on traverse

I have been trying my best to continue my daily activities with the absence of my right arm. Oh yes, my right arm is still intact. I just have to put it into rest for speedy recovery. Apparently, tearing a muscle tissue is a no-nonsense matter. Everything has been quite tough especially at work since i am right-handed. In fact, i am relying on my left hand in making this post. I have never felt so dysfunctional in my entire life. I even find it ironic that i'm writing a longer blog entry when i am currently injured, hahah. I guess it is by human nature to tussle back when one is challenged.

Anyway, the upcoming posts are those i have finished drafting during my precious idle hours. I scheduled it to load itself automatically. I realized that i have been slacking lately in keeping up with this blog. I also want to write more and post interesting stuff here so there will be a major re-vamp happening in the next months.

Readers, thanks for still following this blog even sometimes i just post crap.

The coming weeks will be an improvement.

Thank you / Grazie / Merci / Danke / Gracias / Arigato / Xiexie! :)

(i hope i didn't miss out anyone in my blog friends' list)

Salamat,

hello life

Why, I can always relate to Kiki's Delivery Service (Majo no Takkyūbin). 

weekly random

my braid today

cloudy friday afternoon

happy food for the sick

spooky late evening

playing with cats downstairs <3

dropping by the School of The Arts at Stamford

the "OMG SO CUTE TOTORO" bed

Plan A

I've been reading this for quite a while now. Since i've been interested with food and beverage tasting (but not yet successfully good with cooking heheh) one of my plans soon is to invest in a good bar/resto-gallery business. It's something that i would like to do aside from doing art. I don't know where, i don't know what location i might end up, but i'm determined to make it happen. I've been somewhat traveling in nearby areas, listing some cuisines and drinks that caught my interest in the past few months.

A good place where people can go enjoy food and drinks, listen to good music and view awesome art --- I already have some ideas, the concept, the design in my head, and i'm going to lay it out one of these days to get a clearer picture. I think i just need to collaborate with someone who knows food and beverage well because i admit that's not my expertise. Somebody who is passionate about food as i am passionate about arts and can synchronize with my love for music, who can also develop the idea with me. Even if i don't know much about F&B biz, surely, i can help grow things in terms of operations and marketing. I want to have a copy of this book for some inspiration.

It's also a perfect timing that i am currently working in a gallery. I'm learning more on how a gallery operates in terms of management and finance. In my heart, i can clearly visualize the gallery that i would like to handle -- very much an "art for art's sake" one. Something that will fuse much to music as well.

All of the things close to my heart : art + music + good food&drink. Then i can just settle down peacefully and live a happy life. Sounds like a good plan.

strange feeling

Traveling from North-South to East-West means twelve train stops and two train transfers. Trying a different route, i took East-West to North-South by the circle line, three train rides through the same twelve train stops. It's funny how the three train transfers seemed like a faster way than the two. Or maybe i just got  quite entertained by my own nerdiness of observing my surrounding, taking mental notes, looking at city lights, the flicker of lights from the speeding cars and the speeding train crossing the Khatib lake with the water reflecting the city in the evening.

It kindles a strange feeling. I feel like an absolute stranger. Today was a scenery of cultures inside the train. I lowered down the volume of my ipod, letting the noise of my surrounding merge with the music i was listening to.

The effect is so amusing. My right ear focused to this track from WFAFNC:

While my left gave way to faint noises of:
           French guy talking to someone over the phone
           Two Italian men laughing and talking to each other animately
           Two Indian girls getting excited over something
           A German or Dutch woman (i'm not so sure) cooing her baby in the stroller
           A Singaporean humming some K-pop tune

Even if i close my eyes, i heard distinct sounds of everything right at that moment. It's like a scene forming in my head accompanied by a good music. Then when i opened my eyes again, i saw a Myna bird speeding its way as the train rushed by, just in time with the climax. What a splendor.

It gives me a strange feeling.

running might be the answer to some girl issues

 {Sembawang sunset}

I have never been so badly conscious about my body built, until now. I've gained weight many years ago (due to stress eating hahah) and i didn't mind. When i have shrunk back to my thin self after moving to a new job, i started to realize that it made me look teeny. No matter what i eat i don't gain weight. There are days that i stood at the weighing scale wondering what have gone wrong, am i cooking the right food, am i not stacking enough. I want to have woman curves, girls, if you know what i mean, right? I am twenty-six but i still get mistaken as twenty-lower due to my body built.

