Holler! What you're reading now is the real come-back entry to my blog after more than 3 years of hiatus. So sorry that it took me that long to be back.

I've decided to bring this back to life, now that I have more time for myself and some passion projects on the side. If you want to know what just happened that led me to this, then here's a bit of info.

I no longer do office-based work at some company yada yada. Since late August, I am already working from home. No more traffic stress for me! *cheering* That's why I had the time to think, straighten things out, and now I have decided how to make use of my extra earned time.

So, what can you expect from here?

Well, you'll find here more posts, especially reviews, from me. I cannot promise to focus on one niche. It will still be a variety of things -- beauty, fashion, food, activities, etc. It's going to be a deep well of surprises!

Another thing to expect is my vlog. Yep, you read that right. Video blog. I'll be setting up my YouTube Channel. I know vlogging really boomed out this year, though there were already others who started a couple of years ago. It's just overwhelming that a lot of people are into it now. But I'm not just riding on a fad here. It takes a lot of talent and skills, really. My very personal reason for getting into vlogging is to further develop my self-confidence and my video editing skills. Not that I'm not sociable, but when I say self-confidence, I just want an avenue where I can express myself out of my comfort zone, which is writing. Also, video editing has been one of my hidden skills I really wanted to develop, but I did not have any avenue for it to be practiced. So, I guess it's about time!

For my next blog entry, I will be doing a round-up review of the new beauty products I've been using for the past 2 or 3 months.

And because I am happy to back... 
Merry me ❤

Hello! Yes, I know it's been more than a year of hiatus. Finally, I have decided to break the silence and revive this nearly zombie-fied blog.

For the past months, it always came to mind to begin with the revival and talk about the places I went to, but didn't had the right push to do so. Haha. But now, here I am.

So without further ado, here's a round-up of the remarkable places and events I have been to this year.

7 Eleven Run. My first 10K running event for 2014. Originally, four

Pinto Art Museum

Digital

R3RUN. So far my longest distance running event. I joined the 12K category.

Tiyo's Cuisine by Chef & Brewer.

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This is the draft of my supposedly come-back blog entry last October 12, 2014. I decided to post it still today, October 25, 2016, just so you know what happened to me during those gaps. :)

Deals: Cakes R' Us from Ensogo

Last February, I bought an Ensogo deal from their merchant, Cakes R' Us. If you've been purchasing deals lately from group buying sites, you'll notice that they have a (not so) new option of choosing your preferred branch to redeem the product or service. And for this deal, I chose SM Sta. Mesa branch, since it was near my soon-to-be work at that time. What attracted me to buy this deal is because of its good discounted price specially that it's a personalized cake and I know that I can use it for an upcoming occasion.

So May came and I'm excited to redeem this cake. I just thought of personally going to SM Sta. Mesa to reserve a few days before my target date of redemption, went around the mall but can't seem to find the store. To my surprise, the guard that I approached told me that they recently pulled out. They're closed. They're gone. BAM!

I was so disappointed. Yes, there were other branches but they were out of way. AND they didn't even thought of informing their customers that this particular branch was closed. To add to my disappointment, the given number on the voucher didn't even bother to give me a response. I even had to research on the internet for other possible numbers to contact and yes, I found another mobile number. I became even more annoyed when I was told that it is required to personally go to the store to reserve since it was a personalized cake. Yes, I get the logic but I think that it was too much hassle because the fact that you've bought a deal online, there is the essence of CON-VE-NIENCE. So that means, they should have provided means to allow their customers to give instructions or to contact their store staff in any way possible other than paying a personal visit. It required their customer too much effort and time. One day for the reservation and another for the pick-up.

Okay, so I had no choice. I wasn't able to bring it for a birthday celebration, but I had to use the voucher so that I wouldn't feel that my money was wasted. I chose the Megamall branch and I went there early this month to reserve. Since the nearest occasion on my chosen pick-up date was Independence Day, this was the theme for my cake. My mom picked up the cake last 13th of June. I indicated the time of pick-up to be between 1 to 2pm. My mom arrived at past 2pm and they said that the cake will arrive around 3pm. BAM! 3pm came and still no cake. My mom told me that the other customers were also waiting and disappointed. The cakes were delivered around 4pm and my mom even told me that they don't even have straws to tie the box. And the cake was a little distorted. Ugh. The cake doesn't really look special. I didn't see the "independence" blue that I was expecting and the taste was ordinary for me, for us.

Okay. So my rating? 1 out 5 stars. Merry not </3

Makeup: Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

I've been using this gel eyeliner from Maybelline for almost six months now. I first knew about this product because of their promotions on Facebook last July. They were giving out 20% off vouchers which can be used when buying this gel eyeliner at any Robinsons Department Store. And because I was really eager to learn to do make up, I wanted to look for a not so expensive gel eyeliner, thus the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner was my pick. I think this is the cheapest gel eyeliner that's available so I really grabbed the opportunity to get the 20% discount.

