tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47732337284308550502024-03-06T13:08:30.504+08:00N I K N O Kniknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.comBlogger409125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-10235378724131528862017-01-06T00:46:00.000+08:002017-01-06T01:12:04.434+08:00MALAPASCUA x KALANGGAMAN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kicking off 2017 with a tiny update on this blog! Been trying to finish <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02WOc1rYPRg" target="_blank">this video</a> </b>for the past 6 months (i knowwww) but I only got to finish it on the 3rd day of 2017. Don't ask why it took me that long to get this shit done. I will write a separate post for my endless list of excuses on why I have completely neglected this blog once again. Uhh didn't name it "Deadbeat" for nothing.<br />
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Anyway, finally! Check out this fun little video I made for our North Cebu trip last year!<br />
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<b>Here's a little backstory:</b><br />
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The original plan was to explore South Cebu. I booked this trip so I can go chasing waterfalls (chos), no seriously, last year, I was itching to try canyoneering in Kawasan Falls!<br />
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So I booked our flights with only one thing in mind: Imma jump off those waterfalls and cliffs and whatever high spot it is I can jump from! And nope, I didn't plan on swimming with the whale sharks in Moalboal because sea creatures, let alone humongous whales, freak the shit out of me.<br />
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So the plan was just to go canyoneering then find another island we can spend the rest of the trip in, maybe rent a motorbike and tour the place on our own, basically just chill the days away.<br />
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BUT just a week before the trip, I saw on the news that the local government has banned canyoneering activities due to the upcoming rainy season!<br />
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The good thing was I had this list of gorgeous islands to visit in Cebu and spotted Malapascua. So I decided to ditch the canyoneering plans down south so we can just go all the way up north!<br />
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Much to my surprise...I swear I didn't know and was actually super shookt when I found out, that my ultimate dream destination [at the time], Kalanggaman Island in Palompon Leyte, was just a 45-minute boat ride away from Malapascua Island!<br />
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My heart jumped for joy and I totally forgot about my botched super-extreme-could've been-adventure with the waterfalls in South Cebu! I was finally going to see Kalanggaman Island!<br />
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And that's how we ended up living up the island life for 2 days!<br />
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I must have watched the video a million times! And every replay paints a silly super happy smile on my face. I think it's because I looked so genuinely happy in the video.<br />
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Like, wow, that's probably the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. That's new. And I liked it. I aim to be that happy every freakin day of my life! And I gotta say, no matter how many people think it sucked, <b>2016 definitely brought me some of the best days of my life. </b><br />
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But enough of the drama. Below is my attempt to recall everything we did on our 4-day getaway! Too lazy right now to add the photos we took. I'll prolly do that some other time as a photodump or something.<br />
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<b>Day 1 </b></h3>
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7:00 AM - Flight to Cebu<br />
8:30 AM - Arrived at Cebu<br />
9:30 AM - Rode a bus to Maya Wharf [It's a 4-hour ride so we got to catch up on sleep]<br />
1:00 PM - Arrived at Maya Wharf<br />
1:45 PM - Finally in Malapascua<br />
2:00 PM onwards - had late lunch then went for a swim and watched the sunset!<br />
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<b>Day 2 </b></h3>
7:00 AM - Breakfast<br />
9:00 AM - Rode a boat to Kalanggaman Island!<br />
9:45-10:00 AM - Finally set foot on Kalanggaman Island with tear drops on my face cuz I was soooo fucking happy!!!!!!!!<br />
10:00 AM - 12:00 NOON - SHITLOADS OF FUN UNDER THE SUN AND IN THE CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER OF THE OCEAN!<br />
12:00 NOON - Free lunch c/o our boatmen!<br />
12:00 NN - 1:00 PM - ANOTHER SHITLOAD OF FUN UNDER THE SUN AND IN THE CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER OF THE OCEAN!<br />
1:00 PM - Kissed Kalanggaman Island goodbye, promised I'll be back someday!<br />
2:00 PM onwards - Back in Malapascua, swam some more, had a super chill candle-lit dinner by the beach, just sat on beanbags, feeling the sand on our feet, all romantic and shit.<br />
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<br /><b>Day 3 </b></h3>
5:00 AM - Woke up early to watch the sunrise! Then jumped in the ocean once again for our final dip as we leave the island at lunch!<br />
1:00 PM - We're on the bus at Maya Wharf on our way back to the city.<br />
4:00 PM - I forgot what that place was but my boyfriend had relatives there and we dropped by to visit<br />
7:00 PM - We're back in Cebu City, checked in our hotel, went out to check out their IT Park, had some Cebu lechon for dinner then went back to the hotel to get some rest before we leave the next day.<br />
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<b>Day 4 </b></h3>
5:00 AM - Up early to go check out this cathedral, the Magellan's cross, which turned out to be smaller than I expected, then dropped by a market to buy pasalubongs before heading to the airport.<br />
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12:45 NN - Flight to MNL. Delayed twice so I think we got to leave around 1:30 PM?<br />
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OK so I remember everything after all!<br />
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I can't wait to go on more trips like this and maybe try to make decent vlogs! I noticed everyone getting into vlogging these days and I wanna do it too~! Wish me luck? </div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-19895728398941999862016-07-11T10:09:00.000+08:002016-07-11T10:09:02.103+08:00My Ramen Experience at Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Japan is the first country I would love to travel to when I finally get a passport. I've said it here before how bad I wish I lived there instead. When I see pictures of places, may it be cities or even provinces, in Japan, something inside tells me that I belong there.<br />
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Have you ever felt like that about a place before? It's weird! I think it's because I was obsessed with anime as a kid? Maybe because watching Japanese cartoons was my ultimate escape back then that when I see pictures related to Japan, everything just feels weirdly familiar?<br />
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I really don't know! It's not like I'm obsessed about going Japanese - I don't even know much about their culture. In fact, I haven't even tried authentic Japanese food yet. Obviously, Tokyo Tokyo and Nissin Yakisoba don't count, right?<br />
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So one Saturday afternoon, a week after our Cebu trip, I suddenly remembered that not-so-rameny ramen I had on our first day at Malapascua island. BF and I were so hungry when we got there so the first thing we did was search for food. And for some reason, we ended up at a "<i>Japanese restaurant</i>" and I ordered their "<i>ramen</i>".<br />
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Long story short, I wasn't completely happy with my first ramen. It was filling [or I must've been really hungry so I thought it tastes okay?] and the soup was okay but I noticed that it's not how the ramen looks like on <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ramen/" target="_blank">foodies' Instagram posts</a>. </b>Haha!<br />
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Yeah, I'm heartbreakingly new to Japanese food that my only basis for judging whether a ramen is good or not is if it looks as good as those famous Instagram food posts!<br />
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So back to that Saturday afternoon, I downloaded the <b><a href="https://www.zomato.com/manila" target="_blank">Zomato</a> </b>app on my iPad and searched for a good Japanese restaurant to go to in Pasig - the city closest to my place.<br />
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And that's how we found ourselves at <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/haru.sushi.bar.and.resto" target="_blank">Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant </a></b>in Kapitolyo Pasig to get our ramen fix!<br />
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<b>THE PLACE</b></h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc8MH6yEvZTQDFh6eJBxwKKHfbL-wEPSKZZb-WcjR-WK_TLGYitNjK7Ay3cc57DfLKviBsvyuWsY1KJjYdvk-EAPVGqFnwfsLdhlpVmEczf-FSKskPyz6CfcdC8yilAtH2TwIbyGZD50/s1600/Haru+Sushi+Bar+and+Restaurant+%252832%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc8MH6yEvZTQDFh6eJBxwKKHfbL-wEPSKZZb-WcjR-WK_TLGYitNjK7Ay3cc57DfLKviBsvyuWsY1KJjYdvk-EAPVGqFnwfsLdhlpVmEczf-FSKskPyz6CfcdC8yilAtH2TwIbyGZD50/s1600/Haru+Sushi+Bar+and+Restaurant+%252832%2529.jpg" /></a><br />
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We arrived 15 minutes before 5pm and it was still closed. The parking guy told us it'll open in a bit so instead of waiting outside, we just walked around the area to search for an ATM. (You know, in case this ramen craving ends up wreaking havoc on my wallet.)</div>
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I haven't even gone inside yet but I was already loving the place's ambiance from outside! For a moment, I forgot that I can't get a passport yet *sobs* and felt like I'm in Japan already!</div>
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And boy was I pleased when the clock hit 5 and we were finally welcomed inside!</div>
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There's a sushi bar and the waitresses were dressed in kimonos and they greeted us in Japanese!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr878feCvthmNTdPli7a4nmPejJDds2SB3UdmhyphenhyphenNGY-_B7ZC0kq2xUKG6oNbeCW6ZG4i_xBdbAY7rOVJt7IHjFQz1RhutFiq88SXikEWp5xWPWwypLj7NgArWQnBVvEMnwLX6tHWgXCjc/s1600/Haru+Sushi+Bar+and+Restaurant+%252816%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr878feCvthmNTdPli7a4nmPejJDds2SB3UdmhyphenhyphenNGY-_B7ZC0kq2xUKG6oNbeCW6ZG4i_xBdbAY7rOVJt7IHjFQz1RhutFiq88SXikEWp5xWPWwypLj7NgArWQnBVvEMnwLX6tHWgXCjc/s1600/Haru+Sushi+Bar+and+Restaurant+%252816%2529.JPG" /></a><br />
There was also a small pond with fishes in it and also a tiny bridge just right beside our table!<br />
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I was thinking we'd be sitting on the floor like in most Japanese restaurants I've seen on TV but other than the chairs that aren't very Japanese-y, the entire place is filled with Japanese stuff!<br />
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The lamps outside look 10 times cuter at night!<br />
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<h2>
<b>THE FOOD</b></h2>
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Boyfriend had <b>Gomoku Ramen</b>, <span style="text-align: left;">a combination of chicken, shrimp, quid, boiled egg, straw mushroom, and vegetables.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZLDGTxhSSD5FCO5DqXq-QBTvgzrnpbxtSk8FPdB-rxNuXPEiT-JeI5zFUb86n4KD0tGb4sUZEoUBT42WIATXccADcl3Q91CazNouI7Oyw_vTGOXOdzDMAujYdCSOsWj-TwC856Ls3to/s1600/Japanese+Restaurant+Pasig+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZLDGTxhSSD5FCO5DqXq-QBTvgzrnpbxtSk8FPdB-rxNuXPEiT-JeI5zFUb86n4KD0tGb4sUZEoUBT42WIATXccADcl3Q91CazNouI7Oyw_vTGOXOdzDMAujYdCSOsWj-TwC856Ls3to/s1600/Japanese+Restaurant+Pasig+%25281%2529.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gomoku Ramen (P279)</span></td></tr>
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And I had the <b>Haru Ramen</b>, a combination of beef, mussels, shrimps, squid, young corn, mushroom, bamboo shoot, cabbage, and Japanese fish cake.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9CcXgnjNvL8sfNzZTNaRDiQaS6pknJsk1TppLJgncA5a5ZmM8Pm4hHkzWPuMpJDWi1LKfDab-rfat7K2eJ8DOCQjz9GBvhGFlBehXGqXk0YJVc2Dwu_CVINujyxJ30WERoJcj221Z2Q/s1600/Haru+Sushi+Bar+and+Restaurant+%252824%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9CcXgnjNvL8sfNzZTNaRDiQaS6pknJsk1TppLJgncA5a5ZmM8Pm4hHkzWPuMpJDWi1LKfDab-rfat7K2eJ8DOCQjz9GBvhGFlBehXGqXk0YJVc2Dwu_CVINujyxJ30WERoJcj221Z2Q/s1600/Haru+Sushi+Bar+and+Restaurant+%252824%2529.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Haru Ramen (P298)</span></td></tr>
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I kinda had a hard time choosing what to order because <a href="https://www.zomato.com/manila/haru-sushi-bar-and-restaurant-kapitolyo-pasig-city/menu" target="_blank"><b>their menu</b></a> didn't have pictures and hello I'm a ramen newbie so I was literally just eenie meenie minie moe-ing the whole thing. I ended up choosing this one because it's named after the restaurant so I assumed it's their best. Haha<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">California Maki Premium (P289)</td></tr>
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We wanted to try the other kinds of sushi but like I said, it was hard to choose from the menu that didn't come with pictures. And it's twice as hard for someone who hasn't really tried Japanese food before. So we settled for their California Maki Premium which was a little too expensive for the not-so-premium taste. Maybe we should've chosen to be seated at the sushi bar so we can easily pick our sushi. But, well, next time!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dalandan Juice (P61) and Watermelon Shake (84)</td></tr>
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We agreed to get more food after we finish our ramen but we almost didn't finish our bowls because the servings were huge and were already very filling.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
THE VERDICT</h2>
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Our tummies were very happy! Boyfriend said his Gomoku Ramen was really good and I loved my Haru Ramen as well so I have to say <b><a href="https://www.zomato.com/manila/haru-sushi-bar-and-restaurant-kapitolyo-pasig-city/reviews">the positive reviews at Zomato were righ</a>t! </b></div>
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Needless to say, it was a very satisfying "<i>first legit ramen experience</i>" for me. Well, for the price, it had to be, right? We loved our drinks too! They were perfect! Should've ordered something else instead of the California Maki though.</div>
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But all in all, the food was good! Kind of expensive so maybe next time, it'll be better to ask about their best-seller so choosing from the menu won't have to be so hard. But it's all good. We can always go back to try those we haven't yet!<br />
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So there you have it. My not-so-happy first ramen memory in an island in Cebu has been replaced by a much better one and I have Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant to thank for that. I think I should go check out more Japanese restaurants and try more Japanese food so when I finally make it to Japan, I won't feel like a complete alien!<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/haru.sushi.bar.and.resto" target="_blank">Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant</a> </b>is located at #21 West Capitol Drive, Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig City. <br />
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They are open Mondays thru Sundays from 11 AM to 2 PM and from 5:30 PM to 10 PM. If you're going on weekends, it's advisable to be there as early as 5PM so you can still get a proper parking space. <br />
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When we left that night, the small parking spot in the front was already full and there was even another car parked right in front of us, blocking our way. We saw a lot of reserved tables that afternoon and a lot of people started coming around 6PM so if you'd like to make a reservation, here is the number to call: (632) 631 0597<br />
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BTW, sorry for the bad photos. Only took them with my phone and iPod and wasn't even planning on blogging about this but since we were able to take enough photos for a blog post, I thought it'd be great to share it here!<br />
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Like I said earlier, I'd really love to explore Japanese cuisine so if you guys know some really good Japanese restaurants, please please do share them to me! Also, what other Japanese dishes do you suggest I try? And have you guys tried sushi? The raw fishies? What are your favorites? </div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com11Kapitolyo, Pasig, 1603 Metro Manila, Philippines14.569208 121.0601573999999814.55384 121.03998739999999 14.584576 121.08032739999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-25697618671505133682016-07-08T23:17:00.001+08:002016-07-09T00:14:10.331+08:00Friday's 10 Happy Things Vol.5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's hard not to be happy on a Friday like this. Especially with this weather and the weekend being tomorrow? I can't think of any valid reason to be grumpy right now! So, I'm sharing some of the little things that made me happy this week:<br />
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<b>1. My blog rising from the dead.</b> After months of completely taking it for granted, I was finally able to fix some of the links that weren't working, made a few edits on my <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/p/about-niknok.html" target="_blank">About Me page</a>, added a <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/p/get-in-touch-with-deadbeat-blogger.html" target="_blank">Contact page</a>, changed the header (again), and even managed to post decent updates.<br />
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<b>2. Got a lot of love from my previous post on</b> "<a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2016/07/perks-of-working-from-home.html" target="_blank"><i>How Working From Home Changed My Life</i></a>". Few months ago, I joined this Facebook Group for freelancers so I shared the post to them and aside from the heartwarming amount of "heart reactions" it got, they all said it was so funny and totally relatable. And because of the positive feedback....<br />
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<b>3. I'm suddenly so inspired to blog again.</b> *rolls eyes on self* I know I've said this a million times before. I know that I'm starting to sound like that guy who made you a thousand promises - and broke them, also your heart. But isn't this a normal writer behavior?<br />
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<b>4. It's been a week since I had my hair cut short and I don't regret it yet.</b> And that's new. That's actually never happened before. I've had short hair before but just a day or two after the haircut, I usually find myself drowning in regret and self-hatred. Not this time though, so that's a first.<br />
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<b>5. New The Pretty Reckless Music.</b> I've always been a huge fan of Taylor Momsen and have religiously followed her activities outside Gossip Girl. So new music from her band, The Pretty Reckless, really excites me like a cat hearing its human open a can of tuna.<br />
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<b><br /></b><b>6. HIDDLESWIFT!<a href="https://www.instagram.com/teamhiddleswift/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/teamhiddleswift/" target="_blank">And this Instagram account just for them</a>.</b> And the fact that a lot of people are fuming mad about it, praying for it to be just a publicity stunt, or a joke, or a fling, and for it to be over ASAP but LOL people. LOL. Go, Taylor! Go! Date all the men these nega netizens are drooling over and dreaming to marry someday and break all their hearts haha!<br />
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<b>7. Everything my cats do.</b> Actually, I think I'm just going to include my cats on my weekly happy lists. What, they make me happy from Monday through Friday!<br />
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<b>8.</b> <b><a href="http://thebestcatpage.com/2016/03/12/small-town-built-just-homeless-cats/" target="_blank">Reading about this town in Turkey that's devoted entirely to house stray cats.</a> </b>Stories like this make me wish that at least one those drug lords the government is hunting right now decides to bury all this money somewhere in the mountain at the back of my house and I end up finding all the moolah and then I'm gonna buy a huge land and turn it into a cat sanctuary like Samsun, Turkey.<br />
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9. <b>This trailer for Why Him?</b> Awesome cast! My kind of comedy movie! Definitely going to see this!<br />
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10. <b><a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/beau-taplin/2016/06/i-dont-need-to-be-your-whole-world-but-i-want-to-be-part-of-it/" target="_blank">THIS.</a> </b>I've been wanting to write and share about what my current relationship is like but I kind of want to keep it to myself as well. But I guess I don't have to bother anymore because <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/beau-taplin/2016/06/i-dont-need-to-be-your-whole-world-but-i-want-to-be-part-of-it/" target="_blank"><b>this Thought Catalog article </b></a>just did it for me. Every line just hits the spot. At one point while I'm reading it, I was like, wait, is the writer talking about me? About us? Everything is so on point. But this is my favorite:<br />
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Can you say the same thing about your current relationship? Or are you more into the we-need-to-be-together-24/7 and we-need-to-do-everything-together type of relationships? Read the whole article and let me know what you think!<br />
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And there goes the 10 little things that made me happy this week! Share yours too by joining<a href="http://blog.ditz-revolution.net/category/10-happy-things/" target="_blank"> Helga's blog link up, Friday's 10 Happy Things</a>! Don't forget to leave a link so we can check it out too! ♥<br />
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-17069892977221249562016-07-05T16:36:00.001+08:002016-07-05T21:40:26.043+08:00How Working From Home Changed My Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Living alone was my ultimate dream so when I moved to my house two years ago, all I wanted was to stay at home 24/7 and leave only when I wanted to. But I had an office job at the time and it made leaving the house every night feel like torture.<br />
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For a year, my house was basically just a place I sleep, take a bath, and get dressed in everyday because 15-16 hours of my daily life were spent in the office and on the road on my commute to work and back home. The remaining hours were for sleeping to regain enough energy to go to work when I wake up.<br />
