Akala ko mag sho-shopping pa tayo, Mikee?

Yesterday, I went to Divisoria for the very first time. Of course, we passed by Binondo which reminded me so much of my block mate and friend, Mikee Illescas. Sweet, beautiful, kind-hearted, funny, bubbly Mikee. The whole time we were there, I couldn't stop thinking of Mikee.

We were made group mates by one of our professors last term for our Audio-Visual Production class and in one of our productions, she landed as the Director. We had to go to several places that weren't known much and feature them in our little show. Being director, Mikee had to search high and low on the internet and a travel book I gave her and somehow we landed in Binondo. We got to Binondo through all the excruciating traffic, only to find out that the place she searched for was closed on Sundays. We were there on a Sunday. Nevertheless, we laughed it off, and started looking for different locations and destinations. We went against almost every plan that day and we managed to do fine.

That was the Mikee I knew. And that is the Mikee I will always remember and keep in my heart forever. She was always so happy, always so positive and always so... Mikee.

Last night, in the middle of watching a movie, I checked my Twitter Feed just to see what everyone was up to. I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to think that I was already sleeping and I was in the middle of a horrible nightmare. I stared at my friend's tweet, not wanting to believe a word it said.

Mikee has been in the hospital for months. I don't even remember the last time I saw her. From what I've been reminded of, it started a week or two after everyone got back from Christmas Break. Our block started asking her barkada questions on where she was, what's happened, has she gotten better, and when will we finally see her?

Eventually, after so many weeks of hoping she'd come back for the rest of the term, her parents finally dropped her out of class. Everyone was counting on seeing her up and back to herself by next term. No one ever, ever, EVER thought that we wouldn't see her anytime soon again. No one.

Mikee has touched so many people's lives. Last night, after reading Riah's tweet, I went on her Facebook Timeline and lo and behold, there it was. Every one's messages kept saying how sad and sorry they were to not have her anymore. So many people were saying that she's in a better place, some were begging for her to suddenly reply to everyone and tell us that she was okay. No one wanted to believe she was gone. I don't want to believe that she's gone.

I can never forget Mikee's smile. I can never forget her voice. I can never forget her happiness and how down-to-earth she was. She had material things that I could only hope for, but to her, they were just things that didn't need more attention than others. She never demanded, she never complained whenever I gave her tasks to work on. She was one of the very few people who never hesitated when it came to acting, taking photos, and all the other stuff that other people never had the confidence to do.

Above is a short film, Five Simple Parts. It was our final project,

and Mikee was the star of the show. She was perfect.

I don't know what else to say but I do know one thing: Mikee touched my heart, too. She's one of the most special people in my entire life. We may not be best friends and we may not be the closest of friends, but I really do know her as one of the best people I've ever met.

Thank you, Mikee, for being a part of each and every one of us in our class. You will never be forgotten. Instead, remembered as the pretty, smart and funny girl we all loved to smile at and with in the most random moments. I feel so bad for not ever making a move to see you while you were sick, and I only texted you once the entire time. I'm so sorry, Mikee. I love you so much and I've missed you ever since you stopped going to school. You're in a better place now, and soon, we'll see you there again. Look down on us, guide us, okay? We'll always keep you in our hearts.

D'yan na lang tayo mag-shopping, Mikee. At least d'yan endless pera natin. Hahaha! I love you.

Rogue: December 2011

Photo taken from Trending News Now

I'm still in class right now, ironically making a layout for a magazine cover for submission in about twenty minutes. But how could I do all that if my dear friend Jessica is sitting right beside me and she tells me to search for Rogue's new cover, featuring the ever so lovely, Georgina Wilson?

I have to admit: I have never read Rogue. I have admired them from afar though, ever since I saw the Anne Curtis cover which was so controversial, and so beautiful in my eyes. Rogue, with all their creativity has done it again with this month's cover and frankly, it doesn't make me think twice on why Rogue has made it this far and has been successful all these years.

It's magazines and photographs like these that make me really want to become a fashion photographer when I grow up.

Kudos to the photographer, Mark Nicdao!

Make-up Artist: Robbie Pinera

Hairstylist: Raymond Santiago

Production Designers: Dindo Pangalangan, Elmer Pueblo and Che Katigbak

Happy Halloween!

Hello! Still at SMX for Philippine Fashion Week and somehow found the time to blog randomly 'cause Halloween's in town and I'm surprised at how I feel about it.

Somehow I'm not afraid of Halloween anymore. I'm not so afraid of the scary ghost who's about to wake up in two days or the witch who's supposed to eat children by the sugar house. Don't get me wrong, I'm still too chicken to watch scary movies alone. I just think that I've grown up to realize that Halloween is nothing but another night or day for parties and candy - as if we don't have them happening at least every single day.

