work woes – Girl Gone Cuckoo

a little sacrifice goes a long way

next on the queue of my posts is Harry and mine’s February Boracay honeymoon – vacation but since we should all be in a somber mood for the Holy Week, i figured i should post them starting Easter. here’s a regular daily outfit post, after one of our Cuckoo meetings. this was taken last January, when we spent the whole afternoon discussing our business plans for the rest of the year.

working freelance was something both April and i decided to do in October when we launched Cuckoo Cloud Concepts and definitely, one of the major advantages is flexibility and being able to manage our own time without being strapped to corporate necessities. nevertheless, freelancing is hard and certainly has a few downs as well. since we’re a start-up company, we have to let go of personal wants to allocate funds for materials, fare to and fro supply stores and our workplace and we have to accommodate long working hours. it’s hard not to be able to expect a certain amount of earning every month for the bills and we’ve had to depend on our super-supportive hubbies to get through.

they say though, and this has been a tried and tested testament, that a little sacrifice goes a long way. we’re lucky enough to have such supportive people in our lives to cushion our sacrifices but we know that when we work hard with what we’re passionate about, we will surely get there. security and stability will come. for now, we just have to work our asses off.

catching up: choosing sanity

polka / ruffled top – thrifted | printed chiffon shorts – props | black faux snake skin wedges – pill at the ramp | faux ostrich red satchel – shopyapi.com | leopard fringe earrings – downtown find | rings: armor ring – downtown find, oversized black ring – forever 2, gifted by sweet | black studded belt – props

the last of the catching up posts before i get back on track (or at least not have any posts due 2 months ago as i still have ones taken in the last 2 weeks). my cheeks being chubbier definitely indicates i was not as stressed with work then as i am now. i guess the decreasing size of my cheeks is the only upside i’ve gained from the toxicity of work. mental warfare and an emotional roller coaster were definitely not part of the contract when i signed it last year.

oh well, i choose sanity so let’s see how this goes.

that downtown store of accessory heaven

remember when i talked about that little store of accessories in downtown? the place that’s like a pandora’s box, it always ends up hurting my wallet every time i visit. well, my young and stylish agents found out about it and ever since, i’ve been finding myself oddly surprised that i’m not the only one wearing loads of rings or bangles. here are just a few of their amazing picks that i seriously covet:

this is not found in that accessory store but another style item one of my agents have. so bohemian. so me and i wish i could have it as my own. (to the owner, if you’re reading this — you should have given this to me! LOL)

anyway, it’s weird that i began my life as a call center supervisor around the same age as my agents now. i was roughly 22 and was as immature and hot-headed as can be. it has been almost 6 years since then and boy is it weird to browse through an agent directory with birth dates as late as the time i was already in 1st grade and busy watching ninja turtles or the original x-men cartoon series. just thinking about how young they are and how i used to be in their place makes me feel all wrinkly inside. is it obvious in these photos below? or i still belong? LOL.

all photos were taken at our work place where it’s summer every friday. ♥

friday work perk

aqua green lace top – primal rave wholesale | denim cut-offs – thrifted | black tank top (underneath) – borrowed from aimee | aqua green flats – solemate, sm department store | chunky gun-metal necklace – downtown find | silver bangles, red wooden bangle & bead bracelet – downtown finds & gifted | rings: feather connector ring – downtown find | orange howlite ring – dane’s giveaway
black stone ring – snatched from sis | wedding ring & engagement ring

back in July 2011, when i decided to go back to the “corporate” world and get the job i used to have, i anticipated smart business casual attires and a bittersweet goodbye to short shorts and laid back boho outfits. imagine my suprise when i showed up for an interview in a grey pencil skirt, sheer polka dot top with a ruffled neckline, a black blazer and strappy heels at 1PM (in the excruciating heat) and everyone there was dressed in flip-flops, jeans, cotton tops and dresses. LOL. as it turned out, the company i was applying for didn’t have a strict dress code. which was such a relief.

