Life & Style

I visited Littlekobaby's blog Koko In Wonderland this weekend and as always, she did not disappoint. She doesn't just recommend which items match or which style should be followed, but she asks questions that few fringe style fashionistas would dare tackle. She's very brave for professing her love for both gyaru and lolita, which is no mean feat because girls from both Japanese street fashion tribes have been at loggerheads since day one. This isn't a unique phenomenon though, as such tribalistic tendencies in fashion can be seen from haute couture to counterfeit culture. The type of mutual disgust that the gyaru and lolita  communities have for each other would make the Cold War look like a campfire where people are singing "Kumbayah." Yes folks, fashion equals serious business.

Gyaru (more likely agejo or hostesses) modelling Gothic Lolita brand dresses in their own style, taken from Vanilla Girl August 2008 issue, through CherryPop.

Thanks to this post and this post, I couldn't resist writing this reply of sorts.

Why I will roll out for "The Transformers"

Here are my reasons why I am voting for Richard "Dick" Gordon and Bayani Fernando as president and vice president respectively in the upcoming elections:

1. Both of them made their fortunes and took on their jobs well without the good (and not-so-good) name of relatives to back them up.
2. Gordon's Subic Bay and Olongapo City plus Bayani's Marikina City are all cities built on discipline where people work stable jobs with stable income, follow traffic rules, and enjoy clean surroundings. (I think that Subic Bay's "working girls" earn more in a working day than the girls here at P. Burgos Street in Makati -- where Jejomar Binay is said to part-own 3 girlie bars -- ever will in a week.) And everyone, EVERYONE I know who lives there will attest to their love for their representatives.
3. Dick Gordon is with the Philippine National Red Cross. They were the first large organisation to take concrete action during the twin typhoon disasters of 2009, and not the government. Hell, Gordon's been doing it since Mount Pinatubo erupted waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy back in 1991! 
4. Gordon's WOW Philippines program for the Department of Tourism was one of the most highly-applauded, ever. Hell, it even convinced Mahal to want to move here. ;P It's too bad his successor couldn't maintain the program's momentum.
5. Like some other candidates, Bayani rose from the ranks of poverty. His mum sold fish at the market. He was literally freakin' BORN in the market. The only difference is that unlike other candidates, he tries to come up with concrete solutions to get the poor to have a heightened sense of self-esteem and also improve their lives, all WITHOUT rubbing it in your face. 
6. Bayani Fernando is an engineer by profession. My dad, my aunt and many other friends and relatives of mine are engineers. I have not known a single engineer in my life to lie.
7. The Transformers camp is extremely clean and green. The fact that they don't have budget for ginormous tarpaulins and posters means that they are not contributing to the pollution that is caused by so many other campaigns. 
8. Related to the above, Bayani's work in the Metro Manila Development Authority has improved it significantly while making it a source of humour. There have been less cases of extortion by MMDA personnel reported in the news. And those ridiculously neon pink fences? Well, Bayani likes the expression "in the pink of health" originally coined to show that people with blushes in their faces are physically fit. In that case, wouldn't we want a clean and healthy and financially fit country? Think pink! :P  (I prolly should change my blog colours now because orange and yellow are for other candidates that I'm personally not keen on...) 
9. You may say, "But all of the candidates for the national positions are corrupt anyway, so why vote for Gordon-Bayani?" My answer: Because unlike the other candidates, there are very, VERY FEW issues you can throw at them, and very, VERY MANY achievements of theirs that you simply cannot do anything else but highlight. Do you hear people associate them with drug dealers and girlie bars? Do you hear them say that they offer so-and-so benefit to their constituents and make it sound like it's their own money when really it's money that comes from the dutiful taxpayers? 
10. Gordon and Bayani have seen how Filipinos work and live abroad -- many are law-abiding citizens with stable jobs, stable incomes, stable resources and big dreams which they know they can achieve. It is that kind of mentality and that kind of sensibility that is strangely and sorely lacking here in the Philippines.  

