Day 22: ootd

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 22: a picture of what you wore today

Day 21: good and bad

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 21: turn-ons and turn-offs

On:
confidence
capability
cute face
can handle adulting
patience
gets my sense of humor
comfortable
makes things less awkward
shows a lot of interest
good with hints
respect
dorky but cute

Off:
arrogance
insecurity
no physical attraction
disrespect
ignorance
lack of enthusiasm
awkward
bad jokes
embarrassing
inconsiderate
unaware of others/surroundings
afraid to be silly :3

I guess I like people I vibe well with, who I find easy to talk to and interesting to get to know. I am quite insecure and anxious already when talking to people so I prefer genuinely confident people because they tend to be more comfortable. I dislike if they don't consider me their equal in any capacity, but also dislike if they're disinterested in helping when I need. Same humor is essential, also I don't like people if my family doesn't like them XD It might seem harsh but my family is a big part of my life, we're close and I spend a lot of time with them or talking to them, so I won't like people my family doesn't like.

Finally, I am enthusiastic and want people to come along for whatever I come up with at the moment, and people who don't at least some times feel the call for adventure will quickly be dropped :/

Day 20: Concerts

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 20: Concerts you have attended

Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance, Mindless Self Indulgence, Deftones, Serj Tankian, Good Charlotte, The Rabble, The Used, Taking Back Sunday, Twin Atlantic, We The Kings, Sum 41, The Matches, 30 Seconds To Mars, Reuben...

Off the top of my head, I think that's about half :3

Day 19: History

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 19: A list of all the places you've lived at.

I'm sorry but since my blog is public, I don't think I want to divulge much. I'm already quite personal (to my standards) so I wouldn't want to put myself at risk.

I'm skipping this one.

Day 18: Television

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 18: Name the TV show you have become addicted to.

It would have to be three of them. I finished them super fast, and waiting intensely for following seasons:

3. Mr. Robot
2. Black Mirror
1. Humans

Day 17: the future

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 17: what do you want to be when you get older?

I would want to be more confident, more calm, and more organized. Particularly more focused, and still working on something I believe in. Hopefully I get better at what I'm doing while trying out other new ventures. All you need is someone to give you a hand.

I want to be more understanding, more patient, more knowledgeable and more helpful.

Most importantly, I want to be more present.

Day 16: at the world's end

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 16: If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you do with your remaining time?

Talk to the people I love, while petting my cats, and if I have a whole day, probably go outside, to the beach, and also listen to my favorite songs.

And be thankful, so thankful, because I walked on this earth, and I tasted its fruits, and loved all its living creatures, and saw many great things. And probably cry a lot.

Day 15: someone you fancy

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 15: A photo of someone you fancy at the moment


Sorry but no XD
That's kinda creepy? If I wasn't an introvert for whom everything is awkward and awkwardness is the bane of my existence then maybe someone I fancy would be aware of this and it wouldn't be creepy but...

Me being me and all... just no.

Day 14: Celebrity crushes

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 14: provide pictures of 5 celebrity crushes

And the king himself:

Day 13: Three confessions

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 13: Three confessions of your choice


1- I feel awkward and a little guilty about how much I love my skin. I think it's good to love yourself, and especially take care of your body and to love the literal skin you're in. And I do love the slight iridescence if the sun catches me just right, and being able to use the palest shades of foundation (hello Korean makeup!). But at the same time, it's sort of like a mark of the oppressor, like I feel I can't even say I like my skin without sounding racist, aryan supremacist, ignorant. I think all skin colors are beautiful, and I really wish I could love my own skin freely.

2- I hold grudges and I will never let them go. I try to be cool and chill and get along with everyone, but if you wrong me... I will never forget it. Not ever. I may or may not choose to sort of forgive you (as much as you can forgive without forgetting) but I will not let time heal the wounds. I will keep ripping the metaphorical scar and never ever forget how you wronged me. Ever.

1- One time, when I worked as a waitress for one week before I moved to Scotland, I dropped a piece of bread on the kitchen floor. The kitchen was kind of open-air and the floor was dusty and dirty. But I just picked it up, with my hands, put it in the foam container, and gave the meal to the customer. Didn't even feel guilty about it because everything about working there sucked. But I'm sorry now, innocent customer whose face I forgot. I'm sorry now.


