2017

Hi, my name is Jana and I want to make beautiful things. Nice to meet you.

Regardless of how insignificant you think this is and how incomparable this is to my current job, this is what I am really, really passionate about. This is me. All of it. This is what I am giving everything up for.

So... I am moving forward.

This has been one long and dragging journey (One that probably shouldn't have started twelve years ago. If only I was so damn sure of what I really wanted back then, I could've been in a better position to stand up and fight for it.). It was fun while it lasted, though. But, some things must end to pave way for better things.

As I am typing this, I feel like my heart is going to pump out of my chest. 

I am scared. And excited. And nervous. But I am ready. 

Go big or go home.

Ito na talaga siya.

Cheers to changes and more new experiences and to chasing dreams and taking chances.
Here we go!

How to wear Metallics

I remember my dad once said to me when I came out of my room all dressed up, "Kung hindi ka matingkad, makinang ka naman." Lol! If it was a compliment or not, I couldn't care less. He was speaking the truth. Hello, orange nga favourite colour ko e. (Yes, go ahead, judge me and roll your eyes on me.) And while others have black and/or white as their staple, mine is metallics. Go bright or go sparkly! Haha!

Less skin, more sparkle

Metallics are tricky, though, which makes it terrifying or overwhelming to use. It can either instantly spice up or break an outfit. There's a fine line between looking fab and tacky when using metallics. Similar to colour-blocking or mixing prints, if you do it wrongly then, you'll be doomed. Nevertheless, if you do it correctly, you'll be stellar.

Here are some tips on how to look shimmery but not tacky:
1. Consider the quality of the metallic item that you want to use.
We've all seen those ghastly, super shiny, it's-just-so-tacky-it-hurts clothing items so you know what I mean. Hence, when buying a metallic-coloured item, look at the texture, the fabric and how the piece was made. I think this is the main point of what makes or breaks a metallic piece and what makes it work or not.

2. Keep it minimal. Keep it balanced.
Your metallic piece, whether it's your clothing item or accessory, is already a statement on its own. It's not sparkly for nothing. Make the piece stand out by keeping the rest of your outfit subtle or understated. If you're wearing a plain, monochrome-coloured outfit, you can go big with it. However, if there's enough texture/colour on your outfit, tone down or don't use metallics at all. It's all about finding the right balance. You don't want to look like you came out from 80's disco party or a walking Christmas tree. I repeat, keep it minimal and balanced.

3. Pair it with neutrals.
Related to what I discussed on the previous bullet point. A safe way to make your piece stand out is to pair it with neutral-coloured items in your closet.

4. Keep the palette of your outfit as monochrome as possible.
Another foolproof way to draw attention to your metallic piece for the right reasons. If the rest of your outfit belongs to the same colour family, it draws the attention to the metallic colour and you wouldn't look "too busy" to the eye.

I kept my outfit palette in the old rose/mauve shade so they would complement each other and my focal piece, which are the pants.

5. By all means, colour-block it.
If you're feeling more experimental and daring, you can also play with colours. This can be tricky as well, so choose colours that go together or choose one solid/richly saturated colour to pair the metallic colour with, such as green and gold, purple and silver, navy blue and gold, to name a few. The colour wheel or Christmas decor colour combinations can be a good reference. Then keep the rest of your outfit or your accessories toned down.

6. Use it with texture, too.
Match metallics with texture, such as chambray top or denim jeans, leather jacket, chunky knit or sheer lace (similar to what I used in the photo) to add extra oomph factor. With texture, be careful not to go overboard. To be safe, use a single texture and opt for textured items that have neutral colours.

7. You can also go full-on, head-to-toe metallic.
If you choose to go down this road, make sure to go for metallic items that are of the same or almost the same colour so you will look cohesive and not too shiny.

8. Own it!
Pretty self-explanatory, I suppose.

I'm not an expert but I hope this helps! (And I hope I explained it clearly? Haha!)
Now, go on and strut those sparkles.

Mad Men and Other Things

I'm a late bloomer to this one -- I just finished watching the whole series of Mad Men.

