fridge poetry of the week

This week's fridge poetry.

mandate to self

I made a promise to myself that starting this year, I will no longer allow that Ugly Feeling, that Sneaky Little Monster, to take control of me. I will do everything I can to keep it at bay, and then maybe when it gets tired of attempting to consume me, it'll finally disappear forever.

It's a tall order, because a few weeks into this new year, three people I know made that announcement just days apart of each other. I was still reeling from the first when the second Facebook status came, and the third was posted three days after. I really did try my very, very best to ignore the negative feeling that such news stirs in me. But at some point, the rope had to break, and I had to sob a little again.

I guess it would be very unfair of me to expect myself to heal from this right away. I think it's best if I take things one at a time, and celebrate small victories like hitting the "Like" button or leaving a "Congratulations!" comment. I need to give myself some credit for attempting to do these, knowing that a year ago, I couldn't even feel genuinely happy for my friends who were then expecting. At least now, I really am able to share in their happiness, even for just a fleeting moment.

Small steps. I sincerely believe I will eventually get there.

This promise I made is crucial to my healing. I just have to put it down in writing so that I will remember to forget. 

P.S.
To my dear husband, thank you for never, ever getting tired of giving me comfort.

a holiday in Singapore: day 5

Having fever for two days almost ruined our holiday vacation, so at the very last minute (well, we had seven more  minutes to spare), Francis and I decided to rebook our flight. (I already felt way better that morning when we were packing.) Good thing we found one that departs from Singapore a little past midnight of the 3oth, thereby extending our stay for a day and a half. Also, it was great that even though our original room was no longer available for one more night, a room on the roof deck was. Running out of options, we decided to take it so we no longer have to worry about anything else--just my fever recurring, haha (it never did, thank God!). 

Once arrangements were finalized, we immediately  headed to our default hawker in Albert Center, just across Bugis Street Market. It was off to Kinokuniya after that. 

Bugis by day

Books galore
Kinokuniya is heaven. I finally found this book I had been looking for for a year or so: No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July. It's the last copy, mind you, so I know it was really meant for me. But that's not the only treasure I found--there's also this food photography book by an awesome food photographer/stylist Helene Dujardin (she's in love with ambient lighting, which I also love and want to master). And to mark the pages of these books, I bought a very pretty bookmark. Hee!

Searching for treasures made more efficient!

Hayao Miyazaki movies!!!

I had to restrain myself from buying this one. Boo!

My treasures!

Meanwhile, Francis hoarded some Jeff Buckley literature, and would have gotten more books had it not been for a self-imposed budget (I, too, would have!). Nevertheless, Kinokuniya's selection is something I'm impressed with. Can somebody bring that bookstore over here? 

A walk in the garden 
Before heading to Gardens by the Bay (which was originally scheduled the previous day), we grabbed some pastries and sat down for a couple of minutes in Takashimaya, for we know a lot of walking would be involved in our next destination. As soon as we felt we're ready to walk for hours, we headed straight to Gardens by the Bay.

It was overcast that day, and we were afraid it might pour and ruin our outdoor sightseeing. But the weather took pity on us and just stayed gloomy, sans the rain. 

On our way to Gardens by the Bay. Wish our MRT here is as sane as in SG. Haha!

Bridgeway to Gardens

Long and winding queue

Although the Bay South Outdoor Garden is free, I suggest you check out the Cloud Forest and Flower Domes (S$28 for both) because it's worth it. Make sure to go there late in the afternoon, so that after touring the two cooled conservatories (it takes about an hour to tour each), you'll be in time to catch Garden Rhapsody, where the Supertrees get all lit up accompanied by a majestic symphony. 

Anyway, instead of blabbing about it, here's a simple vid of our Gardens by the Bay experience.   

it's another career journey (and i am bursting with joy!)

I passed the dreaded interview (and got challenged to further improve my craft), signed the papers, and am now preparing to complete the employment requirements.

In a few weeks' time, I will be officially the new Managing Editor for Real Living magazine.

(Writing that down here feels terribly good.)

I waited for this opportunity for years; it wasn't an easy wait, but I am so glad I did. Some people might actually find it crazy that I had to resign from my previous job when, after only a few months, I'd be back in the same company. I could have just endured a few more months in my old job so that I could have retained my regular employment status and all the benefits that came with it. I could have. But I chose not to.