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It was a sick cycle of sleeping at day, waking up in the afternoon, working at night, and going home the next morning. I would wake up everyday wishing I didn't have to leave the house ever again.<br />
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I was a mess, dragging myself to work every night because I thought it's the only choice I had. But it didn't take me long to realize and admit to myself that the cycle wasn't healthy for me anymore. I did like my job but I knew I had to get the fuck out of it.<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/05/on-why-i-quit-my-job-even-if-i-had.html" target="_blank">So I did something reckless.</a><br /><br />I quit my job and started working from home.</i></b></div>
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It's been more than a year now since I took that jump and I'm happy to say that I have never, for a second, regret my decision. I actually consider it the best decision I've ever made in my life so far. And as of this writing, I don't see myself going back to working a corporate job in an office ever again. Not in the next 5 years. Not in the next 10 years. Not ever!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Change</b> definitely came a year early for me.</span></div>
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And I've been wanting to share about it here for a long time but I thought 5-6 months of being homebased might be a little too early for me to start talking/writing about it. But since it's been more than a year now, I feel like I've already seen enough of my new life to finally be able to share my thoughts about it. So yay!<br />
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And since <i>CHANGE</i> is such a popular word these days, I thought I'd share with you how this huge change of career path I took last year changed my life in ways I could never have imagined.<br />
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Zero pressure to dress up and look good everyday!</h2>
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I believe that we should always dress like we're going to see your worst enemy. So one struggle I had to deal with on a daily basis when I had an office job was choosing my #OOTD (Outfit of The Day). You know, the typical I-have-so-many-clothes-but-I-have-nothing-to-wear dilemma? If choosing clothes already take me almost an hour, I can just imagine how much time make-up addicts spend on their face everyday before going out!<br />
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Now that I'm working from home, I can look like crap and still perform my daily duties at work.<br />
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Bad hair day? No problemo!<br />
Too lazy to shower? I can do that tomorrow!<br />
Not feeling pretty? Only my cats will judge me!<br />
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I literally work in my pajamas or my tattered rug-like clothes. I no longer get stressed about wearing dilapidated pants that are usually not allowed in offices because now, I don't even need to worry about wearing pants at all.<br />
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If you've ever wished you were a stripper so you wouldn't have to wear pants or bra to work, get a homebased job instead. It's pretty much the same thing. No dancing, pole climbing, or floor rolling skills required!<br />
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Traffic is no longer a part of my daily routine.</h2>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCzhtrlOM3W/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">#homeoffice #selfie 😻😍 hay sana hindi matraffic mamaya after ng shift ko hahahahah</a></div>
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A photo posted by Dominique B. (@niknokniknok) on <time datetime="2016-03-11T07:54:54+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 10, 2016 at 11:54pm PST</time></div>
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Today I confess that this is something I've been wanting so bad to gloat about for so long but I've been trying so hard not to because 99.9% of my friends and family (boyfriend included) are working at offices, going through hellish traffic everyday, and I just didn't want to be that asshole that rubs in it their face how miserable it is to be to stuck in traffic or have to walk the train rails because MRT stopped working again.<br />
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But today is the day I'm gonna be that asshole so, excuse me: I DON'T GET STUCK IN TRAFFIC ANYMORE! I don't even know what traffic is anymore. Wait, let me Google it.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I could go on and on with the gloating but for the sake of not offending people (</span>because I have actually grown into a more mature and sensitive person now), <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">just literally deleted an entire paragraph I wrote earlier about how lucky I am for not having to put up with Manila traffic anymore. Haha!</span><br />
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One of the main reasons why I quit my corporate job last year was that I wanted so bad to quit the night shift life. I've worked night shift for only 2 years but it was the worst part of that sick cycle I was dying to break.<br />
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There are people who have been at it for decades already, have gotten used to the schedule and lifestyle, and are surprisingly still alive until today (lol), but none of the <i>job perks </i>worked on me. I may have liked the job and <u>some</u> of the people in it but I also wanted to sleep at night again so I had to say bye. </div>
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Now, I don't only get to sleep at night, I also don't need to set an alarm for the next day. My shift starts at 9:00 AM so even if I stay up late the night before, I can still get a complete an 8-hour sleep as long as I hit the sack by midnight.<br />
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The only reason I could think of for seting an alarm these days is when I have an early flight to catch and it's not like I travel all the time so it's basically a once in a blue moon thing to me now.<br />
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The house rules are now mine to make [and break]. </h2>
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If you have worked at a BPO company before, I'm sure you know what it's like to be a robot inside the office. Sit properly, don't tilt your head down (cuz it looks like you're sleeping), don't gossip with your seatmate, don't bring food on your desk, don't chat over Skype or Hangouts about non-work-related stuff. The CCTV is watching and every wrong move gets you a memo.<br />
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Not that I have issues following authority, I do I know that rules are rules and I'm fine with the valid ones but the ones I mentioned above are just *some* of the most ridiculous rules I've ever had to put up with just to keep a job. And I find it ridiculous that your stay in a company will be determined by how good you are at being a robot (AKA following stupid rules) and not by how good you really are at what you do.<br />
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At my home office, none of those stupid rules apply. And you know what? I get to learn discipline anyway. I can do anything I want but I also know when it's time to focus on work so I can get shit done. I've become much more disciplined than I ever was when I had an office job.</div>
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<b><br />Less humans, more cats!</b></h2>
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Out of all the many perks of being homebased, this is definitely my favorite. Human interaction is optional - physical ones, at least. I do talk to my workmates and my bosses but only through Skype or Slack and it's all purely work-related and it works <strike>well</strike> great for me!<br />
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Back when I was still working at offices, I would always ask myself why do I even need to interact/coexist with *insignificant people in the office I don't even like* in the first place? Can't I just come to work, laugh with my friends, do my job, get shit done, go home, then get paid at the end of the month?<br />
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Now, the only people I want and choose to see and talk to are my family and my boyfriend, so they're basically the only people I've talked to for the past 14+ months. The only officemates I have at home on weekdays/work days are my cats and they're awesome at keeping me free from the stress of my sometimes heavy work load. What other kinds of interactions could I possibly need?<br />
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The heavens have obviously showered me with answers to my prayers. I am (forgive me for this) #BLESSED.<br />
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I get to do better things with my time.</h2>
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I became more productive because I get to use every minute of my day doing things I actually like. Back then, sitting for hours inside a jeep or van or FX on my to way to work depresses the crap out of me. Everyday, I would think of all the things I could've been doing if I hadn't been wasting 4-5, even 6 fucking hours on the road. Six hours could have been 6 episodes of Orphan Black already!<br />
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Now, the hours I used to waste on choosing what to wear for the day and sitting on heavy traffic on my commute to and from work are now spent in doing other things I love/need to do:</div>
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<li>DIY projects</li>
<li>Running my online shop</li>
<li>Playing with my pets</li>
<li>Writing</li>
<li>Reading books</li>
<li>Exercising</li>
<li>Watching TV, movies, and series</li>
<li>Sleeping</li>
<li>Doing household chores</li>
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Well, I'd choose being productive at home than spending 6 hours on the road any damn day.<br />
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I can travel anytime, for however long!</h2>
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As long as the budget allows of course. No more fighting for vacation leaves. No more feeling bad about family trips I can't join cause I've ran out of vacation leave at work. When I get invited for an out of town trip, and I have the budget, I don't even have to think twice about my availability anymore. I can leave whenever I want because I can take work with me wherever I go!<br />
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I look and feel healthier.</h2>
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As if I don't already see it in the mirror, I have a weighing scale and a pile of 24-inch-waisted pants and shorts that no longer fit to prove it.<br />
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My folks have been complimenting me about gaining weight. For years, they've been telling me to EAT and now they finally got what they want. (huhu) As much as I hate it, my chubby cheeks have made a comeback.<br />
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My usually bad skin also looks and feels better now. All thanks to the unlimited access to my bed and the fridge and zero exposure to sun and pollution! After years of being sleep-deprived, I am now literally at a place where I can take all the rest I <strike>need </strike>deserve.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1">I became a better "furparent".</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGJ51nHF_1Xves2r1D1F85FGrLhHNmabkCrp-5hyphenhyphen-6ZHC4zgbo1vDTGpT9t5iHlj58P-LEA_2AIM1pj22rUggKbc2vlN-hL_vA9lrXngT16tD25ITpC2qd094SJ9x-c160QeNiGQ3f5k/s1600/working+from+home+with+cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGJ51nHF_1Xves2r1D1F85FGrLhHNmabkCrp-5hyphenhyphen-6ZHC4zgbo1vDTGpT9t5iHlj58P-LEA_2AIM1pj22rUggKbc2vlN-hL_vA9lrXngT16tD25ITpC2qd094SJ9x-c160QeNiGQ3f5k/s1600/working+from+home+with+cats.jpg" /></a></center>
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Compared to when I was always away for work, my cats definitely seem healthier and happier now that I'm always around. When I had an office job, 2 of my cats died because they got sick and I didn't even notice --- and when I did, it was already too late. I also had 3 other cats that went missing and didn't make it back home and I wasn't able to look for them because I had to go to work.<br />
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<span class="s1"><br /></span> <span class="s1">I cried a river for each of those cats I failed and have taken for granted. I</span>t may seem exaggerated to some people but I still blame myself until now for what happened to my cats that didn't make it. I feel like none of those bad things would've happened if I was actually around, if I had only been really there for them. :(</div>
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<span class="s1"><br />
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But for the past year I've been working from home, none of my remaining cats got severely sick and died. The moment I notice something wrong, they are taken to the vet right away. I was also able to get all my female cats spayed and my male cats neutered. And I was even able to adopt a dog! Now, we're big happy family of 1 cute human, 10 cute cats, and 1 cute dog!</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<br />I have saved up for the rainy days.</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTXwVQiud9wT6w91QqjnJH93JOXGZsDt9jlt9dpAmwOHriaWop8cGMYkH1fBd9p7AqRl6JzrEXgtY3W8z1IVrPUAyDysSfDkT2X8gZAltz8cdkkhm6Eiuj_hlFMApKZnqWGvZ5heD_UI/s1600/DIY_fairy_lights_tumblr_inspired.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTXwVQiud9wT6w91QqjnJH93JOXGZsDt9jlt9dpAmwOHriaWop8cGMYkH1fBd9p7AqRl6JzrEXgtY3W8z1IVrPUAyDysSfDkT2X8gZAltz8cdkkhm6Eiuj_hlFMApKZnqWGvZ5heD_UI/s1600/DIY_fairy_lights_tumblr_inspired.jpg" /></a> </center>
The most shocking /heartbreaking thing I realized in the past 14 months I've been home-based was that I worked corporate jobs for more than 8 years and was not able to save even just a small amount of money. Nothing. Nada.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's my bad spending habits? Maybe I have not been very wise with my money? Maybe it's the huge amout of deductions from my salary? I don't know. All I know is back then, I was always broke. LOL<br />
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I'm not saying I'm filthy rich now but I've stacked chips for the rainy days so I guess I'm gonna be okay. I don't have a health card so it's important that I can send myself to the hospital when I get sick and will need to go see a doctor and buy meds. And when I die, I'll have enough to fund my cats and dog's necessities until they find new loving homes. I'll have that secured on my last will and testament by the way.<br />
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I feel safer.</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5i8Scr5PmooBk4OrnjePYNzw-9fuy4GE8ZO_3OU-SVfl2BuhphRpQiVLDpWrfJgxeoqDlmDb1NOPoXHHFQxjOUfo9qTf2T14vToQi0YZjymW17J9lXKTSZ4aU3X-1P5ZqdaQt-7fS2g/s1600/11875522_127709397590456_17062515_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5i8Scr5PmooBk4OrnjePYNzw-9fuy4GE8ZO_3OU-SVfl2BuhphRpQiVLDpWrfJgxeoqDlmDb1NOPoXHHFQxjOUfo9qTf2T14vToQi0YZjymW17J9lXKTSZ4aU3X-1P5ZqdaQt-7fS2g/s1600/11875522_127709397590456_17062515_n.jpg" /></a></center>
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<br />
Because I don't go out at night for work anymore, my fears of getting robbed, kidnapped, raped, murdered, and dumped in a ditch are gone. Ahh yes, I am done carrying a boxcutter and other sharp objects as deadly weapons in my bag because I'm paranoid that someone would always try to harass me because I'm cute and I don't look like someone who would pull a cutter out her bag to slash a mother#$%^& in the throat when she feels threatened.<br />
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Come heavy rain or storm, I am safe and sound and warm and dry at home.<br />
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And last but not the least...<br />
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I got to have my own home office...</h2>
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</h3>
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</h4>
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<center>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNISZ0IctU1sa1H43FgfV2HfHVuVVJAMYpEm235QHGb-qpJnqXHO-H_L9tiBtGCyPjG19y2wO3cBZmPb_pvD5d0zX-IF6_6tZJMW-GgYieI5_JcFpUt0qn7X_7G_36eZDN63B3XD2fkQ/s1600/home_office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNISZ0IctU1sa1H43FgfV2HfHVuVVJAMYpEm235QHGb-qpJnqXHO-H_L9tiBtGCyPjG19y2wO3cBZmPb_pvD5d0zX-IF6_6tZJMW-GgYieI5_JcFpUt0qn7X_7G_36eZDN63B3XD2fkQ/s1600/home_office.jpg" /></a><br />...which is obviously a dream come true for this kid:</center>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLKbgHkOc-C_4FUMCNdxpS5ZsKgMLRNg7ggI-pzeIutlRAsE8y6hhjlut9YREQ-Ndm_bCW7gEGFTcj4yKrpQDRvpk_K8ACoviplHIvisAevS4gmlAZUyp5HBucxdGkyZLV1sXE-znhqE/s1600/dominique_baniqued.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLKbgHkOc-C_4FUMCNdxpS5ZsKgMLRNg7ggI-pzeIutlRAsE8y6hhjlut9YREQ-Ndm_bCW7gEGFTcj4yKrpQDRvpk_K8ACoviplHIvisAevS4gmlAZUyp5HBucxdGkyZLV1sXE-znhqE/s1600/dominique_baniqued.jpg" /></a> </span></center>
<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></div>
I know I make it sound like I have the perfect job and that it's better than everybody else's but that's because it is - <u style="text-align: -webkit-center;">FOR ME</u><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">. So don't get me wrong. While I do see it as the </span><i style="text-align: -webkit-center;">perfect</i><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> set-up and definitely </span><i style="text-align: -webkit-center;">better</i><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> than everybody else's, I know this kind of work isn't for everybody.</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Are you someone who loves to look good and dress up and go out everyday?</li>
<li>Are you someone who can't survive a day without human interaction?</li>
<li>Does the mere thought of staying at home 24/7 drive you crazy?</li>
<li>Do you always feel the need to socialize and be with friends?</li>
</ul>
<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">If you're someone whose social life is a non-negotiable, then I don't think a home-based job is something you'd enjoy for a long period of time. Maybe for a month or two, but definitely not for more than a year. Obviously, if your line of work requires your physical presence, this isn't for you as well.</span><br />
<br style="text-align: -webkit-center;" />
<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">As for me, being homebased works great because I don't get easily bored with things other people normally find boring. After all, what's boring for one person may not be boring at all for someone else. Some people get bored when they're home alone, I get bored in a crowd, surrounded by strangers. Some people can't stand working in silence, I can't stand loud people anywhere, period.</span><br />
<br style="text-align: -webkit-center;" />
<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">I can't say it's because I'm an "</span><i style="text-align: -webkit-center;">anti-social</i><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">" "</span><i style="text-align: -webkit-center;">introvert</i><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">". Not trying to be a special snowflake here, okay? I do like hanging out with friends but everyday social activities and human interaction are things I don't mind living without if it means getting myself in comfortable set-up where I can be more productive and of course, healthier physically, psychologically, and emotionally.</span><br />
<br style="text-align: -webkit-center;" />
<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">I admit, taking the big leap last year scared me. If I fucked it up, I'd be jobless and broke and might even lose my house. I had a lot of doubts when I was starting out. There were hard times that made me question myself: <i>WTF am I doing? How long am I gonna be able to keep this going? </i>I had so many what ifs. I was so scared I'd end up regretting it.</span><br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">But I wanted this life so bad so I worked extra hard to sustain it. (NOT EASY)</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><br />I wanted this life so bad so I willingly embraced all the changes that came with it.</span></h4>
<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">And now that I have it, I promise to be even more welcoming to change. I promise to keep kicking self-doubt hard in the balls everytime it creeps in to throw me off track. I promise to keep rolling with the punches. And I promise to never waste another minute of my life again because now, I'm going to make every split second of it count.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7iyV4kJr-nt7fx4WCXntEc9-g6sjEcrjRhchFaUF_R4ds5FZcc6A20p2FRZmDzw_AjSMl22aB-h4OngC6GXoyVNnnYTPFRBiyJ4xHBVRV8eWrBgg800G6pYuXrOddinh4q9QatOQhes/s1600/your+life+does+not+get+better+by+chance+jim+rohn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7iyV4kJr-nt7fx4WCXntEc9-g6sjEcrjRhchFaUF_R4ds5FZcc6A20p2FRZmDzw_AjSMl22aB-h4OngC6GXoyVNnnYTPFRBiyJ4xHBVRV8eWrBgg800G6pYuXrOddinh4q9QatOQhes/s1600/your+life+does+not+get+better+by+chance+jim+rohn.jpg" /></a></div>
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How about you guys? Is working from home something you'd be willing to try if given a chance? And if you did give it a try, do you think you're going to enjoy it as well? Let me know what you think!</div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-83290540798453302532016-06-30T22:21:00.001+08:002016-06-30T22:33:20.965+08:00Life Lately Vol. II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzg4VUH-X42viM7T8vxv4LCtVhDNhXVyFxIqItT7VztxFqWN3OzFaC8opXUg9HISKZ5O9RtndjJYjWPAY8FFNsT7B47TUh_WBVjBqM7F7XEQodsr9XcnLDtI_l7vVotaplNK0Hdv0gUU/s1600/Life_lately_dominique_baniqued.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzg4VUH-X42viM7T8vxv4LCtVhDNhXVyFxIqItT7VztxFqWN3OzFaC8opXUg9HISKZ5O9RtndjJYjWPAY8FFNsT7B47TUh_WBVjBqM7F7XEQodsr9XcnLDtI_l7vVotaplNK0Hdv0gUU/s1600/Life_lately_dominique_baniqued.jpg" /></a></div>
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Let me tell you a secret. I'm only blogging here today because I remembered one of my tweets from the first week of June and it said:<br />
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I don't want to be the person who has only 1 post on her blog for the entire month anymore. Save me!</div>
— DMNQ (@superniknok) <a href="https://twitter.com/superniknok/status/740801678186778624">June 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Well, now I have 2 updates for the month of June and two is better than one!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESz8xczIYkz1qvjBJ2QjlYFMGBg9AKoScTSwzASYdxQqH5FhDfapXWZ88PMnbIavFjRX7oRoTsgW9yfhFmOYlJNP6aNT3nfTfppOjJYJVKXzL8vlyMozp2OOUSAK6fInrVlVKR06rUVE/s1600/jennifer_lawrence_yeah.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESz8xczIYkz1qvjBJ2QjlYFMGBg9AKoScTSwzASYdxQqH5FhDfapXWZ88PMnbIavFjRX7oRoTsgW9yfhFmOYlJNP6aNT3nfTfppOjJYJVKXzL8vlyMozp2OOUSAK6fInrVlVKR06rUVE/s320/jennifer_lawrence_yeah.gif" width="320" /></a></center>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
So, what's up?</h3>
The sky? God, I hate answering that question. It's July tomorrow and I'm just here wondering how did we get here so fast? Where did all those 6 months go?<br />
