Excited to Watch: The Girl on The Train

Disclaimer: The photo is not mine
Credits to the author, producers & artists behind it

What's with the books turned movies that are starting with "The Girl on..."? Haha the last time that I got a dose of enthusiasm to watch a movie with this title was with The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo and trust me it never failed my thirst for a mystery/thriller type of film.

Fast forward, I accidentally saw The Girl on the Train's trailer in youtube and I should say that it really caught my attention hence I turned to a dear friend named Mr. Google for some insights. Well, it turned out that it was a best selling book by a British author named Paula Hawkins. As I have mentioned a while ago, it's genre is mystery/thriller which by the way for some reason is my favorite genre haha calling CSI and Criminal Minds.

When watching a trailer, I want it to catch my curious side and when that happens? I will definitely research for it. I still want to read the book though and I'll try my best to search for one (anyone reading, please lend me if you have).

Just to give a glimpse of its story, let me borrow Sir Wikipedia's synopsis...and it goes something like this:

"Each day, Rachel Watson takes the train to work in the city, heading past the town of Witney. The train passes her old house where her ex-husband, Tom, and his new wife, Anna, live. She can also see the home of another married couple a few houses down. Rachel becomes endeared to this couple, whom Rachel nicknames 'Jess and Jason'. They appear to have the perfect life, and Rachel is both envious and happy for them. One day while passing their house, Rachel witnesses something that changes everything she thought about the couple. Then Jess goes missing, and Rachel wonders if she is somehow connected to her disappearance" - (source: wikipedia)


Seems interesting eh? But I still have to wait for a couple of months as its release date will be on October 2016.

A Working Mom's Sacrifice

Photo courtesy of Google Image

 It's almost 11 pm and I just arrived home from work. This is my daily routine as I am commuting all the way From Malolos/Marilao, Bulacan up to Makati every single day. Yeah you read it correctly! Was it exhausting? Oh no! Hell no! Because it is very very exhausting.

But why am I doing this when I could just resign and focus my attention on my little one? Before I answer that, let me set the record straight. This article doesn't intend to compare me to the stay at home moms out there, so kill the idea that I would want to imply something okay? It's just my point of view.

Why am I doing this? Of course for the purpose of generating an income for the family. We can manage to live without me working but as a mom? I want to give the best, if not the best at least I could give something to my child out of my own pocket without a need to bother my equally hardworking husband. Based on our country's present economic status, it is no longer enough that only one from the family will work unless both of you are still supported by your parents or you have some relatives that are supporting you as well.

Another big factor would be self growth. You have your own life and you need to teach the value of working hard to your children in the future. This is a lesson that you could give as a working mom yourself. You need to gain further knowledge and use the degree that you have completed. This will empower you as a woman and as a productive citizen of this society.

However, with this scenario comes great sacrifices. This includes having to leave your child with a nanny. Me and my husband is lucky as we still have our parents to look for our child and guide the nanny (if we have).

It just saddened me that sometimes I leave home at 6am and Denzel is still asleep and then when I get home at around 9 or 10 in the evening, he's already asleep. Well, that's how it goes. I just make sure that whenever I am home, my attention is with my little boy.

It is true that the presence of the parents especially the mother will make some difference. But there are things that need to be considered. In my case, I have to help our family grow. We just have to make the most out of the assistance that we can have from our parents in ensuring that my boy still gets the love that he should be getting when we are away.

I am a proud working mom and this is accompanied by great sacrifices. Of course it is a case to case basis but one thing that you should remember? You are equally awesome just like the SAHM's out there. Just always see to it that you'll throughly explain it to your little one as he or she grows up.

Let's talk about Red Lipstick

Everyone turned so gaga on the shade of Yaya Dub's lipstick last year. Red Lipstick! oh yes I definitely am a fan. Gone were the days when you wear that shade of lipstick and people will ask, "is she working in a bar?" haha. Perceptions changed and so the definition of a strong red lipstick.

Actually, red lipstick goes well with a morena skin. Light brown skin women can pull off dark reds and plum shades. These are the suitable complements that not only add glow to the golden undertones but also creates an attractive facial appearance. Know also how to make your eyes pop in connection to your lip color. Highlight your darker eyes to make them outstanding.

