Yesterday is officially the most stressful day of my November.

The only silver lining yesterday brought was a visit to FRESH Fragrance Bar in Eastwood Mall, thanks to ARC PR. I will blog about it when I get home to my parents' house, so please watch out for it! It's perfect for you guys who are still on the lookout for Christmas gifts! I was actually able to accomplish some Christmas shopping yesterday ;)

You may remember me being extra-ecstatic last week when I was finally able to get my Lady Fabrize - a Lenovo S102 netbook - fixed. I was able to use it for two nights when I was at my apartment, then left it there for the weekend as I also have a personal computer at my parents' home. I went back to my apartment the other night, tried to boot it so I can play Coco Girl blog but meh, it won't even boot! I tried to restart it, it went to Auto-Repair, I waited again, blah blah blah, it finally worked after almost an hour. I was able to use it for around 20 minutes when it automatically shut down again.

It hasn't worked since.

After the FRESH event I went straight to the Lenovo center in SM North last night to have her fixed. And well, the tech guy who fixed it last week was not around, he is in the hospital and won't be back for another two weeks. The people who were there tried to tinker with my netbook, but in the end they admitted they actually don't know what they were doing and then suggested I just buy another hard drive. Excusez moi, they tried to reformat it last week and even fitted a new HDD but it still didn't work, that's why they came to the conclusion that my keyboard is grounded, causing me to buy a new one for three-freaking-thousand five hundred pesos, and now they're asking me to buy a new HDD that would set me back for at least another P2,500? Wow.

I argued they should've told me that earlier so I wouldn't have spent the money for a new keyboard, and instead just saved up for a new one. I tried to ask for my money back, return the keyboard, and just accept that Fabrize has reached the end of her life, but they said I should wait for the guy who fixed it in the first place. Which won't be for another couple of weeks.

I know I should be sympathetic, and believe me I am, but it's very difficult considering that I really need it this week.

It was so frustrating, I was on the verge of tears at the Lenovo center last night. Add to that work-related stress, people-related stress, traffic jams brought by the holidays-stress, and finding a big spider in my apartment and managing to kill it after almost an hour of hiding behind a mop and insect spray, and you got one HUGE ball of stress. I am not ashamed to admit I bawled, big time.

Crying brings wonders. People who are empathetic and always willing to listen and console are special gifts and blessings from God. I'm wearing my favorite shirt today.

And of course, you can never underestimate the power of sleeping.

I slept on it and woke up to a considerably more beautiful day today. I want to end November on a happy note so I will make sure I won't let anything affect me negatively today. After work I will go to Makati City for a special pampering session with beauty bloggers care of FAB Salon. I desperately need a haircut so big YAY!

PS: It's almost Saturday! Will I see you at the Bloggers United Bazaar part 2? I am sweet and charming, I promise! And I am not always stressed like I was yesterday heehee, see you there! ♥

PPS: Today is Dane's birthday! I am not sure about this, but someone told me he still reads my blog, so... even if I already greeted you earlier, if you are reading this, Happy Birthday! :)

Last night I went to my dear friend Dianne's birthday celebration. Dianne is one of my oldest friends - we've known each other since we were four but we started getting really close in high school. We even belong to this core group of five girls (together with our other friends Carmela, Niel, and Jella) we nicknamed KKK ♥ And then, our core group partnered with another core group of four guys and basically we just meshed into this one big group of awesome, funny, crazy people :)

Unlike before, opportunities to just chill and hang out with them are few and far in between because of work and other stuff so when they do come, I make sure I make time.

We stayed up all night just talking and laughing over beer and food with me chugging Mountain Dew instead because I don't like beer. At around 2AM we suddenly craved for Coke Float so we called 8MCDO, but boo we were told there are no riders available to deliver our orders. We tried Jollibee instead but we were told the same. Tsk. So they went home LOL. I slept over at her house because my parents do not want me to come home anymore when it's already late, even though she lives just a few streets away from my house.

While there we also made plans for our other friend Neil who is getting married two Saturdays from now. It'll be held in Batangas so yay, road trip! I just wish my schedule can be fixed as I am supposed to have work that day. Crossing my fingers!

My friends are either getting married and/ or having babies. We're adults. Such a big and scary word... When did that happen? And how do we make it stop?

I just wish all of us will be able to attend Neil's wedding. And maybe for a chance to just relive the innocence and silliness of our high school days. ♥

"You know what's one of the saddest sound in the world?

Children playing.

There is just something about sitting in your room with the windows open,

listening to their joys and laughter.

