thank God

// because i was able to hold off publishing my previous draft because i swear, i'd be doomed for the amount of hatred i channeled on that post.

// also, i thank God that i was able to sleep some 12 hours last thursday cos i needed an immense amount of energy and creativity to continue sketching, here's a teaser of what i've been up to with regards to Super Labandera:

it's the same prototype and i don't even know which page will use this HAHA anyway, that's the style i'm going to push for the entire book and it actually pretty excites me! i'm done with the paper sketches and i'm halfway on transferring the lines on photoshop, tonight i plan to finish the linearts, then sunday to tuesday i have to get serious with the pen tool and swatch colors like a madman cos hues be like crazy and i'm quite inconsistent with the hexes.

this pro-bono work is so much rewarding than what i'm doing right now (read: coding), i just hope i make it in time for the, uhm, soft deadline? i'm so bad with deadlines and you should know that. prayers please?

// another thing i'm thankful for, i kinda lost a kilo! or our scale is just malfunctioning haha. hmm to be fair, i downed 5 large tubs of salads last thursday, it's a lot but that's pretty much just lettuce! i love love love salads. it's healthy, i could eat a ton of it without feeling guilty, and still lose weight. haha >XD

// Global Test Market finally sent me another check (thank God), but it's still crappy. last time, they sent me a peso check but the bank account that issued the check has already closed. now, they issued me a freaking dollar check from a US bank that has no local presence.
first concern, i have to create a dollar account for that (and that already costs some $500).
second, i'm unsure if local banks can withdraw from a foreign bank that has no presence in this country.
third, it's going to be a dead cause if i get charged for that kind of transaction more than what the check can release.

it's like GTM doesn't want me, AT ALL, to withdraw my earnings! i thought i could give them the benefit of the doubt for trusting them the second time but then look.

haaay. will consult further on the matter on monday! haha

how about youuu? what do you want to thank God for this day? >XD

Something wicked is brewing over at FYI!

happy weekend goys! I hope you're doing well and is enjoying the day! :) remember last month when I plugged in a couple of new shows that are going to premiere at FYI soon? Well, they will be rolling out REALLY SOON so i'm giving you a heads up on what to look forward to in the coming days!

here are FYI's November 2014 highlights for you!

For Your Space: Red Hot Design

Shasta Smith and her talented team of bearded metal workers

 Unleash the creative potential of your home with a fiery new series. Red Hot Design, hosted by fiery redhead Shasta Smith, the queen of up-scaling, an extremely talented artist and a celebrated interior designer, watch as Shasta and her team take on 2 awe-inspiring design projects each week. Premieres 28 Nov, Fridays at 9pm (SIN/HK).

For Your Taste: Epic Meal Empire

The "Sauce Boss" and another set of bearded geniuses!

Seriously, what's with FYI's shows and bearded men? hahaha

From whiskey-laced, burger-stuffed lasagnas to donut casseroles to Jack & Coke cupcakes, the Epic Meal Empire team delivers recipes that are visually mind-blowing spins on food preparation and presentation. This new FYI series will follow the ingenious group as they invent spectacular new dishes, on a whole new "epic" level – premieres 20 Nov, Thursdays at 9pm (SIN/HK).

Other highlights include:

For Your Journey: Bondi Vet

Bondi Vet S5 - Premieres 5 Nov, Wednesdays, 9pm (SIN/HK)

--

That's it! Make sure to tune in to FYI channel this November to catch that super awesome program line-up! For the record, FYI is one such lifestyle network that upgrades your viewing experience into a more dynamic and passion based experience. They have shows FOR EVERYTHING you love and this is exactly what makes FYI a stunning new channel to tune into.

Want something FOR YOUR STYLE? They have BORN to Style!

FOR YOUR SPACE? There's Tiny House Nation and Rowhouse Showdown

FOR YOUR TASTE? World Food Championships and Destination Flavor have got you covered!

FOR YOUR JOURNEY? Watch Travels with the Bondi Vet and The Coolest Places on Earth!


From fashion, to interior design, to food, and travel, there's nothing FYI missed!

[FIXED] MX Player Pro incompatible with latest Android 4.4.4

i love MX Player Pro, it's my favorite android media player because it effectively plays videos with subtitles in .srt! I've been using it for years but just recently when I upgraded to Android 4.4.4 (KitKat), the app stopped working and i get this:

i inquired using the email link found at their google play page and they responded with this:

that's it pretty much, we just have to wait until they release a version later than their August 22, 2014 build.

Meanwhile, any MX Player Pro alternatives you know? 

