Christmas Shopping 101

Before anything:

Happy Holidays!

Over the weekend, Arckham and I had places to be and people to see which basically required us to go around the metro. The heavy traffic we faced was close to stand stills and the rather annoying part is that it was EVERYWHERE. We went from Ortigas to Diliman to Quezon Ave and finally Blumentritt. Let me just say that every step of the way was frustrating and to top it all off it rained. Gah! [Picky cab drivers were also of no help]

In the least, I was thankful we weren't heading to the mall.

Let's all learn from this years traffic clog. According to PUV drivers, the traffic is due to people who are basically doing last minute Christmas Shopping. Let me just say that this is something I do NOT practice. Here are the reasons why:

1. The Crowds - it's hard to pick a present for the people on my list if I am frustrated mainly because people are all in the malls. It's crowded, stuffy, smelly and everyone is irritable. 
2. The Poor Quality Products - with the amount of people in the mall purchasing things, everything you are likely to get would either be defective or would probably be lacking sizes since the early bird probably got the better quality products already. 
3. Low Quality of Service - More over, with the influx of people to be catered to the sales ladies/gentlemen are too tired and also highly irritable and would really not pay as much attention to you as compared to a few weeks before.
4. Prices Are Hiked - as much as you would like to tell yourself it's Christmas and there's a sale sign, the items you buy are 10%-20% more than their regular price. [Believe me, I canvass before I buy anything]

See? *shivers*

I also do not understand why this happens? I mean there are so many other and better ways to shop nowadays. [Yes, even on a busy schedule.] Moreover, Christmas Bonuses are given on the later part of November to the 1st week of December which gives people a lot of time to budget, canvass and shop.

For those who want to lessen the stress of Christmas Shopping in 2012, here are a few good practices I've been doing over the years:

1. Make a list. Always organize who you're going to be blessing this Christmas. This helps you not forget or miss anyone during the season of giving. 
2. Budgeting. Always function on a budget. [on everything and not just this season actually] Make sure that you are not going to stretch your funds thinly over the season. Think about it this way, buying gifts over paying your bills should never be the case.  It is not a pretty picture once Christmas Eve comes along and you don't have electricity or food prepared. 
3. Brainstorming. Now that you have your budget, start thinking of what the people on your list need/want this Christmas season. Yes, it is the thought that counts so let's make an effort. This is also a good starting point so that you are not aimless wandering the malls and wondering what to give to people on your list. [Make sure that what you get them is within your budget] 
4. Canvass. You actually don't necessarily need to go around at all. Check stores online and also make sure to take note of prices in order to compare and get the best buys. Most stores located in malls would have websites and contact details, go ahead and use these resources to your advantage. Once you've decided, have it reserved and pick it up or delivered. Sometimes, you don't need to purchase your gifts. You can make them yourself or even give away things you don't really use. [Like that top that really isn't really your style but looks great on your best bud.]
5. Wrapping. Yes this is part of the process. Here's the part where you also can save money. Remember those old magazines you no longer read? Brochures that are no longer useful? Posters? Left over wrappers from the previous year? Well, start using those to wrap your gifts. Get creative. I believe you would find this rather relaxing. [I do]

If you do come up with a budget, don't forget to include yourself. After all, you had been a good shopper and deserve a little treat. For me this year, it's a set of rings from Charm Bin. I really love the items that CB releases. It's fun, laid back and I can sport it at work. CB has good value for money [at times, also a amazing bargains and finds]. Transactions are easy and  they are also very accommodating. [Specially to busy girls like me.] I definitely recommend them for stress free shopping.

So here's [one] of my Christmas Gifts to myself:

 

I am loving it. Thanks, Charm Bin!

