Year End Review: Hits and Misses

Ah, so it has come to this. Half a year of work and here I am, still alive and kicking. I booted up this blog back in June and since then I've had quite a few hits and misses with my posts. One good thing that came out of this is that I've finally developed a fine-tuned blogging tempo, so I've managed to maintain some measure of regularity. That being said, not all of my posts are a hit, and many of them are misses.

So to honor the failures, as well as the glory this year has brought me as a blogger, here are this blog's top 5 Hits and Misses for the year of 2012~ Enjoy!

The Hits

1.  Earworm: 2NE1 - I love You
Posted on July 7 || 11210 page views

By far my most popular post of the year, my review (or rather incomprehensible fangirl flailing) over the music video, music and fashion of 2NE1's I Love You somehow came up on top of the list with a staggering amount of views. I'm pretty sure recurring searches of 'Dara's new hair' or 'Dara's shaved head' were what made this post as popular as it was but there were also a few searches on the extravagant nail art and styling that the girls are so well known for. With this video being one of the most stylish this year, it's no wonder it has thousands of pageviews ahead of the rest of my posts. Read more about it here...

2. Art Post: The World Ends With You
Posted on August 29 || 2692 pageviews

One rather unexpected post to hit the top with search occurrences was my art post on one of my favorite DS games ever, The World Ends With You. In this post I present the above picture of my fanart (along with the uncolored version) of Neku and Shiki, two of my favorite characters in the game. I'm not the best artist in the world, but I'm really happy this post is out there grabbing some attention :) Read more about it here...

3. Wishlist: Avengers Inspired Fashion
Posted on June 24 || 1966 pageviews

With the awesomeness that is The Avengers hitting the screens early this year, it's no wonder one of my more popular posts comes with the words 'Avengers-inspired'. Most of this post's popularity however is attributed to the wonderful styling found at character-inspired-fashion.tumblr.com so if you guys are looking for similar posts, why not check them out? Read more about it here...

4. Jdramas, Sprout and Grouplove
Posted on July 10 || 1540 pageviews

Haha, one of my more shameful obsessions last year was with this Japanese Drama, Sprout, and the awesome soundtrack that came with it. The combination of Chinen Yuri, Jesse Lewis, a whole slew of Johnny's talents and the awesome backtracks from Grouplove probably brought most of the audience to this post. Ah, the power of music and hot Japanese boys running topless on a beach lol. Read more about it here...

5. Review: Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever
Posted on November 23 || 1075 Pageviews

And one of my prouder achievements as a beauty blogger, especially with this review just being posted a month ago is my review on Etude House's Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Stick, and for good reason! It's an awesome product which still serves me well up to now. Read more about it here...

Of course not all my posts were as popular, or as well received as these. At the same time, I'll admit, I post some of the weirdest crap sometimes, and a lot of times I go a little bit overboard. Here are the top 5 Misses, not necessarily because they have low view counts, but for one reason or another haha.

The Misses (but not really)

1. OMGWTFBBQ
Posted on June 2; For the first post

Need I say more?

Yeah this marks my return to the blogosphere with what I consider to be my first real post in my formal blogging career hahaha. It leaves a lot to be desired IMO, and I think I was partially on crack while writing this haha. Not to mention I post a few videos of my horrible singing where I'm about ten pounds heavier than I am now. OH GOD WHY. Don't Read more about it here...

2. Discussion: Japan and Copyright Law
Posted on June 23; For the threat that wasn't really a threat

One of the things I'm most passionate about in life is the circulation of free information. So when something threatens that, especially if Japanese media is involved, I get all bat-crap-crazy. Unfortunately for me though, while I was making such a huge fuss over this, nothing really changed and the world moved on, because apparently the law didn't exactly make streaming pirated videos illegal, just the permanent downloading of them into your PC hahaha. What a dud. Don't Read more about it here...

3. I WON A SIGNED CD.
Posted June 12; For the most overwhelming achievement with a rather underwhelming response

This was honestly probably my greatest achievement last year, aside from the time when I was able to stay in the same hotel on the same floor as one of my favorite Japanese boybands ever and greet them every night when they came back and every morning when they left hahaha.

This CD I got from a giveaway/contest by some of my favorite youtubers, Simon and Martina. I wasn't expecting to win at all when I joined this giveaway, but lo and behold, MY SIGNED CD FROM SISTAR! Unfortunately, not very many were as excited as I was haha. It's like that awkward moment when you're bouncing around the room in a giddy fit and the people around you are just staring blankly into space haha. Well, that's life. Don't Read more about it here...