Granted, they are all human with foibles and faults. But to me, their track records -- and I'm just glossing over them here -- far outshine any faults they have, because the good they have done is the kind of good that is needed and can be seen by my country. Dogged discipline and dogged determination are sadly seen by my countrymen as forms of dictatorship, especially with the botched progress that happened during the Marcos era -- but in my many travels, and through what I am learning of the Gordon-Bayani tandem, I have realised that that cannot be further from the truth. What use is it if you have your freedom but you have no money to buy food or a house with? What kind of freedom is it if for every little thing you say, you need to watch your back because either the military or the left will hurt or even kill you? 

I know this will probably not convince a lot of people, but I believe that if you, as a Filipino who has stumbled into my blog reads this and decide to vote for my candidates too, we will all be forever grateful as a nation. ♥

Don't forget kids, vote tomorrow! And if you can, vote for true change, vote for the Transformers! \^0^/

Ligaya's State of The Nation Address regarding the May 10 Philippine national elections

I know this post probably won't matter since I'm not even running for the lowly position of councilor/konsehal, but I have friends from ALL political backgrounds, from all ends of the spectrum. You know who you are and I shouldn't need to tag/shoutout you people (comment na lang kayo). ;P

As is becoming apparent now, the upcoming elections have become an unusually serious make-or-break affair. So, know only this: Please respect my vote, and I'll respect yours. Whether you ask me to share or discuss my vote or not is fine and you'll be getting a straight answer out of me, but I am not going out of my way to ask you to do the same. I will not whine about your choice not to vote if you so decide, so please don't whine if you hate the country because you chose not to exercise your vote. And please, for the love of God and all that is good, don't hurt or kill anyone just because the other person will not vote for your candidate(s)! (For the record I've been quietly supporting the Gordon-Bayani/Transformers tandem since March of this year, but - partly helped by my sister's active moonlighting as Bayani Babe - I've been more vocal about this recently. Say what you want but I hope you follow suit with my example of not openly attacking your candidates with mine.)

But ultimately, please safeguard your country through safeguarding your vote, and do not sell out or allow it to be sold. Huwag maging talunang mamamayan! Huwag bumoto nang hindi kinikilala at kinikilatis ang kandidato! Huwag bumenta at magpabenta ng boto, at huwag hayaang mabenta ang boto! Huwag hayaang may papatay sa iba o sa inyo para lang manalo ang kandidato nila! Again, unless you've been living under a rock, you can tell that these elctions are so important.

That said, I'm part of both PPCRV (by association through BCBP) and NAMFREL (ever since 2007), but NAMFREL in particular needs help, and it's not too late to volunteer! Please call the NAMFREL Secretariat at 632-484-7590, 632-470-4151, 63927-9611524 and 63919-3389344, or email them at secretariat@namfrel.com.ph, or visit their website at http://www.namfrel.com.ph/home/index.htm. For Makati peeps, you may inquire with Janet and Peter of NAMFREL Makati at these numbers: 632-703-0026 and 63916-2322361. For my fellow BCBP members and associates who would like to assist PPCRV, kindly get in touch with your local chapter head, otherwise contact PPCRV at 632-521-5005, 632-524-2855 and parishpcrv@yahoo.com or visit their website at http://www.ppcrv.org/.

Bantayan natin ang boto at ang bayan! Safeguard your country and your vote! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas (long live the Philippines), I thank you.

Swagger With Swag!: Korean Beauty Products Giveaway from Lizz Buenaventura

* I don't claim to be a beauty product expert, I just share personal recommendations of products which work best for me. :P What works for me may not work for you, so please proceed with caution, thanks for understanding! ;3


While I understand that Korean beauty is ulzzang/best face style and notably different from gyaru, I have steadily realised that the styles share notable similarities, including the following:

1. Prominent eye make-up - this is one of the biggest things they have in common, because fans of both styles often wear much eyeliner, mascara and eyelash extensions. They also practise face contouring, which aims to make the eyes look bigger. I'm not sure which style promotes the use of contact lenses more, but I am sure glad that eyeglasses have been incorporated into the gyaru wardrobe now! As many of you already know, while I like contact lenses for their high style quotient, I am loathe to use them because my eye area is extremely dry and sensitive, and I'm deathly afraid of going blind. 
2. A certain way of hair styling and colouring - both styles promote coloured hair and the use of bangs, although they rotate between straight, curly and wavy styles in different times. 
3. Face contouring - both styles aim to make the face look really good, with the nose looking less flat and the cheeks looking more prominent. However, gyaru goes for a more natural over-all face look since the eyes are already the star of the make-up style, and ulzzang goes for a polished face look with the works. 
4. Focus on optimum face care - you cannot fake good skin, so every Japanese and Korean magazine I own have skin care product features and demos to ensure you look fresh and flawless every time. But because I have more Japanese magazines (granted, one is a Chinese edition, but still!) and only 2 from Korea, I am not sure which country/fashion style puts more steps into its beauty routine.