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It's hard to keep track but I tried my best so here's a list of the things that's kept me busy for the first half of 2016:<br />
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<h2>
WORK</h2>
90% of the reason why I couldn't find time to update this blog is work. If you're a freelancer like me, you'll understand why we we're so "addicted" to work. But I guess "inspired" is a better word for it. I have actually drafted a blog post about the things I love about my job but it's been on my drafts folder since forever.<br />
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So yeah, I've been busy as hell! But it's the fun kind of busy. Have you ever been so busy but you actually loved it? That's exactly what's been up with me. I don't hate it at all! It was a choice I happily made because the more I work, the more funds I collect for the 2nd reason why I haven't been blogging...<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
TRAVELS (?)</h2>
Not that I've been jetsetting for the past 6 months, no big-time destinations whatsoever. I've just been out a lot (on weekends) lately. Two weeks ago, I was in Cebu with the boyfriend. A few weeks before that, we were in Tagaytay, a few more weeks back, we were in Bataan, and then Pangasinan, and then Isabela....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLr3PDUTqUS7TX6hqY1cB37mzghwlx5PbmVB44JWlzGaORvhW7vq2CWo5u65luyxyhGg7uuT3ffQNrrz7QEpvbjBAvStDjOP-jKgptPnxSbtK5cpStm1VfYwudMB3vrxTKbNX2bssRHA4/s1600/deadbeat_blogger_dominique_baniqued.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLr3PDUTqUS7TX6hqY1cB37mzghwlx5PbmVB44JWlzGaORvhW7vq2CWo5u65luyxyhGg7uuT3ffQNrrz7QEpvbjBAvStDjOP-jKgptPnxSbtK5cpStm1VfYwudMB3vrxTKbNX2bssRHA4/s1600/deadbeat_blogger_dominique_baniqued.jpg" /></a></div>
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And it's not even because I have a "<i>wanderlust</i>" to satisfy. I just like going out to de-stress after weeks of being locked up and focused at work, but I always look forward to coming home. Travel is not something I crave for on a regular basis. It's fun but can sometimes be very exhausting for someone who considers her alone time sacred.<br />
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In fact, traveling with me will always involve dealing with my anxiety that's mainly caused by not knowing what's happening back at home - with my cats and dog. I always feel like something bad is going to happen while I'm gone. I hire one cousin to feed them everyday when I travel but I get panic attacks when I'm miles away and couldn't get updates on how my pets at home are doing. I try my best to control it so I still get to enjoy the places I go to but it's serious and it's not funny.<br />
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This is why I prefer my travels to be very well thought out and planned (big big NO to those last-minute out-on-a-whim trips anymore) because I have important things and four-legged creatures to secure at home. It's not being KJ or being OA. It's called (repeat after me) RES-PON-SI-BI-LI-TY.<br />
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<h2>
BUSINESS</h2>
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Did you know that I have an online shop? I've actually been into online business since college. I started out by selling my slightly used clothes I didn't need anymore and then I went into serious business in 2007 by selling hand-made accessories, reselling swimwear, and even designing store layouts/templates for other online store owners. Ah, my Multiply.com days! I even quit my first job just to be able to focus on my business because I was already earning better from it. LOL </div>
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But that was a long time ago and it's one of the things I've missed so much and have been working on lately - <b>to get back to business. </b>And I did that by starting off exactly the way I started 10 years ago, but now, using better, more modern platforms. Chos! (I still miss Multiply though.)<br />
<br />
Check out my shop, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lovechildvintage/"><b>Lovechild Vintage</b></a>, on Instagram!<br />
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BTW, I'm celebrating today because <b>Lovechild Vintage</b> <b>just reached 7,000 followers on IG last night! </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9unzbDzMm0guLyOhGyB63KOy0lqB89WW72L_SJA4VpeKEOakGAokdcA7nPPabPYGgJ1ff4zxiq-JxrPn3PeKV-m4QaFPDYDE_f_FJf1Hor0a-4-z2Ms500saDDx5jUEMml2_KxYVRRk/s1600/online_shops_manila.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9unzbDzMm0guLyOhGyB63KOy0lqB89WW72L_SJA4VpeKEOakGAokdcA7nPPabPYGgJ1ff4zxiq-JxrPn3PeKV-m4QaFPDYDE_f_FJf1Hor0a-4-z2Ms500saDDx5jUEMml2_KxYVRRk/s400/online_shops_manila.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h2>
PERSONAL STUFF</h2>
My life has been drama-free. It's been, actually, for the past 3 years already. So I can finally say I'm out of the woods now. In fact, the first half of this year has been really awesome for me.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBxFkfUOM1P/" target="_blank">I turned another year older last February and got the best gift I could ever ask for. </a></b>I finally got the court decision <u>granting </u>my petition for change of surname and correction of gender on my birth certificate that was filed 5 years ago. That decision means a lot of great things for me. <b>A legit identity </b>is one of them and a chance to finally get a passport and travel abroad is another!</li>
<li><b>The fengshui forecasts back in January said I'm going to be lucky this year</b> and they all seem to be true so far because work's been continuous, I'm not running out of work and that's a good thing because I get to pay the bills and feed my pets, fund my<b> </b>travels, and buy shit I wanna buy. That's also why I'm really more focused on work and thinking of a bigger business venture I can try this year. Strike while the iron is hot!</li>
<li><b>My cousin, who I literally grew up with and is basically my sister from another mother, got engaged this week!</b> It's not even supposed to be surprising to me anymore because they've been planning to get married already but I just couldn't contain my happiness when she told me about it the other night. Her happiness made me so happy to the point of tears. I'm just so thankful that God keeps blessing her! I'm a proud Ate...and soon-to-be bridesmaid!</li>
<li><b>Did a lot of fur-mommy duties.</b> Had two of my male cats neutered and I have 2 more scheduled to get fixed soon. My dog was hospitalized for almost a week last month for Parvo so we're completing his vaccinations so he won't get sick like that again. I work hard on being a good furmom to my pets because the amount of stress they are freeing me of is something I will forever thank them for!</li>
<li><b>CHANGE. </b>Obviously, it has come. For this blog, at least! (I know another "change" who took his oath of office today. But politics is strictly prohibited in this blog so I'mma STFU now)<br /><br />As you can see, I've changed the blog's header and layout. It [blog] also finally has a name now. From "<i>a blah blah blog</i>" last year (for lack of creativity) to "<b>DEADBEAT</b>" because that's pretty much what I am at everything. I'll explain someday! <br /><br />Stuff I have drafted, therefore, something to watch out for at Deadbeat:</li>
<ul>
<li>The things I love about working from home! (It's been a year and 2 months now!)</li>
<li>A travel guide to Malapascua Island in Cebu</li>
<li>A travel guide to Kalanggaman Island in Leyte</li>
<li>My Cebu vlog</li>
<li>Lots of other backlog travel posts</li>
<li>Probably a few more food blogs (I'm trying)</li>
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Well, look at that. I did great for someone who just blogged today for the mere sake of adding another post for June, right? What can I say, <b><a href="https://twitter.com/superniknok/status/748147334286979072" target="_blank">change looks good on me.</a> </b></div>
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-89025208436406210332016-06-04T13:55:00.000+08:002016-06-04T18:35:34.373+08:00Anniversary Weekend Getaway at Tagaytay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Not being a huge fan of counting has become my go-to alibi everytime I forget about that "special" day of the month - <b><i>monthsary</i></b>. And by everytime I mean ALWAYS. I'm notorious at forgetting important things not to mention hearing "Happy Monthsary" always makes me cringe. Who the hell coined that stupid word anyway?<br />
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I'm just lucky I'm in a relationship where not [always] remembering a special date isn't that big of deal. I've seen girls start a war when their boyfriends forgot to text them at midnight of their monthsary. Thanks to the real-life drama shows I get to watch on my Facebook timeline for free! I get it though, but it's just not my kind of crazy.<br />
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That's why it doesn't bother me at all when my boyfriend forgets because I honestly forget about it all the time myself. Besides, isn't losing count of how long you've been together supposed to be a good thing? Being dumb at Math has its perks y'all.<br />
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So, armed with a calculator, I did a little Math last Saturday and found out that boyfriend and I have been together for 48 months already! That's four years in total! So what's a better way to celebrate 4 years of being together than by running away with your guy for a weekend in Tagaytay doing cheesy couple things?<br />
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<b>WHERE WE STAYED</b><br />
<b><br /><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Hotel_Review-g317121-d1201917-Reviews-MC_Mountain_Home_Apartelle-Tagaytay_Cavite_Province_Calabarzon_Region_Luzon.html" target="_blank">MC Mountain Apartelle</a> </b>We got a sweet deal (from Metrodeal) to stay overnight for 1,399 pesos instead of 2,800 (free breakfast included). I loved the place and the staff were all so nice and accommodating and they were all always smiling at people so I had to do a lot of smiling as well because I'm nice. LOL.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gorgeous view from our room!</td></tr>
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We got a great view of the gorgeous sunset from out Sunset View Room which had a little problem with the lock in its sliding door when we got there but the staff went to fix it ASAP (I'm telling you, they are awesome.) You'll see more of the place when you watch my vlog included in this post.<br />
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<b>WHERE WE ATE </b><br />
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<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Restaurant_Review-g317121-d8016823-Reviews-Green_Ats_Restaurant-Tagaytay_Cavite_Province_Calabarzon_Region_Luzon.html" target="_blank"><b>Green Ats </b>-</a> We had bulalo for lunch and even if we were both starving and the food was so good, we didn't finish the whole huge serving for two because we were already so full! </div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BoB.Cafe.and.Restaurant.Inc/" target="_blank">Bag of Beans</a></b> - We passed by a Bag of Beans branch on our way to buy water and some snacks in the afternoon and thought of checking it out because I've seen a lot of blogs about the place but was too lazy to actually read about it which turned out to be a good thing because we were so surprised at what we found!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Ugh! Such a pretty place! Every corner is Instagram worthy!</span></div>
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There were a lot of BoBs there though so I don't know which one it is we went to. Sorry if I'm not being very helpful! Haha!<br />
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And since it was still around half past three and I was still full, I only had frappe and a slice blueberry cheesecake while boyfriend pigged out on a full very special tapa meal.<br />
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<b>TOP 3 THINGS TO DO</b><br />
- Sightseeing</div>
- People watching<br />
- NOTHING!<br />
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But that was just our own customized list of course because our entire weekend was literally spent just driving around, eating, sleeping, and watching movies inside our room and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.<br />
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Here, I caught it all on video:<br />
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Sure, there are a lot of cool places to check out in Tagaytay and we did go to the famous Picnic Grove and Sky Ranch but we didn't bother with the activities anymore because I just thought it won't be wise to spend on things that have far better versions somewhere else. Haha!</div>
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Like for example the ziplines? To me, they looked more like high-tech versions of the clothesline from my childhood backyard. I've always wanted to try ziplining but I want it to scare the living shit out of me and those in Tagaytay didn't look scary at all.<br />
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But even if we basically just bummed the weekend away and wandered around and got lost a little because of my dysfunctional relationship with Waze and Google Maps, I had so much fun and I'm anxious excited to go on more trips like this!<br />
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PS: Let me know what you think about my 2nd vlog! </div>
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-67328175433025883482016-05-20T16:16:00.002+08:002016-05-20T16:16:18.552+08:00Sudden Sundate: The Pililla Wind Farm + My 1st Vlog!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One Sunday morning, I was surprised the boyfriend showed up outside my house in a car when I have told him many times the day before never to drive alone because I'm worried he's not that good at it yet. I'm not the "World's Most Supportive Girlfriend" ok. But he made it to my place alone so I thought maybe he can really do this whole driving thing, you know?<br />
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So instead of getting mad, I just had him drive me to the vet to visit my dog Gogi who was confined because of Parvo [he's okay now ^_^]. And so I can also watch him drive and yell at him when I'm starting to see my life flash before me.<br />
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Well, it wasn't bad at all. For someone like me who can't drive and whose only basis for saying so is that I didn't die, I'd say he's a good driver.<br />
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So after checking on Gogi at the vet, we headed to Antipolo and had the car blessed at the Antipolo Cathedral. <br />
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We didn't have anything planned for the day actually, no movie we'd like to watch or whatever. He just wanted to drive and I just wanted to be with him while he drives. Awwww. <br />
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That's how we ended up at the Wind Farm in Pililla, Rizal since it's kind of near where I live, 30-45 minutes from my house I guess?<br />
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I took random videos of him driving on our "first road trip ever" and thought Hey! I should make a vlog! So here it is:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0JetdSZmfXk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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I'm not even sure if this should be called a "travel vlog"?! I guess it's more like a my-boyfriend-got-a-new-car-and-we-decided-to-take-it-out-for-a-long-drive-vlog. It just so happened that the Pililla Wind Farm was in the area so we thought we'd drop by and check them windmills out.<br />
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There is actually a coffee shop there but we didn't even bother going down the steep and slippery hill to check it out anymore. I think we stayed there for like 30 minutes then hit the road again so we can go back home before the sun sets.<br />
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I have yet to come up with a title or hashtag for the travel videos I'll be making soon *picture my excited face right now* so please bear with this one for now. I've been watching a lot of travel vlogs lately and got really inspired to make more myself so I promise to do better next time, take better shots, maybe get a better camera, wear better clothes(?), and basically not look as shittty and busabos as I looked in this video.<br />
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Anything else you'd like to share to me when it comes to making travel vlogs? I'd love to get more tips and ideas so please do share them in the comments!<br /><br />PS. I'm so happy to be back! :)</div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-60185855476732783002016-01-31T23:55:00.000+08:002016-02-01T02:14:04.876+08:00The Sunday Currently Vol. 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Can you believe I'm blogging right now? Neither can I! And just like the bajillion times I've risen from my temporary online deaths, I have no freakin idea where to start right now. But I'm gonna give it a try anyway so, here's a quick recap of what I've been up to the past few months I was MIA.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-WvPKYOMzI/" target="_blank">I attended the Bloggys 2015 </a></b>but we left early and went shopping instead. My day was already complete anyway when I saw girlcrush Dominique Tiu of <a href="http://konichiwear.com/">Konichiwear.com</a> at SM Aura that day.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-k-9isOM7O/" target="_blank"><b>I went to Baguio with boyfriend</b> </a>last November and had soooo much fun wearing layers of jackets and sweaters and tights and platform boots and walking around the city pretending we're not in PH! I pray for the day I get a free time to upload all the photos we took from that trip so I can talk more about it here.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BA3WcfuuM0v/" target="_blank">I got a dog!</a> </b>He's an aspin named Gogi and he's a total cutie! Although I can't say they love him, my cats haven't tried to kill him yet so I guess they've made peace with the fact that they will be living with a dog from now on.<br />
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<b>Spent Christmas at my hometown</b> (Isabela) because I missed it last year<br />
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<b>Was in Boracay two weeks ago </b>for a work-related party/meeting. It was the very first time <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAtul18OM5M/" target="_blank">I met my bosses, who flew all the way from Australia,</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BA9dU7jOM40/" target="_blank">workmates from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao! </a> Super awesome and funny experience and I'm definitely going to share about it soon!<br />
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<b>I GOT FAT. </b>Trust me, you don't want to hear/read my "<i>I got fat</i>" rants. It's pathetic so I keep things like this to myself.<br />
<b><br /></b> I really wish I could write more about all of my adventures and misadventures at the last quarter of 2015 but "busy" is a total understatement of how crazy fucking hectic my schedule was during those days!<br />
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Remember when I said I would shop for Christmas gifts as early as October? I completed my gift shopping list just a few days before Christmas. And you know what I asked Santa for Christmas? Additional 10 hours a day, 5 more sets of hands and feet, and had it not been too much to ask, at least 3 clones of myself.<br />
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So there, I guess that gives you an idea why I never got to squeeze in an hour or even a minute just to drop by my little blog and write shit down like a "Hello!" or a "Hi!" if "Hello!" takes too long to type. I didn't even get to greet those 1-2 people who read my blog a Merry Christmas. Horrible blogger is what I am.<br />
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Anyway, since I'm too lazy to think of a clever segway...<br />
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<b>READING</b><br />
And rereading this post and wondering if I'm making any sense here but then again, even if I'm not, I'm publishing this crappy comeback anyway.<br />
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<b>LISTENING/WATCHING</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8o4Zj98FeX4" width="560"></iframe> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L-4ZrOk1Tc" target="_blank">Hello Bitches by CL (of 2NE1)</a>. Believe me when I say I'm itching to add that song to this blog so it plays everytime you open <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/">www.niknokniknok.com</a> but that's surely going to be frowned upon (except by Blackjacks and CL fans) and I'm going to be judged for it, though IDGAF, but yeah, not the best idea.<br />
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<b>THINKING</b><br />
What to get for myself on my birthday because we're literally just a few minutes away from February and with all my hardwork and patience and a little more hardwork since quitting my office job last year, I feel like I deserve a gift - something I've never given myself before! Yikes!<br />
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<b>SMELLING</b><br />
This sticky Strawberry Carmex on my dry chapped lips.<br />
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<b>WISHING</b><br />
I could go back to 2 Sundays ago when I was running to the beach alone at 5:45 AM because I wanted to chase the sun and watch it rise and I did! Kind of teary-eyed right now just thinking about that day. I was so happy, you have no idea! (Featured photo of this post was taken Jan. 17, Sunday - and exactly a month before my birthday.)<br />
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<b>HOPING</b><br />
That everything I have read about my luck this year after Googlin' '2016 feng-shui' are true cuz they're all so promising and I'm so excited to hustle my way to make more of these little dreams come true.<br />
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<b>WEARING</b><br />
My pajamas, a sweater, socks, and earmuffs. I'm serious.<br />
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<b>LOVING</b><br />
My life right now.<br />
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<b>WANTING</b><br />
To run, exercise, and eat healthy so bad. But also wanting to sleep and wake up then just lie on the couch and dial 8-MCDO when I feel hungry just as bad.<br />
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<b>NEEDING</b><br />
Motivation to get back to the "healthy lifesyle" I lived once upon a time.<br />
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<b>FEELING</b><br />
Sleepy so I shall jump to bed after hitting the publish button to catch some precious Zzzzzs!<br />
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Hope y'all had an awesome <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBMA6WtOM-T/" target="_blank">Sunday like mine today which was spent on the couch with cats and boyfriend and bubblewrap!</a><br />
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xoxo<br />
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-81441127283980804322015-12-11T19:56:00.002+08:002015-12-11T19:58:39.626+08:00Scream Queens-Inspired Gift Ideas For Your Girlfriends This Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Watching the two-hour season finale of Scream Queens the other day made me remember the girlfriends I used to have and hang out with and missed so much but haven’t really had the chance to catch up with lately because I’ve been so freakin busy (and lazy to go out).<br />
