yet another venture

rode the bus home with jacq and rex today.  it was pretty funny because rex was in between the two of us and he fell asleep halfway along the trip.  can you imagine him with his eyes closed and mouth half-open, involuntarily leaning towards jacq every time the bus would come to a halt?!?! hilarious!  i should've taken a video, or at least a picture. oh well, maybe next time.

anyway, i'm beginning to think i should try to take more bus rides with jacq--the ideas just come spewing out of our brains in the same manner that magma comes out from volcanoes.  there's TUWA, which i still want to continue one of these days, there's our postgraduate studies, writing, preschool teaching or teaching religion or just teaching...and now there's our coffee shop/art haven/boutique! we already have a prospect for the venue (jacq's current house in QC, which they'll be evacuating in 3 years).  we have all sorts of ideas already, like hosting film showings, open mic nights, exhibits for up-and-coming artists, painting workshops, etc.  

i figured it would be nice to put up our quaint little cafe in a residential area that's also accessible to those outside the neighborhood.  for the residents, it can be their local hangout place.  and for the rest, it can be a place that would be worth the trip--just for the food, the events, the ambience.  it also goes with my move-out-by-25 plan since i can just live in one of the rooms in the bungalow; wouldn't even have to commute to get to work! now that's the life. heeheehee. i'm so excited!  what do you think? any future patrons out there?  don't worry, we'll leave the cooking to an expert :)

jacq said that, out of all the things we were planning, we should really try to pursue at least one of them.  i agree--and i can't wait!

speaking of moving out, i was at Kultura a while ago, window shopping while our German guest at work did some real shopping.  i found some amazing pieces which i'd love to have in my own place (once i get one).  here's a few of them. btw, i bet you can find several of these items in divisoria or even in dapitan so you ought to try those places first before heading to Kultura in SM.

i would use this chair to stack some books probably, and put it next to the door so i can hang a cardigan on the back or something that i might need in a jiffy.

for my accessories! then i'l just put them on top of the dresser, assuming i had enough to buy one.  i'm actually imagining a spare unit with a daybed and a breakfast nook.  those are my essentials, see.  then everything else will just be lying around on the floor.

those are the pics! well, i thought i took more of them! sorry! hahahaha.  i was supposed to add a thick wooden bowl where you can put all sorts of found objects, instead of leaving them lying around the house.  there were some great picture frames too, and native rugs, and more capiz items.

now i really can't wait to move out :D 

shout out!

due to some unanticipated Facebook happenings, at least three more people are aware that this blog exists in cyberspace (i guess i should be happy but now i'm just feeling a bit queasy).  shout out to Jewel, Judy, and Marian!!!

anyway, i suddenly felt the urge to look at my posts and make sure i didn't write anything too stupid that can be used against me later on.  ok, so i actually need to indicate the photo credits because jewel caught me on that one. fiiiine!!!  i might even have to take my own photos. actually that's ok, i just find uploading the pics a real hassle.

also, i decided to write a bit about the things that i said i would.  these are just off the top of my tiny head and i'm pretty sure i'm still gonna miss some of them. here goes:

1) perfume:  last May 2010, i bought a bottle of perfume for the first time.  mind you, it's less than P2k, which i know is still cheap compared to other brands.  anyway, that was my first time ever (i don't even buy baby cologne although now i'm thinking i should've taken baby steps first), and what mostly convinced me to do such a thing was the Little Miss Desperate inside of me.  see, i have been told by several guys that perfume on a girl counts for extra points.  Kuya Amid was first drawn to Ate Deisen (who is now his wife) when he caught her scent as she passed by him while they were on the same boat.  my dad said that if i don't wear perfume, no guy would ever fall in love with me.  and Dudz said that even though it's not his priority, an alluring scent on a girl would be a real bonus. so, bumigay ako. haaay. kala ko pa naman feminista ako, pero napabili din ako ng pabango. darn! at wala pa rin nagkakagusto sa kin! in fairness, i still keep forgetting to put on perfume most days anyway. hahahaahha.

2) foundation:  ended up getting Ever Bilena's liquid foundation with SPF 15 in Oriental.  it's quite good, i think, although i don't really have much to compare it with.  i didn't need to mix it with other shades--it was quite a close match, thankfully.  i use a foundation brush to apply it, which i find really fun.  however, since we did filming on location and it was quite warm, i did get a bit sweaty and when i'd wipe my face, i could see that the foundation was coming off as well.  maybe i need to use primer? i don't know.  anyway, i'll try to find out one of these days, when i have an urgent need of doing so.

3) My Icon, My Hero: i didn't win. phooeeey!  but of course you know that already. i would've immediately told you and everyone within a 5km radius had the situation been the opposite. hahaha.  i just try to comfort myself with the thought that all those who did win were already accomplished writers anyway.  oh well, maybe next year, eh? darn though, i was really counting on that flat screen TV.