It's like there is some sort of magic going on outside

that you can no longer join in on.

Something you can no longer grasp.

A secret club you can't remember the password to.

And you realize that you've grown up."

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."

- Cicero

More than anything else, books cause the most damage to my savings account. It is undeniable that I love shoes, clothes, bags and accessories, but they are incomparable to the lure of a new book. I buy a new one almost every week, and always feel elated whenever I have a new book to smell read.

This is quite a late post (as I have bought a few more books since, which I hope to tell you about in a future post), but I would want to share with you some of the books I have acquired (and enjoyed) recently:

I watched the movie before I read the book as it was difficult to find a copy at the local bookstores in the weeks leading up to the showing of the film, so I was a bit hesitant to read it. I immediately scooped up the last remaining copy after seeing it by chance at a bookstore near the office, but it remained unopened for quite a while. I couldn't find the heart to read it because the movie left me gloomy for days. When I finally read it, I actually enjoyed it. I loved the humor and style of David Nicholls, and the ease with which Dex and Em slipped into their special friendship. Reading it was actually like re-watching the movie in my head, only it's better this time because I couldn't hear Anne Hathaway's awkward accent was able to see scenes beyond the limitations of a less than two hours-long movie. Spoiler alert! Emma's death here is less brutal and graphic. End of spoiler. Read it and remember the one that got away.

This is one comic series that I really look forward to every year since I read Books 1 to 4 in a week. Apparently it has a LOT of followers too, seeing as how it's so hard to find a copy in the first couple of weeks of release (a special friend even went to Makati to get me a copy of Book 5 after not finding it in bookstores in QC). A Filipino comic book by a Filipino author depicting scenes about the transition from being a college student to being a yuppie, about society, and about local pop culture, all jokes are not laugh-out-loud funny but it's bound to make you smile in one way or another. The characters here don't have names, but they each have their own quirks and personalities. My favorite is the afro guy because he's just so funny and awkward ^^, At P150 a pop, it's not an expensive series to collect. It's just so addicting that I find myself being excited for Book 8 as early as now! Read it, laugh, and eagerly wait for the next one.

I knew I HAD to get a copy of this book after watching the movie. Big thanks to Argie for linking me a copy being sold in eBay! Have you seen it? Please do if you haven't yet, it could possibly be one of the most endearing movies you'll ever see ♥ My short review of the movie stated, "I won't tell you the specifics of the movie anymore because I want you to see it yourself. All I can say is, it's the equivalent of a glass of ice-cold lemonade and honey on a hot and humid summer afternoon. So refreshing and light and nice, this movie is." I am actually not done reading this yet because the past couple of weeks have been crazy busy, but I am looking forward to sitting down and immersing myself with it completely after this busy season is over. Judging by the movie and the reviews, I know it was a great choice. Read it and be charmed while remembering your childhood sweetheart. 

And because I am a bibliophile with a very low EQ, I know I would most probably get myself a copy of this book once it is released on December 13:

This is the first in a series of updates about the Fit 'n Right: The Science of Sexy challenge I agreed to participate in :)

Last Friday I went to Gold's Gym in Robinsons Galleria for my initial measurement and to hopefully work out a bit. I packed my big Nike gym bag with everything I would need (towels, workout clothes, water bottle, toiletries) but when I got there I was just interviewed a bit by one of the trainers. I didn't get to work out anymore.

Almost another week passed. I always meant to go back to have my first "weigh-in" but something always came up. Today I decided to I won't take any excuses anymore so armed with my huge gym bag again, I went to Gold's Gym in Waltermart after work.

When I got there, one of the trainers measured me. And by measured, I meant literally measured me using a tape measure. She didn't get my weight, BMI and body fat anymore when I said these three have already been noted during the launch. (Surprise, surprise, I've actually gained 2lbs since.)

For the purposes of complete transparency, I will let you see my measurements:

These were taken during the launch

These were taken earlier today.

After measuring me, the trainer told me I can actually work out there already but I declined. I don't really feel comfortable in large rooms of complete strangers, especially when doing something I am admittedly not good at. So what did I do? Well, I rode an FX to Technohub, and then worked out at our office gym. Luckily, I was the only one there so our gym instructor was able to focus on me and the weight-gain program I can follow.

I don't think I have any chance of winning the 3 day-2 night stay in Boracay as well as the House of Laurel outfit as I am terribly underweight and has very low body-fat. Still, I am thankful I got to participate since it has made me realize that I really do need to take care of my body. My goal now is to gain weight BUT not body fat. It's great that I have Fit 'n Right to make sure excess fats are blocked and burned ;)

I COMMIT TO BE FIT!

