go flatter yourself

need to feel good about yourself? go to the link below and type in your name.

http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~geoffo/humour/flattery.html

another one from ITchick. :-)

woman

to all the women out there, this is for us and for every male to know!

"Be very careful if you make a woman cry, because God counts her tears. The woman came out of a man's rib. Not from his feet to be walked on. Not from his head to be superior, but from the side to be equal. Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved."

thanks to ITchick. :-)

on calligraphy

i found this informative article on the knot website. i didn't realize there'd be so many "hands," as they call it. interesting! read on...

Calligraphy: 18 Popular Styles

From the traditional to the whimsical, calligraphy can be created in many shapes and styles. Whether you choose sumptuous curves or sophisticated lines, the calligraphy on your invitations -- and envelopes, menus, place cards, table cards, maps, programs, guest books, wedding favors, and notes for out-of-towners -- adds a personal touch that reflects the tone of your event. To help you find the lettering that best suits your wedding, we've collected 18 of the most frequently used "hands," or writing styles.

1. ITALIC. By far the most popular hand, this elegant yet simple style looks good on any paper. Italic letters slant upward to the right and are based on an oval shape, with the width of the letters usually half of their height. Created with a broad-tipped pen, the clean, crisp line can dress up to announce an ultra-formal Saturday night affair or dress down to set a more casual mood for a Sunday afternoon garden wedding. What makes this hand so pretty is the alterations between the thick and thin lines made by the pen. Variations are endless, and Italic can be matched easily to complement many typefaces. (This is helpful if you want to mirror the typeface on your invites, for example.)

2. CHANCERY ITALIC. Slightly sharper and more formal than traditional Italic. The capital letters, like the M, C, and H in this example, are more decorative.

3. SCROLL ITALIC. One of the most formal hands, Scroll Italic is a simplified adaptation of Spencerian (see below) and resembles cursive handwriting.

4. STRAIGHT ITALIC. This hand falls between Italic and Roman styles and is recognizable by its vertical, rather than slanted, letters -- most noticeably in the capital E and lowercase d in this example.

5. FLOURISHED ITALIC. This Italic is enhanced with a calligrapher's personal touch. Note the exaggeration on the finish of the letters, as well as the slanted word "and."

6. COPPERPLATE. Written with a pointed pen that is hand-dipped in ink, this style uses pressure to create delicate thick and thin lines. Traditional Copperplate sets a romantic mood and is popular for addressing envelopes. Developed in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, this is a true calligraphic hand and one of the most graceful, lending itself easily to flourishes (it's the lettering on the Declaration of Independence). Copperplate is also one of the most difficult alphabets for a calligrapher because of the method of writing (the slow process of applying and releasing pressure on the nib) and therefore tends to be the most expensive. As with Italic, there are endless variations, and Copperplate can be matched easily to complement many typefaces.

7. ROOK COPPERPLATE. "Rook" is hand lettering made to resemble a printed typeface. It represents a variation on the traditional Copperplate, with a slight difference in the capital letters (a bit more round in the accents -- see the exaggerated curls of the capital M and lowercase n).

8. SLOOP COPPERPLATE. "Sloop" is also a term taken from printed type and shows another variation on the traditional Copperplate. In this hand, the capital letters have elongated curves in the accents; see the sweeping motion of the capital M and L and the lowercase r and d.

9. GOTHIC. Also called Old English or Blackhand, this is a very formal hand. Written using a broad-tipped pen, Gothic is perfect for a theme or period wedding and works well with similar or matching print typefaces (on your invites, for example).

10. UNCIAL. Uncial is one of the oldest styles of handwritten alphabets and is a nice alternative to Italic. Based on Irish calligraphy, it works well with an Irish theme. This alphabet is mostly all caps, with the letters all about the same height and width. Uncial is very rounded and stylized, offering a traditional yet contemporary look. Produced with a broad-tipped pen, it is straightforward and elegant and also works well matching simple print typefaces.

11. ROMAN. A very classic hand with a clear round alphabet, Roman is less formal than its related print typeface. This hand is best suited for bridal showers and other casual parties. Its small serifs dignify diagonal stroke letters such as capital R as well as straight letters such as capital M and lowercase p. The lower case is half (and sometimes a little more) the height of the capitals. Developed by Italian scholars in the 14th century, Roman lettering is one of the most recognized of all styles.

