ooh! the limelight!

This photo and the others were taken during our shoot for our new company ID (as mentioned in my previous post here; just scroll down a bit.)

So this is how it feels to be a model. I think I shall change careers now. Hahaha!

short but sweet

The handsome pine trees at Camp John Hay.

The weather was weepy, which made Baguio even more harder to leave.

Our daytrip assignment to Baguio started at 11pm here in the office. Cindy and I decided to leave for home early last Wednesday so we can prep ourselves (meaning, take a bath and have dinner) before we go back to the office again and wait for 3am. So we just managed to busy ourselves with pending work and Youtube. Come 3am on Thursday, we were off to Ministop to pick up our photographer, Harold Tapan. Then it was the long and winding road to Baguio.

We decided to stop over some gas station along NLEX to grab some snacks and coffee. A few ours into our trip, Cindy and I found ourselves still perky, even at 4am. That's what lack of sleep can do to us–turn us into these giggly girls who seemed to have been drugged. Hahaha! I just hope we didn't cause Harold any discomfort; I believe he was trying to get some snooze amid our giggling.

After a routine of sleep-laugh-sleep, we're finally in Baguio. It was a little past 9am. So as to function properly, we stopped by Pancake House to grab some breakfast before heading to the Good Shepherd Convent.

It was around 10am when we got there. Not wasting any precious time (actually, we want to get over and done with the interview and the shoot as quickly as we possibly can so we'd have more time to go around), we proceeded to interview Manang Julie and Sister Guada, learning about how their best-selling product, the Mountain Maid goods, came to Baguio. We were so grateful to have been served hot cups of delicious brewed coffee and yummy chicken empanada, but we were kinda full from our Pancake House tryst. We ended up slipping the empanada into our bags.

After the chit-chat, it was off to the shoot. I'd like to thank Sister Guada, Manang Julie and the rest of the Good Shepherd/Mountain Maid staff and working students for being very much accommodating and cooperative. Despite the scattered rainshowers, we were able to go thru the whole shoot without any problems.

The official payong girl: Cindy Dy.

Cam-whoring at Good Shepherd's view deck.

Come 12:30pm, we were off to Mile Hi Complex at Camp John Hay to have our lunch at Little John's. Of course, I had to recommend their Rib Eye Tapa and fondue (though there were no strawberries. Sob.). I just hope they like the fare much as I do. However, we had to go back to Good Shepherd to drop off something we forgot to give Sister Guada. Actually, it was a bit late when I was told to give that to her. But since it was mandatory, we had no choice but to go back, cutting short our already limited time to stroll.

Cindy with Mang Bart

With our photog for the day, Harold Tapan

Then we were on our way back to chaotic and hot Manila by 3:30. Along Marcos Hi-way, we saw this accident involving this truck. I just hope no one got hurt.


To ease out boredom and extreme sleepiness, we feasted on the many food we had with us (unfortunately, there was no music to keep us entertained; the radio is broken; listening to my iPod and not being able to share the music with others can be sad sometimes). So now our new routine was eat-sleep-chat-eat. It was raining hard in some parts of the North, like in Pangasinan and Tarlac, but we didn't have to worry about being stranded–we've got our stock of goodies from Good Shepherd (including this yummy giant cookie that Sister Guada gave us).

Back in Manila, we stopped by Petron along NLEX for a KFC dinner. Then...it was back to reality. Back to the grind. Back to daydreaming.

Oh dear fog, take me with you!

Harold said that a rainy weather is what Baguio really is. I say it's true. And I think I left my heart in Baguio. Again.

P.S.
Special thanks to Mang Bart for the patient drive and the office chismis (hahaha!), and to Harold for bearing with our insanity.

(Click me for more photos!)

glammed up cam-whoring

So our department just finished our photoshoot for the new Summit ID. It's a pretty fab ID,

I must say; thanks to Ateng's genius and highly creative mind.

Empty plates after the shoot.
(L-R: Cindy, Iza, Alonz, moi and Pat)

Glad we had a reason to meet up: my makeup. Hahahah!

Of course, since this is our chance to shine (after working behind countless photoshoots), the girls opted to hire brilliant Archie's services (he's a Maybelline makeup artist), and voila! we girls can pass for a Preview cover (LOL)!

