My brother from another mother

Last year was, undeniably, a crazy year for Team Araguas (as Stew fondly calls us) and The Blacketts. Kuya Stew stayed in the Philippines for ALMOST a year ( you didn't last the entire year, brotha!) last year and I had the chance to have an older brother even for just a few months. I've always envisioned Kuya Stew as someone strong, fearless, and the alpha male that he always try to project.

Last year, he was like this:

That 2013 Feb Fair week

I was prepared for this Valentine's day. Ideally, since I know that I will be having a good time at work, I plan to rush home and spend the evening in pajamas, chips and watch reruns of Keeping up with the Kardashians that I've been downloading for the past few weeks.

I've been living in elbi for the past two and a half years, and I know before Feb 14 arrives, the streets get crazy with flower vendors everywhere.

This is what it already looks like , Feb 13 in the morning:

Let this post be about Luuurve!

Tomorrow is February 14...so Happy Valentines!

Contrary to my last year's post about Valentines being just a regular day, or as my friend Frankie used to say last year: “They call it Valentine’s; I call it Tuesday.” Let this be a post about Luuuurve.

The becky Queen Divine Lee, blogged about this and I really waited for the whole video to download. I’m not gay/lesbian or anything, but something about this video touched me and I’ll tell you why.

If the talks about settling down, getting married makes one engaged, then I must have been engaged at least three times already. When I was 23, people thought I’d get hitched. After all, my then beau, was all about having kids and I was already travelling 12 hours just to see him. But I knew he wasn’t the one for me. We have different visions, different dreams, and different values, though honestly, he is a lot nicer compared to me. Bottom line, I didn’t see us going down the aisle for I can see that when love between us no longer exists, the respect, who I think will be the last remaining glue, just isn’t there anymore. I have exerted the most effort in that relationship, but it had been the easiest one for me to let go of and get over with just because I honestly knew it wasn’t really meant to be.

“You’re the only one I know who gets a boyfriend that don’t really want to spend your future with him” a friend told me years ago.  Truth is, few years ago, I started believing and finally getting what happily married people has been telling me: you’ll just know.

I have secretly shed a tear when one of my bffs got hitched last year. Not because she’s getting married, or officially in a permanent relationship. I have learned to separate the hype. For my own wedding, I used to think that I really couldn’t care less, as long as I am sure with the one I am marrying with- Because I think that’s the hardest part.

Few months earlier, after our friends got hitched, my guy friends and I were talking over lunch one day. Since most of our friends are finally settling down, it got them into thinking that maybe, they should start straightening up their acts. I am not going to divulge in this blog about the depth of what we have talked about because it’s one of the cherished guys-talk-with-one-girl moments that we have, but when  I joked about how I wanted my wedding to be themed “Elope” and that I’d just invite them one day over lunch or dinner and announce that I had just gotten hitched.I got nagging, violent reactions saying that they can only accept that I didn’t invite them to my wedding... only if it’s done abroad.

So I guess no more Carrie Bradshaw-John James Preston City Hall Elope themed wedding for moi.

The reaction was violent and sweet, I felt like the youngest and only sister with all these big brothers picking on me. Love ‘em.

Now going back to Divine Lee’s post about Love knows no gender, I watched it and I finally I understood why the presence of both families and friends during the day of your official union together is so special. I finally understood, because I know since our society doesn’t approve of gay marriage, I just felt so happy for this couple that they have the support of both of their families…and the criticisms just don’t matter.

Clinton & Callum from Soda Films on Vimeo.

Happy Valentine’s day and may we always, bravely, love, like our hearts will never be broken.

Behind Closed Doors: Barbie and Ken's Marriage in real life

Remember my posts about Barbie and Ken's wedding?
How about my post about the Nigerian Barbie's Cultural Wedding?

I saw this on pinterest today and it reminds me of ... why some women nowadays fear marrying really good looking guys. :)

Review: E.L.F.'s Primer

I've been meaning to try a face primer. I researched the most affordable in the market it keeps on coming back to ELF Cosmetics.

So what are primers, really?

The make up trainer last workshop told us, that same with painting the walls, the face also needs primer. Basically it evens out the skin for smooth application of foundation. She also said that BB creams will do if we don't have primers. I've been using Maybelline's BB cream since last year (but not regularly) so I figured out it might be a good way to go since I do not have any primers.

I fangirl-ed shamelessly for @ramonbautista

Two years ago, my bff texted me while lined up at Starbucks:

"Guess what? I'm here at Starbucks ABSCBN, and Ramon Bautista is standing in line behind me. If you were here, I would totally take your picture."

I cannot even begin to tell you about Ramon Bautista. He calls himself "internet action star" but he really is a TV and Radio Show host, commercial model and a UP Diliman faculty. I learned about him when I was just browsing the net and social media networking sites years ago then I got hooked and followed him on twitter, tumblr and instagram. For a really good laugh, I visit his formspring account which he eventually turned into a book.

[Project FeeTrail 2013]: Wore my trusty flats for my first out of town coverage assignment

On my first month in my new job, I got my first out of town assignment: Cover an event in the House of Representatives in Congress.

While all my photos that I took are for work, I managed to take a quick shot for my second round of Project FeeTrail for 2013, after doing the project for the whole year of 2012.

I remember a photo similar to this shot when I took my March 2012 Project FeeTrail that I wrote about last year. I was wearing my pink ballet flats while covering an event in UPLB's auditorium and realized that I want these things (covering for events and writing about it) for the long haul.

They say, when you want something, just say it to the universe and it will make it happen for you.

A year later, here I am.

Officially.

Creepy Long Distance Pillow

When you're in a bar, the way to check if someone is in a relationship/involved with someone is if they keep checking on their phone.

Or suddenly they go out to talk for like, 45 minutes after the 5 minute break from the last call. ( Hi, Chis!)

Or they talk and laugh really loud then suddenly takes a call in a low voice.

I guess it's safe to say that X number of years ago, while at a bar, while having drinks a friend noticed how I am constantly texting, in the middle of what is supposed to be fun, showing the symptoms that I've just mentioned.

"Has long distance relationship ever worked for you?" she finally asked.

It never really did. Tried it twice, never really worked out.

I saw these on the internet today and found it creepy.

According to the site:

Pillow Talk is a project aiming to connect long distance lovers. Each person has a pillow for their bed and a ring sensor which they wear to sleep at night. The sensor wirelessly communicates with the other person’s pillow; when one person goes to bed, their lover’s pillow begins to glow softly to indicate their presence. Placing your head on the pillow allows you to hear the real-time heartbeat of your loved one.

The result is an intimate interaction between two lovers, regardless of the distance between them.

Still it doesn't guarantee loyalty. It could be anyone's head that can just beat for the other right? I wish there's something like it that softly glows, then turns into a really soft machine that massages your head instead while you sleep. I also wish that the pillow will be "moon-and-sun powered" and... oh well, organic. Wishful thinking. I know.

I think it's scary with all the wireless things and sensors, the last thing that you want to get, out of being crazy in love, is to be literally crazy because of love.

What do you think?