On Lazy Days

For as long as I can remember, people in my stream of consciousness have held several occupations at once. When my dad was a bookstore owner, he also dabbled in writing and editing for the local paper (eventually becoming a journalist full-time, and now he's back to being an entrepreneur). During my early years working in the magazine business, all the editors I knew had other things going on besides turning over the monthly issue. Whether it was in the form of writing for sister publications, fashion styling, or makeup artistry, it was the side jobs that paid for cars, trips to Europe, and so forth.

I've pretty much kept the same outlook when it comes to my own work and career: have as much on my plate as possible.

So, suffice it to say, whenever I feel lethargic and all I want to do is stay in bed and watch cooking shows—eating and snacking along the way—I tend to feel guilty. Whenever I skip my to-do list for the evening, it becomes some sort of existential inner debate.

Last night was one of those moments: I had a ton of laundry to do, invoices to work on (for my other job), taxes to file, blogs to write…but all I did was remain in bed, watch TV shows on the desktop, and flip through an unfinished magazine. I simply felt tired—I didn't even feel like making dinner (although I did prep the pastry cream that will go into cream puffs that I have yet to make).

This morning, on the train to work, I read the following in this month's O, The Oprah Magazine:

"Georgia was a proto slacker," writes Karbo. "There were days and weeks when she would read, spend hours tramping around outside, write letters, sew, and play dominoes…. But when Georgia worked, she worked her ass off."

[Sidebar on the book, How Georgia Became O'Keeffe where writer Karen Karbo spotlights the life and times of "a Midwester farm girl as she becomes a self-assured art world phenomenon."]

I immediately felt a sense of relief after reading that paragraph. And, as the day went by, I realized that all these years and even leading up to today, I have benefitted from pockets of listless time. Whether it was a 30 minute afternoon milk-tea break, wasting the living daylights out of one weekend, or even a full-year sabbatical (which I did back in 2009 resulting in a page in a cookbook, among other fun stuff!), so-called lazy days have surprisingly yielded productive results.

A couple of months ago, on a bus ride out of town, I sat next to a writer and editor named Sara Marcus, author of the book, Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution. We were talking about writing books and self-imposed deadlines, and I told her about this long overdue novel in the works. She asked, "What's stopping you?" But during the course of our conversation (it was a long bus ride), she turned to me and said—and, I paraphrase—"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. In the last four years, you immigrated to a new country, worked on becoming a citizen, got married…that's a lot."

These days, it's good to be reminded to never underestimate slower-than-usual moments, or even one's self—knowing and having faith that a productivity boost is just right around the corner. In the meantime, enjoy the slabs of dark chocolate.

Fashionscaping/Fashionscoping

Have you visited The Style Glossy yet?

At my part-time online job as managing editor of The Style Glossy microsite for Asia, I work on beauty, fashion, and lifestyle topics. So far, I've written about beauty and fashion philanthrophy ("Chic for a Cause"), the print-mixing trend ("How to Mix Prints"), what to do when you're sunburned ("Cooling Down: After-sun Special"), and more.

I should probably also write about "Shopping for Seamless Shape Wear" or "Finding the Best Body Shapers," as we could all use a little nip-tucking of the non-surgical kind. I rarely wear supertight clothing, but when I do wear a close-fitting outfit, I'd rather not worry about tummy bulges and back fat. Hence, I shall keep this in mind when the next editorial lineup is due.

What I like about the work that I do for the website is that first and foremost, it's off-site: I can work in the library after office hours, at Whole Foods, or right in the comfort of my home office. And, if I'm extra diligent and prudent, I can get the maximum return on my time spent writing. (That is why I mustn't procrastinate.)

That said, part of my job at The Style Glossy is to find and assign one blogger every month. So, if you happen to be based in Manila, Singapore, or Malaysia and have a great blog and write about the topics I've just mentioned, please do reach out and tell me more about yourself (and your blog!).

Image courtesy of The Style Glossy.

Carrie, Can You?

DAY 14
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

In the TV series and now, movies, Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw makes freelance (and novel) writing look so easy. In her fashionable frocks and Manolo Blahniks, she seems to breeze through her assignments with minimal stress.

Now, I'm no Carrie. While I read, write, and edit for a living, I don't exactly hop, skip about town meeting girlfriends for brunch or go shoe-shopping on a whim. I am more inclined to purchase a $400 camera than a $400 pair of stilettos. And, speaking of sky-high footwear, I can't imagine going up and down the subway stairs and maneuvering Manhattan's city blocks in them. In fact, I've just recently considered buying a pair of FitFlops—those cushioned sandals that are supposedly good for one's feet. My friend says she walked in them for days on a recent trip to DC.

Anyway, my biggest, biggest, most ardous challenge has got to be time management and deadlines. And, I realized [when I’d written this] that I'm too old to be stressing about something that should be easily manageable. Also, stressing about deadlines goes against my new mantra of being in the moment. When I postpone things on my to-do list, that's not being in the moment.

And going back to Carrie, if I'm on top of deadlines and all that, I can actually have more time to hop, skip, and brunch my New York days away. And, who knows, I might even consider stilettos once again.

[Update: I never got to purchase those FitFlops and I’d recently taken to wearing heels again.]

Image courtesy of Thesun.co.uk.