A few more weeks in that old job would have driven me clinically insane. Those few weeks prior to my resignation, I was at my worst--emotionally and mentally, and to a certain degree, physically. I knew I had to get out. And although I don't regret the experience in my almost seven-year job in a pseudo-ad agency department (it honed me to be a better manager and taught me how to handle pressure gracefully), the stress became a monster that I was no longer willing to battle with. It wasn't worth it. Worse, I never had the opportunity to improve something I really love doing--writing (not to be confused with copywriting, please). While my managing skills really did improve by leaps, my writing skills took a backseat. Also, I believe that had I not made that big decision, it would not have been easy for me to grab this opportunity.

But now, now  I have the chance to finally do what I've always wanted to do--write, and be part of an editorial team again. I am excited to be part of a team and brainstorm ideas and see those ideas translated into crisp and colorful pages monthly--without any AEs or clients telling me to do a fourth and a fifth study, or that they're sorry they now have a different direction so please make four more mockups from scratch, or let's just tell the crew you already booked for tomorrow that we're moving the shoot next week, kthanksbye. 

Emancipation. At last.

That's not to say, of course, that there won't be any stress in my new job. There's no stress-free job, to begin with. But I know that this new set of stress is something I am willing to handle, that it's worth it. And the best part is, this new job makes me want to be a better writer, a better manager, a better team player. This motivation to give all the best that I have thrills me and excites me in a way that my previous job failed to do. 

I know that the moment I signed those papers, I also signed up to the challenge of stepping up my game and meeting high expectations. And I promise myself that I shall meet that challenge head on. The Lord has been gracious enough to give me this job. He taught me how to be patient and how to trust in Him more, and that if I remain still, He will grant the answer to my prayers in His perfect time. I know He will provide me with everything I need to be good at this so I can give back the glory to Him. 

(To my friends and family who have prayed and supported me in my decisions, THANK YOU.)

P.S.

For the record, the freelancing life has been good to me; and in case the time comes when I have to live it again, I won't be afraid anymore. Haha!

patience is a virtue

I remained still and I trusted, and He answered that prayer. 

TO HIM BE THE GLORY!!!

(Sorry for being cryptic. I'll share reveal more details soon. I have yet to finalize certain things and find words to express my gratitude.)

gunning for a better look

My apologies if for the past few weeks, this blog has been undergoing different template looks. I can't seem to find one that I'm comfortable with, but this one now (a more "dynamic" look, as the theme's name says) may be something I'll be sticking to for a while. I'm giving it some more time to grow on me. Otherwise, I may actually consider moving over to Tumblr. Hmmm.

In the meantime, feel free to explore the other "interactive" looks that this template offers. See the dark gray bar on the top of the page? Explore Classic, Magazine, Flipcard view--whatever rocks your boat. And in case the About Me button is missing (or the Blogroll or Archives), just refresh the page, and you'll seem them again on the right side. Simply hover your mouse for those buttons to peek out.

I hope this template sits well with you! Have a great week!

a holiday in Singapore: days 3 and 4

I stared at this pretty stained glass window for almost two days!

These two days almost ruined our vacation. Why? Because my body suddenly decided to get sick with fever. 

As mentioned in my previous entry, this trip was preceded by a very hectic holiday schedule. Add to that my asthma attack that hounded me just two days before we left for Singapore. In other words, I really wasn't in the pink of health during this trip. And so...I found myself feverish on our 3rd day. 

I had no choice but to stay put in our hotel, while Francis went back to Funan to buy the laptop model I've chosen. He came back late afternoon lugging my new toy, but I can tell he didn't have fun padding the streets of Singapore alone. In fact, I know he got frustrated because we were supposed to go to Sentosa that day, and he's been wanting to go there because he didn't have the chance to check it out the first time he was in the city.

I did manage to get well towards the evening, though, so we were able to explore the neighboring Bugis area. 

Bugis Street Market is like a tiangge, and is very much alive at night. I went gaga over clothes, shoes and cute bags. In fact, I saw this adorable canvas bag made to look like a postal envelope. It was very reasonably priced that I decided to get all four colors (one for me, one for my sister, one for my sister-in-law, and one for a good friend).

