Another reason to love my job

As a college student, some X years back, I always had this dream of going to the ad congress. Blame it on the witty ads. Who could forget Kuya Manong's 'Donut Buy' line? Or Joey Mead's alluring version of such common line, "Kuya, patikim naman ng balls mo." The Ad Congress simply, is a gathering of the country's best, brightest, most creative people (McCann's Emily Abrera, BBDO's David Guerrero and the Fernando Zobel de Ayala are a few). For people in the creative industry, the AdCon is the king of congresses in the country.

I can't NOT attend at least once.

I had not been as lucky to have been part of an ad agency earlier in my career life. When I joined my current company, I never thought I'd be part of the select delegates our company would send to this year's ad congress. Though the congress is pretty much local, the fees for it can be really expensive, probably as expensive as my dream couch.

 The passport to fun

Can you already tell how excited I am? I am now packing my stuff for tomorrow's trip to Subic, (very very clueless on what to wear, though) where the Ad Congress will be held. It was originally planned to be done in Baguio, however, typhoon Pepeng happened. Let me say though that the PANA folks have done a great job in  disseminating info! After all, we were all settled with our booking at the hotel and arrangements have been made. As if that was not enough, they are dedicating this year's congress to all the flood victims, even donating portions of the payments to the unfortunate.

Oh. And a party plus Ad Con on my birthday? Not bad at all.
Till next week, ladies!

Skirting the Issue

My love affair with skirts have started since I was a kid. While I'd be wearing shorts during coffee sessions, or Bacardi-chugging ones, skirts have and will always the ones I'd save for special occasions, dancing nights or to-die-for events in my life. For someone who's been branded a 'girly girl' a whole lot of times, it is only apt to see various renditions of the wonderful creation called 'the skirt' in my closet.

Truth be told, I've been having serious attacks of lemmings, and this post is a poor excuse to satisfy them, in fact, I hardly make sense.

After a successful run of the Global Pinoy Bazaar, where me and my girlfriends supported my BFF with her booth,

 The Girls and I (in a ripped acidwash skirt, nonetheless)

 Organic goodies!

I went around the Rockwell Tent and treated myself to a lovely, poufy dress from Poisonberry.

 The Fairytale Skirt (Php 1,400) by Poisonberry

as modeled by Tricia Gosingtian

(will post an OOTD once I wear mine)

As if the skirt purchase was not enough, my girl Mac released her new collection of skirts and I just died.  See for yourself below:

 

from the Maria Collection (Php 700)

 

I think I saw something like this at MNG the other day

And another one from Poisonberry, one I've been lusting over a lot:

 

 I don't think I made so much sense, eh? All I know is that I'm completely overwhelmed with the skirts and how good it will be to have them. Hope you all are having a fab week, though. BTW, I am quite giddy today, maybe because I'm turning 24, geez. But last night, C and I attended a marketing bash for one of the econ societies of UP last night, for work and being surrounded by these innocent faces made me feel so old! Ack.

Happy Tuesday, ladies!
Kisses!


*Poisonberry and City of Vintage photos are lifted from their official websites here and here.

Ask.. and maybe, just maybe, I'll receive

When I think about it, I'm turning 24 in less than a week and I'm not the least bit excited, despite my subtle mentions. Or maybe, I was trying to convince myself that I really am not a kid fresh out of college anymore, despite feeling like one most of the time. To me, birthdays [at least, mine] have lost its meaning, there are no birthday candles to be blown out, I don't have to come home early anymore for a family dinner and there's no more dates [complete with candles and sparkling champagne] that awaits me.

I know, birthdays are supposed to be more than that. Quite frankly, I don't know what it should encompass, too. Maybe birthdays are supposed to remind you that you need some growing up to do and that decisions have to be made? Or not. You tell me.

Now on to not-so-emo things... They say that you only need to ask, in order to receive. I don't think I'll ever have these exact same items I'm listing but this is my way of sending signals to the karma gods and maybe, just maybe they'd be in front of my door soon, because I've been a really good and diligent girl this year.

A desk is a perennial fixture in my room and I'd die without one. This Ms. Cupcake Secretary Desk from Heima wins my heart! Unfortunately, I can't shell out Php 12,000 for it just right now.

Now, while on the subject of furniture [and moving, yet again], Heima has been giving me huge blows of temptation because I don't think I can resist this:

The Heima Happy Couch, Php 36,000

The Brooklyn Bridge

Meeting someone at the other side of the world has always been
a dream

Wanderlust. I've been bitten by the travel bug, despite me hating plane rides, being stuck inside vehicles and NOT driving [lest there's control of the iPod synced with the speakers]. NYC is my ultimate destination, followed by a Euro trip and then there's Santorini. Now, if only the stupid visas are that easy to get. Meantime, I'm content knowing I'm heading to Thailand in two months. Yay!

I've always wandered what's the career path of a librarian. I may be a walking disorder in terms of my things but I'm always always organized when it comes to books. My books at home in QC are lined up neatly, according to genre and arranged alphabetically, with a complementing Excel file containing their pertinent details. Books have always been my first love. When I read Mariel's post about finding your passion, I found myself reminiscing about my seven-year-old self reading books in the dark. Those times I started with Sweet Valley High books, moved on to Danielle Steel ones, Sidney Sheldon and now, Malcolm Gladwell and Al Ries. The point is, reading has always been my passion, but just reading won't take me anywhere, probably reason why I make a living out of my writing. However, if career growth was not an option, I'd gladly be a librarian so I can read all the books I want and not feel guilty.But because I'm not, I'd love to receive [and give] books on my birthday, especially ones by Jeffrey Eugenides, Haruki Murakami or Chuck Palahniuk. Just sayin'.

