics
6:00 pm - 12 mn - SLEEP!

SATURDAY PM - SUNDAYS - MONDAYS

Saturday
AM - do laundry/general cleaning
1PM - 6 PM - Attend business seminars
6PM - 12 MN - groceries/parties/nightlife/date with Peter

12MN - 5AM - sleep

Sunday
5AM - 6AM - run or bike with Peter
6AM - 7AM - shower, breakfast, prepare for out of town wind surfing
7AM - 9AM - trip to Surf Kamp, Caliraya

9AM - 1PM - windsurfing
1PM - 3PM - Late Lunch
3PM - 5 PM - head back home
5PM - onwards - relax at home / beading time / make spa products

*above is the beaded necklace I made last weekend. I can't wait to do some more beaded accessories!

Beading Supplies - Create Fashionable Accessories From Excess Supplies

2010-06-20T21:58:00.000-07:00

These necklaces used to be trash among my beading supplies before. They're excess pieces which I didn't know what to do before. But since I started this hobby again, my creative juices, as well as my sense of inspiration and motivation to create and/or reconstruct pieces just keep on flowing.

I couldn't sleep last night so here are the necklaces I did:

These are made of leather strings. At both ends of the string, I attached some semi-precious stones. This style is quite versatile because you can wrap it around your neck, any way you want, to get the desired effect that can match your clothes.

~~~oOo~~~

For this one below, I also used a leather string. The center piece was actually a center piece for one of my old shoes. before I threw away those shoes of mine, I took out the center piece and used it to make a unique necklace piece instead. ^_^ It's fun turning trash into something pretty.

~~~oOo~~~

For this one below, I again used the remainder of my leather strings and just put various semi-precious stones and glass beads as pendant.The strings don't have locks in them, meaning, they're free flowing and you can tie them anyway you want to.

~~~oOo~~~

This one below used to be much longer and it was missing a lot of beads. I reconstructed it by cutting and re-attaching the wire, making sure that the pearls are placed symmetrically. Now, I can use it once more.

