I am on a High

Monday, November 07, 2011

4:18 PM

The first time I went to Tagaytay, I was with my boyfriend and we spent four hours there taking photos of each other and of course the scenery, which was our primary reason for being there.

posing like he's going to buy the dress for me...or for himself heheh

Spongeboooob

Coincidentally, it was our first out of town trip. That made it more special for us. Given the proximity of our work places, we usually date in SM North Edsa, and Trinoma and we do get bored out of the same things we see. Also, since we work five days a week, we rarely have one entire day to spend solely in the mall -that is boring since we are not 'mall-persons'- so we just go to each other's houses and spend time with one another. That is why when we travelled to Tagaytay, we played like kids, took photos and videos of every nook and cranny that we found interesting. We even fought the fog just to take photos. It was great.

What was greater was the promise that we would go back there with more money so we would not be limited by our budget (we were only able to save for three months) and visit other places together.

In the span of three months, we came back to Tagaytay, fulfilling our first promise.  This love month we were with his family, the Adrianos.

February 12 was the date, two days before the epic Valentine's Day. It was a brilliant schedule because his family was complete, with the boyfriend and girlfriends (including me!) tagging along.

It was an experience worth remembering. We did not have to worry about the transportation nor the expenses. We were not worried about where to eat and what to do next because everything was planned or unplanned for us. We were able to visit places we had not been able to go to particularly Tagaytay Highlands.

Rhonz and Kuya Rye

Tita Marie's friend, Tita herself, and Tito Noel

Last but not the least, I loved the fact that I felt part of his family. It is one of the great things a guy can give to a girl, to make her comfortable with his family, and that was exactly what I felt and still feel.  

the Adriano

Rhonz, Te Mae, Joseph, moi, Russell

Mirror Mirror on the Wall: Women and Vanity

While Russ and I were loitering in SM North, I saw two advertisements of Snow White adaptations: one with Kristen Stuart and the other with Julia Roberts. These ads reminded me of the wicked stepmother's line 'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?' I found it funny that coincidentally, the night before, I had seen an animation which tackles vanity in one of its episodes. I smirked as I came to a conclusion that I had been surrounded by a 'controversial' topic but I totally took it for granted: women's narcissism.

 

Women, more than any other species in this world, love to look at their reflection. Wherever we go, we always bring mirror with us. If in case we have forgotten to bring one, which I doubt any self-conscious woman will, we always go on field trips to nearby restrooms. If there are none, which is close to impossible of course, we always find ways to look at ourselves through mirror substitutes like windshields of cars, windows of houses and establishments, spoons, CDs, and lately, phones particularly the dual camera ones.

We check our hair, makeup, clothes, facial expressions, zits etcetera wherever we go whenever we want to. It would have been a normal thing had we, women, stayed that way. But no, we just have to check the reflection of those beside us and compare-you got that right-compare ourselves to them. We check their hair, makeup, clothes, and facial expressions. This habit either makes or breaks our day. If the other woman is prettier, sexier, cooler, then most probably we end up feeling so bad about ourselves. If she is not so pretty, we feel great and confident. Is it then hasty to conclude that mirrors spite envy?

I am not sure if this behavior is what old folks saw in women that they were able to create Snow White or the evil stepmother and pass the responsibility to the Brothers Grimm. If it is, then it is such a shame for us women to be compared to a witch. This makes to-be-like-Snow White even more appealing to us. However, the downside still is as we strive to look like her, we keep on being like the other woman instead. We just cannot stop comparing.

I recall what Sunako has said in Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (Wallflower), the animation that I watched last weekend, that if we could stop trying to be 'ladies' then we wouldn't have any problem. She shares that we only put unnecessary load on ourselves as we keep on comparing our very own miserable identities to 'dazzling creatures.' Therefore, she concludes, that we must destroy all the mirrors in our houses. She proceeds to annihilate all of the mirrors in the house and even trashes the vanity things including cosmetics and perfume.

Isn't it great?

Therefore we only have two ways to solve this prevalent issue. One is to break all of the mirrors at home if we can’t stop comparing ourselves to others. The other solution is stop comparing ourselves to others if we can’t live without our mirrors.

As for me, I will just see the Snow White adaptations and pity the evil Stepmother as much as I pity insecure yet ironically vain women. Then, I will watch Wallflower some more. I can use some optimism in this world.

green spiky thumb

I have been trying to write about my new addiction but the draft it seems doesn’t want to be published. It has remained a draft for almost a month now. It is quite ironic because the topic I have been attempting to write about is not at all extraordinary but very simple: CACTUS. The very same plant that grows in the desert; the plant that doesn’t need to be watered regularly; that very plant with green irregular trunk and stems and spikes for leaves, that is the plant I have wanted to write about but failed for several times.

For wanting to take up a new hobby, I have decided to take care of plants that are not the kind my mother takes care of in her garden. They just have to be different so I can call them my own. It is not interesting to take care of things that other people have.

