Feels like Insomnia

Had an extreme urge to write something but I really have nothing to write about. Hmmmmm. I could post a few jobs I've done but I don't really have the time to upload anything just now. I just need to get this blog going since the other one seems to have a life of its own and the OC in me imagines a quiet competition between the two blogs. :)

I haven't been sleeping enough. The jobs I was anticipating last weekend didn't start coming until Monday so I've been pretty much on my toes ... or should I say my butt ... slaving away in front of my PC every night. I would have longing glances at the TV when they're watching Gregory House and Criminal Minds and a new TV series about seeing the future which sounds disturbing. Sometimes I would suddenly jump and break-out into a song and dance number with my headphones on - much to the chagrin of my sisters and nephews. Insomnia by Craig David is the current favorite, some KPop, a bit of Kate Perry and the usual good old rock and roll. But hey, we do anything just to get through the night right? LOL. My current work load requires a lot of eye contact :) and attention to detail. Which is fine since I seem to like the tedious and the complicated. So I do enjoy my night job.

Things are kinda boring at the day-work. No - boring is not the word. Slow - a better word. It's not that I hate slow. It's just that I believe that there is sooo much we could do to make the world a weee bit better ... and well, sometimes like it feels like your on your own. And you eventually lose your enthusiasm and your drive and with it, all the excitement. Sigh sigh sigh. Patience was never my strongest virtue. But I keep my mouth shut and speak short words. Complaining is silly. I'm not paid well enough to make a lot of noise. And if I try to work smart, I usually get other people into a lot of trouble (evil laugh). Does watching too many CSI and Criminal Minds on tv make you think more like a criminal? ;) Be afraid. Be very afraid. LOL.

Current favorite at work is Shawn Mullins' Shimmers. {Sings) "We're born to shimmer. We're born to shine, We're born to radiate! We're born to live! We're born to love! We're born to never hate."

The Viking said I had my two legs growing deep deep into Iloilo soil. I'm afraid he might be right. I love my life here. But a large part of me wants to fly and need to shake dust.

I feel the need for speed :)
 God help me. Hehehe.

Blog + Free Food = What Diet?

What to say? I'm drawing a blank. Typical if you have a full stomach, a sleepy disposition and a license to be lazy on a free weekend.

I attended this food blogger event last Sunday at SM City Iloilo aptly called the "Food Blogger's Event" :) -  for the FREE FOOD!

I know. I'm shameless. When you get to a certain age, you really don't care what other people think.The prerequisites to be there were :  (1) You have to own a blog, (2) You can write about food (3) You can eat :) I passed!

Anyway, it was a unique way to showcase the smorgasbord of treats that Iloilo is known for. Bloggers are after all the new media; and what they say - no matter how simple - are deemed profound and are, more importantly, read by someone else other than the writer.

Ilonggos, too, are food lovers of wide taste. It is considered hospitable for Ilonggos to fatten up their guests by forcing food in their mouth 6-9 times a day. "Try this! And you must have this! Or you can't leave Iloilo without savoring this"! It will be the end of the world if foreigners leave town without an inch added to their waistline.

But I digress, the event was well worth skipping lunch for. The Sponsors did not disappoint! On your left are my chosen favorites among the scrumptious buffet displayed for us to gorge in public without embarrassing ourselves with drool. Among the generous food givers are: Casa Ilongga, Yukashii (yum yum sushi), Breakthrough (kick-ass crab meat!), Chicken n ribs, Ocean City, Sabor Ilonggo, House of Panini, Buko ni Frutas and Thirsty. I must say, that I was well satisfied, and a little too happy to be munching away while people pass us enviously, wondering why the hell they didn't join Iloilo Bloggers when they had the chance. Nyahahaha!

