THE KOMYUTERA AND HER 5 RAINY DAY ESSENTIALS

Here are the 5 rainy day essentials a Komyutera needs to still look fresh despite the f*cking rain muddying up everyone's shoes.

As we all know too terribly well, the rainy season is at it again! Yes. It's that time of the year where all those cute sandals, slippers, and velvet shoes have to stay hidden for months long enough too breed little spiders inside them. This is when you're left with no choice but to wear those fugly water-proof rubber shoes your mom thinks are trendy. And not to mention the major NO-NO on white clothes. This is when you have to bring a f*cking umbrella around all the time. And once you get to where you have to be, you stuff that same DAMP umbrella in your bag. This season is so retarded.

So obviously, I'm here to try and help you get through this mini "hell" with a tiny bit of grace and poise. These tips are all based on what I experienced through years of commuting around the rainy season. So jot these down and memorize them like a prayer.

1.       Always bring Plastic

I know we all want to save Mother Earth, but when she rains on our faces, we have to fight back… with plastic! Plastic bags are probably the most useful thing (ever) during this season --especially when rains are coupled with really nasty wind. 

Plastic bags come in handy to wrap around wet umbrellas after battling rain-showers. Pack your not-so-waterproof bag with plastic to protect your belongings from getting drenched. And the best part? You can also wrap them around your feet and walk through puddles when the flooding gets worse! So scavenge for used plastic bags around your home. Fold them, and place them neatly in a little pouch. I promise it will help.

2.       Wet Wipes and Tissue

Wet wipes could clean off mud from legs, shoes, clothes, hair, and bag while tissue helps absorb the wetness of clothes that were soaked in the rain. Don't ever go on adventures without them!

3.       Loose Powder

When rain caught you on your way to some important meeting or a hot date, then you definitely need this. Your makeup is probably running all over your face making you look like some emo girl crying over a dead cat. Don’t be that girl. Simply wipe your face dry (see #2), then apply loose powder over your whole face to look fresh despite the fact that you almost fell into a manhole.

Don’t forget to tie your damp, rain-soaked hair neatly.
This one's the Mineral Powder by Maybelline for less than PHP500!

4.       Alcohol 

I know I may start to sound like a clean freak but you really do need Alcohol! I'm talking about rubbing alcohol --the one that disinfects. Yeah. Getting you drunk is another story. 

So going back. If you don’t want to die of infection because stuff from the canal have settled on your feet, then you better have some alcohol ready. We all hate flooding. And we all hate dying from germs or parasites. I want you to live. I want you to use alcohol...the rubbing one.

5.       Slippers

Flip Flops may make your bag a bit heavier but it's extremely useful. You’ll believe me when you get stranded and flood reaches your shins, ruining those brand new suede shoes. 

Get your act together. Save your shoes. Clean your feet and put them slippers on, girl!

Check out these Fold-able Thong Sandals by Flipsters!

 With Love,

I

KOMYUTERA: THE TRAVELLING PINAY AND HER HAIR PROBLEMS

So right now, I can't tell if this blog's really alive unless I actually get comments from a reader. For the time being, I'd like to think this blog's officially boring. 

So imma post.

Let's tackle something a lot of us komyuteras hate while traveling. 

Hair problems.

We all like walking out of the house with freshly shampooed hair with all the birds chirping and the sun smiling on us. Because we smell terrific and we feel squeaky clean, we know we're starting our day right. And it takes just one speeding smoke-belcher to ruin it all.

Yyyep. I hate it when I arrive at work with tresses looking like they've been electrocuted. On my desk, I would have to excuse myself for forcing a comb through knotty windblown hair that smells of tambutso. Talk about a "fresh" start.

I believe hair issues are a Pinay Komyutera classic. Traveling in a non-aircon public vehicle sure could leave your hair sticky and stiff. To save your hair from screaming "Wild Ride", here are some of my low maintenance solutions:

1. CONDITIONER FOREVER

Conditioner practically saves hair from those annoying knots and frizz. But since conditioner weighs hair down, it could  probably make your mane appear limp and stickier than usual.. To prevent this, conditioner shouldn't be applied near the forehead or directly on the scalp. Natural oils from these areas will keep your hair moisturized. Thus, just focus on applying conditioner on the strands from your ear down.

