Random: I Got Bitten by the Blog Bug!

I wanted to make an official Blog Award, but unfortunately when I researched about them it was supposed to be held by a certain body of committee, so I decided to make this a tag/personal award instead…

THE BLOG BUG AWARD 🙂

I want to give the Blog Bug award to all those bloggers out there who are active and are always trying to update their fellow bloggers and readers even with their busy life from work and such. I know that it is only passion, drive and happiness from their readers’ comments that make them try to do more posts, and I hope that with this Award/tag, we can create a closer knit community of bloggers and readers from all around the country and the world. 🙂

I gave this award time to develop and I have finally finished the logos and the questions, and I am happy to have finally finished them all.. 🙂 So I’ll start first with the rules of this Award…

• If you are given the Blog Bug award, You must answer the questions that follow and the title of the post should be “I Got Bitten by the Blog Bug”

• You must give the link of where you originally got this award, and you can tag as many bloggers as you want. Link their pages on the post and also inform them through comments in their blog. 🙂

• Optional: You must post a banner corresponding to the site that you are using to blog in your sidebar and it should link back to your post about the Blog Bug Award.

So I’ll start first, although I’m not awarding myself because the act would be lame in my opinion. :)). hahaha

Questions:

When and Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging February of year 2012, and it was because I wanted to create a portfolio on modeling. Although it developed into more of a personal online diary, my blog still serves the purpose that I intended for it. 🙂

What do you love to blog about and why do you like it?

I love to blog about creative looks, mainly I think because of my frustration with the modeling career… And with that comes to trying out and exploring the world of make up, and that is why I think this became more of a beauty blog, although the next thing that I love to blog about is food. 🙂

How did you get your blog name?

I wanted to have a name that is definitely unique and yet very random. Axons and Dendrites are actually parts of a neuron. They are the ones that receive and relay information respectively. It would be fitting to use this as my blog name because what I am doing is gathering information and relaying them to you, my readers. And yes, I’m a geek. 🙂

What do you think is your best post yet?

I think my best post yet is The Scorpio’s Tale, because I believe that this is one of the best creative makeup that I have ever done. It was inspired by my zodiac sign.. All I needed was a nice costume to go along with it. 🙂

What is your inspiration for blogging at present?

My inspiration at present is all the comments that I have been recieving from my new blogger friends and followers. I get this “hanggang tengang ngiti” whenever I see someone appreciate what I have done. 🙂

Message for your readers:

Thank you all for the support and I hope that you enjoy your stay in my little place in the world wide web… I am deeply touched whenever I see your comments and please don’t hesitate to give me constructive criticism  once in a while. 🙂 

So now I am on to the next part of the award, the tagging part. 🙂 I hereby give the Blog Bug Award to these writers:

Sam of Dishy Sammy

Helen of Lucky Citrine

Bec of My Gorgeous Pink Cheeks

Donna of My Lucid Intervals

Kumiko of Loving Sunshine

Celline of Product Arena

Gellie of So Gelleesh

Angel of Angelamhiere’s Little Heaven

Michelle of All About Being Glam

Iya of From Nails To Make up

Jes of Make Up Love

Thiamere of On Beauty Stuff and What else

Eloisa of Kikay si Maria

Charlie of Charlie’s mirror

Aya of Codename: Aya

Ina of I am Baby Panda

And to you my dear reader, if you want to do this tag too, consider yourself awarded. 🙂

Cheers!

nicole

Tagged: 5 Random Facts

This just in! I got tagged by Michelle of All About being GLAM.. and yes, I’m super ecstatic that’s why even if it’s really late I am currently answering her tag. 🙂 Who doesn’t love tag posts right? they’re just so cute.. and it’s cool to let your followers and new found friends to know a little bit more about you.. So let me get started. ^^v

What I’m doing is the 5 random Facts tag. The rule is to share 5 random facts about yourself and tag 5 friends to do the same. 🙂 And apparently, I’m IT for now..

Rand-act number 1 (a play on random fact… :] ) 

I have a very very sweet tooth and I love to EAT.

