Hold on to the good and let go of the bad

Lord knows I am no where near where I wanted to be at this juncture in my life. But I'm happy for EVERYTHING that has ever happened.

Without the let downs and failures, I would never know how to pick myself back up and start anew. I would never know that I had the strength to stand on my own two feet and try again. Without the heartbreak, I would never know how to let myself be open and free again. How to simply be more than content with MYSELF. Without making mistakes, I wouldn't know how to do it the right way. I've always said that I don't believe in regrets, rather I believe in learning from everything you encounter, good or bad, you can always take a lesson away from it.

I think like everyone does a spring cleaning of our homes, we need to do a cleansing of our lives. If that means cutting out bad habits or negative people in our lives, so be it. We all need to reevaluate ourselves time and time again.

I write this as I'm coming into that stage again where I'm simply at peace with myself. I haven't seen this "peace" in what seems to be a really long time, but I can see it coming and boy am I ready for it. It seems that recently, I often find myself surprising...well myself. I've come to conclusions, resolutions and revelations within the past year. And, I'm looking forward to what is to come.

So to all of you that are in a gray area of your life. Just look at how far you've already come. Learn to let go, and look forward to the good to come. I honestly believe that everything starts falling into place only when you are truly at peace with yourself.

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saturday night with the ladies

saturday night was reserved for dinner with 3 important people in my life, 2 of my closest friends and my goddaughter.

we chatted and giggled the night away at Cha Cha Cha's, one of our favorite restaurants. and then continued our tame evening at my house. these are the moments that keep me going. just enjoying each other's company while having meaningful conversations and laughing the night away. don't get me wrong i do love our nights out at club dancing the night away... we always seem to be laughing when we are dancing too! hahaha you have to be there with us to understand. (jill - "why you ain't dance like that with me!!!" lmao) but, having the moment to soak it all in while it's happening, just makes me thankful for all the moments i've been able to laugh it up.

here's a picture of me and my goddaughter, sydney. she was copying me b/c i was wearing an off the shoulder!




lipstick - wet n wild 906D - wine room

this was taken after a few glasses of sangria. great for more of a true red look.

gym appropriate attire update

In my "gym appropriate attire" blog, I write an anecdote about a person wearing dress shoes to the gym. And holy moly wouldn't you know it...I seen it again!

I went to my core exercise class on tuesday and as I was cooling down from my run on the treadmill (which was great btw, very rare b/c I hate treadmills runs), stretching and getting ready for class I noticed a couple of mats over there was a guy wearing dress shoes. I giggled to myself and also felt sorry for the guy at the same time. I mean doing plank exercises are hard enough as it is. Wearing slippery dress shoes must have made it extremely difficult.

After class, I was able to get a picture...I HAD to show you all...




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weekend fun

last weekend was a pretty tame weekend for me. i stayed indoors, but that doesn't mean that i didn't have fun. family time is ALWAYS a blast with our family. don't believe me, ask any of our friends? orrrr come on over and just TRY to keep up.

so saturday, my sister and i went out to finish up HER xmas shopping. i was already done and had no intention what so ever to buy ANYTHING, except for a few hair thingys for my goddaughter. first stop, stonestown. we checked out gymboree and i found the cutest shoes that i HAD to get them for my goddaughter. then we went to check out forever...mistake #1 i ended up buying a sweater. and of course we had to stop at h&m...mistake #2 i ended up buying a gold blazer.

then it was off to serramonkey, as we like to call it. the h&m in serramonkey has a kids section so janice finished off her xmas shopping there. i however, have been eyeing this grey blazer for quite some time now and finally gave in and bought it, mistake #3.

i haven't shopped for myself in some time so i guess it's ok. and the pieces i bought are classic and versatile, so i can always wear them. (that's me justifying my purchases...lol)

last stop target! it was crazy in there so we got what we needed and were off to go home and wrap presents. well...i was going to wrap presents. my sister hates it and i LOVEEEE it, so i do it every year.

