fiera and then some

the sort of stormy weather and a pile of my son's busted PJs kept me inside the premises of my small home today. well, of course, aside from wanting to spend more time with my son. fiera was not really very fiery today, at least here in our town, but i just have to not go to work. today marks my first day with sewing on the machine. the PJs and boxer shorts of my son became my first project. since i have never tried using a sewing machine all my life, it wasn't an easy feat. but, i felt accomplished. i'd probably look for more busted clothes to repair on my machine tonight. just to get the basics, technique, the habit of checking for safety, understanding my first machine - a Brother LS2125 - value for money, perfect for basic household sewing. my stitches looked ugly, which is okay, i guess. im giving myself a month to totally get the steady hands, and also to look for sewing materials. i'd probably be in divi this weekend, just to check what they can offer - fabric, threads, the works. my son was a little cooperative today, not very fussy about mommy doing something else. maybe because he's already four, and into a lot of things.

boy, am i glad i didn't sign up for a sewing class!

it could've costed me a basic sewing machine's worth, more time stolen from hubby and son, and then some... am i glad i didn't enrol! I was really about to, when i heard that the fashion school director bears the same name as mine! but, i waited. boy, keeping a little more of that thing called patience really paid off.

what i was talking about is this free beginner tutorial on sewing. The lady, who i think is French (think Coco) in the videos, is just the type of teacher i could never forget in my lifetime. Step-by-step instructions plus clear videos shot just at the right angles are very helpful to the beginner. Her basic videos, such as how to operate the sewing machine and how to do basic stitches, were given for free if you sign up on her website. I was thinking of subscribing to her intermediate how-to videos, maybe later - when i find another free resource that i won't need to pay for it. Haha!

I'm off to buying my first sewing machine next week! Weeee....

the bad girl is back!

officially four months of solid muteness. what have i been doing? feb, not much. march, nothing interesting. april, did some beach resort hopping. may, event planning. june, june... hmmm...

yeah, i'm getting back to my sewing. bought fashion designing book as i can't afford to quit my job to study and pay for the FD tuition fees, some dirt-cheap japanese catalogues.. read about the technicalities of pattern-making, which i didnt expect to be that much... uh.. technical. .. also been browsing for japan-made sewing machines, such as janome and baby lock.

im thinking of starting with collared shirts for women to wear in the workplace. targetting the working class market. then probably i'll expand to simple dresses, which can also be worn inside the office without the dress-code reminder memo from HR. will study fabrics tomorrow...

To lead or not to lead

An expat gave me a pat in the back a while ago… After all the talk, he said to me, “you have good leadership skills…”

He was talking about how he thinks me dragging along several people to eat salad during lunch was cool. He said what I did to a trimmed-down client was amazing. He never even thought I could convince a guy in his department to munch fresh veggies for lunch.

Whew! That got me! All throughout grade school, high school and college I had been leading teams but never got such a comment; straight-forward and non-superficial as that. I know I have the gift to convince and influence people, and have somehow thought I’m a better leader than a manager when my hubby and I discuss about the differences between the two positions.

Then I realized what if I changed career paths and do something that will complement my “leadership skills”.

Hey

Okay, so i'm back to the blogging world...

Hmmmm it has been sooo long! My family just came back from a long vacation. I just survived an emotional stress lurking deep inside me for long. I'm back to the gym again, where I am blogging now.

Hmmmm there's so much to say, too little time.

Later....

Me! Me! Me!

Okay, so after the realizations and goal-settings, here's me, doing more of those if-then-else analyses than i ever did in my life. After being submissive and content with what i have, this time i'm aiming for more. My baby is now three, giving me more freedom to rediscover myself. Hubby's also doing something with his career. Little bro living with us now finds stable life in university. And i'm more than just glad to see the people around me progressing in their own little ways. This time, it's me, me, me.

28!

So how does a new 28 year old feel?

Excited for the remaining two years before I turn 30. This is the best time to realize you need to attain more serious goals in life. Mine would include passing JLPT 4 this year, and JLPT 3 next year; add 'sr.' to my current title at work; earn enough to renovate our house to include a tiny veranda on the second floor, a multimedia room for hubby and a paint/sketch/drawing room for me (next to the window, of course); have a grand family vacation including mom, dad and bros; give something to help build my folks' new home. I can never ask for more in my life as a wife and mother. I think the remaining two years before becoming 30 is enough to accomplish those selfish dreams.