[Project FeeTrail August 2013]: The day I stared Murphy’s Law in the eye and said: “Kebs”.

I was supposed to have a different feet shot this month, but I forgot to take one and because it was too sad. I still do not have the strength to write about it so let’s move on.

This photo was taken at a huge media related event that I spear headedly organized in behalf of the university. This is also the day that I would like to call: The day I stared Murphy’s Law in the eye and said: “Kebs”. I was running around all day making sure the sound system works, the videos play, ushers were giving the right directions, registration is ongoing, food and catering is being properly set up, the utilities team is doing their jobs and most of all everyone had something to eat. I was in the shadows most of the time, sneaking, making sure everyone is properly seated, and always on my toes for in case of emergencies. Yes, I was prepared.

Everything was totally planned for, knowing the OC that I am when it comes to organizing events. In fairness I like being on top of things, so that I know what my next move is if ever it didn’t pan out. In fact, I was already on my way to driving school to school, making calls when a representative from another sponsor organizer decided to get one important task, because they have already did it before. In all good faith, I gave the task to them.

Never mind that I had this gut feeling that makes me uncomfortable.

To make the story short, I delivered. They didn’t. And It’s supposed to be okay because there’s nothing we can really do than just push through. I just didn’t like it that they were the outsiders talking bad stuff like if they organized it, it would have been full. It was their job and just my guests showed up. They have the list, they didn’t call. I realized and learned how unprofessional people like to make excuses. I just don’t like it that some people who messed up their ONE JOB had the nerve to comment. I am even overlooking the fact that they were late in so many tasks. I also do not like incompetent people blaming others. I don’t mind being accounted for, for a mishap as long as it’s my fault. But that’s not really how it works in “showbiz”.  I’m glad people still showed up and I’m glad despite what’s going on behind the scenes, someone was praying for me.

Normally, behind the scenes panic would have gotten me. But this month was different because I also lost a colleague and friend (who likes to read my blog, by the way) in the most unexpected and horrible way I could ever imagine. So this little mishap will not get to me. This is not the end of the world. Life is short and precious. The faster we move on and let go, the better for everyone. And it's good to be surrounded and supported by tough, positive and professional people. 

Good thing, even though it was not expected and it was not how I planned it to be, my supervisor and our guests were pleased. What a relief. Thank God.

And despite all the mishap with working with some unprofessional people, I learned a lot. I took home a lot of lessons. I charged and banked it all to experience. I was just so dog tired when I came home that I fell asleep instantly on the couch while waiting for my next 7pm appointment for another event.

Since late last year, I’ve organized weddings, even a controversial funeral and now this. So yeah, I guess I really am an event organizer. 

I'm looking for a UPLB Student Kristine Valenzuela

Last week, after the rain stopped pouring hours before my florist sister headed to Manila to get the pre-ordered flowers for a client, we did not know that while at the ATM machine at Vega Centre, one of the ATM cards fell out.

We were not aware about it until 30 minutes later, my sister got a call from her landline that a UPLB student, Kristine Valenzuela, called to let my sister know that she dropped one of her ATM cards and would like to return it.

Two years ago, I was at a bank in the campus, opening a new account. A male UPLB student, came to the counter and reported that his ATM was lost and asked the cashier/attendant to inform him if someone would return his lost ATM, because apparently all of his allowance is in that card.

The lady told the student that the possibility of someone returning an ATM card is a slim chance. After all, why bother?

Since he insisted that, just in case someone would return it, he would drop by the bank branch again.

The student left, and the lady at the counter gave me a faint -whatever-smile. I mean c'mon, who would bother to go to the bank and return it? Or better yet, who would go looking for the owner to return in?

But deep down, I still believe in Good Samaritans, among the new breed of UP students in elbi.

One of them is this Kristine Valenzuela, who used the power of the internet to reach my sister. Since it was already night time and we cannot go out and meet her to get the card, we asked if she can drop by our boutique to leave the card, and possibly meet her.

