We may be past the celebratory holiday season already but I still am on a holiday high as we recently had our annual Gryffs party (which usually takes place on the Chinese new year weekend) and Joe, the person-in-charge for the programme and all that jazz for this year has introduced a refreshing twist for the exchanging of gifts.

The rule is pretty simple (yet complicated):

1. Every person is asked to spell out and assign a person to the first six letters of their name (omit the repeating letters, e.g. for my name April Ann, I used APRILN.)

2. You will be using the letter that has been assigned to you by a person as the first letter of the gift that you will be giving them come the party. Each gifts should cost at least 200php.

3. The kind of complicated part (it  vary to some if you are going to adopt this gift-giving twist): If you have been assigned to multiple A's then you will have to combine them as one and create decoys (gifts with no content) for the other. For example, I got three A's and so I will just have to buy a 600php worth of gift and leave two (A) dummy gifts.

As for the biggest twist which was revealed to us the last minute, the 600php worth of gift was given to our special guest friend that night and the other two 400php gifts were given to the winners of the different challenge and activities that we had.

4. Do Pinoy Henyo to guess the gifts that you will be receiving for extra fun.

We've been fans of The Soshal Network and this calls for some serious flatlaying techniques (as was previously shared on their hilarious and witty site). And so here goes our party hauls.

***

LEE JORDAN

(Joe)

The gifts get even better!!

E - Eye cover

L - Luffy

I - Islander slippers

Z - Zoo ticket

M - Measuring cups

***

DEAN THOMAS

(Kenon)

FREDA WEASLEY

(Cora)

The cutest, tbh.

C - Concept

O - Organizer

R - Rosaries

Z - Zebra plushie

N - Neck pillow

***

Lastly,

GEORGIA WEASLEY

(My hoards!!!)

P - Poster

R - Red Book

I - Itim na pouch + Harry Potter eyeglasses

L - Libro (Team Real)

N - Neem Soap

 (Like what the actual heck is a Neem?? Turned out, it was a plant)

Additional 400php gift: I have acquired red Artwork pouch/doodle notebook.

Each of us has received five awesome, quirky gifts and here's where we kind of get to show our creative thinking with all the gifts the we have acquired and given. I also loved the fact that we were able to choose the gifts based on each others personalities (my art/book set!!). We knew each other that well, I guess. YAY to our eight years of friendship and here's to more years! (And travels!)

Anodyne - MWK 

Day 5: A song that needs to be played LOUD

Golden Days - Panic! At The Disco

Or anything from Panic! at the Disco, really.

Day 6: A song that makes you want to dance

Radio - Santigold



Day 7: A song to drive to

Walking In The Wind - One Direction

Day 8: A song about drugs and/or alcohol

Habits - Tove Lo

"I got to stay high all the time to keep you off my mind... 
Spent my days locked in a haze, trying to forget your face..."

Day 9: A song that makes you happy

That Feeling - We The Kings

Day 10: A song that makes you sad

Feelings - Up Dharma Down

Note: There is also a version featuring Paul Buchanan on the Capacities (2012) record and it is very reminiscent of Jeff Buckley and Sara Bareilles should they have collaborated which, I think, is stellar... if you're feeling extra (sad)

Day 11: A song that you never get tired of 

My Hands - David Archuleta

"If everything would stop, 

I'll listen for your heart to lead me right to you.."

Day 12: A song from you preteen years
All You Wanted - Michelle Branch

Day 13: One of your favourite 70's songs

Imagine - John Lennon (1971)

Day 14: A song that you would love to be played at your wedding
Quiet - Jason Mraz

"Empires rise, empires fall, will you be my constant through it all?"

"I should've known"
"I could've tried it"
Won't let these words control me anymore.

For the chapter that is about to end and the new stories that are about to unfold. For all the hardships and failures that serve as reminders of how much God trusts us that we may all overcome all of it. (So if it feels too much to handle, know that He believes in you THAT much.) For the adventures and life's sweet, little surprises. To the family, to the old friends, the keepers, the newest additions, the recurring characters, the ones I've let go, even the shitty ones that I chose to (stupidly but wholeheartedly) keep or those who might have hurt me... wherever in the group you might fit, I am grateful for you... for helping me be who I am now. 2016 has taught me to be adventurous, at the same time content and more appreciative of life. 