On the other hand, Dark brown skin is great when some deep reds or purplish nuances appear on the lips. The instant glamour can be created by application of a thick gloss in darker shade than your lips color.

Now, what are the best red lipstick that you can buy out there. Well, it depends on your budget as you will definitely see some good stuff in the mall but are so pricey. Of course, MAC is there as well as Revlon. Please see below list for your reference:

1. MAC Good to Be Bad

2. MAC Dark Side

3. Giorgio Armani #408

4. NARS Mascate 

5. Maybelline ColorSensational Lip Color in #635 Verry Cherry

6. Maybelline ColorSensational Lip Color in #645 Red Revival

7. IMAN Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick in Iman Red

8. L’Oréal Paris Infallible lip gloss in Barely Nude

9. Wet n Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in Sunset Peach

10.Lipstick Queen Lipstick in Red Sinner

(Reference: Beauty Clue.com)

Even if you have the most expensive lipstick, you also have to determine and see for your self if it really looks good on you. As for myself? well I don't actually own any of the above lipsticks that I have mentioned. I am using a matte red lipstick which price is so reasonable but I ensure that it looks perfect on face. It's LA lipstick which you can buy on your desired mall.

I use the liquid type matte lipstick but please be informed that you have to use an oil based make-up remover to avoid being so messy when you remove it.

You'll apply it in liquid then it'll turn into that lovely red matte lipstick
(photo courtesy of google image)

And when I feel like not wanting to to apply the liquid type, I use the cream type with the shade of rebel/naughty :)

Photo Courtesy of L.A. Girl

Anyhoo.. no matter what shade of lipstick you wear, make sure that you feel good and confident with it. Love it! Own it! and feel so damn beautiful with it.

Me & My Red Lipstick

Listen and Understand...What are your platforms?

As a volunteer, we build Bongbong's reputation through laying down all his achievements and platforms and not solely by creating memes and nasty comments in social media. We are trying our very best not to engage with cat fights because it will be an irony to his battle cry. We come out in the defense side and not on the offensive side because there's no room for mudslinging when your aim is unity.

What is being taken in the back seat right now is unity and progress. We don't have to attack the candidates based on what had happened in the past but we have to see their vision for our country in the future. Debates and forums should not only focus in corruption but also in our economy and all the things that matters in our daily life. To cite an example; those are issues like...electricity bill (energy), MRT saga (transportation), you with no job after 6 mos (contractualization), our farmer's loss of opportunity in their farms..oops in the farm that they are cultivating but actually is not owning (land reforms and free trade liberalization), war in Mindanao (peace talks), territory disputes, usage of renewable energy, protection of our OFWs and as much as possible creating jobs in our country, raising our standard of education etc etc. 

My stand is clear.. You also have to fix everybody's financial capacity in order to fight crime, graft and corruption. We are blinded by the issues about corruption when in fact it's only an effect to the glitch in the over all system and poverty.

I read one comment, saying that Bongbong's supporters are a bunch of corrupt, idiot and wasted people like their "idol", as if they are pertaining to a rockstar eh? Or aldub? Well, look who's doing the heckling on national television? Is that what anti Marcos supporters did during those time when we are in the middle of communism infiltration? Destabilized, rally and heckle?

Supporter's reputation? Uhm you may ask my reputation to the people who know me. Start asking yourself, will the past hunt us forever? Or we need to step up and start conquering the future?

It's been 30 long years already, still there's no concrete judgment on the ill gotten wealth. We are still divided and so many hearsays are coming out. But one question still emerges, "why the h*ll can't the Philippine Government nail all those cases and get all those wealth on hand when the Marcoses are no longer in power?"..

For the mean time, the most important thing is unity. I am not a volunteer because I am a Marcos loyalist even though I can see the difference of then and now. I became a volunteer because I've heard the mentioned issues from the mouth of one candidate...and that is Bongbong. After the election, no matter how vocal we are right now we will stop. No matter who will win, one thing that should be done is to unite. If we elected the wrong person, then we will reap the fruit of the majority's decision.

