Identity Crisis

I've had this blog for a few years now, but have never really thought about the content of it too much. Yes, I wrote in it every now and then, filling it up with things that I love along with a few sponsored posts here and there, but I just realised it has never had any direction or real purpose. It's just a place for me to write and to vent.

Well, now, I kind of want it to be more than just that. I want it to embody who I am as a person and, more importantly, as a geek.

white shirt from RRJ / faux denim cover-up from Folded and Hung / black shorts from Dorothy Perkins / awesome kicks from Nike / white watch from Tomato Time

Let's face it: while I post photos of me and my clothes in here, I'm not really the typical fashown fashion blogger who super dresses up and looks perfect from head to toe.

As such, I don't even claim to be a fashion blogger to begin with. In fact, I'm fine with not standing out when I go to different places because, well, that's just who I am and I don't want to pretend otherwise.

While I do love clothes, nothing makes me go crazier than geeky finds. I'm a casual and comfy dresser and I love injecting geekiness into the mix whenever I can because it's those lil geeky things that really make me go nuts when I'm out shopping somewhere.

Also, I like wearing things that people in the South (where I'm from) would actually be able to wear without being looked at or judged. Coz let's face it: the South is a judge-y place.

So, this 2016, I vow to blog about nothing but geeky things. True to my blog name Wonder Woman Rises, I vow to always have something geeky in every single post. I know I'm starting this off with a post that has nothing remotely geeky in it, but that's going to change from now on.

It may not be what everyone wants nor is it something that everyone will be able to relate to, but I want this blog to be a true representation of who I am and I think that's the best way to do it.

While you will still see the same posts about movies, my daughter, my life and my clothes, expect to see much more geekiness, as well. :D I'll also be blogging more often. :) Hoping for your continued support!

Also, please do leave your blog links in the comments section. I miss reading other people's blogs. :)

Pony Get Scouted: Pony Footwear Introduces Its Campus Ambassadors

Pony Footwear has just embarked on a nationwide search dubbed “Get Scouted” to find youngsters who embody the brand’s unique, independent spirit and its “Let’s get it on” attitude.

Scouring the campuses in Metro Manila and in some parts of the country, Pony has handpicked the crazies and the misfits, the artists and the dreamers, whose personal style fits the brand’s own image.

As Campus ambassadors, the handful of youngsters chosen embody what it means to be a style-setter and a role model to their peers. At an age where fitting in is imperative, these style ambassadors not only possess an independent sense of fashion, but they’ve also shown that one can do away with peer pressure, and being one’s self and being different isn’t bad. One does not have to sacrifice personal style and their own pursuits and interests to be “one with the crowd.”

Last week, the Manila-bound half met for the first time at Taste of Capitol located in Tomas Morato. As with every epic Friday night, it started out nice and normal, but turned out pretty crazy. Filled with awesome bands, singers and sick beats, and with Smirnoff Mule and Monster Energy Drink as drink sponsors, you could tell that this was one of those nights you’ll never forget.

Meet some of Pony's stylish group of brand ambassadors who were at the event:

Bianca Reyes

This 20-year-old from Manila is a Mapua Institute of Technology student taking up IT. She is a beauty queen and a varsity player for volleyball.

Andrea Tuason

This 18-year-old National University student is a thrill-seeker and an outdoor enthusiast. She loves classic rock music, playing instruments, and curling up in bed with a good book.

Julz Aquino

This 20-year-old University of the Philippines student grew up in the US. He likes to play all kinds of sports and he is also into modelling  He is the type of guy who is not afraid of trying new things.

Frank Romuar

Only 17 years old, this freshman from San Beda College is taking up MB Marketing. He is a dancing enthusiast who describes himself as fun and joyful - surely a lovable addition to the group.

Jandall Go, Maria Gigante, Ara Licayen and Patrick Lutz sadly couldn't make it to the event.

Pony’s campus ambassadors embody the spirit of youth that is fun and exciting. They will be featured in fashion spreads in local magazines where readers can get to know them better. Outgoing and adventurous with various interests in life, these kids are stylish, but they will also show the world what it means to be so much more than meets the eye.

To check out Pony’s latest styles, visit them at SM Department Stores. You may also visit Pony Philippines on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram at @pony_ph :)

Movie Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Without giving anything away and in a complete nutshell: yes, the movie is worth it; yes, it lived up to my expectations; and yes, it is everything a Star Wars-geek-since-she-was-four-years-old girl could ever hope for.

I'm gonna start by saying that I am very pleased with the cast. Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, is like Keira Knightly of the early 2000s. She is fresh-faced, downright gorgeous, has a killer accent and is a fabulous actress. I loved her. I loved her so much. And the best part is that she didn't have any annoying sidekick with her. No C3PO. No Jar Jar Binks.

There weren't any unnecessary scenes in this one, either (early-2000 trilogy, I'm talking to you), and there wasn't even any cheesy love story to be annoyed about, either. No. In true 'new era Disney' fashion, they stuck to the 'a woman does not need a man to be happy' mantra of the Queen Elsas and Maleficents of the world, and they stuck by the 'girl power' theme, too.

For the first time in Star Wars movie history, (SPOILER - highlight to read): a woman FINALLY wields a lightsaber in true Jedi fashion. Yes, I am aware that there are female Jedi in the older movies, but none of them were ever main characters.

