Mama's 55th Birthday - Slideshow Presentation

Sharing the slideshow and video greetings that I did for Mom's 55th birthday. I actually enjoyed doing this video. iMovie is just so user-friendly. Thanks to my loveable laptop. I can say that investing into a Mac is really worth it.;)

Mama's 55th Birthday - Call Us Maybe?

Surprise video of our family members for my Mom's 55th birthday. Everyone enjoyed the making of this vid. Angel, Orsa, at Ako, yes kami na ang over ang exposure, lol! :D Enjoy!
:)

Bring Me to Life - SFC SG Team 5

Sharing with you the winning music video presented during the SFC Singapore Thanksgiving party last December 9 @ Chevron House, Singapore.

Even though I wasn't really informed about my role, being a different person for a moment is quite an experience.:) Really enjoyed every moment of this shoot --- good company, professional production (chos!), and very talented and cooperative team members. I'm so proud of this team. Congrats to us guys!:D Goodjob! Always remember that we are all doing this for Him.:)

SFC-SG Creatives Opening Number

This is the opening number presented during the SFC Singapore Thanksgiving party last December 9 @ Chevron House, Singapore.

Glad to dance with this people again.:) Thank you guys for inspiring me with your service in the community and sharing your passion through this ministry. 

Hard Rock Cafe Experience

Thanks to my dear friend, Sheena, for inviting me here.:) Food was great. Hotel linens were so comfy and clean. Love their toilet too! and it's just right beside the Universal Studios and Resorts World Sentosa. I'll definitely recommend this hotel for those who want to experience a comfortable and luxury service.

view from the hotel room

view from the hotel room

Dinner with Sheena's Lola and Titas

Celebrating Lola's Birthday

Can't wait for the steak! ;)

Room is so hippie!

the chipmunk shot :D

Gwen's Bachelorette Party at China One

Loving this picture of me with the girls. A bachelorette party at home that turned out to be the the bride's last night to party as a single woman. Thanks to our friend, Jodjo, for entertaining us whole night lol! :D Partey til dawn! Cheers! :))
 

EUsis Ep 10: Eusis & Eurail

We purchased a 5day- Italy/France Eurail, consumed only 4 days, from August 22-29, 2011.
We reserved our seats in Paris. Started from Florence, Pisa, Rome, Venice, Milan, Nice, Monte Carlo and Paris.
We heart Eurail. We learned alot, seen a lot, met nice locales who guided and helped us.

Pics of Jomai, Arne and Madi
Edit and Layout by Jomai
Song Traveler by Jason Mraz


 
©2011.JomaiGarcia

Letter to my 20-year old Self

Dear 20-year old Me,

I know that turning 20 is quite a big leap as you're already not a teen. You will be having some changes in your life. In one way or the other, you will get hurt no matter how you avoid the situation. If you get hurt badly, cry it out, cry with a friend, it's more healing, then you move on. Believe that time will heal all those hurts and pain. Just be strong and pray. Don't be afraid to take risks. Don't let your fears hold you back. Dream high. If there's an opportunity grab it as it comes only once. Be excited. Be adventurous. This is the time in your life where you start to experience the real taste of life, the outside world. Be responsible. Learn as much as you can. Laugh hard. Fall in love. Enjoy every moment. Follow you heart and use your head to decide. You'll go a long way.

P.S.

I'm excited to see your travel adventures. You'll make it happen.:)

Love,

25-year old Me

Permed Hair 101

When I decided to get my hair permed, I knew that it will take more time for me to fix my hair every morning. The next problem is, finding the best hair product in the market that will maintain my curls without damaging it . 

After a few days of relentless research on what to get, I finally ended up buying the "Ouidad Expert Curl kit" from Sephora. Bought mine for $57.00. Not bad, I guess.

According to them, this is what it does: 

"The set has everything you need to get healthy, frizz-free curls. Moisture Lock™ Leave-In Conditioner is a lightweight leave-in or rinse-out conditioner for all curl types. Climate Control® Heat & Humidity Gel is a must-have styling aid to tame frizz and fly-aways. Botanical Boost® Moisture Infusing & Refreshing Spray detangles, refreshes, and preserves moisture to prevent frizz and revive shine. The set contains: - 8.5 oz Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner - 8.5 oz Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel - 2.5 oz Botanical Boost Moisture Infusing & Refreshing Spray - 6 x hair clips - Step-by-step instructions for styling wavy and curly hair."

I've been using the product for 2 weeks now and I can say that it totally exceeded my expectations. No frizz, no fly-aways, just bouncy hair with shine.:) And yeah it's totally worth-buying. Thanks Ouidad! Will definitely buy this product again. :)

Wanderlust Photo: Door Series

Fascinated with humongous doors and gates during my travel escapades. They all look different but their own unique characteristics make them stand out.. Just like us, humans.

Just Got Permed!