~~~oOo~~~

This one below is another broken necklace which has a missing pendant. I added a lobster claw clasp and hook at both ends and added a Carnelian piece of gemstone as pendant. Carnelian helps energize the blood, prevents lower back problems and diseases in the reproductive organs, kidneys, lungs, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. It also enhances creativity and concentration, plus it brings about prosperity.

~~~oOo~~~

I've had this bronze pendant with studded stones since forever, plus these bluish ivory and bronze earrings I never wear. I just figured, maybe I can used some ribbons to form a necklace, that can match the color of the earrings. I'm not yet done with the locks because I was already quite sleepy by then. So in the mean time, I tied both ends with safety pins instead. Quite avant garde, I think. ^_^

Making something beautiful out of supposed trash or excess crafts and beading supplies can really be fun. Now that I think about it, I also have a few real silver and pearl pieces that need repair as well. I hope to get my hands on them soon.

Til my next post. ^_^

Jewelry Beads - Restarting An Old Hobby

2010-06-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

I told you I'll be back sooner. When June started, I felt kind of pressured with the fact that it's already the middle of the year, and so far, I have only accomplished a few things on my new year's resolutions list. It's a good thing that I have been studying about beading at work and it inspired me to to once again create jewelry beads like I did before! Yup, I used to make and sell my own creations from 2004-2006. Then life happened and I got too busy doing other things. But now, I really feel like letting my creative juices flow once again. I know I'm a little bit rusty. In fact, when I restructured some old pieces I have and made some new ones, my hands were a bit shaky while I was handling the long nose and other beading supplies and tools. But I don't mind. Practice makes perfect and in so doing, it helps me feel a lot happier and more relaxed.

Let me show you the two sets I did so far:

This golden butterfly jewelry beads set is made up of tiny glass beads, mother of pearl and a thin, hard, golden butterfly foil (I don't exactly know what it's called but it can be bought at Simple Joy crafts store). The earrings have additional magnetic beads at the bottom to add weight when worn.

This second set of jewelry beads set is made up of semi-precious stones namely:

Agate - This is a micro crystalline kind of quartz silica. It is one of the ancient stones in recorded history. It brings physical balance, strength, healing, protects the wearer against bad dreams and reduces stress.
Amazonite - This is also called the Lucky Hope Stone or the "Amazon stone". It is a green types of of microcline feldspar. It helps calm the nervous system, brings about creativity and improves physical stamina (which I need because there are still other projects I want to accomplish before the year ends).
Goldstone - This is a kind of glass created with copper or copper salts in the presence of a reduced flame. It helps add vitality and energy.
Herkimer Diamond - This name is actually quite misleading. It is double-terminated quartz crystals. It was first discovered in the exposed outcrops of the town of Dolostone at Little Falls in Herkimer County, New York as well as the Mohawk River Valley. It helps release physical stress and tension and discharges toxicity from your system.
Unakite - This is also called epidote, which came from the Greek epidosis, which means "growing together". It is a combination of green epidote and red jasper that were solidly bound together. It is used to draw off negative energy, tends to lift your spirits when you are not feeling happy, and helps you to see the positive things in your life, to name a few.

I also included some oval glass beads for the bracelet and multicolored coconut beads for the necklace.

Now that I've once again started making and wearing jewelry beads, it's no wonder that I feel happier and more relaxed as of late. These jewelry beads are not just used to enhance the getup of the wearer, but they also aid in bringing about wellness.

Ciao for now! I wanna make more jewelry beads which I will share with you on my next post. ^_^

Wishing for the Moon this June

2010-06-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

Wow, I've already reached half of this year and yet, I still haven't done a lot of the things that I have placed on my resolution list when 2010 started. Let's see what I wrote on my list last January:

1. Soap Making
2. Level 2 of Drums
3. Baking
4. Guitar playing (must memorize 4 songs)
5. Painting
6. Candle Making
7. Spa Making
8. Scuba Diving
9. Wind Surfing
10. Surfing
11. Making Beaded Accessories
12. Driving
13. Biking
14. Play Keyboards (must memorize 2 songs)
15. Tarot Card Reading
16. Cooking My Own Dishes
17. Reading My Books

It's all been about work, work and more work since last month but I'm not complaining much. I am happy that somehow, I am compensated for a job that I enjoy doing... that somehow, despite the many financial obligations Peter and I have been facing as of late, we're still able to manage them all.

Like Peter said, it just so happened that these obligations came in one big wave (house and car mortgages, MRI & Fire insurance, registration of 2 cars, sky high electricity bills, unexpected Nikon D40 repair, life/health/personal accident insurances plus the usual credit card and utility bills). That's more than Php100k down the drain in one go. I guess this is what being a mature adult is all about --- the fact that we can make some simple sacrifices in the hopes of big returns in the future (Yup, 2.5 more years for the car and 7 more years for the house! And come August, I shall be getting one of my insurance claims. Yes!)

And even if we haven't been traveling much these days, even if we haven't been spending on simple luxuries, even if we're just always at home watching DVDs, cooking our own food, spending quality time together... we're still happy, healthy and content most of the time. I think these are the things that matter the most.

On another note, I have been more active on blogging these days. To wit:

I overhauled my fashion site and included Hollywood celebrity news and gossips in it.
I am a very much active baby wiccan as of late. I always do tarot card readings, spells, and further enhance my psychic development which I share to my readers.
I manage to update my travel blog almost everyday.
I manage to also update my food blog more regularly than before (at least once a week).

And because I am back to my meditation practices, and regularly read my self-help books, I also plan to squeeze into my busy schedule a little time to update my self-help and bookwoorm blogs as well.

