WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!

www.bitchvarsity.com

I'm MOVING

WILL BE GETTING A DOMAIN. SEE YOU BITCHES! :)

It's More Than Just Ruffa Vs. Kris

If you have not heard about the fiasco about Ruffa Gutierrez’s walking out at the set of last Sunday’s The Buzz because Kris Aquino made a comment about her transferring to another station (“Aminin mo, mas masaya dito!”), well then you might be one of the last ones to know about it. (Good thing it’s in Youtube. Search it.)

There are times when Kris can be really insensitive and tactless and sometimes at the point of verbally bullying but I think it was also partly Ruffa’s fault for being such a pushover at times.

Well I understand Ruffa. If you grew up in a household that’s brimming with Annabelle Rama, you really can just be one of the two extremes: a ditzy pushover or a headstrong vixen. Speaking of Annabelle Rama, she also said on a show that Ruffa once cried because she was so fed up with Kris Aquino always interrupting her when she talks.

To you, Kris Aquino, it’s rude to interrupt and that’s just it. No rocket science. And to you Ruffa, try to stand for yourself sometimes and grow thicker armor when you know that you’ll be facing the likes of Kris Aquino on a weekly basis. Now, I’m not sure if Ruffa has talked to Kris about this or not, but if she just stood up for herself and demanded the kind of attention and treatment that she deserves, I’m sure Kris will get the message.

Also, it’s best that both of them need to think of the show as a whole before becoming too emotional. If something like this happens again, or happens to YOU, dear reader, try to keep your cool and be patient. If you are in the middle of yet another round of useless ranting or tactless unsolicited comments, calmly change the subject or tell that friend gently that you are not comfortable with what’s being discussed or that you’d like very much to speak and be listened to until you really have spoken your mind out.

Lastly, it’s best to stay strong. I saw the actual episode where Kris was making the comments and then Ruffa said “Tama na Kris, don’t rub it in. I’m sad about it too.” However at that point, Little Miss Chitty Chat still kept on talking about it! Ruffa was obviously at the point of crying and she looked really hurt. I know it’s just work but I’m sure someone like Ruffa treats showbiz work as a big part of their lives (it’s a career for God’s sake!) and she know that work can be filled with forced relationships and (read:) forced relating. If you show them that you’re afraid of something, the self-esteem predators will not think twice about assaulting you.

So if you’re like Ruffa, who has made a bold move and signed a contract with another station (because let’s say it’s true, that she doesn’t like the way Kris treats her and this affects her productivity as an artist) stand up for that and be firm about it. When you’re on the other side of the fence, you’ll see.

And that’s it. It’s more than just Kris vs. Ruffa. There are other hidden bullies in our lives and we must learn to stand up to them and be strong. Don’t let anybody bully you.

If all else fails, learn black magic. Haha just kidding!

How do you stand up to a bully? Got a bully story? Email me at live_out_loud@ymail.com. ♥

The Art of Power Lunching

I am an extremely busy person. And no, I did not italicize just to sensationalize. I juggle many hats and I attend to different parts of my life. I work here, here, here, here, here, here and somewhere else. Sometimes I’m here and sometimes I’m not. Sometimes I’m a writer and sometimes I’m not. There is no definite badge for me. Because I’m leading jam-packed days, I’ve finally mastered the art of power lunching.

See, I have always believed that eating is one of the highest forms of glory. Teachers, warriors, leaders, artists, children and laborers all stop to eat. And you probably remember what our elementary school teachers told us: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; therefore you should not miss it.

Even when that statement still holds true for me, now ten years older and a few years wiser, I have also come to the conclusion that for a busybee like me, lunch is also an extremely important meal. Just think like this: if you want to stay upbeat and thinking right until around the time that you’re about to sleep, you must eat lunch, because it’s the breakfast of the second part of your jam-packed day.

And so here comes the Messianic solution: POWER LUNCHES.

Power lunches are lunches which are high in carb and sugar, and yes I recommend it because it works. You’re going to use them up later in the day anyway. Here are some tips for effective power lunching.

1. When you eat, REALLY eat. Do not surf the net, do not text incessantly, do not chat too much. Savor all the flavors that land on your tongue and just before you eat, smell the aroma of the food to keep your appetite running. They say that eating involves more than the sense of taste. So indulge in everything—sight, smell, taste and touch, if you must.

2. Don’t hurry. For people who are always on-the-go, it’s easy to take lunches which are hurried. In fact, I’ve fallen into this trap long ago and just ordered to-go Chinese food because they’re sticky and I don’t have to chew that much. LOL, imagine! If you hurry, you won’t be able to really feel that you have eaten and the ending is that you don’t really feel fulfilled and after a few minutes you’d have strange cravings.

3. Drink luxuriously. Finish off with a lovely drink. I always make sure that I finish off with softdrinks everyday but I keep the dosage at half a bottle (around 100-150 ml). Sometimes, I treat myself to ice cold mochaccino or a choco macciato. This seals the power lunch and the self-bonding and it also doubles as a dessert time so you end lunching feeling pretty great…and so you become productive for the rest of the day. (Yes, it really works, skeptic.)

So those are my two cents for free. One last tip though: try as much as you can to eat what you want. If you are tight on budget, maximize it. Remember, also, that your goal is to truly fill your stomach. So don’t do with fancy lunches such as very light pasta or salad if you know that you’ve got 1874927429 things to accomplish for the rest of the day.

