Hang in there!

Hi, It's been a year or so since my last post here.

I am still processing the past few days... It is so sudden and quite saddening to share in this space that we have lost a co-worker...

I am reminded again of how painful it is to lose a loved one.

I cannot put into words how I am feeling exactly... I wish I could but now I could not.

It's past 1:00 AM already and here I am still wide awake. Though I no longer take some coffee, I still could not give up on my favorite green tea. At least it's low on caffeine, right?

This is just a random post, as always I have a loud mind. 

I told myself earlier I will be sleeping "early" but here I am again breaking my own promise. I dread Mondays... T-T 

Will I be able to take the boards this year? IDK yet. Why am I doing this to myself? It is hard. I do not feel happy, but I am not exactly sad either. What is this again? Should I go back and ask my doctor? I cannot go back, it is just too expensive. I am more afraid of the fees than what I actually feel now.

I keep on missing a few people... I have this urge to suddenly cry but thank goodness I can mask this ugly urge. I cannot afford to lose face again just because I am not well. Very few people can and will understand my struggle. That is a sad reality in the corporate world.

I am thinking of leaving all this behind.. I am very much tempted. It is very tiring. I could not even find comfort now in sleeping. I feel this heaviness around me. I am starting to hate myself again. 

But as always, I know these are just emotions. It needs processing and eventually acceptance. I cannot look back to things, situations, friends, and opportunities that have already passed me by. 

Although I cannot stop my self from remembering the past (even just part of it), I can still choose not to let it affect my reaction to the present. 

I have to face the natural consequences of my actions. Both the bad and the good ones.

I will always wish what is best for everyone.

Good night.

P.S. Do not mind the incoherence, and grammatical errors as I am finally sleepy after typing this. Ha!

Thanks for snooping by...

xoxoxo

-mrrryxx

How Are You, Really?

My last post was way back in 2018.

That's pre-pandemic...

Gosh, I have so many things in mind that I want to let out and I'm just stuck. Haha.

I remembered this small blog...a little space for what-nots.

I smiled as I go over my drafts and old posts.

Maybe I should start blogging again.

It's therapeutic. Letting your thoughts flow just like water...

Whether it's garbage or a gem, it does not matter.

On a personal note, I just turned 4 years at my current company.

Whew! I thought I would not last that long... I was once asked how long will I be able to stay (implying I would not be staying for long..), I quipped "Two years!" 

I was promoted here albeit it felt so rushed... I was not supposed to be filling in the position, but I was chosen. I felt very stressed out, back in 2019. I am also still processing how traumatic 2019 has been for me and my immediate family. Few of my close friends even know about what I've gone through... I don't feel comfortable sharing it with them. They too have problems of their own and sharing mine would be adding to their burden...

Then 2020 came like a slap.... so many things I hated have happend. Hearing people suffering, dying, of the everyday drag of hearing the awful news about the governments' response to the pandemic. Constant abuse of power and corruption.

It's too much.

Sigh.

I wish to sort through all these thoughts... I hope I can somehow find relief in writing these thoughts here.

My small space... just thoughts coming in and out.

I feel like crying again but I could not cry.

I'm just tired, I guess.

Good night, don't mind me.

I was just thinking...too much.

-Mrrryxx

Haul: Shoes - April 8, 2018

I realized I have been experiencing foot pain due to wearing flat shoes almost everyday... 6 days a week to be exact!

I actually prefer flats or "doll shoes" (as most people call it here), but then they do cause me some problems when worn most of the time.

Luckily, some shoes were on sale at my nearby Gaisano Grand Mall. I'm showing you what I got today:

1. GG<5 Black Bow Shoes, Size 6

- Got this for Php229.00 only! It said to be on sale but I was not able to see the original price on the receipt...


2. GG<5 Mint Green (?) Doll Shoes, Size 7

- I'll be honest I bought this because I really like the color, and it was on sale for only Php160.00 instead of Php199.00!


Now for these two pairs to last long, I will be sending these to a shoe repair shop to be manually sewn for added durability. It would probably cost me another Php120.00 for these two.

And that's it for today...haha.

What about you? Have you purchased something  for yourself today that you really needed?

Thanks for reading!


Rgds,
toffeemerry, xoxo

"Green" Haul from Simply Green and Natural Ecoshop (Shopee PH)

This is not a sponsored post.

I am just happy with my recent online purchase.



Here are the items I bought from a local ecoshop called "Simply Green and Natural".

1. Washable Feminine Cloth Pads (Pantyliner) - Php90.00
2. The Happy Organics Insect Repellent Goat's Milk Lotion (100mL) - Php220.00
3. The Happy Organics BALMtastic! (45g) - Php245.00

I also got a mini Milea Tomato Soap as a freebie! Smells like strawberry milkshake?! Haha.




