I remember having a similar conversation with a fellow blogger, Steve, who also happened to be my male lady-in-waiting and imperial book chooser (Ha! I gotcha). We exchanged some nightmarish experiences we had in lending books and our extreme ways of caring for them. This memory inspired this post where I’d share to you what I had after putting my books on loan, so to speak.

1. My Cinderella pop-up book was returned by a childhood friend after accidentally pulling Prince Charming’s head. Later, she commented that it looked good on her male paper doll. After that, I learned not to discount kids for liking beheading of their species. LOL
2. Upon return, I checked my Jonathan Livingston Seagull copy. I learned from my mistakes! Seeing nothing different, I breathed a sigh of relief. Only when I re-read it few years after did I notice that two pages were missing – a text and a photo of him flying.
3. One of my Jonathan Kellermans book jacket was missing when it arrived in my home. The guilty party did not even show his face.
4. My Nancy Drew hardbound collection piece was returned with pages filled with crayon scribbles. My book unfortunately met a toddler in the borrower’s house.
5. My Harry Potter book got a coffee stain from a friend. I nearly committed murder. And I was almost exaggerating the previous sentence.
6. Constantine’s movie tie-up book was returned to me with highlighted texts and dog-eared pages! I almost fainted when I saw them. I haven’t talked to the borrower since.
7. I received a copy of For One More Day as a gift from a special friend. Someone wished to read it so I lent it. It was never returned.

There were too many other bad experiences I had lending my books. It is sad to have my dearly loved children be massacred by those who don’t even know the value of each piece. Whenever I think of how I take care of them, I feel unhappy when I look at their current state.

Now that I have learned that not everyone feels the same way with books. I am afraid to lend my precious ones to others, especially my favorites. In no way I will lend my collector’s first edition of Clockwork Princess for one! Steve and I agreed on this: If a person likes to read one of our favorites, we will just gift him/her a new copy.

[credits to: breitlinks.com]

Steve and I also discussed this: how to take care of your books.

1. Cover them properly. I use thick plastic for this. I wrap it tightly over the covers, not letting any air to be inside. I want the plastic to stick so securely that there will be no “bumps” when I check them under the light.
2. Open and read your books in a 45-degree angle. Or smaller. This will guarantee that you won’t have any crease in your book’s spine.
3. Never put dog-ears in the pages. Use appropriate bookmarks instead. There are various designs to choose from so you can pick anything you fancy.
4. Use book bags. Stuffing your loved ones in a cramp space of your shoulder bag will only result to deformed books. Why would you want that?
5. Or as Steve suggested, use your trusty hands to lift hardbound books instead. This will ensure that there will be no folded pages after. Good for travelling or walking.
6. Refrain from drinking or eating while reading. If you can’t help it, be extremely careful not to drop or spill anything.
7. Keep your books away from the young unless you want them to vandalize your collection. Same holds true with pets.
8. Always bring something to protect you from the elements. I don’t know why others do this, but why do they think a book is shaped like an umbrella? How many times have we seen people running under the rain with a book over their heads? Countless!

Some of you might think that I am weird by stating all those in the two lists. I know that what is inside is more important, but I can’t stop myself in seeing to the physical welfare of these printed dearies.  I guess this is just my way of repaying them for how they made my life more interesting.

Have you tried lending a book before? How do you take care of your books?

P.S. Don’t forget to join my fashion giveaway here. Open internationally.

Few days ago, I shared here that I received nine parcels from my online store purchases. In my recent post, I have introduced two items I got from Udobuy, an Asian-inspired clothing shop which offers fashionable and affordable pieces for everyone. Whenever I go to their site, I always end up adding too many products in my wish list, which will inevitably go to cart later. For sure those two tops I bought will not be the last ones. I pity my crying and cursing closets.

I got this white blouse on a sale. I thought of hoarding white items both online and real shopping malls so I didn’t think twice when I sealed this order. Just like in the dress in my second outfit post, this was also only available in free size so I was uncertain if it will fit my childish figure. Unfortunately, it was indeed bigger than me.