We also got freebies! We got gift certificates for free meals from the various restaurants named and also coffee from Figaro, shakes from Thirsty, a take-home bag from Sabor Ilonggo, Litro softdrinks from Pepsi, a signature Coke glass from Coca-Cola, free internet from Netopia and take-home sushi from Yukashii! Big thanks to the wonderful people of SM city - Stephen and Leo - and the rest of the guys who made us a wee bit too comfortable (We never wanted to leave but they started packing away the chairs from Home Store!). Also I would like to mention the visionaries of Iloilo Bloggers Junelle and our President, Claire, for spreading the word. It would have been such a shame to let all those free food go to waste :)

My stomach is deeply fattened and my heart greatly pleased. Wait, I meant stomach pleased, and heart fattened. We should do this again. When will the next food trip be?

Jersei

I always ask my clients to describe the person they want drawn. Likes, dislikes, personality traits, favorite colors and expressions. That way I could include their hidden traits in the artwork, if I can manage it.

Jersei will turn 4 years old soon. Her grandmother Joa Griffith describes her as the sunshine princess :) She said that if Jersei were older, she will share my outlook and bubbleness in life. That would make Jersei a blond bright-eyed mini-me :) Cool! Now, if only I were as pretty as her :D

Vector artwork finished during the weekend in 6 hours - on and off because of the power outage. I will have to learn to perfect the hair but I think I'm getting really fast at it :)

Joa said: Looks PERFECT to me! I truly do love it, it's funny, when you want the perfect gift but don't know what it is, when you discover it. It is like a lightbulb over the head.....THIS IS IT !!

I love a happy client :)

Discontent

No power again. Good thing I still have the laptop with about an hour’s worth of battery. I’ve been hoping my siblings in Manila are ok. Two are stuck in the 2nd floor of their homes. One has gone safely back to his apartment after being stranded on a mall for several hours. And my nephew is safe and sound in his dorm despite the flood in front of it. So I’m sitting still waiting for power to come back on because I need to work on a vector project for a client. And I just started this morning when the power went out. It hasn’t returned since. Bummer.

I’ve had a pretty busy but I think it's been a very productive two weeks. My co-workers and I were exposed to the IBM culture which in itself is impressive and very … mind-numbing. But I guess it’s only because we were not used to it. We will be adapting their best practices and hopefully can have it implemented at the whole agency when the right time comes. I’m banking on this. I want change and I don’t want to be complaining about the same things 10 years from now. I am totally, positively hopeful that we can make this work, And I really wish that despite the politics at the office, administration will see how big this could be for all of us.

So thanks to Keven Cheng and Shefali Bansal for all the help and advise and the patience to see us through. We have become attached to them over the past week and it was really difficult to say goodbye. You get attached quickly. But good things to come. Good thongs to come.




The thing about meeting other people from another country, it opens your eyes wider to see how small you are in the universe and how vast the possibilities are out there. And meeting people like them just shows that anything can happen. After meeting them I am no longer CONTENT – Hahaha. I REALLY HATE THAT! It’s a bad thing really but it’s also a good thing. I want to be able to push myself to the challenge. You be the change you want to see in the world they keep saying. Amen to that. BE THE CHANGE. Remember the post secret postcard I posted a year ago? This one? I want people to say that about me. No matter how small that change maybe, I want to be able to contribute something to the world. I want to be significant! I don’t think it is ever too late.

El Jardin Standee

Tumandok Exhibit at Robinson's this week :)

Privado Event Today!

Have your invites ready!



Bag ladies, feast your eyes on these:

This guy turned 19!

I know your not suppose to play favorites among nephews and nieces, but I think an aunt is always entitled to have a special place for the child she had to care for the most. I love all my nephews and nieces but this guy literally grew up with me. I have changed his diapers, saw him wet his pants, loved him when he had no teeth, celebrated almost all his birthdays with him, saw drama in his life with broken hearts and unfulfilled promises, survived a flood with him, but most of all saw him triumph over his limits. To me, he is larger than life :)

Vector art was done on and off for five hours. This one has been filtered with poster edges for effect. Two more nephews to go. Then I draw my four brothers, my two sis-in-laws, and finally my Mom. The rest who want this done for free, will just have to pick a number and wait - hahaha ;)