It was that good that I put on hold watching the last two episodes of the final season because I was 'in denial,' although we all know the show already ended in 2015.  To be honest, I wasn't interested in the whole business and advertising concept of the show. I was just curious with the period drama's fashion. Then, two episodes later, I found myself hooked.

There was more to the drinking, the smoking and the promiscuity in the show. Don't get me started on how the evolution of style was perfectly shown and how the costumes were impeccably spot on (Kudos, Janie Bryant!). The evolution of women in the workforce and in what they so-called 'man's world' were also depicted. Though I cannot fully say that this man-woman equality in workplace is no longer existent but, we surely came a long way from that. Moreover, it was also nice to remember that we (mainly people from my age and above) all once survived and got the job done with typewriters, handwritten notes and good, old landlines. There was more actual human contact when they dealt with their business transactions (sometimes, too much human contact, actually. You know what I mean. Haha!). The slow and chaotic embrace to change in technology was also shown when Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce got this big computer during the last season. I also loved how the show linked American historical events which gave the feeling that the show is real or a biopic of someone real or significant during that time. The show presented various issues during those time. I also enjoyed how each character has their own story. And of course, it's interesting to see the creative world of advertising, especially in those times. Oh yes, let's not forget... Jon Hamm, too.

Here are some of my random thoughts while watching a show that spanned for 8 years, 7 seasons and made Kiernan Shipka and her siblings grew practically right in front of my eyes.

1. I'm glad I wasn't born at that time. I could be dead by now.
One did not need to finish the whole series to realize that it is wrong to drink and smoke, especially at work. I have nothing against with drinking and smoking because obviously, it is one's business, but at work? Really? I know it was the 'trend' back in the days and if I was born at that time, I could be dead by now or I could be dying with all the second-hand smoke I inhaled.

2. Find what truly matters and avoid what doesn't.
The show was filled with broken family stories and issues, failed relationships, life-changing career moves and a fair share of wrong decisions. My take for this was at the end of the day, when things get overwhelming or you have too much on your plate, you just have to choose what to prioritize. Pour your energy on what you believe is essential. 

3. Find your passion and do it. Whatever it is, give your all or nothing at all.
Just what Joan when she started her own business and chose her career over her lovelife. Just what Peggy did when her career jumped from being Don's secretary and climbed her way up to being a creative head the world of advertising. And just what Don did when he followed Roger Sterling around for the job that he wanted. So yes, find what makes you get up every morning, what keeps you going and what makes the insides of your body all fluttery and happy. Once you do, start doing it, give your heart and soul when doing it and never stop doing it.

4. Know when it's time to raise the white flag and move on.
The show featured characters who had fervent and admirable passion for their careers. And in life's true fashion, shitty things happen along the way. So what do you do? You fight or you flight. Lane Pryce chose the flight route by committing suicide. Most, if not all, of us will choose to fight. We fight with the goal of being successful in the end. However, the sad reality is not all fights end up in a way we always wanted. So when you know that you already put up a good fight or you are battling a lost cause, be brave enough to stop and move on. Just like Peggy and Don did, they left the company because it was time to go.

5. "Change isn't necessarily good or bad; it just "is."
As per Don Draper itself. How you respond to changes all depends on you - are you going to embrace it and take on the challenge or are you going to sit and whinge about it? As the popular phrase goes, "learn how to roll with the punches."

6.  Be a woman and embrace it.

It was empowering to watch Peggy and Joan work their way up through hard work, break in the 'men's club' at the agency and fight for what they deserve in their workplace with perseverance. It wasn't easy, especially in those times, when being a woman was underestimated. They had to endure a fair amount of struggle and frustration to get where they were and that makes their victory the sweetest.

7. Be true to yourself. Be authentic.

I can't imagine being anyone else but myself. I can't be anyone else but me. How can you be true to others if you can't even be true to yourself? So I can't imagine how Don was able to put up with the burden of pretending to be someone else all those years. He became so good in lying about his identity that at one point, he probably believed so much on who he says he is yet, we all know his past is just right there somewhere, lurking, waiting to destroy his present life. Moreover, in the creative industry, it is essential to be authentic. Not only will it make you stand out from the rest but it will add more value to your work because it reflects who you are.