I switched to HD Video Player for the meantime but it sucks that it can't play subtitles so i'm stuck watching english series for now! huhu can't catch up with Angel Eyes tuloy! >X(

download the latest version finally! 

UPDATE:

MX Player Pro released a build last December 28, 2014 that fixed this problem for us! Yeyy! Go download yourselves the latest version, that's MX Player Pro 1.7.35 :D works perfectly!

3 important things I learned at DPOP Professional Blogging Summit 2014

i was really fortunate to have scored an invite to the recently concluded Professional Blogging Summit organized by Janette Toral and Jeoff Solas. It happened last October 18, 2014 at A.Venue Mall, Makati and was co-presented by A.Venue Mall, Salad Box, Island Rose, and Profriends (Property Company of Friends).

the half-day event targeted bloggers, social media specialists, entrepreneurs, digital marketers, etc. so they could learn and discuss how to turn blogging into a sustainable profession.

i was really excited to attend the event, it's my dream to become a professional blogger. it's the only item in my passion list i'm willing to do full time because it excites me a lot!

i came with my friend and former colleague tina and we came in late because we were so lost! coming all the way from the north, we didn't expect the EDSA traffic (srsly, who doesn't expect EDSA traffic?! our bad!) so we had to find a different route. with the help of waze (our new found love), and some guts too, we were able to navigate through the downtowns and reached makati after one and a half hour! when we were finally near, we were literally flailing over the sight of makati city hall like "OMG!!! there's the city hall! we're almost there!" (but nonetheless still late).

New blogger friends! Leo, Donna, Dianne, Me, Tina, Shane, and Vic :)

anyway... here are my takeaways from the event. i learned a lot, made friends, and realized that the summit didn't only cover blogging per se, but its entire impact in the business industry as well.

1. do not build contacts, build relationships

this is how i see a "contact": 

for a good while i only considered the people i worked with as contacts. people i interact with everyday in a professional manner should be segregated from my so called friends. i simply didn't want anyone from my workplace to meddle into my personal life, if that's what having a relationship with them meant.

and i was wrong. 

if i was to do blogging as a profession and kept everyone i worked with as a blogger in this category called "Contacts", sure that's kindof valid... after all, they're contacts naman talaga. but then they'll be forever boxed with my concept of a contact which is: just someone i know... with a number on my phone.

listening to the speakers i was reminded that in order to really succeed in what you're doing, you have to build relationships. and that meant getting to know the person deeper, not just as a blogger but as a person as well.

it's kindof challenging if you ask me cos i'm not really a friendly person, but since i'm running a personal blog... i want to be as personal as possible to everything i've accounted here so far, even the brands i promote, and the people i work with. it's really haaard. HAHA but i'm positive about it! >XD

here's to making relationships!

so... how are you? (err, that was an awkward start)

2. avoid bashing online

and this applies not just to people or celebrities, but also to bad service we get from some establishments. we read a lot of this online, from a worm in one's soup, to a cockroach poop in someone glass of iced tea, yadda, yadda, yadda. 

i must admit, i have a short temper and i get easily pissed with bad service. when i'm greeted with something displeasing from a store i patronize, i just want to take pictures all over in a manner that will tell everyone looking that "this is going online. beware." 

as blogger, i was made to realize that we have great power (yeahh, no matter how small-time you think your blog is!). and you know what's next, responsibility! haha! >XD how do you want your power to be used? do you want it to close down businesses? or to help them improve? instead of ranting online, why not take that feedback form and write down your concern? talk to the manager, and discuss things over. don't make a public spectacle of someone's mistake. businesses are run by humans too, so let's be kind and responsible as bloggers. :)

3. the beauty of social media strategies and target marketing

apparently, not just because you have a large facebook following means you'll get instantly considered to promote this and that brand. it's not that simple. if you were the social media strategist of that brand, you'll have to consider your target market, where they lurk most at online (it's not always facebook, i tell you!), and what they do. then build from there. if you were targeting kids, would you always want to lead them to a blog or a website with lots of text? or would you want to contain them to just a photo on your facebook page with all the information laid out in a creative manner?

i'm not a marketing person so the technicalities involved with brand promotion is something that amazes me a lot. apparently it's not as simple as having a fashion blogger promote your store, and waiting for the horde of customers to come in. haha

this business is crazy and exciting at the same time! 

---

that's it for me! it was one very informative day! imagine if we came in earlier! aaargh! it only fueled up my passion for blogging more! grabe, someday talaga i'm going to turn this into my 9-5! hahaha! i'm glad that i was able to meet new blogger friends too! :D i came in inspired and came out more motivated than ever!

so...let's start with my ever growing backlog. hahaha

Husay at Malasakit: just what the world needs

Happy throwback Thursday everyone!