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But even if I suck at staying in touch, there’s not a day that I never thought about any of them, I swear. In fact, everytime I watch my favorite TV series, all I could think of is that if I was as gross rich as Chanel Oberlin, I'd dress all my girlfriends like the other Chanels but instead of giving them shitty gifts like Chanel #1 does, I’m actually going to give them something they’ll surely love because I’m nice like that.<br />
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But since I am not disgustingly rich (yet) and while I'm still nice, I thought I’d share with you guys some really cute gift ideas for your girlfriends in case you’re still struggling in deciding what to give them for Christmas now that it’s only what, 15 days away? See how time flies?<br />
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Gift Idea #1: A STRING OF PEARLS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddEhyiKz6__9CHBbPNi965ohVSRSUKAgWqYmfQocgLwqq8RYUOmMzujgRMPlclAKjgR6mbGhz7DfPPRdNpGlxjeJdI3LdJ7fc1byIDnnRYzN-1rllUGoxveCHGmd4_i0wIEx_AIymmZk/s1600/Abigail+Breslin+Scream+quees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddEhyiKz6__9CHBbPNi965ohVSRSUKAgWqYmfQocgLwqq8RYUOmMzujgRMPlclAKjgR6mbGhz7DfPPRdNpGlxjeJdI3LdJ7fc1byIDnnRYzN-1rllUGoxveCHGmd4_i0wIEx_AIymmZk/s640/Abigail+Breslin+Scream+quees.jpg" width="640" /></a></h2>
For that girl friend who likes girly stuff and is a total drama queen like Chanel #5, a string of pearls can help them add an instant Daisy Buchanan vibe to all of their girly outfits!<br />
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Gift Idea #2: PEARL-STUDDED EARMUFFS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhjeZDD3QkKwPBoAjZesIeTKDGSSbzYis9gVPUmPnCYom7gEm1ZQk-pNqL3ZqlEUZlz1VaYO6u7eU9SP3oOyGLvNBirfsOLzpfUWFXoq8zJbtY3yT1zu1mPGY-aOkPx6dx96fRhY6s1c/s1600/Billie+Lourd+Scream+Queens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhjeZDD3QkKwPBoAjZesIeTKDGSSbzYis9gVPUmPnCYom7gEm1ZQk-pNqL3ZqlEUZlz1VaYO6u7eU9SP3oOyGLvNBirfsOLzpfUWFXoq8zJbtY3yT1zu1mPGY-aOkPx6dx96fRhY6s1c/s640/Billie+Lourd+Scream+Queens.jpg" width="640" /></a></h2>
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Because why not? So what if we live in a tropical country? Earmuffs are cute. And they're even cuter when studded with pearls like this one that Chanel #3 is rocking so hard!<br />
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Gift Idea #3: PEARL CHOKER<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq123r4FFpfdCQirayJfoAuvCMR_wH1gpHJ7wZqi4tMtXR57xihMRiJUJ6_NSAI6-tc0AkAs54X23thuGTuM1fbqad7r3zw_c9ED3WcDMcso3WW7MSW2GUrlyus6weheWYUQS7bL6j7Bg/s1600/Ariana+Grande+Scream+Queens2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq123r4FFpfdCQirayJfoAuvCMR_wH1gpHJ7wZqi4tMtXR57xihMRiJUJ6_NSAI6-tc0AkAs54X23thuGTuM1fbqad7r3zw_c9ED3WcDMcso3WW7MSW2GUrlyus6weheWYUQS7bL6j7Bg/s320/Ariana+Grande+Scream+Queens2.jpg" width="640" /></a></h2>
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If you haven't noticed yet, chokers are the IN thing right now! And what better way to jump into a trend without looking cheap than doing it the Chanel #2 way? For your girl friend who likes to live tweet every split second of her life and will most probably live tweet her death too, <a href="https://www.pearlsonly.com/Atina-White-6-7mm-A-Quality-Freshwater-Pearl-Necklace.html" target="_blank">give her a pearl choker</a>!</div>
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Gift Idea #4: PEARL DROP EARRINGS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjM-EdFFnp-YglJVCJy3HQdHTpI2IfGqKHBJpBybFNBZe3Ec4beRFx7-3wLXoSbHTcIs073Z2CZYNLoBnXNBBx1KVIz1tgC9SbcH-IgGtsITjOoBocpN60RgGzacQAShkat0yHbhSDZFU/s1600/Emma+Roberts+Chanel+Oberlin+Scream+Queens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjM-EdFFnp-YglJVCJy3HQdHTpI2IfGqKHBJpBybFNBZe3Ec4beRFx7-3wLXoSbHTcIs073Z2CZYNLoBnXNBBx1KVIz1tgC9SbcH-IgGtsITjOoBocpN60RgGzacQAShkat0yHbhSDZFU/s640/Emma+Roberts+Chanel+Oberlin+Scream+Queens.jpg" width="640" /></a></h2>
They say diamonds are a girl's best friend. But bviously, pearls are, too! At least for the Queen Bitch and her minions. If you have religiously followed the entire first season of Scream Queens like I did, you'll notice there's not an episode where the Queen of Kappa Kappa Tau didn't rock pearls! May it be an oversized pearl necklace or this <a href="https://www.pearlsonly.com/Edison-Dangle-White-13-14mm-AA-Quality-Freshwater-Edison-925-Sterling-Silver-Pearl-Earring-Set.html" target="_blank">super dainty pearl drop earrings</a>, pearls are definitely the key to successfully channeling Chanel Oberlin!<br />
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You see, you don't really need to stress yourself out on gift shopping. You don't even have to go through all the stores at the mall! Just pick a theme for all the gifts you would like to give, like how I focused on Scream Queens, and choose a one stop shop of all things dainty like <a href="https://www.pearlsonly.com/" target="_blank">PearlsOnly.com</a> and voila! Now, all your girlfriends can channel any Chanel of their choice this Christmas!<br />
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-82834933053299622972015-11-24T01:20:00.003+08:002015-12-04T00:42:10.536+08:00Lola Cafe + Bar: Filipino Cuisine Like You've Never Had It Before<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Contrary to the popular belief of most people around me, [Hello family and friends who keep accusing me of starving myself to death again!] <b>I actually love to eat! </b>Ask my boyfriend who can't finish a bigass burger, who eats what he can't anymore?<b> ME.</b><br />
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So I thought it's only right that I also share you guys some of my food adventures! Ok, I know I've said before that this isn't going to be a food blog, but I also didn't say I wasn't lying. Haha! Seriously though, firsts are always fun! Besides, my latest food adventure was really something I couldn't bear not to share!<br />
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So this is where I grabbed late lunch two Thursdays ago! At the<b> Lola Cafe </b>in Tomas Morato! Had my cousin Jillene as my date for that day since her school is just around the area and we're just so lucky to be invited to <a href="http://ph.openrice.com/manila" target="_blank">Open Rice's</a> Eats A Date food event for bloggers!<br />
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Walking into this place felt like walking into one of my Pinterest boards! I guess that's what made me love it already right when we got there. I couldn't help but look around in awe of seeing actual versions of some of my favorite pins! Definitely Instagram-worthy!<br />
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Did you know that this chic foodie hangout spot used to be an old house? No wonder why it exudes this cozy and homey vibe that feels a lot like coming home. It even has its own parking lot, making it even more convenient for customers to just drop by anytime whether with their family or friends just to catch up over lunch or dinner!<br />
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Lola Cafe serves signature Filipino dishes. Think your grandmother's home cooked dishes but with a twist! And we got to try some of their bestsellers!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Chipirones </b>- </span><span style="text-align: left;">(Php165)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">This baby squid and pickled veggies mix is like a posh version of one of my favorite pulutan!</span></div>
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<b>Halabos na Hipon sa Aligue </b>- (Php560)</div>
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Prawns drenched in aligue sauce! If you're like me who loses it at the mention of "aligue", this is one dish you definitely have to try!</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Wagyu Salpicao</b> - (</span><span style="text-align: left;">Php320)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">A must-try for hardcore meatlovers like me!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Truffled Lengua</b> - </span><span style="text-align: left;">(</span><span style="text-align: left;">Php495)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Normally, I wouldn't like the thought of eating lengua because it's literally a tounge but Lola Cafe's take on this dish made me forget all that. I mean, Y-U-M!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Bagoong Fried Rice with Pork Belly</b> - Php275</span></div>
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<b>Bone Marrow Sisig</b> - Php560<br />
Now this is what every sisig monster's dreams are made of! I told my boyfriend how freakin' good Lola Cafe's bone marrow sisig is and I seriously can't wait to take him there just to prove it!</div>
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<b>Cashew Pavlova</b> - P99<br />
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What you gon' do with that dessert? These are actually meringue with kesong puti, strawberry cream, and cashew nuts sprinkled all over. They reminded me so much of my lola who always sends me meringue all the way from Isabela because she knows how much I love meringue! I even told my cousin that day "Naalala ko si Lola!"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKLsSmevjd1O09UDycKx5F4A-tg8qMxYUfzTZEyb1-wp389ErrMxjf8YUR57xfKvKmTnG1UqZC3C0fbZ41ndUmTj_UC3bZL_fhKRspGg8WM23Mvj2MeFfkpYAB-ordZvGB-EH64c_hpQ/s1600/Lola-Cafe-Bar-Tomas-Morato+%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKLsSmevjd1O09UDycKx5F4A-tg8qMxYUfzTZEyb1-wp389ErrMxjf8YUR57xfKvKmTnG1UqZC3C0fbZ41ndUmTj_UC3bZL_fhKRspGg8WM23Mvj2MeFfkpYAB-ordZvGB-EH64c_hpQ/s640/Lola-Cafe-Bar-Tomas-Morato+%252822%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Responsible for quenching our thirst were these mocktails with fresh fruits and mint leaves!<br />
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I'm so glad that my food adventures for this blog started out at Lola Cafe' and with Filipino dishes. Aside from its homey ambience, the food they serve also hit really close to home! I can't even pick a favorite! I mean, Wagyu beef vs. Prawns + Aligue vs. Bone Marrow Sisig. Tell me, what's a girl [who loves all three] to do?<br />
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Oh, I know. Come back for more!<br />
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<b>The Lola Café and Bar is open Mondays thru Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM and on Fridays and weekends from 11:00 AM up to 2:00 AM. You'll find them at the corner of Sct. Lozano and Sct. Tuazon just a few steps away from the only Max's in that area (lol that's what the cam driver told me). They also accept reservations at the following contact numbers: 09178176045, 501-26-20, and 219-32-54.</b></div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-46296176478516225362015-11-08T15:51:00.000+08:002015-11-08T15:54:35.145+08:00Northwest Roadtrip: Bantay Church, Vigan, Ilocos Sur<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOALbB_aSLkk6Yf-t07uhqm0z4e_8GtXfvDVaHwxItRVfAE4S4HNLtLePaS1R3tMzGUoQWXSa3i59qrJrExc1MdhjSLwTaVY-7QSsBK4g3Dhr39YqXcXQovYrFhdhXM-FFMoqsw5QeGs/s1600/COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOALbB_aSLkk6Yf-t07uhqm0z4e_8GtXfvDVaHwxItRVfAE4S4HNLtLePaS1R3tMzGUoQWXSa3i59qrJrExc1MdhjSLwTaVY-7QSsBK4g3Dhr39YqXcXQovYrFhdhXM-FFMoqsw5QeGs/s640/COVER.jpg" title="Bantay Church " width="640" /></a><br />
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Lucky are the busy ones for we have the perfect excuse to not come up with a new topic for a blog post and just dump long overdue photos of our summer roadtrip from 5 months ago instead.<br />
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Here it is, finally! The continuation of my <b><a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/search/label/Travel" target="_blank">Northwest Roadtrip series!</a> </b>Sharing you guys today our first stop for the second day of our 4-day roadtrip to the north!<br />
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Surprisingly, we all managed to get a good amount of sleep in spite of our<a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/05/north-west-roadtrip-day-1-ilocos-sur.html" target="_blank"><b> horrible hotel hunting experience</b></a>! I guess we owe it to our yummy dinner the night before after <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/06/north-west-roadtrip-day-1-part-2-calle.html" target="_blank"><b>our night stroll in Vigan's beautiful Calle Crisologo</b></a>. The next day, we all woke up fresh and ready for another day of exploring Ilocos!<br />
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But before leaving Vigan, we thought it'd be a great way to kickstart the second day of our road tip by dropping by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantay_Church" target="_blank">Bantay Church</a>, one of the oldest churches in the Ilocos Region (est. 1590)<br />
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The church also happened to have an art gallery inside it with lots of religious paintings like the Jesus wall right here.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>AKA "My Year"</b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHC9aOfBOp42p3yvE7Xpf6MuSM-qg0ySfhJsCebIbgSV4yQr8pxTI26OOtrurrl_YZ6JawgU2YxLvBO8Wp490ARHKWGRu12E6L8JkSlSt0nK5eH8khoMExdrXJTySW4xMnKEpUFHv0Qo/s1600/Bantay+Vigan+Ilocos+Norte+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHC9aOfBOp42p3yvE7Xpf6MuSM-qg0ySfhJsCebIbgSV4yQr8pxTI26OOtrurrl_YZ6JawgU2YxLvBO8Wp490ARHKWGRu12E6L8JkSlSt0nK5eH8khoMExdrXJTySW4xMnKEpUFHv0Qo/s1600/Bantay+Vigan+Ilocos+Norte+%25287%2529.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvMfbtghdSa-Hvn4Yoi8E7lOBrLX_jmlSNB4q5c6z6pNUkTg9K55Ri7LcqZ2HwEPu6c88ECW71tmc3kbTv8BSqiWum_Elpj4MhMtPyb9pppuIDM0zwU-zoRLAhuVOKKsV69HFwUooBe4/s1600/DSC_0440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EiqEbmmGTdR2rnM6C_lF7QXtoGL-tvC8X_jN0xXQdTCrVVDkFR3YkazGdii8WIkw6taKiyaaltWSKwfSHpJTih1tTImfNokN7F8mNn_NxNIvWUlSVULIQ8y1HZ4zhuDhtCh1_IST6ao/s1600/Bantay+Vigan+Ilocos+Norte+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EiqEbmmGTdR2rnM6C_lF7QXtoGL-tvC8X_jN0xXQdTCrVVDkFR3YkazGdii8WIkw6taKiyaaltWSKwfSHpJTih1tTImfNokN7F8mNn_NxNIvWUlSVULIQ8y1HZ4zhuDhtCh1_IST6ao/s1600/Bantay+Vigan+Ilocos+Norte+%25283%2529.jpg" /></a><br />
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There was also this beautifully ruined chapel just outside the gallery...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_J7thCCmWrYqrJrGSH4WtL5TjlrH4TpZPTXMz5HZRkgzDsQqktcuLgQbENZq2S-UGPHqvfwWwFcmji_uKC6WqNXTP1QjOp_rOzmWAVdBAI-1fP3lmvSg7SqpX2ZQgzae9kANSrxNqrw/s1600/Paoay+Church+Ilocos+Norte+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_J7thCCmWrYqrJrGSH4WtL5TjlrH4TpZPTXMz5HZRkgzDsQqktcuLgQbENZq2S-UGPHqvfwWwFcmji_uKC6WqNXTP1QjOp_rOzmWAVdBAI-1fP3lmvSg7SqpX2ZQgzae9kANSrxNqrw/s1600/Paoay+Church+Ilocos+Norte+%25284%2529.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WHAT I WORE: red tanktop / thrifted gingham shorts / black jelly sandals from SM Dept. Store</td></tr>
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And of course we didn't miss the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantay_Church" target="_blank">Bantay Bell Tower</a>. It's an old <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfry" target="_blank">belfry</a> which is just a short walk away from the church. They say this bell tower was a watchtower for pirates back in the Spanish colonial era.<br />
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And that's how we kickstarted the second day of our Northwest Roadtrip! I actually wanted to do a complete Day 2 post but we took way too many photos that day and organizing them in just one post is causing me brain-ache so I stopped and decided to just cut it in segments like this.<br />
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After Bantay Church, we were back on the road again but unlike our Day 1 which was 80% spent on the road singing Are We There Yet?, Day 2 was spent touring the entire city of Laoag! From churches, to the Malacañang of the North, to that glass freezer of Ferdinand Marcos' dead body, and of course, the Paoay sand dunes! That post has been scheduled for next week and I can't wait to share you guys my favorite place in Laoag City!<br />
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<b>RELATED: </b></h2>
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<a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/05/north-west-roadtrip-day-1-ilocos-sur.html" target="_blank">Northwest Roadtrip: Ilocos Sur</a> (Day 1 Part 1)<br /><a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/06/north-west-roadtrip-day-1-part-2-calle.html" target="_blank">Northwest Roadtrip: Calle Crisologo</a> (Day 1 Part 2)</h2>
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-65434611825650971692015-11-03T18:41:00.000+08:002015-11-03T20:35:23.193+08:005 Horror Movie Scenes That'll Haunt You Forever<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I get asked a lot if I get scared [of ghosts] at night because I'm living alone. Aside from "Don't you get bored?", "Don't you get lonely?", and "Don't you have a family?", that is one question people can't stop asking me. And I guess now is the time to answer that question because obviously, I survived yet another home alone Halloween!<br />
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So, am I scared?<br />
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I'm not going to be a hypocrite and self-proclaim my badass-ness by saying I have no fears. I do get scared but I like doing this thing where <b>I look fear straight in the eye. </b><br />
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Like that time when I rode roller coasters in amusement parks, <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/09/boracay-and-10-things-ill-never-forget.html" target="_blank">went parasailing with boyfriend in Boracay</a>, and when I tried the crazy slides at Splash Island, my eyes were kept wide open especially on the scariest drops and the craziest loops. My goal is not to blink - not to miss a split second of that moment. No matter how freakin scared I was, I kept my eyes open.<br />
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I remember in college, I was so obsessed with Asian horror movies, I bought a lot of DVDs in Quiapo and watched them with my cousin Ida who had her eyes covered the entire time while I tried my hardest not to close my eyes on the super scary parts. I screamed loud, of course. But then I laughed [at our reactions] right after. And then I waited for more scary scenes to give me another heart attack!<br />
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In 2012, I was going through a sad and confusing time in my life that I craved so bad for an adrenalin rush (eeww how Bella Swan of me) and the only thing I could think of to feel something extreme that time was to watch a Thai horror movie alone in a theater. To other people, that sounds crazy but the movie wasn't even that scary. I was expecting to die from cardiac arrest that day but I guess what I was going through was a "different" kind of heart condition. LOL<br />
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I didn't do all those things so I can tell everyone about my bravery though. In fact, when I'm home alone, all those images from the movie scenes I've oh-so-bravely watched without flinching always come flashing back even up to this day, bringing chills down my spine!<br />
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In fact, I'm gonna share you guys today how the top five scariest horror movie scenes I've ever seen have been haunting me in my daily life:</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. When I'm in the shower and water's dripping on my face, I never close my eyes for too long to make sure no one else is inside trying to touch my hair.</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthTK593Kf3p-5eNiXCtgFw3mF_ZRlc6Pj5duyO2v19DriSTVrVa0gXzkhxZX-4ZoP6g3A0pjkE3SAnbUb7OQ9pwHARk3DdRkpTHsgSEUE4fIbHBkHL6dyWkCqxm5y7n4dHjPrqMFGC8U/s1600/the+grudge+horror+movie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthTK593Kf3p-5eNiXCtgFw3mF_ZRlc6Pj5duyO2v19DriSTVrVa0gXzkhxZX-4ZoP6g3A0pjkE3SAnbUb7OQ9pwHARk3DdRkpTHsgSEUE4fIbHBkHL6dyWkCqxm5y7n4dHjPrqMFGC8U/s640/the+grudge+horror+movie.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grudge/ <a href="https://brittmartinez.wordpress.com/tag/the-grudge/">source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. In front of the mirror, I make sure that my reflection matches every single move I make. You know, in case it tries to rip my mouth open like this! </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliWw1VgHYhnTbCkLmKiATNVi8pftB83cs0ro_8i93gffjRPPc1CtOf3U-aGFDk4Q_9aXiyHkkMhKtc70h8QYv13Wlw3u8vQoNbEr9bhKaH0EwUnb2Tz9Y0SHGV94Gn-zjtfs0KAdcbtg/s1600/Mirrors+Movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliWw1VgHYhnTbCkLmKiATNVi8pftB83cs0ro_8i93gffjRPPc1CtOf3U-aGFDk4Q_9aXiyHkkMhKtc70h8QYv13Wlw3u8vQoNbEr9bhKaH0EwUnb2Tz9Y0SHGV94Gn-zjtfs0KAdcbtg/s640/Mirrors+Movie.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mirrors / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWZTloxIGVY">source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. When I tuck myself to sleep, I try to forget I've ever seen this movie. Although most of the time, I fail lol</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3Av8CoL9i6J07cc-TgR8pJsfgwaZTOtqJnc2bf23_XzsOB_jHDHs-JVtRRxPzLoNYHiSLvcxF5AfMYEpiZI-jsK5p9z1ojVEwKNCgOVCZMAg6-WZD5vGLw-ZCTbBkCzW-Qlvw0DmJ_s/s1600/Ju_on_the_grudge2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3Av8CoL9i6J07cc-TgR8pJsfgwaZTOtqJnc2bf23_XzsOB_jHDHs-JVtRRxPzLoNYHiSLvcxF5AfMYEpiZI-jsK5p9z1ojVEwKNCgOVCZMAg6-WZD5vGLw-ZCTbBkCzW-Qlvw0DmJ_s/s640/Ju_on_the_grudge2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ju On The Grudge 2 / <a href="http://ju-on-the-grudge.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ju_on_the_grudge2.jpg">source</a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Well, if you've seen Insidious then I guess you are forever haunted by this image of the demon. Just like I am. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ns5PBWhHinrNDvuoj8RnK69Txo6IQokksvImoIqVxrfWDW20toD1L-Wuw9hfSBG1oH43wtrcCnWsBCNdJHmdp7eK467PXPs_TnfkZgVkgTx_MHNCTD1NqWLWYegSu95QF8XA1dVZMnE/s1600/Insidious+scary+movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ns5PBWhHinrNDvuoj8RnK69Txo6IQokksvImoIqVxrfWDW20toD1L-Wuw9hfSBG1oH43wtrcCnWsBCNdJHmdp7eK467PXPs_TnfkZgVkgTx_MHNCTD1NqWLWYegSu95QF8XA1dVZMnE/s640/Insidious+scary+movie.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Insidious / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSEYdpOBpRE" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. As you may have already observed, I love taking photos of myself at home when I'm alone. And when it's time to edit photos, I pray so hard that I'm alone on all of them!</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqkxhPE3cx1foKnjZwvtVulKBVGvy3Lxs8SiYfNT0ovY8_YkOXh-b8lqO1Nm3M6xA6eR66fpXIbBCBl-OXx90xmH1hNC_f4UTY4JoY5phyKf8GXohAfIoL_BSxoV39zrZ6gPiKVdjQC0/s1600/The+Shutter+Horror+Movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqkxhPE3cx1foKnjZwvtVulKBVGvy3Lxs8SiYfNT0ovY8_YkOXh-b8lqO1Nm3M6xA6eR66fpXIbBCBl-OXx90xmH1hNC_f4UTY4JoY5phyKf8GXohAfIoL_BSxoV39zrZ6gPiKVdjQC0/s640/The+Shutter+Horror+Movie.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shutter / <a href="http://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/scary-movies-to-watch/">source</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EOwcazLKoQ" target="_blank">Shutter </a>and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuZnRUcoWos" target="_blank">Insidious</a> are my favorite horror movies because they're the ones that left me speechless and sleepless for days and scarred for life. Lost count of how many times I've seen Shutter but it just never gets old, you know? Like, even if I've seen it more than a dozen times, this movie still scares the living shit out of me!<br />