I tried googling and my curiosity landed me on pages with thorough instructions on how to make hips bigger. Just looking at all those procedures makes me want to dive to bed and sleep. I am lazy when it comes to exercising. Then a friend of mine suggested running. Obviously, i will not gain weight, but i can tone up my body and fill-up to some curves. So far, the effort of running around Canberra for thirty to forty-five minutes (3 to 4 kilometers) has been worth it. My hips and legs are getting bigger. I'm shaping up. :)

Ps. Winna, you'll be so proud of me, i finally moved my limbs from deep slumber for some sexy :P

Current running track :

The Naked and The Famous' Young Blood

*album image from wikipedia

while the world is still sleeping

4am. Waking up early to study for an exam.

 Sunday Girl

Where Is My Mind (The Pixie's Cover)

We Are The Willows

A Funeral Dressed As A Birthday Party

Night Fruit

Bittersweet

 

Coldplay

The Scientist

*all imgs came from google images

The 50 Questions Tag

I got tagged on tumblr. But hey guys, since that's my art tumblr page, i felt that i should post this here.

1. State your last name: Ighut
2. State the name that your parents almost named you. --- I'm not sure what else.
3. Which of your relatives do you get along with the most? My sister. And grandmas.
4. What was your first job? My first full-time job was my designer/marketing manager/event mascot/machine operator job at ATI. Multi-tasking at its finest.
5. Did anything embarrassing happen this week? --- When does it not? Heh.
6. Do you miss your ex? No.
7. White chocolate or dark chocolate?  White. And dark. Meh. Confusion happens. Torn.
8. Do people praise you for your looks? Sometimes, but it puzzles me hahah, because i think i look awkward most of the time that they need an eye check.
9. What is your favorite color of clothing to wear? Blue. Blu. Azul.
10. How do you wear your makeup? Usually it’s just lipstick or lipgloss because i'm pale. I'm very unfortunate to be allergic to make-up, so i do it occasionally or during photoshoots. But I like those eyeshadow for smokey eyes stuff :)
11. What are some of your nicknames? Gracey, Gracia, Pogi
12. How many bedrooms are in your house? In my current location -- i think five.
13. How many bathrooms? One
14. Do you have a job? I am currently unemployed. I got spare time that's why you're reading this post. But i have freelance stuff going on.
15. Do you have a car? I don’t have my own car. I can’t drive.
16. Do you work out every week? I try to! Just some sit-ups to stay in shape.
17. Have you ever kissed someone you never saw again? No.
18. Have you ever sung in front of a crowd? Yes. Several embarrassing times.
19. What kind of bathing suit do you wear?--- A one-piece, my favorite is blue. And some two-piece swimsuits. Either of the two types, i guess it depends on the beach/pool if it's too crowded or not.
20. Are you a good swimmer? I'm more of a professional sinker.
21. Do you like your eyes? Yes. It's my one and only redeeming feature hahah.
22. Do you think you are pretty? Only at 1 in the morning.
23. Who was the last person you talked to in person? My sister.
24. How much money is in your account? -- No, i'm not going to tell that information here.
25. Are you single? Yes.
26. Do you want kids? Very much. Awesome, smart-mouth, cute, smiling little rascals :D
27. Tell me what your backpack looks like: Plain black with gray i use if i carry around my laptop. But i don't use it often if i don't have to carry gadget. I just carry a small satchel.
28. Which celebrity do you think is hot? Ryan Gosling, Matt Damon, Richard Madden, and Ethan Hawke in his Reality Bites and Before Sunrise alter egos.
29. Last movie you saw in theatres: A cheesy stupid movie i can't really remember. I am part goldfish.
30. Are you dating the same person you dated last year? Not dating anyone last year and right now.
31. Has someone you were dating ever cheated on you? I hope not, if i will ever date anyone.
32. Have you ever cheated? --- Relationships? Never. I'm one-track-minded kind of girl. I'm good at keeping my eye on one person even with a lot of distractions. /  Cheated in life? Yes! hahah. 
33: Have you kissed someone whose name starts with a ‘J’? Nope.
34. What is the most illegal question someone asked you about? --- What kind of  illegal stuff? There are two: (1) Do you want some drugs? (In a party) , (2) Do you want a condo, a car, any jewelry? (Indecent proposal from an admirer) Some jerks should know they can never buy love and principles, duh.
35. Most memorable romantic date: None yet, heheh.
36. Most memorable romantic dance: None yet. Can you ask my dull love life other questions?
37. What song was playing when you danced with him? --- Can you ask my dull love life another question again? / But if i will ever get a chance to dance with a special someone even once in my adult life, i wish it's a nice indie, electronica or good rock music. A girl can dream.
38. Do you like someone right now? Does your heart beat for someone right now? Yes. On the other hand, if my heart stops beating, i'm dead right? *sarcastic grin*
39. Who is he/she? I'm not going to tell you.
40. Does he/she likes you, too? Is the feeling mutual? Sadly, I don't think so.
41. What do you plan to do about it? Do you think this plan will work? --- Aside from mag-pacute? Nothing. I'm not some freaky lovesick stalker. I will just continue to admire him from a distance and wish him all the happiness, love, and endless supply of rainbows and unicorns in the whole wide world.
42. Why? Because that's what women of class and gracefulness do.
43. When is your birthday? 2nd of September.
44. How tall are you now? --- Are you asking about my hormonal growth? Well,  i'm tall enough to be seen in a crowd.
45. What is your dream birthday gift? To dive into the skies and float on air :)
46. Have you tried singing and dancing under the rain? Sure.
47. What other things do you want to try in your life? A LOT. My curiosity is a hungry little monster.
48. What do you like to do in your spare time? Read books, lurk on lolcats interwebs, listen to music, do art, satisfy my curiosity about random things, think a lot, and sleep.
49. Name the last song you sang in the shower: I Belong In Your Arms, yes with matching bubble blowing and shoulder sways.
50. Post an image of a current object of your desire and strong affection:

