Seeing The White

Below are some pegs that got me thinking that white is, indeed, right. I'm pretty flexible though (Read: An unpredicatable Gemini. Not to mention a sometime yogi. haha), so my vision can probably still change. Right now, I'm just going with the flow, having fun, and letting my creative nature take it's own course.

{images from Design Within Reach}
I love how a white canvas makes everything else pop-out without it looking cluttered or competing against each other.

Unfinished walls add character. And it gives off that loft-like, warehouse appeal.

You got me at Black & White.
Oh, and DOG.

(If only I can get a decent shot of Imp...)

The Power of Packaging

{A Healthy Reminder: Stash tea in your body.}

Isn't it fun that you find inspiration in the oddest places? I happen to be a sucker for commercialized commodities.

This little guy has been sitting on top of my monitor and staring at me for months. So, I guess it was only fair that I stare back, right? Black. White. Silver. Gold. Purple. It was love at first sight.

I've always toyed with the idea of an all-white studio (maybe 3 walls and an accent one) for a number of reasons:

1. It's reminiscent of my former work room (which has been sneakily converted into a stock room when I was away on my "sabbatical")
2. It's a make-the-room-look-bigger-and-brighter interior illusion
3. It matches my beloved Macky (Yes, I named my mac Mack. I know, I know, so utterly original...)
   
4. It's an instant background for "dropping out" projects
   
5. It's like a big, white sheet of paper waiting to be drawn on. (Perfect for mental notes!)

Hmm, or will it look unimaginative, cold, clinical, drab... and God forbid, SAFE !??!!

Whaddya think?

(I can always use the white as a base coat.)

What's Black, White, and Green All Over?

A Nudibranch (nyoo-dee-brank).

Or a sea slug, as it is more commonly known (I didn’t even know they existed 'til this little dude popped in). OR think naked snails in cute, colorful underwear (nude-in-bras!?).

Mine looks just like a little cow. I’m calling him Slugger Moo.

This photo is one of the inspirations and design anchors of my would-be studio. I love the graphic contrast of the black & white patterned slug against the cool cerulean. I also love that this quirky little creature is such a conversation starter. (A slug?!! But it’s sooo cute…)

Not only is splurging on Slugger Moo a cool addition to my room (I'm getting the actual product next week), but it’s also for a good cause. For every photograph that you purchase, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Yamang Dagat Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to preserving the environment. If you’re interested in acquiring your own little sea world (without illegally buying endangered species), there are other underwater photographs still on sale. They're all amazing! Macro-snapped by Cora Guidote, each original print is mounted on a cool, industrial-looking acrylic frame.

So, going back to my original question (Humor me, okay?), WHAT (else) DO YOU THINK is black, white, and green all over?

Naughty answers are more than welcome. La Salle/CSB bashings are not! Hmm, well, maybe okay… just because I’m curious. Haha.

Pilot Episode: The One With The Quack Exorcist (Part 2)

It was an ordinary room.

Four peeling mint green walls; two doors, with one that's all holey with dart marks; two big picture windows; a dusty old moss-like carpet; a lumpy couch; and stacks of knick-knacks, bric-a-bracs, and what-nots piled up all around. Yep, it was an ordinary room. The one-time bedroom, guest room, game room, and presently stock/ironing room... and it's going to be all mine.

Or so I thought.

Apparently, I'll be sharing it with an uninvited occupant.

Due to an unexplainable incident of a self-destructing China cabinet in the red dining room (see Part 1), a faith healer/spirit questor/exorcist was called in to "investigate". Seems like a lot of "bad luck" has been happening in the said room. And upon closer investigation, more "guests" have been found in the area. It is believed that an uninhabited room is like magnet to these beings. And the mint green room, with the ultra-comfy couch is not an exception.

A dark, squat creature with a long pointy nose was (supposedly) sighted in it.

Hmm, sounds a lot like a little imp* I know.

So, to believe or not to believe?

My answer: No worries, it's nothing a great makeover won't fix. And after the transformation, I wouldn't blame it if it doesn't want to go away at all. ;)

*My mini dachschund, short and stout, is named Imp. To date, the exorcist has "driven" away the, um, visitors. So hopefully, no horror stories will be published by this scaredy cat.

Pilot Episode: The One With The Cranberries Concert (Part 1)

It was probably a Saturday or Sunday (circa 2004) when it happened.

I was sitting on top of the world, and then I came crashing down…

Okay, that line sounds a bit melodramatic for a storyline that’s more of a sitcom (emphasis on the word COM) than a soap opera.

Basically, this whole thing started with my DIY mode (I blame it on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy marathons) and my penchant for louder-than-life music when I work. Throw in a can of red paint, rollers, a ladder, a touch of stubbornness, and a ton of klutziness (I refuse to use the word stupidity) to complete the set.

The scene starts with me, climbing to the top of the ladder to paint the dining room walls. Mom enters the scene.

Mom: (shouting) Turn the music down. It’s too loud.
Me: I can’t work without music. Turn it up again. (stereo playing The Cranberries’ Zombie in all its head bang glory in the background)

Pan to me, painting away, sitting (I thought I was) atop the highest rung of the ladder.

Cut to scene- Me, sitting on air, falling down (in what felt like slow motion into a tiled abyss), life flashing before me (seriously!), and finally landing on my back behind a waist-high cabinet.

Me: (shouting) I FELL! HELP, HELP!
Dolores O’Riordan: (shouting) Zombie, Zombie, hey, hey, hey, hey…

Obviously, nobody heard my cry for help or saw me sprawled behind the cabinet.

I had lain behind the cabinet for what felt like hours (it was probably just a few minutes), thinking I was going to be paralyzed for life. Evidently, I wasn’t. (As per my dad, "Can you move your toes? Yes? Then you're fine." Then heartlessly walks away. Heartlessly. I'm really giving Juday or Claudine a run for their teleserye money here.)

So, to cut the story short, in those few minutes of life flashing and soul searching, I’ve realized a couple of things:

1. Life (may be) short. Document.
2. Life is too funny (in retrospect!). Document.
3. Life has moral lessons. Learn from stupidity. Document.
4. Things happen. Live it up. Document.
5. And last but not the least, X-ray bills aside, DIY is cheaper (and more fun) than hiring pros. There are HowTo's and How NOT To's. Document.

(Here's hoping that documenting will also push me to pick up my pace...)

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