8. Love yourself.

One thing that I didn't like in the show was how Joan 'sold' her body for an account. She didn't want to but the whole company's life hangs on that account. Some of her colleagues even made sure she knows it. Was it really necessary? Was it really that worth it? Well, in Joan's case, it was worth it. She did what she had to do and she made sure she claims what she deserves because of what she did. In a way, I understand why she did that. She invested too much for her work already. She didn't made it that far to just give it all up in a snap. Personally, I wouldn't go down that path. And hopefully, I wouldn't need to and no one would even consider giving me that option to do so.

9. Keep moving forward.
Each character in the show has a story to tell. Each has their own achievements to boast and be inspired of, as well as, mistakes to learn from. Life is a never ending series of hits and misses. The show demonstrated that with every mistake or failure and no matter how many mistakes you do or failures you experience, it is important to just keep going. Continue learning and growing and never allow yourself to be stagnant. There will always be new things to do, new experiences to try, new goals to achieve and new horizons to explore.

10. Work hard and look good while you're at it.

Each character in the show was not only passionate about their jobs, they were working hard for what they want and what they deserve. The wit, the creativity and the passion that flows through each and everyone of them was intoxicating.

Photo sources: 1 / 2

Jana Ticks It Off: Watch Sydney's New Year's Eve Fireworks (and what I learned to do next)

A short clip of the 12-minute fireworks

Even if we watched it far from the maddening crowd, it was still beautiful.

We had no 'game plan' for this -- not that you actually need any. Well, maybe just a little bit of planning. It is a public event, though. You need to somehow anticipate possible mishaps and you have to be smart about these things. Personally, the least thing that I want to happen on a good night like this is to be squished in a crowd (which I highly doubt, really, because crowd control here in Sydney is amazing) and to encounter strangers/revellers who tend to cause some trouble or to be scary or crazy weird when they are drunk (When you are a woman and you have lived on your own, you tend to be paranoid about this. It's not you, it's me. Maybe it's just me. Lol!).

Among the few who welcomed 2017 earlier than the rest of the world

So we packed snacks, water bottles, and a beach towel; braved the train ride; went to Yarranabbe Park around 8 PM; and enjoyed the night. Actually, the train ride was better than I expected. Probably because the suggested place (Yarranabbe Park) for us to go to was far from the city and usual vantage points (Thanks to my colleagues who suggested this place and who were also with us that night, along with their families). It was a good, family-friendly spot and not crowded, which was what I wanted. Also, entrance is free. The train ride going to the city and back home wasn't so bad either. Of course, it was stuffy going to the city but it was more than manageable. All thanks to NSW Police and NSW Train authorities (and the people who stood near the train doors and shouted, "Just wait for the next train!" and "No more!" to anyone who still wanted to squeeze in. Haha!)

While waiting for the 9 PM and 12-midnight fireworks, apart from eating and chit-chatting, my brother and I were also people-watching. We took mental note of what we should be doing the next time.

1. Bring and set-up a tent.

A group/family set up a tent not far from where we were seated. It was a bit chilly that night (surprisingly!) and we were there since 8 PM. We thought that having a tent is a good idea so we can sleep inside while waiting. Haha!

2. Or we can just bring blankets or a lightweight jacket/knit.
Because laying under the sky and stars isn't so bad either. And although it is summer in Australia during this time, you can never be too sure. Unless there's heat wave, of course.

3. Bring pillows, too.

Because laying under the sky and stars or inside the tent with a pillow under your head is also a good idea.

4. Bring games.

I was just envious of the couple seated near us who were playing cards while waiting for midnight. No, I did not and will not play games from my phone/tablet or browse social media the entire time. Too boring. I thought of Netflix-ing though but come on, really? No.

5. Maybe buy tickets in advance?

I'll brave the crowd the next time, I suppose. I held off buying NYE tickets for Barangaroo spot for months and when I finally decided to purchase, it was already sold out. It would have been a really good spot though.

Overall, t was a fun experience. And I get to experience it with my brother. As always, Sydney did greet the world a Happy New Year with a gorgeous bang. Gee, I used to only see this on television! :) So if ever you're in Sydney during this time, be sure to experience this. :)

Ending this entry with the complete video of the fireworks.


I hope you all had a peaceful and wonderful celebration. Happy New Year! :)