The  Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner has this black packaging box. It says it's quick-dry, intense color lasts all day. Printed in blue: smudge proof & water proof 24H. What I got was the black gel.

Okay so now onto the product. It has a 2-gram (i think?) pot of gel eyeliner that comes with a brush. This free brush is just superb! It's easy to control and doesn't create any stray lines when you apply the gel. The gel is creamy enough just make sure not to leave it uncovered else you'll come home seeing a hardened gel.

Now let's talk about which ones written on the packaging are true. It's not as quick-dry as what I heard how quick-dry other eyeliners are. Maybe the reason is this is gel so it doesn't dry up fast? I'm not so sure. I haven't tried wearing this all day, so I'm not sure if it lasts 24 hours. But yes, it is smudge-proof and water-proof. I use petroleum jelly to remove it. Every time I wash my face and try to remove it by rubbing my eyes with water, it just makes it more look dirty, smudgy, so the best way to remove it is use a make-up remover or a petroleum jelly, like what I do. 

Here's a couple of eye shots with this eyeliner on:

taken with flash while standing

taken without flash while lying down

So far, I'm satisfied with this product, except that I heard Maybelline tests on animals. If I'm still on a budget, I'll definitely buy this again, but I like to try the gel eyeliner from Tony Moly. Hihi.

Merry me ❤

Outfit: School Spirit

Dress: Thrifted
Bag: CMG
Shoes: S&H Loafers

True to its name, PuroMakapuno!

Have you tried eating macapuno? Did you love it? Wait, 'til you read this!

I can't remember the last time I ate macapuno before I tasted this unforgettable one two Saturdays ago after the Summit (more about it here) I attended. I received three bottles of PuroMakapuno as giveaways from the said event. When I got home, I excitedly showed my loot bag to my parents because I know they love pasalubongs. They were a little hesitant to believe that I got them for free; they thought I bought it somewhere. So after dinner, Dad opened one bottle so we can taste it. I thought they were just being their normal matakaw selves that night because they were scooping out macapuno from the bottle a number of times. Dad said, "eto ang makapuno. Puro!", and Mom totally agreed. I saw their happy devouring facial expressions so after eating dinner I tried it also. And yes, it was really yummy! It was just supposed to be a tikim, but we ate half of one bottle.

half-empty PuroMakapuno bottle :p

By the time we ended with our dessert, they were asking me how much one bottle is, but I didn't know the answer so I tried looking for the Facebook page and website. I came about their website and I learned that they are just not producing and selling this good stuff, but they are also advocates of helping provide livelihood for Filipinos. Their service offers a complete business package that includes the following:

1. Supply of embryo-cultured true-to-type PuroMakapuno seedlings good for a one-hectare farm.
2. Technical assistance in the cultural management of the plantation;
3. Technical assistance in the set-up and operation of an embryo-culture laboratory; and
4. Marketing assistance for embryo-cultured Makapuno seedlings and Makapuno preserves or “Buy-Back Agreement” for Makapuno embryos and Makapuno nuts.

Seem interested? Read more from the PhilHybrid website or send them an email at info@philhybrid.com.

I shared to my good friend, Jobs, this good news and she loved it! I'm sure you'll love PuroMakapuno, too! Show them your support here.

Merry me ❤

Outfit: Nude Red

Top: HK hand-me-downs from my Tita; katcha-like fabric

Bottom: HK hand-me-downs from my Tita

Bag: CMG

Shoes: S&H loafers

Outfit: Vintage-y

Top: mom's old blouse
Bottom: Bench overhauled jeans
Bag: thrifted
Shoes: S&H loafers
Earrings: pasalubong from a friend

A Call Against Cyber Martial Law

Today is October 2, 2012. Today is Black Tuesday Revolution. This is a call to invite everyone who wants to fight for their freedom of expression. Join this movement before it's too late.

a screen shot of Facebook profile

went around the neighborhood proudly wearing this shirt.
proud to be a netizen.

photo credits: Marki Tan

There is a need of this law, but I support the removal of provisions that are vague and unjust. I certainly agree with Sen. Guingona.

Photo credits:

What has become of our nation?


Merry not </3

Online Shopping

How many times have you tried buying online? As for me, I really cannot remember because my memory is not that good. Teehee. But I will be sharing some of my experiences when it comes to online shopping.