 this is my ultimate desire right now...

 To pass the curse, tagging friends: Perrine Renoir, Ria Rushmore, Azey, Rosee, Winna

ten seconds

I got ten seconds to cross or i'm dead.

Countdowns always remind me of moments in life worth savoring. Perhaps happiness and sense of calmness are recognizing that we are never stuck. We grow and evolve, and we have the whole world changing, but maybe if we believe that every part of the process can be beautiful and unique, these chances feel like something we need to savor while it lasts regardless of where it takes us. 

My lone walks will always be accompanied by deep thoughts of where i will go next. I guess at the end of all of this, i'm craving for home. Where? I still do not know. I'm about to find out every other ten seconds of days that will go by.

 This pair of chirping birds remind me of some lines from a nice book i have read not so long ago:

"We sense each other. The world, right now, is only us. We continue to sing along. And we sing with the same abandon not worrying too much if our voices hit the right notes or the right words. We look at each other while we're singing; these aren't solos, this is a duet that isn't taking itself at all seriously. It is its own form of conversation -- you can learn a lot about people from the stories they tell, but you can also know them from the way they sing along, whether they like the windows up or down, if they live by the map or by the world, if they feel the pull of the ocean..."

- Every Day by David Levithan

woodlands

Woodlands Station, North South Route

 Block 526 is always this quiet every morning.

Morning walks while listening to music.

Today i was listening and humming to this track ~ slowly walking, gazing at the skies

and pondering about a lot of things.

 Cloudstatic:)

In the apartment.

Some domestic moments and my companions...

Serene days like this make me wonder about some thoughts, which have been crossing my mind lately, some art which I wanted to do, future plans of where to go, and this strange but happy emotion that I am feeling right now. I can't decipher what is it yet, but it's an amusing tiny thing growing day by day. It is an unexplainable glow that makes my insides warm after the long cold season. Icy no more. It makes me scared though. Nevertheless, i am ready to jump across the sea if it calls. Even if i don't know how to swim.

Talking riddles, mumbling gibberish. I guess i am hungry. Migraine go away.

current mental health

Juggling ETA schedules. Looking at maps.

Zooming at details. Making plans.

Feeling a little worried about my studies,

i need to catch up faster and finish everything in time.

Soon :)

Listening to Tether.

Kuya Beej uploaded the song i wrote for them

(partial of the track in this Dance O Rama clip):

and another of this techno ear candy. 

random insta

2AM

Mori The Cat grounded due to the typhoon

note-taking

because i keep on forgetting

Donetsk match on the 23rd : Spain vs France

bell girl errand

plays of the week

Radiohead

James Iha

The National

Rogue Wave

Wilco

till then, february

Au revoir, Fevrier

Bonjour, Mars

Eversince I decided to spend the rest of my life in the arts, i made a pact with myself that it's quotidian to be infused with a sense of wonder and gratitude because it's a huge privilege to do this profession. So it kind of saddens me that factions really do exist to behest what direction one must take.

