Tag: 30 awesome things

30 Days of Awesome, It’s a Wrap!

Rhiza16 Comments

DAY THIRTY. One last, before I call it a day, for closure’s sake. :)

30 Days Wrap Up

There was a time in my life when I preferred separating images from words. I didn’t like putting images in my blogs and would rather keep them in one place (like, in flickr or multiply), something akin to how Sam (character played by Sean Pen in the movie I Am Sam) wanted the lima beans on his plate separated from the corn because he didn’t like seeing green and yellow together. I never really got around to understanding my autistic tendencies, eh, but I’m just glad I’m over that stage.

Now, I feel like there’s something wrong if I blogged something without a photo in it. I love the idea of combining these two powerful art forms together to convey a message. (Someday, my message, and my art, will have more depth, just you wait!)

I thought it was nice to look back to the past month through these photographs. I mean, come on, who’s crazy enough to look back by reading through all 33 posts from that day up to now? I’m just so glad there are photos to look back to — after all, they speak in a way no words can do (and in less amount of time as well).

So.. I think that’s it. My 30 awesome days, over and done with. I know it’s a cheesy thing to say, but to be honest, this past month has really changed me in more ways than one (uhm) six.

What’s up for me after this? Well, for one, I will continue blogging. Maybe you’ll see my pessimistic self resurfacing once again now that I’m not obligated to write about life’s awesomeness anymore, lol. And then I’d rant about my failures again (yay, I can’t wait, lol). But at least now I know better than to hit publish without realizing the silverlinings first. If only for that simple reminder — to see beauty and joy in the most everyday of places, and in the most random of things — I think the past 30 days was worth it, indeed.

Thank you, one and all, for keeping up with me.

Stay awesome. :)

Xoxo, Riz

30 Days of Awesome, 30/30.

6 Things I Learned from doing the 30-Day Blog Challenge

Rhiza6 Comments

DAY TWENTYNINE. Remember how it was like in high school, just before graduation day? The seniors, day after their final exams, wouldn’t have classes anymore and would just come to school to rehearse for the graduation ceremony, maybe work on their last remaining requirements, but mostly spend the remaining days of high school hanging out, relaxing, and reminiscing the years that passed.

I know. That’s kinda how I felt the past few days, like graduating. Still two more posts remaining to end this 30 days, and already, I was taking a break and celebrating the end of it. That, or I really just felt like stalling. :P

Okay. Now on with my last two posts.

30 Awesome Things

To say that I learned a lot of things from this little project is an understatement. Now I’m happy to say with conviction that creating a habit and developing some form of discipline is *really* possible in a span of 30 days.

Here are some musings, which you can also consider as “tips” in case you’d like to embark on this project too.

1. 30 days is just right. There are so many numbers to choose from — 365 days, 52 weeks, 1000 awesome things, 500 days of summer (heh) — but 30 days is, IMO, just enough to be considered an achievement without making you feel obligated at some point. Sure, there were days when you’d feel you wouldn’t be able to make it, and you’d like to just drop everything off.

The first week would be spent feeling your way around. In the second week you would feel a bit of pressure, and maybe some doubts if you really can make it. Third week, you’d start to feel like you can blog with your eyes closed, as if it’s as normal as eating or washing the dishes. And in the fourth week you’d start relaxing a bit, along with feeling sentimental about ending something that somehow changed you for the better.

Overall, 30 days is just right for me. (And for you, too!) IMO, it’s perfect for those people who’ve been keeping their own blogs for years but are only updating them sporadically.
Continue reading “6 Things I Learned from doing the 30-Day Blog Challenge” →

Books Turned to Movies, with Varrying Levels of Awesomeness

Rhiza7 Comments

Long rant. Sorry. Didn’t mean to.

DAY TWENTYEIGHT. Confession: I had nightmares of real-life friends committing suicide during the few weeks that I was reading Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides. No drama, just them doing their normal day-to-day activities with slashed #wrists. It wasn’t really creepy, mind you, it was more of funny really, but still weird.

Just Another Thursday Morning

This morning, on my desk

I’m not saying that The Virgin Suicides was so disturbing it brought me nightmares, nope. I reckon it’s really just how it is with books. Compared to watching films, reading books allows you to imagine the story yourself and create your own pictures in your head, and it just so happened that my imaginations involved my real life friends. Er.

Now movie-fying a novel is something else. Sometimes, we really have to stop comparing a book to its movie version (and vice versa) if we don’t want to disappoint ourselves.

Exhibit A: I remember reading Nicholas Sparks’ A Walk To Remember long before there were news of a film version. My high school self cried over the pages of Jamie Sullivan’s life, and I remember it well because I didn’t read a lot in high school (save for the Sweet Valley High and Love Stories phase we all had to go through) and AWTR was the first book I ever really shed tears over. The only other book I couldn’t put down in high school was Catcher in the Rye, but that’s a different story. Watching AWTR’s movie version was a disappointment, I remember clearly, because I kept comparing it to the book, and I didn’t like how the movie ended with Jamie’s death. To me, the book had a create-your-own-ending thing going on, and in my ending, Jamie survived cancer and lived a full life with Landon. In the movie, she died.

Exhibit B: It’s just like how I didn’t enjoy watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince the first time around. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy these movies. It’s just that comparisons between the book and the movie are inevitable and they can make or break the movie altogether.