Library Hours

DAY 7
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

As a freelancer I'd recently taken to getting work done in one of the libraries midtown. And now that I've just started working full-time in an office again, the library remains a resource for me to get up to speed on the work and blogging that I still do whether or not my weekdays are occupied. (Oh, I can't wait to talk about recent developments in my NY job "exploration"; things have taken an AMAZING turn! Hint: It's like being beauty editor again!)

Anyway, I have to thank my friend John Reyes (shameless plug: If you need a PR associate for your company, he has an unbeatable work ethic!) for showing me this particular library. You see, the one where they shot the Spider-Man movie is more like a museum. And, after experiencing a little bit of rudeness a few years back (I forget the details, something about having some takeout food in my purse), I never set foot inside again. Only to find out a few weeks ago that about two blocks away, is a friendlier, cozier Mid-Manhattan Library featuring six floors of working and reading space. The fourth floor has complimentary Wi-fi and a laptop charging station; along with rows and rows of computers one could use for free.

Americans are truly lucky to have this public resource available to them up to seven days a week, thanks to a few branches that are open even on Sundays. The Mid-Manhattan branch in particular, has even extended its library hours by opening earlier in the morning and closing later in the evening (up to 11pm!) on certain days, on top of already being open seven days a week. To quote from their tagline, "You can never have too much Library!"

Walk this way. One of almost a hundred libraries in New York.

30-Day Blog Challenge, Round 2 (Big Apple Edition)

DAY 1

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

The first 30-day Blog Challenge I did was inspired by a few online resources I'd read on giving one's blog a boost. But, for the most part, I was in the middle of my sabbatical and was caught between a dilemma of not wanting to be idle and not really having a full-time job to keep me that busy. True, I was still doing my online copy editing work for a luxury hotel group, along with my weekly beauty column, and of course, this blog. Yet, I had nagging thoughts of, "What am I doing now?" and I wasn't quite ready to get back into the daily grind of office work. I was also still recovering from a lumpectomy and had a wedding coming up in a couple of months—not exactly the best time to make new major decisions in terms of one’s living situation.

So, I started the 30-day Blog Challenge. Oh, now I remember: I'd also read a former boss's blog about how one can create a habit by doing something for 30 days straight (the original theory, I believe, was 21 days). I was toying with the idea of getting up daily at 5am and doing some morning workouts. The early-morning thing never quite materialized but I did manage to complete all 30 days of blogging (read it here or visit the spin-off site, 30-dayblogchallenge.com). What a challenge, indeed!

It's been a year since and I'm truly happy about having done that first round because so much has sprung from that Challenge: from the blogging series for Cosmo.ph, to my own baking blog at Yummy.ph, the online home of Yummy Magazine. I also did the Inspiration Series here at Ny Minute Now. Along the way I also discovered some online revenue streams; if you look at them individually, they’re not much, but they somehow add up. Now, I have some ongoing and upcoming writing and editing work online, assignments that are actually capable of letting me afford to mull about and explore the city while I await my next full-time job, which is just so amazing. I couldn't be grateful enough.

In celebration of all of that, and so it begins. In the words of former Good Housekeeping Philippines editor-in-chief Jing Lejano in a recent comment, "Clang, clang! Round 2!"

Watch this space and thanks in advance for reading!

Stop Complaining!

I love how people in New York are so blunt and straightforward, traits not necessarily always welcome in other parts of the world. (Oh, don't get me started on how often I've been berated for speaking my mind.)

I've been feeling very sluggish and sleepy these past few days, not uncommon when I'm gearing up for deadlines. So, I decided to get some work done in the library instead of moving back and forth between the kitchen table and bedroom of my temporary home, not really accomplishing much.

Now seated in the library, again, I couldn't escape the feeling of sleepiness. I couldn't concentrate. A gentleman who'd just sat next to me heard me heave and exhale loudly and uttered, "That bad?"

I replied, "I'm just so sleepy, and I have all these deadlines."

"Stop complaining."

Oh boy, did that wake me up! I thanked him profusely and sat up straighter.

You've got to love New Yorkers.

An Early Alternative

When I got to the office today, I did something different to start the day off: Instead of the usual checking emails, bank balances, and other updates online, I went right ahead and got down to the writing tasks at hand. Just writing. As in, opening Wordpad (I like the simple interface) once the computer finished booting up. I must say it was refreshing. I write this actually without even having checked a single email.

I find that ideas are so fresh in the morning. And if you read and write for a living, it's wise to capitalize on this early burst of momentum. In my Time and Type post from last year, I mentioned that as a freelancer (who didn't have to wake up at a set time daily), I found the ideas being diffused by the 'defrost'—those couple of minutes I allow myself to enjoy lingering in bed before actually getting up.

These days, my husband and I still 'defrost,' however, our body clocks have changed; mine especially. With my latest project going full throttle and with a few weeks left before its culmination, I'm at the office the earliest I've ever been on a daily basis in almost a decade. And what better way to capture a promising day fully than going off to an early start—at least until I'm back working in my pajamas once again.

A Pinch of Heartbreak

When Food Network Magazine launched in the fall of 2008, I felt a pinch in my heart: It had just been a few months since my work at Hearst Magazines ended and I never saw them coming—the new magazine and the loss of a job. In a short time I would start a proofreading and copy editing job at J.Crew, but I still smarted from losing access to the most beautiful cafeteria in Manhattan. I actually missed the Hearst Café more than my old job.