Let me know what you think. And let’s go over it via lunch. Via a power lunch.

You Can Never Be Too Thin

My bestfriend, who, I bet, has a below 27” waist line, claims she’s fat.

Upon hearing this, I turn to my side and look at the mirror across me and see how “fat” she really is. And how “fat” I must be. You know what I think? If that’s fat then Bea Alonzo must be obese.

My best friend is not alone. I know thousands of other girls out there who are actually underweight and still claim they’re fat. I’ve read somewhere: you can never be too rich, or too thin. And I believe every single word. In a world where stick-thin airbrushed models are treated like royalty in terms of beauty, there is really no other way to go but the skinny way.

Needless to say, I cannot put into words how alarmed I feel whenever I also fall into this trap. There are just some days that I think my tummy is bigger than it’s supposed to be. Yes, even when the jeans I bought four years ago still fit me perfectly. Well, I blame media for this! Haha! (And why, I’m part of media too, am I not?)

The thing is, are overdosed with images of “beautiful” people in small waistlines, like having a weight and “body proportion” requirement for every regular beauty pageant in town. Now THAT, plus a hundreds of new slimming pills, procedures and food products which promise a more “beautiful” you once you take sign up under their program. And when we’re exposed to this kind of image overload, we will forever associate being thin with being beautiful and feeling good.

I won’t come all Messianic and self-righteous by saying all those hypocritical magazine cliches (read: “You are beautiful in any size or shape!” and then powder the rest of their pages with malnourished looking girls with smoky eyes.). BUT my advice is, try to learn to really love your body as it is and exhaust its potential. I don’t have a perfect body, and it took such a long time embracing it, really.

Get this: I don’t have long legs, big breasts, a big butt, abs, long fingers. If that’s not enough, my skin is also not perfect. BUT this is the body which helps me achieve the things I have to achieve and it makes me productive. Whenever I contribute something good for myself and for others, it makes me feel good. And I won’t say I’m not doing something about it. I make sure that I dress well. Because I’m skinny (and I think I’m skinny enough) I wear skinny jeans and flattering blouses. My work also requires me to become on-the-go so I just wear flats and love all five feet and two inches of me. Most of all, I make sure that I’m clean and I smell good all the time. Does that sound difficult to you? Of course not.

So today--and I guess this goes for the rest of my life--whenever I look at the mirror, I like what I see…though it took me a long time getting here! (By the way, I tuck my tummy in every now and then. It’s less effort than exercise! Haha!)

Do you also believe that you can never be too thin?

The Best Investments I've Ever Made

If you remember, a few months (and about a hundred realizations) back, I talked about the best and the worthiest investment that you will ever make. I talked about how you should invest in your name, your reputation and the network that you work with. For me, I got to places with a clean name. It works the same way for everyone. Also, I remember screwing up on something a long time ago and my superior told me “your name will eventually catch up on you”. So since then, I learned how to be 100% professional and I got to take care of my name. Besides, we all know that people will always remember your mistake (and not your success) all the time, don’t they?

However, aside from a good and clean name, there are also other investments that I’m happy I made. Here are the ones at the top of my head:

1. Eyeglasses – For four years, I’ve been running on a -3.00 grade. Yes, I’m nearsighted and it sucks. However, recently, I just found out that it has simmered down to -2.5 and I just changed glasses and contact lenses. It takes a long time to land with the perfect glasses and when I finally got it, I took care of it like it’s my own child. (BTW, the perfect glasses are those which fit you well, look good on you and has powered UV shields.)

2. Dark skinny jeans – I never spent a lot on clothes…until I got across dark colored skinny jeans. You know the fashion mantra “when in doubt, wear jeans” right? Well that’s just about it. But for me, for one who wears jeans everyday, jeans are really investments. I bought one which costs only P350 at a tiangge just because it looked good on me. For less than three months, the pocket got ripped so I can’t put coins at the right pocket. FAIL. Now I make sure that I buy high quality jeans…and keep my waistline at 25 (or 26).

3. An All Around Phone – During my last birthday, I bought a chic new phone for myself. It was LG KS360, a really good looking, slide up QWERTY phone. It was like the ones you see on Gossip girl. However, as time passed by I realized that it wasn’t as fast as I wanted it to be, the camera is not as good and it hangs up everytime I wanted to type fast. (Sad, I know. QWERTY phone my *ss!) So I sold it off to buy a SE T700 phone, which is pretty much like everything I could ever want. It’s a mid range phone that’s slim, light, fast, has a high memory ceiling, a great camera with a flash and great sound. It’s the love of my life.

4. BB Cream – I will never get tired of talking about BB Creams. If you are not familiar with BB Creams they are like all-around bases, they work as a moisturizer, foundation, sunblock, concealer, anti aging cream and a treatment cream in one! I think it was Skin Food which released one of the first BB creams here in the Philippines (aside from Korean brands, since BB creams are such big hits in Korea) but I find Maybelline BB Cream just perfect for me.

5. Comfy Strapped Rubber Sandals – I have what my colleagues in school refer to as a “lounging job”. For them, it means a job that I love, which doesn’t pressure me, which requires me to work at my own pace, and yes, wearing whatever I desire to…as long as it’s decent. So for work, I am allowed to wear those strappy rubber sandals (which can often double as slippers). They can be pricey (Ipanema, Havaianas, Sanuk, etc.) but they’re really comfy and stylish. I can wear them everyday!