And also at the same time, I told my sister to call the banks line and block the card and track the transactions. (Yeah, this girl [me] has trust issues)

The very next day, this Kristine Valenzuela, went to our shop and gave back the ATM card. She left without having to bother to ask and see who the owner is, or whatever. Our salesladies just told us that she just really wants to return the ATM card. That's it.

So the ATM was returned and we never saw her. My sister said her thank you's over the phone but we want to meet her to personally thank her.

So if you happen to know a Kristine Valenzuela taking up Food Technology in UPLB, please let me know by leaving your names in the comment section or head over to my contact page to leave a longer, perhaps private message.

UPDATE!

After three months, we finally found the good Samaritan. Read about Kristine Marie Valenzuela HERE.

Review: Pogo Sketch Stylus for iPad/iTouch/iPhone

Recently I indulged in Digital Sketching, or in my case it's Digital Doodling. I googled like a mad woman and found an online seller of an affordable and good performing stylus recommended by other blogs, but one recommendation I took was from Trina, a singer/songwriter. She said she bought a pogo sketch stylus in San Francisco that she uses with her iPad and now she found an online seller for a very affordable price.

She said the stylus sold for Php800 pesos somewhere in Greenbelt, so when I found out that it's half the price and free shipping, I gave it a go. By Wednesday I placed an order and got the package by Friday because the product came all the way from Cebu!

I love getting things in the mail! Yey!

I got hooked on Digital Sketching

Last Monday, when work and classes got cancelled, I got into Digital Sketching. Or should I say Digital Doodling? I borrowed my mother's iPad and started doodling using one of the Apps. One of my favorite bloggers, Chinie Diaz, also doodles so I got inspired.

I haven't sketched/doodled since 2008. The last time I did it, I drew a very detailed converse sneakers while listening beside my agent back when I still work in a BPO call center. He liked my drawing so much that he asked for it (Naks!). I honestly do not know why I stopped sketching. I used to paint during elementary until high school, I even took Art classes when I was in grade school. 

I'm not an expert or a pro when it comes to digital sketching.Plus it's so hard to draw using just the forefinger. I became addicted and yet it's getting painstaking because I couldn't control getting color out of the lines. The OC in me is not pleased at all because some areas looked blotchy. Here are samples of my work that I instagrammed and tweeted: 

This is my favorite image to sketch since I was a teenager, bec it's the easiest. Someone once interpreted my work as me who prefers to be alone. dunno about that but I'm just big on personal space. First time to do Digital sketching using my forefinger. Mudak helped in filling out the green mountain. Maybe she'll like sketching too other than 4pics 1word.

Make up products worth your moolah (money) + Other Make up Fixes

This year, actually mid year, I have decided to buy only make ups that I will use.  

So I gave away some of my make up and even an entire very barely used make up palette to my cousin Karen. I somehow kept my current make up palette, BYS, that I blogged before because it makes blending very easy, not to mention it is long wearing.

Speaking of long wearing, here are the make up items that I bought that are indeed long wearing.

1. L'Oreal True Match Foundation in N7.

I've had this foundation since October last year (2012) and used it for my Kuya Stew's wedding. You only need little amount and it covers really great. I remember researching for a really good foundation and my friend Yeye's friend, Marie Tan, (who does Patty Laurel's hair and sometimes make up, as well other celebs) recommended this product. She made a really good recommendation because I did not regret buying this even if it costs almost 1k)

Price: P995 .

2. After the make up workshop that I attended early this year, I was on the look out for a translucent powder. I found this the most affordable on the market.  (Price: a little over Php 500.00.) The little cheapskate in me was looking for a powder within my price range (cheap) but when I saw this and have been using this for more than 6 months already, I'll say it will still last me for the rest of the year. 

The thing with translucent powders is, as the name implies, it doesn't give much coverage but it settles and mattifies the oily skin. It won't ruin your make up at all so don't buy this if you want coverage.

I needed to change the powder puff though so I got a Marionnaud powder puff for less than Php100.00. I'm glad we have Marionnaud in the local market. I thought they only sell make up brushes and some tools. 

