Natural Perm

You don't know how many times I've been asked where I had my hair permed. It gives me a some sense of satisfaction to say that my hair is all natural. Well, except for the color. But, yeah. I have natural curls.

But I didn't always like it. There's still a part of me that wishes I have that long, straight black hair that is often seen on ads and commercials. Relax, rebond... I've tried all these and have the token hair straightener that is now gathering dust at the back of closet somewhere. I know that people who have straight hair and can't maintain a curl have the same dilemma. We always want what we can't have.

It's a good thing that over the years I have learned how to 'embrace the curls', as I say. It's much easier to maintain than suffering from the heat because I can't tie my hair into a ponytail lest the rebond/relax will be damaged.

I'm no expert, but what works for me are:

1. Shampoo especially made for curly hair. Also, conditioner. Lots of it. I used to use the local Sunsilk brand but they discontinued it. Now I use the Herbal Essences one. It really does make a difference. When I use a regular shampoo, my hair is a little straighter and the curls look limp.
2. Mousse or a curling lotion/milk. I've been using this brand Monea Curl Defining Milk and it works for me. I just spread it on my hands, scrunch it on my wet hair, and then leave it.
3. Fine toothed comb. It's weird, but what I discovered is that my curls are more 'organized' when I use a fine toothed comb on my wet hair. That is, after using the wide toothed comb to untangle it first. My hair looks straight at the beginning, but when it dries it forms the curls. But since it was combed finely, it's a more ordered messy look. (Huh?)
4. And for my latest discovery, this video which works if you have time to set your hair. I found myself doing this for the past few weeks and I never get tired of it. Sooo easy (no hairdryer required!) and I love the curls it makes.

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The people at my house looks at me funny because of the before hairstyle. They're kinda used to it by now. They know I usually do weird things with my hair when I get bored. Haha...

Front view

Ate Nan told me my hair looked like something from Amaya.

 The back view

But the after is worth it.

I'm smiling on the inside. :)

I read that this technique also works for those who have stubbornly straight hair so, why not? It's so easy and you don't need hair dryers and all that stuff. Embrace the curls!

Book Review: New York To Dallas by J.D. Robb

So cool that even books have trailers these days. As if I wasn't excited enough. I was calling bookstores and actually went there everyday (the perks of living a ten-minute walk away from the mall) just in case they already have the book for sale.

And, finally, they did! I spazzed in the bookstore. True story.

New York To Dallas is the latest In Death novel. The 33rd! Wow. I can't believe I've been reading this series for so long now. I think I was still in college when I started! But I don't regret reading all of them and it remains my favorite series ever.

Protagonist Eve finds herself facing a previous antagonist - her first one from her rookie days. The culprit has escaped jail and now set his sights on her for revenge. The case brings her back to the past, both from that case and also from her own childhood which dregs up uncomfortable memories for her and her husband, Roarke.

I admit I may have been a little spoiled about this book. I blame myself because I was reading the reviews and tortured myself with the teasers. That's why when the twist happened, I was already braced for it. Was it worth it? Hmm...

I tried hard to resolve my feelings about this book. It was a bit heavy for me, which is understandable because of the subject matter. The humor is also not as prominent as with the previous novels. I think it's because the New York 'crew' wasn't in the book that much. I missed Peabody, McNab, Feeney, Truehart and Baxter. That's why when a character was brought over to Dallas, I was so happy that it sort of felt like home again, like what Eve felt.

It was just different. Not bad different, but just different. I think that it was a necessary journey that Eve had to take so the story could move forward. It deserved it's own book so I understood why this book had to be written. Will it be my first pick when I get the urge to read an In Death novel? No. Not right now. But it may be further in the series when I want something a little more emotional and revisit Eve's journey.

But now that it's over, I am now looking forward to the new book. It looks really fun from the synopsis and you can bet I'll be bugging and stalking the bookstores once again.

Authentication shot!

Manga Realities

I don't know many people who like to go to museums nowadays. It may be that our country hasn't got an impressive collection like in other countries, but young people today would rather go to malls or watch movies instead of paying to look at paintings and stuff.

I live a few blocks aways from Ayala Museum in Makati, yet I've only been there twice. The first time was with my friend, just to get it off the list of the things we always put off doing because it's always there. The second time was the day before my birthday to catch the Manga Realities exhibit.

I'm an avid fan of anime and manga. As soon as I saw Nodame on the poster, I immediately made up my mind to go.

I loved looking at Tomoko Ninomiya’s Nodame Cantabile exhibit because I simply love the series. This was the one that made me listen to classical music and watch those orchestra performances. Nodame is one of my favorite characters in manga/anime and her love story with music and Chiaki-senpai is just so wonderful.