Disclaimer: photo is not mine, grabbed from google image

My MySlim Journey

One of the most wonderful thing that can ever happen to a woman is becoming a mom. It was an accomplishment and yes, your child is a source of strength and happiness not only to you but to the whole family. But what we don't usually pay attention to (because at first we didn't care) is the toll that it gives to the mom, emotionally and physically.

For moms who are blessed with a very active metabolism, this will never be a problem but for moms like me who has a very very snail like metabolism, uhm it really became a problem. Did I over eat? Did I lose control? Yes! I absolutely lose control. I over ate when I have the time to eat because when my baby is with me, I am finding it hard to pay quality time on the food that I am eating. Above all, my priority is the welfare of my child. I over eat because i just wanted to. Nobody else to blame but me.

But then I started to feel insecure, emotionally down and longed for the times when my body is not that big. I was already weighing 70 kg. And that was way beyond my pre pregnancy weight. Many people started to notice and I was bombarded with unsolicited comments that.. "mau ang taba mo". You may just not notice it, but at night Yeah I cry. It still didn't stop me to consume chocolates everyday, fastfood, mountains of rice and I just say to myself "mataba na rin lang ako edi patabain ko na lalo" (haha such an immature mindset"). At the back of my mind, "this is wrong".

One day I've seen one product and I got curious and interested with it. I've seen blogs and reviews and hey! It was not that bad. So I tried it, the drink and the capsule. I waited for a side effect but the effect was, i started to have a control on my appetite and trust me It takes a lot of mindset to start and believe that I can. 

I still am not in the ideal weight that I am supposed to. But I am still working it out until now. What matters is that I started to gain that confidence. I started mid of February 2016 and i should say that I am still in the proces. I am just guilty that sometimes I am not being able to exercise but again I am trying my very best. 

This is just to share my story. The effect on me will not be the effect on anyone else. This is just to motivate and to have a healthy mindset. Of course, accompany it with healthy diet and exercise.

Photo grabbed from Google Image. Not taken by me.

Before & After (push pa more)

Ano ba ang mahirap sa paghihintay sa green light?

Photo: Courtesy of Google image

Pula ang ilaw ng traffic light pero ang daming tumatawid. Bawal umihi dito, pero may taong umiihi. "No loading and unloading", pero puno ng jeep na nagbababa o nagsasakay. Bawal magtapon ng basura pero may bundok ng basura. Dapat bang lagyan ang signboard ng "ang sinumang lumabag ay iso-shoot to kill.. P.S. di to joke".

Ganyan ba tayo kasalaula sa mga patakaran? O talagang nalamon na lang ang sistema ng kamangmangan? Alam ba ninyo na ang demokrasya ay may kaakibat na responsibilidad at kapag napabayaan, ang demokrasya ay mapapalitan ng disgrasya. Alam kong hindi likas sa ating mga Pilipino ang walang disiplina, lumala lang noong bumaba ang kalidad ng edukasyon at nagkanya kanya tayo ng interpretasyon sa salitang demokrasya at kalayaan. 

Hindi kasama sa demokrasya ang kawalan ng disiplina. Kahit na naniniwala ako na nasa tao ang disiplina, alam kong ito ay naituturo rin at maaaring isaksak sa utak lalo na ng mga bata. Ngunit paano mangyayari ito kung sabog ang ating sistema? Walang tama, lahat mali. Walang pagkakaisa, lahat may

puna.

Paano magkakaroon ng disiplina? Madaling sabihing kailangang magsimula sa mga sarili natin. Pero ito ay isang malaking pangarap lamang dahil kahit na kailan, hindi maaring solely magsimula ito sa akin at sa iyo ng walang nagpapatupad. Kailangang mabago ang sistema at magkaroon tayo ng sinusundan na alam nating seryoso sa pagpapatupad ng mga patakarang tama. Kailangang magkaroon tayong lahat ng kaalaman at mangyayari lang yun kung tayo ay may edukasyon at kung maiaangat ang buhay mula sa kahirapan.