Bonus: I slacked the challenge and I'm doing day 13, 14, 15 and 16 today. At least I didn't give up!

Day 12: Screenshot of your desktop

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 12: Screenshot of your desktop:

Day 11: Crazy antics create beautiful things

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 11: What is your favorite quote?

It's not a quote, but a lyric: "Crazy antics create beautiful things".

I like it a lot because I firmly believe that the most beautiful moments in life come from the times when you live from the heart. Granted, mind must lead most of our decisions if we are to achieve anything, but sometimes, letting go and just going for whatever you're feeling in the moment is the most beautiful thing. It's sometimes tragic, sometimes exhilarating and sometimes magical, but for sure it will be beautiful.

I guess I can tie it with another quote I like from Tom Robbins: "Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious and immature." It's from the book Still life with Woodpecker, which I haven't read, but I stumbled upon this quote (literally) and, although I might be misinterpreting it due to lack of context, it stuck with me.
When I first came across this quote, I had just moved to the Netherlands and didn't have my life quite figured out yet. I was sort of just winging it, which is completely against the Dutch way of life (plan, plan, plan). I don't plan a lot, mainly because my life has never gone quite according to plan, and I figured out sometimes, if you're too focused on your plan, you end up missing wonderful opportunities that are outside of your comfort zone.

So for me, these quotes summarize my outlook on life, even though I don't consider myself a risk-taker as such. But constantly people will try to push me into planning, into worrying, into acting a certain way that just doesn't befit me. And in those moments, I comfort myself with the beautiful things my crazy antics have created.

Day 10: one food and one beverage

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 10: If you could only live off of one food and one beverage for the rest of your days, what would they be?

-Drink: water. Plain old H2O. I don't drink as much water as I should (these days I'm getting better at it), instead drinking coffee, tea, and artificial low calorie drinks like Zuko or Tang. But if I can only drink one thing for the rest of my life, it would have to be water, the source of life. Honestly, do you imagine not being able to drink water? You're really thirsty but you have to drink tea? Or coffee? Nah...

-Food: brown rice and black beans. I'm Guatemalan, I'm a vegetarian, beans are basically my life. I also always loved rice, although since I made the switch to brown rice when I moved back to Aruba, I don't love white rice as much as I used to (prefer not to eat it but ok). However, brown rice and black beans is a delicious, healthy, nutritious, and filling meal. I read you can survive on this food for months without much damage to your body. So while I would miss all the fresh fruit, pizza, salads, pasta, etc... I would probably feel a lot better with this classic.

Day 9: pet peeves

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 9: Pet peeves

I have so many >.< In this sense I am definitely a difficult person to be honest.
I don't think I can think of them all but I will try as many as I can:

• chewing sounds
• ticks. not the animal, but like if someone is doing repetitive (small) actions
• hesitation (especially when answering a question)
• being touched multiple times during a conversation
• being asked again after I already said no twice
• staring
• when people stop walking randomly in the middle of the street
• when I'm trying to get somewhere and someone blocks my path
• not getting service quickly 
• when you ask something to a group but people just stare at you
• sneezing, coughing
• "You need to"
• "People need to stop (doing x)"
• unsolicited advice
• morning people. (sorry, i know it's not your fault. but hyper people in the morning just...)
• diet and fitness enthusiasts.
• when you're the only one who knows how to do something, so everyone expects you to just do it all the time without them having to learn it
• favors that take a long time
• when you go to a job interview and then they never call or email to let you know you didnt get the job
• when there were other available seats, but the person sits next to you
• girls who think you want their man
• men who think you want them
• when someone brings someone unexpected to hang out
• abrupt change of plans
• people who make excuses a lot
• cold salsa
• lukewarm food
• passive-aggressive
• cars with loud music
• cars who slow down when they pass you as you walk
• when you meet with someone but they don't talk to you
• people who eat too fast
• when you did something, and someone says "if you were going to do that, you should've"
• people who don't silence their phones when they're having a chat (ping! ping!)
• when celebrities I follow retweet their fans
• people who make you ask a lot of questions to get to the point instead of just saying it/ when they try to bait you to ask a question
• couples who go out with a group but then ignore the group

Bonus: when meat eaters in a group order the meat option, but then proceed to eat the vegetarian option first

Day 8: three things

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 8: Three things you want to say to different people

Hm. I don't have anything lengthy and angsty that I've been keeping to myself all this time or anything. I think mostly with people I've said my peace. So.