Continue highlighting to read: And now here Rey is in all of her beauty fighting with a freaking lightsaber instead of shooting at enemies from afar. Believe it or not, that is the main reason why I never liked the idea of dressing up as Princess Leia or Queen Amidala: no lightsaber. (That, and no hot body to be Slave Leia.)

And while we're on the subject of girl power: is that a female Rebel Alliance pilot in that star fighter? YES IT FREAKING IS!!!

Aside from that, The Force Awakens fixed everything wrong with the old movies. Not that there was anything wrong per se, but they improved everything for the newer generation.

I have a 5-year-old daughter, so I'm actually basing this on a kid from today's generation. I have tried so hard to get her into Star Wars the way I was into Star Wars when I was her age, but she always found something to complain about.

"Why is R2-D2 so slow, mommy?" Well, there you go: ROLL, ROLL, ROLL LIKE THE WIND, BB8!!! "What do you mean the Stormtroopers are people?" Well, there you go: not only do they move more like people in The Force Awakens, you actually get to know Finn as a real live human Stormtrooper. "Why is the chair moving so much? (Pertaining to shooting from the Millennium Falcon)" And they poke fun at exactly that in this one. Perfectly made for this generation of kids, I'm telling you.

Even the storyline works well for this generation as it is pretty similar to A New Hope in terms of characters and story lines  Let's face it, though: how many kids will love A New Hope the way we did? Basically, The Force Awakens is a revamped version of A New Hope and does exactly what I think Disney set out to do: make this generation of children fall in love with Star Wars the way we did. And they succeed exceedingly well at doing so.

That doesn't go to say that the 'oldies' won't enjoy it, though. The 'this is too similar to A New Hope' feelings aside, the mere nostalgia of it all will put you to tears. The minute I heard the opening credits and read the opening credits, the old feelings came back and my heart leapt for joy. My heart didn't go nuts until I first set eyes on the Millennium Falcon, though. My hand literally tightened around my boyfriend's hand the minute I realised it was there. And man, that Han and Leia reunion. AHHHHHH.

It wasn't a perfect movie, though. I wanted to see exchanges between Han and Leia that hit closer to my heart. An "I love you" - "I know" or at least a kiss. But if they had done that, then I might have left the movie house in tears, so maybe that's a good thing.

Also, I hated (SPOILER - highlight to read): that Luke pulled a worse version of Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained in that he only showed up at the very end.

And it didn't quite feel the same without Yoda, but I guess Maz is a nice replacement for him. She's cute and memorable. Other than that, there really isn't much more to say. Your kids will love this and you will, too. Don't worry if you haven't seen the older movies. You can start your love for Star Wars for this one. And if you're a die-hard fan like me, then you can continue it with peace in your heart, knowing that it didn't fail like The Phantom Menace did.

Wonder Woman Awakens

This is it, guys! It's Star Wars week. I haven't been this excited for a movie since the first Hobbit movie came out.

As much as I'd like to say I get this excited over every geeky movie out there, that wouldn't be true. I could survive days without watching an Avengers movie, for example, but this… this is a whole new level altogether.

faux denim top from Folded and Hung / floral skirt from my momma's closet / R2-D2 pin from Pop Junk Love / Death Star pouch from Bugis Junction, Singapore / dangling bracelet watch from Swatch / Airmax Thea shoes from Nike

Aside from finding the last trilogy of Star Wars a bit disappointing (if I wasn't such a huge Ewan McGregor when that trilogy came out, I probably never would have watched it more than once), this gives Star Wars a whole new start to be awesome once again and I can't wait to see what Disney will do with the franchise.

Plus, it is the first Star Wars movie of my daughter's generation and I'm hoping that it will stir her heart the way the original trilogy stirred mine. Maybe, just maybe, she'll stop calling Chewbacca a lion after this movie comes out and maybe, just maybe, I'll have a little Padawan in my midst. #goals She already asked me for a lightsaber after the Globe event this past weekend, so there is definitely hope for this.

The downsides to this new movie are that finding awesome Star Wars merch is no longer a miracle and that I'm spending so much more money on toys than usual, but I'm trying to look at the upside to it all.

When I was in Singapore recently, Hezron asked me to buy him Star Wars merch and the other day, Seph actually texted me to ask in which order he should watch the Star Wars movies. Booyah! Sorry, but knowing that people I care about are suddenly getting interested in the original movies because of this new one has given me renewed hope.

No longer shall I be the only geek in Manila! No longer shall people roll their eyes at me whenever I squeal for finding something Star Wars-y! No, everyone shall now be a geek and everyone shall now understand my fascination with the galaxy far, far away. Let's all cross our fingers and hope that this movie will be a blast… though I'm pretty sure there will be a new annoying character because after C3PO in the original trilogy and Jar Jar in the trilogy after that, I'd say it's inevitable. :p

The Biggest Zalora Sale is Happening on 12/12! Mark Your Calendars!!!

Are you and your wallet ready for 12/12? Coz my wallet and I definitely are!

12/12 is the one day of the year when you can expect the best offers on Zalora. So, if you find yourself scouring Zalora for great finds on a regular basis like I do (did you enjoy that last 98% off sale with me?!??), then you need to mark your calendars for this one, too. 

This Zalora-led initiative began last year and this year, more than 250 brands and partners across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan will be part of it. Get ready to enjoy free returns, cash on delivery, free shipping and more on December 12.

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to getting some great offers from Mango, RayBan, Oakley and Factorie. This is the perfect time to go almost-last-minute Christmas shopping! :D Zalora is the bomb!

Time to bookmark this link: http://www.zalora.com.ph/online-fever