Aside from quality haircuts and a condominium, these are some relevant bits the things I spend for. (I’m still working on the condominium part, LOL!)

How about you? What are the things that you are willing to spend for? Email me at live_out_loud@ymail.com. :D

On Waxing

So EFFIN' PAINFUL
...but so EFFIN' WORTH IT.

Waxing Tips:

1. If you're a first time user, be sure to read about wax and waxing in the internet. (One point for you coz you're here.)

2. Remember that hot wax is really painful, like melted candle wax poured on your skin. So be ready for this.

3. Of course waxing hurts. Remember that. Just make sure that you make it quick. Strip off with fury! \m/

4. It's better to use Substance 20 bond papers than waxing strips. It strips off more hair so you get the most out of one strippin'.

5. If you use cold wax, seal it tightly and throw away your waxed papers well. One of the major ingredients of cold wax is sugar so it tends to attract ants.

6. Yes you can actually do home bikini/ Brazilian waxing. I recommend cold wax. Afterwards, it's also best to wash the area off with a mild feminine wash. It will turn red but that will only last for less than an hour. :) (Whew!)

7. Be patient. Depending on the thickness of your hair, you might have to wax one area over and over again until it is 100% clear.

Fun Things to Squeeze In During Lunch Breaks

I LOVE MY LUNCH BREAKS. I just love the idea that food / eating is one of the highest form of glories. I mean, warriors, teachers, priests, students, politicians all stop to eat. That makes eating a really powerful activity (um, literally too) because it makes us realize that we are all, after all, just human. Attached with this glory, lo and behold, the corporate world RESPECTS lunch breaks.

Whenever I have my lunch break, I don’t really eat lunch. I spend it doing other things which are not work-related. And then I get through the day with a smile on my face. I’ve come up with a list of my favorite things to squeeze in during lunch breaks.

1. Chatting with a good friend. This can also be your officemate/ colleague too. Chatting about simply anything—fashion, relationship, hobbies—makes you touchbase into another person’s soul and lets you bond properly. Surely there are other more exciting things than spreadsheets and deadlines and the clients breathing down your necks. Chill. And as for your good friend, if you can’t see each other in person, drop a quick call or indulge in a text-fest.

2. A mani-pedi. Whenever I’m inside a salon, I really feel relaxed. No, wait. What I meant was, I feel like a queen. I make sure that I go to the posh salons because their services are really above par and the attendants won’t size me up like vultures (or at least they do it more subtlely). A mani-pedi only lasts for 30 minutes. If the place is not too busy, request for two attendants to attend to you at once. When you get back to your office, you’ve got some color jumping on your keyboard. Really chic! Bonus: Mani-pedis are really cheap here in Davao.

3. A fabulous drink. No, I’m not suggesting anything alcoholic here. Just a drink which makes you feel better and luxurious. Overpriced fancy coffee? No problem. A fruit shake? Better. For me, it’s Twinings tea in Four Red Fruits. Really relaxing and makes me feel good. Smells good too! Indulge in liquid goodness to help you get through the day feeling good.

4. A fun/ inspiring video. If your office has internet access, then spend the rest of your lunch break by viewing funny/ inspiring videos. If you want, you can even squeeze in one or two episodes of your favorite TV series. I shamelessly admit that my key to blah-away days are one or two episodes of The Hills. Yes, that’s right, the one with the superficial super rich blondes who are always crying over the same men and backstabbing each other. I guess it’s inspiring to know that I’m much more productive than them. And so are 2047298472394 other girls I know. (The numerical figure is a joke.)

5. Cat nap. Why, this is one thing that you should really try but not overdo. Power naps are great when taken at the middle of the day; just be sure that you’re one of those people who are comfortable just leaning over your table and keeping your feet flat on the ground. For shame-free naps, keep your face faced down on your desk and set a cellphone alarm so you can go back to work on time. And don’t forget to gargle with mouthwash after. Tee hee!

6. A Quickie. NO EXPLANATION NEEDED.

See? My even my lunch breaks help me become more productive at work. When you feel good, there is a high likelihood that your output is really good too. Good thing my office does not behave like a corporate leash. Haha! Try some of these out and see the difference. You’ll be surprised how half an hour of me-time can do so much for your well-being.

♥

Beauty and Wellness, For Longer

Truly, life isn’t getting any better for us Filipinos, especially when you talk about money. That is why we need to scrape every penny that we own and invest it in things which are worth investing in. We spend for food, shelter, education, security, and others. In the category I just referred to as “others”, toiletries are classified under that.

So to save up on these not-so-essentials, here are some tips from a budget-conscious “kikay”.

1. Shampoo - Buy everything in bulk. The bigger the container is, the bigger your savings will be. The ones sold in sachets and in smaller containers have higher overhead cost, but the content is the same anyway. For as far as your grocery budget can bring you, buy the biggest body wash, shampoo, conditioner and lotion bottles there are. And you will save a lot in the long run.

Bonus: You also save yourself some emergency trips at the convenience store because you'll be running out of toiletries for much longer.

2. Foundation/ Tinted Moisturizers - It's best to get them in liquid/ gel/ mousse form, because you'll actually need to apply less of the material. They spread out really well, and evenly so you only use less, as compared to powder/ cake foundation. Just be careful with the blending.

