Darling Magazine Challenge: The List Of Ten

Things have taken quite a turn since June when I transferred to a new project at work which prompted me to take a break from writing and concentrate on I.T. stuff for a while. A new project means adjusting to a new office, new colleagues and new role but I've been doing well and settling kinda great in my new environment. I'm learning a lot and have met some pretty rad people too.

I want to share something from a post from Darling Magazine called "The List of Ten". Sometimes in the midst of the hustle and bustle of every day life and in our desire to accomplish so much and stay productive, we forget to stop and celebrate the little things. Hate to sound so cliché, but see, November got me thinking about my birthday. I've been dreading turning 30 for a while now, because I feel like I still have to strike off some things from my bucket list before officially leaving my 20's behind. I still haven't done a 21km run or launched an exhibit for my drawings. I have yet to start my own notecard business and I have yet to travel to South America and Africa. While there's a feeling of discontentment because I have not done everything in my bucket list yet, it's nice to remember that I can find happiness in small things too.

The List of Ten is an exercise of gratitude. It reminds us to count our blessings, live in the moment and find joy in simplicity. So here's my list--nothing grand, but they make me happy nonetheless. I encourage you to write your own list every week, to remind you that there is so much to be thankful for.

1. Seeing a new leaf grow from my plants

2. Coffee with my siblings

3. Learning a new song on the guitar

4. Newly changed bed sheets

5. Squeaky clean floors in my apartment

6. Watercolor washes (specially when they bleed well into paper)

7. Jim waiting for me to get home and bringing me dinner after a long day

8. Lavender and vanilla scented candles

9. Finishing a good book

10. Morning sun peeking through the sheer drapes

Contentment does not mean you are not growing or moving forward. It just means you appreciate the present. What's on your list? :)

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Project Condo 2014

The previous post about our beloved Whitney's passing away was kinda heavy, I feel like I needed to look at the brighter side of life and celebrate the better things that are happening or will happen this year. I will be going through a big leap these next couple of months, because I am set to move into my new apartment by mid May!

Three years ago, I invested on a condo unit for my 25th birthday. It's not really big--just a one bedroom apartment in the city so that I can save commute time by not having to pass along the South Super Highway everytime I go to work. My place is a few minutes away from Ortigas, Makati and Taguig, which is perfect for me since my office is located at McKinley Hill. I have already submitted all the necessary paper work, my bank loan has been approved, and I'm just waiting for the keys to be handed over by end of March. Ahhhh, my own space and my own real estate! While I have experienced living alone when I travel, I still think this is quite a milestone, because aside from moving out of our home in B.F., it's I am perfectly aware that my lifestyle is going to change. I'm going to cook for myself, buy groceries for myself, clean the condo, do my own laundry, rely on my own alarm clock to wake me up in the morning... Haha. It's surreal, but at the same time, it's reality--I am indeed a grown up. *oh snap*

I've been Pinteresting for the longest time about how I imagine my bedroom and living room would look like. The plan is to keep it as minimalist and as neutral-colored as possible. White walls and then white, grey and black furniture. The key pieces of my new home will be in neutral colors and other decorative elements such as pillow cases, wall art, bed sheets, curtains can be changed into brighter colors depending on my mood.

I've been doing a mental checklist of the things that I need to buy, I only have the top 5 things that I plan on buying by May 2014. 

1. A bed, preferably double bed size or if my space permits, queen size. I've been staying in a single bed for most of my life, I want a change this time! I'd like to have a cushioned headboard so I wouldn't need a pillow when I read. If I can't find a cushioned one, then a headboard with a shelf would be nice, so that I don't have to put side tables. Oh I'd invest on good white and grey bed sheets too, and get pillowcases of different colours! 

2. A work table and a work chair - I plan on putting this near the window for more natural light. Solid wood with drawers for my art materials and crafty trinkets. It would be against the wall so I can put my own pinboard/mood board for illustration ideas

3. A book shelf where I can put more books and CDs. Since I don't have a lot of space, I probably would only bring art/design books with me and a few fiction reads and leave the rest of them at our house in Paranaque. I want to make sure that the things that I bring to the condo are functional and would help me remain inspired. 

4. A sofa and coffee table. I want my sofa to be grey or black, with changeable throw pillow cases for pop of color or maybe patterned design if I get bored with seeing stuff in neutral colors. I want it to be a 3 seater sofa, because I will be scrimping on dining room space. I probably won't even buy a big dining set! 

5. A dining set for 4 or 2. Visitors, let's just have pizza na lang! Or sandwiches! Or shawarma! Anything that you can just hold while eating! Haha. 

I'm very excited about this new phase of my life. Now if only I have enough moolah to buy them all at once!

Check out my pins for Project Condo 2014 here!