The shoulder length is bigger than mine so the start of the sleeves sagged in my shoulders. Does my description makes sense? Well, that’s the risk of getting a free-size-only clothing and I understand that. Aside from the difference in measurement, the blouse is what I expected. The actual product is the same with the photo in the store. The sleeves reach my elbows just right and the rivets are securely attached. After it was washed, the color did not change and the material did not shrink so I am happy with my choice!

Here, let me show you my fancy photos wearing this top.

What do you think? Share your thoughts. Bought anything lately?

Don’t forget to join my giveaway and get a chance to win a $40 clothing coupon. Open internationally.

Special thanks to Reen at The Wanderer for making me look presentable in the photos.

Related post:

http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/pleasures-of-online-shopping/

How can I show my gratitude and appreciation to you? I know I have too many backlog posts as well as comments unreplied. I haven’t always returned the favor to a new follower’s site and I only read the first few posts in my reader everyday. Life happens and I am currently in the thick of it, but it’s no excuse. Lately, I’ve been trying to catch up with more fellow bloggers and hope that this will continue. If I am yet to reply or visit you, kindly wait for me. I will be there in your site soon!

Thankfully, there is another option to show how thankful I am for your support. As what I have been doing recently, I’d like to host another international giveaway to celebrate. What do you think? Indressme, a top online clothing store, offers chic and trendy outfits straight from the high street of Tokyo, London, and Paris. Think you’ve heard of this shop before? You probably did. Indressme generously gave two $30 clothing coupon a month ago and they are willing to do it again. They mentioned they love us and want to present another gift! How’s that?

I made a few orders from them a while back, but only one item has been shipped at the moment. My country’s postal service sucks so if you are planning to send me something, you might get discouraged to know that it normally takes 20-70 days for a parcel to be received. But if you insist, I’d be happy to wait for your present. Hehe. Anyway, before I give you the deets of my new giveaway, let me torment you with my photos wearing an Indressme dress.

Aside from two more items I purchased, I got this striped blue knit dress. The model looks gorgeous wearing that so I hoped that a miracle would somehow transfer her appeal to me. Didn’t work that way though.

Anyway, the dress was only available in free size and I was scared that it might not fit me. I am a loser for free size clothes – I always end up like wearing a sack. I have a small frame and my shoulder length is similar to that of a child. Well, good thing this dress fits. I love it! It hugs in all places [I wished I have a curvy figure so it will be more pronounced, but beggars can't be choosers] and I think I look decent (like a stick!). I specifically like the sleeves. They are narrow enough to stick (there’s that word again!) to my thin arms. The wrist part was narrower and I felt joy in perfectly exposing the sexiest part of my body [Yes, I'm that pitiful]!

Let’s move on since I know you’ve been skipping through my post just to get the good news. Haha. Well, the rules of engagement are the same. Attend to each task in the rafflecopter widget and you’ll earn points. The more things you do, the higher number of entries you’ll get. A friendly advice though. Whenever I generate a winner, I validate the winning entry first and it is disappointing to know that some are not honest in previous contests. Please don’t go there because I don’t want to go King Kong and Godzilla to you. Let’s just enjoy the game while playing fair!

THE GIVEAWAY

Indressme  is giving away a $40 coupon to be used for their shop. No minimum purchase required when redeeming the coupon and no freight cost to all items. Contest is open internationally so everyone is eligible to join. Ends on June 25. Winners will be chosen via electronic draw using Rafflecopter and will be announced on June 27 in this blog and will be contacted via email. They will be given 48 hours to respond to the email before another winner will be chosen.

THE RULES

1. Sign up on indressme.com

2. Leave comment with your name and email address used for the registration

3. Like Indressme Facebook page.

4. Follow Indressme on Pinterest.

5. Share it on your blog. Leave a separate comment with the link directing to your blog post.

Click the link below to try your luck and win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And oh, please be kind as to share your thoughts about this post. What do you think of my purchased dress? Are the stripes okay or do I look like a female Charlie Chaplin? Any suggestion on what I should give away next? Feel free to comment down below.

Related post:

http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/first-outfit-post-chicnova-giveaway/

Congratulations! I have sent an email to Chicnova and they verified the  entry. The winner has also confirmed my congratulatory email so the $30 clothing coupon had been sent. Yay!