 Any food that has fructose or any amount of sugar I love to eat. I also am very much appreciative of the sugar when given in big quantities. As in like MAN VS. FOOD BIG. 🙂

Adam of Man Vs. Food (behind him is the advertisement for a really big big connamon roll… -drool-)

doing what he does with the best weapon possible- eating with a ladle. 🙂

Did I mention that I love to eat? I love Italian food-from the pastries to the pasta and pizza, and the next genre of food that I love is American. Particularly the big cuts of steak, rib eye, T-bone and such other bbq… I also love the humogus burgers…as in yung mas malaki pa sa Zark’s. 🙂 Yes, you may call me a GLUTTON cause if given a choice, I would gladly feast on what I said earlier and I would die happy. 🙂 I would also like to thank genetics for letting me eat without having to gain pounds.. 🙂 Sana forever na akong ganto hahaha!

Rand-act number 2

I have a very sensitive nose. As in “malapit na sa pagiging aso”.

There are these time where in someone will bring durian or someone will smoke outside the house and I can smell them even if I am inside the house. And this house is pretty big…

I think that’s one of the reasons why my pichi stopped smoking, cause even if he chews some candies I can still smell him, the next one I think is because he loves me (nyak. nagyabang? hahahaha) And he knows how much I hate colognes. The only ones that I can tolerate is the Bvlgari scents, specifically the ones that my dad uses, and the reason is because I have been living with my dad for around 18 years and I got used to it… and I also hate the smell of “plasticky” make up.

Rand-act number 3

Ampalaya is my only skin regimen.

 

Haha! My mom and dad were the ones who passed this on to us(me and my sisters and brother). And I’ve seen it work… I always make it a point to at least eat ampalaya once a week, and I stuff up on it whenever I get pimples. The next day, my pimples are gone… 🙂 And yes, it’s my favorite veggie of all time. 🙂

Rand-act number 4

I have this fear of loosing my eyebrows.

No. Really. I used to have nice natural frames, then on my wedding day the MUA insisted to have it shaped and now I’m sporting caveman brows… Because I’m afraid to shave them myself. I want it to be done perfect the first time, but I want it natural looking and thick, cause I don’t want to be someone who has the need to fill in her brows when she’s really really old. I’m so scared of loosing the thickness of my brows that I’d rather be a cavegirl than to shave them myself and get a huge disappointment. I mean you can change my hair but not my brows. Cause you don’t have a wig for them.

Rand-act number 5

I want to become a model someday.

It’s actually the thing that got me into make up- I wanted to be a model that you see on Vouge or at least a model that does editorial and creative photoshoots that bring magic through pictures. I am very much disappointed of my height- “NOT 5’7”? NO place in the modeling industry, no matter what passion you have. “ But now I am back on track when pichi reminded me of my own mantra-

“Being yourself is the best that you can give the world. “

Sophie Sumners is one of my favorite models.

 And now to do the next part of the tag…

I PICK YOU!!!

Helen of Lucky Citrine
Sam of DishySammy
Dawn of Peachy Pink Sisters
Rovie of The Bargain Doll
Donna of My Lucid Intervals

and also you, my dear reader… If you want to join in on the fun please do consider yourself tagged.. ^^v

cheers!
nicole

My Dad’s Birthday

Hey guys! I hope that today is a great weekend for you guys… I know I started my Friday with a bang.. 🙂 You see, yesterday was my dad’s birthday and pichi and I went over to our place in Laguna for some quality bonding time with the ‘rents. When hubby and I got there, dad was out with the other family so pichi and I helped out my mom with household chores and pichi fixed our laptop there. 🙂

When dad finally got home my sis kat-kat cooked up a delish serving of Tuna Marinara and a spicy set of corned beef spaghetti with lots of chili. I also brought a little something for my dad, a cake from SM Sucat Hypermart, since it was all I could afford at the moment. Nevertheless dad really got ecstatic and was very impressed by my baby sis for cooking up the Tuna Marinara. After that we went to Alabang Town center for some fun…

We got to Timezone, which is my mom and sister’s favorite place to play. Mom plays a lot of those claw thingys that let you catch a prize and she never goes home without a stuffed toy in her hands or a toy of some sort. My sisters and I got a few games of Guitar Hero, pichi and my brother JP went on to play Drums mania and even my baby sis Bella and my angel Jenae had fun with the arcades and the race car games 🙂

After that we went on to Brooklyn Pizza and got some grub, which I’ll be giving you guys the story in another post, then dad, kat-kat and JP went on to the cinemas to watch the latest flick, The Dark Knight Rises. Mom and my sisters Bella and Mae- Mae on the other had played some more in Timezone and as for me and pichi, we went home after eating since it was already 10 pm… I really enjoyed myself with the family… 🙂 How bout you guys, how was the start of your weekend?

The story behind the lucky and massive July Haul :)

Warning: Picture heavy post ahead!