This is why I make use of Japanese and Korean (and Chinese - from Hongkong and Taiwain) make-up and beauty goods extensively in my daily (meaning 24/7) wardrobe. In fact, there are four(count 'em!) products which I cannot live without:

[AD] Neverwinter Nights!

Many people don't know this, but Mahal was once a die-hard player of Neverwinter Nights. I'm not sure which version it is, but it would most likely have been the AOL one, since he was talking about it when we first met, which was a few years after the AOL version closed and before the BioWare version opened. (Hahaha our age is showing! XD)

At the time I met him, there were no MMORPGs available online yet. Ragnarok Online wouldn't be available for another 3 years in the Philippines, and as everyone here knows it's the very first one we got. And to be honest, all I knew was pen-and-paper (or, in my case especially, keyboard-and-screen) RPG playing. I know my geek creds are gonna fly out the window when I admit this, but I still haven't quite mastered the art of hardcore pen-and-paper dice-rolling RPGs.

So I did my research online, and here's what I've learned about the game (thanks to Wikipedia :P):

Neverwinter Nights (NWN), produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames (now Atari), is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms rules. It was originally to be published by Interplay Entertainment, but the publisher's financial difficulties forced the change. Infogrames released Neverwinter Nights for Windows on June 18, 2002. BioWare released the freely downloadable Linux Client in June 2003 (purchase of game still required). MacSoft released a Mac OS X port in August 2003. Two expansion packs were released in mid and late 2003, and a third in 2005. On October 31, 2006, the sequel Neverwinter Nights 2 was released followed by its first expansion in late 2007 and its second one at the end of 2008. The game was based on the concept of building an internet-like model for a massively multiplayer game, allowing the end users to host the server. The belief was this model would create a potentially infinite massively multiplayer game framework. The game was named after the original Neverwinter Nights online game, the first graphical MMORPG, which ran from 1991 to 1997 on AOL.

More history here and here.

So apparently this was the very first graphical MMORPG in the history of EVER. It's also one of the very first multiserver MMORPGs. PLUS, apparently,

NWN game modules run as a variety of separate genres and themes, including persistent worlds (which are similar to MUDs), combat arenas (player versus player modules), whole servers dedicated to sexually oriented roleplay, and simple social gatherings similar to a chat room. The campaign included with the game can be played with friends, for example, or a team of builders can build a virtual world similar in scope and size to commercial MMORPGs. BioWare insists that these persistent worlds be free of charge, primarily for reasons of copyright law.
Because Neverwinter Nights lacks a global chat function aside from the supported Gamespy, players typically join "pickup" games through the game's multiplayer interface, or schedule games in advance with friends. Matchmaking sites, such as Neverwinter Connections, facilitate scheduling of games, and the experience is much like traditional Pen-and-Paper roleplaying games. Persistent worlds do this work for them by inviting players to visit their website and continue to roleplay there.
...
Neverwinter Nights ships with the Aurora toolset, which allows players to create custom modules for Neverwinter Nights. These modules may take the form of online multiplayer worlds, single player adventures, character trainers or technology demos. Additionally, several third party utilities have further expanded the community's ability to create custom content for the game. Custom content creators are known as builders in the Neverwinter Nights community.
...
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a role-playing game based in the Star Wars universe, was also released by BioWare using a heavily modified version of the Aurora engine of Neverwinter Nights. The sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, also used this modified engine. Because of this, modders have been able to modify these games using some Neverwinter Nights modding tools.
BioWare used Neverwinter Nights and its toolset to develop prototypes and mock-ups of various areas and scenarios for Dragon Age: Origins.

