Yes-Man

A yes-man is someone who always agrees with a person in authority in order to please them.

you tend to be a yes-man when you are in your late teens-mid 20s

there's no shame in admitting that you are. 

or you were.

We've all been there, really. Wanting to be seen and be recognized, wanting to be found in places where "popular" people go and usually, being young makes us think that we have all the time in the world to waste in these eye-rolling activities. Social media has actually made these wasteful endeavor worse. I was in the "transition" era where I felt the change between pursuing what you really want vs. going to where you want to be tagged or captured on someone else's picture on Facebook. A decade ago my weekends were spent either playing DOTA, Left4Dead, and other online games (if I actually have the luxury of time I would very much like to play again) or I was with my girls getting drunk. To date, it's still easy for me to be drunk DESPITE all the drinking sessions I've actively participated in..broke or not (Hey Francis!)

Mama told me that I will get tired of it eventually and unbelievably, I did. I went back to my first love which was reading. I got tired of impressing people who don't know me, I got tired of straining to hear what my friends trying to say over the blaring noise in the club. My circle got smaller; it used to be a Venn diagram but now it just resembles a mole. I can only count less than 5 people i text with every day, less than 10 people to run to when I want to share my problems and you know what? I'm actually pretty cool with it for the simple reason that these people are the ones I love.

When I can, I meet with people who find no shame in wanting me to be great (and vice versa), it's very encouraging to belong to a group who will water you when you are wilting, who will laugh at your strength knowing that who you are won't make them weak and insecure because hey, they are also strong too. They read my blog and you know who you guys are. Each one of you is irreplaceable. Thank you. 

I have a strong affinity for 60s inspired fashion and electric pleats. I've always been the under-dressed type and just last year I decided to step-up (a little) and bought a line of old-fashioned dresses. I got this dress for Php25 only at the Tabunok flyover ukay-ukay. Also, this is the first time I've worn heels in almost 2 years. I only have 3 pairs of heels because I already disposed some. No regrets.

 Dress: Twiggy

Belt: H&M

Bag: Dooney and Bourke

Heels: F&F

Zero in on something

Zero in on something:

Focus all your attention on that particular thing.

I have to admit, posting photos of myself before I got pregnant boosts my confidence level. Being a full-time mother, my usual get-up consists of clothes that have seen better days, my son's sweat, saliva and other dirt that I dare not mention so if you are my friend on Facebook, you'd notice that I post pictures of me looking way different than what I've described. 

Case in point: Exhibit A

These sets of photos were taken last year (and it's almost the end of this year, hello) when I didn't know I was 4 weeks pregnant. Inside that bag is my every day gym attire and since I've grown quite accustomed to not really following office appropriate attire protocols, people just let me be. I'm currently zeroed in on my everything about my son. I have no helper or no assistant and shit, it is indeed the hardest job in the world.. so yes, please be forgiving when I posts pictures like these because I have to at least remember that this was during my most fit/prime days. 

As I am typing this, my son-who just woke up is looking at me, miraculously lying down still and unsure what to do. It is very overwhelming at times to be responsible for someone else's life other than my own and there are countless situations wherein I can't simply put everything together. I make it sound so bleak and many many times, it is. It's a kaleidoscope of emotions and it's therapeutic when you have someone who accepts that you are still adapting and will still accept you for the tomorrows to come.

I am also grateful for friends who are always a message away whenever I get worried about the most mundane of things. Before Nate I always thought I know what I need to know about life and right now it feels like I, too have been re-born. I didn't know I have this much patience, strength and capacity to love someone, I thought it stopped when I met Bryan. 

Back to the story of what I wore, climate change is real! I wore a knitted top with a leather skirt to keep me from being cold because even then, Cebu's weather has been acting up and bringing out the best-or the worst in every fashionista.

(squats every day)

Top: Thrifted|Skirt: brandless|Bag: Marithe+Francois Girbaud|Flats: Yosi Samra

The whole nine yards

The Whole Nine Yards: 

Everything. All of it.

I haven't updated this blog for almost a year and I have a legit excuse for it this time. Motherhood happened and the spare time I have I spend it sleeping, socializing offline and tying up loose ends.