12. ANTIQUE ROMAN. A variation on the traditional Roman, Antique Roman has capital letters that are much taller than the lowercase. This stately hand also has extended vertical strokes on the ascending and descending letters; see the capital M and S.

13. ROMAN CAPITALS. Similar to traditional Roman but in all capital letters. Roman capitals are the foundation of our modern-day alphabet, derived from the style of Roman scribes and stonecutters, which developed into the very common Roman typeface.

14. SPENCERIAN. This is another example of a true historical calligraphic hand. Ornate and flourished, Spencerian is an offshoot of Copperplate and dates back to the 18th century. Created with a pointed pen, the thick and thin lines create sophisticated letterforms and rhythms within the script. Spencerian is traditional, formal, and very easily matched to a printer's font. Spencerian has many variations depending on the scribe; it is the most varied of all the hands since there is no "set" alphabet for calligraphers to follow.

15. LONDON. London is hand lettering made to look like a printed typeface. Based on the Spencerian hand, it is beautifully classic, formal, and readable. It can be scripted with or without loops on the ascending letters, such as the lowercase l and d.

16. ST. JAMES. St. James is also hand lettering made to look like a typeface. Based on the Spencerian hand, St. James is refined and smooth. The ascending and descending letters (capital M and S) are unlooped and finished quite distinctly with a blunt stroke, creating a formal look.

17. VENETIAN. An offshoot of St. James, this is also hand lettering developed to resemble a typeface. The ascending and descending letters in Venetian (capital G and lowercase l and y) are looped with traditional cursive-style strokes.

18. HAMILTON. This is an example of a hand developed by an individual calligrapher. Calligrapher Glorie Austern created this script -- more of a handwriting style -- using the lowercase form for capital letters. This is a style similar to basic cursive -- it's fun and is readable, like Italic.

Resources:
Glorie Austern, The Calligraphy Co., Secaucus, NJ (hands 1, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
Lisa Bates, Calligraphy by Lisa, San Diego, CA
Nan DeLuca, Calligraphically Yours, New York, NY (hands 4, 8)
Joan Lite Miller Calligraphy and Illustration, Seattle, WA
Calligraphy by Melanie Roth, Scottsdale, AZ
Lisa Rottenberg Yellin Calligraphy, New York, NY (hand 5)
Lynne Sandler, Lettering by Lynne, Alexandria, VA
Pya Seidner, Guilderland, NY (hands 7, 10)
Kathryn Shaughnessy, Calligraphics, New York, NY (hands 2, 3, 4)
Marcella Wegiel, Dearborn Heights, MI (hand 9)
Hilary Williams, North Hollywood, CA (hands 6, 14)

run down me

i haven't been feeling well lately. that probably explains for the long intervals of my blog posts. it could be due to my new pills (makes me sound like an addict noh?) or i just need a loooong vacation.

re: meds, my OB had me start on pills so as to let my ovaries rest from producing those precious little eggs. i'm saving my eggs until after we get married, of course. i realize how precious these things are when i read from somewhere that females are born with all the egg cells that they will ever use in their lifetime. they just ripen on a monthly basis once they reach puberty. males, on the other hand, from puberty till their death, will continually be producing sperm. so that's why even grandpas still manage to get young girls preggy. yeesh! what a thought!

and as for that vacation, i think i need one badly. lately, i seem to be dragging myself to work. don't get me wrong. i love my work. it's the idea of commuting to cavite that bothers me. would you believe that i actually have to travel two freaking hours to work, one-way? so, roundtrip, that's a good four hours already of my time. the reason why it takes me this long is because i still commute to work four times a week. oh, and one more thing, i've been doing this for the past five years or so. this is what's running me down.

that's why i can't wait for august. by that time, joseph will already be here so i intend to lighten my work load. then my eventual resignation come september. 4-5 months to go... and counting!

where we should go on our honeymoon

You Should Honeymoon in Europe!
You are a traditional romantic at heart...

With a taste for fine wine, museums and beautiful walks.

You and your sweetie should get romantic in a cafe in Paris

Or get a Eurail pass - and see as many cities as possible!

