Yoville

When we we're young, I shared a room with my 2 brothers. It's a blue room with 3 beds. Here in our house we call it the boy's room.

As we grew older we need more privacy, especially for a person like me, who does not follow a routinary body clock. There are days when I would sleep at 11 pm and there would be times that I would be taking a shower at 1 am and would sometimes play my music at a high volume.

This has cause my brothers, whom I shared my room with to complain because I would be making noise at an unholy hour.

When I came back from China, having adopted to living alone, I asked for my own room.

I was granted to use our spare room to be my own room. My parents thought moving in to my new room would be smooth and breezy as just transferring all my things.

They were shocked when I told them that I have to re do the room and make it at my own design.

First I did was the shower. From the yellow and white tiles, I changed everything to "black and white only" . No other colors can be seen inside my shower except for black and white.

After doing my shower for almost 3 weeks, I started with my room. I wanted my room to have asian and japanese concept. From the original white and grey color with a king size bed, I got rid of the massive bed and changed the room color to red and black.

I modified the bed and made it as a japanese bed, which is typically close to the floor.

I also got rid of most of the stuffs inside the room to have it minimalist concept.

I just want basic things inside my room.

After a month, I was ready to move in to my very own "yoville"

As of this writing, I just finished changing the floors from cold marble to wooden floors to add japanese accent to my room.

Photos will be uploaded next post.

3.10.10

3.10 my birthday

I don't know if its just me or its the same with everyone, I always feel sentimental on my birthday.

Growing up, kids always look forward to birthdays. I was also like that.

Our birthdays makes us special. We are to believe that the day belongs to us and nothing can go wrong. We own the whole 24 hours.. It's our day.

I wanna share my thoughts about my birthday.

When I was young, I was studying away from home. Me and my siblings were staying in my aunts house with our nanny. For students, march in the Philippines is quite a busy month since its the last month of the school year. It is the month when most final examinations are given to students before having the summer vacation. Because of this I spent most of my birthdays away from home since we were not allowed to return to our hometown because it is supposed to be the study time. I have gotten accustomed to it already. But despite that, I was made to feel special during my birthday. It maybe because of the special treatment each kid gets in school during their birthdays. Because of this, I always look forward to that day in a year when I feel special.

When I was working as an Investment banker, I took time off to make my birthday special by availing of the company's "birthday leave" . As much as I can, I try to turn off my mobile phone so I wont get calls from my clients. I just want to own that special day. I either spend it by getting myself a good massage or indulging a good food in a fancy restaurant. Thinking about it now, I have come to realized, maybe I don't really need the pampering massage, but I just indulged myself to pampering just to make me special on my day.

Things started to change when I leave alone abroad, Since I was alone, I kept my special day to myself. I did my thing at work as if it is a normal day. But I bought wine for me to celebrate in my own way.

Last Year, I felt bad during my birthday... so bad that I kept it to myself.. Last year 3.10.09 I was in Agra taking some photos that my guide took me to a secluded area to have a good view of the Taj Mahal when a stranger approached me and robbed my money.. I was terrified.

It was scary to robbed in a secluded place in another country, I was thinking that I might get killed if I fight back. It felt more depressing because I was used to think that nothing could go wrong if it is my birthday. When that incident happened, part of me wants to tell the bad guy to postpone the robbery the next day because today is my day and nothing should go wrong. But well it was a wake up call to me that...

Our birthdays are our own and the whole world continues and would not stop to make it special for us.

Today 3.10.10 I was busy visiting my customers at the same time getting messages in my phone from other customers either placing orders or following up orders or worse complaining. Just tonight I was on the phone for 25 minutes with a customer haggling for an extension for price increase. As she was haggling to death I am so tempted to cut her and tell her "please stop haggling I have been on the phone for too long and spare me its my birthday". Luckily I was able to control myself.

As I grow older, I am starting to realize that birthdays are not as special as before. And learning to accept that thought, I can say I am wiser.

The irony, despite the hectic schedule, and the toxic day ahead of me tomorrow, I am still anticipating to see the many many notifications in my facebook that uniformly states " XXX posted something on your wall"

Maybe I am looking for things to make me feel special on this not so special day ;)

Let me share a photo of a homemade cake I got from an old classmate

(cake made by kelly)

Lastly, relating to my previous post. I got myself a present.

Maybe my slippers of 3 years needs to rest. I am way too late of the crocs fad... but never the less, I am joining in the bandwagon.

(new pair of footwear)

My slippers

While I was taking a shower, a thought came into me. What is one thing that I always bring with me every time I travel?

Aside from the basic necessities like toothbrush and all the toiletries. I realized it should be my slippers.

Being a person who casually loves to wear slippers everywhere I go, I want to share a simple slipper that has journeyed with me along the way.

2007.

There was a "hype" of the havaianas flip flops in the Philippines. Everyone was just wearing havaianas.

They are brightly colored simple looking flip flops that made an impression to a lot of Filipinos. Because it was very famous, havaianas launched a promotion they call "make your own havaianas" , where buyers can actually create and match different colors of the slippers.

Being hyped up as well, I lined up and match my own havaianas.

I chose an orange sole and a green strap and added a pin of the Philippine flag in the green straps.

That was 3 years ago. Currently there are a lot of flip flops that are available in the market. Havianas are not as famous as they were before.

But despite that, I realized that my designed havaianas has been with me for 3 years and has kept me company a long the way.

Some pictures of my slippers through the years

(my very own slippers lounging the beaches of white island camiguin)

(My slippers was not so useful during the winter 2009 in Korea, and it was not allowed to get inside the house as part of korean culture of leaving slippers outside the house)

(my slippers hanged in my bag for a rough adventure in laos)

( I was not wearing slippers in snowy china, but I kept them handy in my apartment)

(my slippers jumping with me in the angkors of cambodia)

(my slippers getting drunk and tried a pole dance in Pattaya thailand)

(my slippers and I are amazed of our 1st desert experience in Jaisalmer)

Yes. It has been 3 years, my slippers and I are still inseparable. I wear them everyday to work....

Thanks for keeping me company....