4) Pixie: actually, it's nearing the length of a bob right now.  and the ends are flying away in all directions! i can't wait to grow back my hair though. seriously.  there are a million styles i want to try.  and i wanna get my portrait/ headshot taken too.

5) my OC financial plan: it's late already.  somebody remind me to discuss it in my next post instead, ok?

6) the Root of Obesity: you know how i tend to judge people who overeat and call them selfish gluttons?  i'm really sorry about that.  i know that though it is true for a lot of cases, there is something much deeper underneath it all.  it could be a health thing (one of my closest friends has a thyroid problem which causes her to, among other things, gain weight).  it could also be psychiatric--there is a reason behind people overeating or overspending.  sometimes it's about wanting to take control of something in your life and, when everything else is out of our hands, we go to the things that we do have a say over.  i'll try not to stereotype and label people, promise! i'll really try.  i still think that these issues can be overcome by a realization that there are more important things than our own problems, but i also know that this is easier said than done.

that's it for now.  adios, amigos!

less is more (and a side comment on The Rider)

once again, i read a wonderful article yesterday about a couple who decided to wean themselves from most of their material possessions after having realized that they weren't taking much satisfaction and happiness from these.  i'm finding more and more of these stories during these times.  i especially enjoyed the one about people living in ridiculously small but adorable houses.

these days, we work our asses off just so we can afford that next new thing--whether it's yet another hi-tech gadget that you don't even really need, an incredibly wonderful pair of shoes that would just get ruined in the rain anyway, or even a lavish trip (which, more often than not, is wholly aimed at gaining extra bragging points on Facebook).  we're trying to plug this emptiness in our lives with as many possessions as we can.  but it ain't the right fix, so that giant hole is never truly covered and we end up wanting and wanting, buying and buying, trying to hide and camouflage all the things that are wrong in our lives.

they say that the consumers are wisening up, learning to really plan their purchases, discerning which ones will give them more value--not just in terms of money, but also in terms of the experiences they will gain through the purchases being made and the relationships being formed.  i say, this is still a tiny percentage of the population.  maybe it's because the financial meltdown hasn't made that much of a difference in our lives here in the Philippines (we were already messed up even before the 2008 recession).  maybe the problem needs a greater intervention.  i don't know.  i'm neither well-read in Psychology nor in Economics.

well, as you all know, i have my Project 365, right?  and the very existence of this blog is based on the belief that there are more important things in life than money; that you can be happy with less; that money should be used to bring joy and goodness to this earth and its inhabitants, rather than destroy it.  i'm really grateful for having read this article at a time when i'm itching to buy yet another pair of shoes (100 days down, 265 days to go) because it reaffirms my convictions.  even if it is hard to control the flight of the plastic card, i know it'll pay off in the long run.

this weekend, i will start sorting my clothes and shoes and bags yet again.  i'll be donating them to a friend's garage sale, the proceeds of which will be used to pay for the expenses incurred due to her dad's funeral.  my under-used and under-appreciated belongings will be better off there, helping a family get back on its feet after the death of its patriarch.  i plan on slowly cleaning out my wardrobe until i have 100 or less items in it (excluding underwear though).  maybe i could organize a garage sale on September too, to get rid of all the stuff we have in our aunt's store.  we'll use the proceeds for our room's renovation :)  or a really good cause--maybe sustainable education or livelihood, a library, or even an arts program for the youth--which i have yet to find (please help me with this one, if you can).

it all comes down to this: will it make you truly happy?

**on a side note (totally unrelated), i saw a female driving a motorbike today.  she had a scarf under her helmet, probably to keep her hair nice, and she was wearing 4-inch heels!!! gawd! how did she do it? no idea.  but it got me thinking, if i can't buy a car, would i rather continue commuting or get a motorbike instead (provided that i knew how to ride one--i can't even ride a bike)?? what would you choose?

spending on what matters

whoa, it's been a while since a serious post on this site, huh? i've been so busy that writing about frugality has completely left my mind.  although this is so, i like to think that i managed to maintain my xprodigal philosophy amidst the chaos.

that being said, i must admit that i've spent so much in the recent month! huhuhu.  but i am proud to say, nevertheless, that all those expenses more or less were on things and events that really matter to me and my goal.  i think there are many types of frugality--one of which is really just about spending as little money as possible, but the other being about watching what you spend on and only shelling out on things that really matter to you.

for me, what matters right now is helping other people (and not just spoonfeeding them, but helping them help themselves), spending time with my family and friends and letting them know i care about them, and achieving my dream and mission of spreading His word through art.  so when it's a really good cause that i know will go a long way, when it's a little something something that will enable me to have quality bonding time with my loved ones, or when it's for my artistic/evangelistic pursuits, that's when i spend.  because that is the entire purpose of money anyway--not to be stored in a bank to earn interest or used to buy stocks in the market.  it's not even to buy a perfect pair of comfortable yet oh-so-beautiful shoes.  simply put, money is just supposed to make this world a better place.

so, what matters to you?!?  and how can your wad of cash benefit this universe?