So why have I not been playing this??? DDDDDDDDDDD:

... Oh yeah, at least 2/3 of the MMORPG players in my country have not heard of this at all. XP This is a serious disadvantage when you're dependent on Japanese and Korean game developers, yes. I wanna make my own maps and not rely on one linear path to enjoy my game, dammit! (As much as I have loved Granado Espada, I've noticed that all the quests you can finish get you to a certain stage and a certain level in the game, and that if you don't do any of them you are guaranteed not to be able to enjoy any "advancement". That, to me, kinda takes the fun out of role-playing ... I'm the type who just goes along for the ride, and doesn't really care about having the best weapons/armour/characters in her stable. Well that, and I just really enjoy killing and looting monsters, tedious as that may be. XD)
Waaaaaah, I can actually be married to Mahal in NWN! I SHOULD be playing this!

Right now, I've finally found a great place to buy latest version from - GameTap! Not only does GameTap have the most current version of the game, their version also includes the expansion packs Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark! That's SO much more convenient than having to get both expansion packs separately. (It does make me sad though that GameTap no longer mentions the Kingmaker expansion pack, which was released in November 2004 and features three premium modules: the titular award-winning Kingmaker, plus Shadowguard and Witch's Wake. Does this mean there was no resolution with Atari, one of the original developers of NWN until very recently?) True to the custom content building tradition that made NWN so popular, there are also community-created expansion packs available, but again you apparently need to get them from BioWare NWN website.

It seems like NWN is closing too, which is a shame because right now I can finally, FINALLY afford it. T.T It must be all the legal problems as well as the terrible economy. But I still truly want to play, if only to get to know, through the game, my Mahal more...

Excuse me, I need to go get me a credit card now...

I wish I did this before you left...

From http://xkcd.com/162/.

Yes, still feeling a bit of separation anxiety. We're like the Weaver Princess and Cowherd personified ... and hey, the even worse part is, the analogy fits too.

I miss you so much Mahal.

Discuss: Tokyo youth fashion invades Paris! [Updated]

So I am currently online checking out articles for work today, when I stumbled upon this from The Philippine Star's website, PhilStar. I know that Japan has belatedly realised that its fashion is very marketable worldwide, and that its brands have trouble finding a larger, more lucrative (read: international) market especially in the face of the global recession (which, strangely, hasn't been felt within and around the Philippines... yet). With all these things happening at the same time, it's nice to see that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is trying helping its fashion designers gain a foothold abroad. Called Tokyoeye, this ambitious pilot project by METI toured the world, starting at Shanghai and finishing in Paris, just after Fashion Week no less. This endeavour follows other similar moves that aim to promote, quite aggressively, Japanese culture to the world, notably the establishment of the Kansei Value Creation Initiative and the opening of the Kansei Value Creation Museum in Kobe and the launch of “NIPPON MONO ICHI – Spirit of Creation” in cooperation with the Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan (SMRJ) which aims to help SMEs - fashion brands included (they still aren't as big as car companies, banks and electronics corporations, after all) - use consumer-oriented products as mediums for their messages they wish to send to consumers (spirit of creation), by guiding them through the planning and development, distribution and marketing phases.

To quote from the Tokyoeye article on PhilStar:

The closing event in Paris was the highlight of Tokyoeye. From February to March, young Japanese brands like Aula Aila, Valentine’s High, Galaxxxy in Hi-Fi, Sachio Kawasaki, DRESSCAMP, Liz Lisa, Phenomenon, Duck Digger displayed their works at Colette — a boutique known as a bastion of cool.

Also according to the article, the Tranoï Showroom on rue Saint-Honoré opened young designers to deals with fashion buyers and merchandisers. If the designers play their cards right, we can will see some of our favourites in Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdales and Club 21, among others.

I believe that this effort is also related to Tokyoeye:

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will set up a Japan Booth at "MICAM SHOEVENT", the world’s largest-scale international footwear exhibition, and help Japanese companies exhibit their products. The event, taking place in Milan, Italy, is expected to attract about 40,000 buyers.

