hello limelight!

Alodia Gosiengfiao, aka queen of philippine cosplay, one of the pioneers in this hobby, has joined showbiz!..

my personal opinion about this?!.. it’s an enormous jump for her career. her success is something all hobbyists would surely want to experience, and as a fangirl, im proud!.. :D

looking back some 6-7 years ago, she was just another cosplay finalist. then started championing every cosplay competitions. eventually became the ambassador for animax, kojiesan soap, pocky and more. and now, she’s pwning our televisions!

on another note, abscbn was way too lucky to get the almighty alodia on their team. they may have seen the high ratings that the cosplay and hobby industry would bring to their station once they have her, ‘cause reality check, this underground industry is growing big!.. not to mention alodia’s massive number of fans not just here in the country but in Asia as well.. O.0

and like any other kingdom in the world of gaming (and fantasy), once you get control of the royal highness’s, the whole nation bows down to your will.. harhar!

anyways, i’ll be watching this prank show of hers while crossing my fingers.. hoping she would never leave her royal throne in the realm of the geeks.. haha! ^^

Karentoot's Adventure in Magic Land

i just had the most osam nightmare last night!!.. <3

the setting was a medieval, harry potter-like kingdom.. i was a witch in practice daw studying at a magic school for girls but i was wearing modern school uniform.. hahaha! and there was an old-school rumor that about 10 thousand years ago, a student witch was abducted by some evil lord and was never seen again!.. the teachers said she was held in prison and died after. but nobody believed the rumors coz it happened a long time ago nah..

the magic school was more concerned with another Evil Enchantress who used to go to the same school.. but because of her aggressiveness and magical powers, the school feared her and banished her from the kingdom..

«< »>

the most exciting part was when i became the heroine of my dream!!.. i came face-to-face with a fellow student being possessed by the evil enchantress… got really scared though because my chants and spells didn’t hurt her.. fortunately, 3 wizards aided me in battle.. and they were effing handsome!!!!.. yes, unnaturally GOOD-LOOKING people!!.. XD

so we fought and fought and fought and fought….

when the villain was about to get defeated, she revealed her true identity.. she was not the Evil Enchantress that everyone was talking about.. SHE WAS THE ABDUCTED STUDENT WITCH!!!..

before she died, she swore to herself to get revenge on the School for not rescuing her.. she spent thousands of years roaming around the kingdom as a soul, until she met the Evil Enchantress.. because they had the same intentions, they became allies!

moments after, the real EVIL ENCHANTRESS appeared before my eyes, laughing!.. she was gorgeous in a red and black Victorian dress.. she was randomly throwing magic spells on us while i became numb in fear!.. i couldn’t move a muscle!..

that was when i realized i was having a nightmare…. and so..

I WOKE UP TO MY DISMAY!.. the end..

“Paaram Muna! Arisu na ako!!”..

Me is being kick-ass couch coffee-bread-papaya today!.. :D

been watching YNSH since this morning with my brothers.. and im down to 3 more episodes.. yaay! :>

ate 2 slices of papaya for lunch, bread and coffee for snacks, and 4 drool-worthy ikemen! :D

the series surprised me when one of the characters suddenly spoke tagalog!

i was amazed! this be meh first time to here a character speaking some tagalog phrase in a japanese-dubbed anime!

She said: “Paaram Muna! Arisu na ako!!”..(Paalam muna! alis na ako..)

if it weren’t for the *author’s note that appeared at the upper right side of the tv, I would never notice because it still sounded japanese-y! hahahaha.. XD

*Author’s note: “goodbye for now! im going out” in Tagalog..

yaay~! at least Japan recognizes our country, despite belonging to the 3rd world… *tears of joy* ~__~

The Wallflower review (spoiler free)

Summary:
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Based on the comic “Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge” (The Wallflower) by Tomoko Hayakawa. This is a love comedy about Kyohei, who is so good looking that it sometimes becomes a problem for him, and Sunako, a girl who looks and acts like she has just come out of a horror movie.

Kyohei is fired yet again from his part time job after screaming at the manager who tried to seduce him. He is broke and does not have enough money to pay rent. Just around this time, the landlord comes up with a proposition. She tells Kyohei and his housemates that if they manage to turn her niece Sunako into a “lady”, their rent will be waived. Kyohei and his housemates all agree to this, but the niece who appears before them is not at all the kind of person they were expecting to see…

Read more: http://www.jdramazone.com/#ixzz0kyMrkTLE

personal opinions :3

i may not be that much of a J-drama fan (im more of koreanovelas..) but this sure is one exception.. it’s like BOF sans geum jandi, packed with more issues.. lols.. XD

how they change from the beginning of the series until the end was something worthy of applause..

they were able to show how these “problematic” protagonists managed their complexes and defeated their fears and insecurities, in a matter of 10 episodes without speeding up the story’s pace..

the gradual change of the characters happened smoothly..

the conflicts were clearly introduced as the series progresses and were eventually solved at the end.

the characters were portrayed well. their existence affects the others.. as if everyone had an important role in that mansion, and the absence of one could mean imbalance to the whole story.

the series was also able to show various societal problems which were new to me…societal pressures, social withdrawal, anxiety neurosis, emotional breakdown and etc. rarely happens here in my country since we’re born and raised happy and optimistic.. it made me realize that despite living in a 3rd world country, pinoys know how to handle problems.. :D

despite the occasional eccentricities and exaggeration, i enjoyed the series!!.. a must-watch for J-enthusiasts and asian drama buffs..