Last year I was given an opportunity to do some design work for an organization's fund raising event --- a fun run! Being that I get easily excited with anything that has something to do with layouting and all the nitty gritties involved with it, I took the offer and did most of the design paraphernalia for the event.

click for source

Apart from the proud feeling that people got to wear a race bib I designed, or saw a poster I so carefully thought of, there's also the heartwarming impression knowing that the organization I'm supporting is going to run miles with their advocacy of reaching a community of young learners and impart to them the indispensable value of reading. :) 

This non-government organization., The Storytelling Project is one such effort that is very close to my heart, for it allowed me to share my passion for the arts, and it's also advocating something that I strongly believe in -- education!

Up until now I'm still extending my talents as a volunteer artist. I'm currently doing a children's book project with them and I'm so freaking excited about the outcome! Stay tuned for that! >XD

When it comes to something you're good at, you love doing, and is benefiting a lot of our countrymen, there should be no stopping you! Our greatest passions have the ability to feed our souls in an incredible manner. 

That's my husay and malasakit story, and much like UNILAB, I have taken it to heart to exert my best in everything I do, and consider the many lives i could touch with my passion. 

Being the biggest pharmaceutical company in the Philippines, it's no wonder how they have braved the test of time and proved themselves to be worthy of our trust. It's admirable how in spite of the changing times and technology, UNILAB's heart didn't waver in its mission of providing only the best healthcare products to the Filipinos.

Watch their latest TV commercial thrusting their newest campaign and be further assured that UNILAB cares for us. :)

Bawat hakbang may husay

Bawat galaw may malasakit

UNILAB yan!

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

what's up!

here's an update, i've just become officially terribly busy and i can't be any happier. ANO RAW?!

work

well, it's a default thing. it's always busy at work, but lately i found myself not succumbing to it totally like a, uhhh, i dunno. maybe my load's gotten lighter, that's got to be it. or is this the effect of working out regularly (and still not losing weight)? chossss.

blog

i have a huuuuuge backlog to attend to (what's new!) and they're piling up day after day! i haven't even blogged about Blogapalooza 2014! i'm afraid i'll just skip it altogether, which isn't a good idea if you ask me because i wanted to share a lot about what happened there. hehe plus it's unfair to the products i've sampled from the event hehe

there's also quite a bunch of writing opps sitting pretty in my mailbox. i'm so excited to blog about all of them. haaaay, work is so much easier if you're writing about something you love! <3 how i wish i could dedicate my 9-5 to this. tsk. haha

illustrate

i knew a day was gonna come when i have to be reminded about my pending illustrating project. Super Labandera is still hanging on for dear life, after being lost in my radar for an awful 8 months. now i only have a few weeks to deliver and oh my gulay, this is going to be a freaking stressful month for me. wooooh! aja! excited parin ako pero andun parin yung guilt na bakit ba kasi ang tamad tamad ko. hay Lord. give me strength! >XD this is for my favorite NGO --- The Storytelling Project, and the advocacy that's closest to my heart, education. bow.

What really happened at the Quezon City Food Festival?

foreword: this is coming from someone na napagod kalalakad, at naubusan ng pagkain. expect some anger haha 

Around 4pm. Maginhawa x Masaya 

honestly, i was one of those who were overly excited about this event. it was a definite must-go. a food fest at Maginhawa? are you kidding me? it's already a food haven over there and staging a festival in that popular street will be such a gastronomic adventure. 

i only learned about the fest a month or so before the actual event and by that time it has already made an incredible hype. their facebook page was full of teasers that effectively invited over 10,000 likes in less than 3 months! everyone was excited! who wouldn't be?

the vision their agenda gave me looked exciting at first glance, a concert during the day, fireworks display at night, a street full of food, and a 2km road closure. wait, what?

they had to close the entire stretch of Maginhawa from Masaya St. to V.Luna Extension to better regulate the fest. i was griping at this thought at first, specially when i was made to walk some 500m to jeckie's house. argh, i was in such a sour mood i even confronted the marshalls to express my disappointment. obviously, that didn't work cos i was just bitching out. and bitching out never worked. take note. 

by the way, i'm writing this super late after learning so much about DPOP's Professional Blogging Summit, so taking my learnings into account.... I SHALL (try) NOT (to) HATE. keyword: try

you know how hard it is to not rant when you're so pissed off by a certain experience right? so i waited for my furrowed brows to come down and tried to look at the event in a different light. naks. let's not be partial. haha

okay, let's break it down:

THE GOOD

• as a frustrated designer, i found the online teasers and ads very well designed. that included the posters, the infographics, the commemorative plates, and everything they shared digitally. hehe it's one of the reasons why i enjoyed promoting the event. i'm very partial with the design haha

• they hosted a lot of pre-event giveaways and promos! aaaand as much as i'd love to join, i was discouraged by the amount of people actively participating... so there goes my totally diminished chances of winning.

