Crossroads.

I am so pregnant. Tomorrow, I am on my eighth month. I'm not complaining. In fact, I have been feeling guilty. I feel that I haven't been giving this pregnancy the focus it deserves. Aside from being overweight since the beginning of this pregnancy, I commute more than when I was pregnant with A. I drink coffee. I eat some things borderline "bawal." And lately, I have been stressed by a number of factors. Well, one more than others. And that is what I wish to write about and share to you  today.

The year ushered in so many blessings. Among those, a nomination to one of the first-level courts in the Metro. Since April last year, I have been at a crossroads. Deciding to act upon the advice of several people, I took the plunge and applied for judgeship positions. Thankfully, I was recommended by a "kuya" and mentor, and all my reference persons have given their permission to add their names to the list I provided.

December 2015, I was interviewed (oral recitation by none other than THE retired SC Justice Sandoval-Gutierrez) and I took the psychological exams. Truth be told, I was more nervous about the psychological examinations. I mean, how do you even know you are psychologically fit for any job, anyway? :)

And yesterday evening, I learned I am among seven candidates shortlisted for the President to choose from for one of the posts.

Now, about the crossroads.

I am blessed to have a stable job. It pays well, and allows me to have a work-life balance. I have a boss who is very reasonable and who has taught me quite a lot about administrative law in the past 3 years. I have had people come up to me to ask why in the world I choose to apply for a judgeship position when they know/assume that my current job is a dream for most.

Believe me, I have thought about it. I still do. My husband and I have talked about this countless times from the time I decided to apply... and until today. I assume, we will continue to talk about it until I get that appointment (fingers crossed, CLAIMING IT with full faith in the Lord).

A comfortable few more years await me at the road I am currently on. It will afford me at least three more years to raise my kids and enjoy the work-life balance I am currently blessed with. I am financially secure. However, it does not provide the opportunity to practice my profession at a higher level. Neither does it offer professional growth.

Meanwhile, I am staring at another road. this one is an uphill climb. It is riddled with challenges that can only be tackled by the best and the brightest legal minds. It is a scary road to be on as it is lined with cliffs on both sides. One false step towards temptation and all my hard work in keeping my name clean all these years would literally crumble. It will also hold me criminally liable. But the hold this road has on me lies not just at the very end of it, but on every step of this journey towards it. It is the quest for the degree of excellence it exacts from this traveler that invigorates my very core. It is a challenge --a thirst, I feel I have to quench in my lifetime. Yes, I want this. To be utterly selfish would be me choosing this road without regard for the family I seek to nurture.

I find solace that God provides. I take comfort in the fact that He will place me where I can best serve His Will. And in my heart, I know what I want. I submit to His Divine Wisdom. I know, He has already given it to me.

I know, at the end of the day, I shall be standing alone at that crossroads. It will be me who will take that step. And when I make that step, I will be guided by Him, by my family, and by the people I hold dear.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

(WIMP) What's In My Purse? Chanel Classic 2.55 Flap Bag

This is my first WIMP blog entry. As a working girl, I take my purses to work most days.  I rarely switch bags save for two reasons: style clash and security.

Style clash is self-explanatory.  If the bag I’m using does not fit the occasion I am attending (I sometimes go to congressional hearings), I swap. More importantly, I go to work most days via carpool but occasionally, I have to ride the public transportation (MRT or Taxi) and for security reasons, I have to swap bags if I’m wearing a pricey one.  Although my LVs and this bag has enjoyed an excursion via the MRT once or twice.

I digress (as usual).

So here’s one of my favorite purses: The Chanel Classic 2.55 with silver hardware in lambskin.

So, I can fit in all of these:

1.    A small bottle of alcohol (What can I say? I’m a mom!)

2.    Two pens (a lawyer’s essential tool)

3.    Keys

4.    A cardholder

5.    A coach wrist-pouch that holds my earphones and phone charger

6.    A pouch that holds two NARS lipsticks, burt bees lip moisturizer, Clinique gloss, MAC

concealer, and Clinique mascara

7.    Chanel boy wallet

8.    My phone

I didn’t bring it today to work, but my iPad mini fits in it as well. Yep.  It’s quite a wonderful compact bag that fits everything I need. And like all my other purses, I love this one to bits!

Til next time!

A Mommy a Second Time Around

It has been a while since I posted anything. It's not that the last three years have been uneventful --quite the opposite, actually. The past three years have been blessed with so much mommy and career adventures that left me with little time to paint them in words. I have a huge collections of pictures though, but it's not even a fraction of the memories we have created as a family.

August 2015, we were pleasantly surprised to know that we are to be blessed with an addition to our family of three. And as of December 2015, we learned that it is going to be a baby boy! Oh, what joy!