Seriously, I fell in love with Archie's masterpiece on me. Now I have to learn how to achieve that smoky-slash-goth look.

And so after the shoot (courtesy of Daddy Ocs–thanks, Daddy Ocs!), most of us kept the makeup and hairstyle on. Hey, we only get to be this made up once in a blue moon, so why not flaunt our gorgeous look! Hahaha! (Here's proof!)

We can't wait to see our photos and our new ID (and the outtakes, too, for Friendster/Multiply/Flickr/My Space/Blogger/LJ purposes). Yay!

P.S.
So this is how it feels to be at work this time of the day (1:30 am). But I'm not whining–a few hours from now and we'll be on our way to the lovely City of Pines! May we have a safe and fun trip!

and i shall fall in love again

It'll surely be foggy up there! Woopee!

I had to re-read the text message I received this morning to prove that I'm not hallucinating or turning insane.

I got a Baguio assignment for this supplement we're publishing.

A BAGUIO ASSIGNMENT. A cover story.

Never mind if it's just a day trip (Baguio for a day trip?), just as long as I get to be in sweet, sweet Baguio and breathe the cool air. And never mind if that entails a lengthy interview and a write-up written in Tagalog (help me!). Oh my, I can just faint with joy now.

For the past months, I've been pining to go back. And now the Lord answered my prayer just when I least expect it. And I get to go on this trip for free! (With me are my art director Cindy and photographer Harold Tapan.)

I shall be content with a very short trip for now. A longer stay will come my way in the near future (I hope).

This is serendipity...

the calm before the storm

Let's ride! (With Kuya Jan, fresh from Qatar)

And so my cataclysmic journey begins...a few days from now. Perhaps this is one of life's humongous challenges thrown right on my lap, and I have no other choice but to accept it (with a gagged mouth?). I just hope and pray that the coming two months would be gentle on me. I need as much help as I can, especially from my colleagues. And this "doom" should not drag on for more than two months.

Forgive my pessimism. I can't help it. If you were tasked to "pilot" your own department, even if it's just a temporary thang, you'd feel the same way, too.

So as if to prepare myself for the dark days ahead (nervous laughter here), I enjoyed going out as much as I can the past weekends. While there's time. While I am still capable of feeling happy. Haha.

Much thanks to my EBC chums for the fun times!

Guess what we're trying to cover here....

Videoke hits and empty plates courtesy of Kuya Jan

With Ptr. Roi at another kainan (Doc Norman's baby's dedication)

With Doc Norman and family

Girls, bend it to the left!

Photo op with Kuya Sandy (the one standing, in stripes) before he left
for his work abroad

Cheeky girls at Serendra

Thanks to Kuya Jun for the Mc Do treat!

More photos here and here.

because it IS worth passing up

A couple of years back, I was offered a position that would take me to a two-month training in US (with clothing allowance), not to mention a tempting paycheck and a fab title. But I turned it down. Without batting an eyelash. No amount or degree of persuasion made me change my mind. I told myself, "Why would I accept that handsome job offer when it would take me to a different path, just when I finally realized what I want to do?" And so I did walk away, smiling.

Yesterday, I was confronted with a similar scenario. But this time around, it was a more handsome offer–something I would've easily said "yes" to. Something that would allow me to buy perhaps more than one 400D. Something that would make my CV very much impressive.

Instead, I said "no". I felt proud to have said so. It was probably the best decision I've made this year (so far). In the same breath, I delivered my argument/reasons for not accepting, and I can say I delivered it with grace and confidence. I felt so proud of myself!

Happiness. It's all about happiness and finally going for what I've always wanted to do: write. Write and be able to take the credit for it. Though the opportunity for me to practice writing fulltime hasn't presented itself yet (I'm praying it would come soon, though), I believe preparing myself for it as early as now is crucial. Why would I beat around the bush when I already know what I want, what I'm meant to do? Why waste time?

I am jubilant and grateful to know that my friends and my family support me for having said "no". Because really, not everything is about the money nor the title. Not all doors that open lead to a pretty prairie. And I can proudly say that I've closed a door even before it led me to a cliff.