As you may know, I am moving to a new place this weekend and I have started to pack. Because we will not be renting a moving truck, I will not be able to bring everything with me and would have to prioritize some things over the others and just come back for the rest every time we go visit. As I took stock of my stuff, it got me thinking of things that made me go, "Where have you been all my life?" when I first started using them. I thought of compiling them on this list to inspire others who may be on the fence about getting them because I'm an enabler I like helping people make informed decisions.
Kindle
I got my first Kindle back in 2013 and it was a HUGE game changer! It is a nifty solution that allowed me to carry more than a hundred books at a time. I also loved the capability to highlight passages and store them for future reference AND look up the meaning of words easily. I didn't know I would love a gadget this much.
For my 32nd birthday, my boyfriend upped my Kindle game by surprising me with a Kindle Paperwhite (that's wrapped seven times in seven different boxes and gift wrappers, LOL). Suddenly I could read even when it's dark without the need for a separate night light! Amazing! Again, I didn't know I would love a gadget this much.
Its only bane is that the ease of 1-Clicking books make me collect and collect eBooks even though I don't have the time to read. It's hoarding but make it digital. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored
Never do I feel more beautiful than when I am wearing a great red lipstick. THE SHEER POWER. I have written extensively about the immensity of my love for Rihanna's brainchild that is this lip color and I do not think I will ever stop. I have convinced friends to buy it and I will not stop until every woman (or man, no one's judging) has one.
Just kidding. Leave some for me because I will need back ups for when I finish my bottle. Which will not be any time soon because girllll one swipe goes a loooong way!
I love it so much.
Bluetooth earphones
I can exercise, I can bake, I can run, I can wash the dishes, I can do my laundry, I can clean the house, I can listen to music, audio books, or podcasts, and I can do all those without dealing with pesky wires! The user experience offered by Bluetooth earphones is unmatched. My current toy of choice is the Sabbat VOOPLAY True Wireless Earphones in Cereal, and opening the case to use them never fails to make me giggle because they look like a couple of Biogesics. Hee hee.
adidas by Stella McCartney Ultra Boost Knit Lace Up Sneakers
I am not going to lie. I have a lot of clothes and shoes, but I am cheap. Unlike J who owns a lot of adidas shoes, I am not going to cough up more than, let's say, Php 3,000 for a pair of shoes, no matter what magic or technology it claims to have. This has resulted to me being grumpy almost all the time when we were doing our walkathons exploring Singapore on our last visit almost two years ago. He was always on the go, while I didn't think I could have walked another step as my feet were close to giving up.
So, yes, I only scored a pair of these because my friend S did a massive closet sale and sold hers for more than half the price! And we have the same shoe size! As luck would have it, someone beat me to it, but because that someone was being too stingy on the shipping fee, S just opted to pass it on to me! Yay! And ohmygoodness, what was I thinking depriving my feet of the wonders of Ultra Boost! I wish the pandemic is over so I could wear them every freaking where.
I believe I may be forgetting some things that should be on this list but these are at the top of my mind at the moment. Watch me update this blog when I think of stuff to add, or watch me say that and not follow through. Heh. But yes! Since I will be moving and hopefully getting new stuff to make condo life easier, I am sure I will have discoveries I can add here. Maybe it will be a Xiaomi mop and/ or vacuum cleaner, maybe it will be an Instant Pot, or maybe it will be storage hacks. Who knows?
How about you? What are things you didn't know you need until you got one? I am open for recommendations!
Not every person likes to go to the gym and not everyone can afford to workout in a fitness center. Not to mention we are currently in a pandemic and it is not safe to go outside and interact with other people. What are your other options? For one, you can workout at home.
Why is it a good idea to workout at home?
There are a lot of free training programs that you can find online and follow. You also get to save time on commute plus be away from scrutinizing eyes. Money is also a factor since you don't need to spend on a gym subscription or a personal trainer.
What equipment do you need for a home workout?
Even though you will find many workout programs online for free, you will still need to spend for some professional equipment. It’s very important to use special clothes, shoes, and accessories while you workout at home so that you won’t injure yourself while doing intense and difficult exercise. You will need to buy a good fitness mattress, some crop tops and leggings designed especially for exercising, a good pair of sport shoes, and some accessories like weights for lifting and body shapers.
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| FEELINGIRL 25 STEEL BONED LATEX WAIST TRAINER WITH ADJUSTABLE STRAPS |
Why is important to use body shapers when you workout at home?