To share a short backstory though, in the spring of the same year, I'd applied to be an editorial assistant to the managing editor at Quick & Simple. I know by then it had been eight years since I last worked as an EA, but I was raring to move on from my marketing assistant post in the international department—I was an editorial girl at heart. (I loved working with Harper's BAZAAR, though.)

I didn't get the Quick & Simple job which turned out to be a blessing because in just a few months after I'd interviewed with my prospective boss, the magazine folded!

So back to Food Network Magazine, from what I know of, some Q&S staffers moved on to work for the new title. What pained me the most at the time was how much I loved, lived, and breathed Food Network, the TV station. For as long as I could remember, I only watched a single channel whenever I'd turned on the television. When I was still based in Manila, I would spend yearly month-long vacations in Denver and would practically just watch the shows on the network whenever I was at my mother's house. Sure, every now and then I would catch some favorite shows on USA Network and E!, but Food Network was my TV home.

When I moved to New York, I recorded shows on my roommates' DVR. So needless to say, I'm very much a Food Network fan and when the magazine opened, I felt a sense of yearning, and a little envy, for not being...there.

My editorial background is in lifestyle and beauty journalism. But food has definitely always been in the picture (my first blog was the Chocolate Soundboard, which I closed after five years when I moved to this address). My earliest assignments in Seventeen Magazine were food-related, with my first being an article on giving dorm food a makeover. Whenever we would go on location, I usually got assigned travel pieces in relation to where we were and photographs of food were almost always the centerpieces of my stories. I could go on and on about my relationship with food, and how now, as a freelancer, I've taken to writing and blogging more and more about it, and unintentionally opening AllMySugar.com as a venue for all these food-related posts. (My original plan was to move all my blogging activities there and close NyMinuteNow.com. But like life, one never really leaves New York.)

Anyhow, the point of all of this is, last weekend, I finally picked up a copy of Food Network Magazine. It's a lovely read filled with vibrant photographs of food and straightforward lifestyle features. I feel a sense of belonging which is both premature and relevant. What job would perfectly marry my love of food and love of magazines?

Once I wrap up my two-month project with Cosmopolitan Magazine Philippines and Pond's, I am commencing a full-blown job-hunt for the first time in almost two years since going freelance. So, I hope editor-in-chief Maile Carpenter and managing editor Maria Baugh have Google Alerts on their names because girls, if you're reading this, I'll be bugging you for work when I get back to NYC this summer!

I'm with the bandwidth

If you must Wi-fi...

As a freelance writer and editor, I am one of many who cocoon in coffeeshops and Wi-fi hubs to get things done. I won't mention my two favorite sweet spots in this post, but watch out for an upcoming blog at Yummy.ph to find out what they are. (And if you do go to one of them, please don't finish all the Sylvannas.)

While working on a recent Inquirer article ("Where to find the perfect hairstylist," 12/04/09), I ended up typing up some notes on the side involving café decorum. I know I'd already written two blog posts on etiquette, but at the risk of sounding uptight and a buzz-kill to the uplifting benefits of caffeine enjoyed in a communal space, I hope the tips below are indeed worth calling out—for the sake of my co-cocooners and coffeeshop cohorts.


Rule of hours

For every hour you spend lounging and making use of the Wi-fi, try to order at least one item from the menu. I’ve learned the value of turning tables when I worked as a hostess/Maître d' in New York. While neighborhood café staffers don’t rely on this particular system of waiting, it's still ethically sound to not be a freeloader on business space: No matter how cozy or 'homey' the ambience may be, you are still inside a place that relies on revenue to stay in existence.

If however, coffee is already coming out of your ears, leave a tip instead—a generous one.

I noticed in Starbucks the security guard also clears the table after patrons leave. Think of the gratuity as your way of saying 'Thank you' to the guard (who, by job function shouldn't even be busing tables) for doing his job of not letting thieves and thugs who could easily grab your laptop inside the establishment .


Ring, ring, go away

If you are within earshot of at least two people, please step out of the café to use your phone. If you're already wearing a Bluetooth headset, all the easier it is to quietly slip out and continue the (emphatic) conversation outside. I perfectly understand how Wi-Fi hubs can be such convenient workspaces, but note that these places are still first and foremost dining facilities—not your office.


One top, two top

It is indeed very, very tempting to make a beeline for the plush couches or big corner booths upon arriving at your Wi-fi hotspot of choice. But before you whip out the extension cord, look around and gauge traffic inside the establishment. If it looks busy, go for a smaller table that seats two, or to be even more prudent(?), park yourself by the solo bar stools, if available. But if you come in when it's quiet, feel free to stretch out and bounce off the walls. Once it gets busy though, take that as your cue to go offline and be elsewhere—your office, perhaps, or even better: home.

Yummy in my Tummy

Officially starting my blogging life at Yummy.ph, one sweet treat at a time.

In between deadlines—procrastinating, if you will—I'm mostly in the kitchen, tinkering about and trying out something I've seen on TV or browsed online.

