Full SSCircle

On today's GA for the Mass Comm department, we had a pleasantly surprising realisation.

Five of the newer faculty members of the department are our former students.

The five young ladies in the middle - Iya, Josche, Vanie, Jaimee and Dani - are all graduates of the Mass Comm program of SSC. And they all chose to go back to pay it forward by teaching the next generation of SSC students.

It was a proud moment for Chally, Becky and me.

It was also a "gosh, I'm old!" moment.

FMM: Join the Company

As usual, yesterday was Throwback Thursday at the creative area.

We were talking about clothing brands that were popular in the 90s and 00s, but are MIA now.

There are a lot, actually.

But the one brand that stuck out was the inspiration for today's Friday Magic Madness song:

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" is one of the iconic hits of The Andrews Sisters from 1941. It's a song that's more than 80 years old, but if you play it now, people from different generations will easily identify this catchy ditty.

And of course ,this was inspired by the 90s clothing brand - Company B. A brand of cool yet classic clothes that was part of my high school days.

On Fridays, you can't help but miss songs and brands like this.

Gather round...

It's been many decades since my last visit to Claret Church. Until today, that is:

During my grade school days, I'd be an acolyte during the masses here. 

The altar still looks the same. It's still as majestic and as beautiful just like it was during my childhood. The wooden seats at the altar remains the same - it's the same spot where we acolytes would sit during the mass.

Being there was like going back to my childhood. And at this moment, the song of Claret School suddenly rang in my head:

"Gather round o sons of great Claret, fill the air with joy and love."

A study in errors

"Arrivals" should be an easy word to spell, right?

Apparently not.

From "Arrivals" to "Arrals" real quick? Yup, this is a real post on the Lazada app.

Proofreader please!

Pick pockets

The reason for my affinity for cargo pants is the fact that it allows me not to bring a bag.

With so many pockets and storage areas, a cargo pant helps me move around hands free, even if I'm carrying stuff.

Imagine how much stuff you can carry if you have an outfit like this:

The jeans are from The SM Store, and it has 8 - count 'em - 8 pockets in total!

The top is from Surplus Shop and has 2 big pockets in front.

With so many pockets, you can pick from so many options where to put your stuff. A LOT of it!

Ming's mood

Saw this cat outside the office building.

Since it's the 1st day back at work after a 4-day weekend, I think a lot of people are sharing this cat's mood for today.

Blanket approval - Part trois

Mom is a huge fan of shirt dresses. That said, my next "blanket" project was a no-brainer.

Had this shirt dress made out the red version of the blanket. It's the classic silhouette, but I've added some small ruffles on the sides for added flounce. For contrast, we added a belt made from the orange fabric scraps from Ate Bullet's denim + blanket combo.

Mom wore this on her flight to Bicol. She said that there were 2 PAL flight attendants gushing over her dress the whole time.

So, aside from being Mom-approved, it's not FA-approved, too.

Getting Twiggy with it

This dress from the 2024 Pre-fall capsule collection of H&Mis giving me Twiggy vibes.

From the shift dress silhouette, to the black and white story, to the little Mod details - it's such a well-made and versatile piece. It's able to cross classic with the modern, and it's such a versatile piece.

Hopefully, they'll have this in PH stores soon.

Also Ran

Went to SM Megamall for  a quick errand for Mom,. 

Upon entering, there was a huge crowd gathered at the atrium of Fashion Hall. There was a large crowd gathered there, all excited and all screaming for something.

Checked it out, and this was the reason why:

Ran Takahashi, the famous Japanese volleyball player, was there for a meet-and-greet!

Aside from being a great player, people remember Ran because of his emotional moment at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It showed how athletes are human, too.

But upon seeing him all smiles at the huge crowd cheering for him here in the Philippines, it looked like there's a different - and more positive emotion - he's feeling now.

FMM: Make the call

Today's Friday Magic Madness song is inspired by there:

Yes, kids, these are cellphones. The early 2000s iteration of it.

Yup, it may look clunky and not aesthetic, but it was able to do what it was made to do. Make calls.

And with that, here's Blondie's "Call Me."

Now that's what I call a segue. Hahaha.