Fact is, motherhood has taken up so much of my time that B and I decided that I can't work and be a mother at the same time. We've been asking for this blessing for a couple of years and now that it has finally arrived, I am willing to give up my 10 years experience in real-estate in exchange for being a newbie mother. It's my first time to admit that I am scared because it's an unfamiliar territory and a small creature will be controlling my waking hours from now on but this road is well-travelled already and I have a support system which is only a call or text away. 

For now, I'd like to post a throw back picture before Nate was born. This was taken during one of the many field works I usually do and I get very shy when someone takes a picture of me at public places..and here I am hoping that I could make some semblance of a #ootd entry 

Also, have you noticed that I like dressing up like a grandma? Must be my age. Haha

Up a Blind Alley

Up a blind alley: 

Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome.

I've been putting off posting OOTDs lately because I don't have a time to have someone edit my lay-out. I reverted back to a default template provided by Blogspot til I can find the time to have a sit down with a friend. To be honest, another reason is that I don't want people visiting this page and noticing that it totally looks lackluster. I just hope that my content will compensate for this newbie look.

How's your personal growth? I hope you are as blooming as always. Time and again I have repeated that we are all a work in progress and being a better person takes time. You are going to be misunderstood, and you know what? IT'S OKAY. Because people you knew are not used to growth. Who knows? Your version 2.0 is still making them uncomfortable so they don't know how to deal. Their unacceptable behavior towards your growth might give them an excuse to say, "I miss the old you, and I am behaving badly because I don't know what's wrong" but a poor behavior is no excuse for accountability.

 You were a wrong person at the wrong time but stop harboring on your mistakes, because you are the only one who can put yourself back together and be the right lover at the right time.

  

 Forgive my reactions here. 100% of these shots are stolen and it's quite embarrassing that I make those expressions on a normal basis. Now I understand why some people don't take me seriously. I wore this one during a Blogger event at SM City Cebu. I was quite in a hurry to come up with what to wear since this was a last minute invitation. I didn't even have the time to look at myself in the mirror. If you're an avid reader of this blog, you'll notice that this black blazer has been featured in other entries. Black blazers are anyone's staple. Way back college, I used to pair mine with tank top, shorts and Toms. 

Black Cavalry Twill Jacket: Mystery Girl|Sheer White sleeveless top: Anne Klein|Maroon leather skirt:/nobrand|Satchel:/no brand|Brown boat shoes: Highlands

Friends with Benefit

Friends with Benefits

Typically two good friends who have casual sex without a monogomous relationship or any kind of commitment

Three years ago my eyebrows were fine the way it was without me doing something about it. I've always rationalized on the "why fix what's not broken" phase. Call it bragging but I USED to have one of those eyebrows that doesn't need maintenance since it's thick and no hair strays out of place.

During our Annual Christmas Party last 2014, I decided to have someone do my make-up. 'Course it's natural to have an interest on make-ups cause I'm a woman by genetic makeup (aha) but I only have the essentials. I didn't know what that person was doing on my face back then but after cleaning my face did I only realize that half of my eyebrows were shaved off. just. like. that. In a span of a few hours, My eyebrows went from "on fleek" to "on flee" I clearly remembered looking at my shaved eyebrows on the mirror on a rainy 

weekend and I was very much depressed that B bought me a dog.

A few weeks after I asked him for a set of make-up brush and the rest, as much as I'd like to say, "history", but the more appropriate term would be "is a continuous work in progress" 

Though it's been two years, I've only taken an interest to salvaging my eyebrows this year. I was busy hoarding lipsticks, perfecting my contouring and strobing skills and stalking YouTube MUArtists specializing on mono-lid eyes that I took for granted the fact that eyebrows are really a face changer. 

To say that I got an exclusive invite from Benefit Cosmetics PH Digital Darling is a blessing in disguise is an understatement. I am currently using an eyebrow pencil and I can't seem to pull off the ombre look on the sides of my eyebrows. 