Bonus: You don't need to use a puff or a brush to do the blending, and it usually lasts longer and spreads thinner so you get a more natural look.

3. Lipsticks/ Lip gloss/ Lip balms - When you apply a lip product, just do so at your lower lip and just press your lips together to spread out the color. Ta da! You just extended its life up to twice. Moreover, if you have old lipsticks, old lip balms and even old lip glosses, you can melt them all in a microwave and store them in a little container, like those Body shop lip balms. New shade, new shelf life! What a steal!

4. Mascara - It's best to buy waterproof mascara with a winner brush that won't smudge and won't clump your lashes so you don't have to reapply and use more material. Also, the more time you spend in applying mascara means more time leaving the lid open, which dries it out faster. When you are finally done, screw cap very tightly.

Bonus: Don't bother applying for your lower lashes. Also, by following the tip above, you save time.

5. Powder - Choose something light but long lasting, something shine-free also. This way, you don't have to retouch as often. Also, stretch your pressed powder's life by not removing the plastic which lies between the puff and the actual powder. This prevents the puff to constantly rub on the powder and in the process "steal" some powder.

6. Perfume – For your Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum stocks, just spray/ apply on areas where your pulse points are, for that is where you will maximize the scent exuding through you. Also, if you’re running out of perfume, just add a few drops of water and pour it on your body lotion. That way, you still wear the scent and you’ve just made the most out of your expensive fragrance.

7. Blush on – It’s best to get the one in gel forms because they blend very easily and you can just put them on-the-go. They create just the correct dewy coverage, and they can last for a very long time because you only use a little and they’d spread well (like those foundations). My 8 gram gel blush lasted for four months of everyday use!

Those are the things which just come off at the top of my head right now. If you have more suggestions, you can email me via live_out_loud@ymail.com.

Indeed, beauty comes with a price. But who says it’s non negotiable?

Want to be an AWESOME GRAPHICS DESIGNER?

Everywhere we go, we are flooded with man made images, more commonly and collectively referred to as Graphics Design. We see them in the gigantic streetside billboards, in public service announcements, in job postings, even with graffiti. It's obvious this industry is getting bigger and bigger; as evidenced by numerous graphics design companies here in Davao city. (And why, yes, the rest of the world too.) And as the popularity and competition of this genre is getting thicker, will you let yourself become engulfed in the sea of pros?

So if you are interested in joining this industry but you don't know how to start from scratch, the best thing that you can do is to enroll yourself in a short course about graphics design and digital art in general.

Now if you want to the pro way, you've got to learn the it from the pros! Cube Pixels Design Studio is home to many awesome graphics designs--logos, web design, layout, name it. They offer a comprehensive Photoshop and Corel workshop for only P3,500 individually. If you get the package workshop (that's Photoshop + Corel) you can avail it for only P6,000.

And what's more, you can have your schedule's say! You can choose from an everyday schedule, a biweekly or a triweekly arrangement. Still in school? No problem! Have a full time job? No problem! The sessions only last an hour or so, every 6pm. You will be starting your course with theoretical discussions on Basic Graphics Design (with the usage of Photoshop and/or Corel) and then after a few sessions, you'll be clicking the mouse and creating your very own designs...of course with the guidance of your trainer/s.

Give their portfolio a look-see: www.cubepixelstudio.com. And you will see how much you'll be getting out of your money's worth. Enroll now! :)

EMAIL ME FOR INQUIRIES/ DETAILS: live_out_loud@ymail.com or give them a ring-- 225.0362 :)

The Loner Profiles

We know them, we see them all the time. Sometimes we care about them, sometimes we pretend to. Most of the time, they’re just like fleeting ghosts in our everyday drill. Nobody really knows them but they don’t appear to care. We call them loners, oftentimes, replacing the middle N with an S. But who are they really? And why do they have some sort of a social allergy?

Here are some compiled profiles of these so-called loners.

1. The Extremely Shy One. There are certain loners who grew up in an environment where human interaction is not really encouraged. For example, when they were kids, they were told by their parents to lock themselves up in the bedroom when there are visitors. When they were left with a group of people, they were told to not talk to anyone. So then they cannot look at the eyes of the people they just met, they keep their hands to themselves and continue to dwell on corners.

2. The Intellectually Arrogant. They are the ones who have some noisy worlds in their head, telling them that they are far more intelligent and brilliant than everyone else. They opt to not talk to most people because they think that most people can’t say anything worthy of listening anyway. Although they speak with some selected people (the ones who they deem to be worthy of their time) they are usually hated by most people anyway. When they speak, they are usually condescending and when they don’t, they’re most probably curled up with a big book and a big name on it.

3. The One With the Bad Reputation. It’s simple really. They’re alone because no one likes to hang out with them for fear of affiliation. Perhaps they are the ones who have stolen the class money weeks ago, they’re the ones who screwed up your marketing team’s winner proposal or they’re the sellout writers who leaked your feature article ideas to the no-good magazine which was able to publish them first. Hmm. This is challenging. I don’t have any idea what they have in their minds, really. But I’m guessing it’s among regret, lack of apology or indifference.

4. The Weird One. People don’t talk to them because they’re not understood. The luckier ones are tagged as “artists” (fondly?) because they are into things which most people cannot appreciate instantly. For example, an obscure visual art, obsession for some weird-sounding music (along with equally weird-looking musicians) or a semi-humiliating sense of fashion.