 

 

 

The bustling Bugis area is brimming with lots of tempting buys: from fresh fruits to a variety of snacks, and of course, fashion accessories!

 
The Bugis area is also home to Bugis+ Mall (formerly known as Iluma). It would have been great to have explored it further, but alas, this frail girl had to go back to their hotel to get some rest. 

Come early morning the following day, I found myself once again racked with high fever. Since I was desperate to get well right away, I forced myself to make a cup of hot instant coffee, down a tablet of Biogesic, and take a quick bath--all done while taking care not to wake up Francis. I didn't want him to worry and get frustrated again. I tell you, I've never pushed my body to its limit like that, as I didn't want to waste another day lying in our hotel room!!! Haha!

Well, technically speaking, I only wasted (again) half a day. We managed to visit Mustafa to grab some pasalubong, and then ate lunch at The Banana Leaf Apolo in Little India. Sadly, I was not able to eat a lot because the dishes were too spicy for my taste. After we've had our fill, we immediately went back to our hotel so we can drop off the pasalubong we bought before heading off to Gardens by the Bay.

 

 

 

The sights surrounding our hotel, which includes the Masjid Abdul Gafoor mosque (bottom photo)

But.

Both my legs were terribly aching, and I can feel my body temperature rising again. I thought an hour of rest would cure it, but I was wrong. One hour became two, and two turned to three, until it was already evening. Only then did I feel a wee bit better. Instead of going to Gardens by the Bay, Francis and I just grabbed dinner at a nearby Burger King. I was still not giving up, though. Unfortunately, even if my mind was so raring to go, I knew that I am physically not that well to venture out. It was utterly heart-breaking. We didn't go all the way to this country just so I can lie in bed with fever!

Apparently,  we had no choice. We had to forego Gardens by the Bay. I was so disappointed. Meanwhile, Francis tried his best to convince me (and himself, too) that things like this happen, and that I shouldn't be blaming myself. Mind you, it was one of the worse feelings ever, especially since we'd already be leaving for Manila the following day! It was so horrible that I was really sobbing my heart out!

We woke up the following morning feeling so morose. Little did we know that that same day would give us a chance to redeem the two days we lost. But that, folks, is a story for another entry. Suffice it to say for now that we didn't leave Singapore like a whiny bunch of sore losers. Haha!

fridge poetry of the week

This may or may not have been inspired by the Life of Pi film, which Francis and I watched just recently. Haha!

a book for every stage of your home!

Before I continue with tales from our recent Singapore trip, let me plug this book that me and my wonderful team worked hard for. We labored hard for this because the deadline was pretty tight, but in the end, we were able to pull it o ff and the book came out pretty, don't you agree?

Thank you so much, Real Living, for entrusting another book to me. My heartfelt gratitude goes out especially to the magazine's EIC, muther Rach. It's always a fun and breezy experience working with your team!


Thanks, too, of course, to the rest of the team who gracefully handled the pressure of producing this wonderful book: Cindy, Joanne, Sasha, Kath, Kaye, Camille and Dagny. Let's all give ourselves a pat in the back for a job well done!

Real Living's 101 Family Home Ideas (published by Summit Media) is packed with practical tips and delightful activities to help make your family life as rewarding as it should be. The book is brimming with nifty ideas to help you fix your home according to your family's needs. For only P150, it's such a steal!

So grab a copy now at your favorite bookstore, and enjoy beautifying your beloved nest!

a holiday in Singapore: day 2

Day 2 in Sinapore found us in Funan DigitaLife Mall and Chinatown. 

Funan was a must in our list because, well, we had to do a bit of reconnaissance since I had a plan of getting a new techie toy (that's another story for another day). But before we headed out, we first grabbed brunch at our favorite neighborhood hawker center in Albert, which is conveniently located in the Bugis area. Once done, we were off to Funan.

After mulling over which laptop model to buy in Funan, I didn't plunged head on to the purchase yet. I  had to make sure I was making the right decision, and while doing so, off to Chinatown we went to check out its colorful streets, picturesque temples, and the very interesting Ann Siang Hill, where a dainty, little store called Little Drom Store is located. Unfortunately, it was closed when we visited (we couldn't find any explanation, as their store hours indicate that they should've been open at that time, boo!). We spent about an hour checking the stores and establishments, and assumed that the place probably looks livelier at night. 

