La Wintour and I

I still have a gazzillion things to do - which isn't much different from last night where I slept at 2am - so let me start this call center shift with a blog.

My dad and I are finally talking to one another. Last Friday night, he had this loud party in our house and it got so loud I was freaking out at around 3am. Then I shouted at him to make his friends go home because I need a good night's sleep since I still have a 7am shoot with Charizze the next day. Glad that's over.

I've been so busy for the past days because the relaunch of Manila Kid is only 10 days away. I was ready to spit fire at my brother because he hasn't followed up the people we were suppose to feature. The site is almost done, JC just needs to tweak some details and it's up to me to layout the columns properly.

Yesterday, I was finally done devouring Anna Wintour's biography! Let's reserve all the praises and criticism for Oppenheimer to the critics. What I found most interesting is that Wintour, the most powerful woman in the $160Billion dollar fashion industry, and I share a lot in common.

1. We both judge people based on their looks. If you're a skinny and pale guy, I immediately abhor you. If you dress good but you talk stupid, I might still mind you. But if you dress like a rag, well...

2. We are both ambitious, driven, insecure, needy and a perfectionist.

3. We both love fur! You love to eat them, I love to wear them. What's the difference? We all kill animals.

4. We both share an obsession for YOUTHFULNESS, which needs no explanation if you've been following my blog for the last few months.

5. We are both Editors-in-Chief. Gotta write that one out (and with conviction).

Concrete Jungle Where Dreams are Made

I've always been an all out supporter of talent and passion, so when Charizze asked for help in taping her competition piece for this Korean dance cover challenge, I immediately said yes provided that I won't edit the video. Just help with the shoot, since editing HD videos has become traumatizing.

So even though I only slept for two hours last night (my mom tells me I look like a skull already), I dragged myself to wake up in an ungodly Saturday morning and prepare for the shoot.

I didn't bring any clothes for styling because Charizze is a cosplayer herself and Korean street fashion isn't really my thing. I just had with me my newly bought Samsung Galaxy Tab and trusty aviators!

The original plan was to shoot it in Paragon Plaza where the backdrop will be the giant antenna/signal tower of Magic 89.9, but because it was too hassle, we shot it in a rooftop around Manila area.  

I'm not used to a suburban New York-ish setting because everything looks crowded and complicated, but it's definitely a new experience. There's beauty in the dilapidated walls and rusting pipe lines. Can't help but sing "concrete jungle where dreams are made of..." But we're definitely not in New York.

The lighting would have looked amazing if we waited for the sunset (better yet if we woke up earlier for the sunrise), but I had a meeting to catch at 1pm so by 12:30, I bid Charizze goodbye and wished her well.

I forgot to mention that Charizze's parents are very supportive of her dancing and singing career! It's unconventional because most traditional Chinese families set paths for their sons/daughters to follow, like going into the family business or studying Mandarin in China first. Maybe gone are the days of arrange marriages and foot binding traditions. I just hope this liberal thinking would progress faster in our religion drunk country.

Creative Vision

It's been almost a year since I graduated, and there were doubts then if I'll still be able to use my skills in creating beautiful promos when I left my org. Good thing Manila Kid and I'mAB was there.

I'm sure those who'll graduate are uncertain of what will happen, but I guess if you really love what you're doing, your purpose and passion will eventually find you, no matter where you get yourself into. That's what I learned from my meditation teacher who was a brand manager of a giant multinational company and is now serving as yoga and meditation instructor.

These were some of the ad campaigns we did, and I must say for the nth time, we have the most tasteful campus merchandise promos out there! Haha!

To Mike and James, thank you for allowing me to create magic and express my creative vision! I can't wait for the new batch of promos next school year!

School's Out!

As for me, I'm looking forward to going back to class this April! You heard that right! I'll be with around 37 students (mostly Ateneans) who'll be enrolled in a 30-day class that's allegedly as expensive as one 18-unit semester in Ateneo. I won't tell you what class we're going to take but it will be very very interesting! I'm so looking forward to it! (reeks of sarcasm)

Anyway, March spells the end of school, for some, permanently! But the learning lives on! We had a shoot several weeks ago for our campus merchandise brand and I felt nostalgic while editing the Congratulations Batch 2012 ad. Without much bias, I can say that we have the most tasteful ads among other campus merchandise brands.