5. The Techno-crazy. This might be the child of everything aforementioned, but these techno-crazy kids deserve a loner profile of their own anyway. They’re the ones who are always glued to their cell phones, their portable gaming gadgets, their application-filled ipod-touches or other what-have-yous. They isolate themselves from the world so the people around them also do not feel the incentive to pound through their barricades and try to get to know them. (Hmm, unless they’re really good looking, I guess.)

Are you one of them? Well you better not be. There is NO supplement for human interaction. Need some help overcoming your getting-to-know fears? In for some more loner kwento? You may email me at live_out_loud@ymail.com.

New Year's Resolutions (?)

You know how it works, guys. It’s a new year, a new leaf turning over, and we are most willing to accommodate those little lifestyle changes which are intended to better ourselves. We call them New year’s resolutions. Sometimes, it’s because it’s the momentum for change (for the better), that’s pushing us to do so and sometimes, it’s just plain old pop culture eating us up.

So now it’s the first week of the year and we’re already feeling a little bored over our “resolutions”. And because I’m with you on being bored, I’ve come up with a list of the most famous resolutions which never get used anyway---aside from being ANOTHER recycled resolution for the next year.

1. Diet. Always at the list of Top New Year's Resolutions. Okay, eat healthy, eat right, eat less.. Those are just a few things that we promise to ourselves. But then again, we all know that eating NOT the way we want to is really a difficult thing to do. And yes, anytime of the year. However, there is also no doubt that a lot of us are not contented with the way we look or weigh and we want to do something about it. So even if our hearts are not really into dieting (hey you can get back to that anytime of the year) we just go with the resolution bandwagon and claim “to diet” as our New Year’s resolution. Boo. My advice: slowly trade your current craving with healthier food. If you’re hungry, eat a fruit. Drink less softdrinks, drink more water and try your very best to love vegetables.

2. Save. Even when you spent more than ten years in school and more than ten years of allowance-handing, a lot of us still are not good with budgeting. This is why when we graduate college and finally start earning money for ourselves, we still end up short of cash often. Then we borrow from friends or we scrape every penny we can find. The thing is, financial stability and frugality needs a lot of discipline. The best time to learn about it is NOW. And not when the calendar becomes replaced. Don’t take the cab unless you really have to, don’t spend on weekly manicures, buy the things you need first, and the wants later, and most of all, save a portion of EVERY bit of money that you receive (somewhere that’s really hard to access).

3. Quit smoking/ drinking/ gambling. Those are the three most famous vices that a lot of us are into nowadays. We take the New Year as an opportunity to give ourselves a chance to undress ourselves of these little chains that bind us into spending for things that we don’t need and are even dangerous. But then really, once you are hooked into it, it’s difficult to detach yourself from it. My advice: do not become overwhelmed by the New Year hype and start quitting smoking/ drinking/ gambling for real slowly. Just start doing it less and less often until you quit the habit.

4. Relax. For most of us who lead very busy lives, we tell ourselves by the start of the year that we won’t spend the entire year as stressfully as we ended the last one. We promise ourselves that we will relax once in a while and will spend more quality time with the things that really matter in life—like passion, relationships and a happy home (as opposed to paychecks, commissions and boss’ approval). However, a lot of us don’t really take this into heart because we are too caught up by work and we have been hard-programmed to treat it as our top priority. My advice: get a regular time to relax. Start with Saturdays and/ or Sundays.

So that’s it for blah resolutions. Are you currently sporting one? Update me on the developments, alright? I’ll be waiting--- live_out_loud@ymail.com.

Bitch Varsity Captain's New Year's Resolutions

It's not like it's gonna resolve anything. Whatever.

1. Walk more. As I have very little time to exercise. (More excuses to go shopping! *happydance)

2. Get less professional manicures. Utterly useless and the good ones are expensive. Just keep the nails clean, short and buy a fabulous manicure set for at-home touch ups.

3. Focus on writing career. Beat (not meet!) deadlines, read books/ articles about writing (you can never write too well!), ditch underpaying clients, contribute more material for print publishing AND read more. Be more picky with projects.

4. Write poetry and become seriously seduced with it again.

5. Improve professionalism. Be on time, always look presentable, amp up charisma.

6. Reconnect with old friends. Cheezy but it's a feel-good thing.

7. Save every P10 coin I can find until it goes out of the circulation. What can i say? BWAHAHA.

8. Surf the net for useless stuff less often. And update this blog more often. (I told you, I'm going to focus on my writing career!)

9. Quit stressing about people you can't change. They'll die anyway. Be patient.

10. BE FAITHFUL WITH EVERYTHING PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.

♥
Bitch Varsity Captain

How to Throw a Kick Ass Party in 48 Hours or Less

(Now, how about that for an article title?)


The holidays are just coming around the corner and they have no plans of slowing down! It’s deck the malls today, and you just can’t wait to go to all the parties which have been bleeding red on your planner! However, you won’t always be the visitor all the time. Sometimes, you also have to throw your own party—whether it’s by peer pressure or sheer gratitude—and boy, it ain’t that easy.

However, with everything that’s instant today, you can make do with a fabulous holiday party with a few quick and easy tips. Read on.