While Liz Lisa and even Cocolulu (strangely not a part of this line-up ... maybe because it's not highbrow enough?) are already making in-roads in Asia (I really wish I'd been able to go to the Liz Lisa Taipei store while I was in Taiwan last year), I definitely agree that the other brands need more buzz. Outside of the few people I know who have an idea of

However, the more I learn about the METI's past and present efforts, I'm getting the impression that METI is creating and promoting Tokyoeye as a high-end affair. What would happen to the Japanese street fashion brands and the youth subcultures that they inspired then, like Liz Lisa and Galaxxxy in Hi-Fi? Would it be the end of fukubukuro (loot bags) from our favourite stores? Will this turn our beloved "raw" tribe followings into haute couture exhibitions?



UPDATE: Strangely, there seems to be little news about Tokyoeye available online. Hmm. Here are some of the links that I was able to find (I didn't include those already posted earlier):

Article on Modem Mag
Article on the Mainichi Shimbun's English-language website
Thailand-Japan fabric and textile collaboration article on FashionWindows

Sony PlayStation® Philippines Official Launch

Sony Philippines, Inc. invites you to the first PlayStation® Event on March 27 and 28 at the Glorietta Activity Center. Enjoy the extensive display of the full PlayStation® line-up, try out the newest game offerings and watch the hottest bands perform onstage.

Up for grabs are brand new PlayStation®3, (PSP®) PlayStation®Portable and limited edition PlayStation® premium items by simply joining any of the following activities:
I. COSPLAY Fashion: Visit and register online via https://www.smap.ap.sony.com/survey/se.ashx?s=15795BB2331B4D66.
II. COSPLAY Battlefield: Visit and register online via https://www.smap.ap.sony.com/survey/se.ashx?s=15795BB2331B4D66.
III. PlayStation® Amazing Race
IV. PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Tekken Network Battle
V. PlayStation 3® Ridge Racer 7 Competition
VI. I Want A PlayStation®3 Raffle Onsite Draw (2 brand new PlayStation®3 units to be raffled out)

For more information log on to www.sony.com.ph, call our Customer Contact Center at (02) 878-7600, or kindly visit the PlayStation Philippines Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=377990327690&ref=nf.

Yes I live!

Hello from the tadpole-shaped island of Corregidor ... which is where I'll be spending my 26th birthday! d^_~b It'll be crazy interesting as we have an event at work today. I also heard that a certain fiction writer's coming to town. v^.~v

(I just realised I look like Medusa in this photo. XD;;; Sorry if I scared anyone.)

The past three months have been nothing short of stressful and tiring, but they have also been great learning experiences for me. Now I would like the universe to give me a dozen quid more of the existing pesos on my bank account, so that my birth day would be just this short of perfection. X3

Also, some of you know this already, but I'm going to be spending time with my Mahal during my (terribly short) vacation in the next two weeks! ^________________^ ♥ That is, bar none, the best birthday gift ever. Ah, all this running around is gonna be worth it, I can tell. I am hoping I'll be able to blog more and even get to fix this, but we'll see, eh?

Anyways, until then, see you around! :P

Hangad/Intent Part 1 of 2

Whoa, it's been a while since I was last here, hasn't it?

Long story short, I have been crazy-busy working hard.

While trying to return to my gyaru following (it's never really gone, don't worry) and also trying to ruminate on what happens now that my 26th birthday is finally upon me, I found this translation of a blog entry by former Ageha model Sakurina. I don't find her very beautiful by gyaru or even ageha standards and her obsession with nail art can be terrifying on so many levels, but underneath it all it seems she's got a great head on her shoulders and great taste besides, as evidenced by her working on the Sailormoon-themed photoshoot that I reposted around a while back. (I'm sorry, but it also helps that she is one of the few models I know who's actually older than me! XD I SO need an oneesama to help me out... X_x) This blog entry is no exception. It's too good to quote in snippets, so I will repost in its entirety:

Honne (Real Intention)

Good evening.

This is Sakurina.

Today I will tell you what I am thinking.

How do I say this. I’m turning 27 this April…so you think about a lot of things.

Honestly, I don’t think I can continue being a model like this, a lot of young cute girls come out in this world, I feel uneasy and impatient and at times I think “What am I?”

Even so, when I write in my blog there are fans who look at it and when I have events people come…am I someone who is burdened with those people’s expectations.

But, it’s been my dream for a while now, I finally feel like I have something that I want to proceed with, it is singing.