To those who have joined, thank you very much for making the giveaway a success. Stay tune for another giveaway coming up real soon! An outfit post might be included though…

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]]> http://gongjumonica.com/chicnova-giveaway-winner-and-another-gift-for-you/feed/ 7 http://gongjumonica.com/may-2013-wrap-up/ http://gongjumonica.com/may-2013-wrap-up/#comments Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:18:37 +0000 gongjumonica http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/?p=2709 Books Read: 9

Hey, folks. I turned out to be busy sooner than I expected. As mentioned in my previous post, I was lucky enough to land in a different job which is closer to my educational background and interests. My first day in my second work experience blew myself away as I was immediately exposed to the nature of my company. Now, on my second month I can say that work is exciting and challenging for me. I am learning a lot and meeting various important people in the society. I even got an offer for a scholarship abroad!

But it will not be called life if it will only be full of the good things. The company is far from where I live, with a one and a half hour travel time! So I usually arrive home sleepy and tired to do other things. I know it is not really an excuse for my decreased amount of books read, but at least now I know how it feels for others to be satisfied after finishing a single book for an entire month. Well, I sacrificed my sleeping hours just to catch up with my reading so if you can see me now, you might be surprised to see a two-legged panda!

Let’s move on and see which lucky books took up by May reading list.

Ceaseless by Abbi Glines

Rating: 4/5

Finished the third installment of the series which I have started last month. I can say that this was the best book in the trilogy. It was written better than the earlier novels. It was more emotional and I think the author made me feel attached with the characters as the story continued. The plot was good, but I have already guessed what the twist would be in the end. I still pity Leif and if there’s anything I would like Glines to change in the book that would be for Leif to have a better life after Pagan. Speaking of the heroine, I kind of dislike her in this series. She was transformed into a dull girl who easily fell to Dank when her memories were deleted. Later, she’ll mutter a thousand “Oh my” like Anastasia Steele. Good thing Dank’s sweetness and songs made up for Pagan’s 50 shades attitude.

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Rating: 5/5

I think I have a weakness for romance stories set in the Underworld. This one is no different. I am amazed as to how unique this story is compared to several others I have read in the past. I specifically like the idea of Everneath, Everliving, Forfeit, Feed, and the Tunnels. True, the author had used old myths as her bases, but she’s creative as to write one also inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice. The characters were okay, nothing to gush over. I did not fall either for the hero or the other guy here, which I think was weird. Still, the story was able to make me smile and imagine a realm different from our own.

My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent

Rating: 4/5

Like the book above, this one was also refreshing for me. Aside from vampires, werewolves, fallen angels, and nephilims, this one was related to the folklore about banshees. I haven’t read a novel with this theme and I immediately liked that I have learned something new. As for the story, it went the same like any other YA paranormal romance, but I have to say that it was executed well. I just felt unrealistic with some of the characters’ actions and motives that’s why I did not give it five stars.

My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers #2) by Rachel Vincent

Rating: 4/5

Just like before, whenever I like a series I would immediately start with the sequel right after I finished the other. I continued reading the story of Kaylee as she adapted with her new-found life of being a bean sidhe and Nash’s girlfriend. I liked this second installment because the story got better with mythology and Irish folklore. Moreover, I loved the way Tod was given more attention into this book than the first. Personally, I would want to try the book with Tod as the lead, but well. There were more actions in this book, but most of them were due to Kaylee being so impulsive. Yes, she’s portrayed as strong and helpful, but she always ends up entangled with demon problems which she inevitably dragged her boyfriend into.

My Soul to Lose (Soul Screamers #0.5) by Rachel Vincent

Rating: 3/5

It was a good choice to read this after I finished the two books. It made me travel back to the first installment and received glimpses of Kaylee’s life when she was hospitalized. It was good as it served the purpose of a prequel, but I found it lacking in some ways. I felt like reading a boring biography and I would’ve expected the author to write better than that.

Every Day by David Levithan

Rating: 5/5

I want love to conquer all. But love can’t conquer anything. It can’t do anything on it’s own. It relies on us to do the conquering on its behalf.