Life isn't all roses and butterflies, but we have sunrise and rainbows. And lastly and most importantly through all of it, we have Him. Who can be against us? Today as the year ends, I choose to be grateful. I choose to love and to be hopeful. 

It's time to turn the pages.

Cheers to 2017. I'm stoked for you. x

I am admittedly not a fashionista. I dress for comfort and I don't give a shit as to what others may think (though it took a while for me to be able to say that; to be comfortable in my own skin, to be totally honest). I'd wear a skirt or a floral and loud-coloured trousers when I feel like it despite, you know, my size (thick arms/legs, all big) and uneven complexion. I just do me. Casual and laidback. Never would have I ever thought of blogging about fashion but I was pretty happy with my recent purchases that I cannot help but share it.

So we had our Christmas party a few days back with the Black and White theme. Most of my dresses are black/white as you just feel sexy in anything black, or may be that's just me so I did not have a hard time choosing a proper attire for the said gathering. I just needed the time to shop and so, off to the mall I went.

While some of my colleagues spent a handful for hair and makeup, I had mine done by a good friend and for free because she's offered and she is really the nicest. I purchased a nude lippie (Shade: 656) and an eyeshadow both from Maybelline, though especially for this occasion because they are on sale at 200.00Php and 150.00Php respectively. What a bargain, right?

I also had a late-blooming acne-attack mid this year and I am still nursing it at the moment. I haven't really taken selfies for some months (not that I am fond of taking selfies, anyway) but here's a very rare (arting-arte) selfie for the occasion:

Can you believe it's already Christmas tomorrow? What a year it's been! 2016 has its fair share of ups and downs and one is just glad that we are near its closing. There are some things that felt big at a time but looking at it now, it is nothing more than that of a usual occurrence. Ever felt like that sometimes? When you think something is really huge at the moment and time has passed and it didn't feel like it anymore? That's not to say that you're invalidating the moment but big moments happened after big moments and you just do not know where to start so you just let it slip. And at that certain moment, you just lived in it. 

Cutting the chase, that's one of the reasons why I have not been as actively blogging as I have initially planned to. Life just sort of, happened.

Say for example I was very ecstatic with the Ginebra championship ending the eight year drought last September. I probably am still on a high that Jayjay Helterbrand has decided to give it another go and not retire yet but the conference has started and you just get on with it, like the "now" is more important among other things.

Also, I am back in Manila after six months. It's been fun, a bit problematic at times but a fun experience nonetheless. I've never been happier to be back home. It's made you even appreciate the things that you missed when you are out there experiencing life.

Sometimes things are okay until it isn't. You would think you are doing well until you aren't. Sometimes life completely blindsides you with certain things and you don't know what hits you until it did. But it should not be a reason for you to stop reaching for your goals. If anything, you should reconstruct and refocus on the things that will matter in the grand scheme of achieving them, all in its proper time.

A couple of months back I was able to attend to probably the biggest Catholic charismatic event of the year and in Singapore, no less: Kerygma Conference Asia. Every KCon is life-changing and I am just blessed that I was able to attend then. This is actually one of the discussions that we had during one of the talks. There is HOPE for the broken. And this is what HOPE stands for:

H

We are all broken even when we are too stubborn to admit it ourselves.



And what do they say when you're all the way at the bottom? There is no other way but up.

P

• By sticking together. One should not face the cruel world alone. 
• By praying and keeping Him close.
• By focusing on the positive side of things and working towards improving it.
• By being perceptive.
• By pursuing our hearts desire before it is too late.
• By being realistic without losing our ideals.

And lastly,

E

We only have to be ourselves, to move forward and celebrate what we have in the now.

x

"There will always be a blue sky waiting tomorrow.."  - Hale

I have actually been waiting for its release since it was announced that he is going to write an autobiography. I am stoked to know what he has to say, of how he is going to sort of explain himself from his actions for the past year but at the same time, I don't have much expectations because although he tends to get misunderstood in his interviews, he's always been this respectful and nice kind of guy so he would not say something deliberately awful towards someone, or at least I hope he would not. He's been the center of so much hate all throughout his career even during his childhood and pre-teens due to being "different". One of the reasons why he's resorted to this project is to have the stories come from himself instead of having it twisted by the media. This is all him: photos, personal views, anecdotes and preferences. Hence, the Zayn book.