It’s difficult and I was giving up, but you only have one life, if I’m going to live for however many years I should do what I want at the time or I’ll miss out.

I hear that you shouldn’t use the phrase “Someone like me…” anyway.

In the past I hated my face so much that I broke a mirror twice.

How come that girl’s eyes are so big but mine are like this?

How come that girl’s eyelashes are so long but mine are…

How come that girl’s nose is tall but mine is…

How come that girl’s teeth are so nice but mine are…

How come that girl…I hated everything about myself, I got angry, I cried, every day I was irritated.

Right now the reason why my makeup is dark is to deceive everything.

It’s one of the things I thank the world for.

If I was already cute before then I wouldn’t mind wearing lighter makeup.

That’s why if I have a boyfriend I don’t like him seeing other cute girls.

Because they’re all originally cute.

It’s not fair.

When I saw a gravure idol she said “Why don’t you try making your makeup lighter?” I thought be quiet.

Once I was in Ageha, my skin was rough, I hated events, TV, photography. I don’t even like going outside to shop.

“Wouldn’t it be hard to find someone with dirtier skin than me?”

On the train, the grandma next to me or the salary man sleeping in front of me, my skin was the dirtiest…

I don’t want to see anyone I don’t want to be seen…

I took it out on my parents.

My mom told my father that if she could change she would.

If I don’t have room for myself then I can’t be nice to people.

I hate myself for that and it leads to a vicious circle.

Right now my skin has gotten better, I’ve gotten used to the environment and right when I thought I had calmed down all of a sudden I had reached this age…

There are things on here that I can’t write, things I hate, a lot of horrible things.

Even so, I have to live.

Right now, for all those people who have been filled with anger…

Rather than having regret of not doing it, regret after doing it will help you grow.

I’m going to try harder.

Everyone let’s get stronger together.

The anger right now, when you turn 80 years old, it’ll just be a funny story.

You’ll be telling someone, “Something like that happened.”

As long as you get over it right now, more enjoyable things will be waiting for you.

Starting something new, even though it’s scary, when it’s a success you’ll feel more happiness.

You won’t know till you try anything.

I’m small, my style isn’t that great, I wasn’t really beautiful to begin with, but even someone like me can work as a model and have lots of people laugh, it’s a mysterious world, as long as you don’t give up then your dreams can come true.

Those who become happy are the winners.

I feel like I won’t lose to those girls who are originally cute, originally smart, or originally athletic.

I would be happy if at least one out of many reading this blog thought “I’m going to try hard!”

A lot of people are reading this blog so I felt the need to tell you guys more things. Please continue to watch over me.

Thank you so much.

*Translation by Kelly and Tiffany of Himestyle.

On one hand, I feel glad that a model who many girls look up to is so willing to be vulnerable online. I lived through the supermodel era, with Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and others like them strutting their 5-inch heels all over people's faces. You could NEVER tell these models that they were ugly - they would bash your mug and often got away with it! To have a someone of Sakurina's stature, although nowhere near the supermodels of the 1990s, admit so candidly that she was so violently hateful of herself to break two mirrors in her hatred, was unheard of once upon a time. This makes Sakurina so refreshingly human and real, and to me even more worthy of emulation.

I can't help but feel bad though. She's sacrificed so much to become a supercute model, and yet what she's always really wanted is to sing. But so many things happened that got in the way of reaching her original dream. And it's sad that, judging from this entry, she's half-wishing it all happened differently. But then again, if she weren't famous as a model, would she even have had a chance? After all, she says she is plain-looking, with less than stellar facial features for starters. Most singers these days, and particularly more so in Japan, go through a major style overhaul when they want to break into the highly competitive music scene. And I hate to say this, but very few models like her would ever be successful singers because many of them simply don't have great voices. (My younger sister was as a model until very recently, and she just lucked out having her big, heavy, soul singer voice. The story of her short singing career would have to be told another time, however.)

Her blog entry is making me think a lot. But it's getting late and I have a place to be,

So, I am DYING for a new layout.

I am badly in need of a new layout for this blog of mine.