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So yes. I do get scared. But I'm home alone 24/7 and I've gotten so used to it that all these scary thoughts don't even scare me anymore. The light in my staircase stopped working last week but I can still go downstairs in pitchblack darkness at 3 in the morning when I need to pee. And when I hear noises and things are getting knocked over, it's always just the cats. At least that's what I keep telling myself: <b>It's just the cats.</b><br />
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I think it helps that I have a very chill mindset. I mean, I don't freak out so much about having spirits in my house. If I don't see it, then it doesn't exist. I haven't seen a ghost before, nor have I ever felt anything paranormal going on inside my house - it hasn't even been blessed yet!<br />
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I've heard many times before that there are spirits literally everywhere and if there's anyone else living with me here aside from my cats, the least I can do is to never offend it or do anything that will make it want to cause me harm. Just let it be, I guess. As long as it doesn't try to hurt me or photobomb me when I'm taking pictures, then mi casa es tu casa!<br />
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-11662119341958096262015-10-30T23:59:00.000+08:002015-10-31T12:35:34.545+08:00Friday's 10 Happy Things Vol. 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Someone must have put a hex on me after I talked about my <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/10/october-goals.html">October Goals</a> two weeks ago. I went through a series of unfortunate events that got me thinking the universe is no longer on my side. It's like the moon and Jupiter conspired to throw me completely off track! Ugh.<br />
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But just like all good things, all bad things also come to an end. Hence, this Friday's 10 Happy Things post!<br />
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1. <b><a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/10/taking-gifting-to-next-level.html">I joined a blog contest for the first time! </a></b>Save for that one time when my teachers forced me to join a spelling bee back in fourth grade, this is the first and only contest I have ever voluntarily joined in my entire life. I'm like the least competitive person you'll ever meet! It just so happened that the theme was something really close to my heart so I really gave it my best! Hurray for another first!<br />
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2. <b>My cat's blood test result turned out fine. </b>Alaskito, my 6-month old kitten has been lethargic for the past 2 weeks with on and off fever. None of the flu meds I gave him worked.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Mum, this guy is sticking something in my butt! Do something!" -Kito</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor kitty :(</td></tr>
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Even his vet wasn't able to find out what's wrong with him on our first visit so we had to do a blood test. I was worried sick it could be something serious like one of those deadly feline viruses but thank God it's clear. He does have a kidney infection though and is now on tons of meds.<br />
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3. <b>Got to pay all my bills at once! </b>You know you're old when getting bills settled make you happy. <br />
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4. <b>Dark lipstick looks okay on me! </b>I thought I'd cringe at myself but I kinda like it! It's the <a href="http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/extra-creamy-round-lipstick/800897116064.html">NYX round lipstick in Bruised </a>and I can't wait to show y'all better photos! For now, bear with this:<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/9SaciGuMwO/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A photo posted by Dominique B. (@niknokniknok)</a> on <time datetime="2015-10-26T04:39:29+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Oct 25, 2015 at 9:39pm PDT</time></div>
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5. <b>My first 3 succulents!</b> Got them from Antipolo after watching the boyfriend's [basketball] <strike>non-</strike>game last weekend. Also bought those little pots and pebbles and transferred them there myself and it's been a week and they haven't died yet!<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/9SN8TRuM-1/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A photo posted by Dominique B. (@niknokniknok)</a> on <time datetime="2015-10-26T02:50:13+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Oct 25, 2015 at 7:50pm PDT</time></div>
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6. <b>Got my laptop back. </b>Brought it to the service center last week for a repair only to be told a hardware has to be replaced and it'll take 2-3 weeks before I get it back. It hasn't even been 2 weeks yet when they called.<br />
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7. <b>Boyfriend's jersey. </b>And the fact that it's in his jersey and it's already the 41st but I forgot our "<i>special day of the month</i>" again and I only remembered it when the day was about to end but Bibing didn't get mad at me and my lame excuse for forgetting yet another monthsary. LOL<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/9Q4kGpuMwL/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A photo posted by Dominique B. (@niknokniknok)</a> on <time datetime="2015-10-25T14:24:11+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Oct 25, 2015 at 7:24am PDT</time></div>
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8. That <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/krishrach/delete-it-fat#.ijo1K92W3">this happened to Demi Lovato</a> and not me. LOL don't get me wrong. Demi is a strong girl, she can handle that embarrassing photo of her sister Poot. I'd probably start living under a rock if it happened to me.<br />
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9. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRh_vgS2dFE">Justin Bieber's Sorry</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho32Oh6b4jc">One Direction's Perfect</a>! See what I did there?<br />
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10. <a href="http://www.whowhatwear.com/uber-kittens-vogue-office-grace-coddington"><b>A bunch of adorable kittens taking over the Vogue office!!!</b></a><br />
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And there goes the 10 little and simple things that made me happy this week! Share yours too by joining<a href="http://blog.ditz-revolution.net/category/10-happy-things/" target="_blank"> Helga's blog link up, Friday's 10 Happy Things</a>!<br />
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So, if you're happy and you know it, don't just clap your hands, stomp your feet,
shout "hurray", and do all three! Write about it and make it a habit!
Don't forget to leave a link so we can check it out too! ♥ <!--3--></div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-77639738116113021932015-10-27T11:14:00.000+08:002015-10-28T02:13:07.478+08:00Taking Gifting to the Next Level<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Being <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/p/about-niknok.html" target="_blank">a "lovechild" of two people I only know by name </a>has never made me feel like there's anything missing in my life at all. Aside from the nine months I've stayed inside her belly, my biological mother and I haven't really spent enough time with each other to actually build a "mother and daughter relationship". The last time I saw my father was when I looked at my birth certificate and shrugged "I don't even know who this person is."<br />
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All of us (me and my parents) have separate lives now. We're basically strangers who know little [to nothing at all] about each other. And that's what makes it so ironic that I love Christmas so much and why I'm always so excited for it.<br />
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More than the gifts, food, and merrymaking, <b>Christmas is about family. </b>And even if mine isn't like everybody else's, I know God didn't put me in this set-up to make me feel like I don't have anything at all. Instead, He put me here so He can bless me in so many other ways regardless of what or how much is actually missing in the picture.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Holidays in Isabela, 199X</b></td></tr>
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If anything, He made me realize that "family" isn't strictly defined by just having a mother and father and brothers and sisters - that "family" is simply the people who love you unconditionally, the people who care about you, the people who support you in everything you do, and are proud of you for every little goal you reach and every little dream of yours that's come true.<br />
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<b>What is your Christmas wish list for yourself?</b><br />
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I'm not the type of person to splurge on my own Christmas wishlist. Not that I deprive myself though, I'm just not that materialistic. If I fail to buy something I want, expect me to get over it overnight. In fact, the last time I bought myself an expensive gift was in December 2012 when I got myself the 5th gen iPod in red, which is now broken btw. I don't even remember what I got for myself the next 2 Christmases after that!<br />
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So I guess it wouldn't be so bad to wish for a couple of material things for myself this Christmas, right? Besides, I have been so good this year so here is a list of things I think I deserve this year:<br />
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<b>1. Stove-top grill</b> - in case I finally learn how to cook<br />
<b>2. Toy for my cats </b>- because I'm their mother and their happiness is my happiness so I will be their Santa this Christmas and I want to get them a toy that isn't just a box or plastic bag or a bottle cap lol<br />
<b>3. A duvet </b>- because I have been spoiling myself with so much sleep since the day I escaped the night shift life and I want to spoil myself more!<br />
<b>4. Asus Zenfone Selfie</b> - because my iPod is broken and I miss taking selfies and I tried this phone at the mall once and I looked super cute in the sample selfie so I NEED IT<br />
<b>5. Adidas Superstar sneakers</b> - <a href="https://instagram.com/p/8SnKzJiS-M/" target="_blank">because Dara has it</a> and maybe, just maybe, we'll look alike if I have it too<br />
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<b>6. More succulents</b> - I got my first three from Antipolo last weekend and I want more!</div>
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See? I don't ask for much!<br />
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<b>What are your Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones this year?</b><br />
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My cousins and I have been giving each other gifts on Christmas since we were kids when all we could afford with our allowance and small savings were cheap and funny gifts like "chichirya" (snacks) that we bought from our grandmother's store, novelty items from the palengke (market), and even toiletries such as toothpaste and toothbrush for that one cousin who rarely brushes his teeth!<br />
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We have kept that tradition until now that four (out of 7) of us are done with school and already have jobs! So this year, I want to remind them of how proud I am that the kids I have spent my entire childhood with have grown into smart and responsible adults and teenagers even when I haven't really been the best role model for all of them. Hehe<br />
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<b>Cute and quirky home decor </b>for my cousin Ida (2) who just moved in to her own house just a few months ago. She is an engineer and is super badass at her job but her home is filled with funny things like Minions figures and robot/giraffe-printed bedsheets and curtains!<br />
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<b>Make-up and other girly stuff</b> for my cousin Jamille (3) who is the prettiest of us all but is the resident "good girl" who also happens to be NBSB! I wish I could get her a magical milkshake though, something that'll bring boys to the yard! Haha!<br />
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<b>A nice polo or shirt </b>for my cousin Jullien <b>(</b>4) because he has grown into a handsome and hardworking young man who always looks good in anything he wears!<br />
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<b>An artsy tote bag </b>for my cousin Jillene (5) who is now in college and is taking up Multimedia Arts! She hasn't even finished school yet but she's already doing so good at her craft!<br />
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<b>Cute earphones </b>for my cousin Jocelle (not in the photo) who loves music and is a member of the Glee club in her school!<br />
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<b>Socks and other basketball stuff </b>for our youngest cousin Casey (not in the photo) who's so into the sport and is also a varsity player in his school!<br />
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I haven't decided on what to give the oldies yet (Nanay, Tanene, Lola, and other titos and titas) but I'm thinking of getting them <b>something personalized </b>that'll always remind them it was a gift from me!<br />
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For my boyfriend & No.1 fan, I might also get him a cool shirt because he likes dressing up (like me!) or probably a watch that'll go with his pa-hipster #OOTDs!<br />
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<br />
<b>How do you plan to give back to others this Christmas?
</b><br />
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I have only been to an orphanage once for an event I had to cover when I was still working as a PR writer. That was way back in 2007 but I have never forgotten about that experience even after all these years. So this year, I would really love to visit an orphanage again and bring gifts and food to the kids there and remind them that not having parents shouldn't make them feel left out on Christmas.<br />
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<b>BUT Aside from giving them material things for gifts, I would also like to just sit down and tell them stories and share a few life hacks to them as well,</b> something like "<i>How To Deal With Not Having Parents And Be An Awesome Orphan Anyway</i>" in short, these 5 important life lessons:<br />
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<b>LIFE LESSON #1</b><br />
Not having a mom and a dad around while growing up can be really tough but it's not enough reason for anyone to stop reaching for their dreams - or stop dreaming at all. As Lupita Nyong'o once said,<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">"No matter where you're from, your dreams are valid."</span></b></div>
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<b>LIFE LESSON #2</b><br />
<b>Not having a "normal" family shouldn't be considered a hindrance for someone to be the best version of him/herself</b>. Anyone can grow with good manners as long as they choose to always do the right thing and follow the right people.<br />
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<b>LIFE LESSON #3</b><br />
<b>Being an orphan or growing up in a broken family shouldn't be used as an excuse to be a bad person or as something to blame for mistakes and wrong decisions. </b>I would like to tell these kids that not having parents around doesn't give them the free pass to ditch school and do stupid things like drugs and just get away with it because "they don't have parents". I want them to know as early as now that we own our lives and we are the only ones responsible for how it's going to turn out. Whether you have a mom and dad or not, at the end of the day, having a better life is a choice that only you can make for yourself.<br />
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<b>LIFE LESSON #4</b><br />
<b>Living a life of hatred is depriving yourself of happiness and peace of mind. </b>Some parents fail at being parents. So even if they did a crappy job at being parents, kids shouldn't spend their entire lives hating their parents for not being good enough to raise their children, They are humans too, making mistakes, just like all of us. After all, we still owe them our lives. I wouldn't have been here right now if it weren't for them. They know I'm doing great and I wish them well, too.<br />
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<b>LIFE LESSON #5</b><br />
<b>It's okay to be sad about it. </b>It's okay to be sad that no one tells you the story of the day you were born, what you were like on the first minutes of your life on Earth, if you cried really loud or if you were such a behaved newborn baby. It's okay to be sad about not being a spoiled "daddy's girl" because you don't have a daddy to begin with, that boys are not scared to break your heart because no one's going to break their bones if they did. But like I said, all these things shouldn't stop anyone from being the best of what they can be. In fact, they are big things to overcome and once you do, you'll never feel incomplete at all and ever again!<br />
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So those are the lessons I would like to share to these orphaned kids. I'm not saying they should look up to me though, I just want to be able to give more than just material things. <b>I want to give the gift of inspiration </b>to these kids who, just like me, didn't get a chance to grow up in a normal family setting. I want to be the big sister who tells them the truth about our not-so-normal lives but encourage them to be good people anyway - no matter how cruel the word can be sometimes. Hopefully, these important lessons would turn into something they will always remember - something that will guide them through the years.<br />
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I have also found another great way to give back this Christmas and that is by joining campaigns like the <a href="http://smcares.com.ph/newsevents/?p=993" target="_blank">SM Cares Bears of Joy campaign</a>! By simply shopping at SM supermalls, we can actually take part in the season of “gift-ing" and share our blessings to orphanages and other charitable institutions in the country! Now that's definitely something I'm excited to do this year!<br />
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And what makes it even more exciting? Our favorite supermall being all geared up for the holidays with this year's <a href="https://www.smsupermalls.com/merrysmchristmas2015" target="_blank"><b>Merry SM Christmas campaign</b></a>!<br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center;">For more updates about this year’s “Merry SM Christmas” campaign, visit SM’s official Christmas microsite (</em><a href="https://www.smsupermalls.com/merrysmchristmas2015" style="background-color: white; color: #457ae5; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; word-break: normal;"><em>https://www.smsupermalls.com/merrysmchristmas2015</em></a><em style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center;">) and follow its official social media accounts at Facebook (</em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/smsupermalls" style="background-color: white; color: #457ae5; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; word-break: normal;"><em>https://www.facebook.com/smsupermalls</em></a><em style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center;">), Twitter (</em><a href="https://twitter.com/smsupermalls" style="background-color: white; color: #457ae5; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; word-break: normal;"><em>https://twitter.com/smsupermalls</em></a><em style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center;">), and Instagram (</em><a href="https://instagram.com/smsupermalls/" style="background-color: white; color: #457ae5; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; word-break: normal;"><em>https://instagram.com/smsupermalls/</em></a><em style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center;">); and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through Viber (</em><a href="http://chats.viber.com/SMsupermalls" style="background-color: white; color: #457ae5; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; word-break: normal;"><em>http://chats.viber.com/SMsupermalls</em></a><em style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Freight Sans Pro W00'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: center;">). Shoppers can actively share their holiday merriments inside the SM Supermalls by posting their photos on social media and adding the hashtag #MerrySMChristmas2015.</em><br />
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niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-76832718171508119112015-10-21T19:42:00.000+08:002015-10-21T19:42:52.786+08:0010 Super Ridiculous Things I Actually Believed As A Kid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Isn't it funny how all of us were once kids who didn't know shit about anything and in our desperate attempt to make sense of the things around us, we come up with the darndest theories?<br />
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I don't know why but I suddenly remembered the other night all the stupid thoughts I had when I was a kid and I couldn't help but LOL, cringe, and *facepalm* at how I was able to come up with such ridiculous ideas back then.<br />
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So I thought I'd share them here because really, my entire childhood suddenly feels like a joke to me now and I hope it makes you laugh too!<br />
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<b>WHEN I WAS A KID...</b><br />
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1. I thought that<b> if I doodled on my skin with a sign pen </b>and didn't erase it for days, then it'll stay there forever like a tattoo.<br />
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2. I thought that<b> people who have telephones, bicycles, roller blades, and twist door knobs at home </b>are super rich people.<br />
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3. I thought <b>I can kill myself</b> by wrapping my face with a plastic bag or covering my face with a pillow while holding my breath for more than one minute.<br />
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4. I thought <b>I could run away from home </b>simply by riding a wooden cart (kariton) that I plan to secretly attach at the back of a Manila-bound bus.<br />
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5. I thought<b> I was ugly</b> because my legs and arms were full of scars and my knees were darker than the rest of my legs.<br />
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A photo posted by Dominique B. (@niknokniknok) on <time datetime="2015-07-18T11:45:04+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 18, 2015 at 4:45am PDT</time></div>
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6. I thought<b> I can lighten my skin with laundry bleach</b> so I rubbed Zonrox on my knees as per my equally ridiculous cousin Ida's advice.<br />