What else did I miss?

The only time we got out of the house last month was when we went to Enchanted Kingdom Biki Water World to cover the Crocs event. I had fun watching the fashion show and I was so awed by the magic tricks performed by a magician afterward.

What else...

Oh, Peter and I will be celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary on June 8! We didn't plan anything special. Both of us will be working on that day. And I'm still not sure if we will go ahead with our Dumaguete trip scheduled for June 10-15 coz Peter may not have enough vacation leaves to cover the trip plus we're a bit reluctant to spend money. The plane tickets have already been paid for last March. It's the hotel and other travel expenses that I'm really worried about. Hopefully, after I do some financial check-up, some funds will be left for that trip. If not, well, it's not the end of the world. And hopefully, the weather will cooperate too. It's been raining hard these days. Though I very much welcome the cold and rainy weather, it is not conducive for traveling.

I guess that's pretty much it for now. I'll try to do some beaded jewelry today plus play with my drums and guitar. And maybe try to do a jar of body scrub too! ^_^

Ciao for now! Update you again next month. Or perhaps sooner. ^_^

Labor Day Everyday This May

2010-05-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

Isn't it obvious? It's the middle... no scrap that... I mean it's already past the middle of the month before I finally managed to have the time to write here.

It's all been work. The last time I vacationed was on April 17-21 when we explored the very scenic spots of Legaspi, Donsol and Caramoan. I will blog about that before the year ends for sure. Teehee. I do miss traveling though. Let me share with you some photos I was tagged at during our trip:

At Lignon Hill for our Ziplining Adventure. At the back is the perfect view of Mayon Volcano.

Swimming with the Butanding whale shark in Donsol...so amazing!!!

At Pitogo Bay with the Survivor's Viewing Deck

Was this the Tinago Cove? I don't remember anymore. ^_^

We even caught a video of us swimming with the Butanding in Donsol!

But I am happy where I am right now - at home and in front of my computer pretty much ALL THE TIME.

So anyway, I got a couple of online gigs going and as usual I seldom sleep. If I do, I just take short naps or 2-3 hour sleep breaks.

I still cook and clean the house, and do the laundry and other chores. That's basically my only chances to do any physical exercises this month. On weekends, I spend time on our hammocks and read some of my books. We rarely go out, eat out, or do anything outside of the house. I'm not complaining though. One of my jobs is pretty stimulating that I can't seem to keep myself away from my computer. And the good thing about it is that I am able to apply some of the things I learn on my blogs.

And speaking of my blogs, I am updating them now more than usual. It's just the travelogues that are taking so much time because of all the info and photo arrangement I have to do. And since my other PC crashed, I don't have the paint program that lets me view the photos in 20% size so it's pretty hard to organize the photos on the blog, but I am coping.

I haven't forgotten all the lists I made at the start of this year though. Hopefully, next month, I get to tackle some of those.

So ciao for now! Update you again next month!

A Fool For April

2010-04-07T00:46:00.000-07:00

Yeah... April is turning out to be one fun summer month and the heat is making me soooo lazy to do any work. I stopped doing two of my jobs and I'm thinking of whether to give up this third one. I just feel like bumming at the beach, or lounging at home so I can catch up on blogging about my travels, reading my books, doing my spells and what-not. I guess March burnt me out so much that half of what I planned to do like windsurf, visit Bolinao again, and discover all the other lakes in San Pablo did not materialize. The only trip we did last month was our weekend of sunbathing and shopping in Subic and our Anilao snorkeling day trip which I haven't even blogged about yet. Well, at least, I had my bathroom tiles changed and we now have a brand new front yard. Yipee! At least the money we worked so hard for went to something lasting, practical, and productive for a change. ^_^

Sunset at Dampalitan Beach where we camped last weekend.

So, what's in store for me this month? Honestly, as long as summer is here, I want to concentrate on summer stuff like camping (we've only used our brand new Coleman tent once when we were in Dampalitan beach last weekend in Padre Burgos... we have to use it more often), more beach hopping, windsurfing & snorkeling, and finally exploring all those other lakes in San Pablo, Laguna. In between trips, I want to finish reading all those new books I bought from Readers' Digest, and finish all those DVD series we bought early this year (Supernatural Season 5, Dexter Season 5, Medium Season 5, Fringe Seasons 1&2, House Seasons 5&6, Grey's Anatomy Seasons 5&6, Vampire Diaries Season 1) and several other movie DVDs. In short, I just want to chill and relax this summer. I guess this is one of the perks of working from home. You can quit any time you want and find another job when you feel like it. ^_^ Of course, my drums, guitar and Peter's keyboards are always at hand to keep me company. I started playing other songs aside from This Is Me and Alone but I haven't got the time to memorize them yet. I'll let you know.

Our Coleman tent is the best!

Lastly, I hope to start making beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings again. They're the perfect accessories for my beach trips this month. We've already been to the white beaches of Padre Burgos in Quezon last Holy Week, and we plan to camp at Potipot Island in Zambales this coming weekend, then head to Sorsogon to swim with the Butandings and explore the Caramon Peninsula on April 17-21. On the final weekend of April, we hope to windsurf again and finally check out Sampaloc Lake in San Pablo. I guess it's a good plan.

I'll check in on you again next month. Enjoy your summer!

The Heat is On!

2010-03-05T05:13:00.000-08:00

The heat is definitely on! And the only thing that I look forward to every week are our adventure weekend out of town trips when we finally hang out at the beach, discover new places, do some windsurfing, frolic in the waters, and hopefully begin surfing again and take scuba diving lessons.

