This was the bane of my existence. I so wanted to learn how to draw. I wanted to be able to create something visually appealing with just a pencil and paper. That is why I turned to the other arts. Yes I play 7 instruments. Yes I know how and have written songs. I took up photography and am pretty decent at that too. But ask me to draw and might as well shoot me now. I couldn’t draw something worth looking at for the life of me.

One of my 2012 goals was to learn a new skill. I put pencil to paper and began. (literally) Armed with a variety of youtube videos I set out to draw some sketches. Here are some of my initial drawings.

I’ve really got to get my lines down. As well as learn some proportion. But practice makes perfect. Or at least interesting.

Let me know what you guys think!

Please be gentle, as I said this is the first time I’m drawing something in my 26 years of existence.

Proves that you can learn anything on  youtube!

As all bloggers may have done, I also have decided to post on the first day of the new year. Not because I want anyone to read it, but more of because I want to be able to look back at 2012 the following year and see if I did do anything different.

Oh 2011 you were suffice to say an interesting year. A lot of travelling, new friends, new trials, and most of all new people in my life. Both good and bad. I’ve learned so much and I’ve wanted to end you already so fast and so quickly, not because I didn’t like you. It was one helluva a year. But primarily because I’m raring to go on to 2012. I tell this to myself every year. I stand in front of the mirror, stare myself down, and after doing a Robert DiNiro (You talking to me? Are you talking to me?) impression, I tell myself this is going to be my year.

Highlights of my year? Well, I went to Bacolod for food, went camping on my birthday, went to Vietnam, fell in love, got broken down, decided to try out the iPhone, lost my laptop due to overuse, got a new macbook air, finally got my car running properly, met some new friends, rekindled old ones, and most importantly grew as a person.

Yes, yes, cheesy as it may sound, I did grow. I learned a lot about who I was and what I wanted in life. As I cross the bridge to my mid-late 20s I realize now that every situation, every high, every low, contributes to who I am.

Anyhoo, we’ll be having a great new year. Bring it on!

Since this has been stuck in my head for the longest time!

 

Its no secret that I used to play golf. Dad used to make me play golf. We got started when I was 7 years old. I played for 10 years. I stopped when I was 17. Why I stopped is a long story. But I love playing golf. I love the technicality of it. The mental game. The demands for consistency. I love walking in nature the peace and quiet and the greenery. I love how every stroke is/should be a calculated and you only do battle with yourself. You are your own worst enemy. No trash talking and how you are able to talk for hours with the person you share the flight with. Very few get it. I am one of those few.

Fast forward 10 years later. I played golf in Malaysia and it brought back so many memories. I enjoyed playing with Martin, Tim, & David. I played horribly. I haven’t played like that since I started playing golf. What I was quite happy though was that form and skill was still there. I was just rusty. I could keep up with these giants. You see all of them were at least 6 feet tall. Martin and Tim were both Australian, while David was a tall Malaysian.

So yesterday, I decided to go to the driving range and work out my form. And indeed I did. I found my form with my irons. Learned how to pitch and chip, and my drive needs some work to correct a fade that comes. Anyhoooooo

I bought new shoes! (shrieks like girl!)

These Adidas adizero golf shoes were the bomb. I actually wanted something else but they looked like soccer shoes instead of golf shoes and going conservative and safe was best for the golf course.

I also dropped by the pro-shop and see how much the balls were. (yes I can hear the juvenile snickers)

It looks so sleek. Classic golf shoes look. Last time I played I was still using steel spikes. I heard they were banned now.

Now I’m excited to try these bad boys out. I have to buy some bags and find me some coupons for golf courses. Now, anybody want to play?

I lurrrrrve pancakes. The fluffiness. The unlimited possibilites. Oh yes pancakes you make my mornings bearable if anything else. Oh pancake I love how you never fail to disappoint. Even when you are not at your best you still mesmerize me. Every bite is soft and warm. Its like biting a kitty only tastier. The round shape is just perfect to fit in my mouth. You go well with just about anything. Eggs, Syrup, bananas, nuts, berries, cream, butter, peanutbutter, & of course chocolate. Oh pancakes you are so versatile. You, pancakes, make me happy. I can have pancakes for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even midnight snack.

I love you pancakes. You will never leave me nor disappoint. I can never have enough of you pancakes. A dollop of butter cream and some maple syrup and you have something so simple pancakes. Your simplicity baffles me and excites me. Oh the possibilities pancakes!

Pancakes, I’m forever yours, faithfully.

-Carlos

So I’ve been ranting about how shitty my Christmas has been lately and truth be told I am really in no mood to actually celebrate the season. But there is an upside! I got one of the things I’ve been wishing for ever since I’ve heard of it. I got an Aranez iPhone 4 case! Its so full of awesome! Since Arnold announced it and I’ve seen it on the site I’ve been dreaming of someday owning one for my iPhone. Its super stylish. Made from real kangaroo leather, I love how stylish and sleek the entire thing is. Its barely even there and the leather back adds to the elegance of the whole thing.

