Ava V. Aboy: 2015

November 2015: 3 Problems in my life right now and 3 simple Solutions

What have I been doing with my life?

I am 20 years old. I should have done a lot by now yet at this point in my life, I cannot think of a single great achievement. Yesterday morning, I went to the 6^th Annual PANAF IMC Youth Congress and I was lucky enough to hear form the keynote speaker, Mr. Lean Legarda Leviste, the 22 year old President and Founder of Solar Philippines. What an inspiring young man! Google him and be amazed.

Anyway, Mr. Legarda Leviste said at one significant point in his life, he had a “quarter-life crisis.” He said that people his age were already giving so much to the world that made him question his purpose in life. The story on his quarter-life crisis pierced me through the heart like a knife. WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE? Eboy Fernandez, Art Director at BBDO Guerrero and former schoolmate of mine (he was a senior when I was a freshman in UST High School), started his career in the Advertising industry at a tender age of 19 and he has already won 2 Cannes Lions in his lifetime. I am 20 now, so he’s probably about 23 or 24. Can you imagine? And this is just to mention a few people.

And so I came to realize this last night:

Grades and positions aren’t real achievements. Contribute something to the world, that’s when you’ve served your purpose.

I think it is opportune to lecture myself through a blog about how I wasted my life; just to let me see how bad it really is. Let’s point each one out:

PROBLEM # 1: I have to mention this again; I HAVE NO REAL ACHIEVEMENT.

It disgusts me to know that I don’t have anything to be proud of. Grades? Wow, how petty. I am not even going to begin on how that doesn’t count. Good grades, to me, are like designer bags or wallets; it’s just for show. Why did I stress on being perfect to get that very overrated UNO? Frankly, I’m still stressing about it now. Why? It’s like in Math class. I’m literally failing (not just in my standards, it's that bad). I learned nothing so I probably deserve nothing. If I still didn’t have the finals to redeem myself, and if I were my professor, I’d give myself a TRES. I know I didn’t study hard for all the past quizzes and exams. I still have the chance to bounce back during finals but still… my point here is this; the grade is just the prize, to learn in class is the priority.

Our generation today strives for likes and approval. If they get a ton of reactions from friends in social media, they automatically feel fulfilled. Seriously, what significant contribution do you give to the world with that selfie with your boobs or butt out? I mean, it’s okay to feel fulfilled about that but it’s not really an "achievement" to become social media famous just because you’re ‘fabulous’. Use that fame to influence other people, to help - have a cause!

We chase for the wrong things for the wrong reasons. I am so guilty of that.

PROBLEM # 2: I DON’T KNOW MY PURPOSE

Or at least I don’t anymore. I’m not doing anything to fight for what I love. When I started out with my thesis, I was determined to incorporate women empowerment in it. I wanted young girls to feel empowered through my version of the Ramayana. I loved being a woman. I’d stand up to any man who would oppress. But nowadays, I don’t even fight for myself. One of the things I absolutely loathe about myself is when I like a guy and he likes me back, I’d end up chasing him. I literally have no chill when it comes to guys I like. I really hate that. A few weeks ago, I was perfectly fine and happy doing my thesis and now, I am letting myself be distracted by a guy. Where’s the woman empowerment in that?

Another thing I hate about myself now is I don’t exercise anymore. I love going to the gym, but now I don’t really make time for it. I have all these excuses. "My house is too far” and “I have thesis” are just a few. Plus I eat too much now. Health and fitness used to be my one true love. Now, what’s happening? What am I doing? I’m about 20 pounds heavier than how I weighed in April 2014. You should see my gut sitting down.

Last thing is that I don’t make art anymore. But oddly, I don’t feel as bad about that as I do with the last two.

Basically, I’m not in the right track right now. I have no one to blame but myself.

PROBLEM # 3: I HAVE NO SPECIFIC GOAL AND PLANS

At the start of the semester, I know my goals were to graduate (of course) and to become best thesis in Production Design. The biggest mistake I ever made in life was not to plan on how I’d achieve it.

And basically, that’s my only plan. I don’t have concrete plans for after graduation; another reason to hate myself.

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION???

SOLUTION # 1: LET GO

Now I’ve realized the nuisances in my life that I’ve been wrongly focusing on, I know now what to let go. Letting go is a big part of being able to focus.

SOLUTION # 2: PURPOSE IS THE BEST MOTIVATION

I have to learn to love what I love again. Love is always an important ingredient to purpose. Love what you do and it wouldn’t feel like work.

SOLUTION # 3: PLAN ALL THE WAY TO THE END

Plan in detail, all the way to the end and there must be other options (Plan A, Plan B and so on). Plans change but the goal must always be the same. And plan hard for big goals! Always aim high!

Know your vocation, contribute to the world, live simply and focus! –Just a friendly advice to myself.

6:41 AM
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$tacking Paper: 5 Astounding Reasons Why Advertising Arts Is the Right Choice

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About 4 years ago, I was a graduating student still considering whether or not I was destined to become an artist or an architect. At this point I had already killed all of my other #ProfessionGoals e.g. my childhood dream of becoming a war pilot or a soldier. I have also always wanted to become an actress, but –let’s get real –I wouldn’t stand a chance. So in the end, it was down to whether or not I apply to the College of Architecture or the College of Fine Arts and Design.

