[Project FeeTrail January 2015]: January Jump for Joy

Starting the Feetrail project with a jump for joy because we saw THE POPE in the FLESH!

Wrote about it here.

Braved the early morning city trip, long exhausting walk, climbing and jumping off barricades, body-against-body crowd, screaming devotees, potential and mini stampede, rain, long lines, limited food, ALL FOR THE LOVE OF POPE FRANCIS!

Seriously, it's true that when you see him in person, its so surreal.Never have I imagined seeing a Pope in the flesh, and when they started the 20 year old song "Tell the world of his love", I was crying and I didn't realize that I still know the words to the song. I was in fifth grade when the last Pope came to the Philippines. And I just said that I want to add seeing Pope and hearing papal mass to my bucket list on Friday and I checked it off my list in two days! 

Honestly, I have no plans for that Sunday. At 7pm I got a call from my friend Joy looking for raincoats because Ellis, her husband, is going to see the Pope together with his colleagues. Few minutes later, my mom told me that my sister plans to go see the pope and leave very early in the morning and I immediately said I wanted to go even though I lack sleep. We were able to finalize travel plans in an hour, buy raincoats just 5 minutes before closing time, and you know the rest of the story.

To cut things short, I asked, and without much thinking, I received.

Thank you Dear Papa Jesus!

P.S. I was telling my doctor, who was also there but didn't stay long, that the feeling is so surreal, the amount of people is unbelievable, the faith is inexplicable, I have never seen anything like it.

Also, I realized how great it must be to be a member of the Vatican-accredited media. :)

Scripted "Sugar": ANTM Model in Maroon 5's Wedding Crashers-inspired video

I can't tell you how many times I have played and watched Maroon 5's Sugar video about crashing weddings. It gave me such happy vibe that I even shared it to my couple clients for good vibes.

If you  haven't seen it, well here it is:

I was really wondering how did they go around crashing 7 weddings around LA with that amount of time of band set up (see first part of the video) and the set up of platform of stage complete with stage lights.

But today, was the big confirmation. Sorry to burst the bubble of those who swooned over Maroon 5's Sugar Video (me included and I'm sure my friend Aya, who's a huge Adam Levine fan). But the wedding crashers-inspired video is indeed scripted. 

When I first saw it, I was super impressed how they pulled it off. Actually, because of the video, I downloaded Maroon 5's whole V album and it has been on repeat since last week. Early this morning, my friend's sister shared this photo from a Facebook page.

Look at the hashtag! SHE'S NOT MARRIED!!! 

Actually when I first saw the video, there's this third bride who looked really familiar. It turned out to be Raina Heim.

If you don't know Raina, she used to be at the America's Next Top Model, Cycle 14:

I used to watch America's Next Top model so I know. The first one in black is Raina:

But you gotta hand it over to the actors, they did a good job. I still like watching the video even if I know that it's scripted. 

What the heck.

One day in 2011

Darling, remember that one day in 2011?

It started a year and a half before that. You said on a certain date, in 2011, you would ring me up and ask me to pack my bags.

We're going to go out of town. Way out of the city.

And you would buy these drinks, Tequila, your favorite.

I know something would be up, because you don't really drink.

Then we'd end up somewhere between the beach and the mountains.

Could be anywhere where you could watch people surf.

And I know something would be up but you would not tell.

Then, by around half past two in the afternoon, you would be keeping tabs on your watch.

Which you don't normally do when we are all together, because you know how to have your fun.

But that particular day in 2011, you would tell a lot of stories in the world, except one.

By six, when Tequila, as expected, betray you, you will be begin to talk.

That day will be one of those scenarios that you played many times in your head.

While driving, while taking a shower, while sitting in a coffee shop lost in a daze.

You have already blocked that whole month of the calendar.

You know you would dread it, but you got magic up on your sleeve.

Girlfriends on speed dial.

We all know.

And in your drunken state would hallucinate church bells ringing, saying it is officially over.

Game Over.

Now, that was five years ago, Darling. Ain't it funny?