Other than that time I applied as an editorial assistant at Quick & Simple (a New York-based title that folded last year and replaced by Food Network Magazine), it never occured to me to make a career out of the food I love to eat and make. Blogging about food was just that: sharing epicurean adventures along with tidbits—from the bittersweet to the palate-inspiring—about my life.

In hindsight though, food was always in the background no matter what job I had. As an intern at Seventeen, one of my earlier assignments was the Eat section wherein I wrote about making yummy alternatives to dorm food, and how to spice up regular college fare (e.g. drop a few pieces of Tobi Mexican Nuts in your regular Nissin's Yakisoba for extra crunch and protein). One of the first things I had to ask a photographer to shoot was a jar of Nutella.

At work, food to me was always a priority. Ask any supplier I'd regularly worked with and I'm sure they'd tell you that the minute I got to the studio, as the models were being prepped and made up, I was ordering our lunch from Yellow Cab and North Park. Out of probably a hundred shoots, I can only recall one time when the makeup artist and hair stylist actually had to remind me about ordering food, only because I had a fever and was struggling to keep shooting.

So, I am HAPPY and absolutely THRILLED to announce that I'm going to be writing for Yummy.ph! The newly revamped website of Yummy Magazine! With special thanks to Frances Amper Sales for putting me up for the spot. When I got the email, I couldn't believe it; the only other time I've been a voice of 'authority' when it came to food was when I was co-president of the Young Homemakers Club, a.k.a. YHMC, in high school.

Click here if you'd like to read my first post for my blog Baked! over there, and as always, meet you back here for more sweet and savory musings along with all the other flavors that make life—and eating—even more exciting.

Why I plan on being a dishwasher

Stylish dishwashing, anyone?

As much as I have big dreams and fantasies of being a prolific writer and novelist who works from home—"home" being either a lavish apartment in an NYC high-rise or a cozy, modern home in the Hamptons, a la my "friend" Ina Garten—I still have to make a living to sustain the lifestyle I want (I have an expensive chocolate habit).

So when my head isn’t above the clouds, my practical side emerges. I am aware that down the line, I might have to take on a second (or third) job that is non-writing-related. Right now, I’m at a comfortable place in terms of reaping some seeds I’ve planted in New York and working on blogging projects. I keep thinking, though, that if I were to apply for another job, it would be that of a dishwasher in a restaurant.

Shocked? Let me explain.

A few years ago, I was talking to a prolific photographer in Manila who specializes in lifestyle, travel, food, and still-life assignments. If you knew him, you would find his demeanor very mild and steady—making him a joy to work with because not only is he a great photographer equipped with tip-top technical skills, he’s also 100% drama-free.

One time, as he was quietly shooting beauty products in the conference room, somebody (was it me?) asked: “[Name of photographer], how come you like shooting products?” This is in light of several shutterbugs opting to do more location-centric fashion and beauty shoots.

“I like shooting products because they don’t talk,” was his answer. “They’re just there.”

I am guessing he meant this literally: Unlike models, stills didn’t require to be tediously prepped, and one needn’t engage in small talk. I liked this line of reasoning.

In relation to my dishwashing dreams, that is the same logic and point applied to this seemingly silly endeavor of mine.

When I first moved to New York and while waiting for my ‘dream job,’ I worked for three months in a Japanese restaurant as a hostess/maitre ’d, ushering hungry patrons to their tables. If I had better dexterity I probably would’ve also applied as a waitress—servers earn way more than hostesses—but I constantly feared breaking glasses or spilling food on the floor, or worse, on people.

Being in the front lines of the resto scene was okay for those months, but I wouldn’t go back again. Nothing against the job (it kept me afloat back then), but I believe I’ve had my fill of hungry, irate people who needed a table NOW!

I figure, if I were a dishwasher at the very back of the kitchen…

1. I wouldn’t have to talk to anybody other than my boss, who will just probably ask me about my shift schedule.
   
   
2. I don’t think one would have to deal with office politics in the business of dishwashing. It’s a clearly autonomous job description with simple job requirements.
   
   
3. I wouldn’t have to dress up for work. I can roll out of bed, wear whatever, and be ready in no time.
   
   
4. It’s going to be like a multi-hour facial. Have you seen those industrial-type dishwashing stations? They’re steaming hot! (I’ll just have to make sure to bring a face mask, as I don’t want to inhale all the toxic detergent fumes.)
   
   
5. Most importantly: I’ll still be able to write when I get home. After all, many of my articles have been borne out of times I had been staring out the window, doing the dishes, and tinkering about in the kitchen.

Part of this month's Cosmo Series, 13th of 16 posts also published at Cosmo.ph.
(Image courtesy of CasaSugar.com)


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On Blooming Late

I’ve accepted that I’m one of those people who experience things at a slower pace and learn via a more languid approach. I tend to take my time growing into things, and getting familiar with my situation and surroundings. It doesn’t help that I’m slow to move in the morning. That’s why I find it very convenient that I no longer have to make a mad dash for the train doors before they close, and that I have, for the time being, traded my stilettos for fluffy bedroom slippers. My “office” is now wherever I can connect to the internet.

In terms of being a late bloomer, I can list so many examples showing why I’ve taken this description to heart, and here are a few:

• I got my first kiss and first boyfriend at 20, an age where most girls are touching bases and hitting homeruns in the XOXO department.