On behalf of the I'mAB team (and Manila Kid na rin), allow me to congratulate everyone who's about to be consumed by the work force. It's easy for the system to swallow one's idealism, but "you don't want to be just another cog in the machine." On a lighter note, I hope you guys won't lose sight of your dream! Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

One of Those Nick and Norah Nights

Joma told us this social rule that you shouldn't arrive too early in a party and not leave too late, else you'll look desperate. Well, being fashionably late isn't always the in thing. James warned me to arrive extra early because the DLSU fashion show / party will start by around 8:30pm. Yeah, right. We usually leave home around 10pm so we decided to exert more effort last night and left home by 9:45pm.

Upon arriving at Decagon Silver City, 10:15pm, we saw Nicole's mom ready to pick up her daughter because she was so tired after doing two fashion shows in a day! My brother talked to Nicole's mom first while I dashed to the rest room to fix myself. As I was about to enter the cubicle, someone called my name - it was Ronn with his friend Mikael! "Is the party over?" Everyone was ready to go home, but we asked them to stay a bit longer.

We joined the party and saw some familiar faces, like Shaq, an old high school friend who still weighs twice my weight, haha! Kidding! It was an org party in DLSU so after about an hour of two cocktails and greeting our acquaintances, we left to Papa John's in Greenbelt to meet Ashley and Nina.

After that, everything was a blur. I remember we saw the usual dirty old foreigners with their "new found friends" walking side by side while we were in Coffee Bean. We then went to Ponti in Valero St. which wasn't as packed as we thought it would be so we dashed to Distillery in Jupiter St. to drink some margaritas and call it a night! Guess what, we saw some celebrities (Vhong, Zanjo, Korean guy) though I'm really not that familiar with them - not fashion people.

"If you remember everything, then you're not really in the moment." I guess we went to a total of six places in one night (yes, including McDonalds where we had to grab a quick snack)! Last night was totally random. Can't help but compare it to the movie Nick and Nora's infinite playlist, only we're not in high school anymore.

Perks of Being a Catcher of Happiness

I'm following this special routine in the office for the past few days. When it's 12pm, I rush to McDonalds or any other fast food joint to eat lunch for 15 minutes, then go directly to Starbucks for some caffeine fix, then read. I go back to the office by around 1:30pm satisfied and feeling more at peace. (Yes, I can finally use the word "office" without flinching.)

I recently bought 4 books: The Catcher in the Rye, Perks of Being a Wallflower and the Happiness Project. The other one (not shown in the picture) is an old book, The Elements of Editing. I never really watch TV or any series so this is my only form of entertainment, aside from writing/ blogging/ resurrecting ManilaKid.com (and maybe watching some plays/musicals with friends).

The Catcher in the Rye is a legend because it's one of the first books that didn't hold back in exploring teenage angst: sex, drugs, alcohol, finding yourself amidst all these noise. The last one might be the most dangerous and is often the least resolved.

My favorite book so far (among all that I've read) is Perks of Being a Wallflower because it's the one which I can really relate to - from the writing style to the theme of the book: of wanting to be infinite! I don't know how to explain it, but the message somehow just feels right.

The Happiness Project balances out the two books mentioned. I'm only in its third chapter but so far, it has significantly elevated my mood (or I'm just saying this to blind myself from my suicidal tendencies.)

Speaking of suicidal tendencies, everything is a blur right now. I'm still suffering from my Peter Pan syndrome, I haven't talked with my family (it's like they're there but invisible - because they're all too fucking busy), I haven't been spending more fun times with friends, and I feel frustrated because I want to achieve a lot of things and these baby steps that I'm following aren't showing significant results, yet.

"The days are long but the years are short." I don't know if getting more time will make much difference. Maybe I should go on a retreat or at least learn how to pray again. Or maybe I just need a more cheerful book. What would you suggest?

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Last Friday on top of Paragon Plaza, my mom caught me banging my head against the glass wall that's keeping me from falling and hitting the cold cement of EDSA. "I want to fly and feel infinite." Sometimes I feel like I'm losing myself. Sometimes, I don't feel at all.

Acne Be Gone!

Pimples, whiteheads, oiliness, enlarged pores, impurities and unevenness – everyone has experienced it. Even model and TV host Georgina Wilson had her share of emergency pimple moments too. 

“Growing up, I would always get a huge pimple because my skin is dry. I felt so embarrassed when I used to put toothpaste over it because I thought it would dry out the pimple,” shared Georgina Wilson, as she talked about her experiences as a young woman. This ‘it’ girl, like you, has also experienced skin problems. However, she believes that with the available skin care options today, we can win against skin problems like pimples. She stated, “This is not a solitary struggle. Everyone has gone through it. And there are things you can do. You can help yourself, especially in taking care of your skin.” 