of course i had to keep up my tirade of business casual outfits for the next three interviews because stepping down to casual jeans wasn’t an option. what would the recruitment people say when i showed up for the next one dressed down? just wouldn’t be right, right? when i got accepted, i was glad to have had the chance to still express my own style without having to be imprisoned with stiff corporate attires — unless the CEO needs to impress potential clients which i’m happy to come dressed in slacks, a crisp white shirt and killer heels. *wink*

outfit above is just one of my super dressed down outfits for friday nights in the office and never was a friday where i didn’t wear short shorts. my agents followed suit and it’s a boho beach day every friday. ♥

the need to be busy

as lazy as i have been these days, i ironically love being busy. i love having something to do for the whole 8 hours at work because it makes me forget the time. i love being surprised that it’s already dark outside and be reminded that we have to lay down our stuff and forget them for the night, only to get back on them tomorrow. i love it when ideas run like crazy in my head that i tend to become disorganized and all over the place. suffice to say, this week has been kind of a bore. it’s surely a breather from last month’s chaos but too much of a breather, i’d have to say. our co-worker in the production team is getting restless and hasn’t stopped talking all day today. she talked about anything she could think of. i need to get this woman a damn project to work on or we’ll drug her to shut her up! LOL.

white floral dress – thrifted

military jacket – thrifted

eggshell mesh booties – parisian, sm dept store

green braided belt – manager’s garage sale

necklaces: elephant – carbon find | elephant tusk – thailand buy

bangles: pink rhinestones – gifted from india | brass ones – carbon finds

rings: bow tie, dotted and owl connector – carbon finds

headache in style

so yeah, i’m totally copying vanessa east of one frozen margarita. i am just totally jealous of how she rocks turbans and scarves. don’t get me wrong, i am totally a scarves girl and have a dozen at home but they only get worn at home or at the beach. but today, with full conviction, i decided to wear them to work. sure i got a few stares from people coming into the office and at one point, when my sister came in, she joked and asked if i had a headache. well yes, a headache in style. *wink*

pardon me for the photo heavy post. this is what happens when the electricity has gone out twice in a day and all work is paused because everything we do is dependent on it. so we opened up the blinds and took advantage of the warm afternoon light. and yup, that’s armand at my back, totally posing as if he didn’t know i was taking photos of myself. haha!

polka dot scarf used as turban – thrifted

striped tee – thrifted

grey shorts – props

beaded sandals – gifted from harry

necklaces: key and fairy – props

bangles: wound brass wires – carbon find | white wood – chatuchak, bangkok

rings: white stone – props | butterfly – gifted from sweet

now a day walker

after my two weeks vacay or more like bumming around, i went back to work. for those first-time readers of my blog (welcome), i resigned from my comfortable but very sad life in the call center last July 27 and planned to take the whole month off but after a week of sitting at home, browsing the internet and watching DVDs, not to mention piggin’ out, i decided to take my position as marketing executive at DrawingBoard Creative Studios yesterday. i did have until september to start and i know you think i’m crazy for giving up a whole month’s worth of rest but i am too restless and too much of a workaholic to stay at home and not be productive. i just felt like if i didn’t move around and make myself busy, i’m wasting my life away when i could have done something about it. i’ve realized that it’s really not about taking a break from work alone but taking a break from work that i was unhappy with — which is what i did. so for the first time in 5 years, i now hold a job which requires me to wake up in the morning and end the day just when everybody else does. believe it or not, i actually found the water in the early morning to be colder than at night and it took me a few seconds before i fully stepped in the shower. i have also discovered the blinding light and the very warm heat of the sun as i drive to work (which reminds me to buy some lotion with SPF).

i still have plans to fulfill my ‘i have never’ challenges though so don’t fret — i have not forgotten about those adventures. i might peel an orange next and believe me, because of my traumatic childhood orange experience, this feat is going to be very difficult for me!