I was so lucky to pick up this book. It was fresh and original and I wonder how the author created such captivating story. It presented a different dilemma one faces every day. From gender issues to human connections, this novel was beautifully written with thoughts and philosophies which I tried to memorize all. It was inspiring and emotional literary book I have read this year. Simply put, this is such a touching, heart-breaking, and thought-provoking masterpiece. I highly recommend it!

Inferno by Dan Brown

Rating: 5/5

I honestly learned about Brown’s newest book after local channels featured this Dante’s inspired novel with controversy. My city’s current sad state was mentioned as the gates of hell which provoked comments from Church, politicians, writers, etc. Just like what I did when they reacted vehemently with Da Vinci Code, I ignored them. Few hours after I got my copy, I swam into the story which was Langdon’s another adventure.

In this book, Brown did not disappoint with vivid (and very numerical) descriptions of various settings. I felt like travelling in Florence in the story. Every symbolism was there and history was touched almost everywhere. What’s more, the maestros were once again featured which made me appreciate art more. As for the plot, Brown created another conspiracy which could really make people think. I don’t know the numbers, but I can guess that Brown’s numbers may be closer than we realize. After my first Econ class years ago, it seems Malthusian Theory is not completely bad.

If you could throw a switch and randomly kill half the population on earth, would you do it? What if you were told that if you didn’t throw that switch right now, the human race would be extinct in the next hundred years?

Much Ado About You by Eloisa James

Rating: 4/5

After reading Inferno, I went for my comfort genre and found another Eloisa James. This  one is the first in the series of orphaned young women and I was glad to know that it wasn’t what I expected. For example, I thought I already knew what the last page would contain after reading the first five pages. Good thing the eldest Miss Essex did not end up with her guardian!  Now, I must get the second installment.

The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen

Rating: 5/5

I was scared to read a Dessen after all the raves I’ve seen in my Goodreads homepage. Is it really that good? The title did not help me think that it would have a happy ending. As a girl who gets nightmares after reading emotional books, I try to steer clear from heartbreaking stories if I could. However, I picked up this novel which received the highest rating in the entire author’s works and braced myself. It was a good decision.

This is what a contemporary YA novel should be. The characters were normal, lovable people who had realistic problems. It was about beginnings and how we stand up and handle our loss. There was romance too, but it didn’t feel like being the main topic, which was nice for a change.  There were overwhelming sadness and happiness in the story which made me cry a few times, but the lesson was clear:

The truth about forever is that it is happening right now.

How about you guys? What books have you read in May and what are you currently reading? Were you also busy last month? I would love to hear from you! Please stay tuned for the announcement of my Chicnova giveaway. Since the recent contest is successful, what can you say about another international clothing gift up for grabs?

Related posts:

http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/april-2013-wrap-up/

http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/march-2013-wrap-up/

http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/february-2013-wrap-up/

]]> http://gongjumonica.com/may-2013-wrap-up/feed/ 11 http://gongjumonica.com/shopping-love-dresslink/ http://gongjumonica.com/shopping-love-dresslink/#comments Thu, 06 Jun 2013 02:38:21 +0000 gongjumonica http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/?p=2696 Starting today, I will write posts to feature online shops that I currently love. It is not a secret that I am now getting addicted to online shopping. Too many items to choose from, less hassle, and affordable prices. Who wouldn’t fall for them?

So today I would like to introduce you to Dress Link. I admit, I started drooling mentally (thank God I didn’t really drool!) while browsing over their website for the first time. They offer large variety of clothing styles including girly dresses, sexy halters, romantic sets, hot tops, cute t-shirts, and stylish coats and jackets. If you are the type of person who is interested in trendy and low-cost fashion items then I definitely recommend this shop to you.

Here, let me show you some of the items I might buy soon.

Which one do you specifically like? You can head over to their site here and recommend me more items.

That’s it for now folks. I hope you like today’s post. Please feel free to share your thoughts. Are you on a shopping mode, too? Where do you usually buy your clothes? Any recommendations for other online shops?

