The 25s: The Ultimate Gratitudes or The Intangibles That I'm Grateful For

Of course, I am no ingrate. I have realised that I have been very lucky. And so, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would love to return my love to the universe in this manner.

1. My family, which keeps me grounded and sane no matter what happens. 
2. The chance to talk to my older sister again - her birthday falls near or during the Thanksgiving weekend, which is a plus (November 23rd)
3. My newest job, yay! (Can't believe I forgot this. XP)
4. The chance to determine who and what my friends REALLY are
5. University of the Philippines In-Christ Thrust for University Students (UP ICTUS) - almost 30 years and counting! Anniversary next week! Nihil Fide Sine - Nothing Without Faith! Never Without Passion! \^0^/
6. The opportunity to lead Reach Out Otaku 
7. Mommy Gemmy, for founding Reach Out Otaku
8. Costume play - I don't care who invented it, bless their souls for making it popular! XD
9. Graduating college with cum laude honors - I'd had such a hard time, but even now I still don't think I deserve it, because by technicality alone I shouldn't have gotten honours in the first place.
10. The opportunities to prove that I am human and thus capable of feeling, compassion and change.
11. People who, in rare occasions (I speak from personal experience), love me more than I love them, and way more than I love myself ... I cannot count you all, but suffice it to say you're all on Blogger and LJ too. :P
12. Many boys and men from ICTUS and the cosplay community, for teaching me that not all men are as terrible as I've been lead to believe - there is a LOOOOOOOONG (and unfortunately very tragic) story behind this, and you will NEVER pry any of the details out of me! v^_^v
13. The problems that cast shadows in my life, because I beliefe God never gives us what we cannot handle.

...One of these days I WILL do a photo-collage here. I love my sister, but we're ruthlessly competitive sisters, and today is one of those days when I just can't stand how pretty her LJ is next to either of my blogs. v^_^0

The 25s: The Material Possessions I am Most Grateful For

Here are the things I am most grateful for. I have realised I am very lucky to have enjoyed these comforts and my own personal fortune, however small it often appears to be. ^_^

1. My life. It IS material and it is something that's ultimately mine.
2. The house I currently live in, La Casa Nueva. Part of my life savings (put up from when I was a little tyke getting a small allowance at grade school) went into this beauty. And now I have my own room too! ♥ We've definitely come a long way from renting a tiny flat full of mice and cockroaches which barely had any running water.
3. My eyeglasses. I have terrible vision (short-sightedness/myopia plus astigmatism on the left eye), and I don't tear up easily, which is why I prefer glasses over invasive contact lenses. My current pair is extra-special because I bought it myself and it looks super cool. 
4. Every single thing that was given to me as a present which I currently use. Whether it's something edible or useful, something large or small, something worn or held or simply kept, I know that the person that gave that item to me gave much time, effort and money up just to give something of great value to me.
5. My job, my career and my agency (and my bosses). They came at a time I felt very hopeless, and I have learned so much and enjoyed so many great things that I honestly can't think of myself doing anything besides public relations anymore.
6. All the clothes, shoes, bags, belts and accessories (especially costume jewelry) that I bought with my own money. I am grateful because these are things I bought for myself, for my own personal use and enjoyment, with the money I make doing something I love.
7. My Panasonic CCD mini-DV video camera. I wish I could use it more often though. I miss making videos! T.T
8. My costumes, because their presence means I DID enjoy being a geeky and creative kid. dXDb Especially Danaya of Encantadia because she literally opened doors for me - new friends, newfound appreciation for myself, newfound appreciation for Filipino culture (you need to see the show to see why), and new cosplay possibilities.
9. My modest anime and manga collection, which have influenced my tastes and my worldview profoundly. I've collected them even before being nerdy and geeky were cool. They entertain me and make me happy. dXDb
10. My lovely wigs, for the same reasons as above. Also, they give me a new look and a measure of confidence to try new things ... notably new hair styles and colours. dXDb
11. My ultimate impulse buy, the white 2008 edition MacBook that I have dubbed Chigusa. I wanted to give her up, but she's become so useful to me especially for doing work outside of the office and the house. I still need to pay Mum my share of her though. XD;;;
12. My built-from-scratch desktop, Anthy. From an ASUS-Seagate-Intel base, she's now a hybrid Gigabyte-ASUS-Seagate-Intel-Samsung baby. Through the years she has been my repository of media that I have made, as well as the many things that continue to inspire me from all over the world. Also without her, I'd never play all the awesome MMORPGs and PC games I love. dXDb 
13. My Sony Ericsson Walkman w801i Black Lady, which at her prime was the most gorgeous phone ever. She's a grande old dame now. ♥ Thanks for selling this beautiful baby to me, Carlo San (a former colleague at my former office)!
14. My Nokia 6020 mobile, Pink Lady. She was originally silver, but after her silver covers chipped off I customised her with a pink set and tons of decoden despite being my oldest phone (circa 2006 baby - three-and-a-half years and counting!). She's so durable and portable, there's no way I'll let her go. ♥
15. My paper journals, organizers and diaries. They are terribly cheesy and melodramatic but they link me to the Ligayas of years past.
16. My online journals that I have been able to keep for the past 10 years or so, because they help me evolve into the Ligaya that I am becoming.
17. Every little material item that Mahal has given me, from food to jewelry to candles to manga to books to mix CDs. Yes, they all deserved their own number because these are all presents from my beloved. ♥♥♥  
18. The things I've won through lucky draws, like the tickets for the very intimate Anggun concert at the Hard Rock Cafe back in 1999 (wow, it's been 10 years! *0*) and the HP printer I won during the Gadgets 4th anniversary party this past June. Who'd have thought I'd get so lucky? ;P Now how I wish I could get lucky again... X3