Before heading back to the city to meet up friends for dinner, we had to stop over Maxwell Hawker Center for a breather and some snacks as well. Once I felt my feet were once again ready to take some pounding, we headed back to our hotel to freshen up then promptly proceeded to andmade Cafe in Pacific Plaza.

It was a fun dinner catching up with dear friend Ceres and her beau, Ron. And of course, the pretty dishes all made up for all the walking we did. Haha!

Here's a video of Singapore sights on our second day. Forgive the mediocre quality, as this is actually my first time to make a "movie". (Will definitely try to improve next time, haha!)

a holiday in Singapore: day 1

After a month and a half of planning, December 25 found Francis and me flying to Singapore.

But let's backtrack a bit. Since it's the holidays and it's been tradition to spend Christmas Eve at either my mom's place or my in-laws' (it was at my mom's last December), this trip proved to be quite a challenge (the whirlwind of activities proved to be bad for me, as I was currently recuperating from asthma right before our trip). After spending dinner on the 24th at my mom's in Taytay, Francis and I went straight back to our pad to freshen up and make sure everything's packed. We then headed to hail a cab to NAIA 3, worried that it might be hard for us to find one after midnight. Good thing we didn't have to wait long, and at about quarter to 12MN, we were already on our way to the airport.

Come Christmas Eve, Francis and I whipped up our phones to call our respective families. We were exchanging Christmas greetings while on the road, it's weird and funny at the same time!

Apparently, we arrived at the airport a couple of hours earlier. To make the most of it, we spent our Noche Buena there, with congee and barbecue chicken as our very humble Christmas Eve feast. Afterwards, we tried so hard to catch some sleep--I was unsuccessful while Francis snoozed like a baby. 

Finally, it was time to check in our stuff. Fast forward to a few hours later, we found ourselves padding the streets of Singapore in the morning sunshine, on our way to our hotel. We stayed in Mayo Inn on Jalan Besar Street, near Little India. Since it was too early to check in, we just left our luggage at the lobby and headed off to grab some lunch. We then came back to our hotel and got settled in, then it was off to exploring Singapore on Christmas Day.

Our cozy, Japanese-inspired room at Mayo Inn

 

On our way to Esplanade, we found this tribute to Singapore's various artists

Artworks on display in Esplanade

Yes of course, I lusted for this, but decided otherwise. Perhaps next time?

This one, too! My preciousssss!

Francis and my first shopping loot from Charles and Keith. Had to restrain myself in that store! But hey, I did get something for someone else (for my mom, actually)!

Esplanade, the durian-inspired building

The imposing Marina Bay Sands can be seen from just about anywhere in Singapore

Hello from Mr. and Mrs. Funa!

Smiggle store is bursting with so many colors!

I wish our MRT/LRT system is this clean, safe and efficient!

That's a giant Pinoy parol on display!

Christmas dinner at Trattoria Cucina Italia in 313@Somerset

 

Giddy about my rootbeer float!

Next up: exploring Ann Siang Hill and Chinatown!

poetry on the fridge

I apologize for the blurry photo.

One of the treasures we found in Singapore is this Magnetic Poetry set, which I've been secretly wanting ever since I saw it in a magazine. So when I found the tin boxes in the souvenirs section of the Asian Civilizations Museum (for SGD32), Francis and I immediately agreed to buy it. 

So, aside from forcing me to flex my mental muscles in order to come up with decent syntax  once again, this nifty set also forced us to get rid of unsightly receipts tacked with mismatched magnets on our fridge's door .

Hurrah for Magnetic Poetry!

let me pull myself together first

So the holidays have been a whirlwind of activities and a trip to Singapore that almost got ruined because my body suddenly decided to get sick while I was there. 

Anyway, I'm excited to post entry after entry (with lots of photos!) of the holiday that was. In the meantime, forgive me as I collect myself first. Being sick during the holidays--and as I was out of the country, at that--didn't do my brain good. It's still reeling from all that had taken place. 

I hope to be back on my feet soon, like tomorrow, perhaps. 

Happy New Year, everyone! I pray that 2013 will be kind and blessed to the brim!