I hope I can put up a separate review post on each one of these soon.

😃

Welcome 2k17!

Whether you had a great time last year or not, it is still wise to stay grounded and hopeful this new year.

Here are some things that I am grateful for:

I am thankful that I am still alive and relatively healthy for some of my family and close friends did not make it this year...

I am thankful for we were spared by very strong typhoons last year...

I am thankful for I have a job that allows me to earn while I take care of my family.

I am thankful that even though we don't have a good place to stay in, we are still a family.

I am thankful for this life!



How about you? What are you grateful for?

~toffeemerry :-)

DIY | How I Clean My Makeup Brushes & Sponges (Recipe)

Hi, this is going to be a relatively short post (I hope) on my current favorite makeup tools, and on how I keep clean them. I hope someone will find this post helpful and/or learn a thing, or two.

Left to right: An old blending sponge, a small concealer brush, a lip brush, a small powder brush and a slanted blush/contour brush (not shown very well, sorry). I will show these in a more detailed post next time.

Now to make it clear, I am not a professional make-up artist nor a dermatologist so please don't take all my words too seriously. Please do your own research before trying out anything.

RANT | My Buyer vs. Seller Experience on Shopee PH

credits to @ShopeePh

credits to R23RF.com

 You may have seen before one of my posts announcing Shopee PH's extended FREE SHIPPING promo... hmm that was when I was very happy with their service.

I am the kind of customer / consumer who does not voice out complain right away If I am not really negatively affected.

Now, to be fair I have been happy (still am happy as a buyer but not so much as a seller) with their service, so I will talk about my buying experience first.

REVIEW | Human Heart Nature's 100% NATURAL RESCUE BALM (Tea Tree & Lavender)

Last month I have finally got hold of the HHN's rescue balm at Robinson's Supermarket Eastwood, QC.

I bought the 10g jar but I found out that it is also available in 45g

It comes in a generic clear acrylic cream jar with a recyclable carton packaging... nothing special about its packaging.

Shopee PH's FREE SHIPPING & COD Promo (Extended until....?)

Yes, you read that right!

Shopee PH's Free Shipping and COD promo is extended until October 15, 2016 (and there are shops that are further extended until October 31, 2016!)

Sugar Wax Recipe

Last week I ran out of my sugar wax and decided to research on how to make my own.
There are a ton of recipes that you can find on the web or YouTube, but I think this 3-ingredient sugaring wax recipe from Top Knot is very easy to make. I won't promise that this will work for everyone, but in my case I am happy with it because it really works for me. I only tried making this once and it turned out very well! It is said that the ancient Egyptians are the first to use this sugaring method for hair removal.

Rose Surprise!?

Yesterday I received three white roses and a small teddy bear. 

Apparently this is for no special reason... I don't even know what to think about the message written on the card. Sigh. 

Yes, I really like them. Who doesn't like roses or flowers?

I am currently keeping them on our dining table and hoping they will not wilt too soon.

They are so fragrant that I just can't help wishing I can have them all-year-round.

But to be honest... I wasn't really surprised because I knew he ordered some flowers online.

Funny. Of course I did not tell him I knew about it. 

It's thoughtful of him to send these...though it would have been way better if it was fitting a special occasion. Which reminds me of our anniversary... 

Also, I can't help to remember last V-day when he asked if I got his flowers and I was like "What flowers?!" Haha. Disappointing. So it was the same company that he tried last year and he said he was happy "it worked." Like he was expecting that the flowers won't arrive again. Haha. Can't blame him though.

But, yeah. For me these are already expensive flowers and the thought is what should count, right? 

IDK. I think I'll stop here... again, thank you Mr. E for the flowers, etc.

BTW, if you're interested you can check these at www.islandrose.net

I checked the website and I think this is what I was sent:

...and the teddy bear was just an additional item that you can add when you check out your order on their website. The bear is pictured below from a a special bouquet that they offer. It cost 2K pesos plus!!! Freaking expensive. Haha. But it's so cute and...oh, stop! Haha. I think the chocolates is what really got me... Nah, it just looks so perfect to me because of the old-fashion but definitely romantic combination of these three. Besides I love red roses! I think I should buy one for my self! :D

~Fin~

Where to Shop for Clothes if You're from Calbayog City and Other Store Recommendations (offline and online)

By the end of this year, my son is going to be five years old. Oh, how time flies! I can still remember the first time I held him. I fell in love with him in an instant. Now, he's grown so much. Of course, the same thing happened to me when I had my baby girl. 