Now there are movies, on the other hand, that are better than their book version.
Continue reading “Books Turned to Movies, with Varrying Levels of Awesomeness” →

I Won a Print from Chelsea Lee

Rhiza4 Comments

..but I have to choose just one, and it’s difficult choosing when you want ALL OF THEM!

DAY TWENTYSIX. Although it may look like I’m starting to get lenient about my 30-day challenge and posting late, I’m as determined as ever to reach finish line. The delays you’re seeing is mostly me, stalling, because for some reason I don’t want this 30 days to end. Ugh. Senti much? More thoughts on this later.

Meanwhile, remember when I won a print from one of Simply Hues‘ contests? I’ve been exchanging Etsy convos with Chelsea Lee, the photographer who’s sending me my *ehem* prize, and here are some of her photographs that I would’ve picked if I’m not limited to just one.

Chelsea Lee Photography

Chelsea Lee Photography

Chelsea Lee Photography

Chelsea Lee Photography

Chelsea Lee Photography

Chelsea Lee Photography

Guess which one I picked? :)

Check out Chelsea’s blog and etsy store!

On another note, I’m going to announce who won the Camera Charm Earrings later today! I’ll try my best not to post the results past midnight as per usual, promise! Watch out for it tonight, 9:00PM! :)

30 Days of Awesome, 26/30.

Pandas Will Rule the World

Rhiza13 Comments

DAY TWENTYFIVE. I’ve had this photo on reserve for some time now, in case I run out of ideas. At one point I thought I wouldn’t need to get these cute skeletons out my closet anymore because there were just a lot of things I could blog about, however, I always knew that this little photoshoot I had with the pandas lying around my house would come in handy sometime. (I have 2 more stuffed pandas not in this picture. Why hello there, I’m 26 years old.)

Behold, the time is now.

Pandas Will Rule The World

Gone are the days when teddy bears are the cutest thing. For some reason, R has been showering me with pandas instead of teddy bears, and suddenly, these lazy creatures have become the most adorable in the planet, even if all they do is sleep, eat, and sneeze. Do yourself a favor and look around Just G boutiques in nearby malls. I tell you, the pandas. are. everywhere. The eco-friendly striped sling bag in the photo above is actually from Just G. (And I love it!)

Also, if these pandas at etsy didn’t make you smile one bit, you’re a freakin’ robot!

By the way, which panda are you?

Which Panda Are You

R says he’s the last one, or the second one on top. Figures. I think I’m the one chasing a butterfly, or the one stuck in a mesh of Christmas lights. (Which reminds me, I still need to find twinkling lights to put up in my room!)

I’m sorry to be wasting your time reading this nonsense of a blog. I’m so boring. :(

OAN, these are what’s even more awesome about today:

Ohh there are more people who joined the giveaway, more than I expected actually, but I’m linking these girls who took time to write something on their blogs about the “contest” and what’s on their desks. It’s overwhelming how you all humored me and agreed to blog about something as mundane as what I asked you guys. Thanks, everyone, you’re all awesome! And now, because you all made me sooo happy with your posts, I’m giving away a few more earrings to those who took time to catch up.

(So yes, Romz, Joni, Mae, and Maia, I’ll send you guys earrings too.) Email me your shipping addresses, if you haven’t yet! (Or LOL, Mae and Joni, KAPE para tipid sa shipping!) :)

Plus, everyone gets to be part of the Camera Charm Earrings raffle! Watch out for the winner on Wednesday. :)

And one more awesome thing that made me jump up and down this afternoon when I found out about it. Time.com linked to our very own Cubao-X.com from one of their travel articles! Check it out! It’s a tiny little link, but it made me soooo happy. :)

Tonight I sleep a happy panda! *insert drunken panda here* zzz.

30 Days of Awesome, 25/30.

Online Shopping is Love; Purple Beet Fashion and Accessories on Sale!

Rhiza5 Comments

DAY TWENTYFOUR. As someone who’s been shopping online a lot, I know a great online shop when I find one. In Multiply alone, I can vouch for Sheila’s In the Fishbowl, and Joni’s Foot & Knots, and again, not just because they’re my friends! There’s also Tot Couture, Make Up Kit, and The Only Ukay Queen.

And no, don’t let me start on Etsy, I’d go crazy listing down online shops I’ve come across that made it to my bookmarks. Etsy and Bigcartel (among others) are popular venues to buy and sell pretty stuff among Americans, Canadians, and Europeans. Here in the Philippines however, Multiply is where most independent sellers find their market.

Today, my featured online shop is Aurus‘ Purple Beet, who is currently having a site-wide sale (up to 50% off) to celebrate the shop’s first year anniversary. Each item is unique and handcrafted by Aurus herself. She’s got the cutest charms and beads — rare finds indeed!

Here are some of her products that caught my fancy. (More after the jump!)

purplebeet-NK405

By the way, I love Multiply shops that have, not only awesome products, but neat and user-friendly design/layout too. I don’t care if you’re selling unique and branded products, if your online shop is overflowing with blinkies and background music (oh please!), I tell you, you’re losing a lot of sales! And don’t waste your time adding me as your contact. I would have rejected you even before I start browsing your items.

But okaaaayyyy. That’s for a separate blog post altogether. Heh. Composure.

What I’m just trying to say is, Aurus is not only selling pretty items, her classy taste in design and colors is also evident in the overall look and feel of her online shop — which also adds credibility points to her as an artist selling her craft. You get what I’m saying? :)

Here’s more of Aurus’ stuff that I like.

Continue reading “Online Shopping is Love; Purple Beet Fashion and Accessories on Sale!” →