of course, i will not end this post without telling you guys about Drawingboard Creative Studios. as marketing executive, i am after all responsible for handling existing accounts and most importantly, finding new ones. Drawingboard is an advertising and design company that offers printing and design services, as well as marketing or branding packages. a few of the specific services that Drawingboard offers are calling cards, event or company posters, brochures, flyers, invitations, menu design and printing, mascot design (especially for new companies like restaurants), and logo design. this is not just a sales pitch but we have competitive prices and one of a kind designs — surely an investment for a company or individual seeking to improve their marketing strategy. for those interested, just e-mail me at drawingboardcreative@gmail.com

plain white tee – props

boyfriend jeans – abercrombie vintage

long black cardigan – thrifted

beaded sandals – people are people

tan zebra-print hat – sm men’s dept

round imprinted necklace – gifted from gelie

gun-metal wire cuff – props

a mistake i got to make

i’m already 25 years old and will be turning 26 this august. in the philippines, even when we live in a modern world, that age is still somehow a cause for alarm if we’re not yet settled — whether in our careers, love life or family life. i am not going to lie. i am immensely scared about this leap that i am going to take. i finally talked to our manager today and he gave me this “your-a-woman-who-can-do-great-things” speech and saying that i am almost the next level, that i have worked so hard to succeed in an industry that i am good at. he wanted me to plan out my life in the next 5 years outside the company (or industry) and compare it with a plan inside the company. i smiled with all my courage and said, “i know that i am good at my job but i don’t want to be doing something that i hate for a long time. honestly, i don’t plan to plan for the next month.”

in ‘how i met your mother’ season 1, lily told ted that going to san francisco may be a mistake but it’s a mistake that she has to make and that a bigger mistake would be not being able to find out if it’s a mistake or not. (ted totally got side-tracked over the number of mistakes in the sentence)… i know it’s confusing but i really still do think and feel that i have to do this.

sorry if i am boring you with three successive posts about my plan to leave my current job. it’s been in my mind for the past week — every day for that matter. just wanted to let it all out. thanks for listening. better topics next week, promise. *wink*

black blazer – thrifted

white tank top – abercrombie

striped city shorts – bought from manager’s garage sale

black platforms – forever 21

silver cuffs – thrifted at carbon

gun-metal layered bracelet – thrifted at carbon

gun-metal reindeer necklace – bubble bee tea house

dog tags – custom-made

aviators – mongkok, hk

can i hide in my closet?

i realized that i am not a kid anymore and cannot fit in my closet. i remember that my mom and big sister would use to go in these midnight sales in robinsons and i would tag along with them. while they’re choosing and fitting clothes, i’d hide under the clothes racks, appreciating the different textures and prints. i’d also try to scare my mom and sister too. i also remember that whenever my cousins, sister and i would play hide and seek, the closet was always the first thing i’d go to. my mom and dad had these double closets where there are two iron rods back to back. i’d burrow deep into the clothes and hide at the back. i can stay there for an hour.

i wish i can hide in my closet now. or just under the clothes rack. that would be a perfect excuse not to go to work. don’t you think?

oh by the way, i have submitted my resignation and will be tendering my last 30 days in our company. wish me luck! as i don’t have any plans at all. good thing my mom approved of my plan to just rest for a month. i am hacking my brains for things to do from august – september. i really want to get back to custom-making clothes, DIY-ing and jewelry making. let’s see if my laziness doesn’t get to the best of me. haha!

sheer polka dress (used as top) – random

jeans – chilly papas

button-up jacket – bossini (still thrifted)
off-white peep-toe heels – janeo

necklaces: eyeglasses – random | rose engraved watch – hongkong

stacks of faux gold bangles – gifted from india

white enamel bangle – props

restless

i’m in a rut.

have you ever found yourself overly restless and just unconsciously (and consciously) counting the time til’ the day ends? i haven’t felt like this since i was 12 years old when i couldn’t wait to grow up and do amazing things. boy, i didn’t picture restlessness as an adult. i thought i would conquer the world. a girl could dream right?