change of plan...apparently we were having a get together at my grandparents house b/c they were going back to pi early. my aunt and uncle got my grandparents a laptop for xmas and we set them up with skype. no more calling cards needed. needless to say, explaining to my grandparents how to work skype, let alone the computer itself was hilarious. while showing them the capabilities of skype, with my grandpa on his new computer and another computer on the other side of the room, my uncle decides to moon my grandpa through the computer screen. LMAO!!! holy moly you HAD to be there. (see i told you we're a fun bunch!) we ended the night with the cousins at my house and we drank wine and TRIED to watch movies the rest of the night. (stupid redbox!)

sunday..."are you ready for some footballllll?" the niners played seattle and it was my cousin, jonathan's bday so we had a little celebration at our place. the cousins came over and we watched as the niners beat the seahawks!!! woo hoo!!! i wish they played like that every game.

funny pictures taken while we were shopping:

don't sleep on target

Target is almost everyone's weakness...or at least for a lot of people I know. I know that I can go into Target intending on only getting a couple of items and instead I come out with a bill of $100 or more easily!

And it's been a little harder now that they've come out with cute clothes too. I mean cute clothes at an affordable price, it's so hard not to just think "oh it's only 10 bucks!" and throw it in the cart.

Last season, my sister found some really cute boots. And I found some awesome galoshes. So, I always make sure to keep an eye out for any good deals.

Luckily for me I found these cute over the knee boots for about $25. I also found a pair of black leather over the knee boots for the same price. (I'll post a picture of the black ones later, as I had to get a bigger size.) Woo hoo for deals! The price has since gone up but they are still under $30, STILL a great deal!

I was really reluctant to post this blog b/c I kindda wanted to keep this secret to myself. Butttt, I decided not to be selfish and share my great deal with you all. Merry Christmas! lol






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905D Smokin Hot Pink

this morning i meant to grab 907C mauve outta here, but i grabbed 905D smokin hot pink, so since i've never worn this color i decided to go with it and of course write a review about it. if you are looking for a nice matte hot pink color, i definitely recommend you to try this one out.

i put this on at about 730am and i didn't have to reapply until after lunch at 130pm. it definitely lasts the 4 hours wet n wild promised.

these bottom two are closer to how the color really looks

and please excuse my messy cube...don't judge! haha!

gym appropriate attire

ok, so who am i to dictate what you find comfortable to workout in? no one actually. i just thought i would give you (whoever "you" are out there reading this, b/c i honestly don't know who reads my blog) a couple of funny stories and tips at what to workout in. and please feel free to comment with your anecdotes about what you've seen.

when i think of inappropriate gym attire, the first thing that comes to mind is when i used to work out at fitness usa. i worked at stonestown, and fitness usa was in the mall so it was convenient for me to workout there. everyday i went in, there used to be this older guy on the treadmill wearing jeans and dress shoes. i always thought it was sooo weird. but now, all i can think about is how uncomfortable that would be. and omg the chafing! OUCH!

then i see those out there that run around the lake in air force ones. i understand that you may just be getting into running and these are your old shoes and you don't want to mess any other sneakers you have up. but really? those shoes are hella heavy. do yourself a favor and get some good running shoes. and if you want to do yourself one better, figure out how your foot pronates when you walk/run and get the type of shoe you need. (if you want to know where to get tested for this, i'll add it to the bottom of this blog)

so what IS gym appropriate attire the, mel?! well really it's what's comfortable for you and does not hinder you from accomplishing your task.

i used to wear an old t-shirt and shorts or pants. it was comfortable and didn't hinder me from doing what i had to do. this is totally fine. but, if you sweat, and are wearing just a cotton shirt it gets sticky and if you sweat a lot it gets heavy, especially for boys.