“if you care for someone but couldn’t show it because you’re afraid, you’ll end up losing them without even doing anything at all..”

** i really love her gothic and skulls collections! skull blanket, skull bracelet, skull wayfarers, band-aid with skull prints, skulls, skulls, and more skulls!!.. XD

memoirs of mineko iwasaki

FYI: Mineko iwasaki was the no.1 geiko in Japan and the inspiration of Arthur Golden's book, "memoirs of a geisha"..


MODEL: Marie Joyce Chua
make-up and accessories: me and Deborah Go
hair: Krista Dell Montecillo and Liz Arnie Patino

special thanks: Aya and Chester:3

T_T

“let he who is without sin, cast the first stone..” -John 8:7

CREATIVE COVER LETTER

im selling myself!!.. lols..

EL PARADISO

Panglao is an island in the Philippines located in the Central Visayas. Politically, it is divided into two municipalities: Dauis and Panglao, part of Bohol Province. Panglao is located southwest of the island of Bohol and east of Cebu.

Currently Panglao is one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines, famous for its beautiful dive spots and its coral reef, as well as many several islet ideal for beach bathing like the islets of Gak-ang and Pontod.

In early history, Panglao was known to Chinese, Malay, Siamese and Indonesian traders. In 1803, Spanish explorers came to the shores of Panglao in search of fresh water. At the time a couple of natives on the seashore were making fishing devices called "panggaw". One of the Spaniards asked what the name of the island was. The natives--who thought the visitors were asking what they were making--then replied "panggaw". Hence, from that term, was derived the name Panglao.

CLEAN, PRISTINE WATERS.WHITE, POWDERY SANDS.AFFORDABLE BEACHES AND RESORTS.HANDSOME HUNKS AND SEXY LADS... WHAT MORE CAN U ASK FOR?!..

even for a very short while we experienced how NIRVANA feels like.. it was my first to go on a swim in Panglao Island, and they we're right.. it's almost PARADISE!..

the heat was perfect to have our skins toasted!.. the beach was not crowded which allowed us ginormous space to play CAtchBall eeerr Catch Sunblock (we used sunblock spray bottle instead of a ball.. lools!)

we also had a quick photoshoot with rachel arandilla and liz arnie as models.. hahaha!

the resort is ideal for water activities such as snorkeling, banana boating, kayaking and diving.. if you're into these kinds of activities, then Panglao is absolutely the place to be!...

(me, debs and rachel.. random urge of vanity.. lol!)

ps. thank you Panglao island for the free souvenirs... JELLYFISH STINGS!

(now i know how the itch feels like.. hahaha!)

JOURNEY TO THE NOT-SO-CENTER OF THE EARTH

Hinagdanan Cave is a cave on Panglao Island, in Bohol Province, in the Philippines. It is a naturally lighted cavern with a deep lagoon and many large stalactites and stalagmites.

The cave is lit by sunlight which filters through holes in the ceiling. The underground lake is a popular swimming spot. (wikipedia)

right after our arrival at Tagbilaran Sea Port, we had a quick lunch at Atiatihan Chicken Grill, and proceeded to Dauis, Bohol. first stop was HINAGDANAN CAVE!

at last! after 20 years of waiting, i was finally able to set foot inside this famous cave.. we were supposed to visit this spot during our family outing last year but the government temporarily closed it for repair..

the cave was a bit warm but the lake was freakin’ coooooold!.. i dont think i could survive the water’s temperature there neither its depth.. hahaha!

there were lots of small black birds flying and resting on the cave’s ceiling.. a group of boys also had their share of fun by diving into the deep salty pool..

HINAGDANAN CAVE is definitely a must-see for nature lovers and spelunkers.. :D

(at the cave’s entrance..)

AVATAR-ISH BOHOL

Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of 4,117.3 square kilometers (1,589.7 sq mi) and a coastline 261 kilometers (162 mi) long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines.

The province is a popular tourist destination with its beaches and resorts.The Chocolate Hills, numerous mounds of limestone formation, is the most popular attraction. The island of Panglao, located just southwest of Tagbilaran City, is famous for its diving locations and routinely listed as one of the top ten diving locations in the world. Numerous tourist resorts dot the southern beaches and cater to divers from around the world. The Philippine Tarsier, considered the second-smallest primate in the world, is indigenous to the island.