I often go to my city’s post office and know that it opens at 8 AM. So on the start of the week, I arrived there at 7:45 only to find it silent and abandoned. Fifteen minutes before opening and still no staff around. They finally welcomed us few minutes after eight and I was annoyed to know that the Bureau of Customs window #1 was still closed. Thanks to the customs officer assigned who arrived 47 mins late, I was sweaty and irritated on a Monday morning. However, my dissatisfaction with irresponsible public officials diminished when it was my parcels’ turn for customs presentation.

Much to my surprise, I received nine parcels: eight from my online clothing shopping spree and one from my Gpop from the other side of the world. I think his gift will warrant a separate post so I will stop talking about it for now. Still, I want to shout out my thanks for my Gpop, Marc!

For the remaining of my parcels, two were from the same shop. I would love these items to feature here as I am very happy with the actual products I received. I am not going to review the products yet as I would like to torture you guys with my next post of me wearing those clothes. For the meantime, let me introduce you to the shop which gave me these cheap, fabulous finds.

You may find more fashionable clothes here at Udobuy. They offer chic and stylish clothes in affordable price that’s why they had enticed me to get two items from their store. I am sure those two won’t be my last purchase from them.

The shop currently features two promos for their followers: BFF Match and Night-Out Style. For BFF Match, one can get $20 coupon for free after purchasing items worth $60 here.

Just use the code Friends20 to get the freebie. With the amount of clothes ordered, who wouldn’t want to share the love for fashion with their best friend? Discuss the latest style, dream of owning trendy pieces, and buy suggested articles of clothing together with your BFF. The more, the merrier!

Here are some cute, pretty dresses for you and your BFF. I would love to buy one for myself and my BFF, but he’s a guy and would kill me if I’d go to him and say, “Girl, you would look fabulous with this!” Well, guess I’d be buying for my other girl friends then. LOL.

More girly items can be found here.

The other promo they are offering is for prom and other night activities, and nope, not the one you’re thinking. Show those shapely legs and curvy bod with some outfits I chose below for the Night Out Style.

I have no doubt you will enjoy the night! Use the code Night10 to get a 10% discount on all items under this category.

More similar outfits can be found here.

Ah wait, there’s more! Aside from their shopping promos, they are currently hosting a contest for everyone. All you have to do is to make a video for Udobuy and get a chance to win $100 gift and earn 30 bonus points. More info for this competition here.

Whew, this shop really has too many things to offer that’s why I love shopping here. Maybe I’ll purchase one or two for this month? Haha! This bud dress is topping my wishlist.

 Stay tuned for my reviews and features of items I purchased in various online shops recently. Please support me guys!

Since I was younger, Mom always has a say with my shopping behavior. “Why do you keep on buying clothes and shoes if you are not going to wear them? Are you planning to keep them here and create a clothing museum?” The second sentence was a bit exaggerated, but she meant something like that anyway. She always makes a point of letting me know how she dislikes my way of buying things. When I think more about it, I guess what she dislikes is my habit of buying clothes and wearing them at least six months after. Hoarding. That’s probably the reason why she always threatens me with this line: “If you won’t wear this [insert item of clothing] just even once, I will throw or give it to the orphanage!” She actually has a point, but I feel comfortable wearing my old and trusty numbers up to the point that I wear some after every two weeks. Haha!

When I am outside, I have a tendency to be overwhelmed by my surroundings. In a shopping mall, when I see a bag in my favorite color, or a top with pretty laces and girly bows, or a killer pair of shoes, I only need five minutes to be convinced that I have to take the concerned item home. Others call people with this kind of behavior impulsive buyer, but to my defense, at least I have those five minutes to think of pursuing my purchase.

With the increasing amount of clothes I own, Mom pointed out that there is no room for more. In fact, she and our helper are only squeezing everything to have those needed spaces for others. My closets and racks are no longer enough. I need bigger ones!

Few weeks ago, I shared to you my dilemma regarding my books and their old and small home. Now, it seems that my clothes are experiencing the same situation. I then went to the same online furniture shop I featured in my previous post to get some ideas. It was surprising to see that closets can be really expensive! If I will buy now, I have to save real hard. Otherwise, I will have a big cabinet with only few clothes in it.