Disclaimer: All photos in this post are borrowed from: Planete Deco | A Merry Mishap Blog

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In Transit on Valentine's Day

Yesteday was my longest February 14 ever. I was set out to fly to Newark at 8:00 AM Manila time, and got to Newark Liberty Airport at 5:45 PM EST which was around 6:45 AM on Feb 15 in Manila. Business trips usually excite me, specially since I get to travel with free lodging and allowance. But come on, Valentine's day?! You see people reunite and say goodbye at airports and it's makes me feel so melancholic I kept on thinking about Jim and yes, cheesy as it may sound, I really miss the bloke.

I flew to Tokyo for a layover then spent a couple of hours in Detroit to get interviewed by US Immigration before finally flying to Newark. I tried to keep busy and take photos now and then so that I can remember some snippets of this journey.

My passport and boarding pass to the Manila - Tokyo leg of my flight

Why wasn't I physically built to become a flight stewardess? That would've been a fun job, right?

Duty Free store at Narita

Airplane food. And no, I didn't enjoy it that much. 

An awesome tunnel at Detroit airport. The walls changed colors while synchronized with ambient music

If not for my wonderful welcoming party in New Jersey, it would've been a depressing day. I'm really thankful that Ate Dawn (Jim's cousin)  and her family were able to pick me up from Newark Liberty Airport and spend time with me even if it's my first time to meet her in person! They were so nice and so accommodating and even treated me to Red Lobster for dinner! I find it so amazing, because we were only friends in Facebook and haven't really had a chance to get to know each other until yesterday. Our dependence on technology can sometimes make things impersonal, but there are times when technology can really bring people together and make them feel more connected. I've never met Ate Dawn, Sal, Saify and Shaad before but it felt like I've known them for ages.

Sal, Shaad and Saify hamming it up at Red Lobster

Group picture yay! :D

Little Shaad sleeping on my hotel bed. SO CUUUUUTE!!

I'm staying at a serviced apartment near the airport which is also strategically located near Jersey Gardens. Waaaaah temptation!! I am so looking forward to go shopping, but I'm also researching on Arts and Crafts stores in this area. Hopefully one weekend I can take a bus to Manhattan and check out all the city action and also meet up with my relatives and friends who are based in NY.

My apartment in New Jersey

Red couch! And I absolutely love that vintage looking car on that overhead shelf.

My bed and my TV.

I feel blessed. I get to travel and meet different sorts of people because of my job as a Systems Analyst. Hopefully tomorrow it won't get too cold, but I heard it's going to snow. I don't mind staying in. I think I could use a good resting day since today has been SO HECTIC, I had to stay online for extended hours and do some important work-related stuff.

It's 2:47 AM here and 3:47 PM in Manila. I hope I can get over this jet lag soon.

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Hang To Dry

Hang with me here, will ya?

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Long Long Distance Love Affair, Oh!

Hello everyone! I'm back after more than a year of hiatus. I've been busy with so many things lately that I haven't had the chance to post my drawings here. Expect things to change from now on, as I am back with a new enthusiasm for doing more art projects. To start off, here's my latest ink and gouache drawing.

I made this drawing for my friend Mon Chong who is leaving for Singapore this weekend. I came up with the idea of paper cup phones for this drawing after watching Grown Ups starring Adam Sandler . They had a scene there where the kids started talking to each other using paper cup phones and it gave me a sense of nostalgia. Mon will be based in Singapore for a year or two and will be leaving her beau Charles back here in the Philippines. Oh the tragedy of long distance relationships! But of course I am optimistic that they will get through this challenge and that the distance will only make their relationship stronger.

I'm a believer!

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Magazine Stints Anyone?

I got another stint as an illustrator last week and I was so psyched to get in touch with YOU Magazine's editorial coordinator again. I remember getting so worked up the first time I got a text message from one of the magazine's editors who asked me to become a contributing illustrator for their November-December 2008 issue. A writer friend referred me to him and I immediately pulled a bunch of works from my Flickr account for my portfolio. I was simply doing a Project 365 then, and never thought about the idea of getting my work published. But since the opportunity came up, I was definitely up for the challenge.

I was assigned for work in Syracuse, New York in early September 2008 and had managed to make the illustration despite my lack of tools. I lived in a hotel and they didn't have a scanner! I had to drive for 4 miles to the nearest Fed Ex Kinko's on Erie Boulevard to have my drawings scanned. When I checked the file in my flash drive, half of it was ruined (remind me to curse that lady. I paid 2 dollars for that!). I used my friend's high megapixel camera and edited them in photoshop. My raw drawings were not even scanned properly, but they didn't seem to notice. Thank God!

I went back to Manila in December and as I was browsing through a rack of magazines in a bookshop one day, I saw my drawing right there on page 86 of YOU magazine. I grabbed it immediately and bought myself a copy. It was the best feeling.

Doing something for fun is one thing, but to have it become a part of something that is way bigger than you are gives you that sense of accomplishment.

For the record, none of my exes ever stalked me.

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