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7. I thought<b> sitcoms were called "sitcoms"</b> because you watch them while you're sitting.<br />
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8. I thought the<b> people we watch on television are actual little people inside the TV </b>so I would always peep at the back of the television set to find them.<br />
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9. I thought that <b>apples can be easily grown in backyards</b> so I saved the seeds when I eat apples and bury them at the back of our house wishing it would grow into a tree so I can eat as many apples as I want.<br />
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10. I thought<b> people can celebrate birthdays more than once every year</b> so after my birthday, I always wonder when my next birthday is.<br />
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If I could travel back in time, I'd like to meet my younger self and laugh at her and her silly ideas but tell her she's awesome and funny anyway - and that having scars and dark knees doesn't make anyone ugly.<br />
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I am pretty sure I'm not the only one who had silly thoughts like this as a kid and I bet someone out there had it even worse! <br />
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So when you're stressed out and tired and swamped with work and other life things to do, think of something funny about yourself like the stupid things you did and thought about as a kid. It helps, I swear! Look, it even inspired me to write!<br />
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Hope you guys laughed at my joke AKA me! Share me your super ridiculous beliefs as a kid too so we can all laugh at them together!</div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-18404884934559615722015-10-18T17:07:00.000+08:002015-10-18T17:13:18.682+08:00The Sunday Currently Vol. 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hey everyone! I hope you're all safe and warm at home with your loved ones just like me except I'm with eleven cats right now and I'm writing this down in a rug in my living room floor while my cats are all lying oh-so-comfortably in my bigass couch, smelling and enjoying the newly washed covers even before I do. Thank God for lazy Sundays at home like this! Finally got time to organize my closet, cook my first Adobo, and update this blog!<br />
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<b>READING</b><br />
Pork Adobo Recipes I Googled a while ago because I'm trying to cook my very first Adobo right now but the different instructions from the sites I ended up on are confusing me now. I didn't even know what "simmer" meant until I Googled it today. Dammit, please pray I don't screw this up!<br />
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<b>LISTENING</b><br />
To the strong wind blowing outside c/o Typhoon Lando. I also hear those weird horn sounds from the sky that went viral a few months ago because people thought the sound was coming from a trumpet in the heavens telling people Jesus is coming.<br />
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<b>THINKING</b><br />
If my first Adobo would be a success or a hot mess. I do enjoy learning how to cook and hope I get to do this more often as it kinda validates my whole "adult-ness"<br />
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<b>SMELLING</b><br />
The bay leaves (dahon ng laurel) from the food I'm cooking and it smells so good it makes me think I'm actually doing it right lol<br />
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<b>WISHING</b><br />
For a lot of material things I want to own this Christmas! I'll make a wishlist and blog about them this week! (liar)<br />
<b><br /></b><b>HOPING</b><br />
For more projects or side jobs because I really really have a lot of things on my wishlist and I deserve to have them all because I have been so good this year.<br />
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<b>WEARING</b><br />
The clothes I wore to sleep last night - a muscle tank top and my PJs. Spell C-H-I-L-L.<br />
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<b>LOVING</b><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/100000123311822/videos/1173661062647993/" target="_blank"><b>These super adorable and well-behaved cats</b></a>! It literally made my jaw drop how they managed to stay in line and wait for their turn to have their coats brushed! Although there was one kitty that wasn't a very huge fan of the rules and if I were a cat, that cat would be me.<br />
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<b>WANTING</b><br />
To go out for a jog because the weather isn't so bad here, just strong and cold winds. If I was motivated enough, this'll be a perfect time to sweat it out but...<br />
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<b>NEEDING</b><br />
A new pair of running shoes to motivate me to run again because my old shoes are killing my feet. [LOL #Excuses] No, they're not. I'm just lazy and fussy and maybe if I had new running shoes, I'd actually want to run again.<br />
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<b>FEELING</b><br />
Cozy and warm but a little worried about my loved ones in Isabela where Typhoon Lando is wreaking havoc at right now. As per our chat messages earlier, they are okay and safe. Thank God. I just really hope this typhoon goes away sooner. :(<br />
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<b>Share what your Sundays are like by joining <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/08/the-sunday-currently-vol-i.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Currently </a>linkup by <a href="http://siddathornton.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Siddathornton</a>!<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">Update on my Pork Adobo:</span></b></div>
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LOL GUYS ANG ALAT NG ADOBO KO WTF</div>
— Dominique B. (@superniknok) <a href="https://twitter.com/superniknok/status/655625588045049856">October 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Sabi kasi ng lecheng recipe 1/2 cup soy sauce daw eh!!!!! Di ko to kasalanan~!! HAHAHUHU</div>
— Dominique B. (@superniknok) <a href="https://twitter.com/superniknok/status/655625912763846656">October 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
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It's way too salty than it's supposed to be because stupid me let the pork drown in soy sauce. *sobs*<br />
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Lesson learned which also happened to be the same advice I got from fellow blogger <a href="http://ochibernadas.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ochi</a>:<b> </b><br />
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<b>DON'T LISTEN TO RECIPES</b>!<a href="https://www.blogger.com/ochibernadas.blogspot.com"></a><br />
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Definitely not serving this to my friends and my boyfriend who are coming over later because I know they're going to laugh at me. Gotta go now. I still have to hide this fail Adobo somewhere only I know.</div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-32814945915380440742015-10-09T14:35:00.001+08:002015-10-09T14:36:30.404+08:00October Goals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Maybe it's too late for me to be writing about my goals for the month now that we're almost done with one-third of October? Or maybe not because this blog is mine so I can talk about my goals whenever I want? Haha! Hello everyone! If you thought I was dead, you're wrong because if I was, I would've live tweeted it.<br />
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So yes, I am alive. I've just been really busy and stressed out the past 2 weeks! You see, I have only been working from home for five months. So, unlike my fellow digital nomads out there who's had many years of experience, I am still pretty much clueless of what this new work set-up really has in store for me.<br />
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In fact, it was only in the last two weeks of September that I realized that people like us have to hustle extra hard come "Ber months" because unlike regular employees, we don't really get the mandatory bonuses that companies pay their employees every end of the year. *sniff sniff* <br />
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It just dawned on me two weeks ago that I <strike>might</strike> will be poor on Christmas. Hence the absence, the lack of new posts on this blog, or better yet, the lack of will to be happy and write my happy heart away!<br />
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BUT two weeks of wallowing over an impending doom is enough - too much, even. I'm just glad I'm quick to get over things so instead, I've decided to prevent further shit from happening by coming up with a list of life goals for this month!<br />
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<b>1. SAVE MONEY</b><br />
Don't get me wrong about stressing out on being broke on Christmas because I know the season isn't just about money and material things. The only thing that bothered me was that if I was poorits, I won't be able to get my loved ones nice presents for Christmas. And I'd hate to be the Ate (big sister) who can't even give her cousins anything on Christmas day. It's been a family tradition for many years so I will do my best to save up and get all my awesome cousins something to remind them that their Ate Nikki, who has been living a hermit life and isn't seeing them very often anymore, loves them so much no matter what!<br />
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<b>2. START CHRISTMAS GIFT SHOPPING</b><br />
Assuming I pull off Goal #1, I'm gonna start my Christmas gift shopping as early as now/this month. If there's one thing I have very little patience for, it's jampacked malls, rubbing elbows with fellow last minute shoppers [as it only reminds me how much of a loser I am for being one of them lol], and long lines at the cashier! I've been there before and I never will be again - ever.<br />
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<b>3. DO A LIVING ROOM MAKEOVER</b><br />
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A photo posted by Dominique B. (@niknokniknok) on <time datetime="2015-08-08T10:28:28+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Aug 8, 2015 at 3:28am PDT</time></div>
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I made that slipcover for my couch a few months ago using the sewing machine my Nanay gave me [as some kind of an heirloom] and I want to make more in different colors and prints! This is the best solution I've ever come up with to my cats' scratching problem. I've made many scratching posts for them but they just wouldn't leave the couch alone! So I had to make a slip cover and even if they still scratch it sometimes, at least the original upholstery, which is already ruined by the way, doesn't get additional damages anymore.<br />
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So I'm going to make new slipcovers this month and probably a new curtain and throw pillow covers as well! I have pinned bajillions of inspiration on<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/superniknok/homies/" target="_blank"> my Pinterest board</a> and I am super excited to give my living room a major revamp!<br />
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<b>4. DIY A CHRISTMAS TREE</b><br />
I don't want to buy a generic-looking Christmas tree with generic Christmasy ornaments because I have nowhere to store the damn tree when Christmas is over and this is going to be the first time I'm putting up a Christmas tree in my house so I would like to make it special. And to me, special doesn't mean expensive. Special means it has to be ME -- because I'm a special snowflake. LOL Just kidding, ok!<br />
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I just want a rustic Christmas tree made of twigs, some fairy lights [it's basically the typical Christmas lights, it just sounds hippier to say "fairy lights"] and a few quirky ornaments. We'll see what I come up with!<br />
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<b>5. EAT HEALTHY</b><br />
Because I can't cook (sad face) I have been resorting to eating only instant, unhealthy meals this year. I hate it. Every fried meal I eat, I can't help but think one day a doctor would tell me I'm dying because I haven't been eating healthy. So I have to do something about it!<br />
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<b>6. GET FIT</b><br />
I thought if I'm going to start eating healthy again, then I should also get back to my old "fitness" routine! I used to run every weekend and workout for half an hour every day! I've done it consistently since 2013 and I was even working that time! Night shift! But now that I am at home 95% of the time, I can't even get my ass to jump rope for 5 minutes! Dammit!<b><a href="https://instagram.com/p/ubOYFHuMz2/" target="_blank"> TARGET LOCKED</a>.</b><br />
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<b>7. LEARN TIME MANAGEMENT</b><br />
I really really need to come up with a blogging schedule so I don't end up MIA for days or weeks! I was thinking of having one day of the week spent writing as much as I can about anything I could think of so I can focus on work and other life things for the rest of the week. Ugh, do you guys think that's a good idea? I need my fellow blogger's advice on this.<br />
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So that's about it! I'm excited to accomplish everything on this list this month so I can do more next month! Wish me luck! How about you, guys? What are your plans for October? Are you just as excited for Christmas as I am? </div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-58151620106366941682015-09-24T08:30:00.000+08:002015-09-24T10:03:15.265+08:00A Poor Girl's Guide to Purchasing A Domain Name<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTBLspJwWuNYLr0pxKT8ftvcDVSlcVeKe-0_rXbdV3vvqK6bhhf7jwI2LwBIMF1mVlUnTKKND3_S78NPj9y2bv1iVWlS-SLq0Z0-4CAqSfNjN8xJVqHXSwFfL2z4uptwa2AGEtwkzQQE/s1600/How-To-Purchase-a-domain-name.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTBLspJwWuNYLr0pxKT8ftvcDVSlcVeKe-0_rXbdV3vvqK6bhhf7jwI2LwBIMF1mVlUnTKKND3_S78NPj9y2bv1iVWlS-SLq0Z0-4CAqSfNjN8xJVqHXSwFfL2z4uptwa2AGEtwkzQQE/s640/How-To-Purchase-a-domain-name.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was twelve when the Internet was introduced to me at a computer class and it has since fascinated me like a cat seeing the red dot for the first time. I've always thought it would be super cool to have a website of my own, with my name between www and dot com and a bigass photo of myself on the banner. So when I discovered blogging in 2005, I knew it was something I'm gonna be doing for a really long time.<br />
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I have done pretty much everything I want with my blogs for the past 10 years I've been blogging. Of course, that includes having a bigass photo of myself as the banner, lol that was a long time ago. However, there's this one thing I never had the chance to do but I've always wanted to:</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BUY MY OWN DOMAIN NAME</span></b></div>
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So if you guys are wondering what took me this long to finally get one, I have made a list of excuses:</div>
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<b>- I couldn't afford it. </b>Valid excuse for me who started out as a college student who's not a huge fan of saving money.<br />
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<b>- I don't have a credit card.</b> I thought it's the only way I could purchase and unfortunately, I don't own a magic plastic card because I choose not to. I know myself too well to never let it get anywhere near my problematic spending habits.<br />
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<b>- I don't wanna borrow someone else's credit card. </b>Too paranoid and scared of online fraud and I don't want to cause anyone that kind of trouble. I'd take the risk if the card was mine.<br />
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<b>- I don't know how.</b> Lame excuse for just being lazy to figure it out.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">So today I am writing this "How To Purchase a Domain Name" guide for my fellow bloggers who:</b><br />
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1. Want their own domain name<br />
2. But don't know how to get one or where to start<br />
3. And they don't own a credit card, like me<br />
4. And they don't wanna borrow another person's credit card for online transactions, like me<br />
5. But they really really really want to have their own domain name for their blog<br />
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If you happen to be one or all of the above, then let me send you my virtual hugs first because I thought I was the only one who has this kind of dilemma! Aaahhh misery does love company!<br />
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I'm not saying this is how it's supposed to be done, okay? What I'm gonna be sharing you today is how I was able to buy my domain considering all 5 of my excuses above.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*Here's what you need before we get started:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>- An account at <a href="http://namecheap.com/">Namecheap.com</a></b> </span>- you can sign up anytime, it's for FREE! This is where I chose to buy my domain name because my friend, Google, said Namecheap accepts Paypal.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">- A <a href="http://paypal.com/" target="_blank">Paypal</a> account</span></b> - An unverified Paypal account will do. An unverified Paypal account is one that doesn't have a debit/credit card linked to it. Namecheap accepts fund transfers from Paypal accounts, even unverified ones.<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">- At least $12 worth of funds on your Paypal account</span></b> - You will need this to add funds to your Namecheap account so you can purchase the domain name using your funds. If you know someone who has Paypal, you can ask them to send you funds and pay them in cash OR try <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PaypalToCashInARush" target="_blank">Paypal To Cash In A Rus</a>h, I transfer my Paypal funds to my bank account with their help and they do send Paypal funds too (I asked)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now, let's hit it...</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 1: GO TO NAMECHEAP.COM AND CHECK IF YOUR DOMAIN NAME IS AVAILABLE</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnnhA_NUwVytV4D3yXIyud0osW6_8mlNuFXxo03gZ5d51gWZzCwd-xhyphenhyphenWUFdJk_41_qTApB-uY6YSERuAH5eg1i_YSfUk_hSe98Pizcj19nMnBIKai2HRis-RvulZD62Yu8bghxzDN8k/s1600/STEP-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnnhA_NUwVytV4D3yXIyud0osW6_8mlNuFXxo03gZ5d51gWZzCwd-xhyphenhyphenWUFdJk_41_qTApB-uY6YSERuAH5eg1i_YSfUk_hSe98Pizcj19nMnBIKai2HRis-RvulZD62Yu8bghxzDN8k/s640/STEP-1.jpg" title="Purchase Domain Name From Namecheap" width="640" /></a></div>
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For this guide, I tried www.nokniknoknik.com <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 2: IF IT IS AVAILABLE, HURRAY! NOW, CHECK OUT / CLICK THE SHOPPING CART BUTTON</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVs91BJlVhv4PuIjJPDOGbY2aZw-xH9Vxpy8I2JRaGOfiibT42KZai6IhrNP7N54nfWytuMANpcfzkuFC-bjaZmiLD8UNtF1W0KhOsYhbphDZU2eNIepcPHvT7_JGpQPWZiJdRz54jKI/s1600/STEP-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVs91BJlVhv4PuIjJPDOGbY2aZw-xH9Vxpy8I2JRaGOfiibT42KZai6IhrNP7N54nfWytuMANpcfzkuFC-bjaZmiLD8UNtF1W0KhOsYhbphDZU2eNIepcPHvT7_JGpQPWZiJdRz54jKI/s640/STEP-2.jpg" title="Purchasing A Domain Name From Namecheap" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVbNZzK1zKP7PEFVmZ7qg_R4JamDZiGDIrHUXNCCVfyB6kMdjgJD8IEBW37FJVwH0cJpJ-I7eMHR_0fBHoIkOb8nt6vAsD7ohxmHOJ1xH51L5p4AJ7tDbjm3G2Mh8qqnFq-7ZafR4NBU/s1600/STEP-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVbNZzK1zKP7PEFVmZ7qg_R4JamDZiGDIrHUXNCCVfyB6kMdjgJD8IEBW37FJVwH0cJpJ-I7eMHR_0fBHoIkOb8nt6vAsD7ohxmHOJ1xH51L5p4AJ7tDbjm3G2Mh8qqnFq-7ZafR4NBU/s1600/STEP-3.jpg" title="Cheap Domain Name" /></a></div>
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Since it was my first time to purchase a domain name and I was scared of screwing it up and losing my hard earned $$$, I settled for only 1 year of registration just to be safe. #PraningProblems </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Step 3: CONFIRM YOUR ORDER</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaPnl1e4quWxeeagvvwT0XEh5Qq5PGeiw_TfQGD-pqncb7jouEmtGCL4WU3ZslxEXoGqpBDeV6uWN0GqdhL0frqPnNj3VK_g-srGatz55qSG-hzV2U08qqBSAedlPEgj2TOPFFNuSYCA/s1600/STEP-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaPnl1e4quWxeeagvvwT0XEh5Qq5PGeiw_TfQGD-pqncb7jouEmtGCL4WU3ZslxEXoGqpBDeV6uWN0GqdhL0frqPnNj3VK_g-srGatz55qSG-hzV2U08qqBSAedlPEgj2TOPFFNuSYCA/s640/STEP-4.jpg" title="Cheap Domain Name Namecheap" width="640" /></a></div>
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The $10.87 price is around 500+ pesos for 1 year so that's like Php41.00 per month! Not bad, right? #BestInMath<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Step 4: CHOOSE YOUR PAYMENT METHOD</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBowhv7Ft98rsBcQ5kCUsFo-W7gLBn2YYeUIeRsd2_7Li6XioM_FYInnowjszW93atP0Z4iOwkM_GOeIhC9FuvbOyAT4luXna8Of_RKORm22A8QXUj0256xY2rr2qyUs1RV5IWsBqgmvg/s1600/STEP-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBowhv7Ft98rsBcQ5kCUsFo-W7gLBn2YYeUIeRsd2_7Li6XioM_FYInnowjszW93atP0Z4iOwkM_GOeIhC9FuvbOyAT4luXna8Of_RKORm22A8QXUj0256xY2rr2qyUs1RV5IWsBqgmvg/s640/STEP-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
My Paypal account is unverified so that means I can't choose the Paypal Option from their Payment Methods because I don't have a credit card that they can charge every year to renew the service. So I chose "Account Funds" instead. I think this option is the safest.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Step 5: ADD FUNDS TO YOUR NAMECHEAP ACCOUNT THRU PAYPAL</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRu38v1TA4NLOGEqrx69QhTq_bncyLz5-PwSGQMwgIhckhyphenhyphen2jvjaDZBzN1Z-Crnbm8VamrVlprhspbQ3oOk5TYjwC3gxbcEFFuP2ZzTVhUcgN9gqZUFl3Vh95OzIiA9xHE4vQCErb_wY/s1600/STEP-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRu38v1TA4NLOGEqrx69QhTq_bncyLz5-PwSGQMwgIhckhyphenhyphen2jvjaDZBzN1Z-Crnbm8VamrVlprhspbQ3oOk5TYjwC3gxbcEFFuP2ZzTVhUcgN9gqZUFl3Vh95OzIiA9xHE4vQCErb_wY/s640/STEP-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The domain name costs $10.87, so I sent $11 to my Namecheap account from my Paypal. This is why I said you need at least $12 worth of funds on your Paypal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvOO7g8QpK4Om7sxQkntg92pQaeDexO3gPinl0uIvw_Xtf-6m6w0pDrwUbj0_uT54ZU7hUN4NBctUDTx3coGNgsx4w2ipRtWSVYkQ2964zux2YWHi4aNhA8A-_N5ZkMZMuwp5RQSXP2o/s1600/STEP-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvOO7g8QpK4Om7sxQkntg92pQaeDexO3gPinl0uIvw_Xtf-6m6w0pDrwUbj0_uT54ZU7hUN4NBctUDTx3coGNgsx4w2ipRtWSVYkQ2964zux2YWHi4aNhA8A-_N5ZkMZMuwp5RQSXP2o/s640/STEP-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After clicking "<i>Proceed to Paypal</i>", you will be redirected to this page where you have to log in to your Paypal account so you can send the funds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekAcE5Wpnet7ouB4pwsi-isYz0ptYXSOHOBHhYlUceCRNtNN51CjYiQ3YPHnMAMTWE_0zdnlZTAvZbK8g_ksNDH-ilVoMf9cgGa-VbwuznoIqRjScxl8Kry472rEV6HY1wQwgCQN-AXQ/s1600/STEP-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekAcE5Wpnet7ouB4pwsi-isYz0ptYXSOHOBHhYlUceCRNtNN51CjYiQ3YPHnMAMTWE_0zdnlZTAvZbK8g_ksNDH-ilVoMf9cgGa-VbwuznoIqRjScxl8Kry472rEV6HY1wQwgCQN-AXQ/s640/STEP-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You must have funds ready in your Paypal account or else, you will be redirected again to a page requiring you to add a card and I assume you don't have a card, like me, so that's a dead end. This is why you need funds on your Paypal account first before we get started.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, did you guys follow? Were you able to send funds from your Paypal to your Namecheap account? Well, congratulations!</span><br />