Other series displayed in the exhibit were Harold Sakuishi’s BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad (which I'm currently watching and enjoying right now), Solanin (Asano Inio), Sugar Sugar Rune (Anno Moyoco), Children of the Sea (Igarashi Daisuke), Five Minutes from the Station (Kuramochi Fusako), Sennen-Gaho (Kyo Machiko), No. 5 (Matsumoto Taiyo), and The World God Only Knows (Wakaki Tamiki).

I discovered something from the exhibit and that was Kyo Machiko's Sennen-Gaho. 

 I looooove it! The work is very visual so you don't need to read Japanese to understand it. It's just a small comic that usually has a surprise in the end. 

 

Sorry for the sucky quality of the pictures. I was only using my (also) sucky phone. I didn't bring a camera because I wasn't sure if taking photos was allowed. But the author has already released a book of her previous works and it is now one of my wishes to have that book. For more of her works, check out her blog.

My second discovery was Solanin. I haven't read this one yet, but I'm planning to just basing on the words that were printed on the exhibit.

One of the best parts of the exhibit was the manga section. I almost cried when I saw their collection. Monster! Nodame Cantabile! Sennen Gaho! Ouran! All in English! So unfair! You can't read all those in just one museum visit!

Manga Realities sadly ends today, October 2. But the good thing is that all the manga is forever there in cyberspace, bookstores, and screens. There's a whole world out there that people might be missing because they think that manga is just comics for kids. I dare you to say that after reading Urasawa Naoki's works. It will blow. your. mind.

And now, a pic spam...

 Hehe... feeling like I'm part of the manga.

Somebody just had a decorating idea! (That somebody is me, btw)

I didn't steal this. Even though I want it. Badly.

And finally, my alone/selca shots using the secondary camera mode. Blurry!

***

Organized by the Ayala Museum and the Japan Foundation in cooperation with the Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito in Japan, the traveling exhibition Manga Realities: Exploring the Art of Japanese Comics Today will be on view at the Ayala Museum from 16 August to 2 October at the Ground Floor Gallery and at the Glass Lane and Luna and Amorsolo Rooms at the Third Floor.

Ayala Museum
The Japan Foundation, Manila

The first page

Er... I know that I haven't blogged lately. Just two posts in a month?! Lazy, lazy, lazy.

And as if I wasn't lazy enough, I decided to make an art journal. It's not that hard to do, but it's not exactly easy. 

I'm jealous of people who mix all these things to make something beautiful and kitschy. I've always wanted to try this style because I'm one of those people who somehow manages to collect so much junk - I mean, stuff - and have nothing to put them in on my 47 sqm condo. And though it hurts me to tear up my beautiful Japanese fashion magazines (sniff!), I'm satisfied that I'm going to make use of them instead of them collecting dust on the floor.

Gotta have materials first, right? I've already got an X-acto knife, doilies, assorted decorative tapes, paper... I had to buy a cutting mat which changed my life! Haha... I don't know how I ever cut something without it. 

Also, after weeks of searching and deliberating, I settled on a Muji notebook to serve as my journal. I like it that it's plain and unassuming. Ah, imagine if ever I have volumes of this stuff on the shelf! So pretty! They also lay very flat so it's perfect for scanning.

So, here's my first page. I'm not really satisfied with it, but that's okay because it means that there's room for improvement. I might start to venture into paints again and wouldn't that be fun? (and messy!)

The First Page

Materials: doily bought at Landmark supermarket, plaid wrapping paper, cutout from Japanese magazine, piece of cloth from an ukay 3 for 100 find, decorative tape bought at 168

There are a lot of people doing this, I think, but I was inspired by the blog Awkward & Beautiful. Check it out, you might be tempted to try it too.

I'll try to update more often both with my art journal and blog. October is off to a great start? Yay!

The Pieta between Guadalupe and Cubao

Michelangelo's Pietà

I was riding the MRT today when I happened to notice the person sitting opposite me.

He was a thin man. Not quite young, but not old either. Maybe in his late twenties to early thirties. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a bright yellow shirt with Spongebob Squarepants on it - the one you can buy on one of the stalls in Divisoria. On his back was a tattered blue backpack and on his feet were a pair of black sandals or slippers that showed his unevenly cut toenails.

He had his eyes closed, though probably not asleep, as he was carrying his sleeping daughter in his arms, in a pose that reminded me so much of Michelangelo's Pieta.

I've seen the real one before, many years ago, and was moved at its presence. Today's scene moved me in almost the same way. I felt the love from the father to his little daughter who felt safe enough to sleep in his arms in a public place. I wondered about this family's life - where did they live and what job did he have? Are they living well?

It's always on my mind whenever such things are discussed that people shouldn't have children when they can't afford to raise them, when they aren't ready for the responsibility. I still maintain in that thinking, for there are too many reasons, like the children starving even now, to think otherwise. But what I saw today made me think that, ah! at least this one is loved.