Zikon's Debut At MechaPinoy's 2011 Christmas Party

Last December 11, 2011 was the MechaPinoy 2011 Christmas Party. This is one of the groups that support GunPla in the Philippines. Moreover, they throw awesome Christmas Parties with awesome food [let me say that again: awesome FOOD] and awesome people. :D [No, there are not live Gundams as we all might wish but still OSM] 

 

Anyhow, every year an event is held as part of the party program. It's call the SD Con. It's basically sort of an art competition where different people submit entries that they sealed, sanded, painted and detailed. It's called SD Con mainly since the entries should SD GunPla. [Think the chibi kind]

You may not remember this post. Anyway, sadly I was not able to finish that project but plan to revisit it in the future. What I am proud to say this time around though, is that I was able to join the competition and complete ZIKON. :D *extremely proud*

Here he was as his SD Zaku self:

  

Here's his final look as Zikon:

Yes inspired by Dimitri, my camera and the I Am Nikon campaign. Even though I was a bit drunk when I did this, it has gotten me hooked and I'm already thinking of my next GunPla project.

Anyway, if you guys want to see how Zikon transformed just click this link.

Navigating and Changing 2012

It's the end of the year and as with every year end I have a series of little personal traditions I follow to help me close the year and welcome the next. The first of which is planner buying. :D 

Alrighty, one thing you should know about is that I like writing my thoughts down. It helps me relax, keeps me grounded and helps me focus. I have been a "planner person" since my 2nd year in college when I realized that calendars are not sufficient to help me harness my life. Since, then I've had to find the perfect planner for every single year.

I also have this thing that before December 1, I should already have my planner (or in this case planners) for the next year.

So, here are the two things that will be my constant companions for 2012:

Navi 2012

I can see the hundreds of unwritten pages flicker in front of me. I long ot fill them with the day-to-day adventures of life, the milliseconds that make up the most amazing moments and the myriads of treasures that await every place I long to encounter. - Navi 2012

When I started working, I made sure to keep my personal life personal and my professional life professional. Hence, I also decided to have a planner specifically for work. [That and that both personal and professional life  cannot be handled by just one planner]. For 2012, I've decided on the Navi 2012.

My favorite feature of Navi is the Manifesto. It's something I find unique to Navi. I also like the bucket list and the awesome photography and excerpts. One thing, I'm not too happy about it is that the actual daily writing space is a bit cramped. [Trust me I know, I had the Navi 2010] That's one of the reasons why it's my work planner and not my personal planner. Too little space for journal writing but just enough to keep track of deadlines, meetings and to-do lists. The right hand pages would be sufficient for meeting notes as well. Oh and like it's counterpart, BDJ, it also has coupons.

What drew me to get the Navi is mainly due to what it represents: Adventure, Exploration and Direction. So why the heck is it my work planner when it really fits my personal activities? Well, I recently moved into a new company. Honestly, I'm going to be a half a year old by January though I think I'm done adjusting there is still a lot to learn [and I am loving it.] I want Navi be there to guide me as I plan my year at work, travel and move towards the goals that I will be setting for myself in January.

This Journal Will Actually Change Someone's Life 2012

For my personal thoughts: This Journal Will Actually Change Someone's Life 2012. If there is one thing I love about this planner is that it is totally fun. It may not have coupons like Navi nor as coveted as the Starbucks Planner. I have to say this beats both with the fun filled pages and moreover, buying this planner already helps someone since part of the proceedings goes to a NGO that is dedicated to a good cause. More over, through out the year you are made aware of how to better yourself and better the world. [And believe me, this is keeps me grounded.]

It has a quarterly check up to see how you are doing. Its pages are filled with interesting facts and trivia. It is functional and equipped with mood charts, monthly budget and to-do list space. What I love the most about this planner is that big amount of space it has for writing. There are only 4 days in a spread. I can't wait to start filling it with my thoughts and observations for 2012.

I'd like to think I'm ready for the new year  now.

Cold Air, Comforting Words, Great Photography

So my trip to Baguio was not all that bad. What I love about the place are the really warm and cool people I know. [:P Words are so fun.] I have great friends that just absolutely know how to cheer me up. I love you guys for knowing how to push my buttons. :P

So here's the rest of my trip...

Dinner with The Book Club. This is basically my high school group of friends. I absolutely love these people since they are the ones who are there for me no matter what crazy thing I do. There were only four of us present for that dinner: Lor, Kaye and Jake. [I miss you Pip, Meg and Cha] Being with this group of people probably would be the best place for great-slash-crazy conversation. We have our own twisted logic.