3- To my parents, thank you and I love you.

2- To my sisters, you're my world, my blessing, I am so thankful you are in my life. I love you.

1- To my friends, thank you for your patience, love and understanding as I stumble through life. Thank you for not leaving. I love you.

Day 7: favorite books

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 7: Do you read? What are your favorite books?

I have a reading compulsion. If there are words on something I have to read it, from labels to signs to pamphlets, I must read at least a large part of it (if not all). That's where my vast shinfo knowledge stems from.

However, I'm not deep in the habit of reading books since I started a dependent relationship with the internet. Still, having spent a whopping total of 24 years in the education system, I have read a vast amount of books in my day.

Still, I can never focus on one or even a few books to say they are my favorite. There are simply so many books which I have enjoyed and which have helped shape my mind throughout the various stages of my life.
So, here are a few highlights.

• Leon Uris - Exodus. Growing up and looking back, I had a strong interest in history and religion, and Uris' historical fiction simply fascinated me. I stayed up all night for days on end and carried the (bible-thick) book around with me, reading during breaks at school. I learned a lot about how Zionist Jews thought of themselves, and the creation of modern Israel.

• Gloria Cecilia Diaz - El Sol De Los Venados. My mom used to reward good grades at the end of the year by buying us children's books from the series Torre de Papel. I have a bunch of loved books from this series (Los Escorpiones, Un Marido Para Mama, Por Favor Vuelve A Casa), but this one really stood out. It presented tragedy and loss in such a nostalgic, accepting and deeply emotional way, that I think to this day it's hard to mention without a lump in my throat.

• Miguel Angel Asturias - El Senor Presidente. I read this book more than once as I went through school, but the first time was when I was starting High School. My older sister told me there was a scene in the book where a bird eats a dying man's eye, so I picked it up for the gore. It delivered, but I fell for this book for entirely different reasons. The writing style of Asturias is, to Guatemalan capital citizens is comfortable and familiar. The stories feel authentic and personal, and the impact the history of my own country had on me was immense.

• Tablo - Pieces of you. I first knew Tablo as a solo rap act when he joined YG Entertainment. I fell for his clever poetic lyrics, so when I found out he had released a collection of short stories in English, I had to check it out. The stories explore various relationships between people, society and the surroundings. Each story is moving and some are very surprising. I was inspired by Tablo's writing style to this day.

There are so many more books I could talk about, but these are some of my favorite ^_^

Day 6: music

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 6: What band or musician is most important to you?

I could answer this with one word, but I'm sure it's no need. Anyone knows which musician is most important to me (haha... ha), so I guess I'm just going to take the opportunity to talk about them because, I wouldn't even need an excuse.

And if you didn't know... it's




So it all goes back to when I was studying in Scotland. I had moved away on my own and started a whole new life, on my own. I was in the process of defining myself as a person. Before I moved away, I was going through one of the toughest periods of my life, which had sort of took some of my joy away from me. I was angry, sad and confused, and it reflected on everything I chose to surround myself, from clothes and food to movies and of course, music.

But by the third year of uni, I had considerably healed, I loved my classes, my teachers, the friends I made, and the country itself. It was literally as if color had returned into my life. So when my house mates introduced me to Kpop, it really resonated.
The happy vibes and positive messages of some of the songs really helped me stay positive. I quickly took to SHINee, and started following them. I did have a previous history of being a fangirl (#sorrynotsorry), so I fell right into it.

Seeing how hard SHINee worked, inspired me to work hard too. I felt if they could work so hard and have discipline to achieve their goals, and I admired them for it, that I should also work hard, have discipline and achieve my goals. My grades were the best by my last year, and I got a first (9/10) for my dissertation.
By then, I was convinced that SHINee was a positive influence on me, and fangirling was actually helping me do better.