I am thankful to God for a lot of things that has happened in my life, all including the good and bad. Cause if any one of the bad things did not come to me, I know that the consequence would be missing out on all the good things that He had in plan for me. Like getting pregnant and having a baby, up to being shunned out of the modeling industry. Cause when I think of it, if those did not happen, I would not be where I am today- a happy wife and mom-slash-blogger with a lot of newfound friends 🙂

Now enough of the drama and on to the haul post. In the past month, I was so bored already with what I do in the house which is drawing make up looks that I wanted to create them in real life. The problem was there was a lack of funds in regards to my pichi and I’s savings for our wants since his wallet got lost in a jeepney we rode going home, which had all our savings and out ATM card and all of his ID. This is actually one of the reasons why I got addicted to joining all the blog giveaways I saw…

Click read more to find out what happened next! 🙂

Come June 30, at around 11-12 midnight, I had the urge to check my facebook through the phone before finally tucking in bed. and the very first thing that I saw in my newsfeed is a mention from Chay of My Kichay Kit saying that I won her make up giveaway… I told my hubby about this, and what I got was a “uhhh??? okay… check mo na lang sa email mo kung ikaw nga yun ngayun… zzzzzzzzzz” grabe sa monolouge. XD

So after talking about it, I decided to meet up with the fabulous blogger Chay at Trinoma yesterday, to get my prizes. I was afraid that if it was sent via courier that it would be damaged or something, and I don’t want that to happen… Then I remembered that Helen, one of my new blogger friends is near Trinoma, so I went on and asked her if she’s gonna be there on the same date, and she said yes. And so I was not just getting to meet one, but 2 friends that day.. 🙂

My pichi and I arrived at around 1pm since we all agreed to meet up after lunch, and while munching up some delicious fries at our favorite snack bar N.Y.F.D./New York Fries and Dips, I finally got to meet Helen.. She was super sweet and charming and very lovable and uber duper kind… I really loved talking to her and I was instantly at ease with the very charming aura enveloping her. You will definitely smile once you start talking with her.. So we talked about all things under the sun and I gave her the portrait I made of her and she also handed me a surprise… A make up loot. 🙂 it even had a personal message inside. I was not expecting that and I was soooo happy… :)and here’s a snapshot of us! 🙂 I’ll post a photo of us soon, I don’t have any camera when I got there kasi.. 😛

This is the cute package I got from Helen…

 And this is what was inside… 🙂

I now have a few BB Cream samples and a new Mineral powder foundie with a travel sized kabuki from Maybeline… Just in time since I’ve already hit pan with my saizen foundation.. 🙂

Samples of the famous AM/PM soap from Miss Kat… These will be for my sister who has a war with pimples at the moment.. 🙂

Also included in the loot was sample beauty soaps from bare naturals, a Gold glitter mascara and a lipgloss, both from Careline… I even used it here in my latest FOTD.. :)Stupid me forgot to take close up pictures of the soaps.. There was also a whitening toner from The Body Shop included in what Helen gave me, but I gave it away to someone who needs it more than me… 🙂

With the gift that Helen gave me, I felt that I won in not just one but 2 giveaways! But the best part of all this was I gained a new treasure- a new friend. 🙂

So after bidding goodbye to Helen, I went on to Mary Grace to meet up with Chay… She was a sweet beauty and was also very accommodating. We talked about a lot of things like beauty and school and whatnot, and I really loved the package I got from her… But we knew it was time to say goodbye when my baby Jenae was already having tantrums… Here are a few snapshots I got with her.. 🙂

With Chay and My lovely Daughter… My pichi is the one who took this picture.. Thanks to Chay for posting this! 🙂

And the Make up loot… Wanna see what’s inside? 🙂

I got A LOT of make ups!!! weeeee! 🙂

 Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Starlit and Stila Lip Glaze in Pon Pon Gerbera… what a cutely weird name for a gloss… 🙂

 Still haven’t used or swatched this one…  🙂

I swatched the Smashbox lip gloss and it surprised me because was so pigmented 🙂

My first ever liquid foundation.. Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation. It was perfect for my shade and it gives a full coverage, although not a fan of the dewy effect… Will most probably use this in special occasions.. 🙂

 Stila Backstage Beauty Eye Shadow Palette – The Runway Look 

and this is the inside of the palette… Lovely neutral colors! 🙂

I also got this lipstick rack that can hold up to 24 lippies. Notice the very small amount of lipsticks on the rack.. yes, that’s my still growing collection… I hope to see color green and blue and black lippies there soon!