That one scene you played a hundred times in your head never happened.

And what you thought you would be feeling by now never occurred.

And just when the skies cleared up, you don't want your story anymore.

Because you finally know why it was never meant to be in the first place.

Now you know.

On a Pope High!

We saw the Pope in the flesh! TWICE! I am proud to be part of this history together with my sisters Achi and Aprille, her beau Jay and my friend Joy.



We left the house at 2:30am, arrived at around 4 and found Parking, 5:30 we were at the Maria Orosa gate and by past 7am we were finally let in! I can't tell you how much the level of my anxiety and stress hiked up. I was just praying the whole time because I was scared of a stampede. I keep chanting to myself : For the love of Pope, for the love of Pope...

I did not even bothered to take pictures, even when this celebrity Jason Abalos braved our crowd because he happened to be a POPE EVENT MARSHALL. Practically everyone whipped out their gadgets and tablets while the five of us got pushed near the gates (to our advantage).

First thing we did when we got in was find a place to camp out and power nap. No choice since people are literally every where so this is the surface we camped on.

 Power nap view:

We were prepared to get wet so we bought transparent rain coats the night before.

The longest wait I had to make just to pee. We lined up at 10:35am and finally was able to relieve ourselves at 1:35pm. NO KIDDING!

Majority of the plants were...dead.

We saw the Pope passed by on his way to the grandstand! When we finally saw the pope passed by, we tried to make it near the stadium. But people are everywhere! We were at the Maria Orosa gate then when made our way near the stadium when after Pope passed by.

I didn't really know how many of us were there until I saw this: 6 Million Strong!

I didn't realize how near we are to the stadium until I compared it to one of the photos from my phone:

We weren't even in the aerial shot!

Here comes the Pope!!!

WE LOVE YOU POPE FRANCIS!!!

Thank God I was able to catch it on video even if I only have 11% battery left! 

VIVA IL PAPA, PAPA FRANCISCO!!!

Viva il Papa, Papa Francisco! from The Kea Channel on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday @laiahdear #AYAconda2015

Before we start, how about we get into the mood by listening/watching Nicki Minaj's Anaconda Video?




Aya and I have this birthday tradition where we photoshop our birthday celebrant friend's face into celebrity bodies for laughs!

First it was Yeye, then it was Frankie but asked me to take it down for the sake of taking care of his digital footprint (hihihi) thenI got mine, and now it's the photoshop queen's turn! Happy Birthday AYA!!! I came up with a birthday countdown that stressed her out for five days!

Here's Day 1:

Dear Aya, you think I would wait for saturday to greet you on your birthday? Let's start now! Happy Birthday! You have no choice, we will have a birthday countdown. Here's #AYAconda Photo 1 of 5, yes 5, and if you erase your pic you would look like your twinnie (private joke). Get ready birthday girl! 

Day 2: 

Happy, Happy Birthday Aya! Here's #AYAconda Photo 2 of 5! YOu're so sexy in this picture! No wonder we got the paddle boarding for free when we were in Boracay last year. HE was stunned by your sexyness! 

Day 3:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aya! As promised, here's #AYAconda Photo 3 of 5. You're so pretty here! Digital perm suits you welll. This is how you ride the jeep, so the jeep can take you to your office for only Php 8.50! 

 Day 4:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aya! Here's #AYAconda Photo 4 of 5. YOu're sexy already but you're still dedicated into working out! Happy Birthday. Tomorrow, since it's your actual birthday, I will reveal your grand finale photo! 

And the much awaited FINALE: 

HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY AYA! 

Keep workng it sexy girl!!! 

No more Balik Alindog, because your Alindog is soooo back! 

Thanks for being a good sport in your Birthday countdown!

(Kinakabahan na ako sa standee ko).

Me, apparently...and a list.

Actually, it's not like I do not know what to write, it's more of I know what to write but I don't think it's proper to write. Especially in this public blog.