I also love them since they know where in Baguio to get the best food with awesome value for money. Let me just say that I was not able to get a picture of my dinner cause I ate it up so fast. Then we had dessert which is totally a given when we get together.

Thanks for dessert, Jake. Thanks for also allowing me to take numerous pics of you guys.

Midnight Coffee at Ionic. Midnight Snack at Good Taste. If there is one thing Baguio has to offer is the great secret cafes and places with awesome food. Ionic recently got renovated. Gone are the ancient table clothes with cigarette burns [sadly, the mafia feel is gone as well] but same great coffee. I was there for awhile and had some me time before June joined me.

Kris, one of my dearest friends, informed me that he was coming up to Baguio. So, June and I waited in Ionic for him. I met Tyler that night as well. Once everyone was properly [and improperly? :P] introduced. We headed to Good Taste for their scrumptious buttered chicken. [Again, no picture of the food since we were really hungry.]

June had to go. Then Kris, Tyler and I decided to wait for dawn at his place.

Exploring the 50's, Casa and the Clouds. After dawn, I headed home and crashed for a few hours before I started hunting down lunch. Since Tyler hasn't been to 50's Diner that's where I met up with them for lunch. Tyler got quite a surprise with how generous a serving his lunch was.

After which we walked to Casa Vallejo, it's an old hotel that burned down a long time ago. It was recently refurbished and re opened. It now houses a classy restaurant and a hotel as well as the most awesome bookshop, Mt. Cloud.

Awesome DoppleSiblings. While at Mt. Cloud, I met up with two of the most amazing people I know. They are both rather well known artists online and I am so happy to be able to call them my friends. They got to play around with Dimitri and I think I might just be able to pull them into photography. :P [I can't wait to see them again on the 23rd of December]

After taking lots of pictures in Mt. Cloud, we headed to Picarre in SM to sit and chat. And another pair of really awesome CG artists [and my childhood friends] joined us. We played a couple of rounds of guessing details about each others lives. After which, they started sharing their work with each other and I just took pictures. [I cannot draw or contribute to a discussing of drawing to save my life.]

So, let's just say that despite the dismal reason that I had gone home. My friends made sure I left with a smile. I love you guys. :D

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

On to the promised Baguio visit post...

One of the things I appreciate when I come home is that for some reason people and the place in general is accommodating [More on this later.] Convenient and efficient? Yes-ish. Accommodating? Yes. Anyway, the reason I went up to Baguio last weekend was to tell the truth. The dim, dismal truth of it all.

The truth is all about what I had gone through all my life. It is now officially known by the Philippine public, what abuse I went through all those years.

To be honest, it was not easy. I have never officially been under investigation or spoken in court. This would be the first time and the topic at hand is something that hits a sore spot. [Yes, I did not cry on that stand. That was hard to do.] 

In the least, I appreciate that the people that took the stand had spoken in truth and I am very much proud of them. [I <3 my sibs]. I hope that this would all end swiftly and justice be dealt. I understand that this is hard for everyone but for the record as much as I wanted to bring this out this way. I didn't start this, but I will not take this lying down either. I've been there and done that. It doesn't do anyone any good.

What peeves me now is that a response was recently sent to me is still full of lies. It's actually quite amazing the way she can lie like that. It scares me how different reality is in her head and what the truth really is. I guess the photos and recordings help bend things to the side of truth. [Hurrah for my incessant need to document things.]

I hope that the government would really decide on the side of justice and truth. If this screws up, I swear to raise hell and high water.

I don't really know why it has to come to this. We are definitely not rich and we are working for what we have. I don't understand how other people can think that they don't have to do the same. I also do not appreciate those who think that saving face is more important than the truth. I also do not know why people think that they can just come in and act like they were always there to seem like heroes [If people really cared, I do believe they would have acted on it if words were not enough]. I also would like to understand why help is not accepted when it's freely given, I hope my special people would want to change the status quo.

At the end of the day, I hope that things would go smoothly and that the truth is heard and learned by many. I hope at the end of this all, she would accept truth.