A Photoshoot for Work! <3

Hi all!

I guess I've missed my photoshoots with friends from Cosplay.ph pretty badly, because when it was announced by my colleague that we were doing a photoshoot for work, I really went all out. dXDb We had hired a long-time friend of the company who was a professional photographer, who in turn got us a shoot director and a very lovely studio with much room, great lighting and all-white walls, and began planning, though rather haphazardly, the two-themed shoot.

Unlike my earlier apprehension, when we did the first part of the shoot which was white (top) on white (background), we found that we didn't actually recede into the walls. Yay! XD Unfortunately, we forgot to have photos of ourselves as a group taken while wearing white tops. >.<000

In any case, our photographer was very kind to allow us to camwhore shamelessly inside the well-lit studio between and after the shoot. XDDDDDDDDDDDDD

I had myself made up to look like Sayaka from the defunct Es Poshh! Magazine, but that proved a bit difficult because my face is terribly round and my hair normally refuses to follow any curled style (unless I get it permed, which costs an arm and a leg). Not to mention that lately, my once-flawless skin is now susceptible to pimples. DDDDDDDDDX But thank goodness for an awesome hair and make-up team that was able to follow the look I wanted using mineral make-up and, of all things, a straightening hair iron. I love them so much! ♥ I am pleased to report that 4 hours later, my hair and make-up held up remarkably well, though admittedly the humidity had set in on my hair and reduced the curls just a bit.

We've already got our photos, but I haven't put them up yet because we're still in the process of editing the official shots. For the meantime, I'm putting up the products of our self-indulgence.

Behind-The-Scenes
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=124720&id=558573814
Multiply: http://ligayadiwata.multiply.com/photos/album/66/2009-11-03_VPRI_Photoshoot_Behind_the_scenes
Hair and Make-up: Ms. Toni Malabanan and her team
Photographer: Ms. Orthia Hernandez

EDIT: Official shots are out!
Official Photoshoot
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=127961&id=558573814&l=2922191893
Multiply: (to be added as I left the HD with the originals at work =_=0)
Hair and Make-up: Ms. Toni Malabanan and her team
Photographer: Mr. Louie Aguinaldo

The 25 Wants: Hoping God & the universe hear me!