My only conditions are:
1) I get to keep the template - meaning, the links stay where they are, the posts stay in the same arrangement.
2) I get to change the image on the header.
3) I will have oranges and yellows in this blog. I know they are bright colours and terrible on the eyes on average, but I am planning to use burnt orange and terracotta shades along with sand yellow shades so all should be well. I'm actually a gold and bronze person as well, but metals are dull and blue-ish on the internet.

Sadly, I have had no time to fix it and I am already woefully behind in HTML skills. Let's not even get started on CSS coding please. X_x

I would really love to get pinksugarichigo to do my blog, but I can tell she's more into the slightly punk and rock styles, and I prefer would mine to be a bit more glamourous. Then again, I dunno if that would work considering my third condition, haha. XD

Conflicted/Word Vomit 3/? [To be transliterated in Tagalog]

There have been many days that I just wish we could write history differently. Or, like in the Choose Your Own Adventure paperbacks that Bantam Publishing put out for mid-teens in the 1980s and 1990s, you could make a more informed choice and arrive at a more definite conclusion. What if we could have known that the Americans of 1898 would betray us by buying our country from Spain for US$2 million (according to the currency exchange rate at the time)? What if we could have just fought the Spanish on our own and persevered in a war of more than a decade, instead of relying on the superior military strength and firepower of the Americans to have cut the war by 2 years? What if the British, instead of staying only four years, won the war versus Spain and took over Las Islas Filipinas - would our have been named differently, like St. George's Islands* or something? How I wonder.



I was in historic Corregidor two weeks ago, touring the tadpole-shaped island. Corregidor (formerly under the province of Bataan, now under the province of Cavite) is one of five in an island group. The Spanish called it "Corregidor" because it was the first entry point by boat into the Manila Bay area, thus being the island where papers were checked and corrected (Corregidor's name comes from the Spanish verb "corregir," or "to correct"). Meanwhile the other islands - or, in reality, islets - were La Monja (the only island that was not fortified), El Fraile, Caballo and Carabao. The Americans, once they bought the Philippines from Spain, changed it into "Fort Mills." Three of the smaller islets were fortified; El Fraile was renamed "Fort Drum," Caballo became "Fort Hughes" and Carabao was "Fort Frank." Even now, veterans from the USA and Japan are said to quickly recognise the American-era names, but not the older Spanish ones.

The island was pivotal in its role during World War II, because it was where the Allied forces - namely the USAFFE and the Philippine Commonwealth - took their last stand against the Japanese forces from late 1941 till 6th May 1942. A monument on Corregidor island, the Pacific War Memorial, was built to honor the Filipino and American servicemen who participated in the Pacific War. The structure is large rotunda in which a circular altar falls directly under the dome's open center through which light falls on the altar during daylight hours; on 6th May of every year, at exactly 12:00 noon, the sunlight falls right at the center to illuminate the entire dome.

If you discuss the Pacific theatre of World War II, you'd be hardpressed not to find my country, the Philippines, front and center in this historical era. However, it took around 55 to 60 years for the Philippine veterans, already long dwindled in number, to receive just compensation. They fought for love of the Philippines and for her freedom, as well as for fealty to the United States of America which was expected to grant the Philippines its freedom. But a quick Google search shows that after too long, Filipinos who fought in the Pacific theatre of World War II receive no more than US$15,000.00 - and that's if they are alive and breathing as US citizens. Filipinos who have retained citizenship get around US$10,000.00 if I am not mistaken, but they are still lucky, because families of deceased veterans on both sides of the Pacific Ocean don't get a single cent. This is, to me, a Pyhrric victory, not unlike the rape of Manila in 1945 towards the end of World War II; Filipinos have won, yes, but at an exceedingly painful cost.

I've seen these veterans, many of them on wheelchairs, feeble with lines drawn taut on their skins due to age. Their minds may be sharp - their eyes flash at the slightest sound to prove this keenness still inside - but their bodies, fatigued by war and years of waiting, no longer follow. They are pretty much the same age as my grandparents, and even now it is my greatest regret that they did not live to gather this pittance. My mother's father in particular would have benefited greatly from this - it would have made his diabetes treatment much easier on everyone's pockets, for starters; but then again it may have been for the best as well, because there was no psychiatric treatment available at the time of his death to veterans like him, who were never the same after having been in the battlefield. But that's another story for another day.