And so, in the midst of the hustle of the train and the bustle of the people on it, I said a little prayer that good things happen to this family. May the parents raise their children with wisdom and their children grow to be good citizens of this country... and may they always have love and happiness in their lives.

A grown-up wish list

I turned 28 today. 28. Wait, let me check... Yup. Still 28. I can hardly believe it. Where have the years gone?

I know I shouldn't be complaining. Pssh. There are a lot of older people than I am. But still, every time it's your birthday there's a feeling like "whoa there, are you sure about what you're doing?" I guess that's the use of birthdays. It reminds you to think about your existence on this earth.

So, sans egg pie, I will now reflect on what I really want for my birthday this year.

1. I wish I'd talk less. I don't look like it, but I think I'm quite the chatterbox. I have the tendency to over share and talk and talk and talk. I wish that now that I am older, I would learn how to talk less and listen more. Besides the fact that it will give me the air of mystery (yeah, right), it will hopefully make me more understanding too.

2. I wish I'd finally get serious. Maybe it's the company I keep, but we really don't feel that old. Or is it that we haven't reached that stage yet? But, yeah... We still feel like we're teenagers sometimes. We like to watch movies, anime, play online games, and wear sneakers. I keep telling myself that it's okay, but there are also times I wish I'd start getting to those plans and dreams I had when I was still a teenager. I said then, "when I'm older"... now I guess I am.

from dear musketeer

3. I wish for more courage. I don't mean not to be scared of flying cockroaches or rats (because I don't think I can get over that), but to be more courageous about doing and experiencing new things. I've always been cautious and that may have limited me in a lot of ways. I'm still going to be cautious, but I have to start stepping out of my comfort zone.

There are still a lot of things I wish for. A good night's sleep for the rest of my life, more good friends, good health to all my loved ones... More than physical things, I want those more. Heh. Maybe I am growing up.

So here's to hoping Somebody up there is reading this and grant me my wishes.

***

All images taken from Pinterest. Credits to original owners.

September Wish List

It's too early for a Christmas Wish List, but it's my birth month so I figured I'm due for a birthday wish list. I'm not one to ask for presents. In fact, I don't receive that many gifts now that I think about it. I tamp down my bitterness by thinking that it's always better to give than to receive. Yeah, keep thinking that Self.

But I do have my eye on the following goodies. I figured I'm due for some retail therapy and pampering, as a birthday gift for myself. I'll worry about where to get my cousins' tuition and allowance next month. Haha... (Oh shit)

Of course, my wish list has got to have this. I've been waiting for this book ever since I read about it and I'm stalking the reviews every.single.day. Unfortunately, I am not kidding. The book comes out on September 13th, which means it's 14th here on my part of the world and, as fate would have it, also my birthday. If that isn't meant to be, then I don't know what is. Eve and Roarke(!) for my birthday. Oh yeah.

Dresses from Pumpkins and Ribbons

What's a birthday girl without a pretty dress? Well, we were born naked but... Anyway! Pretty dresses! Sigh.

 

Sasha in nude and grey. Maika in tan.

I love Ichigo shoes. They're so comfortable and they're really affordable too! I'm restraining from buying shoes because my friends tell me I've got too much of them already (*rolls eyes* I know, right?) but I think my shoe rack can make room for these cuties. I already have nude flats, but since an unfortunate decision on my part to bring it to Mr. Quickie, I may have to exchange it for this one by Ichigo. Or I could settle for the grey one. Or maybe both? And the brown sandal's low heel is just perfect when I want the height but not the HEIGHT, if you know what I mean.

For months now I have been searching for the perfect brown bag. Now I think I finally found it. I was never a fan of the Longchamp bag and wondered why everyone was crazy about them, but now I appreciate the simplicity of it. It will probably go with everything I own and wear. I'm severely tempted to buy the fake, but I think I'm going to save up to buy the original. I'm still not comfortable paying thousands of pesos for a single bag so this means I won't be getting this anytime soon. Maybe Christmas? But still, maybe the universe will find a way to give this to me this September. Cross fingers!

I've posted about this before, but I haven't found a local seller... then. What do I do now that I found one? Drool and agonize about it, of course.

Oh the things I can do with this! I'll be mod podging all the way to next year!

Okay, technically not for me... but Ate Nan really wants to watch this. She hasn't said this explicitly, but she's such a fan of this year's winner Scotty that she even texted me when he won. I think she even cried. I really want to give her this, but I already spent a lot on the 2NE1 concert earlier this year and this is more expensive that that! Anyway, we'll see...

And if I don't get anything on this list (except for the J.D. Robb book which I will be getting come hell or high water), I would be perfectly happy with just a box of Goldilocks egg pie. I love my egg pie, after all. :)

Have a great September!