• Of the seven girls in my high school barkada, all have gotten married ahead of me, and my own nuptials are about two years away from the last girl’s I do’s. She now has two babies. I reckon I am going to be the last to bear children as well; probably when my friends’ kids’ are in high school is my wild guess.

• Back when I did Taekwondo, most of my teammates got their black belts within two years. I (finally) got mine by the fourth year.

• In terms of writing, my former boss gave herself a deadline of one year to finish her second novel. I’ve been working on my own manuscript for years, with plenty of pit stops along the way. And just when I thought I’d finished, it turns out I need to overhaul the whole thing. So far, I’ve spent the past couple of months paying closer attention to the delicate and intricate mix of plot, conflict, and resolution, and making sure I have a better understanding of how to incorporate the three to make for a compelling story. Ask me where I am now in terms of editing and rewriting? Chapter 3.

Sometimes I get frustrated with myself. But most of the time, honestly, I’m okay with it. If stretching things out over time is the best way for me to learn and understand life, slow be it.

I was reading O, The Oprah Magazine wherein the famous talk show host had recently interviewed Jay-Z (The O Interview; “Oprah Talks to Jay-Z”; October 2009; p.184). In it, the rapper, entrepreneur, and music producer listed his favorite books. Among them was Outliers by Malcom Gladwell.

“This book is about the principles of timing and repetition—about preparing yourself for luck, really,” Jay-Z shares. “[The author] talks about a hockey team, and how the players born in January had a year up on the guys born in December.”

At this point, I cringe and get a bit worried: My birthday is in December. I think to myself, So is Jay-Z saying I’ll never really be successful simply because of my birth month? I keep reading. “They were fortunate that their birthday was early, but they also practiced—they put the work in.”

Whew! Reading further, I discover Jay-Z’s birthday is also in December. Double whew!

So the point, after all, is the amount and quality of work one puts in. I now realize, I may be slow, but I get a kick out of being productive. True, I make a ‘Today to-do’ checklist for Monday and actually end up ticking everything off by Thursday, but at least when I look back on the sheet after some time, I know I’ve crossed everything out—I’ve done what had to be done and have tangible results to show for my efforts.

And by then, the pace by which I’d finished, experienced, and accomplished something no longer matters.

Part of this month's Cosmo Series, 10th of 16 posts also published at Cosmo.ph.
(Image courtesy of stock.xchng®)

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No-nonsense Career Advice

Be more than her coffee-runner.

When it comes to dishing career advice, I’d be the first to tell you that I may not be the right person to listen to. After all, in the span of two years, I’d managed to hold three jobs and leave/lose all of them within the same time frame for varying reasons I won’t expound on in this entry. So why even offer any semblance of career therapy, right?

But then again, those three jobs were all in New York City, the most demanding marketplace in the world, I believe. And over the last two years, I’ve corresponded with close to a hundred contacts and gone to several job interviews (I’ve lost count). So if honest-to-goodness career realizations are what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.

Before my Big Apple roller coaster ride, I worked in the same company (Summit Media!) for close to seven years straight, working for different titles and enjoying steady and marvelous growth. When I moved abroad, I noticed a totally different work scenario from what I was accustomed to. But along with culture shock, I also discovered common denominators and tips that work across the board and level the playing field somewhat. Here are some useful on-the-job notes:

1. Be brave and visible.
In my early days as an editorial assistant, I worked in my own bubble, within my own team, not really being aware of my surroundings and anything remotely close to the structure and hierarchy of the company. True, I knew who our big boss was, but I was so shy and self-conscious that whenever I would bump into her, I would scurry away with nary a ‘Hello.’

After two years of being E.A. and noticing chirpier contemporaries advance to higher editorial positions, I got fidgety and began to reflect on what I was doing wrong.

The first thing I noticed was I wasn’t dressing for the position I wanted. And that’s basic Career Advice 101. So I started getting polished and prepped for work everyday. Little things like wearing skirts more often, putting on makeup, or choosing work-appropriate footwear (in the magazine world this meant donning a little heel).

I also started saying ‘Hi!’ to our boss whenever I’d see her in the hallway, and gathered the guts to approach her for certain things I needed at work. She’s actually a really nice woman and I was intimidating myself unnecessarily.

I realized that this strategy worked on my fourth year on the job, when I was finally an editor. We were at a lunch event and our big boss introduced me to one of our major advertisers.

"This is Mariel and she’s the beauty editor of Seventeen." She looked at me and said, "You’ve been with us for, what, two years?"

I smiled and politely replied, "Oh, actually, four." It was a memorable lunch because then I knew my career ‘tweak’ paid off: I was no longer the ‘invisible’ employee. It had been two years since my light bulb moment, when I decided to take concrete steps in becoming the editor I wanted to be and getting over my ‘authority shyness.’

I’m not saying you should be obnoxious and act like you’re campaigning for office at work; on the flipside, that can annoy people who can be integral to your growth. The point is, getting to know people and observing structures outside your area of expertise can help you become a more well-rounded asset to the company, which down the line opens doors to new and fulfilling opportunities.

2. Get to know your boss.
No, this isn’t a call to cyber-stalk your boss or Google the ends of cyberspace to get the dish on her divorce/annulment or anything creepy like that. (Besides, if you know too much info, it makes for an uncomfortable conversation once he or she eventually warms up to you and starts sharing personal stories.)