i totally recommend getting drifit clothes. well nike calls it drifit, addidas calls it climacool, champion calls it duo dry, etc...i'm sure you get the hint. when i was training for Ironman and they talked about workout gear, they summed it up with one phrase, "COTTON IS ROTTEN!"

i usually wear a drifit tank top with built in sports bra and drifit shirt over that. or a sportsbra and drifit shirt. if i'm running outside and it's cold, i'll throw on a drifit jacket. if you are running or working out outside, the drifit will keep you warm and cool at the same time. you see if you are wearing a cotton t-shirt/sweatshirt, the sweat gets absorbed by the cotton, so if it's cold out, the water (aka sweat) on your shirt gets cold and you will be too. and like i said earlier it will stick to your body (yucky and uncomfortable) and weigh you down. if it's warm out, the drifit is a breathable material so you won't get overly warm.

drifit type clothes are fairly inexpensive now. you don't have to buy nike. target sells champion. and my favorite jacket to run in was a gift from mervyn's i don't even know the brand but it's drifit.

pants or shorts, i usually wear capri running pants. they are like second skin to me, so i barely even notice them. again, these are drifit type material. this is to prevent any chaffing and not be in my way when i'm running, or doing cardio, or just doing yoga.

now shoes...if you really want to get into running and want to find the type of shoe that is going to benefit you best, get tested. you can go to sports basement and ask for help. they'll tell you to take your shoes off and they'll watch you walk across the room. or find a place that has the rocket dog testing. i went to road runner sports. they have you walk across a mat that sees where you put the weight when you walk and then they have you do a light jog on a treadmill where your feet get filmed. you then watch the tape back with the worker and s/he slows down the footage to see exactly how you pronate your foot. then they'll tell you which type of shoe to buy. and what brands carry it. now don't feel obligated to buy there, b/c the shoes are wayyyy overpriced. but, if you do end up buying the shoes from roadrunner, you can test the shoes out for a little while and return them if you feel they aren't right for you.

if you aren't getting into running a good light weight shoe, perhaps a cross trainer, should be fine.

gym must haves

going to the gym used to be a ritual for me. in college when i was determined to lose weight and come home looking like my normal self and not with the extra 30lbs that i gained there, i would usually go twice a day.

when i came back home, i was pretty good about keeping up with the gym. i went almost everyday after work and went on morning runs on sunday. needless to say, i've gotten lazy and have since become consistently inconsistent. i gotta stop doing that.

but while getting back to the gym, i noticed that there have been a couple of things that i would usually have in my bag, but b/c of my inconsistency i haven't refilled it or i've taken it out and not put it back.

here's a list of things that are a gym bag must for me:

1) Makeup Wipes - why why why on earth would you wear make up to the gym? i mean if you are really there to workout, you are gonna sweat and makeup dripping into your eye is NOT going to feel good. makeup wipes are obviously more convenient that carrying both the liquid and the cotton rounds to apply with. I've found that the neutrogena ones work really well, not much scrubbing needed. But, if you need a cheaper version, the target brand up and up works fine. you'll need to scrub a little more but it still does the trick.

2) Baby Wipes - if you don't intend on taking a shower immediately after your workout, wiping the salt off your face after a good workout is quite refreshing.

3) Hair Ties (pungos for our family lmao!) - i have long hair and i don't like my hair in my face or in the way. i always have extra in my purse, car, or even on my wrist. i don't always tie my hair back, so i need to be prepared if i intend on going to the gym. i keep a couple in my gym bag, you never know when a fellow gym goer may need one.

4) Headbands and/or a couple of bobby pins - for girls with baby hair or bangs these are super duper helpful. it's distracting to have hair in your face. not to mention, if you are really working out and are sweating, the beads of sweat drop from your hair in your face sometimes get in your eyes. NOT FUN!