2. DO NOT DRIP

Us Pinays like taking showers before leaving the house. We like starting the day with clean hair and clean skin. Make sure though to (at least) towel dry your hair before leaving..  Remember that the stench is more likely going to stick to a wet surface than a dry one. If you have a hair dryer, use it. You can blast your hair with low to medium low heat for a couple of minutes. If your blow dryer has a "cool" option, the better.

Tip: Chasing time? Flip hair around and comb through it using your fingers while you're brushing your teeth or drinking coffee. Women aren't proven multi-taskers for nothing.

3. SCARF IT UP! 

And there's a reason why women in film wear scarves while riding a convertible on the freeway. Go figure.

So if you live your weekdays looking corporate, a scarf can complement business tailored outfits and uniforms. And they're very light weight. You can shield your hair from highway dirt and smoke while traveling by loosely wrapping a scarf around your head.

 Turbans and head wraps have become huge trends in this generation. And there are so many fun and easy ways to wear a scarf as a hair shawl. You can take cues from the collage I made below. Also check out this easy picture tutorial I found which can be saved on your desktop: http://www.saifou.com/entry/12584.html

Tip: Look for scarves with classy patterns to match your tailored outfits and choose one with colorful and bold prints for dressier ensembles.

4. BEANIE MINNIE

Another fun option would be to wear a beanie --which looks great with casual outfits. If you're a student, then beanies are the more convenient and age-appropriate choice for you! They look comfy and are absolutely cute. You can fold it and stuff it in your bag if you're done using it.

While in the tricycle or jeepney, hide your hair with loose beanies just like Rachel Bilson's. After travelling, you can then wear your hair down and top it with the same beanie as an accessory like Vanessa Hudgen's look below. Check out Selena Gomez's beanie too! Really cute!

 5. CHEAT WITH SERUM

If your hair gets too dry from the wind, you can use serums that can bring back moisture and add a touch of fragrance to your hair. It works like an instant fix especially if you need to smell and look good while exchanging hugs and besos. 

Keep one in your bag along with your essentials so you can grab it anytime you need to. 

I use Ellips ultra treatment because I find that it isn't too greasy and has a really simple and clean smell to it. It's small so it fits in tiny purses or in pouches. Plus, it's just PHP50 per piece so it fits my budget nicely.

I hope this post was thorough enough. When I get to research more, I'll definitely give you komyuteras some more insight and updates. Feel free to drop some comments so I know this blog's actually working. Til the next post!

<3,

B

Welcome, Fellow Komyutera!

Prospect # 1:Fashionista
Bodycon mini dress. Boyfriend's Blazer. 
5" Platform heels. Iron-curled hair. Beaded Clutch.

Wow. This should look really nice and chic for the office. 
But wait, there's more:

Travel time from your front door to the office: 1 hour
You do not own a car nor do you wanna spend for a cab ride today.
Here's the breakdown:
2 jeepney rides + 1 tricycle ride + 15 meter  hike
Go!

You've got to be kidding me. 5" platform heels? Hell no.



Hi. This is a blog about the life of a Filipina commuter. And it will tackle almost anything that bothers (and delights) the komyutera. 

For now, I go by "B". 

I made this blog because I want something a lot more realistic on the net. Let's face it, a commuter's daily life in the Philippines has its own pro's and cons. And as a komyutera myself, I realize there's just so much to consider when travelling in public transportation --everyday. 

When you go online or read magazines, those sky-high heels, gold-sequined miniskirts, and vampire makeup are just so, well, inspiring. If they're affordable, you're mostly compelled to dress in the same way. That's okay as long as you're accustomed to ignoring the odd grins you get from vendors on streets (who are more than certain you're a hooker) or if you've never wobbled walking your way out of a jeepney in platform stilettos. If you've got the guts and confidence to take on any obstacle in the name of fashion, then you'll never feel silly --at all. Good for you.

How about for the rest of us? Truth is, not everyone who has regular access to the internet necessarily has a working car parked on their garage. Most commuters take the cheaper practical option. So if you've experienced squeezing your butt between butts just to get home on a rainy night or if you've tried wiping grime off of your cheek from an open air bus ride, I'm positive you'll get what I'm trying to say.

The whole point of this blog is to bring to the table everything that is komyutera-friendly: from skincare to food to clothes, and heck, even discuss self-defense. I hope komyuteras out there will find this relevant, helpful, and of course, entertaining. :)

Pwera Bisita, Pwera Bisita, Pwera Bisita!

<3, 
B