I was not joking when I said in my last post that I work so hard. My gosh, I am literally living every weekday, from our bed to my work station. I seldom get out of my office, and when I do, it's because I feel so stressed and tired, and that's the only time I go down to clean the house a bit (coz it relaxes my mind), do a batch of laundry (it's all automatic anyway), prepare a super quick meal, or spend around 5-10 minutes playing with drums and my guitar (yes, I'm still playing Alone and This is Me, the only two songs I have memorized), or tinker with our keyboards which I am still getting used to. And thank God for lunch and dinner breaks, I can watch my favorite TV series one episode at a time. (Right now, I just started with Desperate Housewives Season 6)... All to relieve pressure and anxiety that I sometimes experience when I feel so overwhelmed with my virtual tasks. Could I really do this? Could I really hack 3 virtual jobs for a long time? I am grateful though for being a virtual assistant. I still think it's the best job in the world coz you can have the best of both worlds. And it does make you earn lots of money if you know where to look and how to use your time.

It's just that with 3 jobs, sacrifies were indeed made on my part and I am getting used to it. I am getting used to not blogging every now and then; I am getting used to not checking my social networks every 5 minutes, I am getting used to the solitude I have when I'm fully focused on my jobs, and I am getting used to feeling more at peace. I didn't realize that I can consider all those social networking stuff as clutter in my life. When I really had to make a decision, they were the first things to go. My life has been more calm since. Coz while some have been helpful, many of them have been very distracting that I didn't realize before how much of my time was used (or maybe wasted) just updating and commenting on facebook, twitter, plurk, myspace, friendster, etc. Anyway, these are just my thoughts for now since I have never been this busy before to the point that I couldn't even get up to buy myself some drinking water supply from our neighbor. Thank God for my husband who thinks of me when I can't even think of myself.

Anyway, I just needed to share my thoughts. I am looking forward to a series of happy weekends with my hubby this summer. This weekend, we're hoping to do the two rides we weren't able to do two weeks ago: Superman and Silver Surfer rides at Treetop Adventure, then head to Dungaree beach in Subic. Two weeks ago, it was All Hands Beach we checked out and it was nice too. I'll do a post on that on my travel blog soon. Come Sunday, we plan to do a bit of windsurfing again then look for the other lakes in San Pablo.

Happy weekend, everyone and have a great summer!

Work Hard, Play Harder, Love the Hardest

2010-02-16T05:43:00.000-08:00

Growing up as the eldest of three siblings, and with responsibilities beyond my age, I learned how to be efficient so I can still devote some time with activities that make me happy. I remember, when I was just a kid, making stationery and origami during the rainy season made me feel so happy. When the sun was out, I played tex, or football, or tumbang preso, or taguan, or shato with my friends. I was such a boyish little girl. I had more guy friends than girl friends. Go figure. Anyway, I digress. I just thought of these memories coz I'm still trying to make sense of the way I am currently living my life.

The second week of February was quite challenging for me. Like I told you before, I accepted another full time job. Now, why the heck did I do that when I was already living a beautiful life? I work hard, I play harder and I love the hardest. I guess it has something to do with my being efficient and more productive. You see, if I'm not busy with my job or tinkering with my personal projects, I spend hours just checking my social networks, emails, blogging and watching DVDs. Sure they bring me joy but then again, I'd rather exploit all my resources making a living out of something I love rather than doing what I love but wasting my energy, time and not earning money from it. Besides, I want to fund my new water sports activity, which is windsurfing, without using our savings. Plus, I still have plans of conquering my trauma in surfing and my fear of scuba diving so I might as well earn as much as I can so I can use my additional income to fund my new and old hobbies. ^_^ Then all my hard work won't be for nothing. Like what Peter's boss told him once, "I'll rest when I'm dead." Hehehe.

Windsurfing at Lake Caliraya

That being said, I am thankful for my jobs, the sleepless days and nights when I also try to squeeze in my other projects, and our wonderful weekends full of fun and adventure! (We got a couple of trips planned this summer. See my travel blog) And despite everything, I was still able to accomplish the following last week:

Practice, perseverance, and visualization... these are the keys to perfecting any craft.

I started with my windsurfing lessons last Saturday, yay!
I got to play with my guitar and drums (see videos I placed on my sidebar). I'm such an amateur but I don't care. I just studied on my own and look, I can play some tunes!
I continued reading my books.
I consulted with my Tarot cards and I was able to make readings for some friends.
My hubby helped me with the laundry
I was still able to clean the house.
I was able to blog.

The things that were taken from my schedule were:

about 30 minutes of meditation
about an hour of workout.... no more time to bike and exercise
no more time to cook
therefore, no more time for the other things I said I'd do!

Hmmmm...

Let me just get the hang of my new working schedule and I promise myself to make time even when there seems to be none.

This is my plan:

Meditate while stretching and exercising after I wake up each morning. Kahit 10 minutes lang.
Consult with my Tarot cards after breakfast.
Read a few pages of my books for 5 minutes each hour.
Prepare easy dishes during my lunch break and while waiting for the food, I can play some tunes. I should start tinkering with our keyboards soon!
Ask Peter to water the plants before he leaves the house in the morning and to fix our bed every morning too.
Simple cleaning of the house in the morning and in the afternoon.
Bike ride for only a few minutes after 6 pm.
Watch videos while I do my 2nd and 3rd jobs late at night and at dawn to keep me awake.
Play a bit of Wii boxing and/or Soulcalibur and No More Heroes for a few minutes to jolt me from slumber in case I feel very sleepy.
And on those weekends when we are not traveling, I will start making spa products and beaded accessories.

Ok, that's it for now. I think I'm quite happy with what I came up with. Carpe diem, folks!

The Month of Love

2010-02-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

Every time February comes around, people either dread it or love it. As for me, I've learned to be neutral about it. I've found out that for me, it is the best possible way to treat this month of hearts... with no expectations... coz that's when all blessings of love and prosperity come in.