After 20+ years of having a straight hair, I now decided to get my hair permed at Texture Hair Lab in East Coast, and I'm loving it! ;) The stylist recommended perming my hair with ammonia-free perming solution so as not to damage my hair. Took me 2 hours to finish. I didn't quite like his final styling though, but at least it's not dry, for now.. 

EUsis Ep 8: Magis 2011, Loyola

August 5-8, 2011. Magis in Loyola, Spain.

 
©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis Ep 7: Bilbao

Surprise visit in Bilbao. Super excited to see the Guggenheim Museum. Weeeh! :)

   ©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis Ep 6: Of Gaudi, with Filipinos

©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis Ep 5: Buenos Dias Barcelona

©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis Ep 4: Bienvenido Barcelona

©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis Ep 3: Phew! Paris

©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis Ep 2: Finnish Hospitality

©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis Ep 1: Departure from Singapore

©2011.JomaiGarcia

EUsis: Start of the Adventure

Since August is the EUsis Anniv month, I will be sharing with you the videos of our Europe Escapade last year.

 Thanks to my good friend Jomai for creating this video.:) Enjoy! :)

EUsis turns 1.

Time flies so fast. It's been a year since our epic EUrope adventure. Last year, we're at Barcelona, tonight we're at Zsofi's Tapas Bar (well it is in singapore, but at least it's spanish hehe). We celebrated our 1st year anniv as EUsis (europe+sisters), and together with the EUbros reminisced our travel experiences and bloopers over our favorite spanish dishes --- tapas, sangria, and paella. It was indeed a fun night though yet nostalgic.:) 

Happy 6th, Love!

It was 18 July 2006,  we were at Cloud 9, Antipolo,  overlooking the city. That night, I told myself that I would take a risk - - - a risk of going into a relationship and falling in love, a risk of trusting again another man, and allowing myself  be vulnerable to hurt. That night, i gave you my sweetest 'Yes'. We went through a lot of challenges, mistakes, and pains, but I thank God that you're still there fighting for it despite the distance. We may be busy checking our own bucket list, but I want to thank you for still holding on and not letting go of what we have for the past 6 years. Thank you for loving and accepting me for who I am.

Happy 6th Anniversary to my one and only.
You know how much iLoveYou! <3

Remind Yourself.

List of things I need to remind myself when the going gets tough.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me."

-----

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
-----

It says all.

Yes, it's who I am. ;))

Jason Mraz in Singapore

I've been hearing Jason Mraz songs for the past few years now and I admit  that I'm not really a fan until last night. OMG! He truly took my breath away! His concert, together with his band, at Gardens by the Bay was freakin'ly awesome! Just awesome! and for that, I now confrmed that Jason Mraz is officially on my list.;) List of guys who I want to marry, lol!:D Nah, list of people who I truly admired inside out, and inspired me to move forward. Thank you Jason Mraz for sharing your talents through your songs and your advocacies. You are indeed an inspiration!:)

Couples for Christ - Singapore's 25th Anniversary

Held last saturday at Orchidville, Singapore, the 25th Anniversary celebration of Couples for Christ Singapore was a blast! :D It was attended by some of the well-known people in the community such as Archbishop Nicolas Chia, CFCs, SFCs, YFCs, HOLD, SOLD, and special guests from the Philippines, Dubai, etc. 

Below are the videos of the 3 dances which we've been practicing for the last 4 weeks. And I'm so thrilled to share it with you guys, so enjoy!!! :)


Celebratory Dance InYour Hands Final Dance (God is Good)

dance like nobody is watching oh yeah! :D

Our MUAs did a great job as well! :)

getting ready for our next dance --- In Your Hands

I'm also proud to say that the design team (which includes myself hehe;)) and the logistics team did a great job to the venue! Kudos team!;)

Good job Design & Logistics Team! :D

Thanks to the whole #dreamteam and of course to our dear God, for making this event a great success!

God bless us all! :)

Letter to Travel

3 Reasons to Travel While You’re Young

Youth, it only comes once so make the most out of it. One of the things I promised myself that I would do before 25 is to travel the world. I dreamed, I worked hard, I bled, and yes it came true. Last year, I got the opportunity to travel around Europe with my travel buddies Madi and Jomai, and I'm telling you, it was epic! :)

When I read the article below, I knew that I have to share it. So enjoy! ;)
 
-----
The other night, I had a conversation with a young woman who had a number of decisions ahead of her, one of which was whether she should go to grad school or travel the world.
I told her to travel. Hands down. No excuse. Just go.

She sighed.

“Yeah, but…”

Never were more fatal words spoken.
Yeah, but… what about debt?
Yeah, but… what about my job?
Yeah, but… what about my boyfriend (or dog or car or whatever)?
“Yeah, but…” is pernicious. Because it makes it sound like we have the best of intentions when really we are just too scared to do what we should.
It allows us to be cowards, while sounding noble.

Most people I know who waited to travel the world never did. Conversely, plenty of people who waited for grad school or a steady job and traveled still did those things — eventually.
Be careful of the yeah-but. The yeah-but will kill your dreams.
I was so stirred by this conversation that I shared it with a group of about thirty young adults last night, many who were asking these very questions.