Since I cannot remember the first thing that I bought online, might as well share the one I recently bought. My recent buy was from a group buying site, Ensogo. I bought a beauty product called NNO -- Nourishing Night Oil. I first knew about this product on Laureen Uy's blog. I might write a separate review for this soon. At that time, NNO was giving away free trial packs, but too bad I was too late to inquire about it. So when it was available on Ensogo, I bought two packs, one for me and one for my mom. Group buying sites offer goods and services at a discounted price. I got my purchase at 51% off. Recently, some of the brands they carry already offer a delivery option, free or with charge.

I'm pretty much sure you know the drill when it comes to these group buying sites. You purchase, print your voucher, then bring it when going to the shop to claim your item or service. So far, I think the negative thing about them is having misleading promo descriptions. Sometimes, I think it's also the misunderstanding of a customer. One perfect example is the percentage of discount. The ad says 50% OFF and they're selling a Gift Certificate worth P400 that you can use to purchase an item worth P550. Technically, the 50% OFF label is correct since you bought the GC for P200 instead of P400. But if you really think of it, you did not save 50% in purchasing the item since you still have to add P150 to complete your purchase.

See, sometimes it can be really confusing. As customers, we don't want to be fooled, but if it's really your fault because we didn't cared to know all the details, then admit that it's your fault. Just charge it to experience. That's why whether you are shopping online or not, you must be really careful and read the fine prints of whatever you are buying.

Here are some of the group buying sites I'm familiar with that you might want to visit:

Ensogo PH
CashCashPinoy
MetroDeal
OkayOkay
Deal Dozen
Groupon PH
Buyanihan
SMAC Deals

You can also look for good finds in some shops on Facebook and Multiply. You just have to be careful on some bogus sellers, as I have already experienced buying from one. As a seller, I also use ebay.ph and sulit.com.ph, but I haven't really tried buying from the other sellers there.

Another popular e-commerce site is ZALORA. I bought twice from them and I personally think that their service is great. They offer free shipping, 30 days return, and they have a COD payment option (my favorite!). I really like their COD payment option since I personally don't want to use my credit card for some unplanned purchases. This is also very convenient for those shoppers who do not have debit/credit cards and making it even more convenient for those opting for over the counter payments.

A lot of brands are starting to develop their own online shops as well. Well, since everything you need is on the internet nowadays, might as well put shopping there, too. The holiday season is fast approaching and I hope these online shops will live up to the expectations of their customers, even during this elbow-rubbing season.

Here's a quick list of the pros and cons of online shopping. If you have anything in mind, let me know, too.

Pros

saves time - no lines, no traffic

saves parking fee / fare

you can do it 24/7

delivery - you can do shopping for a friend or a relative

easier to exchange item

more discount coupons

Cons

limited choices (in some online shops not everything is available)

physical presence - not able to fit the item

time - you have to wait for the item to be delivered

billing errors -

no return, no exchange - in most of the online shops

This is all about shopping, so it's Merry Me ❤

Digital Influencers Marketing Summit 2012

This is my nth blog.

I mostly right write about personal experiences and some random phrases that ends rhyming which I consider poems. I always wanted to create another "impersonal" blog so that I can write about other stuff like reviews. Every day or every other day, I always think of a name for this new blog, and I just end there, thinking. Finally, I'm two steps ahead now. Done with the thinking, deciding, and registering.

Voila!

Thus, my first entry.

--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--M--

I was expecting to learn a lot today. Yes, I know that I'm already exposed to digital marketing, but I also know that I still have a lot to learn about it. The knitty gritty part, the back bone of it. In summary, these are the highlights of what I learned today, in my own understanding.

First is SEO. All I know about SEO is usage of keywords to make your brand more searchable on the internet. See how limited my knowledge is? Today, I learned that it is not really about getting all the keywords possible and making your brand number 1 on the list when all of these keywords are used (which most of the clients would like to happen). It is about ROI, conversion, and REAL value.

Second is use Google+. I have a Google+ account but I do not open it. I learned that Google+ can be a useful for a blog. They said that the fastest way for new content to be indexed on Google is to click thath Google+button.

Third is about Advocates. Influencers vs. Advocates. It would be better if a brand builds a community of advocates than influencers. Mainly because Advocates have that brand love, and that's true love! You are sure that advocates really love your brand and they are willing to share it because they just love it, not because they're paid to do it. And what must a brand do to have advocates? Just have a very good product and service.

And to top it all, I finally got the energy to create this blog to try out writing some reviews. Thank you to dim2012 for the inspiration.

Congratulations to Ms. Janette Toral. My expectations were indeed met. To view the complete programme you may click here >> http://digitalfilipino.com/digital-influencers-marketing-summit-september-29-smx-convention-cente

Freebies from dim2012 and Hershey's pasalubong from my friend

Merry me ❤