5) Deodorant - being stinky is NOT SEXY! and reapplying before your workout doesn't hurt

6) Extra Socks - i know i don't usually wear socks to work b/c i'm prolly wearing pumps, so having extra socks in there is a must. if you're feet really sweat, having one for after your workout is beneficial too.

7) Tampons - ladies you never know when this is gonna hit, it's good to be prepared.

Now if you're gonna shower at the gym, obviously you'll need your regular toiletries.

wet n wild 903C - Just Peachy

903C - Just Peachy is a nice nudish tone. the color is not too bright, but definitely not dull. just enough to add some color. great everyday color. and i can see myself using this for almost anything. it didn't last as long as 918D, but it did last a couple of hours and through my breakfast.

wet n wild 907C - Mauve Outta Here

yesterday i wore 907C Mauve Outta Here to work and i got so many compliments on my lipstick. my first application of the lipstick was at about 715am. i had breakfast and many many cups of tea, and i didn't have to reapply until after i ate lunch. and when i did reapply there was still pigment left on my lips.

this one's a keeper too. here's a picture. i feel like the color wasn't this bright or redish tone yesterday, but i think it's the flash that i used from my phone. i'll take another picture wearing this color to see if i'm wrong.

sorry, it's not my whole face, i felt kindda weird taking pictures of myself. but i guess it's for exemplary reasons, so i will on the next one.


12.13.10 UPDATE!!!
ok so i WISH this color really looked like the picture above b/c that is actually a really nice red. perhaps, i used a different liner which gave it that effect. i'll have to try some things. but today i tried the color again using MAC's Soar and Half-Red as my liner and the color is really closer to a "mauve."

45threads

i've talked to a few people about this already...i'm trying to network and pick people's brains where and when i can. graphic designers, artists, those already in the tshirt business (big ups to randy owner of thefword for letting us pick your brain to pieces), etc..

so, one my really good friends is starting a children's tshirt line. i won't spill the beans on the concept. to be honest with you, it's transformed so many times that i can hardly explain it myself. to me, b/c i know her so well, it's more of the feeling that i connect with. but, originally she was going to have several lines with different personalities, one line dedicated to me. the music line. (side note: i never thanked you for doing this. i was so honored i didn't know what to say. so instead, i'm lending you a hand whenever needed. i'm promoting for you where i can and stepping with you in your journey...this is my thank you!") well woo hoo for me b/c that line is still moving forward.

what i fell in love with the most and got me excited was the final decision on the name...45threads.

when something comes to fruition and you have to name it...you always want there to be substance behind the name. there has to be a meaning or some sort of connection or else why name it that? right?

so here are all the meanings behind the 45 in 45threads... (some of the meanings i added)
1) she grew up on 45th & balboa - gotta love the nostalgia of it...and hellooo you have have to rep the city when you can
2) her daughter has a favorite rag doll that has "45" on the cheek b/c it was $.45
3) we're both filipino and the colt 45 was made during the Philipine-American War b/c the colt 38 wasn't strong enough to kill the filipino warriors. here's a quote i found, "The .38 Colt was not powerful enough to stop them (Filipino warriors). Some were drugged, some were just determined to kill. Military members would shoot them multiple times, yet the warriors would continue to advance and, despite being wounded, get close enough to cut their throats anyway. The .45 was needed to produce adequate stopping power."
4) musically, a 45 is an old school vinyl record that our mom's and dad's played. it was named 45 b/c it spun at 45 rotations per minute

i can't wait for this line to launch! i hope this got you as excited as i am or at least wondering about the line.

my first make up blog

who would've ever thought the girl who barely wears any makeup would do a blog about makeup? hahaha!! although, i hardly get made up, i do own a little collection and thankfully know how to put it on. it used to crack me up when my boyfriend at the time would tell me, "damn, can you please help that girl!" b/c i rarely put make up on. to be honest with you, it flattered me that he or anyone thought i put make up on well...when i did. and if you seen me at work, you probably would think that all i owned was mascara and lipgloss, if that.