1. Set the mood. When people enter your place, or even as early as they are looking for a parking space in front of your home, they should already feel the Christmas spirit or the festivity brewing around the area. If you don’t have time to clean up the place, at least de-clutter. Fill the place with cheap (or not!) decoration and brighten up the place.

2. Spend a little time on making a playlist of upbeat and contemporary Christmas songs and when the party mellows down, switch to some piano and/or acoustic melodies. Working on this playlist will just take an hour tops. With fast internet today, all those downloading would be done in a jiffy.

3. Fake home cooking. A big chunk of what really makes a party cozy is the food. The truth is, you can make do with good old lechon manok (rotisserie chicken) and just put it in a nice looking plate. To make it look extra special, try to steam vegetables or put fried potatoes on the side. There’s also powdered gravy sold in the market. You can place that on the side for that extra gourmet feel. Sometimes the plate makes all the difference. Imagine takeout chopsuey, pansit and baby back ribs in a very regal looking plate. Imagine grilled meat on a banana leaf. Now THAT’s what I’m talking about.

4. For posh cocktails, don’t serve chips but instead, prepare cheese, little sandwiches, salami or even buttered French bread. Carrots, lettuce and cucumber also makes for a great salad, the “healthier” cocktail.

5. Serve champagne/ wine. Isn’t it good that you can purchase them now from convenience stores? They promise a lovely time and some space for great conversations in between. Unlike beer. But if the boys complain, then simply order beer from the sari-sari store at the corner! No sweat!

With these quick and easy throw-a-party tips, you won’t be left wondering what to do to make your party fabulous and memorable while on a very tight time schedule. Just remember that days before the party, you should organize your calendar well.

And don’t forget to take pictures! :) Email me other posh ideas at live_out_loud@ymail.com.

The New Zabadani Coffee Shop

I’ve been a long time visitor of Zabadani Coffee Shop when it was still a quaint little coffee shop in Rizal. I used to meet up with a lot of people there--people from the art circle (digital artists, film makers, photographers, writers, etc.), old friends, new friends, work mates-- and we end up spending a lot of time there not only because the place has such a unique interior design, but because the layered coffee is undoubtedly the best in town and the prices are great for “budgetarians”.

Back in Rizal, it was just a little place, with geographical descriptions of “just a door” when people new to it try to locate it. True enough, it sat beside Whaw Lechon House on Rizal st. and yes, it was just a door. This is because back then, Zabadani was located at the second floor of the block’s big structure and you can only access it through one front door. Then you ascend a small flight of staircase, and with the first tread, you will smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Instantly, you will know that you have come to the right place.

Aside from their wonderful reputation for really yummy treats, Zabadani also doubles as an internet café. They have computer units where you can surf the net for only P10 an hour. Personally, I liked going there to surf because the monitors were nice and the keyboards were soft. (How shallow.)

But of course, I loved the net surfing way later. Here’s the real kicker:

Zabadani coffee shop boasts of their extensive menu of layered coffee blends, tea varities and even flavored soda. If you’re in for a caffeine fix, some relaxing warmth or some sparkling sweetness, Zabadani is truly the place to go. Kuya Wadi (as he is fondly called), Zabadani’s owner, is a friend to many Zabadani patrons and he won’t let you down the beverages without something to munch on. Zabadani also offers chocolate and oatmeal cookies, a choco-mousse cake, blueberry cheesecake and their famous Bruschetta.

One very remarkable thing about Zabadani coffee shop that doesn’t involve your gastronomical affairs is that the place itself is very homey. There are lush carpets on the floor where you can sit and/ or lie down, soft lighting by the Moroccan lanterns and a mini library of (mostly) Islamic literature.

Today, the new Zabadani coffee shop stands at the heart of the city, at Ponciano Reyes st. Davao city. It is almost thrice the size of the old Zabadani, and its menu seemed to expand as large as the space! As I write, the newer PC units are coming in, more people enjoyed the large large carpeted platforms and there are more lanterns lighting up the place and giving my face a fake glow. Haha!

Now I will surely spend more time at the new Zabadani coffee shop. Just one year down and Zabadani’s thrice in size. I wonder what’s coming in for the next year. Hmm, I’d have more time to ponder on that. For now, let me finish this heavenly Mocacchino first.

What is Organic Skin Care?

A lot of us read the word “organic” in a lot of sources. We find it in the vegetable section of the grocery. We find it even in food packets. We also find it in the labels of the beauty products that we already use and the ones which we are considering of using, because of the “organic” claim.

However, do we really know what organic means? How does it make our skin care regimen a better one? What IS organic skin care?

First, to understand what “organic skin care” is, we’d have to get to know the word organic first. (As “skin care” is easier to understand.) Organic means, according to the Oxford dictionary, the “prodcuced and involving production without use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers or any form of synthetic chemicals”. With that definition, would it be possible to day that all the products which were labeled “organic” really hold that characteristic? I don’t think so.

A lot of marketing people in the skin care department simply use the word “organic” as a come-on for their products. Instantly, when you see the organic label, you sort of trust the product a little bit to do wonders for you. Also, another way of confusing consumers is by labeling their products as having “organic ingredients”. Then they will site a natural ingredient in its purest form. For example, olive oil or coconut oil. They may be organic but remember, there are other chemicals in that beauty product. And that is far from “organic”, mind you.