My boy's going to start schooling this June, so I'm going to be busier too... I'm thinking of shopping for new things like clothes and school supplies. I initially thought that he's not going to be using/needing much, but when I examined his things I realized he already outgrew many of his clothes. Same thing with my baby girl of course. T.T They're growing up fast!

 

Since I am in the process of updating their wardrobe, I'll be sharing to you some of the shops that I've tried, and also some that I've recently been interested with.

As a fan of online shopping (and of course window shopping), I did a couple clicks on the web to look for affordable items for my kids, too.

Food | Silot (Fresh Coconut Water + Coconut Meat) - This is How We Do It (recipe)

Silot - a Waray-Waray word which refers to the young fruit of the coconut palm tree. It also refers to a popular drink that is derived from the said fruit.

Manilot - a Waray-Waray term which means picking young coconut fruits.

Although in Tagalog the term "Buko Juice" is widely used to refer to coconut water this particular version that I'm about to share doesn't have a special name. This is actually a drink made from coconut water and We simply call it here as "Silot."

Polish Feature | OMG Nail Colors in Banana Boat, Disco Ball and Matte Potion Top Coat

Here are two nail polishes and a matte top coat from a local brand called OMG which stands for Oh My Golly or Oh My Girl; produced by Ming Mei Cosmetics.

Happy Earth Day 2015! + How To Donate Through SMS

Originally posted on my IG account @toffeemerry on April 22, 2015.

Earth Day - April 22, 2015

I don't consider myself as an environmentalist but I do care about the environment, so I support this call for action to preserve and promote the welfare our home planet.

The other day my mom visited a close friend who happens to have a number of plants in her garden. My mom has a green thumb so naturally she brought some plants with her. It was fitting for the occasion because it so happened to be Earth Day!

She re-potted the plants yesterday and I was happy to note that we now have an Aloe Vera plant! Hahaha. Well, I'm a big fan of Aloe so for me it was such as nice treat. I actually did ask mom to bring one few months ago, and now we have three! :-D 

They say it's better to plant at least one plant (or better yet a tree) on this day to show support. Of course, there are other ways that you can contribute to the cause. You can check Earth Day Network for information. 

I decided to write this entry because I found something really easy to do to show one's support if you're in the PH. That is, by donating your e-load! How simple is that? It's definitely one of the easiest (if not the simplest) way to show support.

So, how do you do this? 

1.) Go to EARTH DAY NETWORK PHILIPPINES. 

2.) Next, look for the "DONATE YOUR LOAD" section/picture on the right side of the webpage.

3.) And then, just simply follow the instructions there.

This is what you'll see when you click "DONATE YOUR LOAD."

Here I'm using my SmartBro to send a PhP5 donation through SMS. I was just trying to confirm if the service is indeed available ATM.

After 2-3 minutes, I almost thought it was unavailable but then this is what they sent me. Success!

Now, it's your turn to donate! :)

Thanks for reading.

~toffeemerry~

Polish Feature | BOBBIE Premium Nail Creme Glaze in Dazzle

It's been a long time since I was able to post anything about nails and/or nail polish, so now I'll be featuring a nail polish from a local brand.

~ pic heavy ~

More pics after the jump!

~below are pics taken with Samsung Note 8~

2 coats of Dazzle w/o topcoat in shaded daylight. No flash.

w/o topcoat

excuse my dry hand...

Haul | January-February 2015 (photo dump)

Hello! I've been MIA (again) for the last month(s) or so... my laptop just broke.

