"A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ."

"A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ."  Greene quoting Steinbeck,  Episode 5, Season 4.  His last  season :-(



As Daryl puts it, "You're a tough son of a bitch."  You Mr. Greene. 

And you're gonna be missed.



credits:  Thanks to Messo for putting this one together.

You is Smart, You is Kind, You is Important

in life there are Hillys, Elizabeths blah blah blah ... and there are Aibis, Minnys, Contantines, and Celias and their Johnnies, and most of all there will always be Skeeters.

Already my favorite movie.  The vintage backdrop is a bonus.  I'm getting the book really soon.


**** baby Mae is such a doll ... i was hoping i could have someone like that ... i used to pray for it ... now it's just a dream ... it's alright, i have someone like her 16 years ago :)

Fresh Tomatoes ready for pickin'

This my first official product review.  I know i've commented  on a few products/services in my past blogs, here and there, but they were all in passing.  So tiz my first full length.  Official because I am formally getting my hands into these.  This little piece is some sort of this writer announcing her new calling.  :-)

This endeavor is something I 've always wanted to do for self gratification.  Like, I wanna keep track of brands I intend to be loyal to for very specific reasons.  Reasons of meritocracy, for one.    Giving credit where credit is due, next.  And that includes myself because I spent time, money, and yes, feelings --- in trying to find, acquire and safeguard items most-loved, pre-loved, tough-loved.  And feelings ... I have very strong emotional attachments to things I own.  Hahanapin ko kasi gustong gusto ko.  Gusto ko kaya bibilhin ko. That's how my EQ with shopping operates ... I am Taurus, Venus rules me.   I am very physical and sensory.  I love beautiful things.  And I have a good eye for it.  My friends say I have good taste.  Modesty aside, I agree to that.

I have many inspirations, and one them includes"Beauty on a Shoe String Budget" , http://ladyrattus.blogspot.com.  I am following her in blogspot and in Google+.   Check her out for some practical musings.

Nah, I'm not getting freebies from any company.  Nah, I'm not (again) following any format.  So there's not gonna be any structure.  My reviews, my terms.  :-) This is not a job to me.  And there is not gonna be any competition or anything like that.  I'm not starting a cult or something, so I don't need followers.  You are free to agree or disagree.  But since Reviews are mostly existentialist my own experience tops.  You are free to build up on your own Review ;-).   The Gypsy Life while public, is a very personal journal.  This aint about my readers.  This is about this writer.  Same goes to my product review.  It's all about me.

This is my first. I wanna keep it positive and personal.  Here goes ...

I was searching for  new  a blush to replace my Benetint from Benefit (will post separate review on this -- brace yourself coz I'm not gonna sugar coat this one).  I used to deadma Careline products especially their blush ons because I have been patiently waiting for Benetint to deliver my money's worth.

I have always been partial to "strawberry reds".  Most of my lippies are in that shade.  On the extreme side, I love nudes.  But between the "pales" and the this type of red ... i go for the latter.  I have fair complexion I carry "reds" well ;-).  I'm 43, I smoked (past tense) for some time (a long time :-( )  ... then there's stress, here and there, but life's good in general ... I didn't lose my natural blush.

The search for my replacement blush was long and hard ... imported brands are expensive and i dont want another Benetint experience so I was dead serious in finding a reasonably price local brand.  So here, it's red but aint berries.  But fresh tomatoes are sun kissed red, ayt!  I wore 'em New Year's eve :-)

It's oil-control and comes in 7 different shades.  If you check from the company website, the colors look sharper.  And for  while I was divided between Fresh Tomato and Rosy Cheek.  But colors in photos are so different, in  real life, you get a better judgment on the color the suits your taste and skin tone. 

Careline™'s.  For less than 100 bucks.  Fits a tight budget, fits a tight make up pouch.  Accessibility.  It's in SM Malls (and SM Malls everywhere), it's in 711 Stores (where I got mine --- from Trece Martires branch), should be in most part of the country.  

Again, when you're fair complexion, looks yummy on your cheeks.  It's close to natural depending on how fair or pale and how much Fresh Tomato you smash on your face.  

In an airconditioned room and given the current effect of the Polar Vortex in Philippine weather, the texture's running fine ... not oily not smudgy not sweaty not sticky.  Keeping my fingers crossed come summer.

Downside:  The compact is made of plastic that can break easily and of course can break easy the "tomato" cake.  Extra care is needed when safe keeping this powder blush. The sponge is too tiny, it can actually slip when you're putting on your blush,and accidental slips can actually affect the strokes of your hands and eventually affect how you put on your blush.  I usually do my very "modest" make up in the office @ the wash room.  And banyos are not such a good place to drop anything that touches your face LOL ...i had a little accident like this during the first few days I was using it and i badly wanted to punch my face because it was soooo grossss!!!

Dunno, Fresh Tomato may be selling like freshly baked hotcakes :-) compare to other shades, etong mga kamatis na to madalas ubos sa display rack (same as Rosy Cheeks).

FINAL VERDICT:  currently Most Loved --- c'mon tell me if it's not pretty on me. (yabang!)