honestly, i put make up on so rarely, that i've owned the same bronzer since i was in college in santa barbara (i'm starting to see the bottom of the tin just now), i've never finished a lipstick, and i've only bought 1 refill color for my palette and i think it's only b/c it broke (but it was running low).

so what on earth would inspire ME, of all people, to write a blog about makeup? A GOOD ASS DEAL ON LIPSTICK!

i really like the way red, FIERY RED, lipsticks look on girls. gwen stefani's infamous, classic red lips always come to mind when i think of look i'm going for. but i always had a hard time finding a red that worked for me. i'm a little darker, olive tone i guess, so finding a red that worked for me was a little bit of a task. what looked red on others, tended to look a little orange on me. NO BUENO!

so i gave up my search on reds for awhile and ventured into pinks. and i'm sooo glad i did. i found a lot of pink tones that i thought worked will with my skin and it added so much more pop to a look. what i was looking for in reds...i accomplished in pinks. but i still had that longing for a nice red look.

then my cousin, Charrie aka BeBellaArtisty, my favorite make up artist (ok i know i'm biased, but she knows what she's doing and i always get compliments when she does it for me), and now make up artist to the stars came out with this review:



and i thought to myself, "why not try those colors out, it's wet n wild and only about 2 bucks, if i don't like it, at least i didn't waste $12" so on a trip to walgreens, i ventured over to the wet n wild section and found the matte line she was talking about. SCORREEEEE!!! they were 50% off which came out to $1.62 annnnddd one of them had a manufacturer's coupon for $1.00 off, so i got that one for a whopping 62 CENTS! (i looked for others with the coupons, but couldn't find anymore...boo hoo!)

so here's what really inspired to write this blog...THE TEST! saturday night, mae and i went out for her bday. at her request, i dressed it up a little and figured why not try out one of the new colors i got. so of course, i wanted to try out the red. woo hoo for me, the red looked red and i loved the way it looked. $1.62 and it looks great! YEESSSSS! i had a couple of drinks and of course had to make a trip to the ladies room. but when i looked in the mirror as i washed my hands, my lipstick was still on and as bright as it was when i first applied it. DEFINITELY IMPRESSED. i had more drinks and chopped it up with my friends and then hauled ass to another party, where i had more drinks. when i finally made my way to the bano and peaked in the mirror, my lipstick was still there. all those drinks the whole night, and i never had to reapply. I'M SOLD!!!

the color i used was 918D - Cherry Bomb

you can find Charrie on youtube as "bebellaartistry" or follow her on twitter @BeBELLZartistry here's her blog: http://bebellaartistry.wordpress.com/

here's a picture of THE RED for me (oh and yes that is mayer hawthorne):

way to end the weekend

today is sunday which is normally my running day. i didn't get to workout in the week prior, and yesterday i spent the day just laying around...so today i was determined to get a run in. as i watched the niner game, i mustered up the energy to cook a light breakfast and then go out for a run.

i walked outside and noticed that it was wet out, and as i sat in my car and started the engine, it began to sprinkle. then, as i drove over to the parking lot it was starting to sprinkle a little harder. but a little water didn't deter me from getting my run on.

while on my run, it rained a little on and off. but i've swam, biked, and ran in wayyyy worse. and the cool drops were actually welcomed. and lucky for me, when it started to really rain, i was covered by the trees, but that subsided quickly anyway. i felt like i had a great run today, and i was excited to see my time...there are just those days that you feel like you had a great workout. soooo, as i came upon the finish, i took my phone out to check the stopwatch only to see all zeros! OMG SUPER DUPER FAIL!!! my dumbass forgot to press start.

although, i won't know exactly how it did, i'm certain that i beat my time from the last time i ran this trail. and my run felt great! i'm just happy i got myself out there.

oh and another high note of the day...as i made my way out the door for my run, the sister said i was losing weight...HOLLLERRRRRR!