4. Experimenting
Posted July 15; For Noobish Photoshop and Makeup Skills

At the start of my transition into incorporating makeup and beauty posts into this blog, let's just say I was quite awkward with the camera and abused a few photoshop filters here and there hahaha. Just looking at this picture makes me cringe. Don't Read more about it here...

5. Sembreak Goal #2 Getting My Licence 
Posted October 22; For a thing that never happened

And one of my biggest fails this year ever. Saying that I'd get my driver's licence by sembreak and not actually doing it haha. I'M A HORRIBLE PERSON LOL. I've known how to drive this baby for ages and I can't even do it becaue I'm too lazy to go to the LTO (our version of the DMV). Damnit. By next year I should be driving and completely mobile! *resolute* Don't Read more about it here...

Haha. So that wraps up my blog's hits and misses for this year. Coming up will be a year end review of all the awesome fashion, food and music this blog has come to offer, as well as a special mention to one of the little guys who's made this blog a little more fun to read.

See you soon!
Ada, Signing out.

Giveaway Alert: RiceySupreme's First Giveaway

Hey guys~ Sorry about all the late replies and checkbacks with bloghoppin'. I'm approaching my final week of school before "winter" break and my sched's jam-packed with acad-related deadlines. Most of my posts this week are actually pre-written and scheduled, so excuse me if I don't get back to you as soon as I usually do.

That aside, let's get to what this post is really about~! My good friend Amanda from http://riceysupreme.blogspot.com is having her first giveaway! It's a really big milestone for her, and to thank her readers she's having a giveaway. Did I mention it's OPEN INTERNATIONALLY? No? Well, now you know.

These are the prizes at stake:

Kiss Ever EZ Lashes - 03 Natural

Maybelline Shine Sensational Lipgloss - 05 Peach Sorbet

Barry M Dazzle Dust - #39

Barry M Eyeshadow- #21236

Essie Nail Polish - Red Nouveau

L'Oreal Nail Polish - #203 Til the sun comes up

L'Oreal Contour Kohl - 131 Jet Black

Hard Candy E/S Palette - Naturally Gorgeous

Forever 21 Pearl Necklace

Forever 21 - Blue/White Strip Bows

A variety of samples including Skinfood, Missha, Tony Moly

As you can see, Amanda's going all out on this, so don't miss out! The giveaway is open until January 4, 2013 at 12pm EST/Eastern Time.

Personally, I'm looking most forward to the Hard Candy Eye Shadow Palette. It's totally up my alley with neutral shades, don't you think?

To learn more about this giveaway,

CLICK HERE AND JOIN NOW! 

Happy entering!

Ada, signing out.

Nostalgia: Yearbook Launch

So  last November 16 was my High School Class/Batch's Yearbook launch after three long years of waiting.

I don't think I have the right to say whether or not the yearbook itself was worth the wait, but what made the yearbook launch truly a success and by all means worth the wait was the company that came with it.

Truly, only 2010 can do 2010.

Ah, so many familiar faces. I think everyone's grown over the past few years and exchanging experiences is always one of the things I sincerely enjoy after long periods of separation.

Yeah, this is what I look like on a normal lab-centric day. All study mode with chipped nails, a simple side pony and a college of science-themed t-shirt (not seen). I only really get a chance to dress up on days when I'm not required to work in the lab, thus my OOTD posts are scarce and spread out lol. And people wonder why I don't take more pictures hahaha

This was my fourth year cafeteria table gang. The rose among the thorns indeed hahaha. We're all not-so-secretly nerds, and I'm pretty sure one of these people here will end up changing the world someday. (I wasn't able to take pictures of a lot of people since my battery was almost dead. Fail me D: Sorry, Estelle, Kat, Alvin, Marz, etc.)

The other half of the yearbook launch consisted of presentations and general merry-making. Plus making jokes of not having seen people for ages (when really you seem them everyday). Because really most of my classmates now in college are from the same high school anyway, but meh.

After the actual launch was a Sportsfest/afterparty-gettogether, but in all honesty, I'm not exactly in that crowd, nor am I one to impose my presence (at least I try not to as much these days), so I just went straight home. Plus, I was pooped from a 5-and-a-half-hour lab period just earlier. Busy busy busy.