A productive way to get to know the person running your department or company is to read any professional material she’s previously produced. If she’s a published author, read her books. If she’s a teacher, look for citations and transcripts in the library, or maybe even her thesis if she’s just recently graduated from college or grad school. Getting to know her this way, outside of work but still work-related, gives you a more enlightened perspective of what to expect and may even give you a glimpse of her business ethic.

When I worked for Hearst Corporation (Cosmo’s parent company in the U.S.), I’d avidly read Basic Black by president Cathie Black, and You On Top by Cosmo editor, Kate White. (Both books are must-read career resources by the way.) As much as I always got star-struck whenever I saw them in the building, having read their books gave me a better sense of the work they did and who they were, which in turn inspired me to keep at what I was doing.

3. Let your boss know what you want.
Informing your immediate superior at what direction you see yourself going is a win-win situation: You save her (or him) time to figure out what to do with you and where to promote you when the time comes for movement; you, on the other hand, come to work everyday confident, knowing you’re headed somewhere.

By my fourth year at Seventeen, I knew I was ready to “graduate” to an older women’s title—like Cosmopolitan. I mentioned this one time to my then boss. It just so happened that within months, a position did open at Cosmo, and the new editor approached my boss to check in and discuss my availability. So by the time the new ed offered me the position, my boss already knew and the transition between the two jobs turned out to be smooth and drama-free.

If, on the other hand, you find yourself working for someone whom you dread having this conversation with, it’s time to reassess if this is the person you want to work for and devote precious hours to. A boss should be open-minded, nurturing, and generous. If your own supervisor is preventing you from advancing in career (and consequently, in life), it may be time to jump ship.

In the workplace, superiors who stop you from pursuing bigger goals and dreaming big are not the types of people you’d want to surround yourself with.

The only time you should ignore this tip is if:

a. Your work is output-based and constant interaction with your immediate boss isn’t a daily requirement. (Meaning, you’ll still be able to do your job and answer to higher-ups whether or not he or she checks in on you.)

b. You absolutely love, love, love your job regardless of who’s manning the wheel and calling the shots. And when push comes to shove, you’re positive that other people in the company can vouch for you.

4. Learn the value of a back-up plan.
I actually came across the concept of freelancing early in my magazine career when I learned that our features editor was able to afford a trip to Europe from writing jobs she took on the side.

Just a warning and disclaimer, though, for sidelines: First of all, make sure they don’t interrupt your main job. Second, ideally, you should be able to tell your boss that you have these other things on your plate. If you aren’t comfortable telling her, you might want to reread the previous section.

After I lost my first ‘major’ job in the city, I became very paranoid about not having enough resources in the event anything like that ever happened again. As a result, I tried to be diligent with my weekly newspaper column and kept pursuing other writing and editing revenue streams. So when I found myself (day) jobless the second time around, I knew exactly what to do. Yes I was majorly bummed and depressed, but I didn’t find myself penniless.

Try this exercise: What's the worst thing you can think of happening in your current job? Is it getting laid off? Making a boo-boo that will get you fired? If this happens, what is your plan of action? Once you’ve run this through your head, in the event the unmentionable happens, you’ll be surprised how calm (despite the initial shock) you’ll handle the situation. Call it a dress rehearsal for your emotional well-being.

Part of this month's Cosmo Series, ninth of 16 posts also published at Cosmo.ph.

(Image courtesy of Touchstone Pictures)

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Oh, Cosmo!

The new Cosmo.ph! It's as awesome as the magazine :)
And I'm a guest blogger for September.

So after many wonderful years working in Seventeen, I "graduated" to Cosmopolitan, its sister magazine. And for the next two and a half years, I would be busy beyond belief short of being dipped in algae. It was an honest-to-goodness roller coaster ride and I eventually hopped on to the next amusement park that is New York City. But that is a whole other story.

I'm thrilled to announce that I'm guest-blogging for the new and improved Cosmo.ph! It's like being back working for the mag—including getting used to raunchy section heads like Quickie Blogs—but being able to work in my pajamas.

Check out my first post, "Major Oh," and I'll meet you back here where I'll also be uploading the entries as part of the Cosmo Series—16 fun, fearless posts that will hopefully make you laugh, wince, or maybe even cry. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I've had (and am having) fun writing them!

Click HERE to go to the first post.

Weekend Beauty Buys

 

Ready, set, shop!

At my former job as beauty editor, I got to try out new products at quite a fast-paced rate. I had a bottomless supply of lipstick, mascara, skincare products...you name it, I had it in my drawer, or in one of the huge plastic bins under my desk (which also spilled to the side of my cubicle). It was a constant challenge to keep everything organized and accounted for.

These days, it's not so hectic in my personal beauty department. I write a weekly lifestyle column for a newspaper I love (and the only one I had ever wanted to work for since college; an esteemed professor had the utmost respect for this publication and it just rubbed off on his students). The pace by which I work now is gentler and more languid, and the best part is getting to work in pajamas and squeeze in naps when I hit writing roadblocks and need a breather.

The downside to this is that my body clock is really skewed.