I really wish I have thicker/more hair.  I tried to get some bangs after Christmas, but was reluctant.  I lost my phone (againnnnnn!!!! for the nth freakin' time!!! I was bad trip.  It affected my bangs.  I have an emotional uterus.  I have emotional bangs LOL  Fuck emotions!!! LOL

Seriously, my bangs was actually (again) a  practice to get a  short hair cut that was long overdue.  I'm planning to have above shoulder length layered bob or one length (which was my wedding hair do).  But I'm over thinking as if my hair is never gonna grow back.   And im regretting already not being able to wear my messy buns.  But must say I'm envious cuz my daughter's wearing red short hair these days :-) ... one day when my topak's really at its best am gonna get me a pair of old and dull scissors and jusz snip it on my locks.  bye bye waves!  so that i'd be compelled to finally finally go short.  you need to be crazy to do something you wanna do but too scared to do.  Not jusz about hair cut but life in general.  Amen!

blending with my new hippie chick halo band --- looking a lil peachy

on purpose i didnt wear any lippy to show off my cheekies

am one woman who loves a messy hair and looks good on it most of the time

kinda lyke my glasses looks lyke touchin' my blushin' cheek bones (what the ... do i really have cheek bones???)

fresh outta bed look 

fresh tomatoes ready for pickin' baby ;-)  (i hate my forehead tho, its so wideeeeeeeeee)

I, Me and Myself

Day 1 that my daughter's away. I already anticipated long nights, evenings extended until the following morning.  Mornings that will drag the whole day.  

For the next couple of days, my little house will have more space just for one.  My desktop just for myself so I can tweet, instagram, FB and shop online to death LOL ...   I packed my micro sd with Walking Dead series 4, and will be watching it over and over and over again.  I'll pig out on our mallows and hot choc'lates and all the junk foods in our cupboard.

Practice makes good.  This is lifelong, I will get a hang of this eventually.  I am an only child.  I grew up very independent.  This should be peanuts for me.

For now, my house is so quiet and peaceful.  I'm sniffin' vanilla like a junkie.  :-).  I get to bed with shea butter on my lips, fresh tomato marks on my cheeks, castor oil on my eyes ... and smellin Bench Bambino ;-)

pamper me!

Daryllll!!!!!

some alone time in my favorite spot sa may kabisera @ Starbucks Dasma w/a much needed dose of signature hot choc'late Tall for here ;-) ... got Delirium and Dixie Chicks

Saturday lunch in my room --- Thank God for girlfriends for keeping me company :-)

and cherries for dinner.

Six years ago in my bedroom with my 10 year old ...

Monday blues Tuesday therapy expires Wednesday sick ... begging you, please to colour me happi i look back from lilla's blends read this, memories like this, quiet, silly, happi never fails :-)

funny moments with my lil gurl

Lil gurl:  mom why do you drink beer Mom:  its like soda L:  but why do you drink soda and beer instead of water Mom:  for a change Lil gurl: but you hardly drink water so why change Mom:  soda,  beer have water content too Lil gurl:  but still not water Mom:  partly water Lil gurl: not real water Mom: water is boring! Lil gurl: what ….  how can water bore anyone? Mom:  its past your bed time. Go to sleeeepppp Sophia Clarisse

the other wedding

Last night in Facebook I saw the pre-nup pictorial.  I wanted to like the photos but I didn't.  Of course, I was happy for Jek.  But inside me I know I feel for Marj.

This morning @ the Power Center while having coffee with Beng I told her about the forthcoming wedding.  She felt the same stomp on her chest.   Marj was her classmate in Grad school.  Jek was our youth pastor, my schoolmate in college, lunch mate, a friend.  I was part of their story --- Jek's and Marj's.  I saw how hard they fell for each other ... how hard they fought for their love.  Circumstances were not easy then.  But they pulled through.   They were one of the few last people I came to see to bid goodbye a  day before I offcially left 'Gapo in 1993.  Christian love how could that possibly fail?  I was sure that I left them in Good Abled Hands. How i loved that couple.

But I was always the one who says life is tricky.  Love is a thief.  We are powerless pawns to a destiny that is oblivious (and at times, merciless :( ).  And isn't it ...  time always painfully cruel.  Cannot be rushed. Cannot be delayed.  No pauses.  No rewinds.  No fast forwards.                                                              

I only saw it's bliss.  Beng saw it fell part.  Yes, even the most formidable relationships crumble for many different reasons.   Mel'dy and Owel.  Jen and Jam.  Lem and Alou.  Mark and Leng.  Fay and Enteng. Rebbi and Justine.  my dear Ate Lou's.  The Tans.  The Monsaluds,  Kathy's.  Cristy's.  GerryBoy's 7 years :( ... my own ... and Jek and Marj.  A lifetime of shuttling from one broken heart to another.  We cruise and carry broken pieces of ourselves like lemon peels tucked in our pockets.

She had a serious breakdown and left the country with a pulverized heart and a mind too empty for answers. She left FB and since then was recluse from college and Gapo friends.  They say, and I agree, it doesn't break even ... you know, heart break.

I saw her in a recent photo, she coming home from the States to attend one of their kids' graduation.  She looked awful.  She was skinny with bulging eyes and a put on smile as cold as the polar vortex.  And he is getting married this month to a woman he fell harder for  than that one he thought was hard enough.  They have four beautiful children though, Jek and Marj.

Jek found his true love.  And is marrying her really soon.
I wish him genuine happiness.
... ... ... and Marj ...                                                
I wish Marj genuine healing.

Two less lonely people ...

Another year --- another chance to make it right.
Hats off for the courage to cut loose.  And end it finally.
More hats to go flying --- for the firm resolve to start all over again!
We were just online August --- talking about failing on her first marriage, a long time of cruising, from old lovers to new ones.  Finally, last night, so I  was told,  she just married her true love.  So the divorce came fast, the wedding faster.  One soul out, of a sexless marriage and/or a loveless sex. 

We age, we get tasteful ;-),   (i mean some of us.)

Cheers to the new Mr. and Mrs. Boyle!

each time we fall in love, it always feels like the first time, even when you know, it's gonna be your last.

:-)