Body shapers or shapewear pay a huge role in the weight slimming process and reshaping your body. So, they are a must have for every woman who works out at home or is going out to the gym. In wearing body shapers like the latex waist trainer while doing your training, you will increase the intensity of the exercise. The training will be much more difficult, but the results are said to be faster. You can use different sorts of body shapers, because at FeelinGirl you will find shapewear designed to remodel each part of your body. You can also combine them. For example, you can use a waist trainer with a pair of thigh trimmers and even with a third body shaper, like the arm trimmers.
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| FEELINGIRL FULL BODY WAIST TRAINER FOR WOMEN STOMACH SHAPER |
How to choose the waist trainer for working out at home?
The most popular shapewear item from FeelinGirl is the waist trainer, ideal for losing weight and achieving an hourglass figure if that is what you are after. A waist trainer is similar to the old corset, but a lot more comfortable and easy to wear. It works by adding compression to your waist line, making it smaller with time. It is usually made out of neoprene or latex, which are very thick and breathable fabrics, with role in keeping the muscles warm so that you will sweat more and lose weight faster. The best thing about it is the fact that it has one, two or three straps that you can adjust and increase the compression accordingly to how much you can handle.
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| FEELINGIRL SWEAT EMBOSSED NEOPRENE WAIST TRAINER FOR WEIGHT LOSS |
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| FEELINGIRL SWEAT BELT LATEX WAIST TRAINER FOR WORKOUT |
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| FEELINGIRL NEOPRENE WAIST TRAINER WITH ZIPPER AND STRAPS PLUS SIZE SHAPEWEAR |
It’s very important to choose carefully your waist trainer from FeelinGirl. You will have to pick the
correct size as for it to be effective and give you the results you desire it has to be a perfect fit. For
this you need a measuring tape to find out what is your size circumference. After you measure your waist
line, you have to look at the size chart that you can find for each product at FeelinGirl. There you will be
able to find out which size is perfect for you according to your waist size.
Your waist trainer has to fit you like a glove, to not be too tight or too loose. You may also read reviews at the FeelinGirl review section.
Another thing you should keep in mind while chosing your waist trainer is the design. You should pick the color or the print that you like best so you can enjoy your routine more.
Use shapewear bodysuits even when you are not working out
While the waist trainer is most effective while exercising, you can still wear it while relaxing at home. But, if you want something invisible and even more comfortable that reshapes your body and keeps every inch in place, you may wear a bodysuit. This shapewear contours your curves making you look smooth and toned. If you need a plus size shapewear bodysuit, FeelinGirl also offers it. They have all possible sizes, from S and all the way to 6XL, so you will find the shapewear that you need.
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| FEELINGIRL FULL BODY SHAPER FOR WOMEN TUMMY CONTROL UNDERWEAR |
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| FEELINGIRL ADJUSTABLE STRAPS THONG BODYSUIT FOR WOMEN BACKLESS BODY SHAPER |
I mentioned on my last blog post that I will be moving out and moving in to a new place at the end of the month. That's one weekend away and I am bursting with inspiration!
Even though I will be living there alone, J will share the rent with me as he will convert the second bedroom into his office and stockroom for his business. We are also working on a couple of new things and I can't wait for these developments to unfold!
As we are still in a pandemic and it's scary to let other people in, we will paint the walls ourselves with the help of J's sister C and a couple of my friends who live nearby who volunteered their time. I have already chosen the colors and we just need to visit the nearest Wilcon or Home Depot to buy the materials. I also probably will not be able to purchase a lot of big ticket items and furniture right away but I think we can make do with what we already have. Like my coffee maker, for one. Heh.
I'd like for the new place to reflect my and J's personalities and showcase our million hobbies while at the same time serve as solace from the scary outside world. It will be homey and feel lived in, it will be cheery and bright, it will be warm and inviting, it will be eclectic.
My excitement is seeping through my fingers so I figured I'd post here a couple of my inspirations for the new place. I have this habit wherein I named my bedroom and the places I've lived in so I've been thinking of a name for this one, but I guess it will come to me when I've already personally stepped foot inside it. All I have to go by now are photos of the unit, but that didn't stop me from filling a Pinterest board with pegs.
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| I really love the bright accents in this photo and how it does not look pristine nor clinical! |
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| I love those colorful kitchen towels and I'm thinking where I can hang my aprons |
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| Since I would be working with a tiny kitchen counter, especially after we buy a stove, I would be needing kitchen organizers like this to extend the space |
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| These metal grids for hanging things also look like a great idea |
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| C suggested constellation stencils but I just can't find the photo she sent me. I'm thinking of painting one wall with this design except it' ll be in lilac, but it's not really a priority |
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| It already has a couple of floating shelves so I guess aside from toiletries, I can also spruce it up with other stuff. We definitely have to install another shelf though for my stash of bath products. And change the shower curtain, yes. |
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| I'm thinking of getting drawers like this... |
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| and hand painting or stenciling it like this... |
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| or this :) |
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| We will still be working from home until further noice, so my work area is pretty important. Good thing I already have a chair given by J that looks like the one in the photo. I also need shelves for my books. I'm hoping to get different desks for work and for my hobbies but I don't think that would be possible because of the space, so I just have to be able to organize it well. |
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| And of course! The most important of all in this room: the bed! I'd like to have mix-and-match beddings and pillows like the ones in this photo! |
Hello, friends! We're halfway through the first half of January, and it's been quite... a lot.