In a Harris

It was a random watch on Netflix, and it turned out to be a gem!

"Mrs. Harris goes to Paris" is bereft of big stars or hype, so I came into the film not knowing or expecting anything. But the moment the film started, it got me hooked.

Maybe it's because of the fact that the story is centered on fashion, particularly a housekeeper who dreams of having a Dior dress. Despite the odds, she pursued her dream and ended up going to Paris to watch a Dior show, and eventually finding herself entrenched in the life of Christian Dior.

It's a light-hearted dramedy which was a joy to watch.

And it's something I'll definitely be watching again. And again.

Way back Wednesday

Facebook just reminded me that this happened 14 years ago!

This was one of the times that the siblings were all here in MNL, so we decided to have a photo shoot. This was at a garden restaurant in Antipolo, and it was so much fun.

Gosh! Time really flies when you're having fun with the family.

Circ-at

Today's dose of cat cuteness is brought to you by this fella spotted at Circuit Makati.

Passed by him several times and noticed that he hasn't moved a bit. It was a belated realisation that he's just following the instructions above him.

He's not just cute. He's smart, too.

Gimme a hand

I've seen this sign so many times, and it always gets me.

So, you're just supposed to wash one hand? Or one hand at a time?

Proofreader please!

Fashion (up)cycle

Came across a stall at The Podium that sold upcycled clothing, and this dress caught my eye.

It's a dress that's upcycled twice. The top is made from an old vest that was repurposed as the top part of the dress. The skirt is made of different types of "katsa" from bakeries. It's collected by the designer so it doesn't go to waste.

Recycling and upcycling can really be fashionable.

Getting schooled

And just like that, summer vacay is over!

Call me a nerd, but I'm super psyched to go back to school. 

Then again, I'm the teacher and not the student. So, I'm just hoping that my students will feel the same.

FMM: Talk Bubble

When they would show re-runs of Sesame Street, this was one short feature that I'd always look out for.

"B is for Bubble" resonated with me because of my affinity with bubble gum. After seeing this for the first time, I'd always sing this song in my head each time I'm chewing Chiclet, BigBoy, Bazooka Joe, Tarzan, Hubba Bubba, Bubble Yum and Bubble Yum.

Thankfully, the Sesame Street Youtube channel archives these classics. It allows me to look back with a smile on Friday Magic Madness days.

Gospel truth

Last week, we shot a commercial at this building called the Communication Foundation for Asia.

It's a super rustic and beautiful brown shone building with that strong medieval feel. During breaks, I'd roam around and check out the building. At least the parts that were open to the public.

While reading about the history of the building, a factoid presented itself. It was a factoid that got me so giddy and excited! It turns out that this building used to house the printing press where they would print Gospel Komiks.

(Found this photo on the internet. Wish I kept my old copies, too.)

Yes! The same comic book that was a required reading material for us when we were in grade school and high school! Par to four tuition went to the subscription of this magazine, and I'd look forward to - and enjoy reading - my copy.

Oh the joys of discovery!

Trash Talk Two

The 7-11 store at Ortigas Park has a nice al fresco area on the 2nd floor. It's a nice place to take your 7-11 loot, and eat it while looking out Emerald Avenue and enjoying the fresh air.

With such a set-up, you'd think that people would appreciate it and take care of it.

Apparently not.

Yup, that's how the al fresco area looks like a 4:30pm. People just leave their trash on the tables. The trash bins are packed to the rafters. And it looks like a mess - literally!

Gosh, this is why we don't deserve nice things.

Metrowalk to remember

It's my first time to pass through Metrowalk since the announcement of its closure.

There are so many good memories here. 

This was where they had "Brazil, Brazil." This churrasco restaurant was the first of its concept, with the waiters bringing different barbecued items to your table. Our family would usually go there on weekends because the food was good and the value was great.

This was also the place where D' Frendz would hang out. Mainly because there were a couple of unique retail stores at Metrowalk, including stores that would sell hard-to-find imported goods.

They would often live bands at the open area, and we'd usually go there to listen to live music.

Then, there was the GoodAh!!! store where our office would often go to be test subjects for new menu items.

While its sad to see Metrowalk quiet and empty these days, the memories created will surely fill that void.