I got to see my siblings in the least and got to hang out with them a little. This part made me smile despite the reason we were able see each other is not even close to ideal.

Not a very happy post about Baguio, but not to worry, updates about the rest of the trip will be up soon. I just needed to unload all this, guys.

Already Diffused

Howdy, y'all. I really have been meaning to post about what's been going on in my life lately but time [and oh so many distractions] would not permit. I want to get the ball rolling by starting with getting my Pop-up Flash Diffuser. [Which was there to kick off the very colorful weekend.]

Anyway, one of the things that I immediately planned to get when I got Dimitri [Nikon D3100] was a pop-up flash diffuser. I am not really into flash photography but I thought it would be a good thing to have just in case I would need to do some fill-in flash photography. [Lots of jargons? Forgive me.] 

Let me clarify a few things to make things so that we're on  the same page. Remember those red-eyes we get on photos when we use the flash? Or those unsightly oily/glaring spots on our faces when we use the flash? Well what a diffuser does is that it diffuses the light that is made by the flash, giving us nearly the same brightness but with a softer feel. Yes, it helps eliminate red-eyes and glares.

So back to the diffuser I got. I started browsing the web a week before my target date [which just happened to be one hectic week which will be explained in another post]. I found The Photo Shop in Multiply that sold camera accessories. Initially I was actually looking for the Gary Fong Diffusser which basically looks like this:

And I was really excited when I saw the picture online. I immediately called them up and placed in an order. A few days later, I paid via bank transaction [since, it would be rather expensive to go to Cebu to pick up the item :P]. The item was set to arrive the next day but it didn't. I called up the courier and found out it was on its way. So instead of stressing myself out about the item possibly being lost, I decided to distract myself with DC Universe Online and packing for my trip to Baguio for the last weekend.

The next day while I was preparing to leave for work with all the things I needed. [Plan was to head to the bus straight after the office.] Just before I was about to leave, LBC rang my doorbell and hurrah! It has arrived. I ripped it open and lo and behold this is what I got:

So, yes you can say I was slightly disappointed. There is an obvious difference. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and tried out a few shots and it seemed to be working just as well. Hence, I decided to keep the item.

Anyway, that the story of the diffuser. The Photo Shop was quick with the transactions. I know for a fact that it was shipped within the same day cause I got the tracking number a few minutes after the deposit was made. I guess I should have expected that there would be a delay since couriers do encounter problems. I guess my only main feedback about the The Photo Shop is that to try as much as possible to make sure the items on the site would match the ones sent to the customer. I mean this is just a diffuser but what if it was a battery grip? *dan dan dan daaaaan*

All-in-all, I liked what I have mainly is because it does the job and at was really affordable which gives The Photo Shop plus points on my book. My advise is to make sure and clarify with the seller that you both have the same item in mind.

Anyway, it's 2 AM and I have work in a few hours. I'll start sharing my Baguio trip later today. Ciao!

On The Post Processing Debate

As I waited for the DC Universe Online to finish downloading what ever it was downloading [It was  a two day wait. Gah.], I decided to start uploading pictures I took over the weekend onto my Facebook.

So, I opened the folder with my RAW shots and started filtering those that I would be posting. One of the things that I add before I post pictures would be my watermark. I want people to know who took the picture [and also to make sure it isn't used without being given credit due me.] 

Of course, admittedly I know that not all my shots are awesome and that why I tweak levels and at times dim the glares caused by the pop-up flash. [This I won't have to do since I'll be getting a diffuser pretty soon. Yay!] 

This is how I treat my photos before sharing them with the world. Sadly, there is this big debate as to if this is a good thing or a bad thing that photographers practice and whether it is one of the ways of "true" photography.


Well, in my opinion, it isn't necessarily a bad thing. In the past, film photographers control the amount of light (aperture), shutter speed and film (ISO) used to come out with great photographs. In essence, digital photographers do the same as well. DSLRs have aperture control, shutter speed and ISO options embedded into their systems.

To get those special effects on photographs, film photographers would have modified lenses (fish eye, soft focus lenses, double exposure etc.,). Nowadays, this can be achieved if not directly for the DSLR software itself, then through Photoshop or other similar software.