(source: wikipedia)

Bohol is like a second home to me.. a place not too distant and unfamiliar since both my mom and dad grew up on that island..

my mom came from Mabini, while my Dad from Tagbilaran City.. we also have relatives (some i haven’t even seen in person..) in various Bohol towns including Carmen, Corella, Mabini, and Garcia-Hernandez..

we’ve been visiting the province every summer or holiday vacations as far as i could remember.

i grew up loving Bohol!.. not just because of its natural beauty, rich flora and fauna, mouth-watering “calamays”, peanut kisses and broas, but also because of the warm hospitality that’s uniquely Boholano..

but my previous trip to Bohol last March 26-28, 2010 was definitely one of a greatest trip in my life!.. memorable indeed!!… super duper fun!

the Bohol trip was just a random lunchbreak chika with my classmates.. desperate to break free from all our school plates and deadlines, we joked about going on a trip right after ditching college. i didnt expect for it to come true!.. hahahaha!..

here’s our Final ITINERARY:

arrival, Hinagdanan Cave, panglao island, E.A.T. Danao, Chocolate Hills, G1 island ATV rentals, Loboc River cruise, Busay Falls, Loctob Spring, Bohol Bee farm, departure…

and the fourteen DAREDEVILS:

(the fourteenth was holding the camera.. who was it?!..)

the art of visual merchandising

yesterday we went to Parkmall, Mandaue city for our art of display final requirement..

we are tasked to look for a current botique in the city and decorate its window display!
i never thought it would be sooo fun.. it felt like we weren't working on a plate at all..
i had fun most especially in choosing garments and accessories and dressing up the mannequins of the store.. since i already tried dismantling a mannequin during our art exhibit last year, it was all easy for me to undress the dummy yesterday!.. :Dgot all anxious and scared though! the dresses were like a thousand bucks!.. the store was classy and expensive looking.. one wrong move and i'd have to surrender my wallet to them.. hahahahaha!

here's how everything went through:

1. this is our store! (please do visit em.. they have lots of goodies in store.. XD)


2. here's how their window displays looked like before revamping them :3

3. Rachel and Jehan planning out the design.

(eeerr.. are u really planning out, girls?!.. hahaha)

4. it's an uphill climb! dont ya agree?!.. :3


5. we brought dem PROPZZ!.. (authentic goodies from our grandparents' closets.. haha!)

(majoy bought this at a nearby surplus shop..)

(rachel's dad's binoculars... coool!)
(jehan's dad's tv!.. back when black and white was the real thing!)
(jehan's dad''s leather luggage.. effing cool!) (rachel's grandpa's camera!.. it's a Kodak from the 40's..)(and here's my share of old stuff.. MY GRANDMA'S OVERNIGHT BAG!)

6. TANTANANANAAAAAAAN~!!!

(THE AFtERMATH.. XD)

kudos to my groupmates: rachel, majoy, john, jehan and debs for a job well done!.. XD
Nazzo's GM texted that night thanking for our effort.. they liked it and planned to have it on display for about a week or two!.. yaaaay.. XD

LESSON LEARNED: the best way to learn is by experiencing it!..
cant wait to work as a store visual artist soon.. :D

reminiscing the Judgement Day

hello!
whoah! it has been a long while since my last blog update.. been really busy with school for the past months.. and guess what?!.... my sleepless, stressful nights payed off!! I AM OFFICIALLY GRADUATING THIS MARCH!
the best part of it was i conquered the dreadful THESIS!.. remember how i used to worry and rant about this subject?!.. it was really a herculean task!.. but after all the hardships, i realized, we can are capable of becoming Hercules if we strive to.. XD

we had our defense last February 3, 2010.. it was my thesis partner's birthday!.. lucky us, we made it with a grade of 2.2~!.. not much of a good grade i know, but who cares?!.. i passed anyway!.. XD

we were also lucky to have a visitor from an actual advertising agency here in cebu. he was Mr. Zen Pastoriza, the current General Manager from CampCebu, an affiliate branch of Campaigns and Grey Manila.
he had most of the comments and reactions.. but instead of wallowing over his no-good comments, we were all awed and dumbfounded by his insights and knowledge.
his personality spoke greatness, wisdom and experience!.. no wonder he has been in the life and death advertising industry for 17 years now.. (and counting! lol)
the most priceless comment of all?!.. after the defense, he congratulated us at the lobby and said, "good job guys!"..


woooot~! makes me want to work on his agency.. hahahahaha!.. XD

right now, we're currently revising our book and artworks. it'll be our finals next week and there's been lotsa pending plates to work on..
FLASH, PORTFOLIO, THESIS REVISION, ART OF DISPLAY.. gaaah~!

after this week, we'd all have to say goodbye to our school plates and say hello to the real world!!..

**goodness! makes me wanna cry... i will surely miss school... ):