For some inspiration, I am including here some products I have seen in Fabrooms, the only online furniture shop that I like.

Those were some of my ideal closets and shoe cabinets. I want them simple, white, or in solid pattern and color. But in my fantasies, I dream my room and its furniture to look like these:

Ah, how beautiful! Someday, I will have something like that, yes?

Do you have too many clothes that they look like sardines squished in their bottles? Are you due to purchase a new closet, too? Give me your ideal type of closets, too! My Chicnova clothing giveaway just ended so please stay tuned to the announcement of the lucky winner. She’ll have at least one more item added to her wardrobe!

Happy Jelyn in one of our after-work bondings at Shangri-la Plaza

Happy Monica, too!

One time, we had a lunch out since there are too many important people conducting meetings in our company. While deciding where to eat, we passed one of Korea’s popular cosmetic brands – Etude House.

I’ve been using some of Etude House’s products and had pulled Jelyn inside the store to browse for their new items. I didn’t plan to buy anything because a friend went back to her country for vacation and promised to get some cosmetics for me try on. Since I rarely wear makeup, she told me that she’ll introduce me to “barely there” look most Koreans have.

Still, I managed to talk myself into buying a cleansing cream and a face mask. I just want to try different masks and a cleansing cream looks promising, too. So after convincing myself that I need/want both, I purchased them immediately.

While paying in the counter, I saw Shinee Min Ho’s life size standee smiling at me. My heart instantly melted! After seeing his face for straight two weeks because of my drama marathon of To the Beautiful You (아름다운 그대에게), a Korean version of Japanese manga Hana Kimi, I thought I was hallucinating. Hey, that’s an exaggeration. Anyway, I was so happy to see him that a part of Nelly Furtado’s Try started playing in my head:

“…Then I see you standing there

Wanting more from me

And all I can do is try… ”

And I did try. Asking permission from the cashier, I asked Jelyn to take a photo of me and Min Ho. Here I thought I am not a fan girl! Good thing the cashiers were not making fun of me so that lessened my embarrassment.

Hehe. Thought it was for real? I am not that a “fan girl” as to see Min Ho in person. I think SHINee has been to my country a few times before, but I am not that very interested to watch them. Perhaps when I’m in Korea…

Wait for more of my adventures and experiences in my new job with my new friend. I am sure there are a lot to come!

Don’t forget to join my ongoing international clothing giveaway!

]]> http://gongjumonica.com/fan-girl-i-met-shinees-min-ho/feed/ 10 http://gongjumonica.com/thank-you-and-see-you-soon/ http://gongjumonica.com/thank-you-and-see-you-soon/#comments Fri, 24 May 2013 09:39:43 +0000 gongjumonica http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/?p=2634 On the last Friday of April, my brunch buddies and I went out for dinner. Most of them haven’t eaten a Korean dish that was why I suggested a nearby authentic Korean restaurant for us to dine in. This get together was not thought out of nowhere; there was an important reason for us to gather and share a delicious meal. It was my farewell dinner treat.

A month after graduation, I was accepted by a knowledge outsourcing company for an international publishing client. Stepping out of the comfort of school and home, I was nervous how to face the real world. It did not help much to know that I was the youngest in the team I would belong – a fresh graduate.

But my worries ebbed away right after my first day. I was first introduced to my immediate superior, a man in his early thirties named Ron. He possesses such approachable and intellectual personality that I easily liked him. I received a good vibe from him that I knew from the start that we would get along well. And I was correct. As someone fresh out of schoolroom, I never felt incompetent and stupid grasping numerous systems and confusing rules associated with my job as a production editor. Ron was there every time to teach and guide me. He’s knowledgeable in explaining stuff in an easy manner. He’s also very patient answering my questions and if you know me personally, you’ll agree that I am a girl with questions. I am very thankful to him because he gave me such good experiences for my first job. More importantly, he let me realize that co-workers can be like family too, with him as our adoptive father.

Next, I met Jae. Honestly, I was scared to talk to her after receiving a heads-up that she could be moody at times. I didn’t want to have bad relationships at work so I told myself to be more careful when I would be around her. Then for a sudden twist of fate, we wound up together after she saved me from the evil clutches of another co-worker. We were inseparable ever since. She’s there when I had my moments, and I was also there to listen when she had hers. I never imagined we could be that close, but I feel grateful that we did. She’s my older sister from different parents and I am lucky to meet her.