3. Remember how I regret buying E.L.F.'s primer? I decided to come up with own. I bought Max Factor in Caramel because it was on sale, but it appeared to be a lot darker on my face, even though I always go for a darker shade of foundation on my face. 

So I mixed a Nivea moisturizer and the liquid foundation and adjusted the tint and put it in a cream jar that I bought at Watson's. It became a really good primer and make up base, it didn't feel sticky at all!

I made two shades! Containers available at Watsons. 

4. I purchased the wrong kind of foundation at Walmart last summer, when I got it it, it was 2 shades darker than my face color. So what did I do? I studied how to contour!

It worked well, but sometimes I tend to overdo it due to excitement of blending that I ended up looking tanned rather than contoured, but they say practice makes perfect! So if you see me looking tanned during this rainy season...Pardon my contour!

*Photos are from the internet ---sorry too lazy to take actual photos from my stash. :) 



Any make up tricks and make up recommendations you want to share with me?

One Day I will write a book

I can still remember the first time I discovered chick literature. I was inside my favorite hangout in Glorietta, the old National Bookstore facing Park Square, when I discovered a quite intriguing book by Jane Green. It was on sale so I bought it. 

I could not put it down! That's the time I discovered Jane Green and years later I spent years trying to complete all her books. Like me, her writing and topics differ and she wrote according to her phase in life. Her topics have changed from being the ultimate single gal to settling down. Now I've moved on from the UK chick lit author to Irish Author, Marian Keyes.

One Summer, I was happily browsing my newly purchased Cosmo magazine and it came with a mini pocket book:

I love this! Too bad, it wasn't for sale. It's no longer available for years now and I wish this would be re-launched, because I lost mine.

I love this book by Tara FT Sering. I don't mean to put Pinays down, but I really did not think that Pinays can pull off a Chick Literature book, but Tara FT Sering sure did, and she did well (and along came the others and I got to know more of them like Maya Calica).  I think I was 21 when I read this. It dawned on me and realized that I wanted to be a chick literature author. I want to write about feisty,  funny, fabulous and smart women. Just few weeks ago, my best friend and I had a book sale haul and her mom went through my selection of books. She said I am fond of witty female authors. That's because I am surrounded by witty female friends!

When I had my heart severely broken, the old me would have blogged about it. But the, "new, in-quarter-life-crisis-me" wrote a make-shift e-book instead. I wrote a mini-novel in February 16, 2011 and saved in a pdf file. It has 31 mini chapters in 65 pages. I let a friend who I don't really see often read it and she said I'm really heart broken.But I don't want to write about broken hearts and bad recovery.

Now years later and a lot wiser (I believe) I was reacquainted with my desire to write a chick literature book. Now I am declaring to the Universe,that someday I will write a book! I will write a chick lit book and I already have an illustrator to work on the art of my book, none other than my friend/colleague EISEN!

Someday, I will write the book and fearlessly offer to publishers and prepare myself for rejection. Actually I did write already to some publishers for a pitch but haven't got a reply, but that's okay. I believe, one day I will release a chick lit book that I have written on my own. My desire to be a chick literature author is far stronger than my dream to be a make up artist.

But I think, it will be necessary to use a pen name for the topics that I have in mind. #DefinitelyNotThe50ShadesofGraykind

Essential Tools hi-def Make up brushes

I have a strange love affair with make up brushes. Apy's friend helped us/me get this from US last summer. I fell in love with it especially the eye shadow brush kit, which you don't normally see  in the Philippines.

Another WTH Book found in Book Sale

Remember my post about What the Heck Books you find in Book Sales? I think I better start collecting photos of funny and interesting books that I usually find.

Like last weekend, my friends and I were at a SM Mall of Asia's book sale when I saw this:

The book actually got 3.37 rating from the good reads site. And a few weeks ago, I found this on another booksale:

I like taking photos of these kind of book sale finds because, obviously, no matter how cheap, I do not have any intention of buying it.