Gone are the days where I write with zero f*cks. Must be the thirties. I sometimes go read some youngsters who bare all online and thank God I wasn't an entirely what they call a "digital native". Thank you God my old blog in multiply site was already deleted because, oh Gosh, que horror!  I search blogs to read and now I get a little bit frustrated that they are now more of outfit posts. Few years ago, I get embarrassed when one calls me a "blogger" because bloggers now are tagged as "fashion blogger"and there's no fasyon in me.

I search and look for unsponsored posts, personal blogs about thoughts, life learning and winning internal battles, and end up learning more from selected mommy bloggers. I like how moms write, they are honest and feisty (at least those I frequently read), but only certain topics I can relate to.

Anyhoo, this is me blabbing again. I actually have an article that I am editing since last year but I've been waiting for my mojo and ended up doing something else. Like type this post right now.

I know new year's resolutions are so year 2000, but in an attempt to jolt me back in reality, I am writing this down... well at least 5 of them I want to share in this blog.

1. Listen more. - I learn a lot when I listen.

2. Avoid Book sales and make time to read. - I have a ton of chicklit books that I have accumulated through the years and it would be a waste to not get to read them.

3. Avoid waste. - (For sample, see #2) For starters, I have started giving away unused make ups that were given to me as a gift.

4. Hold your tongue. - Sometimes, I get into trouble for telling the truth, and I still tell the truth because it shows on my face,anyway. But this year, I'm going to hold my tongue. You can assume, reflect, study every movement of my facial muscle but it's not going to come out of my mouth. Not my circus, not my monkeys.

5. Make more moves and less announcements. - I got this from the instagram post  of one of my favorite Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine in the Philippines. My sister and I actually started this since last year. It is true that when you are sooo busy being productive, you have less time minding other people's business.

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Wow! That 449 words already and I thought I couldn't write.

The 2014 Vision Board update

One thing that excites me about the new year, besides writing on a spanking brand new planner, is the planning of vision boards. Last year I made a shameless, long term vision board. Today, I am showing the progress of what came true.

The blurred ones are those goals happening in the future. (Yes, I am claiming it!) If you will notice, I really indulged in affirmations and positive thoughts. I will no longer state the obvious but let me share with you my favorite parts that came true:

1. I went to Japan and saw Cherry Blossoms!
2. My paper got accepted in Asian Media Information and Communication Centre International Conference (AMIC) and it happened to be in Thailand, which is in my vision board (but I did not go despite having bought tickets and booked hotel. Blogged about it here)
3. I made new friends! ( I have new colleagues, a new walking mate, a very thoughtful and sweet Japanese family that we met in Japan, and I also made new virtual friends in the blogosphere.)
4. I expanded my professional network and reconnected with classmates from grade school.
5. I traveled to 3 countries and one beautiful island in the Philippines.
6. I lost some weight ( this is probably the first in a long time that I had comments about having lost some weight and it happened during the holidays).

Yes, if you look at my vision board, not everything came true, but what does it mean? It means, the vision board works!

My sister, a wedding and events floral designer, showed me a note that she jot down on her phone early last year. It said about taking her floral designing on another level and out of her comfort zone and guess what? It all came true! So whether or not your vision is made of photos or words, documenting it actually helps!

I remember how my cousin also told me how instead of doing a vision board, she wrote a list of what she wanted and it all came true within her deadline. In fact, I have started a resolution list on my planner about the things I'm serious about this year (and coming years). I used to shy way from making resolutions because like most people, I never really get to fulfill them. But it never hurts to try again, right?

By the way, how's yours doing?

Starting the year with a Time Capsule Journal

I was only planning on buying my 2015 Planner last November when I saw this time capsule journal. Paully initially showed me the 5 year one but I think the 3 year journal will do.

So this is how the time capsule (in a journal) will happen...

Cute huh? it's like a slam book for adults!So, on the first day of 2015 I will write...

What I will be answering on my birthday for three years...(so every birthday I must conquer something?)

The journal has other lay outs:

I was so excited that I opened the journal and read a few pages few weeks after I got it. Anyway, I forced my self to stop and today, the first day of 2015, I will start writing on my time capsule journal!

Happy New Year!