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But we're not done yet! You have only purchased the domain name, but how do you set it up on your blog?<br />
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<b><a href="https://twitter.com/superniknok/status/640136030977261568" target="_blank">That's the part where my brain bled. </a></b><br />
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And I honestly don't wish all that brain-ache upon you guys so I will try my best to guide you through it anyway.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 6: SET-UP YOUR DOMAIN NAME ON YOUR BLOGGER ACCOUNT</span></b><br />
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On your Blogger Dashboard, go to Settings then choose Basic<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-P3qun5tuAC8k2UtZxh504JlGVelJnpqUh8YJ8Z84RlqM_KjDabkySupz8OnqYTkBRfcvkDGAzaKRZJ6pxfPEtKTYqV9PE4KJTdgc0tv6HH_0-2nDQPXbiORvWfP4IdFW6VueswLhck/s1600/STEP-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-P3qun5tuAC8k2UtZxh504JlGVelJnpqUh8YJ8Z84RlqM_KjDabkySupz8OnqYTkBRfcvkDGAzaKRZJ6pxfPEtKTYqV9PE4KJTdgc0tv6HH_0-2nDQPXbiORvWfP4IdFW6VueswLhck/s640/STEP-13.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
Under publishing, click on "+ Setup a 3rd party URL for your blog"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaW7ROeSaMI1_l_vskVyo42QcZB7pJPoypr4seUpgg7nx5VPi0kgn-w3Cf80Ii181tMGpdjSKeDg8YKtN8XZ1OABJua8D0lBw1dYy3OxruDOafi26fTGRYwgJ1x5t418IL-k7Ah0mHMg/s1600/STEP-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaW7ROeSaMI1_l_vskVyo42QcZB7pJPoypr4seUpgg7nx5VPi0kgn-w3Cf80Ii181tMGpdjSKeDg8YKtN8XZ1OABJua8D0lBw1dYy3OxruDOafi26fTGRYwgJ1x5t418IL-k7Ah0mHMg/s640/STEP-14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Fill in the blank field next to http:// with the domain name you just purchased then click SAVE</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn0EBKmq9dI7t9OVOxkNG1l0tcGGjN2W99uOEiPZ3QPXn2B5OHDay7_nDAptZiRXaae2J8R6FMEUBQ7HZwIiAqOakLGcsud8Y-f8py8AXTbCPHUnQJeFbDOPsEmMwurPnlD2hnq-ncig/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn0EBKmq9dI7t9OVOxkNG1l0tcGGjN2W99uOEiPZ3QPXn2B5OHDay7_nDAptZiRXaae2J8R6FMEUBQ7HZwIiAqOakLGcsud8Y-f8py8AXTbCPHUnQJeFbDOPsEmMwurPnlD2hnq-ncig/s640/Untitled-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After saving, you should see 2 CNAME records that you will have to set up on your Namecheap account</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 7: SET-UP YOUR DOMAIN NAME ON YOUR NAMECHEAP ACCOUNT</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVvONiQvem0M8nv8dsT2FM9Kst8BNA8P4or3uxiDxQ8cCpIjxZmAaMvqXLWNKa6flFBstyt6Z0N1K-d6vHPa7USJjrwnKXphYlbJYp3AoraYZAujlvpRZ4F_uwNaRUWPyfDYa_7qHdm4/s1600/STEP-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVvONiQvem0M8nv8dsT2FM9Kst8BNA8P4or3uxiDxQ8cCpIjxZmAaMvqXLWNKa6flFBstyt6Z0N1K-d6vHPa7USJjrwnKXphYlbJYp3AoraYZAujlvpRZ4F_uwNaRUWPyfDYa_7qHdm4/s640/STEP-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Go to <a href="http://namecheap.com/">Namecheap.com</a> and click "Manage Domains"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_RPRhs3BNy2rpvT8lTTyy-LG0CBZulo-JyqaUgephAt5TC6JNqND5xgg7-mP1-lJFXwUZA4KAcJJFCECJPGQC7nq5Js_n_g2KuU_idAGZPBsQUDtbUb3GLSA5Am2zqbyoxs7zuPR34s/s1600/STEP-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_RPRhs3BNy2rpvT8lTTyy-LG0CBZulo-JyqaUgephAt5TC6JNqND5xgg7-mP1-lJFXwUZA4KAcJJFCECJPGQC7nq5Js_n_g2KuU_idAGZPBsQUDtbUb3GLSA5Am2zqbyoxs7zuPR34s/s640/STEP-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Click on your newly purchased domain name<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFzp0ZKDc-bbCSe2Oecd6mSsC5Xrzp2Fxqw_eBn8jH2ESz62sEU0vfmuOQ9byJ_ZssYxketD5wXw-3gg_Dm_lkSqaXrwZozLJiDwI9jrMCUrnbI0g7uwLvc_9s9Uy8upz8mm23ksHl6c/s1600/STEP-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFzp0ZKDc-bbCSe2Oecd6mSsC5Xrzp2Fxqw_eBn8jH2ESz62sEU0vfmuOQ9byJ_ZssYxketD5wXw-3gg_Dm_lkSqaXrwZozLJiDwI9jrMCUrnbI0g7uwLvc_9s9Uy8upz8mm23ksHl6c/s640/STEP-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then go to "All Host Records"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSZhnwn3UCaJ8IqynJLHcdKszSg1kgYNn10061VZTcw0mkczCo1Cxzz7hbbRy9Gnhi2YELBMhPHF4e51tgLrXQqvUuPZgVfIEd70Ke-Vppm9xnhQZpAexhObnPfX6JA3oyiUkFZMd13I/s1600/STEP-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSZhnwn3UCaJ8IqynJLHcdKszSg1kgYNn10061VZTcw0mkczCo1Cxzz7hbbRy9Gnhi2YELBMhPHF4e51tgLrXQqvUuPZgVfIEd70Ke-Vppm9xnhQZpAexhObnPfX6JA3oyiUkFZMd13I/s640/STEP-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Remember the 2 CNAME records provided by Blogger after saving your new domain name? </div>
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- Copy the values under Name, Label, or Host field (from Blogger) then paste it under the Host Name field (Namecheap)<br />
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- Copy the values under Destination, Target, or Points To field (from Blogger) then paste it under "IP Address/URL" field (Namecheap)<br />
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- Don't forget to select CNAME from the "Record type" drop-down menu under "Subdomains Settings"<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then finally, click <b>SAVE CHANGES</b>.</span><br />
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You will have to wait for a couple of minutes before Blogger verifies your new domain so just sit back, relax, because the next thing you know, you already got your own domain name!<br />
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And that's it! It took me many years and a shitload of Google searches to finally get to buy my own domain name because of "my situation AKA excuses" and I thought it would be very nice of me to help those who are going through the same issues!<br />
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I hope I was able to help you guys somehow. If for some reason, this guide still confuses you, maybe <a href="https://www.namecheap.com/support/knowledgebase/article.aspx/1243/78/how-to-use-my-domain-with-my-blogger-account" target="_blank"><b>this one by Namecheap</b></a> won't! </div>
</div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-43908904275477655312015-09-18T23:24:00.000+08:002015-09-19T01:52:52.070+08:00Friday's 10 Happy Things Vol. 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Thank God it's Friday!</b> I've been wanting to do another Friday's 10 Happy Things for the past few weeks but my schedule has been all over the place lately. But I swore to do one today because I just can't let this day end without sharing you guys about the little things that have made me happy this week!<br />
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1. <b>I thought I was going to drown in sadness </b>when I missed the Carly Rae Jepsen Live in Manila concert last Monday because I was poor and was saving my last money for something really important. It broke my heart to not make it to the show but I got over it pretty fast!<br />
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2. And that's all thanks to <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7r7uTmuM3_/" target="_blank"><b>my own Carly Rae Jepsen-y concert at home </b></a>in my boyfriend's boxers and T-shirt and a pair of mismatched socks with my laundry rod as the mic stand and a roll of black garbage bag as the microphone, and of course, with my cats as the audience who obviously weren't having any of it. And even if my cats would rather stare at walls and lick their balls while I'm singing "I really really like you!" at the top of my lungs, there's really no one else I'd rather have as an audience but these four-legged furry jerks!<br />
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3.<b> Finally got a "<i>decent</i>" Internet connection at home.</b> That was the <i>thing </i>I was saving my money for so I had to let go of the CRJ show. I need it for my job, for my hobbies, and my business as well. I had to switch from PLDT Home Bro Ultera to Globe Tattoo Home Broadband because after only 1 month of decent Internet connection from PLDT, everything just went downhill from there. I've cursed every agent, every technician, and every manager I've talked to just to get them to fix their mess and do something about their shitty service but not one thing has changed. So I gave up and had to find a better ISP.<br />
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4. <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7mlNWSOMzH/" target="_blank"><b>Staring at my cat Alaskito's face because he's so tall and handsome as hell</b></a>!<br />
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5.<b> </b><a href="https://instagram.com/p/7qNnYsuM6m/" target="_blank"><b>Finished binge-watching the first season of Gotham</b>!</a> Told my boyfriend, who hasn't seen it yet, to catch up ASAP so we can finally watch it together because...<br />
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6. <b>Gotham's second season premieres on Monday! </b>*runs around the room screaming in excitement*<br />
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7. Jimmy Fallon's crazy <b><a href="https://youtu.be/ss9ygQqqL2Q" target="_blank">Wheel of Musical Impressions with Ariana Grande</a> </b>who did awesome impressions of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Celine Dion. I've seen it many times the other day but I'm watching it again tonight!<br />
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8. <b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMpFmHSgC4Q" target="_blank">Hailee Steinfield's super feel-good track "Love Myself"</a>. </b>If hearing this song doesn't superboost your confidence and self-worth and appreciation, then I don't know what else will! "<b>I LOVE ME! GONNA LOVE MYSELF, NO I DON'T NEED ANYBODY ELSE!</b>" It's an anthem for independent girls! I sing this everytime I refill my water dispenser and I have to carry that heavyass water jug by myself. ;)<br />
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9. Going to the supermarket and realizing<b> it's that time of the year again</b> because Mariah's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY" target="_blank">All I want for Christmas</a>, Britney's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrvebqA8xdM" target="_blank">My Only Wish (This Year)</a>, and<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI" target="_blank"> Last Christmas</a> are playing! And then it hit me...<br />
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10. <b><a href="http://www.xmasclock.com/" target="_blank">There's only 96 days to go until Christmas!</a> </b>Gaaah! This season always make me feel inexplicably happy and I don't even know why! Aren't you guys excited?<br />
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And there goes the 10 little and simple things that made me happy this week! Share yours too by joining<a href="http://blog.ditz-revolution.net/category/10-happy-things/" target="_blank"> Helga's blog link up, Friday's 10 Happy Things</a>!<br />
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<a href="http://blog.ditz-revolution.net/category/10-happy-things/" target="_blank" title="Ditz Revolution"><img alt="Ditz Revolution" src="http://blog.ditz-revolution.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fridays10happythings.png" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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So, if you're happy and you know it, don't just clap your hands, stomp your feet,
shout "hurray", and do all three! Write about it and make it a habit!
Don't forget to leave a link so we can check it out too! ♥ </div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-85189927977314023642015-09-17T08:15:00.000+08:002015-09-17T11:16:24.236+08:00How To Make An Ugly Sweater Look Cute<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Guys, I am swamped with important things to do right now and I can't get my mind to focus on finishing a blog post that makes sense, so I thought I'd share with you a few outfit shots I took some time last year for this blog but never got around to publishing because -- you really don't wanna hear my lame excuses, do you?</div>
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<a name='more'></a>These throwback #OOTD photos were taken last year when I was newly blonde and still had a regular office job.<br />
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If you have been on this blog before when it was still a personal style blog, then you must have noticed my thing for school girl outfits and seen my many attempts to channel my favorite Gossip Girl characters or look like a Japanese school girl. <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2011/01/school-of-rock.html" target="_blank">Attempt #1</a> and <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2011/11/too-school-for-cool.html" target="_blank">Attempt #2</a>.<br />
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I'm not always dressed like a school girl when going to work though. Sometimes, I look like a punk rebel kid, sometimes I'm overdressed in girly shit, sometimes I'm in a freakin tutu, sometimes I go boho, and sometimes I look like a hobo.<br />
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There's one thing I'll never be caught dead wearing though. <b>Corporate Attire. </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMBXhDcogcI" target="_blank"><b>EW!</b></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdphMkWKxssoknMCpNyvs0Cgp6iMt1cGwsmdkteJ7s637y3znh_y6TRfXZgpgE-en6RsdkS5XJ_SctkbzkCC96ImHhlBUPtv2-fF-SPG9V3V3jKDEJYMdgW3J0Hr6T26CKE2TPPukpDU/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdphMkWKxssoknMCpNyvs0Cgp6iMt1cGwsmdkteJ7s637y3znh_y6TRfXZgpgE-en6RsdkS5XJ_SctkbzkCC96ImHhlBUPtv2-fF-SPG9V3V3jKDEJYMdgW3J0Hr6T26CKE2TPPukpDU/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW6QX_jbw9ky0ZSmmaCdpSCDdGGcV_XMv5o4LhbTX3qeJlDCYzFbQF4RHz8dyq9eNTyExo0ey-Kg7SzeOOEdelOjtIZ2fmUA4kxZJFTAbMdbx3otrusEdkFn-4NtIC793CeLqtN8JHgk/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW6QX_jbw9ky0ZSmmaCdpSCDdGGcV_XMv5o4LhbTX3qeJlDCYzFbQF4RHz8dyq9eNTyExo0ey-Kg7SzeOOEdelOjtIZ2fmUA4kxZJFTAbMdbx3otrusEdkFn-4NtIC793CeLqtN8JHgk/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25283%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xT0Mx0EVOMPQUS1_uMq2HU4kMB7Tycpatc3bYlJM3BTMlK03m5khlV0d_y_VLa0s4uBzuSqC7UR4aW2hjgMwDEmerpEG-wfDnHd6uBcd57FuJTsBCUyriMA1JAfkDyVoPlNqIP4DS5Q/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xT0Mx0EVOMPQUS1_uMq2HU4kMB7Tycpatc3bYlJM3BTMlK03m5khlV0d_y_VLa0s4uBzuSqC7UR4aW2hjgMwDEmerpEG-wfDnHd6uBcd57FuJTsBCUyriMA1JAfkDyVoPlNqIP4DS5Q/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%252810%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnsLY2ddBTeUkFwfgNZ5SQ3OHZPF66Gi7ecvzWWBe7z6RqluMpDEiYChfe6lZnZMFRtS6cswCATSR5RjbRmE9ZIsjOLM5_3VlCD0Wr1k-mSYrKGCst3aVY2SPptBoDAXRoHTtQbiEybM/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnsLY2ddBTeUkFwfgNZ5SQ3OHZPF66Gi7ecvzWWBe7z6RqluMpDEiYChfe6lZnZMFRtS6cswCATSR5RjbRmE9ZIsjOLM5_3VlCD0Wr1k-mSYrKGCst3aVY2SPptBoDAXRoHTtQbiEybM/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25284%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCh_XRWZHGRNTz-58036VtwJOIn1rWwEVpeNgfE_7opmCvv36_zmutQSmLCi-crWWNJqpMf3tHcv_ITLpsWZZeTNOILQyKIujt2GZY-TKiJoHm_sThUWxMtrmHh6vrY4UGEBtv3m9whI/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCh_XRWZHGRNTz-58036VtwJOIn1rWwEVpeNgfE_7opmCvv36_zmutQSmLCi-crWWNJqpMf3tHcv_ITLpsWZZeTNOILQyKIujt2GZY-TKiJoHm_sThUWxMtrmHh6vrY4UGEBtv3m9whI/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25287%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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I bought this ugly sweater from a thriftshop because it's something not many girls my age would want in their wardrobe. And that's what made me more excited about having it. I didn't just score something unique, I also got myself a challenge because I had to think of ways to make it work without looking like an un-chic grandma.<br />
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Because this sweater looked kinda sad and old, I thought it'd be fun to make it look subtly cute so I paired it with a plaid school girl skirt (thrifted), pink polkadot socks from Bench, and a pair of Doc Martens I also scored from a thrift shop!<br />
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<b>FYI When it comes to ukay-ukay [thrift shopping], </b><b>I AM LEGEN...wait for it...DARY!</b><br />
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Added the red satchel for a pop of color that I think really completed the look and palette I was going for. Aren't the colors very <a href="https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=wes+anderson+color+palette&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=775&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIm7H1k4P8xwIVipKUCh2_5w0n" target="_blank">Wes Anderson</a>? I am head-over-heels in love with his unique style in film making. I am dying to live in a Wes Anderson movie.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3tVxfTlxIYBH6Lr7BxiqI6nhZTzG-l72qvbS_3dfVvUFelVQtF-JXYWD7t_CqfqYx_N6Lz6BDNBJHr9PgIEHqN2uqpjpZysHxvNJxA_RQ1GFOGz1CIx5xh7xNxN66LJo1hwi13U1dkk/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3tVxfTlxIYBH6Lr7BxiqI6nhZTzG-l72qvbS_3dfVvUFelVQtF-JXYWD7t_CqfqYx_N6Lz6BDNBJHr9PgIEHqN2uqpjpZysHxvNJxA_RQ1GFOGz1CIx5xh7xNxN66LJo1hwi13U1dkk/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%25289%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd35MQiz6eBseG51YzWDioi5eJZPkULEm-G0k-S5kZ9eo-tlKX6V4EWKymopY0FwO-gXIQvHJVGcNU9JMDXd0mTij9rpeQ5T9fquF_TsXSXXBvwJxU2UXQsyJ70yaJU_LTpAPPb2c-8LU/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd35MQiz6eBseG51YzWDioi5eJZPkULEm-G0k-S5kZ9eo-tlKX6V4EWKymopY0FwO-gXIQvHJVGcNU9JMDXd0mTij9rpeQ5T9fquF_TsXSXXBvwJxU2UXQsyJ70yaJU_LTpAPPb2c-8LU/s1600/dominique+baniqued+style+%252811%2529.jpg" /></a><br />
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I really do miss hanging out with my friends from the office and dressing up every day, but I guess it's the kind of "miss" I can easily get over with. I mean, who am I kidding? My friends can come over anytime if they want, I'll host a house party. Besides, I can still play dress up at home without having to go out, right? No, that's not weird. I've done it many times.<br />
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Seriously though, I don't see myself going back to the office job set-up <strike>anymore </strike>ever again. It took me many years to finally crawl out of the hell that is commuting and I have no intention of putting myself up to that much <strike>stress </strike>torture ever again. I'm a lot kinder to myself now and I'd like to keep it that way. </div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-49014237843328647762015-09-13T23:58:00.003+08:002015-09-14T00:01:31.224+08:00The Sunday Currently Vol. 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Chill Sundays at home are the absolute best! I did the laundry and a general cleaning of the whole house yesterday so I had zero chores to do today which was perfect because I was able to wake up extra late, do a little DIY project, and update this blog as well. Good job, Niknok.<br />
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<b>READING</b><br />
All the blogs I've bookmarked from this week's bloghopping spree! I found a lot of really good ones!<br />
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<b>LISTENING</b><br />
To the TV. I tuned in to Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (as of this writing) when I saw <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MaineMendozaOnKMJS?src=tren" target="_blank">#MaineMendozaOnKMJS</a> trending on Twitter and got curious if she's going to be interviewed but it seems we won't be hearing her voice until the "<i>tamang panahon</i>" comes. I've only watched the Kalyeserye/Aldub thing twice and I find her really likeable! Cute nya!<br />
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<b>THINKING</b><br />
If I should just buy a ticket to Carly Rae Jepsen's concert tomorrow or just stay home all Monday night, crying in the corner, and wishing I should have bought a ticket instead.<br />
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<b>SMELLING</b><br />
Myself and I stink. I worked on my carpentry skillz all day and <b><a href="https://instagram.com/p/7kV5RoOM0v" target="_blank">came up with this little shelf</a> </b>where I can display things<b>.</b> Not bad for someone who has zero carpentry skillz, eh? I'm excited to buy those uso little succulents that I see on those disturbingly perfect Instagram feeds of people living disturbingly perfect lives. LOL JK.<br />
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<b>WISHING</b><br />
For a miracle because I really really really want to go to Carly Rae Jepsen's concert tomorrow because I'm a huge fan and I love her new album but payday is still 2-3 days away and I'm just so poorits right now.<br />
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<b>HOPING</b><br />
For a really productive week ahead. I have a lot of things I wanna write about and another set of non-blog things to accomplish. I just hope the I win the fight with my lazy demons so I can finally get shit done. Wish me luck!<br />
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<b>WEARING</b><br />
My boyfriend's old T-shirt, pambahay shorts, and socks. I wear socks at home all day because I want to take care of my tiny feet. (???)<br />
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<b>LOVING</b><br />
Justin Bieber's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK_0jXPuIr0" target="_blank">What Do You Mean</a>. Both the song and music video. Don't hate! Appreciate.<br />
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<b>WANTING</b><br />
To do more DIY wood projects like that tiny shelve I made today. <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7iJAq4OM1_/" target="_blank">My cousin delivered a bunch of wood scraps yesterday</a> because I asked my Tita to give them to me instead of throwing them away so I can turn them into useful things for my house - could be a furniture or a decor, I have an entire Pinterest board for everything I want to make for my house with my bare hands!<br />
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<b>NEEDING</b><br />
A warm bath because I stink and my back hurts. Cutting/sawing wood planks all day made me sweat like crazy! Yay for the instant cardio!<br />
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<b>FEELING</b><br />
Happy anyway because <a href="http://www.niknokniknok.com/2015/09/see-you-at-bloggys2015.html" target="_blank">I got an invite to #Bloggys2015</a> and my boyfriend is coming with me because I'd be a lonely lonesome loner in there if he didn't. #SociallyAwkward I hope to meet new friends there!<br />
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So, that's about it for today! I hope you guys had a fun Sunday as well! Let's all start the week right, yeah? Here's to a stress-free and productive week ahead for all of us!<br />
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xx</div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-41186913708585619472015-09-13T21:05:00.001+08:002015-09-13T21:06:01.935+08:00See You At The #Bloggys2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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While going through the e-mails on my inbox, sad that not one out of all the contests and promos I have joined picked my name to win Carly Rae Jepsen concert tickets for tomorrow *<span style="font-size: x-small;">sobs</span>*, I found another email that quickly turned my frown into a smile *<span style="font-size: x-small;">wipes tears on my cheeks</span>*!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's an invite to #Bloggys2015!</span></b><br />