That being said, it was a fun night. Nostalgia induced feels were plenty. I'm not entirely sure if I'm ready to reveal my yearbook page just yet -- maybe some other time. For now, I am content.

Ada, signing out.

Photos courtesy of Camilla Carag, Paul Gilbert Castro and Fatima Centeno

Five Faces Tag: Campaign for Self Esteem

Haha. I always had this inner camwhore in me that I was semi-reluctant to reveal to the public. But what the heck, I'M NOT ASHAMED ANYMORE!

Vanity is the new modesty LOL.

I took these shots before my haircut (which I will do a post on soon). Let's just say I lost six(+) inches of my hair (simultaneous awwws) and my hair no longer reaches my tailbone :<

So in commemoration of my fluffy-banged unruly long hair, I shall post Five Faces of Ada: October edition. Forgive the lack of halloween-themed-ing-ness. I don't celebrate it :P I know, I'm such a party pooper, eh?

So because I can't have fun during Halloween, grant me the simple pleasure of camwhoring, even for one post a month (or less).

So I don't feel alone in my little bubble of self captures, I'll turn this into a TAG.

The "rules" are pretty simple:
1) Post FIVE FACES of yourself - different expressions, different situations, different moods. Post your study face, your pigging out face, the face you get when you eat a sour lemon. Be creative, have fun, and let your inner camera junkie out. The shots don't have to be professional. Heck, I just used my webcam for these. The grungier and more unique looking the better. Now is the chance to embrace your inner geek.

2) Tag FIVE FRIENDS (or more if you want) and invite them to embrace their camera-loving, face-hogging selves lol. The more the merrier!

3) LINK BACK to ME and the PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU via the above image and a hyperlink (respectively) and tell us about/show us your post. I'd love to see what silly expressions people come up with.

4) Have fun!

So let's get this ball started. For starters, I'm tagging

Wanny from http://wanwinkle.blogspot.com

Kumicake from http://boring-daily-life.blogspot.nl/

Kirsten from http://keikeikirsten.blogspot.com/

aMz from http://amz88.blogspot.com/

Caro from http://dreamers-caro.blogspot.com/

+ Yuku from http://yukulicious.blogspot.com/

and of course, anyone else who wants to do this tag :P Spread the vanity people. :3 Have fun!

Ada, signing out.

MM: Not over Soaking up the Sun

 

In some obscene miracle, the sun still happens to be out so let's start the week off with a sunny round of Mixtape Mondays with the theme:

Songs for Any Type of Weather

In the spirit of basking in the sun and taking advantage of the good weather while it lasts, this week's sampled song celebrates the sun with its subtle social commentary and early 2000s vibe. And while Sheryl Crow isn't usually on the top of my list when it comes to sunny songs to jam to, this song's absolutely perfect despite the scattered drizzles here and there.

Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow

This 90's song made it reappearance in my list of recently heard songs (well, not exactly recently considering the last time I heard it) on a commercial for one of Yamashita Tomohisa's dramas - Ending Planner lol. I never really did finish that drama, despite my love for Chinen Yuri and the various talented guest stars. My attention span doesn't have the capacity to deal with fish-eyed Yamapi for too long. But I digress. This song is a perfect beach song, and while summer might be coming to an end for everybody else in the world, I'm perfectly fine basking in the limited sun I seem to be getting haha.

Maybe it's just the fact that I've been getting more Vitamin D lately, but the sun really seems to have a bearing on my mood. But that doesn't exactly mean I'm a morning person - I will never be a morning person haha. That being said, I'm so happy I've decided to include yet another upbeat song, although it probably may not be to everybody's liking, and while it is upbeat, it's not the happiest songs. The title says it all actually - Not Over You by one of my favorite new Kpop Boy Bands, NU'EST is one of the lighter sided videos out there right now, and while it's obscured by the likes of Psy's nominally more popular Gangnam Style and Super Junior's stereotypical Spy, I strongly believe it deserves more attention, so there.

And did I mention that Ren looks exceptionally beautiful in this MV? Yehp, that's probably the first and last time I'll be saying those words about a guy except of course maybe for Taemin of SHINee but that's a given.

That aside, we have one more week left on this theme guys! That's it for today's Music Monday! You can check out last week's featured song here and other Mixtape Mondays here.