I got the chance to see them in person in London, literally for like 5 minutes, but for me it was worth the travel. As my (bad) luck would have it, my bias wasn't feeling well and left early without greeting us, but the rest of the members did come to say hello and no matter how long I live, I will never forget how they literally glowed.

Soon after, I moved to the Netherlands, which somehow ended up being one of the best and simultaneously worst times of my life. But through the good and the bad, still, SHINee's music cheers me up and makes me feel happy.

I see now that my happiness returned around the same time I found SHINee, so they are always connected to that part of me.

Day 5: tourist

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 5: Five places you want to visit

5- Morocco. Honestly, for the beautiful architecture, the mosques. Only down side would be the heat.

4- Norway. Northern lights anybody?

3- S. Korea. Eat the food, walk the streets, see my faves...

2- New Zealand. Nice people, snow, beaches. New Zealand just has that majestic vibe.

1- Guatemala. Yes, it's my birth place and home town, but I never really got the chance to visit all the beautiful enchanting places, or learn about all the different people. There are so many places in Guatemala I still want to visit like Tikal or Semuc Champey.

Day 4: tumblr

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 4: The meaning behind your tumblr name

As I mentioned in Day 1, I have three tumblr accounts. One is pilarintechnicolor, which is a handle I use for most of my social media. Technicolor is considered a color revolution in movies, celebrated high saturation colors. I like it because it brings back a sense of retro, nostalgic bright saturated colors which match my colorful, retro personality quite well. I have been using the technicolor handle on social media since my first myspace over a decade ago.

My other tumblr is technicolorgrapefruit. This is a fan blog for my favorite idol. It's based on an inside joke with my idol, a play of words his group members coined which basically means he is short and stubby. Grapefruit is a cute nickname for my bias.

And my last tumblr is fuckyeahasianguyswithlonghair, which honestly, has the most obvious meaning XD

Day 3: how was your day?

30-Day Blogging Challenge

Day 3: Your day, in great detail.

I woke up today earlier than usual, because I had a breakfast date with a good friend and former colleague. One of the things I care a lot about is the clothes I wear, so I spent considerable time picking a cute outfit. I went for a black circle skirt, tights and blue shoes, with a blue and white top. I was happy because the top fit really well after a while of being quite small. I wore the watch this friend gave me.

She picked me up and we went to Arepados. I asked about "queso de mano", and it turns out its just like home-made mozzarella. I ordered arepa with fried egg and queso de mano, and a papaya smoothie (no milk). It was delicious!
After eating, we went to search for candy, with a short stop at the pet store. We saw little turtles, fish, birds, hamsters, and they even had a chinchila! A few years ago I really wanted to have a chinchilla, but now I have cats, which are sort of an exclusive pet when you live in an apartment.

Afterwards we looked for some makeup and then she dropped me off. I worked for a bit, but ended up falling asleep around 1pm. These days I fall asleep randomly. When I woke up, I started watching a discussion about the rise and fall of the European Union, but then my mom came home and she wanted to watch it too. We ate dinner and watched the show, and then we watched a few more things before she eventually had to go to bed.

And now, I am blogging.
I don't know if it was in great detail but...

Day 2: likes and dislikes

30-Day Blogging Challenge
Day 2: 10 likes and dislikes

(not in order)

Dislikes:

10- Phone calls. I am an introverted communicator. I want to communicate efficiently, and that is best done either in person or by writing. In person, you can use body language and tone cues to read another person, and by writing you can edit what you're trying to say so that it reaches the best form. Phone calls are the worst of both worlds, really.

9- Sweating. I am going to assume that everyone dislikes sweating, but I particularly dislike it to the point of avoiding sports. It's one of the most difficult things for me about being on the island.

8- Abrupt changes of plans. Ah. I mean, I do want to think of myself as someone easy-going and chill, but to be honest, I hate it. I will shut up and put up with it if it's work, but if you're close to me, and you try to change the plan at the last minute... better try cancelling.

7- Sexual harassment. Okay, yeah. But it needs to be on here because it's one of the things that actually makes my daily life difficult. Being approached on the street, cat calls, sexual jokes at the workplace... Men, just cut it out. That shit aint cute.