Anyway, I just found out about BeautySak.com and browsed its contents. Not sure how these products hold out, but they're quite fun to look at:

1. Molton Brown Blu Maquis Fine Liquid Hand Wash, $25

I recently visited my friend Niña's apartment and her bathroom was filled with colorful bottles that perfectly accented (and decorated) the all-white interior. A handful of them were Molton Brown shower gels.

2. Kai Nighlight Candle, $22

I've never really heard of Kai Body but it looks interesting. The line has parfum sprays, body butters, but I'm particularly drawn to their votive candles. Back at my old apartment, I lit candles whenever I was stressed out, or just after a long day, to unwind and relax. My particular favorites are citronella, lavender, and thyme (also as burner oils).

3. Liquid Keratin De-Frizz Shampoo, $27

Honestly, whenever I hear the word 'keratin,' Palmolive Optima comes to mind. Remember those commercials in the 90's? And I think my hair was at its smoothest and silkiest, when I was 13—using Palmolive Optima! Anyway, I wonder if this anti-frizz shampoo will give the same silky results.

4. Keratin Complex by Coppola - Thermo-Shine, $18

Since I rarely go to events these days, I no longer do the whole shampoo, conditioner, blow-dry shebang, unless I'm off to a meeting or just feel like it. But what I do notice is that whenever I work in shine serum after towel-drying, my hair looks better as opposed to just leaving it as is to air-dry. I'm still finishing my TIGI Girl Toys shine serum, and when I do, I'll most likely scope the scene for a new one.

Happy weekend internet-shopping everyone!
 

Success!

The feeling's mutual, Michael ;)

I started my day with a leisurely skate at the park, followed by a fresh and filling brunch of salmon, cream cheese, and vegetable sushi with a thick berry smoothie. Today, I took the day off to celebrate my 30 days—straight—of blogging (well, and also because I just finished some deadlines for the week). After this, I'm baking a gooey chocolate cake using a Nigella Lawson recipe I found on YouTube, and filling it with custard cream courtesy of Martha Stewart. Ah, yes... the life of a freelancer. It can be quite sweet.

While doing this 30-Day Blog Challenge, I found myself dealing daily with the dilemma of what to write about, as at least half of the ideas I come up with are either very personal or painful to remember (or both). Will it be the story about how I'd lost my first glamorous city job? Or will I talk about this new, decadent recipe I found online? If you read the entries, you'll find that they're a combination of both 'heavy' and happy stuff. And I'm happy with the results.

I made it!

I always try to make it a point to make each post as heartfelt, honest, and engaging as possible. After all, reading my blog takes up some of your time, so I'd like to make each visit worthwhile. So as much as I would like to blog about the 10 Nicknames Friends and Family Have Coined for Me, the last reaction I would like to elicit is "So what?" or "Who cares?"

So with that, I'd like to THANK YOU all for helping me finish this 30-day challenge. After all, if it weren't for your comments, kind notes, and words of encouragement, I probably wouldn't even have gone past Day Five. You see I'm terrible at sticking to self-imposed schedules. And this has been a pleasant start to something promising.

Now I'd be happy to hear about your own 30-day blog projects! These last couple of weeks, I've discovered new sites and I'm enjoying reading them as often as I could. Some of you are planning to blog for 30 days straight as well, so please keep me posted. I'll be on the lookout for guest bloggers to share their posts at 30-DayBlogChallenge.com, to keep the fun going. As for me, my next 'challenge' will most likely be fitness-related. I'll probably never get around to the waking-up-everyday-at-5am habit, but I'm okay with that.

Here's to small steps to success :)

Image courtesy of http://blogs.smarter.com

UPDATE 07/16 : The Nigella cake turned out bland; her brownies are wayyy better. I used the chocolate ganache frosting from this recipe by Andrew Shotts of FoodandWine.com which was excellent, and I plan to make his chocolate cake version in the near future. The Martha Stewart custard filling also helped save the bland cake, so I'm still eating it tomorrow.

My Sentiments Exactly

Jack Vettriano - In Thoughts of You

A few years ago I heard of this theory that one tends to feel the exact same way one did a year to the date of whatever triggered the emotion. The other night, I found myself feeling strangely melancholic for no apparent reason other than that time of the month. I realized, it had been exactly a year since I'd abruptly lost my first "official" New York job due to unforeseen circumstances. That was also the time when one of the first, genuine friends I've made in the city had to leave for Paris. She was a colleague of mine and she and I shared many lunches together, chatting over way too many things; comparing stories about our cultures. I'd always assumed the French had a more liberal take on relationships. It came as a surprise to find out they were quite Filipino in that sense.

The thing with the French is that they come across as snooty and impersonal when you first meet them. But once they warm up to you, they turn out to be amazing friends. My former colleage, Caroline, also patiently taught me one French phrase a week for six months straight back when I was doing my 2008 New Year's resolution of learning the language via easy sentences. (I'd hoped to learn a total of 52 by year's end.)

Unfortunately, I'll be navigating the streets of Paris with a very cryptic command of the language. Both the lessons and the job ended mid-year as our jobs—hers and mine—were consolidated and I became too expensive to keep around. On the bright side, that kick-started my editorial life in the city; the career I'd moved to the Big Apple for, picking up from where I'd left off in Manila and learning so much more along the way.

These days, the work I do is a very modern twist of working in Manhattan but enjoying being away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. One day I know I'll have to start looking for a new apartment again. But for now I'm enjoying work with my socks on and a slice of cake within reach.