I have quite a lot of bags, but I admit I do play favorites. Let me share with you one bag that I have been using quite a lot these days (as evidenced by some of my recent photos at events):

I am very particular when it comes to choosing bags. Being a total pack-rat, I tend to lug a LOT of stuff around. Because of this it is important for me to choose bags that are roomy enough to hold all my everyday essentials and still have extra space for stuff I stash mindlessly.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends who celebrate it! :)

I was actually supposed to attend an event with my fashion blog-sisters tonight but I had to cancel because I felt too lazy to dress up. Sorry :( Anyway, today was still a good day because I spent it with my favorite girl friends from the office instead!

After work, I went to SM North EDSA with Mich, Poly and Marsha so Poly can buy a purse she can use for their department's Christmas party. She found the perfect purse alright, but I did not expect I would end up buying a few stuff for myself as well -_-

I took these home with me:

I don't know why I've been passing by Surplus Shop branches all my life and not once did I think to check out the clothes before! I thought they were just low quality discarded goods, but these are actually great! The best part? They're so affordable! I got the shirt for only P199.75 while I got the shorts for only P249.75! Add to that the additional 10% discount for SM Advantage card holders because of SM's Thanksgiving Sale and my heart was almost ready to burst with delight! :D

As for the hat, well, we all know how SM Accessories is heaven-sent for all of us looking for things to add that little "extra" in ordinary outfits to make it extraordinary. I actually just wanted to see how it would look on me while Poly was walking around the department store looking for her purse. I thought it looked cute, tried it on, and never returned it since. It just sat so nicely on my head that it looked like it has belonged there forever! LOL I got the hat for P249.75 minus 10% discount.

It was a fun day spent with fun people. I thank the Lord for giving me wonderful friends, a wonderful life, and a sense of wonder to continuously be amazed by all the wonderful things around me.

This post should end here, but because I'm not yet sleepy, let me ramble on... Can I just say how glad I am that I am actually using my netbook Lady Fabrize now to write this post? I honestly thought she'd never be able to make it, but now she's here and she's better than ever. Yay! Tomorrow I will go to Gold's Gym in Waltermart to continue with the Fit 'n Right: The Science of Sexy challenge. Last Friday's attempt was a big, bad fail so I am hoping tomorrow's session will be so much better.

Just in case you're wondering, I am not always this big bubble of pink, positive energy. I do get sad sometimes a lot of times, but I really just focus on the positive side of things. For me, that is the much better thing to do. That, and a bright-colored lipstick ;)

PS: I've had too much Gong Cha chocolate milk tea and I can't decide whether this post is good enough to publish or not. For a more serious Thanksgiving post, let me refer you to the one I made last year. I'm glad it is still relevant :) Let's not stop feeling grateful!

I think it's great that my blog opens me to a lot of opportunities not only to expand my network but also to experience things I wouldn't have been able to. Last Saturday morning found me in The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Shangri-La Plaza for the last leg of the Small Talks for Big Changes brunch series.

During the mini gathering. Preview magazine's Associate Editor Eunice Lucero gave us a crash course on style basics, the industry's latest trends, and fashion forecasts for Spring/ Summer 2012.

Take note, kids! Next season's trends will include:

I can't believe I let four months go by without having my netbook Lady Fabrize, a Lenovo S10-2, repaired! For someone who feels the compulsion to go online several times a day, that was VERY challenging. Good thing I have my HTC ChaCha and my SMART Netphone; these babies kept me sane. I don't think I have gotten over the trauma of getting mugged last May, so it took so much courage for me to be able to bring her out of the house and into the nearest Service Center.

I finally brought her to the Lenovo branch in SM North EDSA - Annex last Sunday. After checking her, the technicians said my hard drive should be formatted. I didn't really have any problem with that... except that I don't have back-up of the files and photos I have saved there. Anyway, they couldn't format the drive, so the next solution they came up with was for me to buy a new one. I didn't really want to but hey, if it's the only thing that can help Fabrize then why not?

They fit a new hard drive to Fabrize, but oops, it still wasn't working. When the technician tried to boot her, it still wouldn't go through because the keys are being pressed by themselves! Weird! In the end, they were able to conclude that Fabrize's problem was only because of a grounded keyboard.