Despite the challenging pregnancy symptoms (I never had nausea as bad as this during A's term.), we are doing ok. I am tired most days (I am pushing 40 --and I'm not denying it!), and I can feel the strain of commuting from work to home (Ron used to take me to the office during my first pregnancy.).

We are on our seventh, going into our eight month. While there will alwaysbe fear and apprehension on my part, I take consolation in the promise that God is faithful. He always provides. He alone saves. Most of the baby stuff we have are hand-me-downs from generous friends and family. We have but little more to spend on. We are very grateful.

Now to plan that baby shower...

Post partum Depression?

Today, I am so depressed.  Although a number of factors have started my week wrong since yesterday, I think how I am feeling is more than just mere irritation or anger.  I am depressed.

I am depressed because I cannot even style my hair the way I want to style it because I have to think of the well being of my child who breastfeeds.

I am depressed because I cannot find the time to lose weight without feeling guilty that I have to sacrifice time I should be spending with my daughter.

I am depressed because I am just so tired.  I just want to have a vacation without having to worry about every little detail going wrong.

I am depressed because I feel neglected, by myself, and the people I hold dear.

I am depressed because although my job requires just the right effort on my part, the daily commute sucks the life out of me.

I am depressed because I want to do things that entails so much time and money that I cannot produce because I have to spend time with my family.

I am depressed because I cannot cry.

I am depressed and I am scared. God help me.

A non-techie's product review: HTC ONE

You won’t get your usual techie review here. Move on if that’s what you want.  This is a review of the HTC ONE as appreciated through the eyes and other senses of someone who chose to use Android for the first time for reasons that are simple.  My standards are basic:  Is it pretty?  Is it easy to use? Will it serve the purpose for which I am getting it?



It is my first time to use an android phone.  I used to be afraid of all the techie stuff I felt I had to learn whenever my husband would show me something his phone could do (He currently owns a Samsung S2 and is up for an upgrade very soon).  First, I have to admit that I have stuck it out with my blackberry handsets because I was afraid of typing without a keyboard.  The only reason I even considered using an iPhone two years ago as my second handset was because I got to inherit my YOUNGER sister’s unit when she upgraded to the latest model back then. I love the way I can type fast using the qwerty keyboard of my blackberry 9930.  Nevermind that I had to make do with a small screen compared to the humongous ones on iPhones and android smart phones.



This year though, as I was choosing a phone from those available for free with my plan, the offering of blackberry was a Z10 –and it had no keyboard! Panic-stricken, I turned to my husband for help.  He then patiently explained to me the merits of starting to ease out of the dinosaur age of actual keyboards.  He also got excited and helped me in deciding to go android (instead of getting the iPhone 5).  According to my husband, the HTC One is on the top three list of smartphones, and it is also the latest one out (a few days after I got my HTC ONE, the S4 was also released.)



I had to go through 3 Globe locations and numerous phone calls with their customer service before I finally got my hands on a new unit of the HTC ONE.

It’s pretty.

When I finally got to open the box, I am immediately impressed.  The HTC One screams “Sexy!” It is a beautiful phone with a unibody curved at the right places for just the right feel when it is in one’s hand.  Even now, a month after getting it for the first time, I sometimes catch myself looking at my phone and thinking “that is such a beautiful piece of technology!”  Compared to the S4 and the iPhone 5, this phone feels expensive in a way that is classy and luxurious.  Looking at it from afar, and even up close, one will appreciate the time and research spent on designing the HTC ONE.  In my opinion, it brought sexy back with its curves and is definitely far better in form than the latest iPhone.  That says a lot, since I used to think that the iPhone is the sexiest phone out in the market, even when I remain loyal to blackberry’s functional design—until now.

It’s  easy to use.

Despite the beauty that is the phone, I was afraid to turn the darn thing on.  It’s beauty, while enticing, did not detract from the fact that it is a smartphone with NO physical keys.  Now, I have had an iPod touch and I am using an iPad 2, but my experience with small gadgets without keys I can actually press is disastrous…  I could not even type decently most days with my iPad. But, never one who chickens out from a new experience (except that one time when people wanted me to eat Odoks during a Baguio Trip), I turned the thing on.  The screen is vibrant and, while I was scared that I had to master another form of OS, I learned the ropes pretty fast.  The camera takes nice pictures (better than the BB 9930), and the virtual keyboard… was very responsive!  My husband installed Swift Key app after a few days to help me adapt to the virtual keyboard, but even without the app, I have to say, the original keyboard was easy to type on.  Soon enough, I was typing away like a semi-pro.



It is functional and fun.

I use my phone basically for calls, sms, emails, and some browsing before.  My blackberry could do all that.  For serious browsing, I simply used my iPad.  Now, I rarely use my iPad.  I am even thinking of switching my iPad 2 for a mini since I only use it now for reading my ebooks.  The HTC ONE has become my workhorse.  It has become the only thing in my bag I really need to get by.  Except for the fact that I would never even attempt to make it my ebook reader because it is just too small for the task, the HTC is my phone, my gaming gadget (playing Aralon HD, an RPG game right now), my planner, my email device, my browser, and my music pod. The beats speakers are a handy addition that makes watching videos a wonderful treat.