rainy days

during the summer, i had nothing to wear--everything was too warm.  now that it's rainy season already, i still have nothing to wear--they're all NOT waterproof. darn weather. anyway, as is the custom come july-october, i am obsessing over rainboots.  there is really a poor selection available in the country and most of those i see online are way over my budget.  it's really frustrating because it rains here all the time and we Filipinos insist on shying away from the rainboots because they are supposed to be baduy or whatever.

well, i have a pair of psychedelic green rainboots. mind you, they were the subtlest ones available already, but at least i can hold my head up high whenever Taft Avenue turns into a raging river.  i really wish some company would come up with simple but lean rainboots though; the plain ones currently sold by Advan are way too macho chunky for my taste.

anyway, i saw this pic of the gossip girl set and i thought, "God, i wish i could look that hot in the rain!" hahaha.  so i'm adding a clear umbrella, nice trench, and stylish rainboots to the things i CAN'T buy anyway.

PS -  don't et mad at me but i'm seriously thinking of abolishing Project 365 in favor of a Trinny and Ssannah-esque wardrobe overhaul. once i get the funds, i mean

makeup madness

ang hirap magpaganda...grrr!!!!!

so, i have a project that will require me to appear on cam, and everything has been going great! i think i'm doing a good job.  now, my only problem is--my darn looks.  huhu, i need to look good and therefore need makeup, tons of it! curse this spotty, ruddy skin of mine (just kidding, Lord. i'm very grateful).  but i do need to clean up a bit.

unfortunately, "a bit" is quite relative.  though the difference might seem tiny on screen, it sure isn't when it comes to the preparation, not to mention the effect on the pockets!

this is what the "natural" look requires:

1. toner for my oily face
2. primer to make my skin look smoother and to let the makeup last longer
3. foundation to even out the skin tone
4. concealer to minimize those terrid acne marks and my giant undereye circles
5. powder to blend it all in and keep shine at bay
6. eyeliner to make eyes pop
7. several shades of eyeshadow
8. brow powder
9. eyelash curler and mascara for the wide-eyed look
10. blush for a natural flush
11. lip balm and lip color so i don't look like a corpse

this means, unfortunately, that i'll have to break my Project 365 rule on makeup. aaack! i'm trying to limit though, and am determined to settle for cheap but good alternatives.  i need to buy #s 2,3,4, at the very minimum.  mind you, those are the most important items too, since my skin is really the devil here.

no wonder all those celebrities are shooting up! if you had to do this every day, you'd go crazy too.

wait a sec, what about my hair?!?!?!?!?

buy a water bottle!

no, not the disposable one, silly.  i was reading an article on yahoo about how this woman saved so much by going green and i was immediately drawn to it because usually, when we think green or environment-friendly, we assume it will cost us more.  but in the long run, going green actually lets us save more money, save our lives (or rather live healthier), and save the planet. yay!!!

i think the key is to do it one step at a time, and start with things we can really committ to.  for example, even if i'd like to go green at home, i can't really control that because i still live with my parents and siblings.  i've been contemplating becoming a vegetarian for some time now (i really feel sorry for the animals too) but haven't gone through with it because i know it would drive my mom berserk with additional stress.  bt there are things i can do (and have already started doing)--some of which, though not all, also allow me to save money along the way.

1. as much as possible, i bring my own shopping bag to the grocery.  i only buy a few items every now and then for my personal consumption at the office.  since the supermarket is so close to my workplace, i also sometimes just carry the stuff that i buy when i forget to bring my own bag. yay!  (i think i'll do a tutorial on how to make your own shopping bags soon)

2. i bring my own lunch.  obviously, this saves me money coz i don't usually have to buy food when we have leftovers at home.  aside from that, i use reusable containers and tiny stainless steel cutlery to minimie waste from packaging had i gotten takeout.  when i go to the carinderia to buy additional food, like a serving of veggies, they usually use so much plastic when packing the food, so i also try to minimize waste and plastic use by sharing plastic bas with my co-workers.

3. this week, i shall buy a water bottle.  i've been thinking of getting an SIGG bottle but i'm not quite sure yet coz it is a tad expensive.  but i have realized that it's better to carry my own supply of water with me should i get thirsty, rather than buy water in a disposable plastic bottle.  this will not only lessen waste (think of how many bottled waters you usually consume in a year), but will also improve my health (dangerous toxins from the plastic. aack!).  but really the best part of it all, and i only found out about this recently, is the fact that you're making a statement.  nobody should sell or charge for water because it is a right of all human beings; the companies who claim these water sources are depriving millions of safe and clean water.  therefore, we really need to make a stand! and i'm not sure how long or how many people it will take, but the important thing is we do our part to help the cause.

this is the water bottle that i want, btw.  but it's not available in the country :(  i'll just settle for one that's available here. go local, right?!

if you're interested to find out more, here's an article on the trouble of bottled water. good read!

btw, animal lovers out there! did you know...?