Some of the photos I post processed for the weekend.

Like everything we've known in the past decade, things evolve. Photography is no different. Imagine all the things you had to lug around if DSLRs aren't as smart as they are now. Heavy, huh? [My respect to those that had gone through this.] So generally, I think that we still practice the same things they did before with photographs, it just so happens that this time around we use a mouse and a software instead of lenses and a darkroom. [Oh,  but I so would want to learn how to develop film.]

Anyway, I was reading through Jin Joson's post about this a few days ago. And well, she does make a point. Photography is now used for so many different things and have so many branches already and at times post processing is a must.

At the end of it all, I don't think post processing is a bad thing and if possible we should also come up with our own styles since it can be a new avenue to express ourselves better. Though here's my qualifier [and my pet peeve]: When so called "photographers" say "May photoshop naman" after taking and even before taking a shot. Post processing should never be an excuse to NOT learn the basics of photography.

IMO.  

After Halloween

It's the final quarter of the year. It's time to do the remaining things on my yearly to do list and start working on my Christmas List. [That by the way is still a lot of wrapping up to do. :P]

In the Philippines once the -ber months hit, you are guaranteed Christmas songs and yes, even Christmas Trees in various establishments. [Yes, as early as September and I kid you not.] For me, the Christmas season really starts after Halloween.

Why after Halloween? Well, my birthday is at the start of October and I take this month to treat myself. Basically, this month is for me to celebrate that I am alive and kicking. I take this month say thanks to the people that have been with me throughout the years.

At the end of October, after Halloween, I start focusing on the next big thing: Christmas. It gives me ample time to save up for gifts that I will be giving to the people I would like to say thank you to. Or want to make smile this season. It's also gives me ample time to recover from my celebrations and focus on other people.

I don't believe on giving expensive gifts. Yes, I am one of those that believe that it's the thought that counts. When I give gifts as well, I prefer to give them something they need or something they want. After all, I think it sends a good message that what is important to them is important to you as well. [Yes, I appreciate wish lists.] Speaking of which  here's my preliminary list for the generous hearts out there:  *winkwink*

1. Colleczion T-shirt
2. Rash Guard [So that I'm not too burnt next year while surfing.]
3. Pop up Flash Diffuser [Gary Fong's please. :P]
4. Deviant Art Subsciption. [Even if it's just for 3 months.]
5. Surprise me.

After Halloween, I sense it get colder and I tend to mellow down. I look back on the events of the past year often and reflect. After all, I hope to learn from the lessons I had this year and have a better year next year. I also notice that this is the time of the year that the real friends come out to play. [Hi, guys.] It's been somewhat of a tradition that I see these people on this final quarter, hence, I have a year of stories to tell them and vice versa.

Anyway, just giving you guys a preview of what I do after Halloween. So how are you guys wrapping up this year?

During Halloween

A late Happy Halloween to one and all. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Despite the long weekend here in my country, I was not able to travel or head home like everyone else. Mainly due to the following things: Dimitri rendering me broke [plus tuition fees that needed paying], I'm sick and I just didn't feel like competing with everyone intent on traveling home. So, I bonded with the internet at home.

First thing I did was to visit my different accounts and update their respective looks. I actually do this [at least once] every year just after my birthday. I believe that in my life it's the new year and I want things to look and feel new. Hence, I update my profile information [informing people that I'm older :P] and page layouts.

Plurk

So, yes my Plurk page looks like you turned the light on on the last layout and also looks like the home page of Twitter.com. *laughs*

Twitter

I love my Twitter layout! It's a very nice CG of the beach which is currently one my favorite places.

Multiply

As most of you would know, I really haven't give much thought to my Multiply site in a long time. [I think it's been more than a year already] Since I was on an update frenzy, I decided to tweak it as well and change the layout. Though as to whether or not I should update it is another matter entirely. It used to be my photo dump but right now, I really don't know what to do with it. Should I start posting photos there again? To post or not to post that is the question.

And of course, for blogger, you can check out ArXy's new header and scroll back up for to see my new header as well. [If you noticed all the pictures I used up there are from the same shoot including my profile picture.]