A part of me believes that maybe I have grown up. And it's not really easy to let it all sink in. When I started college, I was afraid that my school wouldn't really help me exercise in the world of media. I was afraid that it would all be theoretical and no practical measures. So when this year kicked in and I had to make a production with my group mates every week and I really had to step everything up a notch. It was hard at first and it was still pretty hard at the end, but nevertheless, I got through it and I'm ready to face more in the future.

Ang drama. So, anyway! Back to work.

Happy Halloween!

TITIT.

"Titit" is my nephew (my cousin's son), Gab's own way of saying Trick or Treat. He did his first Trick or Treat ever in my sister's school, Gymboree, so he went around Bonifacio High Street and Serendra with other kids, too. Of course, being the supportive family that we are, my cousins and I went with him.

And thus, my outfit.

☑ Hello Kitty top: Thrifted (Which is another way of saying, Greenhills)

☑ Dark floral leggings: SHUCKS I DON'T REMEMBER (To be updated lol)

☑ Boots: Doc Martens

☑ Canvas bag: Primark

☑ Black rubber bracelet: POP! Culture

P.S. Thanks to my cousin Kandy for taking the photos!

P.P.S. Excuse my fez in the second photo. I just HAD to edit it out!

My parents went to the UK last September and got me my Doc Martens! Still can't believe I own a pair and I still stare at them in amazement in my room once in awhile. They're not even kept with my other shoes in my dusty shoe shelf. Haha! I wore them for the first time last Saturday because it was the first time I felt that they were fit for the occasion. Actually, thank goodness for fashion week 'cause I'll be wearing them often this week!

Gab went as a cute ghost, by the way:

Hopefully this week I'll have time to take outfit photos. As usual, I'll be updating you about PFW through Twitter and stuff. I'll be starting tomorrow, instead of today though. Shame.

Here's the schedule for Philippine Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012!

I'll see you at SMX, yes?

2AM Blog Post

Time check: 2:06 am

Out of the shower, in my sleep clothes and typing away on an iPod. Thank the Gods for this new Blogger app I've been waiting for. Hopefully I'll get to blog more often because of it.

The reason why I chose to blog at such a late or early hour (depends on how you look at it) was because: One, I felt touched when my high school friend Daniel had asked me earlier why I don't blog often anymore. Two, because I just feel like it. Three, because I have so much to say but no one to talk to. Shame.

Well, anyway. I got home at exactly 1:18 earlier coming from my best friend, Hannah's house. We finally had our high school reunion after two years since graduation. Nine out of around twenty people arrived and that's including me and the hostess. There were tons of food, innocent drinks, and most importantly, the best laughs and kwentos in the world. It felt like magic to be with them again. It was as if the past two years in college were empty and tonight just had to fill my spirits again.

What really amazed me tonight was how much NOBODY, as in NOBODY had changed. In fact, I just realised now how much the aura of Hannah's veranda felt so much like our Level 10 classroom in Bene. It's as if none of my high school friends have any plans of changing who they are and I'm glad they haven't.

Tonight made me realize that my friends from high school really are some of the most important people in my life. It's funny, 'cause some of those people almost made my life a living hell just two years ago and yet tonight, they made everything worth it. All of my high school friends are somewhat like my best friends. I may not be as close to moat of them like I am to my real best friends, but really, they're the people who made me the person I am now. As cliche as that sounds, it's actually really true. Some of them might have taught me the not so good things in life but it's because of those experiences that I learned right from wrong. Well, sort of.

My high school friends molded the person who I am today. I mean yeah, my family's obviously a part of that too, but my high school friends may be the silliest of the lot but really, they're some of the wisest people I've ever met in my life. It's from the wrong things we did in the past that I learned the right things now. Again, sort of.

It's weird how much of a good time I had is equal to the sadness I feel now. I mean, don't get me wrong. My sadness is really because I wish the good time earlier didn't have to end. It's actually why I came home at past 1 instead of coming home at 11. Like I said, they're worth it. They're worth the scolding I got earlier when I got home.

I wish I could post photos but being the good friend that he is, Daniel drained my laptop's battery earlier. Charger's not in my room and frankly, I'm too lazy/tired to look for it.

Thank you to Hannah, Justin, Karen, Janina, Leon, Ramon, Ramon's girlfriend, Daniel and JC for making this the most awesome night I've had in awhile.

Good night, everyone!

Time check: 2:40 am

Time check: 11:33 am

Posted photos from last night, click the photo below to be redirected!