Who can say no to that bloody face, though? Not me, apparently. I skimmed the book a bit after claiming off my copy from the local bookstore where I pre-ordered it because he has this look in him that you just want to sort off ogle and appreciate every single time. I am completely blown away by his effortless manliness and beauty; Something that I could not resist even when he is just that innocent boy who's just starting and learning from the biz. 

But he is so much more than that beautiful face.

***This is the part where I'd warn you that there may be some spoilers from the actual book so proceed at your own risk***

Let it also be known that Zayn's autobiography is not a tell-all as it was previously pegged. Some of its contents can also be read from his chapter off of their previous One Direction autobiography (Where We Are) and then there are parts that feels like an extended version of some of the interviews and magazines in which he has been featured recently. If anything, he's honest and that is what I like about it. Give it to this man who can blurt out a few words and unfortunately have his words be twisted into a dig to his former band mates. He gets hate even by mere existing coming from a multi-race, Muslim background, so what is new? He gets judged all the time. But that's how it is and I am glad that he's learned to filter, adapt and focus on what would matter the most and that is pursuing what felt real to him and his own music. I don't always agree with some of his decisions and actions but he has my full support.

The book is just one part of his life, hence, it has that unfinished feels into it and that is alright. There are plenty of years for him to live, to be polished like a diamond in the rough and there are so many new things to experience and to be in this journey with him, I am so up for it. 

I am glad he's focused on the process of creating music among any other things. It makes you feel like you are in this journey of self-actualisation with him during the creation of his successful solo record Mind of Mine released earlier this year.

I believe he is the most honest and vulnerable when he has started talking about his anxieties and how he is working for the better. Not all people can be brave enough to admit their weaknesses and share it for the world to revel in. In a business full of pretentious faces and people trying so hard to please other people, people who acting in a certain way because that is what is expected of them, he is of the rare breed. He is being true to himself.

I feel for all the pressure from the expectations that he's given to himself, to always be able to deliver and give his best for the people who matter the most (especially his dad of whom he look up to to a certain level). I love his feminist and nerdy side, vaguely speaking. It gave me of an idea of where he is coming from. It did not erase all the shitty decisions and the mess that he's previously been in but it has made me respect him all the more and understand him better. 

It made me even proud of who he has become and it's made me look forward to the future.

x

Gabby Alipe is back with his post-Urbandub solo offering EP called A New Strain and it is just fitting, a fresh new start to another era. I kind of expected (I did hope for it) him to release his solo stuff after the disbandment because with a talent like his, the world deserve to know his genius.

And he never disappoints. 

The first single is called Visions and it felt different and yet familiar.

The lyrics:

With every little let down

I won't breakdown

I would tell myself

Hoping I can get out

With every little let down

I won't breakdown

Sooner or later, hope to find

my way out

Certain things will come along

And weigh down

But I take them in stride

Move them one at a time

'Cause, I think I'm better than this

Working on making my visions

come to exist

All in good time I guess

I'm gonna have it all

All in good time I guess

Believing that everything's

All in good time

All in good time I guess

I've taken all the wrong turns

I took the long way

Was finding reasons

And they're keeping me down

Certain things have come along

And I've found

I can take them in stride

Move them one at a time

"I should've known"

"I could've tried it"

Won't let these words control me anymore

All in good time

All in good time I guess

All in good time

Believing that everything's

All in good time

***

I love how I felt connected with him through his music in a way and I am glad that he has not lost his magic with his lyricism. He still makes you think and ponder how the things around you work and it drives you to work on all those feelings that you bottled up. The positivism is being translated into the best way the he knows and that's through his music.

Sometimes we act on things on a whim and hope for the best outcome but things do not always end up the way we would have wanted it to and we found ourselves in the worst of the worst situations, the lowest of lows. And then there are visions: the realisation that the setup is temporary and the process may be longer than we are prepared for but it will be worth it as we work our way up in the end.

There's also this Tagalog song in the EP called Paalam and what a treat. It's probably the first time that he's sung a Tagalog song and it's all good.

A New Strain EP is available in all media form, also on the local record bar nearest you nationwide.