Speaking of blessings, the month of February has started out flawlessly. During my first week, I was able to attend to several of my personal projects despite my hectic schedule and I felt quite satisfied and happy about it. To wit:

Consistent bike rides in the morning.
Tarot card reading for me and my friends. I've actually done several readings for myself since my last post but I just haven't published them yet. Plus, I am glad to be of help to friends and strangers who were in need of enlightenment. See my Wiccan Blog for an update.
I memorized two songs using my guitar. They're two of my all-time favorite songs --- Alone by Heart and This is Me by Demi Lovato. Yipee!
I read several of my books, a few pages at a time. I even managed to finish one (Earth Then and Now). See my Bookworm Blog for an update.

This week, I plan to accomplish the following:

Basic Lessons on Windsurfing which I will do this weekend with my hubby as we go to Caliraya, Batangas to celebrate our Valentine's Day together, braving the waves and the wind. If you need suggestions on what to do on Valentine's, see my Travel Blog and you might just be able to pick an activity you want.
Play the two songs I memorized using the keyboard this time.
Memorize at least three advanced drum beats in level 2.
Make at least one beaded accessory.
Play with Wii boxing which will serve as my workout too.

It all seems so easy when I see my plan written down. But when reality kicks in, it can be a bit challenging, especially now that I have let go of one of my freelance jobs and replaced it with a more stable one... one that needs me to follow a regular log-in and log-out time. I feel blessed though and I believe I can do everything that I set out to do. Like I said before, it's just a matter of proper time management, commitment to work and proper focus. And of course, I will never forget what I learned from Oprah... that when the going gets tough and the tough gets going, I need to stop, refuel and recharge. It also helps to eat the right kinds of food. Check-out my Self-Help blog for the whole article on this. and my Food Blog for the right kinds of food to eat to enhance your brain power and overall health. What Oprah shared on her book really enlightened me and gave me more will power and energy to go on.

And lastly, I believe all the mantras I've been reciting in my head during my meditations are really paying off.

" I am beautiful gorgeous, flawless, happy, healthy, smart, sexy and wealthy. I have financial and time freedom and I am enjoying wonderful new horizons of opportunities and I love my life!"

" Every day and in every way, I am getting better, better and better. All good things are coming to me. Money is easy and comes frequently and abundantly."

" My body is perfect and it knows what to do. I am my perfect weight and my perfect size."

Chat soon!

Carpe diem!

February is Here! What Have I Accomplished So Far?

2010-02-03T00:52:00.000-08:00

The third and fourth week of January have been a blur because of work. I did most of the tasks I put on my agenda although there were some days when I was just so tired after my shift that I ended up glued in front of the TV watching 24 before going to bed when I should've played with my drums and guitars some more or started looking for an affordable driving school instead of just letting time pass by. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Anyway, I forgive myself. I'm only human after all. On the other hand, I did start to accomplish some of the things I said I would:

I now cook simple recipes more than usual (including Peter's breakfast).
I was able to memorize one song with my guitar.
I'm getting better with my basic rock drum beat (if I have the time, I'll try to produce a video of myself playing with my instruments just to give me that extra push).
I read a few pages of my books when I wake up and before I sleep (Oprah's Live Your Best Life, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love, Archie Comics, Paolo Coelho's Brida, Jack Canfield's Success Principles, Reader's Digest).

Furthermore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank God and the universe for the additional blessings I received last month:

I went on an 8-day Asian backpacking trip with one of my best girlfriends (we explored Singapore, Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur) and cured my fear of flying in the process.
I attended a free NLP (Nuerolinguistic) program in Cebu, all expenses paid (accommodation at Waterfront Hotel, buffet meals, and the free airline tickets).
An additional job that provides additional income for us.

And so now, I face February, the second month of the year. I will be changing my routine a bit. Because of my trip to Cebu last weekend, my body clock shifted and I am now working from dawn til afternoon and sleeping in the evening instead of working from evening til morning and sleeping in the afternoon. I will maintain my meditation practices, of course, but my workout routine will have to be done after work. The same goes for the other projects that I want to accomplish. This month, I have to start incorporating the following into my weekday schedule and devote less time to DVD watching (good luck to me!):

Level 2 of Drums
Guitar playing (memorize a new song)
Wind Surfing (one weekend)
Making Beaded Accessories
Biking / Wii / PSP
Play Keyboards
Tarot Card Reading

This does not mean that I will let go of the other stuff I've already started to accomplish. The way I see my plan is like this: By doing these little projects one by one, a time will come when all of them will be a natural part of my daily routine. So even if I start doing something new, I will still be cooking, playing with my instruments, making beaded accessories, biking in the afternoon, etc.

With that I welcome February! May it be filled with accomplishments, joy and more blessings.

Carpe diem!

Chat soon!

An Experimental Schedule

2010-01-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

My second week ended rather nicely. I went to a casting call, spent time with my girlfriends, did a bit of shopping (bought a KECCi backpack for traveling and a Jeep DSLR holster), watched several episodes of 24 and of course, spent some more time bonding with my hubby.

And now, my third week has started so awesomely.

I first woke up at 1:30, Monday afternoon, Philippine time. I drank my Vita Plus veggie juice, I did my meditation, pondered about one of the Para-Grams, ACCOMPLISHMENT, then read 13 chapters of my book, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff In Love by Richard Carlson, Ph.D. At around 2:30 pm, I went back to sleep.

Over the years, I learned to follow the needs of my body. I figured that I've been so used to working in U.S. time (Central Standard Time) therefore it's just right that I go back to sleep so I can function better all throughout the day.