I want:

1. A credit card. No, seriously. Bringing so much cash is worrying. X_x Most likely the UnionBank EON account because it's PayPal-friendly.
2. A decent pair of shorts that I can fill out without riding up my crotch or simply just looking skanky.
3. MATCHING UNDIES!!! Because none of my bras go with my knickers, WTF. >_>0
4. 2TB hard drive. Just for back-up. Seriously. So my computer can keep its games and pr0nz hahaha.
5. New wigs, especially those with FULLER POOFINESS! So I can be more gyaru and just go hair-crazy some days without worrying over my ever-increasing hairfall. T.T
6. A Sony Walkman with matching Bluetooth headphones. As much as I love Apple, the iPod has become seriously overrated and less fun. I want to go against the norm. ;P
7. Skins, decoden and rhinestones for my phones, lappy and camera. I kinda like my PC looking and staying black but if a gorgeous yet supremely monstrously functional case comes out of the PC manufacturers I may just change my mind. XD
8. Old issues of Es POSHH!, Ego System, Honey Girl, Vanilla Girl and all the lovely but sadly defunct gyaru magazines.
9. Volume 13 of the original Japanese version of the Ayashi no Ceres manga so that I can FINALLY complete my collection. XD
10. Work-out videos, particularly for Tae-Bo, Hip-hop Abs, Bellydance and anything to do with dancing and martial arts.
11. A tan, or a less-than-PhP1,000 artificial tanner, to even out my skin tone.
12. Sony Creative Software 2009 Editions, especially Vegas, the original of which is rare and hard to come by here where I live.
13. More make-up! Preferably mineral and/or hypoallergenic. (Sadly, the Shu Uemura testers my younger sister gave me caused some crazy breakouts that I never recovered from. X_x)
14. Shiseido skincare and beauty products. Because, to my greatest frustration, this is about the only brand that still agrees with my skin. 
15. A perfume that comes thisclose to the bouquet of The Body Shop's Oceanus, which sadly has been phased out. T.T
16. DVD sets of all the following: Ayashi no Ceres, Sailormoon (all 5 seasons), Saint Tail, Inuyasha, Sugar Sugar Rune, Tsukikage no Ran, Jubei-chan the Ninja Girl, Candy Candy, True Blood, Peach Girl, Hana Yori Dango, Meteor Garden, Hana Kimi, Vision of Escaflowne (movie is optional), Flight of the Conchords, Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Black Lagoon, Card Captor Sakura, Angelic Layer, Vampire Princess Miyu, CSI: Las Vegas (only the episodes with Gil Grissom in the lead though), Roswell, Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Audrey Hepburn Collection, Sex and The City, Heroes, Oh My Goddess!, HBO Films' John Adams, and last but definitely not least Joan of Arcadia.
17. An upright piano and some starter music scores I can use to teach myself to read notes and play piano with again.
18. Piano, voice, street/hiphop/pole dance and clothing technology lessons that someone else will be willing to sponsor in my behalf. (For the music lessons, I'd rather take them at The Ryan Cayabyab Music School, BTW.)
19. Personalised calling cards for Midwest Ocean and for my own business purposes. Must make time for this.
20. I still want the Chloe leather alligator fold clutch. Second-hand, or preferably someone can produce a version locally, one which doesn't have to be made of real leather. Close-up here.
21. Sexy black legwarmers with chains. (Granted, I COULD make them myself but I don't have the necessary skills to ensure they don't all fall apart after just one wearing. XD;;;) Photo taken from Royal Jelly Clothing, no longer in stock in that store though.
22. Music-themed anything! Whether it be this Forever 21 Melody hoodie jacket (alas, it's no longer in stock either, I really should've bought it during the holidays! DX) or this piano and musical-themed bag from the Japanese brand JUNKS, I am totally and madly in love!
23. These Kvoll strappy sandals with heart-shaped heels, sans ribbons. I first fell in love with Christian Lacroix wedges with heart-shaped cut-outs during the Lacroix exhibit 2 years ago at the Ayala Museum (thanks Ate! XD), and when I was in Taipei this past June I stumbled across another set of heels in this exact style. However I didn't have money at the time so I never got to buy them.

The 25s (Possible-to-reach) Needs: Hoping God & the universe hear me...