My very first nyx products! Nailpolishes and pearl pigments… now I just need a utorial on how to use pigments… 🙂

And this is my first ever eyeshadow palette! 🙂 32pc Eyeshadow + 10pc Blush Pro Palette from Ysh’s Botique.. 🙂

It comes with a 32 shimmey color eyeshadows and 7 blushes, and 3 bronzers/contouring powder… 🙂 I just love it to bits cause the palette is super duper pigmented! 🙂 I used it on my latest FOTD here and will most probably use it on my upcoming looks as well 🙂

And that’s not all… While waiting for the day to get my prizes, hubby gave me a surprise: he let me buy anything else that I will need to make my FOTD more enhanced. So I got these… 🙂 

I got a Long and Curl Mascara from Saizen in Robinsons Ermita, and a cheap but good quality liquid eyeliner from Aido… 🙂

And there we go. Told you this is picture heavy, but I’m not sorry for the long post… I do hope that you enjoyed reading my haul! 🙂

Have a happy week everyone!
Cheers!

nicole

Something perosnal: on being bullied and living through it.

Before, when I was in the first grade, I was already labeled as one of those weird and “unspeakables” by my popular classmates, and well, at first it was no big deal for me. All I know those times is that I am weird therefore I am cool, unusual and different. Unfortunately, being labeled as such made other people judge my personality as someone who is irritable and I was feeling like everybody, even the teachers think I am this “she-who-must-not-be-befriended” because of this label. Come fourth to fifth grade, I got tired of this labeled me and I wanted to show everyone that I am a person, someone who can also get hurt and is hurting everytime I am teased.

The optimism really fades when you’re growing up, and every single school day you face the same damn faces who have been tearing you down for around 5 years and counting. They say stuff about me like being too talkative, too silent, too much of a teacher’s pet, although I never have received a really high grade. Hey, they are the ones who are in top in academics after all, it’s just that I liked to study back then and there was too much curiosity in my mind that’s why I talked to teachers often. They also say that I’m a social climber, although all I wanted was to be friends with them, and they’re the ones who shunned me out.

I know that feeling, bro.

This continued on until high school, and this is because my parents did not me to enroll to another school because it was either that or a public school… Now, when most people say that high school is the best, for me it’s just mehhh… nothing special, in fact it’s one of those eras of my life that I wanted to forget, along with the rest of my grade school life. Looking back, I see that I had made only 4 real friends, and in high school the only friends I ever made was the ones who are nice enough to see me beyond the label, and unfortunately, when they befriended me, the whole batch suddenly did not talk or befriend them as much. To what I heard, they even went to the extent of saying that if they will continue to be friends with me, they’re not gonna be talking to them anytime soon.

That was the bullying that I underwent during my earlier years.

College was a great time for me. I was freed of the misunderstood label, and finally people came talking to me. I have made and I am still making new friends, and my optimism was back on track. I had met wonderful people, and I was also freed of the connotation that all boys are jerks, since I am married to a real sweet and loving gentleman. In college, I saw myself and others saw me as any other girl who is nice and will do whatever it takes to make a friend in need happy. It is in college that I saw that even if everyone around me has torn me down, my value as a person has not changed. That everyone was always given another chance to search or redeem oneself, or seek for the beauty inside you that has been tainted by all those who tried to tear you down.

I have seen the power of labeling and being bullied first hand, and I see that this very experience is what molded my personality. I knew what it was like to be under the belt, and it definitely was not a nice feeling, and I guess because of this I became the overly helpful protector type of friend. Sometimes when I look back I wonder if had I not been labeled as someone who’s crazy and should be ignored, would my personality and my outlook in life be the same…

I guess I just wanted to share my story to you all, and to let you realize that if life throws you tantrums and rocks and all those sh*t, remember that you or how you look on to your value as a person, should not be changed, or bended into what they think you should be. Because if that happened, then you will only hurt and not see all the potential of beauty that’s waiting to flourish inside of you.

To prove my point, here’s Ann Ward of America’s Next Top model. She was bullied cause she looked weird, different and stood like a tower. All of those who stereotyped and misunderstood her never thought that she’d be this lovely cover model of different international fashion magazines. They never thought that she would soon be the one who will set the trends. See what I mean by the potential beauty waiting to flourish? 🙂

I hoped I helped someone out there.. 🙂
have a beautiful day! 🙂
nicole