Fashion Favorites: 2015 Golden Globes

I know this is late but...

Emma Stone did it again! She's one of my favorite style icons. Time and again she has showed that she's never afraid to take risks when it comes to fashion. And the in the Golden Globe Awards, in a sea of gowns and frocks, Emma stood out in her Lanvin jumpsuit. The top is a gorgeous beaded tube and the bottom consist of black pants.

image source

There's also a fabric tied at her waist, which is kind of an accent at her back and which also forms a short trail. Though I am not really a fan of that, they probably put it to make the outfit look formal and add a touch of femininity. All in all, Emma is all about being classy and sophisticated.

Another favorite was Lupita Nyong'o in a lilac Giambattista Valli. The upper portion of the gown consist of appliques that resemble flower petals and the bottom part has some flowery prints. She surely looks ethereal.

image source

Lastly, Sophie Hunter in a printed, metallic Erdem gown. Though the color combination (red, silver, and navy) looks a little Chrismas-y, what I love about it is its simple style and the fact that it's not too revealing. Way to go Mrs. Cumberbatch!

image source

Homeless But Hopeful

Currently, I am basically homeless (ala Ed Sheeran). Yes, he experienced what it's like to be homeless before he became famous. I still have the apartment though but I don't sleep there anymore. Right after the theft incident, my parents advised me not to spend the night there and to look for a new place as soon as possible. The mere thought that someone got inside my room and got hold of my things left a trauma on me. My room, my apartment, is not what it used to be. It's not a happy place anymore. It's not my home anymore. It's not safe anymore. It just looks gloomy and reminds me of the incident.

Staying at other people's place is not my thing. I prefer to be in my room, in my own bed. It's kind of uncomfortable to be at a place that's not your own. However, the nights that followed, I was left with no choice but to sleep over in my friends' place. 

They say you'll know who your true friends are in times of trouble, in times of need...and this incident made me realized that I am one lucky girl to have friends who are ready to help me. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights at my colleague's apartment, Thursday night until tomorrow night, I am staying at another friend's house (the one who recently got married where I was a bridesmaid). Wednesday afternoon and Thursday was spent apartment hunting with another friend, who's also willing to let me stay at her apartment. Seriously, I really feel blessed and grateful they are all there for me!

Right now, I am eyeing a dormitory inside the campus which has a security guard and CCTV cameras. They're kind of strict when it comes to accepting residents but I am hoping and praying I get accepted. Last Friday, I already sent the requirements, a Letter of Intent and Certificate of Employment. It will take one to two weeks for the processing. An officer will screen the submissions, a call or an email will be sent to the applicant, who will then be interviewed at the main office. It's a meticulous process but it's okay, at least I know they really screen the residents. I am really, really hoping that I get accepted there this week (Please pray for me) so that I'll be able to have a place I can call home here in LB.

P.S. Let's go back to Ed Sheeran. I am now in his shoes. He was homeless, then he became famous. I am not wishing to be famous after this, but I am hoping that after all these misfortunes, something good is still in store for me.

Karma

This is just the start of the year but some bad things are already happening in my life. Yesterday someone broke into my room. My housemate arrived at about 3:45 pm. He was about to park his motorcycle at the back of our apartment when he noticed my air-conditioner on the ground. He then called me and I thought, How on earth would it fall out of the wall? It was stable and even during the typhoons (with strong winds and heavy rains), it didn't even fall off. Then I panic and I asked him what's the condition. If it fell, it's probably damage because of the impact. But then, it shouldn't even fall in the first place. Then it struck me. Someone probably removed it and got inside my room. And at 4:00 pm, my suspicion was proven true. Someone or probably two people removed it and the one with smaller built got through the hole. When I opened my door, all my things were out of place. The cabinets were opened. It was a mess.

My laptop was gone. It was an old one but it was the one I used when I was still in Korea and all my files (MS thesis and raw data) and pictures were there. They basically took away my two years worth of stay in Korea. 

My DSLR was gone. It was a Canon 1200D unit. For such a long time (from year 2009 to be exact), it has always been my dream of owning a DSLR. I never got the chance of buying one before because it's expensive but last year (October 2014) I took the plunge and bought one through credit card. It's worth P22,000+ and it's one year to pay. I'll only need to pay P1,800+ per month, such a good deal already. It was only used during my trip to Korea and during the Christmas season. It was placed in a camera bag, which was then placed inside another bag to prevent dust from accumulating. I'm kind of OC when it comes to my things so I really make sure they are properly taken cared of. But in just one moment, it was gone.

My wallet with only a few bills was also gone. The amount wasn't that big but it's something special because that money was given to me by my grandmother last Christmas. It was her gift to me. I'm keeping it because I want to give it back to her again when I get home. But in just the blink of an eye, it was all gone.

My back pack which I got from Hyundai Korea was gone. They gave it as a souvenir when we visited their company. I'm supposed to leave it in Korea but my father packed it when we went back to the Philippines. It was the bag I use whenever I travel and I love it because you can put as many things in it. It expands like magic. One time, one of the straps loosened out and I diligently sew it back in place. And now, it's gone.

Those burglars, those robbers, don't they know the importance of the things they stole from other people?

Don't they know the stories behind those gadgets?

That it takes time and effort of saving a lot of money just to buy them.

That those were once dreams put to reality.

That those things are special because they've been given by our loved ones.

They just don't, don't they? They just don't care.

But one day, all the bad things they did to other people will go back to them...

That thing called karma.

On Weddings and Being a Maid of Honor

Hello February!

We're already on the second month of the year. Whew, time flies! It's like January just came around. And I'm sorry guys for not being able to post on a regular basis. Aside from the super slow internet connection, I find it hard to compose blog entries at night because every time I come home from work, I hit the bed right away and sleep all the way. Geez, in other words, I'm getting old already. Haha! Anyway, since it's the "love month" once again, I'm gonna be sharing some love. A love that was bonded into one last January 23.  And nope, it's not my wedding. It's the wedding of my dear friend.

I love watching wedding videos but being in an actual wedding is something different. I have never experienced being a flower girl when I was little, let alone be a bridesmaid when I was growing up. But then, for the first time, I became a Maid of Honor, the one tasked to help the bride. And if you watched the movie 27 Dresses or have been a Maid of Honor yourself, you'll know what I mean. It's not easy but it's all worth it. And just knowing that you were there for your friend on her big day is more than enough and truly warms the heart.

Group selfie

Maid of Honor and Best Man duties

  Weddings are a testament of love.

And it reminds us that

Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, 

love gives us a fairy tale. 

                                                                   -Anonymous