To God and the universe, I hope you can help me with the following needs:

1. At least US$10,000 added to EACH of my bank accounts (BPI savings account, Banco Filipino savings account, and the one I plan to open in Standard Chartered) so I can finally get that long-delayed trip to see Mahal again without worrying about rainy STORMY days.
2. A ten-year multiple-entry visa (B2) and TWO-WAY tickets to the USA from the Philippines to see Ate, Jannie, Laney and Mahal!!!
3. A USB cable for my Sony T-20 Cybershot (pamana ni Inay/inherited from Mum). Okay, I forgot I DO have this already, so instead of my old number #7 I would like some better-quality silicone cases for my mobile phones. An almost-new Sony DSC-T20 Cybershot camera, which I lost during an event at the Peninsula Manila last 23rd September. DDDDDX 
4. Better quality silicon cases for my mobile phones. 
5. A new set of eyeglasses with ultra-thin, multi-coloured transitional lenses (L: -6.00 + astigmatism, R: -3.50). I prefer thin, coloured rims as horned rims don't work for my facial structure at all. 
6. Diksyunaryo ng Wikang Pilipino (Dictionary of the Filipino Language) by UP Press. Or, failing that, a decent, comprehensive, one-stop Filipino-English dictionary, which we SERIOUSLY lack in this country.
7. A miniature (portable?) electronic sewing machine complete with implements.
8. A decent pair of jogging/jazz/workout pants/shorts that don't split when stretched out at the crotch as I can get surprisingly involved and malleable during my exercises.
9. Board shorts especially for summer days. Thanks Ate A and Ate E!♥
10. Dress forms, body hangers and/or mannequin bodies for my costumes and for my sister K's fashions.
11. Original Windows 7 OS and Microsoft Professional applications for Windows XP and 7 - preferably not overpriced by PhP1,000 the way they sell it here (@#&;* local customs bureau!), and with full multilingual and app support. 
12. The latest Adobe Creative Suite, all-original and with full multilingual and app support.
13. The latest McAfee Anti-Virus system, all-original and with full multilingual and app support.
14. A new case for Anthy, my PC, who looks so shabby because of all the holes my Dad carved into her casing so we could fit more fans in. (As it turned out, all those fans contributed to her constant overheating, and the solution was newer, better fans.)
15. Lots of belts (especially narrow, not thick belts) and shoes. I need belts because most of my trousers and some of my skirts keep falling (curse of the half-size), and shoes because I wear them out so easily (curse of ginormous yet strangely half-size feet, grossly disproportionate to my body). Brand is not important, but build and durability are.
16. Lots of jewelry that are extremely durable but also cheap or at least reasonably priced.
17. Lots of bags for daily use and special occasions alike, but most especially a formal yet theft-proof clutch or purse. I will pay premium only if it's sturdy, not because it's by a famous brand or its knock-off. 
18. Business card keepers for work and personal use.
19. 4D-size batteries for emergencies, especially after Typhoons Ketsana and Parma hit us.
20. BlackBerry Storm charger for work, which I ironically lost on early September after I brought it back to work. DX
21. Clear books and clear sheets for the old cutouts and clippings that I really, REALLY want to save.
22. BlackBerry devices with matching data plans. One for me, one for Mahal (especially so we can chat for hours on WiFi!) and one for Dad because it would totally help his business. Sorry Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Apple, this baby beats you in lightweight-ness (especially compared to the MacBook) and data efficiency hands down. Though those keypads can get seriously tiny...
23. A nice, durable, clamshell/hardshell laptop bag that can comfortably fit a 13.3" white MacBook (my workstation) and all its stuff. Thanks K! ♥ Well, crap. I still need one because the last one I had, a lovely black one full of lace with a Hello Kitty design given by K, got stolen while I was at the mall - though thankfully without the laptop inside. DDDDDDDDDDDDDX
24. A spiffy wireless modem that's stronger than our grande olde dame of a wired modem - as much as I love her, she IS showing her age already by not being able to pick up signals via the cord - and our el cheapo router combined.
25. A portable HDD, minimum capacity 320GB, with its own idiot-proof shock absorbers to match my on-the-go lifestyle. Bonus points if it looks pretty. X3 ♥ Got a spiffy black 320GB Apollo II from Imation, complete with its own cover! ♥