Despite staying in, I think this is very productive long weekend. Arckham and I also started playing Dragon Nest just to check it out one afternoon. Now we are both officially working our way up the levels. We are on our gamer modes again. [We're in SpringWood, if you guys are interested to join us]

That's all I did. [and sleep and eat and watch TV and practice photography of course and... :P] How was your weekend?

Welcome, Dimitri

Well, this is it. The biggest addition to my family of gadgets, my own DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) . I have given it the name: Dimitri.

As of today, I am a proud owner of a Nikon D3100. I am very much excited about this since it took a lot of saving up for. As I have said in previous posts, I like working towards a goal. This also has been one of the things I have been hoping for for quite some time now. This also would serve as my 23rd Birthday give to myself. [Yay for birthday!]

Anyway, I would first want to thank Techmania for delivering my new baby. I actually contacted them last Tuesday regarding the D3100 package they had on their site which by the way boasts of very affordable prices. I sent them a text message and they were immediately able to to give me a scheduled time of stock arrival. They are easy to talk to and very professional. They informed me that there was a change in price, though that was a bit of a bummer, I am thankful that they were straight forward and informed me ahead of time.

Ever since I started shopping online, I always opt for the meet up option cause in any case it gives me a chance to inspect the product in front of the seller or a representative. We set up the meeting today and though the delivery was a tad bit late, I was able to get it within an hour of the proposed meeting time. It was forgivable since I was kept posted through text anyway.

So, if any of you guys are looking into getting a gadget, I'd like to recommend Techmania and you can check them out at: http://techmania.multiply.com/ They sell all kinds of gadgets and not just cameras.

Anyway, here's the first shot I took with Dimitri:

Done in Full Manual.

When I started to inspect the package, I was delighted to see familiar controls and functions. I also am very glad I still have the basics in me, so much so that the first shot didn't turn out bad at all. I think this is very much a good sign.

With the recent calamity in Thailand, I was expecting that it would take some time for me to get Dimitri. I am very happy I got him much sooner.

Watch out world, I am armed and ready to shoot.

One 2 3

So, I just recently got older and just before my birth month ends, I think it's rather appropriate to share something I am thankful for.

One:  For one year of blessing. The biggest of which is my new company and the great new people I am now working with. [God really knows how to turn things around] I am really thankful that my transition to this new chapter has been smoother than I could ever hope for. I am very happy to report that I am no longer losing sleep and no longer fatigued [with activities that isn't my choice I mean]. I loving that my work and life are coming together in one good balance.

My New deviantID

2: For the travel opportunities. Oh, the places I've been and the people I've seen. I am really happy for all the exposure I'm getting. I'm glad for the people that are just as interested in discovering new places as I am. I am happy to experience first hand the hospitality this country is known for. Moreover, I love the fact that I've began surfing [again]! I am looking forward to more adventures.

3: For things to learn and hope for. One of the things I am proud of is being able to say that I am learning each and everyday. I am glad that there are things that I am working toward and hoping for. I am looking forward to more of this in the future. After all, all things seem to be sweeter if you deserve it. [And by that I mean, you've worked for something and reached it]

So, still on my 23rd year alive, I am grateful.

Trese 4: Last Seen After Midnight

I cannot express how happy I was when I read about the upcoming release of Trese 4.

It will be out this coming October 8, 2011 at Robinson's Galleria NBS Bestsellers.

So you all know where I'll be then. By the way, you can read more about this in ArXy.

Mountain Girl Loves the Water

So part of my 2011 itinerary is to travel and the indeed has come to fruition. It's funny though that most of the places I've been to so far involve the sea or water in general. [It was raining cats and dogs in Baguio when I was there.]

I love the ocean. I grew up in the mountains but I love the ocean. Let me tell you that I'm not even a great swimmer. [I'm not floater either. I'm a sinker.] Though that most of the time I am out in the water, I am aware that it might be the death of me. Let's just say I am living on the edge.

Canyon Cove, Batangas

[It was the amazing race, the kayaking and the people]

San Juan, La Union 

[It was getting back on a surf board, the rest, old and new friends.]