Image courtesy of http://www.jackvettriano.eu

Blogger Juice

Lately this is how breakfast has been looking like for me. No, I don't eat those one by one. Instead, I dump them all in the juicer and drink up.

Now, some say fruit juice has no nutritional value and is another vehicle for unwanted sugar. Me, I just like to think that I'm getting my dose of vitamins A and C, plus healthy antioxidants, especially when I don't really feel like eating any of the above. Drinking them is a different story. I usually toast a waffle and/or make scrambled eggs to go with this fruity concoction.

Anyway, I can't believe I'm on Day 26 of my 30-Day Blog Challenge. I'm wondering what's next for me and this blog. Here are some questions running through my head:

1) Should I change my blog's name since I'll be mostly away from New York this year? But then again, "the average age of the top 100 blogs listed at Technorati is 33.8 months," says Darren Rowse of Problogger. "Successful blogs don't happen overnight."

NyMinuteNow.com is only 16 months old. My first blog, Chocolate Soundboard, reached 52 months, until I turned it private when I moved to this blog address. So if I move again, I'll have to literally start from scratch to even make it past to NyMinuteNow's current Technorati ranking of... 551,435. Gasp!

2) Is there a blogging future for me, at least on a professional level? I've been doing this for almost six years now. Although in recent months, I've been more vigilant and diligent to post. Rowse also says it takes time and patience for one to call blogging his or her part-time and full-time job. Time, I am lucky to have at the moment. But patience? It's a work in progress. I do enjoy blogging so that's a good sign.

3) What will be my regular schedule once I'm finished with the 30-Day Blog Challenge? Right now, I am thinking of blogging on weekdays, and not having anything to do with the online world on weekends ("Tech-free Sundays," as I keep trying to convince my fiancé). I find that these days, I am more and more cooped up indoors, much to the chagrin of my waistline.

So how does one strike a balance between life in the world wide web and the real world? Or have the lines been blurred between the two, that these days, the "real world" is right where we are in cyberspace?

Magalove

A page usually starts as a scribble, an idea in an editor's head.

It's safe to say that magazines are my first love. Growing up, my dad owned a small bookstore (and by the end of the eighties, opened a few more) in our hometown. It was common back then to allocate a shelf or two for adult magazines—the Playboys and Penthouses of the decade. And whenever it was time for my parents to wrap each risqué read into their individual glossy plastic packaging, I was relegated to one corner of the store where I quietly read my Archies, Reader's Digests, and you guessed it: magazines. (No—no Playboy for me.)

So in retrospect, I'm not surprised that I ended up working in the magazine industry for quite a number of years. I still do, somehow. But these days, it's a more languid, less intense version of my life as a full-time editor. As a freelancer, I can practically spend the day working in bed. I do miss the stilettos, though.

This drawing is a sample of how I would brainstorm with my art director in the past and it's a page peg of a project I recently worked on. A page usually starts with an idea, scribbled on a piece of paper, and from there, blossoms into a full-fledged editorial—styled products, lead-in photos, captions and all. As you can see, I'm not the very best drawer around, but so far, my doodling ways have produced about seven years worth of magazine clips.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked if I still wanted to pursue a magazine career in New York. The answer is yes and no. Yes, because I would never turn down the prospect of working for one of my favorite things in the world. There is nothing like opening a new, freshly-printed issue; the feel of glossy paper sticking to your fingers. But then, no, because I also feel like the platform has changed. That's why more and more, I'm actively pursuing and nurturing all my online endeavors. Yet again, when the magazine bug bites, one must scratch.

If you work with a very talented art director, he or she will get what you drew and come up with an unbelievably concise mock-up of the page.
(layout by Khennette Dy)

Tweet, tweet

Image source: http://www.inkygirl.com

This is an anorexic blog post. Or in this day and age, I should just call it a 'Tweet' or a 'Plurk.'

I am seriously pondering how so many people are able to do all these things online ON TOP of work and everything else in life. My friend Frances has two blogs, edits a magazine (she's editor-in-chief!), runs a household, takes on freelance writing assignments, and attends media events left and right.

Kate White edits Cosmo U.S., writes mystery novels, and takes on speaking engagements, on top of what I could only guess is a mega-hectic social schedule. (I've read she also bakes for her family.)

Me? I've always juggled several things at once. I attribute this to being a former Summit employee where one is trained to just do as many things as one can (also to supplement a meager editor income). In New York, I was in constant fear of losing my day job so I always kept busy writing and editing on nights and weekends.

But these days, I feel that I can only get things done if I tunnel-vision and focus all my efforts on one thing at a time. I seem to be taking forever with a beauty catalog project, which is delaying some editing work on a fitness booklet, which is pushing back the start of a new novel, and so forth. Am I just biting off more than I can chew?

As for blogging, to this day I grapple with the commitment of a daily diary-like entry, no matter how brief. As a youngster I remember having all sorts of notebooks that served as journals and I would usually start the year with a gung-ho I-will-document-my-everyday-life attitude, and watch the entries fizzle by midyear.

My point is, if any of you can share useful time management and multi-tasking tips, please send them this way! (Or do that whole "@" thing via Twitter, Facebook, or Plurk.)