Because The Kate Spade Case Said So

I got the 3GS soon after it was released last year. I wasn't keen on getting a case right away. It was always in my bag  and I couldn't find one that I liked functionally and aesthetically anyway at that time. I didn't think much of it until I went to Manila. I kind of 'got scolded' by many. Why don't you have a protective sheet? You don't have a case? You're going to scratch it! Don't you know you can still resell it at a good price? 

My first case was stolen while on vacation in Manila earlier this year. I loved that one, it was an awesome electric blue and given by a dear friend. After replacing my iPhone, I became protective of it. I had spied the Kate Spade New York silicone case before but decided on a less expensive choice.  It wasn't even two months old when that broke - the adhesive that bound the rubber part to the plastic casing wore off, I'm thinking from the heat generated by the iPhone. There goes the second. Annoying. The iPhone related drama wouldn't end.

I'm now on my third in six months. I went back to my first choice. I'm content with this striped beauty. Why an entire post on a cellphone casing? This is not just about the search for the right case. The case interior has an inscription that was unexpected but very much welcome - HAVE COURAGE. At this time, I can use all the encouragement or 'signs' that are shown to me or at least those I choose to see. These two words are now part of my personal commandments (maybe I'll write about them one time, my list is a work in progress).  

So okay Kate, I will have courage! 

J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler Feature on WSJ

I pay attention to anything and everything I come across on Mickey Drexler. So much to learn from his legendary work. 
He is on WSJ Magazine's The Big Interview! Read the feature here and watch below. 

Note To Self On Rompers + Tights

This romper in BLACK

+

Sweater Tights

=

Stripping off all your top layers to go the loo. Cold, takes eons and no hook to be found to hang your stuff on?

One word: Annoying.

Wise Words From The Karl

I don't have health problems to deal with yet so for now, I'll take a favorite sin as a reason, vanity.

Thanks for the photo May! It's puurrrfect for us daaahling!!!

Whatta Man!

Our President/CEO unexpectedly lost his 23 year old son not more than two weeks ago. Today we had the company Christmas luncheon and he dressed up as Santa Claus. He was all cheery, "HO! HO! HO!", giving out candy and awards, cracking jokes as if all in the world was fine and dandy, thanking each and everyone for their hard work.

I am not a parent so I can only imagine what pain he must have been feeling. I don't know how he was able to do that. If that was me, I think I'd have to be heavily sedated.

He's such a likeable, jolly old good person that you can't help but be drawn to him and his Texas drawl. He IS Santa Claus. He looks like him with his white beard. I am pretty sure he went back to work today just for the luncheon. I say 'whatta man' because today he showed strength and professionalism in spite of his loss.

To me, that's wow. Just something I want to keep in mind.

Noteworthy

Every work day for the past maybe three weeks, work is less stressful because of constant email exchanges with a group of girls officially known as GG (not Gossip Girl, orig kami noh). One of today's emails was particularly noteworthy, let me share it here. Thanks May!

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From J.K. Rowling's The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of the Imagination, her 2008 commencement speech in Harvard. I leave you with this excerpt:

"...So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.
You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.
Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above rubies.
The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned.
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"Life" or "Living" happened to me when I moved to the US. I say this because it was then that the world that I knew or at least was used to was turned upside down and shaken out. Quite literally and of the bear mauling kind. Ouch! Wasn't easy, wasn't pretty. Now, I can say that yeah, failing and making mistakes IS part of it. Tayo na lang ulit, sayang ang oras. AMEN!

Grey's Anatomy 10.9

"You just have to feel your way through it..."

Reposting Exes as Friends by MSS

This is a post written by my super friend MSS. Yeah, I was one of her then heartbroken friends once upon a time. Simple/Complicated question. I've got to agree with her. IT DEPENDS. Seriously, sometimes what for?

Can exes be friends?

I've had countless conversations about this topic with a lot of heartbroken friends. And I've always said YES, it's possible, but it takes time… blah blah blah. That's why I was so happy to have stumbled upon that article. It put everything together in a nice, neat, little package.

We always WANT to be friends after. God knows we always say the "Let's be friends" spiel after the break up and assure them we mean it. And we probably did too at that particular moment. Why? Because even the most harebrained person on this planet recognizes the fact that we can't reprogram our entire lives that quickly. And of course, because no one wants to come across as the A-hole who just dropped so and so like a hot potato.