Finally, I woke up at around 6:00 pm (which is only 4:00 AM CST), more alert and energetic than ever. In six hours, I was able to accomplish the following:

Did some rounds of kickboxing.
Did 20 minutes of yoga afterwards.
Cleaned around the house a bit.
Had some fruits.
Did a bit more research on trips I want to do this year.
Took a shower.
Prepared a healthy breakfast --- Tuna and Vegetable Sandwich & a Hot Pot of Green Tea.
Played with my drums. For the first time, I used my new pair of Vic Firth drum sticks which were Bim's Christmas gift to me two Christmases ago. Hihihi. They're quite heavy for me. My old Zildjian sticks are a lot lighter and for now, I play better with them. ^_^
Memorized a song with my guitar. Yipee! My thumbs are aching though. I need to practice regularly.
Read a few pages of Paolo Coelho's book, Brida.
Then I logged in for work, blogged a bit at Kicking Pinay and checked my social networks.
While working, I was able to use my Foot and Back Massager w/ Infrared Heat; I was able to finish uploading all the songs I love on my iTunes and right now I am using my Slender Shaper. You see I got so many stuff I purchased impulsively in the past and which I never really use. So all that will change by not purchasing something I don't really need and using those that I already have. Good plan, right?

Anyway, I consider all these things very productive. On any ordinary day, I would've just spent those hours surfing the net about trivial stuff and watching 24 or one of my TV series/DVD movies.. totally unproductive as compared to what I have accomplished today so far.

It's now 5:30 AM (Philippine time) / 3:35 PM (Central Standard Time). I'm halfway through my job and currently taking a break by blogging about what I have accomplished so far.

When I log out later, I plan to water the plants, do some tarot card reading, read more of Brida and say a prayer of gratitude before I go to sleep. ^_^

I feel so good about today that I may be using this kind of schedule from now on, or at least this week... until I get bored with it. The important thing is for me to be able to do a bit of everything that I set out to accomplish for this year and stop doing other mindless and unproductive stuff. Amen.

Chat soon!

THIS IS IT! Hello 2010!

2010-01-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

My second week for 2010 is almost over and what have I done to accomplish my goals? I know I haven't made any strict schedule to do everything I've set out for this year. Being an Aquarian, I know and I accept both my strengths and weaknesses as well as my quirks and limitations. I am much too carefree to be bound by a strict schedule day in and day out. Believe me, I have tried creating an excel file for my schedule but it just didn't work. I always end up doing what I felt like doing.

So for now, let me just put in writing the things I have accomplished so far. Being a visual person, this helps me organize my cluttered yet O.C. mind and I can see everything more clearly. I really am a walking contradiction, noh?

1st week of January:

I went on an Asian backpacking trip where I got in touch with my spiritual side with the help of one of my best friends, and my guru, Jem.
I meditated and prayed a lot.
I was able to practice my photography by taking tons of photos non-stop on those 8 days we were touring Southeast Asia.

2nd week of January:

I am back at my hectic work schedule.
I was able to continue doing my meditations and prayers of gratitude.
I cooked twice and hopefully I can start cooking a recipe next week from one of my cook books like I promised before.
I will try to do a blog post for each of my other blogs that I haven't updated yet: bookworm and witchcraft.
I was able to update my other personal blogs: sexynomad, fashionko, Kicking Pinay and diet motivator.
I was able to upload tons of songs on my itunes. Yay!
I was able to watch a couple of DVDs with my hubby.
I was able to clean the house and do the laundry.

What's next?

Okay, I admit, I do feel overwhelmed. Mondays-Fridays are devoted to my online work, a bit of personal blogging (which includes tinkering with my tarot and other Wiccan stuff, doing fashion posts, reading books, photography and cooking). Weekends are for errands, our Vita Plus biz, acting gigs (if any), trips (if any), social meetings and of course, time with my hubby. I guess I'd have to squeeze in there all those other things I intend to accomplish this year like:

1. Soap Making

2. Level 2 of Drums
3. Baking

4. Guitar playing (must memorize 4 songs)

5. Painting

6. Candle Making

7. Spa Making

8. Scuba Diving

9. Wind Surfing

10. Surfing

11. Making Beaded Accessories

12. Driving

13. Biking

14. Play Keyboards (must memorize 2 songs)

I can do this!!!! Perhaps what I can do is eliminate those things that are not very important and take up so much of my time like:

Spending a lot of time checking Plurk and Facebook.
Staring into space (yeah I do that when I'm zombified).
Try to limit watching my new copies of TV series (24, Dexter, House, Fringe, How I Met Your Mother, Supernatural, etc.)
Watching my fave DVDS over and over (Harry Potter and Superman series, Sex & the City, Iron Man, etc.)
Cleaning every time I see something that is not clean or not in order.

I'll update you again after this weekend. Hopefully by then, I can clear my mind as to what I want to focus on first. Gotta go to work. Ciao for now!

Facing My Fears in 2010

2009-12-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

Hi! I'm back!

Since I am doing these little personal projects which I have been putting on hold for the longest time (some of which for even a decade now), I figured, why not try to face my fears too and include them on this blog? There are three major things which I have always wanted to do but due to freaky past experiences, traumatized me and stopped me from bringing them to the next level. Here they are:

DRIVING LESSONS - Peter and I took A-1 driving lessons after we got married in 2002. It all went pretty well then... bam! After I cruised the whole of Edsa and some parts of Manila, I ended up crashing one of the curbed pavements of the subdivision where we lived before in Meycauayan. tsk, tsk, tsk. Our Revo ended up with a broken steering wheel and I was of course traumatized. I tried getting over it. I even bought an A-1 Driver's Manual to help myself get back on track again.

Since the book wasn't enough, I tried harder getting over my trauma. In 2007, I bought a car that I love (Toyata Yaris) thinking that it will give me the motivation to drive. Well, as you can see, my plan backfired. My sister said that the motivation should come first before buying the actual car. In my case, the opposite happened. Whatever the case is, I am looking forward to learning how to drive this coming new year.