Early this month I decided I'd like to move out again. I've been living independently since 2008 but briefly moved back home when I changed jobs. In 2018 I moved out again and went home every other week, but had to let go of the place I was renting near my workplace because of the pandemic. I guess there's something about reaching another milestone birthday (I don't know 35 feels like a milestone birthday to me) that makes you yearn for something new. This is not to prove that I can do it; I have proven repeatedly that I could, but I just feel it will be really good for me.
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| Sure, Tutu! Of course, you can! |
Things moved quickly so I guess it's meant to be. The semi-furnished unit has been secured, and I am excited to move into my new space that J will also share as his office and stock room. We're going to paint the walls to freshen up the place and I'm thrilled to have friends who are willing to lend their time to help. I have already listed down the basic stuff we will be needing for the first few weeks so I need to be more prudent with my purchases as budget could be a little tight while I'm adjusting.
I allowed myself a few purchases though, mostly from thrift shops on Instagram.
There's an art to these shops: you have to be quick and adept to score the pieces you want, and it gives me such a RUSH that I used to get from our live events. I love it! I also need to rebuild my wardrobe and let go of my other clothes that either do not fit me anymore or are no longer age-appropriate, and these shops are an excellent way to do it. Today was my last day to shop for clothes, though, because I already need to buy stuff for my new home. I think I may be nesting.
I also really, really want a rocking chair.
But because the road to spending wisely is paved with temptations, Colourpop announced a collaboration with Animal Crossing today, and you know how obsessed I am with Colourpop AND Animal Crossing. Absolutely OBSESSED!
Thankfully, I have become a more mature adult and even though I am in love with the packaging, I acknowledge that the eye shadow and lipstick shades are shades I already have. I only liked two from this collection, and those two are the only things I'll get for myself. As a treat.
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| I managed to coax Celeste into my rainbow garden so you best believe I took a gajillion photos |
New, exciting things are afoot! My eyes are shimmery with excitement and hope!
I am a huge believer of the power of putting pen to paper, mostly because it has manifested to me in a lot of ways! The most recent proof happened just yesterday, literally one day after I wrote it down on my planner, and I am crossing my fingers it pushes through. Something about the Universe conspiring to help you achieve it when you really want something ;) J also got to see its powers in action, so now writing our goals together have been one of our bonding activities. We revisit them every six months and adjust if needed. When they succeed, we evaluate and move on to another bigger goal. There's something inherently satisfying about this, like we're leveling up after overcoming obstacles and challenges.
And so I have been harping on to my friends about writing down their goals, and what better vessel to contain them than a new planner for the new year?
Halfway through the longest lockdown in the world, some posts online said the most useless thing they bought pre-pandemic are planners. Well, to them maybe, but to me my planners and journals gave me a safe space to vent away from social media's prying eyes and organized my millions of to-dos. I wouldn't have survived my long hours of work + overtime without my to do lists.
Here are the planners I will be using this year:
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| Aquamarine Medium Quest Journal, Rouge Everyday Planner, and Disc Bound Belle de Jour Power Planner |
As I mentioned on my previous post, The 5 Year-Journal I wanted to get ran out of stocks and I didn't want to wait until the middle part of January to write in one, so I made a DIY version using my Quest Journal and then just buy refills when needed.
I actually didn't know what to use it for at first, I just liked the color of the cover so I got it, and now I will be writing on it every day for the next five years! I am turning 35 this year so I figured this would be a nice way to chronicle my being 35 to 40 years old.
For my work planner and to do lists, I chose the Everyday Planner in Rouge. This line of products is by Winnie Wong, and I love how minimalist and no-frills it is. Perfect for my barrage of to-dos come January 5.
Here are more photos.
The artworks are so pretty and calming.
Look at how clean and spacious it is! I am excited to write and cross off my lists!
I do not think I will be decorating this planner that much as I intend to use it solely for work, but we'll see, maybe I can stick one or two stickers every couple of pages. I even included Neil Gaiman's 2021 Wish on the first page to serve as my guide and inspiration throughout the year.
Planners and pretty pages can never compensate for the government's poor planning, but I am starting with myself, planning for myself, and hopefully the Universe conspires.
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