And as for the Spanish government and private firms? Well, except for scant philanthropic projects and cultural affairs, they keep an excessively low profile and just continue to market their wares. It makes me sad because Mango and Zara - both world-renowned Spanish fashion brands - have great collections, and are said to be made here in the country with super-cheap labour. As far as I can tell (and you are more than free to correct me on this one), neither funding nor curatorial connections helped the Corregidor Foundation in restoring the island.

And so I wonder - what could have been done differently? In the dim hope that history could be rewritten, would we as a people choose to take it? But more importantly, even with the chance of a rewrite or a choice, can we guarantee that the currently-known outcome will still not be the same experience of today? Real life truly is stranger than fiction.

*Hypothetical name only. I do know how important St. George is to the English, though.

An important message.

After an emotionally draining Sunday and an energy-sapping two weeks, I found these among the email messages I've subscribed to. The fact that they were received in my inbox on the very same emotionally-draining Sunday is a bit chilling and disturbing, because I had hoped for something that did not lead me to where angels fear to tread. Emphasis mine.

This is your mission. To become what you were born to be. You were born to bless and heal and love in a very specific, fantastic way. I don't know about you, but it's really incredibly exciting just making it all come to pass.

Here we have one of the smartest people who ever lived, accepting the fact that he couldn't do anything alone. He understood that he could not know what he knew or do what he did without the help of others. Greatness happens when people get together and pool their strengths for each other's benefit. It happens when lessons are passed down and taken even further. Who do you know in your life that you could learn from? Do you have a hero? How can you build on the opportunities that are given to you? How will you pass your knowledge down to the coming generation? Learn your strengths and the strengths of the people around you. Find out how you can help each other achieve what you never could alone. Right now, you can be the one "seeing farther." Be the "giant with shoulders" for someone else. Either way, you'll be part of something big.

I love the gift of healing, but right now, with the way things are looking I can't even manage to heal myself. I'm so terribly drained that I just want to curl up in a corner and cry myself to sleep, but I can't get the rest and release I need. (For starters, I am wide awake.) I really, badly need a recharge. X_x Pwede po bang time-out muna, please? =_=

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! ♥

PORTED FROM VOX: Boys need not apply.

I found this on ChaiGyaru's blog, who in turn found it on Nira Chan's blog, and I totally feel her. While I currently have a man to lean on, and I know he won't be perfect, I still find myself wishing on occasion that some of these things would come easier to him...

I want a man, not a boy. ♥

a man who knows how to appreciate the things I do for him.
a man who pampers me with something money can't buy.
a man who knows his mistakes and tries to make it right.
a man who can be my pillow whenever I need someone to lean on.
a man who knows when to give in and let down his pride. 
a man who’d communicate, listen and respond.
a man who respects me, my family and his. 
a man who enjoys what life has to offer. 
a man who can say yes or no instead of ‘anything’.
a man who won’t keep me waiting though the day or night. 
a man who (at least) try figure out what’s going on inside me and resolve it. 
a man who help the relationship work when it gets tough.
a man who'd never lay his hand on woman.
a man who works hard and planning well for his future.
a man who is motivated.
a man who takes responsibility for his actions 
a man who gives me freedom that I need.
a man who loves me with no doubts.

I would also like to add that I want 

a man who knows and understands that a woman will usually associate sex with love.

a man who believes in a Higher Power and would acknowledge that sometimes, there are things beyond any measure of human control. 

OMG OMG OMGGGGGGGGGG!!!

I found out from one of my trusted sellers in Multiply that she's offering a personal shopping service from Japanese stores. Now that I'm leaning heavily towards the gyaru style, I'm going nuts because this is the chance to own something, ANYTHING by Cecil McBee, Gilfy, Swordfish, Ego System, Liz Lisa... OHMYGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

Unfortunately, I still owe some other sellers money. And I just finished investing quite a heavy sum in retail treasury bonds, so I have absolutely skint. DX

Not to mention that I feel incredibly guilty since there are so many people out there currently living worse off than I am due to Typhoons Ketsana and Parma, which attacked our part of the country in the last 2 weeks.

I just want to go for it SO badly though...! T.T

God, please, I would like a windfall right about now. Please? I've been really, REALLY good! T_____________________T