~~~oOo~~~

SURFING - It all started out pretty well. I first surfed in 2006 and continued to do so every chance I got. I even bought a book to further enhance my skills. Then come December 2007, I almost drowned while surfing because of a strong underwater current.

Since then, I was never the same in wavy waters. I want to get over this fear coz I had so much fun prior to the drowning experience. Plus, we need to use Didi (our yellow surfboard). It's just gathering dust now in the lanai.

~~~oOo~~~

SCUBA DIVING - Peter and I first had our fun dive in 2006. I had a hard time using the mask but eventually I got over it. I also had problems with the pressure... it hurt my ear.

Hopefully, this coming year, I'll be able to enroll in full scuba diving lessons, get over my fear of the water pressure and enjoy the beauty underwater.

Regarding the schedule which I am supposed to follow, I haven't figured that out yet. I'll be travelling to Singapore, Saigon and Kuala Lumpur first week of January (Jan.1-8, 2010). At least, I am facing my fear of flying head on. I'll be in a total of 6 flights. I hope I don't freak out as much since I won't be with my hubby, just my girlfriend.

Ciao for now. See you next year and have a prosperous and merry one!

Prepping For My 2010 Projects

2009-12-04T05:03:00.000-08:00

I want to let you all know that I am serious about this project of mine. Like I told my new author friend --- Dennis Hambright --- I know I'm not getting any younger and I'd like to make a new set of goals come 2011 (like going to Brazil or even Paris!) but I won't be able to do that if I can't finish these little projects of mine. They always pop up in my new year's resolution list every year but I never seem to follow through. So... like what my late idol, Michael Jackson, said: "THIS IS IT!" It's now or never.

So in preparation for these projects of mine, I made sure that I have all the materials/knowledge that I will need. This will reinforce the fact that I have no more excuses for not finishing them all next year.

Let's go back to my list earlier and see what I have so far:

Soap Making

I bought this book in 2003 right after I took a soapmaking seminar in U.P. Soaps were supposed to be one of those things that I will make and sell together with my other spa products I called N.I.B.s / Nature in Bottles (which were even published in the lifestyle section of Philippine Daily Inquirer that same year). Well, guess what? I got very busy supplying tons of people with my spa products that I never got to commercialize my learning in the soapmaking seminar. I hope to study it again next year... not really to sell but for my own personal satisfaction. The selling part will just have to follow much, much later... depending on circumstances. ;-)

Level 2 of Drums

I got the drums, I got the books... what else could I ask for, right? The purple book on the left taught me the basic rock beat. I studied that early this year and it was cathartic. Never mind that my neighbors probably detested me for harrassing their peaceful sleep at night. Lol! Anyways, the book came with a DVD so it was very easy to learn. The white book on the other hand, the one on the right, is for my level 2. It will teach me more difficult drum beats. Gosh! I'm so anxious just thinking about it. The book comes with an audio CD so it will be harder. I'm more of a visual person, you know. But I gotta do it. So good luck to me!

Baking and Cooking

When I was in high school, during our Home Economics class, I was usually the dish washer rather than the cook. I preferred the lull of the flowing water in the sink than the heat of the oven or the stove. I even tried baking a cake for my boyfriend back then. I just didn't know if he ate it. It was so hard! Literally, the cake was like a rock. So I fully understand if he never ate it. But now, cooking and baking are starting to grow on me. We don't have a real oven (YET) but maybe I can start with an oven toaster instead and try to make cakes that don't really require an oven. Hmmm. I got all the recipe books I will ever need, one of which (The Joy of Cooking, the one on the right) was even used in the movie Julie and Julia which inspired me to do all this in the first place.

Guitar Playing (must memorize 4 songs)

I started learning the guitar in grade school. My mom hired a teacher who taught me how to play Hotel California. But for some reason (maybe financial reason, I don't really remember), the lessons suddenly stopped. I self-studied back in high school and even saved up my allowance so I can buy my very first Lumanog guitar. It was huge! As in literally huge. In 2006, I fell in love with this cool pink Krizzia guitar in Mega Mall so I bought it. It is smaller than what I was used to, so, playing it became a lot easier.But the thing is, I only played when I felt like it. I lacked (and I still do) the discipline to at least memorize one song and be good at it. Next year, I'll have my chance.

Painting

I started drawing at a very young age. I had a favorite... For some reason, I loved drawing the beach... with the coconut tree, the white sand, the sea and the mountains from afar. It's always the same thing. Maybe it's my subconscious telling me that someday I'll be the Sexy Nomad that I am today. Hihihi... Anyway, back in grade school, I drew my own stationery and sold them to my classmates so I can have extra allowance. Yeah...I was kind of entrepreneurial even at a young age. I had to be or else I'd have nothing to eat (which happened quite often actually). I also remember being asked by my teachers to draw stuff. I even won in school drawing and painting competitions. They even sent me to an interschool drawing competition over at Midtown Hotel in Manila. See, I still remember! But then again, for some reason, it just all suddenly stopped when I went to high school. I got busy with academics and acting. I just started painting again in college. But I painted dark stuff portraying rage, anger and despair. I didn't throw my paintings but I kept them hidden all these years coz I don't wanna attract those emotions anymore. The Secret said that if I want to attract good things then I must paint good things. I just miss drawing /painting. It proved to be cathartic and I was sort of good at it too. Sort of... now I actually don't know if I still know how to draw... We'll see... If you must know, I bought these painting materials in 1999-2000. I was still single then! And look, they're still as good as new. I better use them soon.