 

Balai Isabel, Batangas 

[It was games, the cheer and the new teammates.]

  

Anilao, Batangas 

[It was the Chica reunion, the storm, the drive, beach bumming and book reading]

  

Oh well, I loved every trip I've taken so far and looking forward to more. Where have you been lately? And where should I go next?

ExStream

It's been awhile since I've last written a post. Which is rather sad since I keep telling myself to write more when  I have the time. [Which I'm happy to report that with recent developments, time for myself is a happy side effect.]

Anyhow,  I think it's always a good idea to start with a grateful post. Hence, Thank you, Team. 

As some of you may know, I've decided to move forward with my life and my career. Let me share that this was not an easy step to take. It took a lot of talking it out, self examination and consultations, but by June, upon hitting my first year in my previous company. [Yeap, read it again if you got to] There were a lot of things that convinced me that it's time to move on and that this change would be for the better. 

I learned a lot that's for sure; from hitting targets to coordinating between different departments in that function in different time zones. [Bonus is getting paid to be a Grammar Nazi] I am certainly grateful for the skills I've acquired but more than that I am grateful for the people that I've met and worked with. I am especially grateful to my Team. It is in this team where the saying, "It's the people you have and not what you have that spells  success", comes alive. 

So for all the late nights in the office, the skipped lunches, the really late lunches, for the rides home together, for the post queue ranting sessions and for life coaching sessions, Thank you, CompetiTEAM.

X-23 v 2.0: Toycon 2011

Well, I finally got my boots cleaned and fixed a few weeks ago. And what better way to re-introduced them but by wearing them at Toycon.

The last time I wore the X-23 Costume was last November 2010. [You can check it out here.] There were definitely more than a few kinks. One was that my hair wasn't quite long enough yet. Second, I was in my rubber shoes [cause I didn't have my boots fixed then]. Lastly, I haven't quite honed my make up skills then.

So, here I am as Laura Kinney (X-23) at this year's Toycon:

X-23 (Laura Kinney)

Me and the Classic X-Men (Havoc, Wolverine, Forge)

Me and the New X-Men (Young Kitty Pride, Dust)

Me and Friends

Here's the reference art that I got the costume from [Just in case you guys haven't seen this yet]:

If you guys don't know who X-23 is. She is basically Wolverine's clone but you can read more about her
here.

I think the major turning point of this version is the make up. It really helped me with the facial expressions. Laura had a rather dark aura that is quite hard to channel if you haven't killed someone before hence I was having a hard time getting into character. Once I had the make up on though and had a little practice run in front of the mirror at home.

I really like the street version of her, but I think I'm going to move up and start on her X-Factor costume soon. If so, that's probably the first time I'm going to tackle masks. And how am I going to handle the midrift! If any of you guys have suggestions about how I should go about it then shoot me a comment.

Science Stumbled on Something

Go with your heart, buddy. Our brains only screw things up.

-Chuck Bartowski, Chuck(2007)

I had the past couple of days off from work. I really needed that since I've been on split offs for a long time. Anyway, my original plans to see my dad didn't really push through. [Yes, I am still bummed out about it] Though, Arckham and I made up for it by having a movie date which we haven't done in awhile.

In addition, I had some me time and I did a lot of reading and catching up with people I care about. And I'd like to share something I came across when I was going through my blogroll:

...a health reporter, I see so many studies of the causes and symptoms of work stress. So it was refreshing to see a study about the converse: what makes workers happy.
Focusing on social workers, a profession known for its high attrition, stress and burnout, John Graham, Ph.D., a professor of social work at the University of Calgary and his then doctoral student Micheal Shier, now at the University of Pennsylvania sent a survey out to 2,500 registered social workers in Alberta, Canada.  Seven hundred people responded.