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If you haven't heard of it yet, <a href="http://bloggys.ph/" target="_blank">#Bloggys2015</a> is an awards show for the finest bloggers, from all niches and industries, all over the Philippines.<br />
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I use to attend blogger events back in the early 2000's (OMG I feel so ancient) and this is the first time I'm going to attend another one after what, eight or nine years? And the fact that I will be witnessing "<i>a key event in Philippine history</i>" makes it even more exciting!<br />
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Aside from the freebies and perks for bloggers *gasp*, you also get a chance to meet top niche influencers, trend setters and buzz ambassadors! *another gasp*<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So here's what you gotta do:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. <a href="http://bloggys.ph/nominate-a-blog/" style="font-weight: bold;">Nominate your favorite blogs HERE</a>! </span><br />
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I have nominated all my friends' blogs [<a href="http://vandalsonthewall.com/" target="_blank">Ian / Vandals On The Wall</a>, <a href="https://marychristinegalang.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">MC</a>, <a href="http://chasingwanderland.com/" target="_blank">Dee</a>] because they are awesome, <a href="http://blog.ditz-revolution.net/" target="_blank">Helga </a>because she's my favorite, and of course, <a href="http://niknokniknok.com/" target="_blank">my blog</a> because it is <b>MY BLOG</b>. Haha!<br />
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You can nominate your own blog too because <b>your blog will always be the best blog --</b> even just for you, right? #LoveYourOwn<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Check out <a href="http://bloggys.ph/whos-attending/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">all these cool bloggers who are coming</a>! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Never miss the chance to get to know all of them as you witness this nationwide blog awarding event! <b><a href="http://bloggys.ph/reserve-tickets/" target="_blank">Reserve your tickets now</a> </b>because they are running out fast! Plus, I am also excited to meet all of you!</span><br />
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I popped the question "<i>Will you be my plus one</i>?" to boyfriend the other night and he said yes! So it's a date and I really look forward to seeing y'all there!<br />
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xx</div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-8784632513163165502015-09-11T09:00:00.000+08:002015-09-11T10:34:37.684+08:00Our Boracay Trip and 10 Things I'll Never Forget About It<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If I could get a dollar for all the times I've planned a Boracay trip that got cancelled, I'd be filthy rich by now. I've actually lost count of how many times I had to watch my dreams go down the drain and talking about those botched plans in the past still breaks my heart. Oh wait, not anymore! All those heartaches are forgotten now because it finally happened!<br />
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So even if this post is 10-months overdue, I'm still going share about this silly little dream come true! But instead of narrating our trip in chronological order,which is impossible now because of my messy memory, I thought I'd share instead the 10 things I haven't forgotten, and probably never will, about this crazy awesome Boracay trip!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. MY IRRATIONAL DISLIKE FOR PLANE RIDES</span></b><br />
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Showed this message to my boyfriend while we were a thousand feet from the ground. (Of course, I was joking.) I'm not afraid of heights and this isn't my first time to ride a plane either but I just can't stand what pressure does to my hears and inside my head. Seriously, I have really high tolerance for external pain but not when it's coming from the inside. This is the same reason why I hoard painkillers for when I get my monthly <strike>torture </strike>cramps. lol<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. WATCHING THAT GORGEOUS SUNSET</span></b><br />
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These photos were taken the day we arrived. After checking in to the hotel and changing outfits (I did), we just grabbed late lunch cuz we were already starving, then headed straight to the beach to chill while waiting for sunset. And I know now why so many people love Boracay and would want to keep coming back. Can't blame them. I'm one of them.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3. THIS BREATHTAKING VIEW</span></b><br />
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I think everyone knows that no amount of photos will ever do justice to how beautiful the beach is in Boracay. I must have spent 60% of my stay there just staring at the ocean. It was definitely one of the most peaceful I have ever felt. And if I didn't have responsibilities at home, I would have stayed there and become a beach-bummin' hobo who sells sea shells by the sea shore.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">4. THAT SUPER FINE WHITE SAND</span></b><br />
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Which was nothing like I've ever seen before! I couldn't stop touching it and burying my feet in it!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">5. MY HARD-EARNED "BORA BODY" HAHA</span></b><br />
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Am I not supposed to be talking about this? Whatever. Tell me you don't prepare or at least hope you're fit enough for a bikini prior to a beach trip and I'll tell you to get outta here now. (LOL JK, come back!) Seriously though, I am not ashamed to admit I worked out like crazy a month before this Bora trip. I quit rice and exercised everyday. Like, I skipped ropes, swung kettlebells, rolled and twisted, <strike>and fell </strike>on the exercise ball. Oh, the things I do.<br />
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I didn't really aim to get ripped though because a month is not enough to get super defined abs plus I cheated a lot of times when I discovered this yummy kebab outside the office and I pigged out on it everyday in spite of being on a "Bora diet". But I managed to get a little toned so my body issues kind of took a break when I finally measured 24 inches on my waist. #NiknokProblems<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">6. OUR INSANE BANANA BOAT RIDE</span></b><br />
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Ten months past that fateful day and I still haven't forgotten every split second of that crazy banana boat ride. It was my first time and even if I can't swim and the thought of being thrown in the ocean with nothing to hold on to except for a vest that might even slip off my body scared the living shit out of me, I freakin did it anyway. Brave, I know. But more than realizing how fearless I can be, that banana boat ride taught me a lesson:<br />
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<b><u>NEVER EVER EVER RIDE A BANANA BOAT WEARING A BIKINI!!!</u></b><br />
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You'll never know what real struggle is until you're a girl in a swimsuit riding waves in a banana boat, forced to choose between holding on for dear life or preserving your poise and dignity in that itsy bitsy bikini. I bet you already know by now what I had to sacrifice to live and tell this horrible but hilarious story of our epic banana boat ride.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">7. MY PARASAILING ADVENTURE WITH J</span></b><br />
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I did feel like throwing up at one point when we were swinging up there but it felt better when the swinging stopped. Like I said, I'm not afraid of heights so I actually enjoyed 1). hanging God-knows-how-many-feet high and seeing the ocean from up there 2). laughing at my nervous boyfriend who freaks out every time our harness thingy starts swinging back and forth.<br />
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This is the part when I realized how freakin happy I am. There's no one else I'd rather share this exhilarating experience with other than that boy right there beside me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">8. OUR IT'S-A-SMALL-WORLD-AFTER-ALL SURPRISE</span></b><br />
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Our former supervisor from our previous company happened to be there for a vacation as well! So we met him up outside the hotel where he was staying for a little catching up by the beach!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">9. HOW INSANELY FUN IT IS TO TRAVEL WITH A </span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">CRAZY </span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">BUNCH OF AWESOME FRIENDS</span></b><br />
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It's clear to me now why I had to wait this long for this silly little dream of mine to finally come to life. Maybe fate was waiting for me to meet the best people to share all those awesome experiences with. And I have to say, the wait sure was hella worth it!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">10. THIS LITTLE REMINDER THAT DREAMS DO COME TRUE</span></b><br />
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Call me lame for only being able to go to Boracay just last year [I had priorities, you know] and it's okay. I have laughed at myself more than anyone else has ever had so nothing/no one can really make me feel bad about the lameness of me being a Boracay newbie at 27.<br />
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In fact, I think that's what made this trip really special and definitely one for the books. I once thought this was never going to happen but it did and I was able to experience it all with J and our good friends!<br />
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Now who am I to whine about all the cancelled plans from the past when I finally got my silly little dream come true and had a total blast? </div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-58242034706029994832015-09-08T16:23:00.000+08:002015-09-09T00:18:07.464+08:00Life Lately Vol. 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The past week hasn't been very nice to me. The weather literally made me sick. It's just so hot during the day and being seated in front of the computer, working for a straight 8-hour shift gave me really bad headaches for days. And then I got a bad sore throat, then flu joined the next day, then came the coughs, and a slight fever. By weekend, I was already too sick to function.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BUT! Good things happened anyway. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Got a domain name for this blog</span></b><br />
I have been dreaming of purchasing my own domain name since the day I started blogging (February 2005) but I was too <i>pobre </i>to afford it back then. When I got a job, I still couldn't do it because I didn't know how to. When I finally learned how to purchase, I didn't have a credit card to use. When I tried to use my cousin's credit card the other day, it didn't work because the promo at GoDaddy had limited payment options. And just when I was about to give up, I realized I have $$$ in my Paypal account so I asked for Google's help. And after hours of trying to figure it out, <a href="https://twitter.com/superniknok/status/640136030977261568" target="_blank"><b>which made my brain hurt so bad</b></a>, I did it! I'll write a How To blog post about this very soon!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dyed my hair purple again</b></span><br />
I wanted to make it red violet but I ran out of red dye so <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7R-fURuM7Q/" target="_blank">this is what I came up with</a>. Not bad, but it's just a repeat of <a href="https://instagram.com/p/zqwtHIuM2O/" target="_blank">my ultraviolet hair from 6 months ago</a>. And in true Niknok tradition, I took a bajillion selfies with my new hair color!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Boyfriend showed up with medicines and pizza</b></span><br />
Because I won't be able to go out for our regular Sundate, boyfriend came over instead with medicines and pizza! Two boxes of bigass pizza just for the two of us. And sushi. And a huge bottle of Gatorade so I won't get dehydrated. Isn't he adorable?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Binge-watched the first season of The Flash</span></b><br />
We weren't just stuck at home all weekend. We were pinned to the couch and glued to the TV. And when we ran out of good movies to watch, we started binge-watching The Flash. And now we're hooked and I know that for a fact because<b> <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7XBR8OuM8W/" target="_blank">I am already showing symptoms of TV series addiction.</a></b><br />
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The last time this happened was when we were getting high on our supply of Breaking Bad episodes that<b><a href="https://instagram.com/p/i44G3YuM8c/" target="_blank"> I started greeting my boyfriend like the recorded message on Jesse Pinkman's voicemail</a>.</b> Anyone of you guys remember that?<br />
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After spending it by doing absolutely, literally nothing productive, and staying away from the computer all day, I gotta say its been a weekend very well spent! I may have only pigged out on pizza and The Flash episodes with boyfriend, but I was also able to get the amount of rest I needed to get my ass back to my routine this week!<br />
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Hope you guys had a great weekend too! That's about it for now, I guess. <br />
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Toodles!<!--3--></div>
niknokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789864978420125253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773233728430855050.post-12768506562648286742015-09-03T18:49:00.000+08:002015-09-04T09:30:11.188+08:009 Perks of Having Your Own Place<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What were your daydreams mostly about when you were a kid? Mine's always about growing up fast and living on my own with no one telling me what and what not to do. That's why I loved playing house (bahay-bahayan) with my playmates and cousins back then. And it's not because I get to have fake husband and kids, but because I've always loved the idea of having my own house where I can be the boss of everything. It's not that I hated my life though, that I wanted so bad to break away and escape. In fact, I was a very lucky kid. I guess I was just way too excited to be a big girl living in a big world!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Now that my daydreaming days are over because my <i>big-girl-living-in this-big-world-</i>dream has come to life, I thought I'd share with you guys the things I love the most about finally having a place of my own.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. YOU OWN IT</span></b></div>
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Remember that day when you finally got to buy that dress you've been eyeing at a store or that flashy gadget you've been saving up for? Don't we all feel euphoric when we finally own something we've always wanted? That's exactly what it feels like when you finally have a house of your own, only a thousand times better. And it doesn't even matter if it's not the bigass mansion most people dream of, as long as you work hard for it, it's yours and no one can take it away from you. Only the bank or HDMF I guess, if you're a delinquent payer. So don't be that person.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. YOU SEE WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES</span></b></div>
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A house never loses its value like clothes, gadgets, and even cars do. Clothes go out of fashion, gadgets become obsolete when the new ones hit the market, and cars get worn out over time. Not that a house won't wear out and fall apart but it's a property --a space you own that will remain yours no matter what. And that's why it's still the best investment to make because you get to see your hard-earned money turn into something of great value, something you can build your future in.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. YOU SET THE RULES</span></b></div>
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That is if you even want rules at all. Because you own the place, no one can tell you what you should and shouldn't be doing anymore. If you hate doing chores, then fine! Don't wash the dishes, don't clean the house, and don't do the laundry! If you like having your friends around, then invite as many people as you can and throw a rager every Friday night. No one's going to scold you for letting your friends trash the place. You'll never get grounded forever! </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. YOU LEARN HOW TO ADULT</span></b><br />
The day you see what a household looks like when there are no set of rules to follow is the day you realize you actually need some sort of law and order. Because you own that house, you will eventually learn how to take proper care of it and everything inside it. You'll want to make it look nice all the time because you'll finally realize it's actually an extension of your personality that reflects who you are as a person.<br />
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And you want to look like you have your shit together, right? So even if you're not a huge fan of household chores, you will definitely want to wash the dishes, clean the house, and do the laundry! And guess what? You might even end up enjoying them!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. YOU GAIN SMALL BUT IMPORTANT SKILLS</span></b><br />
In my case, I had to learn how to cook because my house is sitting on top of a mountain and there aren't any fast food chains around, tricycle fare is freakin expensive, and the only ride I have is a bike. I realized I can't live on fried food and Pringles and Jelly Ace all my life so I had to learn how to make even just the simple meals.<br />
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There was even a time I didn't know how to change the stove's LPG tank and had to ask help from strangers. And also that time when I broke the faucet and the water just splashed all over the place and I didn't know how to make it stop or how to install a new faucet. All the small things I didn't think were important suddenly turned into something I had to learn because no one else is going to do them for me.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. YOU FINALLY GET TO USE MATH</span></b><br />
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Running your own household isn't just about doing all the chores. There is a great deal of Mathematics involved, too! Yeah, I'm talking about the bills, bills, bills. Praise the Lord, budgeting your money every month is just simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. At least all those crying on your Math tests back in grade school didn't go to waste! Or was it just me who cried over Math?<br />
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But the point is, these bills are now your top priorities. If you're earning just enough to pay the bills, like me, then it's about time you consider quitting your bad shopping habits and budget the shit out of those peanuts. If you're a rich motherchucker though, then congratufuckinglations!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">7. YOU GET A BETTER VIEW OF "<i>THE FUTURE</i>" </span></b><br />
I feel like owning a house is such a huge step that makes planning the next 5-10 years of your life a little teeny bit easier. I'm at the age when I can start my own little family whenever I want to and it wouldn't seem that drastic of a change anymore because we [my little family] already have a place to call our home! We don't need to rent an apartment or live with relatives anymore.<br />
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BUT I can also choose not to do that yet. I can put having a family on hold and tick shit off my bucket list first and it's still okay because if all else fails, I have somewhere to come home to. It's like having a base camp in the middle of a mountain climb. If your attempt to climb the summit fails today, you have somewhere to stay for the night and wait for the next try instead of going back to zero. Am I making sense here? NVM<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">8. YOU MAKE YOURSELF & YOUR FAMILY PROUD</span></b><br />
Not very sure in my case because even after so many years of living alone, I'm still pretty much a mess in life but I believe that every parent who sees their kid finally living independently would definitely be proud. I mean, I was once just a child who had to hold on to something just to be able to stand or walk for the first time. At fifth grade, I can't even cross streets without my cousin by my side.<br />
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Now, I'm actually running a household, earning and budgeting my own money, and looking after myself. I'm not saying I'm good at it but the fact that I'm still alive and my house hasn't burned down yet (knocks on wood) must mean I'm not doing it wrong either. I guess I can consider that as an accomplishment - something to be proud of, right?<br />
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<b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">9. YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PRIVATE DOMICILE WHERE YOU WILL NOT BE HARASSED, BITCH</span></b><br />
When shit after shit after shit happens, when everyone around you just keeps getting on your very last nerves, and when you just don't want any form of human interaction for the next 5 days, your home is your refuge. When you're happy, you can sing out loud and dance like a crazy person without being judged for your heartbreaking lack of talent. When you're depressed, you can lie on the floor crying, or spend days in the couch eating gallons after gallons of ice cream while watching sad movies. Your house is your escape from reality, your comfort zone where you can be ugly af, your batcave where genius can happen, and so much more!<br />
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I know anyone can do and learn all these things without having to buy a house. But going back to my first two perks: <b>You get to own something. You see where your money goes. </b>I've only been living in my house for 1 year and 5 months but I've also experienced renting out rooms and apartments since 2007. So I guess I have enough experience in living solo to say that paying the monthly mortgage hurts much much less than paying monthly rent where your money goes to the landlord and at the end of the day, all you really have are your precious clothes and shoes and gadgets.<br />
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Sorry if I blabbed way too much but I just really had fun sharing all these to everyone and I hope I was able to somehow inspire you guys to find your own dream houses too! I actually have more to share about my attempts to adult (mostly failed ones) but I'll just have to save that for my next posts. Bye for now! xx</div>
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