seriously, i’ve been feeling a little apathetic at work lately. de-motivated. i find myself hating the routine of this industry (BPO) and of this job. i wake up at 6:30 PM, snooze my alarm 3 times, take a bath, come in to work at 8:00 PM and do the same thing everyday. i roll my eyes at the foolishness of the people around me too many times and have had moments where i just sit in my chair, stare at my computer and do nothing. nada. i think i’ve taken too many bathroom or pantry breaks this week — like maybe 10 times a day. and this is not me. when i get passionate about a job, i even forget to take breaks and don’t mind extending hours for work at all.

i need a change. don’t get me wrong, i am not just complaining here but have actually started doing something to take me out of this rut. i’ve decided to take a complete career change that will take me away from this BPO industry. possibly a day job — after 5 years since i graduated college. i don’t want to jinx my plans but i do need your support. your prayers.

here’s to hoping. heartily hoping.

buttoned cotton top – thrifted

puffed-sleeved cardigan – thrifted

jeans – bebe jeans

grey ballet flats – so fab! (a gift from big sis)

faux gold bangles – gifted from india | props
sewing machine necklace – random

enamel rose ring – thrifted at carbon

brown sunnies – thrifted at carbon

upside down + loving sunday

this is what i usually wear on monday mornings — comfortable jeans, light, soft shirt and flats. for others, monday morning may be all dress-up day but my monday morning is still part of my day off.

as you all may know (and for those who don’t), i work at night and have been for 4 years now. my daily traffic is not in the morning rush but right when everyone else is going home or on fridays, when everyone else is going out for weekend dinner. at work, we greet each other “good morning” when we enter the office, even when the moon is out and it is already dark out. our 1 hour break is still called “lunch” and right when i get home, my breakfast is usually my “dinner.” before i sleep, i say “good night” to my friends. i sleep in the afternoon or by lunch and wake up at 7:00 or 8:00 PM, depending on my schedule. how do i stay asleep even when the sun is out? i trick my body into thinking it’s night by placing dark curtains on my windows and having a dim lamp shade when i sleep. and if other people get freaked out when people call them in the middle of the night, i get freaked out when people call me in the afternoon.

luckily, for the past 3 years up until now, i have been able to get all weekends off. on saturday, i sleep at 2:00 PM and wake up at 9:00 PM. i spend the night doing stuff i love — watching DVDs, visiting blogs or hanging out with friends. i sleep past midnight and wake up sunday morning — just like any normal day. that’s why i love sundays. on sundays, i can join civilization. on sundays, i can have lunch with my family at “noon.” i can shop in the afternoon and have dinner at 7:00 PM (and not at 7:00 AM). i can watch movies and get massages. and when i say good night, it is really at night.

how about you? what is your week like? what is your favorite day of the week?

take me back to the eighties

found this top 2 weeks ago on one of my thrifting trips with my mom and sister. my sister eyed me like she usually does which meant she’s thinking that i’m weird again. haha! the red skirt i was wearing on the volume 3 ocean series post in imperial palace was also bought on that same trip…man, did my sister think i was crazy for buying it — it was actually floor length long and i just asked my dad to trim it. she trusts that it will be good though, she’s just a bit skeptical..hehe. that’s what i love about buying unexpected things — i love the look my sister’s give when they find that the ‘weird’ item i bought actually looks good. anyway, this shirt reminds me of barbie because it’s malibu barbie pink and it gives an eighties vibe which i love more.

on another note, isn’t the quarter life crisis only supposed to happen on our early twenties? is 25, technically 26 years old, still early? because i am finding myself lost in the midst of everything again. i get intervals at work staring at my computer screen and thinking to myself, “this is not what i want to do for the rest of my life…” damn. but then the next day, when i get busy and hyped up with work, i’d realize that i can bear working in this industry, just that i am not loving having to wake up at a specific time e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y. it then becomes a cycle — staring blankly at my PC then the realization, and it goes on. what do i want to do anyway? i am in constant fear that i may be just wasting my life. do you get that same fear too? or is it just me?

printed top – thrifted

black leggings – random

black peep-toe booties – celine (a gift from harry!)

long watch necklace – hongkong gift shop

pink polka bangles – DIY by my sister from scraps of cloth

blue sunnies – thrifted at manalili