Do I have any complaints?



As a matter of fact, I do.  I hate that the unit is so beautiful on the outside that I am scared that it might get scratched and dented!  What’s worse, there are no casings available.  And even if there were, I doubt I’ll cover it up heavily, if at all, because that’s what happened to all my phones.  I just think that the phones we have were made to be displayed and enjoyed bare naked.  However, I have no one to blame if (and I hope this never happens) a) my phone falls into flood water; b) my phone falls, period; c) my baby grabs and chews on my phone; and, d) my baby flings my phone to the floor/wall/her soup…etc.

Also, the phone gets a bit hot when I use it for gaming or for browsing at times.  It’s not scalding hot, but it can get a bit bothersome.  When this happens, I go to the main menu and turn off other apps that might be left working in the background.

Needless to say, I am happy I chose this phone. I hope this review gives un-techie people like me an idea of what to expect from the HTC ONE.  If you do decide to get one for yourself, I congratulate you for passing the first difficult question you have to answer: “the black or the white one?”  Either way, it is a beautiful workhorse and a wonderful first phone for non-Android users.

Rated PG(Patay-Gutom): Sunshine Kitchen

Last night, I had the pleasure of having some old girl (and boy) friends for company for a baby shower thrown for Paolo and Mika Licuanan.  We had dinner and some games at a noisy long table in Sunshine Kitchen, The Fort Strip.  It was my first time to eat at this resto.

The venue: The place has an easy-going vibe that doesn’t intimidate first-times.  They have their own shared comfort room with a place for hand washing located just outside the restroom.  The lighting is perfect to set an intimate and fun mood, but don’t go looking for candle lit tables here.  This is more of a family-and-friends-fun kind of place.  I also did not notice any table setting just for two.  Having said that, should you want to impress your date with casual vibe and good food (more on this later), this is a good place to go to.

The service: Servers are very attentive and very gracious.  They are also very helpful and so I must give this place a two thumbs up in this category.   They were also very accommodating with our requests.

The food:  Everyone ordered their own and shared.  But the hit of the night was their paella, their pizza with mushroom and quail eggs, and their beef stew.  Hubby specifically said the beef stew tasted great.  And their servings are for sharing too!

Value for money:  If you’re sharing with friends, a date, or family, Sunshine Kitchen is a good place to get good food for very reasonable prices.  Their food serving is usually good for sharing.

RATED PG: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Product Review: Burt Bees Baby Shampoo and Wash vs. Cetaphil

In the first two months since baby was born, we used Cetaphil to make sure that it is gentle enough for baby’s skin.  Once the last bottle ran out, we switched to Burt Bees baby Shampoo and Wash.  We haven’t used any other soap for baby ever since.

First off, compared to Cetaphil, Burt Bees is naturally more fragrant.  Its scent stays on baby for most of the day.  The true acid test came during these hot summer days.  Burt Bee’s scent usually lasts for 8 hours or more on our baby, but nowadays, it’s more like 4-5 hours tops.  Still a good number of hours considering baby needs a wipe down with a wet towelette every 4 hours these days.  Plus, we’re not using baby powder (yet).

Next, Burt Bees, though more expensive per bottle (750.00 at your local Beauty Bar) seems to be cheaper than Cetaphil since you don’t need use too much product to get baby clean.  A large Cetaphil bottle used to last for just a month and a half while Burt Bees lasts for 2 months or more.  If you don’t mind the higher cash out (Cetaphil sells at 600.00 at Watsons),  I suggest Burt Bees is the way to go.

I’ve never had issues with either Cetaphil or Burt Bees when it comes to skin sensitivity.  I guess, at the end of the day, both products are able to do the job they’re meant to do, only Burt Bees seems to save me a few moolahs in the process while keeping my baby smelling good.

The one thing that Cetaphil has over Burt Bees is the availability.  Cetaphil is available in Mercury Drug stores and Watsons,  or even in some SM Mall Department Stores.  Meanwhile, Burt Bees is only available in Rustan’s and Beauty Bar shops.

On stupid grins and entering law school

I love being a lawyer.  I used to tell my students all the time that since April 2007, when I wake up in the morning, no matter how horrible the night before was, I have a stupid smile on my sleepy face whenever I face the mirror --all because I know that the person smiling back at me is a geddem-lawyer.

