I met Atom Araullo today

And here's the proof:

For context: #romanceclass started as a community of local authors and aspiring authors of romance books. This group was started by Mina V. Esguerra as an extension of the romance classes she offered but has since grown to include readers. It's a supportive and uplifting community and I am happy to be part of it. ♥

Just recently, Mina started organizing #romanceclass lectures where they invite personalities from certain fields to give us a clearer understanding of their professions and the dynamics of people in the workplace to either serve as inspiration for possible book characters, or to assist authors in the middle of writing about characters who happen to be in these fields.

Today we had Pia Arcangel and Atom Araullo representing journalists. 

This is close to my heart because I took up Mass Communication in college as being a broadcast journalist also used to be a dream (yep, I had a LOT of dream professions growing up, people). I was so happy I bagged a slot even before I knew who the guests were. Actually, I was feeling a bit sick yesterday and the Internet told me the symptoms pointed to either appendicitis or cancer that I thought of skipping the lecture and going to the doctor instead, but I was really looking forward to this one so I couldn't bring myself to do it. Heh.

Dear Miah, if you are reading this, don't worry, I love you and you have nothing to worry about. Haha!

So anyway. Atom. He first entered my consciousness when I was a kid and he was one of the hosts of the now defunct ultra-cool show 5 and Up together with other tween hosts who used it as a springboard to show business like Chynna Ortaleza and Maxene Magalona. I loved that show and how it sparked curiosity for human interest stories in me. I thought he was cute then and fast forward to today, I think he is even cuter now! No, not cute. Handsome. Gosh, you guys. They say you shouldn't meet your idols so that you don't get disappointed, but with all his answers in today's Q and A, he totally exceeded my expectations! He's every bit as smart and charming as his TV persona - maybe even more so!

Meanwhile, Pia Arcangel is so pretty and carries herself so well. I would like to be her friend, please!

Needless to say I really enjoyed today's lecture and I learned so much from these larger than life characters. My Mass Comm experience in college and my current situation as a PR girl have given me a primer on how a journalist lives his/ her life in the workplace but this lecture gave me a fresh insight on how they handle relationships. Indeed, juggling your career, relationships, and other responsibilities entails sacrifices no matter what both of your professions are but is ultimately rewarding.

I also got to meet Veronica today. She was org-mates with my boyfriend in college and we've only just been replying to each other's Facebook status posts. It's so nice to meet people with similar interests, and that is what joining a community does.

The traffic going home was killer but my conversations with my carpool-mate Caryn kept me sane.

Thank you for you and for doing what you do, Mina! ♥

This is my journalist-inspired outfit for today, never mind that it's a wee short. Heh. Pia and I were almost twinning except she was wearing jeans!

The lecture was held in Book and Borders Cafe in Tomas Morato, a cafe that offers delicious food (seriously, you have to try it!) and a wide variety of books to read if you're just enjoying your own company. I would really like to have a place like this of my own someday, except that mine will have a bookstore and not just a public library-type. 'And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.' and so one of my favorite books The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho says.

Speaking of books, I would also like to take this opportunity to do my book cover reveal for my story Once Upon a Sticky Note. I've had it under wraps for a while now (I wanted to publish it in April in time for its first anniversary but April has long been gone) but I haven't had the chance to show it off because, well, I haven't finished the layout and illustration for the inside pages yet. I thought this would be great motivation to finally get around to doing it.

Isn't it pretty?? This cover was designed by my beautiful friend Far Burgos and I LOVE IT. Now please please please pressure me into finishing the inside pages so I can finally have this printed? Please. Thank you. ♥

So grateful for this community, for Mina, for the beauty of words, for fiction, for romance, and for my real-life romance. My heart is full.