 

To continue the fight against skin problems, Georgina, together with Garnier, launched its Pure Active range that actively fights the six skin problems: pimples, whiteheads, oiliness, enlarged pores, impurities, and unevenness.

Guests enjoyed active and skin-centric activities during the launch of the new Garnier Pure Active line, as they wrote their own personal “take care promises” on the Google Map check-in inspired wall, while others crafted their “pimple statement” shirts at the Pure Active T-Shirt station. They were also able to get their pictures taken in the very innovative photo booth with flipbooks prints, a series of still pictures printed on separate sheets of paper that are stacked together and, when flicked through rapidly enough, give the impression of moving images. 

Garnier PureActive Unveiled

Garnier PureActive’s breakthrough formula consists of a combination of two powerful acne-fighting ingredients – Purifying Salicylic Acid with proven anti-bacterial properties, and Natural HerbaRepairTM from blueberry extracts, which helps repair and regenerate the skin to prevent scarring. Clinically tested on acne prone skin, the line works immediately on imperfections and delivers multi-action benefits from day one. 

Garnier Pure Active range in the country consists of two products:

Garnier Pure Active Pimple Roll On
Concentrated with 2%salicylic acid, the new Garnier Pure Active Pimple Roll-On immediately dries pimple and reduce acne spots. The revolutionary metal roller-ball immediately helps relieve pimples without having to touch the pimple itself, while its compact size is convenient to carry around your bag.

Garnier Pure Active Facial Scrub
Enriched with powerful anti-bacterial active with repairing properties and microbeads, the new Garnier Pure Active Scrub actively fights the 6 skin problems so you can say adieu to pimples, whiteheads, oiliness, enlarged pores, impurities and unevenness.

Garnier PureActive is available in all major supermarkets, department stores and drug stores across the Philippines.

Just Wanting to Escape

Ah, nothing can compare to the scent of salty sea spray and the warm grainy sand in between my toes. I can smell and feel it even before leaving Binondo for our company outing. Finally, an escape! Or so I thought. 

On the way to Canyon Cove, I received a series of phone calls from two of the groups that I'm affiliated in. First call was from Mike regarding the release of the advertisements and the deliveries of the products. The other one was from Mrs. Alvarez, a friend / business partner of my mom, reminding me of the business proposal that I have to turn in the next day. Whew!

Around midnight, we had this activity where we needed to answer a thought-provoking question which reveals one's insecurities, hidden passions and other inhibitions. If you're not careful enough, most of the bosses are there to give you the axe. My question was (queue in the drum roll) "what would you do if you won the lotto and got a million pesos?" Well, I always wanted to have my own hot air balloon that I can ride whenever I want to escape. Yes, an escape that you don't get from drugs, alcohol or reading a book in Starbucks. I don't know how much a hot air balloon would cost, but I'm willing to buy a second-hand. These days, it's a luxury to have a quiet time with yourself.

Another question that I wish I could have gotten was "what is your dream job." Very tricky question. If I were to be sincere enough, I want to be the editor-in-chief of the most influential youth publication in the country (next time, world na). Imagine all the power vested on your hands. What you publish, the youth inhales. If given to the wrong person, it will such have devastating effects. I love the responsibility though.

Anyway, here are some of the pictures I took while we're in the resort. We arrived at around 9pm and had to leave the next day. It's good that I got to watch the sunrise without my friends. How often can you escape the busy routine of preparing for work/school, and just sit outside to appreciate.

For Daring to Dream and Being an Inspiration

I was surfing through Chuvaness.com earlier and I was shocked (yes, shocked!) when one of the articles posted was about Lance Katigbak, 18 years old, UP Diliman. His name might not sound familiar yet, but this guy just won the People’s Choice award at the recent Manhattan International Film Festival in New York. His short film, Fine Dining, bested 14 entries from the United States, United Kingdom, India, Belgium, Rwanda, among other countries.

Why am I shocked? Lance was one of the contributors for Manila Kid. If my memory serves me right, he wrote an article on the RH Bill and a defense for the reaction of the church when the CCP/Mideo scandal errupted.

In a way, I feel very proud because a talent like his got to be known outside the country, because he dared to make a film that showed the different face of poverty, and because he is giving so much inspiration right now to other Filipino youth who have dreams of becoming film directors and artists.

Personally, these guys inspire me to not give up on bringing back Manila Kid! And it will be back, soon, 04/08/12!