Oh and here's my gift for a dear friend --- because it's my birthday:

Haruki Murakami's Blind Willow, Weeping Woman

and a card from my Etsy haul

My own domain and a really nice layout. I've never gotten around to designing my own blog layout cos I love everything about my current one: the color, the spacing, the font --- everything. Truth be told, that's the reason why I haven't migrated to my new URL just yet, because it feels odd moving into it. Here I am again with my issues. But you get my point. Anyhoo, if I do ever win JaypeeOnline's $1,500 Thanksgiving Giveaway, complete with the domain, layout, Paypal cash, Licenses and all the shebang, then this won't be on my wishlist next year!

Holga 110

Lomo Love. Ever since my project with Team Manila and Lomo Embassy Manila in 2008, I've been meaning to get into the hobby cos IMO, it's perfect for me! First of all, while I feel like photography runs in my veins, I don't have the heart and energy to carry bulky SLRs in my purse all the time. All I ever felt like bringing is my trusty Sony Cybershot T70, and maybe a Holga or a Diana, whichever comes to me first. But more than it being un-bulky, the whole philosophy of Lomography has always captured my heart, and I shall act on it soon.

More than everything I've enumerated, here, really, all I want is just one day of peace of mind, de-stressing, and of blessedness. Maybe then those aren't too much to ask.


Photo credits: Heima Store, Gabrielle Loves, Before Sunset, Jennie Castillo and Lomo Embassy Manila

On Friday, the 20th

I turn 24 --- and I'll be partying like a wild child as Globe Tattoo brings Embassy back just for one night at Subic!

Groove to your favorite hiphop, house and mashup music by DJ Mars Miranda and Embassy Superclub Head DJ Martin Pulgar. Treats abound for partygoers, including free Bacardi cocktails, and the chance to win Nokia NSeries phones and even an overnight stay at Manila’s swanky Hotel Intercontinental.

Be at the Lighthouse Marina Resort in Subic at 9pm on November 20, 2009 for the party of the year. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Are you going to the Ad Congress, too? If yes, please say hi [or let me know so I'll say hi to you].
Kisses!


via

Beefing Up Thy Emergency Fund

Expect the unexpected.

- Anonymous

Storms happen every once in a while in life. It may come in the form of unfortunate, man-induced events such as robberies, job loss, significant medical expenses, or literally, a storm that can leave one without any possessions at all. The saying “Save for the rainy days,” is proving to be a gospel truth now, more than ever.

If you’re one of the significantly few people who’ve had the discipline to set aside money regularly for an emergency fund, please feel free to navigate away from this page. If not, do stay on. It may be good for you.

In life, exit signs are not always present for you.

Where do you put your emergency fund?

In order to serve its purpose of saving you in times of, uh, emergency, this fund should be placed in an investment that is liquid, safe and has no holding periods.

How Much Should an Emergency Fund Be?

Experts say that the advisable amount to build should be 3 to 6 months’ worth of your salary. If you’re the breadwinner, or have pending loans and payables, the amount may have to adjust. The rationale behind is that should you lose your job, or any other substantial source of income, you’ll be able to maintain your lifestyle and don’t go hungry while looking for a new one. One way to see it clearly is by listing all your monthly expenses for one month. This includes your household bills, grocery bills, rent or amortization.

A perennial problem in starting an emergency fund persists: How?

Start small

A three to six months’ worth of salary doesn’t need to appear in your bank account on the fly. Start by setting aside a small portion of your salary every month. I know a certain person who kept loose change, often 5 peso and 10 peso coins in his piggy bank. Originally, he only wanted to get rid of the coins in his pocket. But after a few months, he was surprised to find he had Php 10,000 in it. Can you imagine how much it would have been if it was Php 100 every time? As Bam constantly say, “Don’t forget about the beauty of the small.”

Keep Track of Your Expenses

Do you ever keep notice that as your salary goes up, so does your everyday expenses? Wants and needs come up more frequently than the urge to go to the washroom nowadays. With malls springing up everywhere, the expenses brought about by things you only want and not need, will balloon if you’re not careful. So start keeping notebook in your bag where you can jot down, even the littlest of your expenses and see where you’re going overboard. There you can see, too, where you can cut down. Do you gulp more than one cup of gourmet coffee everyday? Maybe you can limit it to one a day and allot the rest of the money to your emergency fund instead.

Ever heard of perceived obsolescence?

Recently, a telecoms company launched a rebate program wherein you can avail of a brand new mobile phone or a two-year well, rebate. In a heartbeat, a normal Filipino would choose the phone, right? But in two years, does the phone’s value account for how much you could save if you chose the bill rebate? By then, how many other cellphone models have Nokia, Sony Ericsson or Samsung would have released to make the offered phone obsolete? Think about where you can benefit more. Especially if your current phone is perfectly working, the money you save on the rebates can go directly to your emergency fund.

Automate it.

If you’re decidedly aware that you’re capable of setting aside X amount of money, then by all means, automate it. A number of banks are now offering saving programs where money can be automatically deducted from your salary every payday. Not only it becomes less accessible, it becomes okay if you forget to save because the bank does it for you, yay!


These are not the only ways to be able to save for an emergency fund. For all we know, the most effective way for you is to use a piggy bank, or hide the money in your safety deposit box. As long as you are making a conscious effort in beefing your EF up, then you’re on your way in covering a financial requirement.



* Image from http://sxc.hu
**Originally written for It's Time!