But seriously, what is it with the perverse pleasure of being able to say 'I'm friends with my ex"?!? I am totally guilty of this, and I admit there's that spark of perversity and superiority that I'm mature enough to handle being friends with an ex. But after reading that article, I had to wonder -- was I really "handling" it?

It's time to rethink my easy answer and make qualifications because the answer really is - IT DEPENDS.

In a relationship where too much love was shared, too much pain caused, and too much guilt involved, I seriously doubt those exes can be friends. There can never be a hole deep enough, or a trash can big enough, for you to throw all the baggage away. Sure, years can pass by and the baggage will fade and rot into a dirty gray, but hey, guess what? Some of it is still there. And the bad thing is you'll probably stumble upon them in the most inopportune time. Just when you think it's lost forever, whatever's left comes to life and kicks you in the ass.

Well, you'll probably be "friends" enough to be able to say Hi back if you chance upon each other, but to actually sit down and chatty-chirp-chirp and update each other -- seriously, what for?

My thought bubble goes: Do I get a gold medal for not puking if he's raving about his current beau? Do I get points in heaven for listening on just how fantastic his life has been ever since I stepped out of the picture? Or do I even get assured of being reincarnated as a princess if I listen to stories on just how shitty it was for a long time when I went away until he finally recovered?

The answer is NO, I DON'T. I only get to say really smugly that "I'm friends with my ex" to people who most likely don't give a flying f*ck if we were or not. And for all the trouble (see the article) I have to go through just to say it, sometimes, it's just so not worth it. You just can't win 'em all. Believe it. Embrace it.

Why Oh Why?!

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother/care.

This is why - Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Thanks for the hot chocolate.

Grey's Anatomy 4.24

Sa wakas!!!

I can't remember the exact lines but here's my take:

"what sets us apart as human beings is that we can think, dream, love. we evolve."

How People React

Saw this in the paper and found it funny. It is true, people are apathetic and only bother when something affects them directly, when it hits home. You can't live by thinking of all the problems of the word but it's sad that a lot are so indifferent now.

Because You Have To Be

I had this lengthy, thought-provoking conversation with my coworker and friend this morning. We touched upon our ambitions and relationships with family, friends and guys. We have sooo much in common. After all that we've been through-- drastic changes in lifestyles, getting our hearts crushed and moving on, actively striving not just for jobs but careers, fighting and winning over sadness, owning up to responsibilities, knowing more about who we really are and what we both want out of life etc... etc... We both realized that we're actually fine and okay!!!!! And you know, you just have to be. It's indeed liberating. I can't help but smile...
I'm glad I met this lady. I admire her strength tremendously. That's rare these days.

Friendster Is My Friend

hmm... DAPAT!
The Bottom Line
Depend on cold logic to make a levelheaded conclusion about someone confusing.
In Detail
Your emotions are taking a backseat to cold logic right now, which is helping you make a levelheaded conclusion about someone whose actions have been confusing you lately. There's a fresh, clean energy inside of you that will enable you to cut through the games and see things as they truly are. It's an excellent day for important deliberation. If there is a big decision you've been toying with, today is a great time to sit down and go over the pros and cons.

The Rest Is Just Crap

JQ: i mean....you have to keep trying and keep doing new things. you can't let yourself be tied up in how things SHOULD be, because they shouldn't be anything but just what it is. and you have to work with what you have. no sense worrying about what you don't have. focus on what's good, on what matters. the rest is just crap.

Friendster message from NL

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. Know a good thing when you see it, and don’t let it slip away. If you get a chance, take it; if it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy; they just said it’s worth it."

Crazy Ass Early Spring Cleaning

My choxie Truffles~!

(champagne, tiramisu, coconut, chai tea, black raspberry, irish creme, french roast)

I'm not done. I have too much stuff (!?!). It's a never ending process. I'm tired, I spent a whole afternoon sorting and trying on my clothes. Figuring out what still works or not. Ooh... this will go with this/that. I can't believe I own this!?! What was I thinking?!! I had this all along?!? I should wear these more often. Resurrect! Resurrect! Resurrect! Sometimes parting is such sweet, sweet sorrow... But I have to be ruthless. I can always shop for more. Tra la la. My next battle would be files and sh*t. I badly need that desk and filing cabinet.

MSS: "Guys have a purpose... now the thing is not to get greedy like us bruhas. Pag tapos na at na serve na ang purpose nila, you let go of them before they learn to bite you."