Candle Making

I did this in 2003 coz I was curious as to how candles are made. Hopefully, I still remember how. If not, I recently learned how to make one with just oil and a wick. Then I'll just glamour it up with a nice candle holder and other accessories. I shall show you soon...

Spa Making

Like I told you earlier, I already did this in 2003-2006. I wanna make my own again. It's fun, exciting and I might even sell some to those who are interested in using all-natural spa products.

Making Beaded Accessories

I used to make my own before. Then life happened, I just didn't have the time. Most of my beaded accessories are made by moi and I still have a lot of raw materials left. I don't want them to go to waste so... Plus, making my own beaded accessories can be a lot of fun! It's just so kikay and so vain... so me!!! ^_^

Play Keyboards (must memorize 2 songs)

The keyboard you see here is my hubby's. He's had it since he was a child but he never really got to play with it. I had one too when I was still a student but it's not as big and high-tech as this. Lucky me I married him, I don't have to buy one for myself anymore. Those books you see on top, I've had them since college. This means that I've been really meaning to learn how to play. Just like with my guitar skills, they're very basic. I was just never disciplined enough to really memorize a song and be good at it. Hopefully next year I will be.

Palm Reading, Casting Spells and Tarot Reading

I actually have a separate blog for these wicked things. But I notice that it only gets updated when Halloween is near coz that's when I practice with my Wiccan skills more often than usual. Hopefully, I'll be able to spend more focused time with these shenanigans and be able to cast my own spell, do my own enchantments, read palms and do tarot readings without looking at my cheat sheet. I'm crossing my fingers!

So that's it for now. Be back when I have more ideas.

Oh, hold on a sec... I'm pretty sure a time will come when I'll get bored doing the same project for a period of a month at a time. So just in case I won't be able to overcome my boredom and my being impulsive, I have my other toys to play with to kind of destress and regroup. That's why I am keeping my Wii and PSP handy. ^_^

Chat soon!

What My Hubby Said About This Blog

2009-12-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

As usual, he didn't go home last night. That's how it really is when you work in an ad agency. I should know. I only lasted in that same industry for three weeks. Anyway, I digress...

I told my hubby about this new blog and he thinks it has an interesting concept. And I said yeah... in an ADHD kind of way. LOL. You see, I like to start little projects here and there but I don't seem to get to finish everything. At least now, I can monitor myself better and I'd feel pressured enough to finish each one. After all, it's just one project per month. How bad and taxing can that be?

Then I asked my hubby if he thinks what I wrote on my P.S. is true. Coz there are times when I feel like my other blogs have become sellouts. To answer my question, he said these exact words:

"I don't think so. I still think your main blog is your chief vehicle. You just feel somewhat pressured to put up content there... It's become more of a publishing site than a journal site but your main blog's strongest characteristic remains to be you. People love reading you because they feel like they really get to know you. They can fantasize between your lines...whether to be you or to be in you. Yung mga fans mo babae, gustong maging ikaw. Yung mga fans mo naman na lalake gustong maging "kayo". "

I totally cracked at his last line. Okay, point taken. Still, I want to have a blog that will focus on my little projects and my little feelings every now and then.

Oh, I should tell you that I plan to start this on January 1, 2010. It will be my new year's resolution. Only this time, I am really hoping to follow through.

I'm still working on the perfect schedule. Like which project should go with which month. I'll update you as soon as I know.

Chat soon!

Why I Started This Blog

2009-12-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

I was watching Julie and Julia earlier. It's a movie about the real stories of two people who both found joy in cooking. Not that I am particularly very passionate about cooking, I like to cook, just not all the time. The thing is, like both of them, I want to find that inner joy in me by doing something worthwhile. The challenge here now is this: I am interested in a lot of things. And most of the time, I just do whatever I want to do. Though it has been a dream come true for me to be having this kind of lifestyle, I sometimes find it unfulfilling. True, I can do whatever I want, when I want and how I want it but there has to be a system here somewhere. Like there should be some schedule that I should follow... like being in school. There has to be a particular goal and a particular deadline, like how Julie did it in the movie (500+ recipes in 365 days). But knowing how impatient and impulsive I always get, maybe I can chunk it down to like having a particular project every month. Like at the end of every month, I have to have something to show for it. It sounds like a plan, doesn't it?

Okay, right now, just off the top of my head, here are the projects that I came up with that I must follow through. I still don't have the perfect schedule though. I'll work it out on my next blog post.

1. Soap Making

2. Level 2 of Drums
3. Baking

4. Guitar playing (must memorize 4 songs)

5. Painting

6. Candle Making

7. Spa Making

8. Making Beaded Accessories

9. Play Keyboards (must memorize 2 songs)

10. Palm reading

11. Tarot Reading

12. Cooking

Wow! That's a lot. Do you think I can master all these things in 12 months? There's only one way to find out.

P.S.
Oh, and I want to vent out some real emotions here too. My other blogs seem to have no space for that anymore.

Chat soon!