The monetary must not create the value of an artist. It is his art - no matter how plainly or evocatively executed, regardless of the amount or depth of words his statement is all about. And you don't need to have a graduate degree to understand his art.
You just need to have a heart.

Anyway, i just want to paint. I'm keeping that slogan wherever i head to.

It's a steady peck to stay in touch with myself. :)

*top: taken one afternoon down south 

bottom: old building near work place

so far, the flight is taking a steady course

Gone are the days that i was always confused, stressed, frightened and worried whenever i do an artwork. I'm glad that i enjoy the process of making now. That i'm not impatient anymore. That i do not stress myself racing against a thought/idea just to lose at the finish and let the spark die before i even had a chance of executing it. No, not anymore. I now love watching how it start, grow under my curious eyes and reach the ending tempo. I like how things are now. I don't know until what extent my current setup will be and the outcome on the following weeks (say, if i'll tire of it or frustrate myself again) but i learned to take in the process of create-and-destroy-and-create-again like it's the next sane thing to breathing.

Before December ended, i browsed my portfolio and surprised myself on how much i've done for the whole year. Despite my shortcomings and some personal things i feel sad of,
this is something i feel truthfully happy about.  :)

the cloud of it

Le voyage a commencé. 

Question No. 4: I will write non-stop and see how it goes okay?

*Pardon if this post will ramble until the end. Let me just idle and wrestle my thoughts away from too much work. (Warning: contains little GOT spoilers)  :)

Question No. 4: How "fangirl" are you? What/Who is/are on your current desktop screensaver?

Juan doesn't have an active screensaver. Well sometimes but not really often. Juan = is my personal notebook, hahah. I know it's so weird to name a gadget but i got used calling it that already. I have friends who named theirs - Rudy (tough looking notebook), Vanilla Sky (cute pink one), PokPok (you can just easily guess the contents of this laptop by the name), Yanyan (short of Marian, yes, Rivera-crushing ), O'Connor Junior (he named his Nikon DSLR O'Connor first so that's already a descendant), Chivas (for too much drinking), and Nebula (geek stuff alert). I chose Juan because it sounded so artistic and cool. Like Juan Luna, Juan Dela Cruz Band, Juan Carlos Onetti, Juan Manuel of Villena, Juan Sebastian Elcano, and Juan of Pokemon hahah. 

Anyway, back to Juan's screen. I recently loaded him with the same display stuff of my office pc (pampantanggal-stress photo collection hahah). Except for the wallpaper. I like my office pc clean so i just dawned it with a Music Regression design poster while Juan is kept active with stuff that interests me every now and then. For this month, i am a fangirl so i got these two lurking around my personal premises. 

1. Of course, Iker. :)

2. Tadaaah. The King in the North. All of a sudden, i fell out of crush with Ben Barnes - after seeing Richard Madden in his Robb Stark's anguished weeping when Eddard was beheaded at the Sept of Baelor (yes, Boromir died again #LOTR). 

I guess I own this soft spot for tough-looking boys who could blubber like there's no tomorrow. And Ben Barnes looked a little too soft for my taste (except for the Caspian), hahah. 

Speaking of Starks, I've seen the first season. I just finished A Storm of Swords (the third book made me throw myself to bed and roll like crazy when I read the Rain of Castamere; PLEASE if you have a heart disease stay away from the third installment hahah - the story is soooo intense). I decided to take a Westerosi break before I proceed to A Feast of Crows. The chapters are too much for me to take, hahah. Sometimes I think George R.R. Martin is brilliant with all his storytelling twist, sometimes I just gush at how I hate him for tormenting my emotions. That's it for a round of guilty pleasure then. 

As for Juan's sliding visuals, Iker is still ruling the caps followed by Richard Madden. Why not? After playing Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, he is also in UK's Sirens portraying an ambulance man attracted to the same gender. 

Tell me, how can someone play homosexual and still be as desirable as any straight hottie. 
And the accent --- *FAINTS triple time* King in the North, here's my fealty. You have my banners.  

*Getting up from the deliquium* -- so as I was saying, if i can fangirl let it be for Madden. I don't know how much should I rate myself and don't give a fuss either hahah. I haven't seen any episode of Sirens yet but I think it is enough that I blushed like a schoolgirl when I saw his torso in one of the trailers. Just like a normal girl, hahah. Seriously, THANK YOU SCOTLAND for giving us the utter perfection that is James McAvoy and now this. 

Congratulations on your face. I can't even . . . HNNNNGGGG.