Today I am thankful for:
- my first piece of choxie truffle, french roast
- "We're on the same train DAT DAT DAT"
- my best friend / soul sister

Random!!!

Creepy. I was chatting with a guy friend who was "working" while in a meeting. I was bugging him that he should listen in to pick up ideas since "Knowledge is power!' So la dee dah... a couple of hours later, JE sends me a link that Ka Ernie Baron passed away due to a heart attack. For some reason, I thought of him that moment. Anyway, I felt sad. I always enjoyed watching Ka Ernie on television. I'd always tune in. Most of us grew up with his weather reports and knowledge / FYI tid bits. He's a Filipino television/broadcasting landmark. I'm betting no one can replace him for quite awhile. He will surely be missed.

It's amusing. In two weeks time, I encountered customers who called fitting rooms differently. First is "fighting room" then "try box". I couldn't understand what they were trying to say until they started acting out getting in and of clothes. OH, FITTING ROOMS! I love it!!!

I just ordered four pairs of havaianas flip flops online for my cousins in Manila. I ALMOST ordered myself a pair but stopped. Damn! I miss wearing my havs. I can't wait for warmer weather. This is a mockery. Plain good ol' mockery.

I get my free doses of magazine therapy in the break area every month. I want to get hold of this article on marriage or relationships or love whatever I read in ELLE Feb '05 on one of my breaks. I loved it but I don't really want to buy a copy for it. I should just copy down the good lines. Hmm... I want to share it here.

I don't/can't cook but I love groceries. Went to Korean, American & Filipino ones today. We just can't get everything we want from one place. We bought loads. I noticed that we'd get the "healthier" food from the Korean and Filipino places. American groceries are just crazy filled with super processed food. Aisles and aisles of junk food. Anyway, I was hunting down these mini donuts. I couldn't find the variety pack (how annoying!?!) so I ended up getting three individual boxes of the kinds (powdered sugar, cinnamon, chocolate) I wanted. Now, I have tons of them. Fatty galore. I scoured around for milk tea, this kiwi flavored aloe drink, green tea mochi, chewy chips ahoy, strawberry/banana & strawberry/kiwi yogurt drinks, REAL peaches & strawberries (YAY!), soya milk, Korean appetizers like spicy squid strips, KIMCHI, seasoned seaweed, mint chocolate Milano cookies etc....etc... Okay, that's waaay too much grocery list info. I was looking for tikoy too. A Chinese New Year isn't a Chinese New Year without those. It's a good thing they had it in the Pinoy store. I'm cooking (whoa!) those babies tomorrow.After dinner, we went to Target because I've been obsessing about this chocolate brand choxie. I'd always see its ads in magazines. You see, they're soo cute-ly and adorably packaged. THAT got me. So I bought the seven truffle temptations. I'm going to have one per day starting tomorrow. It'll be my treat. After I finish that box, I'll go get the seven chocolate tiles next. Oh YUM. I'm bursting with food excitement right now. Sometimes I wonder why I don't have motivation to cook when I love to eat. Anyway, tsk tsk.

I love MSS: "It's either you sink or you swim!, At first you do sink, but then when you do let go, you realize you actually float. I'm so glad you're a swimmer!"

Today I am thankful for:
- 11 - 5 = 7 and "We're on the same boat..." *wink, wink*
- the LV Spring/Summer Shoe catalog
- a sneak peek of j.q.'s awesome painting. I can't wait to put it up!!

10 From S.L.

I was catching up on some blog reading and I wanted to share what s.l. also shared about keeping stress levels low... low... low...

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR REDUCING STRESS

1. Thou shalt not be perfect, nor even try to be.

2. Thou shalt not try to be all things to all people.

3. Thou shalt leave things undone that ought to be done.

4. Thou shalt not spread thyself too thin.

5. Thou shalt learn to say "no".

6. Thou shalt schedule time for thyself and thy supportive network.

7. Thou shalt switch off and do nothing regularly.

8. Thou shalt be boring, untidy, inelegant, unattractive at times.

9. Thou shalt not even feel guilty.

10. Especially, thou shalt not be thine own worst enemy, but be thy best friend.

July 4th Friendster Forecast

"Still trying to get your bearings after making a decision about your new job/lifestyle? Just don't try to pretend things are the same. They're not, which is okay. Sometimes -- no, oftentimes -- different is better."
My comment? Right on the dot! Bull's eye!!!

Fortune from a Cookie

"Although it feels like a roller coaster now. Life will calm down."

I couldn't agree more! =)