• they picked a very good place to hold a food fest. diba diba? haha

• i believe everyone was well informed about the event... the place, the road blocks, possible detours, who to contact as an exhibitor, tent prices, etc. it's all in their fb page.

• i must say, kudos to their PR/Advertising team. they did a really good job promoting the event. i think the idea of a Quezon City Food Festival was unique and exciting so it's no surprise it was such a success.

• i called it a success because from the organizers' view, well that's something to add to their booming portfolio of events handled/designed/executed/headed/etc. i just hope it adds the value they hoped to get from it. >:|

• from a purveyor's standpoint, amassing an incredible amount of foot traffic meant money, money, and money. i bet every single tent sold out, even those who have never sold out ever since. hahaha!

THE BAD

it was literally The Hunger Games when dusk came about. so many stalls have sold out. there were just SO MANY PEOPLE and SO LITTLE FOOD left to appease everyone's growling tummies (ours included).

i was already at the place by 4pm but decided to take a nap at jeckie's first. we came out around 8:30pm and we're already so freaking late. no more Big B, and everyone's kindof wrapping up their tents already. only chance you get to, uhm, enjoy the night is to buy booze, but then again, NOT ENOUGH SEATS. and can i just add that it's also TOO DARK FOR A FESTIVAL. i thought it was because a lot of stalls started packing up early, but then again, they're not supposed to be our major source of light...rrrright?

another thing, the promised WIFI WAS NOWHERE TO BE FELT. pinalampas ko na lang cos i know better than to rely on public wifi for big events like this, but it seems like even the Smart stalls didn't know they were offering free wifi coverage. when i inquired to ask for some 2 booths, the free internet they were promoting was the one which needs data connection (text FREE to 9999). and that's hardly the wifi the poster was boasting about.

anyhow, we gave up scouting for food when we reached this point:

the crowd has already gone to a toxic level i swear i wouldn't have survived that bottle neck without fits of rage and lots of elbowing. chos. i'm not that violent... and hungry. haha

THE UGLY

i'm not sure how to differentiate the bad from the ugly haha kelangan ko lang kumpletohin talaga haha.

in the end, we just came back to their house and ate hotdogs with the family. hihi i'd say it's still fun, after all, it's the company that's really going to save your day! we watched TV all night (but i slept halfway) and waited for the fireworks display. tsss, we could've sold those hotdogs out haha!

oh the fireworks! that's something good right? >XD haha back to the ugly things...

i feel like the organizers don't feel sorry enough for causing so much trouble to a freaking lot of people. a lot of angry posts were littered over their facebook wall, and while some of them got a personal reply from one of the organizers, it still didn't feel right. and i read some really negative posts were deleted too.

yes. i was kindof expecting an apology post or something addressed to everyone, but i guess if they think it was a success, it'll be up to their prides to issue something as humbling as that.  they posted a thank you photo though. nope. that's not an apology.

on a critical note, the success of the event cannot be concurred as a fact when a major fraction of their service endpoint isn't happy! and that's us! aaaargh. it's so frustrating when only the capitalists are being served! kainis!

TO THE ORGANIZERS

i hope you learn from this experience. rest assured that i still believe that you all want us to be happy and that half of the bad things i emphasized up there (read: bold red) are out of your hand. you surely cannot be blamed for that, right? how could you have known there'll be thousands upon thousands of hungrybods coming for food? and how could the business owners have prepared for that multitude? then again, you pulled the people in, you're kindof responsible.

hmmm, next time what about putting up a facebook event parallel to the page just to get a headcount of the people joining? >XD also you could setup something banchetto style that wouldn't take an entire street. i think that would be enough. but i guess you wanted to involve the entire food circuit so err, oh well. >XD

as for the bad stuff in blue, i blame you for that! :P

in all honesty i didn't the enjoy the event, but i can't hide the fact that i'm still positive about a 2nd QC Food Fest next year, simply because there's already so much points for improvement that there's no reason not to improve. hehe

whew! were you also there? how did you find it?