Fuji, one of my favorite Prince of Tennis characters, has inspired me to take care of cactus because he has a collection of one. At first I thought it was weird to have even just one because normally we let cactus grow in the desert and I doubt there is a single person in this world sane enough to water a cactus in the desert. After a while, it makes sense because it busts stress like a regular plant but it is not difficult to maintain it. For a busy person like Fuji--just imagine a middle school student and a member of the tennis club--it is highly recommended. For a person like me who juggles work, family, and relationship, a cactus is indeed a good idea.

Fuji, my Zebra Cactus

Last February 3, I bought my very first cactus. I was hesitant to give love to it at first because I am not even sure if it was a real cactus. It doesn't look abnormal. In fact, it looks normal in every way, one will forget it is cactus. It looks like a normal ornamental plant. I call it Fuji.

The second one looks like the desert type that for some reasons, I only water it twice a week. I name this one Eiji.

Eiji,

I plan to buy the other kinds and name them after my other favorite anime characters. I am still contemplating though since this idea means having a lot of money to spend, a lot of cacti to share my love, and a lot of spines.

dream pair, Eiji and Fuji

As to why I was not able to write about my cactus as soon as possible, I think it is because I have been accustomed to having them around me now that they don't seem as remarkable as before. Well they did. The problem was my charger gave up on me for two weeks and there were more exciting things to write about this February.

Last but not the least among my reasons, a cactus is still a cactus no matter where you put it: desert, home, or even blog. It can thrive without me. It is not even thinking about me! How unfair is that!

I may have failed to write about them when I still had the thrill upon owning them but I don't forget greeting them good morning as soon as I wake up, and goodnight before I sleep. I maybe an irresponsible writer but I think I am a good mommy to my cacti...now that sounds creepy.

confessions of an ugly stepsister... the beginning.

When we grow up, we learn

that it’s far more common for human beings to turn into rats

I think  I have mentioned once that I choose contemporary books for light reading along side a very boring one. This way I can read two stories at the same time, finish one eventually if the other proves to be one for a person who doesn't do anything but read in his life. That is what I am doing right now. It has been a month since I have written that heart-wrenching thing about Hawthorne's novel. Until now I haven't finished the book. I have moved a couple of chapters though but I am still a loooooooooong way from finishing it. In fact, I am not even half-way through it.

What I am about to finish is the other novel, Magguire's Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I have only started reading days ago when epiphany has dawned to me that it is stupid to bring a novel no matter how thick it is if I am not to read it. I have left The House of the Seven Gables at home and downloaded an ebook from my netbook and read the copy through my phone. This makes everything lighter and easier since I often look at my cellphone anyway.

As of the moment, the book hasn't gone below my expectations. In fact, it continues to amuse me with its charming descriptions and unpredictable story-line. Okay, that is waaay exaggerated. Since the novel is a "fanfiction" of a famous fairy tale "Cinderella," I already have a clue of what is going to happen. However, the creativity of the writer sifts pieces of ideas together and forms a plot that stands on its own--I am thinking of appropriately making a book review about it.

My goal is to finish it within two days. I still have to squeeze reading in my busy schedule. In school, I have my classes. At home, I mind the grades, papers to check, and my unfinished cross stitch. Besides, I also spend good time with my boyfriend or friends. How do I read? I only maximize the benefits of traffic by reading my ebook while aboard the cab.

I am not expecting a happy ending from the book. I only want to be satisfied with it and find myself having a happy ending by finishing it.

baguio baguio baguio

I should have posted something about Baguio days ago. However, no matter how much I thought about it, i could not find the words to describe how I felt when I got to Baguio with my work mates--sheesh, you'd think this is my first time.

It took me seven years before I could go to the Summer Capital and back when I was in high school, I  did not have the luxury to enjoy as many places as I had last Saturday and Sunday.

Now I know, i only need sufficient money, friends tagging along, one itinerary maker, and 3 digital cameras--one of which is DSLR--and i can have fun. hehe

Next time ulit.

chezuka and i, waiting for the bus to move. hehe

janey and christine insist that i look good in this photo. hehe 1st out fit

2nd day outfit, cosplaying or pretending to be a soccer player. hehe

strawberries...need i say more. haha

greeting grandfather bangin a good morning. haha

trees of lothlorien...haha

it was raining in baguio the 2nd day we were there

liz (ms universe), janey(the bomboi. hehe), cherie (the itinerary maker), chezuka (inlove with Kabaji) and pearl (the girl with the knockout lines. hehe)...where's ara?

now there's ara. she's the girl in blue

felt like walking in japan, korea...or baguio...haha

flowers for my wedding. haha. told yah, i only need a groom.

the reason we went to baguio...haha.pasimuno

soon, i am going to be on top of the world. haha

stars on earth.