Suggested destinations: Paris, Venice, London, Greece


Where Should You Go On Your Honeymoon? Take This Quiz :-)

my dress

just one of the details

recently, i have been mulling over the thought of what to wear on our civil wedding. i didn't want to wear something too formal nor too casual. i wasn't really planning to buy anything as early as now. but when we went to waltermart pasong tamo last wednesday, i knew instantly that i found "the one." it was actually a perfect fit!

it's a two-piece dress made of the "gusutin" type of cloth and it's of a lovely shade of pink. more like blush. there were embroideries and sequins, but only enough to add character to the dress. it's simple, light and ultra feminine. love it! =)

break muna

it's time to take a little break to soothe some frazzled nerves.

testing the limits

all these wedding preparations can truly push you and test your limits. i'm talking about joseph's and mine. it's a given that no two people are ever the same and i realize as well that everyone is entitled to their own opinions. but, more importantly, i think it's how you guys come into terms with all of these differences.

sometimes, we're doing okay with the joint decisions. sometimes, we're not, especially when somebody's tired or had a rough day. sometimes we wonder why we ever argued in the first place. must be the stress. in cases like this, we have somehow managed to stay sane and hear each other out, never to take anything personal. i guess this is what matters the most.

oh, and another thing i learned in this lifetime, you can NEVER EVER please everybody. self-explanatory.

last night, we were arguing about the invites. today, we're okay na. well, all's well that ends well.

some wedding invitation etiquette

in one of many daily surfs on the net, i encountered this wonderful website on invitations. they feature designs that are quite unique and personalized. it's called You're Invited. how very appropriate.

below, i've quoted a few rules on etiquette when composing your invites.

bride and groom line
Traditionally, a bride takes no title before her name. Another option is to include titles for both the bride and groom; this is useful when one of you has an occupation that carries an official title, such as Dr. One way to put yourselves on equal footing is to leave titles off altogether. This is also appropriate if both sets of parents are serving as hosts.

date and time lines
Spelling out the day, date, and year lends sophistication, but you can also use a numeral for the year. Similarly, although“half after six o’clock” is classic, it may not be right for a less formal wedding. When stating the time, only the hour is necessary; there’s no need to note A.M. or P.M. Where time of day may be unclear use“in the morning” or “in the evening.”

location line
Make sure you have the proper name of your church. As with everything else, spell out “Saint” or any other abbreviations (except R.S.V.P.). Direction cards have become a common way to direct your guests to both the ceremony and reception site. Invitations are typically written without punctuation; line breaks take the place of commas, except to separate city and state, or to avoid confusion.

for the love of books

yup, i love books. in fact, i have a growing list of to-read books. i realize that it has grown to a number beyond me. i am still trying to finish "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. this was given to me by joseph last august 2004 pa. see what i mean?

the following is a list of my "to-read" books:

white oleander - janet fitch
snow falling on cedars - david gutterson
she's come undone - wally lamb
a widow for one year - john irving
the five people you meet in heaven - mitch albom
the cider house rules - john irving
the restaurant at the end of the universe - douglas adams
life, unverse and everything - douglas adams
so long, and thanks for all the fish - douglas adams
slow waltz on cedar bend - robert james waller
daughter of fortune - isabel allende
100 years of solitude - gabriel garcia marquez
the unbearable lightness of being - milan kundera
fortune's rocks - anita shreve
sea glass - anita shreve
the fourth hand - john irving
the language of threads - gail tsukiyama
the da vinci code - dan brown (finally!)
P.S. i love you - cecelia ahern
lost in translation - nicole mones

as you can see, most of them are old books. that's because i bought them from book sales with prices ranging from P30 to P200. i wish i had more time on my hands to finish them all. i suppose i'll read them when i'm in oz na. that'll keep me busy for sure.

********************
something off-topic... i texted mimi abesamis and asked her if she was free on the 24th of August for our prenups pictorial. i'm glad she replied that she was indeed available on the said date. i might also schedule a trial hair and make-up on the same day, before the prenups.

we chose a weekday so that the venues wouldn't be as crowded as it is on a weekend. i tend to be overly conscious of people looking at us. i had first hand experience of this when we attended the w@w christmas party last december.

as for venues, joseph and i have been brainstorming for places that are significant to us. so far, we've come up with the airport, a bowling alley and probably baywalk. i am not sure though if people at the airport will allow us to pose within their premises. baka akalain nilang terrorista kami! haha!