Friday, December 26, 2008

Before the year ends....

I have a good feeling about 2009. For the first time in a long time, I feel like my life is making sense and I am exactly where I should be.

The past few years have been a bit crazy in a quiet way. On the outside, everything seemed normal, but I was so confused. I couldn't even decide whether I wanted to live in Sydney or Manila. I couldn't make any decisions for my future because I just kept going back and forth, doing freelance work in both places, but not really knowing what to do with my life.

I made that first step and finally decided on a few important things:

1. I wanted to live in Manila.

2. I loved editorial work and I couldn't imagine life without writing and magazines involved.

3. I wanted to start my own business. A small one, but something that could act as an outlet for both creativity and stress, and would also make me some extra cash on the side.

Leaving my family to live in another country (actually, to come back home) wasn't an easy decision, and it wasn't done on impulse either. It gets lonely being in Manila alone (With Ananda of course, but you know what I mean), with my dad coming and going and being with the entire family only a few weeks per year (and on this trip we're only really complete for just a week total), but at the same time, I am happy to be making my own decisions, to be relying on myself to figure my life out and to be going through situations that I feel are completely MINE.

I've always been independent, but even more I learned to fend for myself, emotionally more than anything else. I'm grateful that I have been blessed with a great circle of friends and relatives that definitely are my support system and act as my crutches in times of need.

I turn 30 in 2009, and for the first time in my life, I feel good about getting older. My spirit remains young, but I feel like I've been through enough to make me wiser, know when to fight for something and when to take things in stride. I know what is good for me, and peer pressure no longer affects me. I can take failure, even if I still don't like it. I strive to be a better version of myself everyday. I've accepted that this is who I am, this is what I was dealt with, and you know what, it ain't so bad. I also know that things change, people change, and everything I'm probably so sure of now will eventually change as well.

I don't usually make resolutions, because I find that I forget about them soon after the new year begins, but I have a few things that I want to keep in mind in 2009:

- I will remain grateful for all my blessings. I get a lot of them, possibly more than the average person. I get to see more new places in a year than some people do in five, I am not swimming in money, but I am doing better than a lot of others. I have a job that I love and that has perks that most other jobs don't. I am surrounded by people who love me and who I love dearly, ones that make me laugh, listen when I cry and are just generally a joy to be with and have in my life.

- I will nurture relationships that are important to me and that help me grow. I'll end ones that don't. I don't need the extra stress and my time and effort can be diverted to more important things.

- I will be more patient. I know that this is not one of my strong suits, but being a mother, and a single one at that, this is something I really need to work on.

- I will remain a non-smoker. No ifs or buts.

- I will stop trying to control everything that happens in my life. I already made this resolution earlier this year (and even got a tattoo to remind me!), but it's worth it to say it again, just to remind me.

- I will be happy, unconditionally. I will try to stop feeling like i "need" things all the time. I don't think I'll ever stop wanting, but I will stop thinking that wanting=needing. Life will probably be less complicated that way.

To all of you who have made a difference in my life the past few years, thank you! To my friends and family, I don't get around to saying it much, but I love you. (I always am thinking it! ;p)

Saturday, November 29, 2008

October/November Updates!

Here's what I've been up to the past month!

1.
Caught up with some of my friends from Brent. I can't believe it's been ten years since i graduated!
Ten years ago at the Brent Pasig Art room with Jane, Rae, Missy, Natalya, Tina and Macky

2.Went to Rockeoke a few times. Above: Boogie with Monica singing Skid Row I think ;p
I believe this was me singing Like a Virgin at 2 in the morning! haha!
With Sarah and Banj before our rendition (me, sarah and monica) of Stay by Lisa Loeb
and the winner is....All the guys (banj, Mars, Stephen, Boogie, Marc and Jor) singing that 4 Non-blondes song.
Mio and Boogie on another Monday night singing Sweet Child o' mine by Guns n' Roses

3.Went Trick or Treating with Ananda in Loyola Grand Villas. She was sick a few days before Halloween, we were panicking na!
And my turn at night! Went to Into the Twilight at Embassy with Boogie and my girls
An angel, Catwoman, Gina the Luchador (in case you didnt know who it was haha), Karl Lagerfeld and a boxer
We switched places that night and went as each other ha-ha-ha.

4. Escaped to Boracay for a few days! We're both always out of town but never together so we decided to go away for a couple days.
All we did was eat. Manana, Kasbah (my favorite restaurant on the island) and Smoke. Burp!
I seriously love the beach. Obviously. hahaha.

5.Tagaytay for the weekend with Gina, Emilio and Ananda. We were checking out the church where they are going to get married at in January!
Ananda doing what she loves most. She already asked me for a horse for her next birthday. I'm in trouble.
Meanwhile, Gina and I were doing what WE love most--and it's not biking! haha

6.Chaperoned Ananda on her dates. Play dates that is ;p With Lucas
and with her love/hate friend Pio

7.Went out randomly. Here at Embassy with Sarah and Margaux for Banj's bday
With Bea at Cuisine...
Watched the much awaited movie TWILIGHT. I am a fan of the books. The movie did not do the 1st book justice. But then I remember Im not the target market and if I were 15 I would have been in Edward heaven!
Went to many events, launches and etc. Here at the DKNY event in Alchemy


8.Early Christmas dinners. REALLY early because Im leaving on December 1. Here at Vicky's house
And at my house last night with Ateneo girls. On the menu: Cheese and cold cuts, roast chicken, pizza, steak, lamb, macarons and chocolate cake. Oh my!