Our team expanded and along with the new journals came Micah. She’s a transfer from a different project. Jae and I had a first impression that we might not get along with this chic, fashionable, i-care-for-nothing kind of girl, but we were wrong. Not only did she prove to be a sweet and caring person, she also became a part of the then Monica-Jae duo. She loves reading and from there, we started to get along. She has a thing for music too, but what impressed me the most is her ability to quote characters from movies! Talents and passions aside, she became one of my few colleagues-turned-friends. A confidante who never fails to make me think of the other side of a situation, she gives both heart and life advices. And oh, fashion, too!

Months came and we grew bigger. Three more people from the project went with us during breaks. Ete is a sunny person who possesses a super creative mind. She can transform thrift finds and old-fashioned garments to those suitable for runways. She’s very kind and cheerful, but no one should dare cross her. We sometimes tease her in expense of her namesake – the child star in the movie The Orphan. Though she never showed us a violent streak, we were careful not to be the next John! Kidding J

My colleagues know that wherever you find Ete, he is always somewhere nearby. When I was new, I didn’t know why he’s called Mayor by others and wondered if he’s bothered with the moniker. Turned out that his fashion sense was the reason why he gained the name of the then floral-inspired city mayor of the Capital. The name stuck and everyone calls him as such. Despite the political address, Mayor is one of the jolliest people I met. He always makes us laugh with his unfailing humor and wit. He was never embarrassed to share his dreams and experiences even though we laughed about them 98% of the time. He’s very loyal and sweet. No wonder girls from the office are comfortable to be his friend. I can’t forget those two Christmas parties I spent with him, but most of all, I will always remember that until now, he has my tumbler. Give it back to me, Mayor! Haha.

Mayor’s immediate superior is She, a tall and skinny lady from their team. I observed that she has a quiet persona but later, I found out that she only reserves her fun and crazy side to friends. Both Ete and Mayor are her friends, so it was inevitable that she would also join our group. She loves to read and has an eclectic taste when it comes to books. Like the rest of us, she likes to eat a lot too, but what annoys us is the fact that she seems not to gain any fat from all those frequent trips to pleasure our stomachs. She’s so sexy!

One Friday morning, all six of us gathered in the second floor of our cafeteria for break, and that’s where the Friday Brunch Buddies were formed. We ate, talked, and joked a lot. There was no room for dead air; we always engaged in interesting conversations. Topics vary from hairstyles, floral prints, causes of UTI, evolution of mobile phones, 90s boybands, etc. All of us loved to keep lively discussions about while eating away our stress from work.

Then a month before I celebrate my second year as being employed, I received a big opportunity for my career. This offer would make me put to use what I have studied in theory in university. Without thinking twice, I tried it out. Much too soon, I was accepted. I won’t disclose here the melodrama I burdened myself and my friends, but I’d like you to know that deciding to stay or go was not an easy task.

On my last day at my company, I invited my Friday Brunch buddies and Ron’s family (his wife Lanie and son KC) for my farewell dinner treat. Since I love Korean food and most of them have yet to try that cuisine, I decided to introduce them to an authentic restaurant near my village. I have featured the restaurant here in my blog once or twice already, but for the benefit of others, the place is called Sam Won Restaurant.

Here are some of our photos taken during dinner.

funny Mayor and Ete in their bright colored shirts

She, Nica, and Micah on cooking samgyupsal

dolsot bibimbap!

They say all good things come to an end, but I beg to differ. All good things don’t end, people do. Now, as I am already a month old in my new company, my former colleagues are still there for me. Nothing has changed. In fact, Ete just sent me a message asking me about our plans for Jae’s wedding later this year. I know we won’t wait for that month to come before we meet again, but I am too excited to see my friend walking down the aisle, plus our hotel/BnB experience as guests!

Enough of my sentimentality. Please don’t forget to join my current giveaway and get a chance to win a $30 clothing coupon with free shipping. Open internationally!