6- Extreme sports. I am by no means an adrenaline junkie. I had my fair share of adrenaline when I was younger growing up in civil war, thank you very much. I get an adrenaline rush whenever my phone rings, anyway.

5- Comments about my piercings. Seriously. It's my face, man. Leave it. Unless you're giving a compliment, your opinion is worthless to me. Just don't.

4- Mosquitos. Probably the most disliked on the list. They are so obnoxious. I try to live as peacefully as possible with all kinds of creatures but mosquitoes just... They attack you, transmit disease, bother your ears in your sleep...

3- Dishonesty. I don't mind so much if people withhold information, but if you look me in the eye and outright lie to me... It's hard to forgive. Not only lies, but if you present facts to me in a way intended to deceive me, trust me, I will know. And I will not like it.

2- Honestly, I don't know what more. I even asked people around me to tell me things I don't like, but we came up empty.

1- So I guess I'm quite positive? Ha... moving on to...

Likes:

10- Dresses. There's something so nice about throwing on the equivalent of a long t-shirt and looking awesome. Dresses are the easy way of wearing clothes. No need to match them, and looks polished and good with minimum effort. Jeans girls are sleeping.

9- Walks. Walking as exercise is probably my favorite form of exercise. Going for a walk with a friend as a form of hanging out is also pretty great.

8- Green leaves. Leafy trees and plants, and vegetables and grass. Green is my (and most people's) favorite color, it's so peaceful and refreshing and happy. Leafy greens, to me, are a sign that things are good.

7- Coffee. A lot of people like coffee, right? But for me it's also a part of my identity, sort of a daily ritual of sorts. There's few things better than a good cup of coffee.

6- Makeup. It's like painting a beautiful picture, but on your face, and you carry it around and show it to everyone and it makes you feel gorgeous <3

5- Friends. Listen, I'm not the easiest person to befriend. I wait days to reply to texts or call back, never answer my phone, and I'm a hermit. I will probably tease you quite a lot. Friends, I'm so thankful to those of you who make an effort to stay in touch and hang out and try hard to be my friend even against the odds. You are the true heroes. (You too, family <3)

4- Youtube documentaries. From Al Jazeera to Black Child Productions, I watch them all. So many different and contrasting views, for a critical like me, is a gem. So much to learn about so many things.

3- Night time. I'm a true, honest night owl. Sunshine? Not for me. Take me to the beach in the middle of the night and watch me flourish. Also, I can see better at night.

2- Books. Books are the solace of the hermit, it's my main socialization and form of communication. Now that the internet is upon us, I admit I spend more time looking things up and watching documentaries, but there's a connection that only books can provide.

1- Cats. My cats are the ultra best, they're hands down the cutest, loveliest, funniest cats to ever bless the face of the earth. But other people's cats are also quite amazing. Cats, dogs, and all kinds of animals are truly the joy of my life.

There you have it. 

Day 1: the basics

30-Day Blogging Challenge
Day 1: Write some basic things about yourself


"There's nothing basic about myself", I want to answer.
But if I can be a little more honest, I can be quite basic I guess. Do I realize that's not the intention of the question? Yes, I do.
Listen, I am a trained philosopher. I have an obligation to consider all possible interpretations for a prompt.

So here it goes.

I love coffee, the internet, and cats. I have not one, not two, but three Tumblr accounts. I have an iPhone, lots and lots and lots of selfies on snapchat and instagram, I post my food, my cats, my hair. I talk about my hair and spend a lot of time on it. I love to take amateur photographs, editing them, and posting them with lots of hashtags.
I rooted for 1D on the X-factor.
Leggings? I have about 5. Which is 5 more than the jeans I own. I can quote Mean Girls to a T.

Then again, I never bought any ugg boots.

I'm doing this.

In the effort to start consistently blogging and writing again, I decided to take on this 30 day challenge. Granted, February is not the best month for 30-days stuff but what does it matter? I will finish this on the second of March. So be it.





DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6
DAY 7
DAY 8
DAY 9
DAY 10
DAY 11
DAY 12
DAY 13
DAY 14
DAY 15
DAY 16
DAY 17
DAY 18
DAY 19
DAY 20