Organic skin care refers to a beauty regimen which uses only organic products for the pursuit of a healthier skin or the maintenance of healthy skin. For example, the usage of pure honey for your hands’ moisturizing and sugar for exfoliation. Both of these examples only use products which are natural and/ organic. They are safe and they are healthier since it’s nature’s powers working through your skin.

Also, if you want to buy developed beauty products which are preferably organic, simply look for the “certified organic” label along with the seal of a reputable drug association. Most likely, that product is really a certified organic product and it is safe to say that if you use that, you are religiously following an organic skin care routine. Remember, without the label which says “certified organic” whatever that’s labeled organic may be deemed simply meaningless.

Dating for Workaholics

I know a lot of people in different industries who seem to have just little time for recreation, let alone dating. Also, “I’m busy” holds to be a very good excuse for someone who hasn’t done much dating lately. Well, let those days be gone! Here is a quick guide for dating workaholics, or dating when you’re a workaholic.

1. Are you really a workaholic? The first step is to determine if you’re really a workaholic. Psychological studies show that all the “-holic” tendencies (shopaholic, alcoholic, chocoholic, etc.) means a compensation for something else. So if you are a workaholic you’d have to admit it to yourself. Do you ALWAYS work the extra hours? Do you have a job (a department, a boss and a company) which demands excessively from you? Are you struggling to get promoted, or get a “regular” status? Try to track if there’s something wrong in your chosen career and try to lessen it or kill it. If you can’t then work with it and make sure it’s not long term.

2. Prioritize well. If somebody puts you off because they’re “too busy” then it means that they are working on other things but not on you because YOU ARE NOT A PRIORITY. Yes, that’s the cold hard truth guys. BUT if you use the busy excuse to put off dates, well, you might have an issue with yourself. Maybe you’re not really ready to date and you just need a quick way out. Also, if you have more than one date lined up for the week/ month, try to prioritize which are the ones which are more important. If you are with just one partner, remember the more important dates and determine which the best dates are for your partner to enjoy them the most.

3. Pay attention when you are on the date. Put off your Blackberries and your laptops. Hey, if you really wanna land with a partner, you better pay attention to the potential ones. Dates are the perfect times to balance your work and your personal life. When your date is talking, listen to them. Observe. Affirm. Get to know them truly. Do not half-listen while running in your mind the next-day tasks. Switch off work mode and immerse yourself in the moment. Also, try not to talk about work with your date. It’s nice to share funny and charming anecdotes but no complaining/ nagging please. If you think that you have found someone to go serious with, or have already gone serious with this person, take a breather from your day job and send them an email or a quick text message saying that you are thinking of them. Communicate well. It might sound like so much of an effort to you, but really, it’s worth it.

4. Start a life outside work. If work eats up most of you, then they must have eaten the best of you already. Avoid this by starting to have a life outside work. Pick a hobby that you’d be glad to improve and invest (not spend) a lot of time working on it. Also, try to broaden your horizons by having fun activities with people who are not from your office. It will really take your mind off work because you will talk about, laugh about and even argue (in a friendly way) about different things. So when you’re out in the dating market, you are not that boring old folk who is always talking about work and people from work. Yes, no matter how funny they are. Besides, getting out of the office is, by common sense, the best way to meet NEW people. That is, if you’re still single, okay?

Okay now workaholics, those busy excuses are all disqualified now. Enjoy dating and cherishing one very good investment—a long lasting relationship.

On the same breath, please do not use dating as an excuse to slack off at work. Haha!

Let me know what you think, workaholics. Email me if you’re not working (or dating). Live_out_loud@ymail.com.

No TGIFs Anymore

Is it T.G.I.F. too soon? If you haven’t heard about T.G.I.F., it means “Thank God It’s Friday” and it has been used in the American corporate lingo for a long time in the intention of mocking a boring and seemingly meaningless job. Today, we are lucky that more and more workplaces have dedicated their time in efforts for positive psychology in terms of jobs and profession. Basic human resource management would tell you that the higher the person feels his morale is, the better he will be in doing his job. As I write, more and more offices are being renovated and rebuilt to induce a juicier and a more fun workplace, so work doesn’t feel like work at all.

Together, we move forward into a society of people who truly love and enjoy what they do and at the end of the day, institutions accomplish their goals and we build a whole new culture of fulfillment.

In the field of Positive Psychology, work may be categorized into three groups: jobs, careers and callings. The first category is the “jobs”. These are the things which we spend a lot of time and effort on but our only motivation towards doing the work is merely salary. There is no passion; everything feels like manual labor. No work, no pay; and no pay, no work.
On the other hand, careers are the kinds of jobs with a mixed reward system: salary + advancement. In careers, there are goals to be met and there is the promise of prestige through dedication. People who dedicate themselves to careers often get promoted and with the same amount of devotion, they will eventually get to the top.

However, once they are already at the top, they won’t feel the same vigor and challenge anymore and the career will subsequently wither and turn into a (sigh) job.
The last category is the “callings”. As the name implies, it is a calling, a purpose which pulls you towards fulfilling its reason. The rewards are more internal and they provide meaning in our lives. Most callings require special talents or characteristics, like the ones involved in arts and literature. They motivate the individual through sheer being and you, as a worker, will feel like you can do the work without pay, promotion or other forms of compensation. Callings are the dream jobs.