Feel free to leave a comment recommending songs appropriate for this month's theme, or maybe even comments pertaining to how awesome (or not awesome) the weather is where you are!

Ada, signing out.

Vanity: Criminal Minds

Okay, so the rain has passed and life has regained a certain extent of normalcy. I feel relieved to say that none of my loved ones were harmed during the ordeal, but it's a bit hard to break the solemnity considering how many people were displaced because of the floods, even until now. Right now, all I can do is pray for their safety and hope for the best. May the elements have mercy on our low-lying plains x_x

That being said, I've had this post lined up for awhile and it's a waste to let it go unposted so here goes.

So quite a while ago we held our organization/club applicant's Buddy Bidding. Sort of like a human auction for people who'll guide them through their application process. Don't ask me - it's a pretty weird tradition, but almost all the orgs in our college have it. Is this a common ting overseas too? I don't know.

Either way, our theme was cops and robbers. The applicants would be 'cops' and we'd be 'robbers' or criminals they'd have to catch. Eventually the idea evolved into them having to bail us out instead. Much more appropriate considering the amount of money that was spent that night haha.

 I originally lobbied (okay, I didn't lobby. I just silently wished inside) for the theme to be Hunger Games related, but sadly the idea was turned down (or rather not actually considered haha).

Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy the theme. Some of my friends and I took it upon ourselves to look like the most stylish, badass criminals out there. I'm not sure if we succeeded or not, but the product of our musing came out through a little impromptu photoshoot haha.

I'm not sleep-deprived in this picture guys. I just tried to make my makeup look more grungy, but I failed miserably, the result being that I look like I hadn't slept/eaten in ages. For this look, I guess it's okay haha.

Okay, I'll admit it - I look more like a hobo than a criminal, but it was the best I could do at such short notice. At least I'm rocking the vagabond look haha.

"I got fired from my job, evicted from my house. The only things I have are the clothes on my back and my awesomely awesome boots and now I must spend the night sleeping on a park bench. *angst*

I'm pretty sure my friend looks more like a criminal than I do, but not really. I'd imagine we'd be those type of criminals you'd see in Home Alone 3 or something. A bumbling bunch of baboons, most likely. And before you guys point out anything else, the picture LIES!!!!

I AM NOT FOUR FEET AND SIX INCHES! I AM FIVE FEET TALL, I PROMISE! WHY WON'T YOU BELIEEEEVE ME!?!?!?!? TT_TT

Well, it's no use crying over spilled milk. Here, have an awesome shot of me before you leave. Even if I'm not tall, at least I know I'd survive on such meager fashion haha.

Ada, signing out.

Personal: School, Photoshoots, Vanity

Hehe, I've been posting so much about movies, makeup, and music (woah 3 M's!) lately that I seem to have forgotten how it's like to actually post something personal haha. So here I am letting all my friends and readers have a glimpse into a little bit of my life as a student.

As all of you may have noticed by some of my posts which seem geeky and science-heavy, I actually major in molecular biology and biotechnology. Lol, I know, it's a mouthful isn't it? When people ask I always end up having to explain what I study or what the heck that even is. To put it simply, I study the molecular basis of genetics, and more specifically gene expression. But that's not what I'm going to talk about in this post because I am a shallow girl with shallow thoughts and I actually just want to let out a little steam by posting.

Needless to say people always end up thinking I'm such a nerd when I tell them about it (as most of you are probably thinking now). But I guess this post is to show you guys we aren't just nerds :P We have fun as well you know!??!?!?

Like a few weeks ago, my committee in my sole organization (like a club) as of this moment - The Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Society of the University of the Philippines (yes, original, I know) had a photoshoot. WHOO VANITY TIME! 

It wasn't much of a photoshoot. We mostly just did it for the sake of having it done since it was required, but our theme was "green" (like they couldn't tell already Ada =_=") Haha, when you're in college you don't exactly have time to glam up and dress fancily for a shoot (or at least I didn't) - we ended up looking really normal, so I added filters to make the photos look more lethargic vintage. 

Our college campus always ends up looking more photogenic than it actually is, naturally haha.

So this was basically just a filler post, nothing much. I actually just wanted to share these shots because they looked so pretty :P Ah the wonders of filters and photography :P

Here, I leave you with a vain shot in spite because all my online friends are on vacation and I have a Geology exam tomorrow that I should be studying for. FML.

Ada, signing out.