passion over knowledge or vice versa

i was feeling a bit anxious about my recent choice to resign yesterday that i was only able to sleep 3 hours before my shift at 8:00 PM. anxiety meant i needed to talk to someone and just ramble away my issues. sometimes i just write my feelings down but yesterday, i needed a friend. i also have a feeling that these small anxiety attacks would surface every now and then in the days leading up to my resignation and yeah, maybe during my rest. i am after all applying for other jobs outside the call center industry. so i will be needing a friend more often and harry would just have to put up with my mood swings (as always).

i got a chance to talk to my friend, canence, who has always been the one who talked sense or logic to me whenever i am down. we talked about this rut that we're in and about our plans to resign from our current jobs. i told her that  i don't have a back-up job i can fall to when i resign and that i am scared shitless because i don't know what to do. she told me that unlike her who doesn't know what she's passionate about, it's good that i am passionate about fashion and that i should pursue it. i told her that i have always been jealous of how she's getting certified at networking (cisco) and have been expanding her knowledge that she can easily land a job anywhere. i only have my experience to back me up because i graduated with a degree in computer engineering but i wasted my 5 years in college because i can't remember a thing about what i majored in. know what she told me? she says she feels that her knowledge is just on the surface and have nothing to back it up. well, i have passion, but not have too much knowledge to back it up.

passion over knowledge? or knowledge over passion? what do you think?

stepping into the light

no i'm not sad in these photos. i'm sleepy and very full from our big breakfast this morning. harry and i like to just sleep-in on weekends and this is one of them. just a post-birthday celebration and also to celebrate our 29th month together as a couple. this pale green dress is one of my favorites. it has seen me through chubby and fat days because of the elastic waist. i am happy to report that i had to cinch the belt so much that i had to fold it at the sides. the dressed used to be a bohemian maxi dress but i had my dad cut it short --- just like he did on all my other dresses. i loved it as a maxi dress but felt that it cut me shorter because of its full skirt. 

so here's my weekend: brownie cheesecake and hours of talking with karen, browsing through books i can't afford at fully booked especially now that i'm saving for my unemployed days, dvd shopping --- grey's anatomy season 6, the runaways and she's out of my league; slept in the clothes i wore out and make-up when i got home -- which made me feel like crap because i don't like feeling dirty in the middle of my sleep; lots of channel surfing with harry on sunday afternoon, a night with a polka-dotted ribbon, a donut twist and almond snickers bar at 4 in the morning and lots and lots of sleep.

pale green boho dress - thrifted

silver braided belt - random

long watch necklace - hongkong

silver cuffs - thrifted at carbon

a mistake i got to make

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

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

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

black blazer - thrifted

white tank top - abercrombie

striped city shorts - bought from manager's garage sale

black platforms - forever 21

silver cuffs - thrifted at carbon

gun-metal layered bracelet - thrifted at carbon

gun-metal reindeer necklace - bubble bee tea house

dog tags - custom-made

aviators - mongkok, hk

can i hide in my closet?

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

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

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

sheer polka dress (used as top) - random

jeans - chilly papas

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

necklaces: eyeglasses - random | rose engraved watch - hongkong

stacks of faux gold bangles - gifted from india

white enamel bangle - props

we had to make it happen: BLOGGER MEET-UP!

i am really shy (or speechless) upon first introduction. i don't know what to do when i meet strangers. the meet-up was not really with strangers as we have all been communicating in the blogosphere but it's different meeting people in person. so on my way to loft where we were all to meet, i was thinking repeatedly in my foolish paranoia, "what are we going to talk about?" haha! i didn't have any reason to be paranoid because the night did go well (maybe sans the stupid discrimination of the bouncer or management at loft)... we had drinks, we had laughs and of course, lots of photos! just imagine everyone bringing their own cameras and asking the waiter to take the group photos with all of them...it was crazy!

the night was not just a meet-up of fashion bloggers but also of fashion enthusiasts and up and coming designer. the roll call (from the first photo): rand, kelvin, kristine roa of instyle cebu, yves of yves style,  angel of the great social nomad, iya, dane of trust me, it's paradise, eden of chic in the tropics, ed and nym wales. 

we still had a few who were not in attendance and i really hope they could join us next time!

of course, loft night is not complete without my sister and our friends. we also celebrated our friend, yami's birthday and we were both dressed in animal print too! here's how the rest of my night went:

leopard print dress - thrifted

black belt - part of my lil' sister's shorts that she's wearing here

curtain necklace - props

stacks of faux gold bangles - gifted

wooden ring - thrifted at carbon

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

the game of tag

knitted button-up dress - thrifted | lace camisole - mango | brown leggings - random | brown gladiator flats - leaveland | green braided belt - thrifted | tan fringe bag - lil' sister's | stacks of bangles - hongkong finds | rings - props | brown sunnies - thrifted at carbon

i was tagged by lee of spunk and glam to answer a few questions.

1.  What do you do for a living?

I work for a call center as a Team Leader.
2.  What is your blog name and why?

My blog name is 'Vanilla Ice Cream' because when I started this blog as a personal blog back in 2007, I was at a time of my life where I was undecided, fearing too much about my future and mostly heartbroken. Vanilla ice cream always made me feel better. The feeling vanilla ice cream gives me is actually on my very first post of this new blog.
3.  Who is your favorite singer/band and why?

This is a really tough question...I have lots of  favorite singers and bands. I simply cannot make up my mind. I've always loved Jewel, Natalie Imbruglia when I was growing up. Then I found indie rock and pop punk rock and brit rock and I fell in love with music all over again. I love the killers, the cure, the strokes, the smiths, the honorary title, imogen heap, regina spektor, the national, john mayer, jack johnson and lots more. I love these kinds of music because they take me out of my daily routine and give that 'soundtrack' to what I am doing or experiencing. More about my love for rock here.
4.  What is your favorite restaurant and your favorite thing to eat there? 

I would have to say Krua Thai or Siam (I think they have the same owner..haha!) I love Thai food because I love peanuts or nuts in my food and they combine the sweet and spicy in one dish. Harry and I also love the Pad Thai in Lemon Grass.
5.  What is your favorite item of clothing?

Oh my, another question which I cannot give a specific answer. I have this black vintage shirt that I thrifted in college that has vintage cars all over the front. It's kinda' loose and very comfortable. It's my go-to shirt when I just want to be comfortable or just don't care about dressing up. I think I've paired it with shorts, skirts and jeans.
6.  Who is your favorite fashion icon?

drew barrymore | janis joplin | mary-kate olsen | nicole richie

7.  What is your personal fashion style?

i like to be comfortable (but maybe a little sacrifice on shoes). i wear lots of bohemian stuff --- whether i just wear accents or really boho tops or dresses. i love the idea of not caring too much very my clothes match. as much as i love earth colors like blues, tan, browns and nudes, i also have a share of wearing neons too. i have to say, i dress according to my mood.   

8.  Where do you usually go for ukay-ukay or bargain shopping?

there is this store right beside a hospital that has new stuff every end of the month. my mom, sisters and i make it a habit to go there every month. i hardly buy in malls --- only to buy shoes. and my shoe price limit is P2500.  

i want to post who i want to tag but i'll do that on monday. i'm in a hurry because i need to catch some zzzz's to wake up at 2:00 PM to prepare for my friend's wedding.

by the way, thanks to everyone who commented on my last post. i took a sick leave on thursday to allow myself to rest and i slept for 16 hours! whoa! i felt better when i woke up but still very much decided to leave this career. i hope i get called up for interviews soon!