Its so sleek that a lot of my friends mistake that I don’t even have a case and that it just protects the back of the iPhone. Truth be told I love how it maintains the sleek shape and design of the iPhone while lending a tad bit of sophistication to the already sleek gadget. If you have an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4s you definitely must check out these Aranez case.

Additional bonus, Arnold is a Pinoy-Australian blogger who decided to start this venture! Let’s support our kababayan!

You can check out his site at http://www.mrgadget.com.au or for the cases at http://aranez.com

Here are more photos if you are still not convinced!

ALSO THEY SHIP TO THE PHILIPPINES!!!!

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So here I am again. Pounding away on the keys trying to get some semblance of a Christmas spirit and yet just like the very facade of the photo above slowly decaying  and withering into time.

Yes, this John Mayer speaks the truth. I feel like I am slow dancing in a burning room.

And as the storm slowly and silently covers me, I pray for calmer days. Sunny days even. I understand now all these artists who undergo existential turmoil. It fuels you. It consumes you. You let it drive you. To feel everything. To touch on the very human side of feeling and express it as best you can. But all artists understand that no matter how much you want to convey it, no one fully understands you.

You stand alone.

Slow dancing in a burning room.

I realized the perfect word for my moods lately. They’re not quite sad because I feel the word sad is quite shallow to describe the distress I feel. I feel somber. Most of the time I put on a smiling and face and go about my day and work as if nothing is/was wrong. I get things done. And yet I come home and right before I go to bed, in the darkness and security of my bed it hits me. It completely engulfs me. My melancholy.

The dictionary defines melancholy as “A deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness.”  It completely defines and captures my mood. It is “deep” it is pensive as I catch myself staring aimlessly into space most of the time lost in my thoughts. And it is long lasting because it is something I just can’t snap out of it. It completely engulfs me. It swallows me whole. I can feel it brewing, stewing, from the very depths of my soul and I wallow. I wallow in it completely and wholly. I lived for a short while these past few weeks. And now I slowly am dying every single day.

The past month was a blur. A proverbial roller coaster of emotions which took me up and down in a matter of seconds or in this case weeks. I find myself hurling my lunch I ate awhile ago. I’m nauseated. I do not know what brought about this roller coaster. I just suddenly felt like falling and my stomach was starting to turn.

I felt my heart turn black like the bottom of this chili bottle. Life is full of spice indeed, but too much and your tongue and all your senses start burning.

I feel so lonely in a sea of people. I feel alone. I feel once more left behind. I stand in the middle of crowded intersection taking it all in. Absorbing the life and movement and motion and yet I feel nothing. I feel empty.

Oh and the weather is not helping. It just kept raining.

My my, time really does fly fast. I can’t believe it has been 2 years already since I last flew out for the blog awards and yet here I am typing in the Malaysia office for the 2nd Nuffnang Blog awards! A lot of both good and bad memories that come with the blog awards. The blog awards itself was great. It’s something I am very privileged to experience and I do treasure and put great importance on my role and tasks as the Philippines’ Country Manager. But along with it comes the jolting memories of 2 years ago when I left all excited only to come home and be completely devastated. I somehow am reserving and holding back my excitement this year for fear of falling flat on my face when I come back.

But anyhow, the trip so far was pretty awesome. Loved the reception I always get from the Malaysian Nuffies!

Funny / Interesting story, when my plane started to taxi down the runway, I quickly dozed off so that at should at least cut 1 hour and a half of waiting time, but sadly after an hour’s nap, I woke up to us still being on the tarmac. Flight was delayed apparently.

I love flying in huge planes. The reason being is that we can fly so high and avoid air turbulence thus the flight was relatively smooth and had this amazing view at some point.

They served some food on the plane which rather meh. I wonder if its cheaper to just get some fastfood or some catering service to do it for them? Or at least have the passenger have the option to pick what is served? I wouldn’t mind McDonalds or KFC on my flight or maybe even Jollibee! But hey that’s what we get!

But at least the Lemon Square Pandan Cake and Kitkat (not seen in the photo) were pretty good!

Landed at KLIA this time and was amazed at how huge the airport was. Was hoping I won’t get lost in it!

I finally found my way to the baggage carousel and waited patiently for my bags. Luckily my bag was one of the first one’s out. Yey!

I found my way to the train and bought a one way ticket to KL Sentral where Sekar, Tim’s driver was picking me up. I just followed the purple signs and found KL Sentral Ekspress. It costs RM35 for one person and it took 28 mins only! Usually if by car it takes 1 hour and 30 mins and if you leave and there’s a jam, 2 hours!

The train was clean and quiet. I wanted to take a nap but the riding the train fascinated me.

I couldn’t help but tweet the entire train ride how much we needed this shit in Manila to help in the decongestion. After exactly 28 mins, I found myself at KL Sentral and this was an amazing place. Such a great transport depot.

It was a tiring day and I was glad to finally get to Tim’s place and get some rest!

I’ll be getting ready to see the stick man trophies soon!