When you find satisfaction in your job, you can easily turn it into a calling by finding the meaning in it and commending yourself for every successful task that you accomplish. Try to see what makes your work special and how you can also motivate other people to do better in what they do, or choose to do what you do. What is inside you, that you can relate to the work, that you consider a gift? You can easily see the difference between jobs and callings. For example, teachers who treat teaching as a job will be moody, inconsiderate and will talk to the students only about lessons and anything school related. But a teacher who considers teaching as a calling will give extra effort when making reports, have a special way to deliver lessons in class, and will treat every student like it’s his or her own child.

If you put some cheer and genuine dedication in the work that you’re doing, you will end up being a more productive worker and not long, you will receive recognition. Everything will look more vibrant when you go to work in the morning and the intrinsic motivation will continue to develop.

So if you’re already in a job that you’re happy about, kudos to you and continue to pour devotion into that job. Not everybody has their dream job under their noses. But then again, it’s always ALWAYS a matter of choice.

Lemme know what you think--- live_out_loud@ymail.com.

What do I Love? MERCO'S MELON BASKET!

So my date and I went to Merco to get our lunch last Saturday and then we were craving for a great dessert treat so we picked out Melon Basket. It was such a heavenly delight!

Merco's Melon Basket was made of a watermelon cut in half, with zigzagged edges, filled with cubed watermelons, sliced bananas, three ice cream scoops (you may choose from vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mango and ube) and topped with whipped cream. It was truly a wondrous treat because the watermelon was so sweet!

This is not the first time that I ordered Melon Basket and it's charming to find ground peanuts at the top of the scooped ice cream sometimes. It was a choir of colors and an orchestra of sweet sensations. I salivate just thinking about it! :)

So anyway, if you decide to swing by any Merco branch soon, you may order their Melon Basket at the affordable price of P130 only. Enjoy! And don't forget to drink lots of water...or you'll end up swallowing painfully. Tsktsk.

It's The Climb: Of Social Climbing and Social Climbers

According to an entry in a famous online dictionary, a social climber is someone who “seeks advancement to a higher social class, especially by obsequious behavior”.
Social climbing is such a crime to mankind; and I cannot imagine of a more miserable existence than that of the social climbers. So while you are worrying about which projects you’re going to do first the next day, or whether your husband from overseas is really going to call, somebody not far away is thinking of what to wear tomorrow just so s/he can impress the people around him/her.

Everything, really, about social climbing, boils down to one thing: acceptance. People climb the climb because they want to be accepted. They are not contented of what they have or who they really are and they aspire for something that they view as higher forms of beings than themselves (richer ones, smarter ones, more popular ones). Some can be as mild as stretching stories and some can be as severe as committing crimes like stealing and deception.

Although it’s sad that some people can really have these forms of existence(s), we really cannot change the way some people view the world. For me, I am contented of what I have and who I am. If there’s something I want to achieve, I work hard for it and I don’t take credit for what I did. If I know someone who is exactly like me in terms of financial, intellectual and physical capacity BUT sees the world in a different way (“there is always someone better, I have to be like that”) then life is nothing but and endless climb.
The truth is, what led me to writing this article is that I recently became acquainted with certain people who went through lengths just to keep up with the crowd. One person stole from the company he’s working at, another went from rich lover to a richer lover, in search for the best shoe/bag/make up/allowance provider, and another simply told lies about his affiliations. Sad. Sad. Sad.
So I wore a keener eye on such people and found that they may be classified into three different categories:

The Exaggerator

These are the kinds of social climbers who may or may not earn big or know people of impressive affiliation; it’s just that they are fond of stretching stories. For example, she adds another P5,000 to her monthly income, says she went to a more expensive salon after you compliment her hair rebonding or perhaps says that s/he got this designer something at full price when in fact, it’s just a bargain from the internet or from ukay-ukay. They exaggerate everything and they get their fix from the wonder that you innocently show in your eyes once another story impresses you. If you spot these people ASAP, it’s easy to please them. Just act like you’re impressed. They feed with your wide-eyed wonder for the rest of the day.

I Know Who

Now these kinds of social climbers are not like the ones who are fond of shiny things and good looking assets. They are the ones who claim to know key people in a certain industry. For example, in the local writing scene, some writers claim that they personally know Ms. Editor in Chief and Mr. Hotshot Novelist even if the closest that they got to them was through a seminar and they barely even spoke. They act like they’re also part of the crowd-to-beat in a certain industry. They spend their mornings trying to impress people with the other people that they know and they spend their nights scouring Facebook for the next famous person to add.

See My Tag

These kinds of social climbers are filled with nothing but brands and tags. They get their fix from owning things which are beautiful and up-to-date. I know certain people who own really good looking cellular phones but then again they always ask me to text somebody for them. There are other people who even have plasma TVs in their living room sets but then they are not sure where they’d get the next tuition fee of bunso. Tsk tsk tsk. This is social climbing that is anchored on materialism and people from this category may not really need your impression, they just wanted something shiny under their noses.

So that’s it for social climbing today. I hope that all the social climbers out there will find something better and more worthwhile to do. (What are the chances that they might be reading this article?)

And, on a different note, I recommend the book “Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber” by Adele Lang. I just remembered reading it months ago and it was one hell of a fun ride.

Email me your thoughts about social climbing—live_out_loud@ymail.com. Or you can follow me via www.bitchvarsity.blogspot.com