On Sorta Fairytales

"I think that there is a place where she [Scarlet] realizes that people come in and out of your life. Sometimes for a day, sometimes for longer. And all of them make you what you are. You can't separate these people out of you. They form who you are. Even the ones that you kind of say well... you know, I don't know if I wanna be formed by them anymore. (laughs) But you are in some way. You are. That's why, maybe, you don't have to look at them so harshly because they have affected you. At the end, though, you know... it's us as individuals with our... mm... with our love for the land. For something untangible, that when soulmates come and go, you're never alone even when you're standing just you in your shoes, because you carry them with you."

- Tori Amos

Starting 2013 Right

Now that the Christmas season is OFFICIALLY over, it's about time to shake things up and actively make good things happen for the new year. I know it shouldn't take the shift between years to start things, but it is a good, symbolic reminder to get things going for good change.

So first things first: the Abi Sexier Project 2013 starts tomorrow! The 2012 iteration proved to be quite successful for a few months (until my whole life started to revolve around work and I got really affected by its stress) with me hitting the treadmill 20 minutes a day, 5-6 times a week; starting pole; and significantly cutting down on my portions. But because of stress eating and a retrogression into a mostly sedentary lifestyle, before I knew it I had gained back most of the 15 lbs that I lost in 2 months.

So tomorrow, I'm starting again. Albeit slowly, I'm starting again. Now I'm warming up to the idea of having a friend whip my ass into shape. I'm a little scared because I've heard that he is a tough teacher, but whatever. Shit needs to get done.

Two: With the Sin Tax Bill (Law? It's been passed, right?) raising cigarette taxes, I'm going to quit smoking. I'm not a heavy smoker to begin with, and I can go without smoking for long periods of time, so this isn't going to be a problem.

Three: Skin-care. Given that I am a beauty junkie, I constantly try on new stuff. And that kind of practice really gives your skin a beating. So aside from regularizing my skin regimen, I'm going to start taking proper care of my skin. My Mavens have been reprimanding me for not wearing SPF, so I'm giving in. But hey, don't think I didn't try before. I've tried a few formulas, but they always caused my skin to break out.

But then I found this product that I am more than optimistic about! I got myself a tube of Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sunscreen.

It is supposed to be "mild as water," and if it's good enough for babies, it should be gentle enough for my breakout-prone skin. Besides, Aveeno is notorious for being able to solve all your skin problems. This also starts tomorrow, and I will get back to you in a few days on how it goes.

UPDATE: A few days into it, and the results have been good so far! Nary a new pimple nor some new layer of grease sitting upon my face. I really appreciate that it doesn't have that sandy sunblock scent, which I usually love but depresses me to smell when I'm not actually at the beach.

And although the formula is white, it dries invisible, so you don't have to worry about getting a weird white film on your face.

This and a full line of Aveeno products are available at S&R.

How about you? What are you doing for the new year?

In Retrospect: 2012

In an attempt to resolve my ways as an ungrateful bitch, I'm taking a look back at the year that has barely passed and recounting few of many of its highlights. 

JANUARY

Reunion with the Portillos; and my life source TVP Dental B's 25th anniversary.

BATAAN 

My discovery of drivable, day-trip beaches. Also, a first in over a decade: the beach with my mom's side of the family. 

PALAWAN
I had never been to Palawan before, and it was just as well because I really wanted to get some new places under my travel belt. Although I think I could have done better, ideally, but it proved to be an insanely busy year so I couldn't do much traveling.

The Puerto Prinsesa Underground River was amazing, and I was lucky to have gone the weekend it was "declared" a Natural Wonder of the World. No doubt it is a spectacular place, it is the legitimacy of the body that declared the title that I question.

I also met some additional members to the Portillo side of the family: Aster and Iris, whose faces you cannot see in this photo, haha!

FEBRUARY
Back at Bataan, this time with the girls. My good friend Mia came home from Australia, and we couldn't NOT do a beach trip while she was here.

This is doubly highlight-worthy because although I've been driving for about 7 years, I had never driven long distance before, just because I've never really had to. This felt good. It was empowering. I felt invincible.

Also, because liempo!

MARCH
BORACAY. With these girls.

There is a Boracay trip planned every year, whether with my family, or with my friends. So you can bet that I'm there at least twice a year.

Although it is an annual occurrence, our romance never fades; it will always be a notable trip. For plenty of reasons. PLENTY.

<3

HANSON.
Not just the concert, but they fuckin' came to me, okay. TO MY WORK PLACE. AT MY NEW JOB. Fate? FUCK YEAH.

NEW JOB.
Yay! I'm rich again. And it gives me enough action to keep me from getting bored.

APRIL
2012 marked my silver anniversary on this earth. Despite feeling tremendously under-accomplished for my age and anxious for the future -- thanks to the pressures of the world -- I am beginning to feel better about both situations. And that night really was one of the better ones. It was a generous and warm gesture on my then-new officemates' part to throw me a party. Spider Dan made a totally unexpected drop-by!




DONSOL:
My family and went to Donsol wanting to swim with the whalesharks. I keep reminding myself that just the adventure and experience of seeing a new place was minimum requirement for travel enjoyment, but I can't help but feel that this particular trip was absolutely fruitless.  After stressing-out about the flights and finding available lodging, it also took three hours of travel -- two hours of which are spent on a zig-zag road -- which incidentally took my breakfast. Haha! So you can imagine my disappointment when I saw absolutely no whalesharks! First major disappointment in the year!

MAY

Work travel assignment: Boracay for The Lifestyle Network's Summer Soul!

Two of the points that made this a great trip are the two gorgeous Azkals -- Carli de Murga and Misagh Bahadoran -- standing between my work mate Jade and I.

AUGUST
More of the Azkals! And the handsomeness! Love you forever, Maven Magazine!

SEPTEMBER

My maternal great-grandmother's 99th birthday! (And that amazing chocolate truffle cake from The Hyatt.)

NOVEMBER

Business trip #2: Hong Kong. Better yet, Disneyland!

DECEMBER
My visit to The Circle Hostel in Zambales gave me some comfort about the state of humanity, somehow. It was refreshing to see and be within a community that has an almost-utopian trust in each other. It was a beautiful atmosphere to be around.

Plus, it is stripped to the basics, really affordable, and quiet. Why can't there be more places like this in the Philippines? Why aren't we a people who can appreciate a little no airconditioning?

After over 27 years of being together, including a tumultuous few years in between, my parents celebrated their 27th anniversary a few days ago. To celebrate, we went down to The Mind Museum. Which was just as well because their marriage might as well be in a museum, right, given it's longevity? 

I feel better about 2012 now. I got stoned a lot and I cried a lot, but looking back at it, it's wasn't bad at all. I could have worked on my social life better (how else my love life?) and maybe took a few pictures of the smaller-scale, private moments between friends because aaalllllllll the inside jokes and all the rapture feelings of laughter, I really want to remember.