I decided to buy a new one, but it was hella expensive! Just like that, a bulk of my Kindle Touch funds went ::: poof::: There was really nothing I could do though, so after paying I left Fabrize to the technicians to be claimed again the next day, then went to Kenny Rogers Roasters to drown my and my wallet's sorrows in roast chicken, mac 'n cheese, and mashed potatoes ♥

I went back yesterday to collect her, and I couldn't be happier to see her working perfectly again!

I was told the day before that if it was just a grounded keyboard then the hard drive doesn't have to be replaced. But Fate decided to be playful again and made my Drive C un-salvageable. She needed formatting - for real this time - so, goodbye files I don't have back-ups for anymore! All those photos of me and him, gone forever. The Universe couldn't have given a more glaring sign than that.

With the bad comes the good. The Lenovo guys formatted my netbook for free, and even upgraded my OS to Windows7! When I got home though, I realized that I wouldn't be able to surf the Net because my SmartBro prepaid broadband is only compatible to Windows XP. I posted a little sad tweet, and the Twitter gods made SmartBro reply to my concern together with instructions on how I can upgrade my broadband stick's OS! So cool!

Okay so now I'm going to stop being bummed about the money and focus on the ease with which I can play Coco Girl again! :)

PS: Would you like to help me with my Kindle Touch funds? LOL buy my stuff (and the rest of the other bloggers', too!) at the Bloggers United 2 bazaar on December 3! Click here to find out how you can win free passes for yourself AND a friend!

via

I went to TriNoma with my friend Mich last Wednesday to get the book I have reserved from Fully Booked, details of which will be blogged about in the next coming posts. I got the book, then decided I wanted  a cream lace top. Long story short, we went to Landmark.

I did not find any.

I know I should have just walked away, but the lure of the Green Light Sale was too tempting to resist.

In the end, aside from the most expensive book I have ever bought in my life, I also got these:

Pooh ring - P29.75

Hello Kitty ring - P29.75

 I couldn't help it; I KNEW I needed these in my life.

And I was right! Because the "look" I came up with these pieces turned out to be one of my most favorites:

Top - Landmark | Thin purple belt - YRYS | Black shorts - 168 | Orange faux leather satchel - Landmark Long necklace and bangles - Oxygen | Heels - So Fab!

Thanks Tracy for taking my outfit shots :)

I know being an impulsive shopper is very destructive for my wallet. I promise I won't be this weak next time. Ehem.

Help feed my addiction for pretty little things! Buy my stuff at the Bloggers United 2 bazaar LOL! Wanna win free tickets for you and a friend? Click here! ♥

PS: Sorry for the cheesy blog post title! Please don't un-friend me :))

They say it's the little things that make the difference, and that is one of the"philosophies" I adhere to when it comes to dressing up.

Last Thursday I went to the launch of The Little Things She Needs in Eastwood Citywalk 2. Thanks Ana for tagging me along!

The Little Things She Needs is actually an Indonesian brand conceptualized by owner Freddie Beh after failing to find the perfect gift for his mother even after visiting a lot of stores. He came up with the idea when he felt that there should be one store that would carry, not clothes, but every little thing she needs. Cool, huh? I guess that's what you call serendipity ;)


Seeing the store immediately reminded me of Cotton On in Singapore, only much more girly! Let me give you a quick tour ;)

They offer a wide selection of shoes ranging from yummy candy-colored flats to pretty and dainty heels to wedges, and even brogues! Very affordable too at only P699 to P1,599 a pair. They also offer some styles at a special Buy 2 for P899 promo!

These pairs are currently in my wish list:

Visiting accessory shops really make me giddy, and with all these pretty trinkets, who wouldn't?

What I love about the store is that these sparkly, happy thingamajigs are all pocket-friendly! Earrings are only P199 a pair (there are also some sets that come in threes), rings are P299 a pop, bracelets are sold for P399, and necklaces range from P499 to P599!

The Little Things She Needs tapped the power of the blog by getting top fashion blogger Laureen Uy as the brand ambassador. Here she is decked with TLTSN accessories:


 The afternoon wouldn't be as fun without these girlies:

Angel, Tracey, me, Keigh, Ana, Ava, Bianca

Ava having difficulties which to choose :))

Ana

Tracey

Keigh

My awkward smile and Shen

Photobooth love ♥

Here are the goodies I took home:

I don't know why but I was drawn to golds and blues that day!

I still haven't forgotten the other stuff I sadly left behind... Hey Santa, are you reading this? I very well hope so! ^^,

The Little Things She Needs is now open at Eastwood Citywalk 2, beside Starbucks.