The life you’ve always wanted

 

When you get older, life seems to just sort of happen to you. Your youth is a time of total empowerment.
You get to do what you want. As you mature and gain new responsibilities, you have to be very intentional about making sure you don’t lose sight of what’s important.

So if you still have a reasonable amount of control over your circumstances, you should do what really matters. Because life won’t always be just about you.

During early adulthood, your worldview is still being formed. It’s important to steward this time — to give yourself opportunities to grow. A good way to do that is to travel.

Paris Trip with Madi and Jomai. August 2011.

So, young person, travel.
Travel wide and far.
Travel boldly.
Travel with full abandon.
You will regret few risks you take, when it comes to this. I promise you.
There are three reasons to travel while you’re young:

1. Traveling teaches you to live an adventure

 

When you look back on your life, you will have moments of which you are proud and maybe a few you regret. It’s likely that the following won’t be on the latter list:

• Bicycled across the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Appeared on Italian TV.
• Hiked a Mayan ruin.
• Learned Spanish in three months.
• Toured Europe by train.

They’re not on mine (fun fact: I’ve done all of the above).
What, then, will be?

• Holding back.
• Being afraid.
• Making excuses.
• Not taking more risks.
• Waiting.

While you’re young, you should travel.
You should take the time to see the world and taste the fullness of life. It’s worth whatever investment or money or sacrifice of time required on your part.
It’s not about being a tourist. It’s about experiencing true risk and adventure so you don’t have to live in fear for the rest of your life.

2. Traveling helps you encounter compassion

 

In your youth, you will make choices that will define you. The disciplines you begin now will be with you for the rest of your life.

Traveling will change you like little else can. It will put you in places that will force you to care for issues that are bigger than you.

If you go to southeast Asia, you may encounter the slave trade. If eastern Europe, you may see the effects of genocide and religious persecution. If Haiti, you’ll witness the the ugly side Western paternalism.

Your heart will break.

You will begin to understand that the world is both a big and small place. You will have a new-found respect for the pain and suffering that over half of the world takes for granted on a daily basis. And you will feel more connected to your fellow human beings in a deep and lasting way.
You will learn to care.

3. Traveling allows you to get some culture

 

While you’re still young, you should get cultured. Get to know the world and the magnificent people that fill it.
There’s nothing quite like walking alongside the Coliseum or seeing Michelangelo’s David in person. I can
describe the city of San Juan and its amazing beaches and historic sites to you, but you really have to see it for yourself to experience it. You can read all the books in the world about the Great Wall of China or The Louvre, but being there is a different story.

The world is a stunning place, full of outstanding works of art. See it.

Do this while you’re still young. Do not squander this time. You will never have it again.
You have a crucial opportunity to invest in the next season of your life now. Whatever you sow, you will eventually reap.
Please. For your sake, do this.
You won’t always be young. And life won’t always be just about you. So travel. Experience the world for all it’s worth. Become a person of culture, adventure, and compassion.

“What if I’m not young?”

 

Travel, anyway. It may not be easy to do, but find a way to get out of your comfort zone. It’s really never too late.
But if you haven’t gotten sucked into the routine of life yet, I implore you — travel. It will never be easier than it is right now for you to do that which really matters.


-----
Originally written by Jeff Goins.

I'm featured in F Magazine! ;)

When I was a kid, I've always dreamed about being featured in a magazine... yes the glossy ones ;P. During the time when Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera took over the media world, I told myself, I'm gonna be there someday.

It was February this year, when I received a text from a friend asking if I am available for a photo shoot to be featured in "F Magazine", with no hesitations I said Yes, of course! :) Oh by the way, if this is the first time you've heard about the mag, here's a quick write up --- F Magazine on Inquirer Newspaper.

And just like that, a little girl's dream and prayer came true. Thanks to Choy! :)

I'm featured in May 2012 Edition of F Magazine with Lisa Macuja-Elizalde on the cover. Please do grab a copy. This is for exclusive distribution in Singapore only. Out now! :)

Make-up by Tala Jorvina
Photography by Roni Juliano

Ms. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde on the cover

Yep! This is me! yey! :))

Photo Shoot 1: Behind the scene at Vivo City

Photo Shoot 2: Behind the scene at Sentosa Boardwalk

The Empowered Filipina

This will be my first post on this blog, and I thought hey, wouldn't it be nice if I post something empowering? :) Yep,  I found this video last year through a friend's link on facebook and this mini documentary strongly focused on how Filipino Women fight back negative stereotyping and proved to the world that we've got what it takes to stand out.

Watch the film in 3 parts through the below link:

The Empowered Filipina I

The Empowered Filipina II 

The Empowered Filipina III 

Yes, I do believed that you have to respect yourself first so that others will respect you in return. Flaunt that confident, smart, and sassy side of you. Pinay Rules! :)