Benefit Cosmetcs has opened their first store in our pretty island last August 13 at SM Seaside. Women don't live in caves anymore and we all know that this famous SF-based beuaty brand is known for it's laugh-out-loud wit, creative packaging and instant beauty solutions. You CAN go inside the store, let the in-house benebabes do their magic on you and come out looking 2k% better. Drop by for brow shaping, tinting, waxing and more, they are all nice, fun, quirky and bubbly. 

Benefit Cosmetics is such a refreshing concept because we always associate make-up and the like with the word sophistication, elegance and maturity. "Makeup doesn't have to be serious to look good" is actually Jean and Jane Ford's motto. Their unique approach to beauty is always an instant hit and helped make Benefit one of the world's most beloved makeup brands. 

I took a million photos of the store mainly for the following reasons:

1. So that you already know what to buy ahead when you get there
2. So that Bryan will already know what to get for me when I'm being melodramatic
3. My guy friends who are readers of my blog will know what to get for their women.

I've also met male friends who went there without their wives with the intention of surprising them. Fret not for Benebabes at the store will hold no judgment. 

   

Benefit Cosmetics PH National Brow artist demonstrating how to "map out" the perfect eyebrows on Fashion Blogger Kryz Uy.

 I noticed this huge Benetint on their ceiling and I can't help but put my Benetint too

 

my favorite caption <3

Wag the Dog

Wag the Dog: 

A diversion away from something of greater importance.

Though someone of higher authority than me is too blind to see it, I am flooded with work deliverable and it's manifesting on my longer working hours and pimples on my face. My parents didn't raise an only child to be a quitter so here I am, swimming harder and seeing the silver lining that is me learning new things that will be useful as I climb the corporate ladder. As you grow older you realize how important it is to adapt time management skills because not doing so will affect our work-life balance. Though I post pictures in Facebook about my personal life, this blog won't be highlighting much about it. Bryan and I are happy and I still get kilig :)  

So what's been keeping me busy aside from work and personal life? Me trying to be fit (snapchat:mynymisnym) and accepting the offer as one of the Board of Trustees of Cebu Bloggers Society.

I know I know there are already a lot on my plate as it is but believe it or not, at this point, the choices I made are being carefully thought over and they are something that I can see myself committing to for a long time. Offline relationships are something that I have to work at being better because being addictive to my phone to communicate (ironically) tends to bind me and steers me away from mental recklessness. Let's not forget to capture as much freedom as we can and we are born in this world without electronic gadgets, I'm pretty sure we can survive not being owned by our material possessions too much-Pokemon Go or not.

What validates a relationship?

It's not the likes and the shares. It's the love that we receive and not the ones we beg for. There is nothing romantic about heartbreaks nor unrequited love. Most relationships fail because one has set the bar basing from movies and social media. Be ready for that person who's ready for you too. It's your right to know what's the real score between that person's ex as is it's that person's right to know yours. 

Don't waste your time trying to prepare for a battle that should have been not yours to deal with in the first place. If someone who left comes back to stay, stop and think about the reason why they left and make it your deciding point to pursue or just end it altogether. 

 Lycra off-shoulder dress: OOTD Pilipinas|Hat:Kultura

20-Day Lipstick Challenge Day 10

If you are a lippie fanatic like me and a few of my friends, then you are going to like this challenge. My lipstick choices are in no particular order BUT the every day choice would have to be something that will go well with what I’m wearing. My pictures are all raw as intended so pardon my photography skills.

Day 10 is Every Bilena Off Beat Pink. This lipstick was my catalyst to my love for lipsticks and the first of my matte haul. Chapped-looking matte lipsticks became a fad a decade ago and I just realized that I've been a fan for such a long time. Thank you very much Honeyleen for introducing this one to me

As this is a matte lipstick, I like the fact that it's packaging also has a matte texture with a sample color at the top. This is one of my go-to lipstick whenever I turn a shade darker because it makes me look darker.  I intentionally took a shot with two different lighting for comparison. This one gets too dry at times that for every time I drink something, it gives me an inner-lip lining, do you know what I mean?

I tend to steer towards mauve brown tone and I noticed that EB has a Mauve matte lipstick version of this one, it will be next on my to-buy list