Well, here it goes... this is basically another photo dump >.<

\

1. Sunsilk Smooth & Manageable Shampoo (I prefer to buy the ones in sachets because I think I save more with it)

2. Pepsodent Whitening with PERLITE Toothpaste (fave toothpaste ATM)

3. Centrum Multivitamins+Minerals

4. ActiveWhite Underarm Whitening Liquid Cream

5. Samsung Headset (already broken!)

6. Two brassieres for me [purple (gift) and striped red/grey]

7. A polka dot hot pink brassiere for my sis

8. Two briefs for my little boy (Smurfs!)

9. A floral spaghetti-strap long top/dress

10. A  red-black rose print short jumpsuit

11. A 3/4 sleeve black cardigan with side pockets (pictured below)

12. Purity Wet Wipes with Aloe and Vit. E

13. ARM & HAMMER Pure Baking Soda (fave cleaning stuff)

14. NVJS rings

15. NVJS - BaoMa Mosquito Coils

16. NVJS - Sunflower Wallpaper

17. NVJS - Striped red seamless boy-leg underwear

18. Vida's Mar - Plastic wrap

19. NVJS - Travel/cream containers with spatula

20. Vida's Mar - Cord protectors

21. Two NVJS hair clamps

22. Susan Baker Chinese Green Tea (my go-to green tea)

23. Extreme Efficascent Oil (liniment)

24. Bioderm ointment (antibacterial and antifungal cream)

25. Another ActiveWhite Underarm Whitening Liquid Cream

26. Original Likas Papaya Soap

27. BOBBIE Premium Nail Creme in Glaze Dazzle

28. BOBBIE Premium Nail Creme in Glaze Emerald

29. Colgate Classic Child Toothbrush (5+)

30. Five Star Commercial - Yellow hair tie and hair clips set

31. Five Star Commercial - Black hair tie set

32. Five Star Commercial - Multicolored hair tie/bracelet set

33. Five Star Commercial - Eye glasses case

34. CIXTOR-Z

35. CEELIN PLUS

36. Tom's World loot - Korean notepads and Delfi Knick Knacks

37. Monde Special Mamon Classic (was originally in a pack of 6)

38. GINSENG LIN-ZI GEJIE PIL - this is for my brother. This supplement is said to be effective in gaining weight. Apparently it's effective because E miraculously gotten "fatter." It increases one's appetite so you will likely get fatter if you take this.

39. Robinson's Place Tacloban:

Angled Contour Brush

Pencil/pointed Blending brush

Vaseline Healthy White Perfect 10 Whitening & Anti-aging Lotion

Nichido Eyeliner with brush (FAULTY ITEM!!)

FAULTY! Huhu. :'(

It's really EMPTY.

I only realized that I bought a faulty one when I got home. I have to travel about 180 km (4hours) just to exchange this product with a new one. LOL. No, it did not happen. Good thing it was cheap, so I need not cry a river...LOL. Now, I making use of the brush that comes with it instead.

40. Saizen (Daiso):

Anti-aging Soap Set

Multi-functional Portable Knife

Butterfly Print Shopping Bag

41. Black Long Sleeved High-Low Cardigan with Back Lace Detail

42. KCL for Samsung Headset (still working well)

43. NVJS:

Eye Pencil Sharpener

Mini Sewing Kit

44. TIANSENG Special Chinese Tikoy

45. Another CEELIN PLUS bottle (for my kids)

As you can see, the actual product is just...

46. Oseur O Mei Su Collagen Facial Cream with Grape Seeds (4g)

47. RICOA Curly Tops Milk Chocolate

48. Musapan Candy (I think it's related/similar to Marzipan) 

49. RAM Instant Oats - no need to cook, just add water! Cheap and doesn't smell bad. I usually buy the 1 kg pack.

50. Anchor Milk

51. Sisters Pantyliner

52. Super Twins Diapers (Cynthia's)

53. Great Taste Granulated Coffee (not pictured well but it's our favorite instant coffee)

54. Jack 'n Jill Nova

55. Xtian Gift Shop:

Two fancy gold earrings (I broke mine and the right side's for mom)

A rose gold necklace (current favorite)

56. Egg Bamboo Biscuits (IDK why they call it bamboo though...)

57. Combantrin - Anthelmintic - (we drank this last V-day. Lol.)

58. Purity Cotton Buds Mini - my ear canals are too small for regular-sized buds....wait, I'm not supposed to insert anything inside my ear canal...not even a cotton bud says my doctor, but well.. No wonder I still have an ear infection. -.-

59. Carefree Super Dry Liners

60. Again,  Sunsilk Smooth & Manageable Shampoo

61. Cream Silk Dry Rescue Treatment-Conditioner

62. LM nail polish in shade...

63. SnP Gift Shop - Taiwan Handmade False Lashes (?) - I was able to buy a pair even if it usually comes in a pack of 10pairs. I love these 'coz they're very comfortable to wear. I should buy a whole pack next time.

64. SnP Gift Shop - Bra Straps

65. Cadbury Dairy Milk Cashew & Cookies

66. Chippy

67. NIVEA Men 48hr Dry Impact Antiperspirant - Yes, I bought this for myself in my desperate attempt to keep my pits dry this season. But it doesn't work for me..it makes me smell really bad. I gave it to my brother instead. Too bad I really liked the masculine, sporty scent. Huhu.

68. AVON:

Baby Moisturizing Lotion - My kids and I like this.

Simply Pretty Long Lash Waterproof Mascara

Simply Pretty Lip & Cheek Tint

69. Five Star Commercial - Peach Printed Top

70. Scotch Brite Laundry Gloves - I had to use a pair because E said my hands are looking old...huhu.

71. Cleene 2-ply tissue

72. Sweet Baby Premium Wipes (my current favorite!)

73. Tender Care Baby Soap

~end~