From that group they took 13 people who scored the highest in nine areas of happiness and then followed them closely through in-depth interviews about their lives at home, at work and through shadowing them at work. Here’s what he found made them happy:
1. Flexible work schedules. The workers had the ability to provide “selfcare” by having the flexibility to manage their personal lives. A flexible schedule helped them to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
2. A strong sense of engagement in their work. The researcher found that was because of behind-the-scenes support the employees received from their bosses and employers. This support included flex schedules as well as the availability of superiors to consult with and bounce issues off of.
3. A feeling of being appreciated and valued, which often stemmed from their being included in organizational decision-making.
4. Having a high degree of freedom built into their jobs, meaning that they wanted the ability to try new things and expand out of their immediate area.
5. A pleasant physical workspace and good relationships with clients and colleagues.
6. Having a diversity of responsibilities, which might include training or teaching others, research, and policy development work.
7. Having a mentor to talk about their life, career decisions and their day-to-day job.

Graham and Shier are currently researching whether these factors make other types of workers happy as well, but the hunch is that these attributes would be important to all workers. What improves your sense of well being at work?

Thank you for this, theminordetail.

One of my goals is to be happy [I believe that goal should be fairly common.] and I spend time looking into it that I am headed in the right direction. This study gave me a lot to think about after all I think science is on to something here.

Well, it's the start of the week. Game on.

New Breathing Space

One of the things I am very particular about is the space I move around in. I like the concept of owning my space derived from the popular concept "of making it your own". [Yes, I am a bit territorial: RAWR!]

I bought my first piece of furniture yesterday. It's a basic computer table.It is very cheap yet sturdy. [If you are wondering where I got it, it's from CDR King Starmall.] Arckham and I assembled it on the wee hours of Sunday. [We first finished marathoning The Big Bang Theory's Season 3 :P]

Assembling was a little bit tricky, since there was this piece that had the wrong screws. We needed wood screws but the one that came with it were flat ones. We got creative with it and used the screw drivers we had to create the slots so the flat screws would slide into it.

By 5 AM, we already had it standing on four wheels.

Yes, I don't really have a PC. I basically will be using the keyboard slot of the table to keep Pierre [my laptop]. Then using the desk space as basically a regular work desk. I can always pull out the laptop when I need it. 

That evening, I started working on rearranging my part of the room to accommodate the new computer table. I had previously bought some boxes for storage since one of my cabinets are slowly reaching it's capacity. It was rather cheap, I got them from St. Francis Square in Mandaluyong. One can even double as a chair [but I'm mainly going to use it as a foot rest]. 

Then, I also started working on the wall. My main passion in life is music. So much so that it makes me sad that I'm not much of a music geek anymore. [I plan to get back into that soon.] I have always found comfort in the so called universal language and I wanted that to come through in my little corner of the world. So, I worked on revamping the wall as well.

The wall stickers are also from CDR King. They really are coming up with great stuff just need a little more creativity to not come out generic, but they basically give you great key elements to work with. 

 

Safe to say that was one productive day, there are still a few things that I am still hunting down: chair, shoe rack, cork board, mirror and a lamp. Any suggestions where I should go? [Note that I have a rather tight budget.]

Anyway, I will be sure to update you guys on how this new space will turn out.

Copper Streaks

Since we are approaching the middle of summer and the summer heat is in an all time high, my sporting long locks was becoming irritating, Moreover, since I grew my hair straight out, it turned out boring. [Which is something I don't like. I am a fan of funky hair.] To remedy the situation, I looked into some resource photos and got a new cut.

So, I wanted something new without losing the length of my hair. I also wanted bangs since it reminded me of my sister who I sorely miss. [Bangs are adorable on her!] So, I looked for funky bangs and layered hair. Though, I do think that the funky bangs won't be enough to revamp my look so I decided to have streaks of color running through my hair, hence, the highlights. I originally wanted red, purple or blue but for the sake of work, I settled for copper. It's a little reddish but not too much.

I had this done at Index Salon: Lifehomes. My hairdresser was Sherwin. [I think he was the manager]. Anyway, I would just like to share what I went through since this would be the first time I ever had my hair colored.

First, was the hair cut to get the bangs and the layered hair I was aiming for. Then start picking the hair to highlight and bleach it:

   

After bleaching, the color was set  in:

  

And lastly, modification to the hair cut. Here's the final product:

   

Thanks, Sherwin.