9.Had a garage sale (no we didn;t sell our children!) to unload of my too many clothes and stuff!

10.The very last Metrowear for 2008, at Edsa Shang Hotel. Here with the rest of the Metro staff minus Kat. boohoo.
With our Fashion Assistant Andrea. Getting ready to watch the show!

And that's all folks. I'm off to Australia for the next month starting Monday! Peace out!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

PART 2!

Thanks to everybody who came by today! The Garage Sale was fun and I got to meet a lot of people! For those who couldn't make it, or are still thinking about something they saw at the sale today, there will be another one next Sunday, November 23!

Text me 09278142678 or email me at ericaparedes@gmail.com for details!

xoxo

MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Dear Santa,

I think I've been pretty good this year.

1. A Canon G9 or G10 camera

2. A new ipod with lots and lots of memory. Maybe the ipod classic 120GB

3. A French Bulldog. White.

4. Books : Anthony Bourdain's books, and a bunch of Fashion books whose titles I can't recall right now.

5. iMac. I think it's time I also had a desktop computer.

6. I really really want my own place. Did you hear that Santa? haha.

Sydney in two weeks. With Boogie and Ananda. yay! Fun!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Why Fashionistas are Poor...

Fashion lovers always look have cute clothes. We scour the urban jungle, flea markets abroad and even the most obscure provincial ukay-ukays to score one of a kind pieces that start up conversations or that we know will work with anything in our closets, and live through trends. Being a fashionista doesn't necessarily mean following every little trend that gets featured in all major magazines each season, but finding your own personal style and letting the trends revolve around that style and not the other way around.

Being in love with clothes also means knowing when to let go-to get rid of the clutter (Why hello cardigan I have not used in 4 years and will probably never wear again. What are you still doing in my closet?) and make space for newer (or vintage!), but definitely better things to drape, wrap, button and zip unto our bodies.

That being said, I would like to invite you to my NEW BEGINNINGS GARAGE SALE, where I'll be unloading many of my pre-loved clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, unused and unopened makeup and fragrances for a fraction of their retail price, old magazines, books, children's clothes and toys and basically anything else I find myself no longer needing. Hopefully they will find a new and better life with you!

It will be on Sunday, November 16 and Sunday N0vember 23 (If there is anything left, which I hope is not the case so it would be better to come on the 16th ;p) from 10 am-6pm

Please text me at 09278142678 for the address or email me at ericaparedes@gmail.com

Hope to see you there! Peace Out!

Monday, October 13, 2008

October Update!

Phew! The past month has been a succession of activity and travel. I'm finally home with no plans of leaving for at least the next two weeks for the first time n awhile! My next trip is to Boracay, but not until November. so I'm using this time to get my sh*t together work-wise before my month-long trip to Sydney in December. Woohoo. Can't wait!
The new Cuisine. I went to the re-opening of one of our favorite places to chill with some magazine friends. It ended in mayhem, as usual.
Spent some time with friends I should see more often! Here at Barcino with Chicho, Cla and Sarah

Watched the Apo 40th anniversary concert at Araneta with Mom, Boogie and even Ananda! (although she fell asleep halfway through! It was way past her bed time!)
Met up with the girls at my dad's photo exhibit (minus bea and sarah left by the time we took this photo)
Went short and blond for a day! hahaha! I also have photos with a short, black bob and this sarah palin looking 'do (unintentionally haha!)
Thailand with my relatives. Here on the river cruise with my cousins Lissy, Elaine and Andrea.
Then we went to Siem Reap, Cambodia to visit temples! Up there is Bantay Srei or what they call the Lady Temple since it's pink in color. The second is me at the Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom (I got in trouble for that photo! heehee) and lastly, watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat. I love Cambodia!!!!
Lastly, we jumped our way through Saigon! The first photo was taken at the Post Office, the second at the legendary Rex Hotel and the last one was at the Reunification Palace.
THe night we got back was also Elaine and Andrea's last night before going back to the States, so Boogie and I brought them to Cuisine and Embassy!
Sandro's little girl Sachi turned one and had a backyardigans themed bash!
El NIdo, Palawan for a shoot with Sarah. I brought Ananda and Andrea too! We finished the shoots quickstyle, so we had time to do all the fun stuff like snorkeling, kayaking etc.
Lastly, last weekend, I went to Bora for the 1st anniversary of the Tides! I'll be back on the island in a couple weeks. Thank God for Palawan and Bora trips, I have a tan once more yipee!

The next few weeks will be dedicated to work, work, work!

Peace Out!