Whenever asked, I try to remember why I wanted to become a lawyer in the first place.  I guess it all started when people kept on telling me I love to argue my way out of sticky situations when I was young.  Oldies would say “Mag-abugado ka na lang, ang galing mo sumagot,” sometimes with unmasked irritation, sometimes, with plain amusement.   Then again, maybe it began when I started to enjoy reading anything and everything I could keep my hands on.  Anyway, for the life of me, I don’t remember the first time I was ever introduced to the concept of being a “lawyer.”  In fact, even in college, when so many movies and tv series would focus on the life of a lawyer (Thank you very much, Ally Mc Beal for making me think lawyers can be quirky and actually have social lives.) I still had no idea what law school will be like, much less, how a lawyer’s life is here in the Philippines.

You see, I do not know any lawyer while I was growing up.  I was the first lawyer from both sides of both sides of my family.  All I knew from what I’ve watched in movies and on tv is that lawyers wear suits, are very smart, and rich.  Truth be told, if I had any talent leaning towards medicine, I’d be a doctor in a blink of an eye.  But somehow, despite growing up in a family of nurses and soldiers and engineers, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.  Definitely, I wanted to be different.

My quest (naks!) to becoming a lawyer was rather complicated.  First, my paternal grandmother had qualms about my entering law school .  She said that she’s afraid I might turn into a distant aunt who took the bar and failed and was never quite right after that.  I explained to her that I just really want this and assured her I won’t turn cuckoo on her… because I already am. J  Then I didn’t pass the UP Law Interview.  I wasn’t sure then if my parents would still support my decision if I went to Ateneo instead.  The memory of the day my dad and mom told me I can enrol in Ateneo School of Law still brings tears to my eyes.   I wasn’t sure I’d survive Ateneo (being a UP maroon), but I did, and found truly great friends along the way.

But I think the real reason why I eventually jumped the law school gun was because of the simple reason that I wanted to do and BE more.  You see, before I applied for law school, I had the privilege of working for a senator during the impeachment trial of Pres. Estrada.  The slew of personalities I met during those days made me look within and ask myself… “Is this really just what I want to be for the rest of my life?”  I knew the answer as I drafted my resignation letter a few months later.  I want to go to law school because I want to be a lawyer.  Every day.  Forever.

So here I am with a silly grin on my face.  After 4 years of law school, one year to prepare and wait for the Bar results, and five years of law practice… still, with a silly grin on my face.  Because I know, I am a lawyer.  Because I know, I can make a difference and love being who I am at the same time.

Kikay Product Review: Tony Moly Aqua BB Cream

It’s been a while since I bought myself a kikay product (a product used for beautification purposes).  I am not fond of make-up and when I do use a product and it’s good, I stick to it stubbornly until it’s phased-out.

I grew up having sensitive pimple-prone skin… the kind where you wake up in the morning and the first thing you see when you look into the mirror is that you have a/several new zits –just because.  In my college years, I’d sample all the kikay products sent by loving relatives from abroad… and my skin would suffer (or look better) because of this hit-and-miss routine.  However, as my dermatologist would tell you, I’m sure, I also have little to no patience at all when it comes to putting on creams and doing all those tedious beauty regimens.  I’m a slap-it-on-and-go kind of girl.

So, when I first found out about BB cream through a posted blog by a former student (do follow her at themakeupambassador at tumblr), I asked endless questions.  Could a cream be a moisturizer, a foundation, and an SPF all in one without making me look like a kabuki doll?  My former student convinced me to give this one a try.

And I did.  When I bought the jar, I asked to look at an actual sample.  I was a little hesitant because the product looked too light for my morena skin.  But I bought it anyway when the sales lady said it was just going to blend into my skin.  Fine.  At home, as instructed by my former student, I only applied 5 light dots of the products on my face.  I slathered it onto my face like a five-year-old would and mirror-checked: lo and behold, the distribution of the product on my face was flawless.  When I say I slather it on my face like a five-year-old would, let me clarify… you know how kids apply their sun block on their faces when they’re so eager to jump into the pool or play on the beach? THAT’s how I apply anything I put on my face.  I have to say—I love how the product looked on my face.

After a day in the office, I found that the product was still mostly there.  However, I noticed that my face looked oilier than usual.  The next time I used it, I dusted Revlon Age Defying powder and both problems were cured.  That has been my routine ever since.

What I like about this BB cream is the fact that it feels so light on the skin. I instantly forget I’m wearing make-up.  I don’t use it so much for cover up, I just basically want my skin to glow and look more even-toned.  I have very brown freckles on my face and I don’t even care to cover them up… otherwise, I know I’d lose the “natural-no-make-up” look. 

I did notice that I’d get a small zit (white head) or two when I leave the product on my face overnight (tsk, bad!)  And since I always forget to clean my face at home when I have my baby in my arms, I found a solution:  I washed my face every afternoon before leaving the office and slather on my favourite moisturizer (Human Heart Nature Sunflower Oil).  Problem solved.

I hope this kikay product review help those of you out there looking to try a new product this summer.  Til next time J