One of the advantages of graduating from UST High School was I was automatically qualified upon having a certain average required by the college. I was qualified for both Arki and CFAD. After days and weeks of thinking, I got to my final decision when I realized that I was horribly bad at Math and I wasn’t really up to that kind of challenge. I thought to myself: Architecture requires a lot measurements, T-squares and scales. I bet there’s also Physics. In CFAD, you don’t have to worry about things like that –which leads us to the first reason out of five:

1. There is NO MATH

Don't get me wrong, Math is very important. We can't live in a world without it. But being a person who does not understand it as easily as the others, it is heaven for me to be in CFAD. The quality of life in CFAD is a lot better since students are given more time to concentrate on things we will actually use in life -as future Advertisers.

If I hadn’t chosen fine arts, I would have flunked out by now. My mom is a professor at the University which makes it easier for us to pay for my tuition. UST is the best choice for my family. If I had not chosen Advertising Arts, I would be long gone from the University by now. Or if I did survive, having the goal of graduating Cum Laude would be so hard; I would not have enjoyed my life in college. Every other program in the world has more Math than we do, and if you guys don’t like Math. THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE.

As Ariana Grande says, “I got one less, one less problem” since I didn’t have to worry about Math. On top of that, I learned to value myself more since my weakness isn’t magnified. I got to focus and excel in other things I am good at.

2. The learning opportunity in the arts is almost infinite.

Advertisers practically do everything; from photography, to copywriting, digital, event organizing, web design, fashion design, production design, animation, game development and film making, to sculpting and painting. The courses you will tackle in the duration of your stay in CFAD are limitless! I feel like a Barbie doll that can be anything she wants to be. With so much learned in the duration of my stay, there are more opportunities after college.

Skeptical? Thinking “jack of all trades, master of none?” That is not entirely true. With such diversity, one can still specialize through taking electives. Electives are special courses that are required to be taken up in 3^rd year before taking the Thesis.

Believe it or not, I was not at all an “artist” when I first started out in CFAD. I knew nothing at all. But they taught me literally almost everything. I became an artist because it molded me into one. Who knew that in 3 or 4 years after high school, I’d be living and breathing art?

3. The “Advertising Experience” is brought to you.

There are so many curricular and extracurricular activities that are organized by this department to hone students to their full potentials as advertisers in preparation for “the real world.” Ideas That Matter and Touchpoint are only a few advertising-centric organizing bodies that set events to give students the opportunity to learn more by inviting professionals and practitioners who are currently successful in the field.

The most notable, for me especially, is the Ronnie del Carmen event Touchpoint recently held last August (2015). Ronnie del Carmen is the co-director of Pixar’s newest animated movie Inside Out. He is an alumnus of the University –Fine Arts being “CAFA” or “College of Architecture and Fine Arts” back then. I will forever be grateful for that moment, and to be honest, I am still in awe. To give that man a painting of mine is truly an honor and to have received compliments from him is beyond words; “flattering” is an understatement. I would never be in this position if it weren’t for Touchpoint.

4. Constructive Criticisms: It’s the best place to build character.

Art is subjective –we all know that. Being inexperienced artists, we need mentoring; constructive criticisms and harsh comments are a big part of “growing up.” The work is exciting yet extremely horrifying. Only the toughest of the tough survive in this industry; mind, heart and body –a true holistic formation. Every single one of us had been tested in character and critical thinking. The weakest of hearts are turned into stones before graduating.

I am proud to admit that I have been “personally victimized” by my professors and colleagues and I would not exchange it for the world. CFAD Advertising Arts not only strengthens one’s foundation in the arts but also builds character.

5. Money, money, money money... MONEY!!!

I remember at an Ideas That Matter talk once, a student asked Ben Deluyas, Creative Director at McCann Manila, what he does when people tell him “Adver ka lang.” He was shocked by the question so he asked the audience, “Really? May nagsasabi sainyo nun?” And the crown replied in chorus; “YES!” I remember his answer was something like this:

“When people tell you ‘Adver ka lang,’ tell them ‘Baka gusto mong bilin kita, mas malaki pa ang sweldo ko sa president ng Pilipinas.”

*DISCLAIMER: THE QUOTE ABOVE WAS SAID AS A JOKE. But the salary thing is actually quite, well –true. There is money in Advertising. Big money, if you’re good.

As one professor of mine told us during the first day of design class,

“There is always a need for Advertising.”

This I guarantee you: THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A JOB FOR YOU. Not everyone can draw, design or basically “make art.” Not everyone can be an artist. We are practically indispensable. The world needs us to beautify and entertain. We are practically surrounded by brands and advertisements. People will pay big money to get their products sold. Advertising is the trigger that gets things going. Advertising makes the world go round, with Money being a secondary element. There would be no economy without advertising. Just think of a world without ads! It would literally be chaos.

The thrill of catching up with the ever-changing world is the best thing in being in this industry. Nothing is fixed: there will always be something new. You will never be bored. In fact, you will almost never rest. With endless work, comes endless money.

9:33 AM
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Monthy Review 2015: June

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We are but a mere spec of sand compared to the vastness of the universe, and our problems or issues in life are even smaller.

If anyone actually knew, I am constantly soul searching ever since I can remember. I was probably in 5^th grade; I was [literally] crying, shouting to God about my purpose in life because I was so confused about who I really am. I even waited for him to show himself to me like he showed himself to Noah and Moses. I know, I was a crazy.

I can definitely say that this internship thing had been a big leap in my life, directly and indirectly. Directly; this is actually the first time for me to experience working in an actual company, far from home, with adults working on real projects. And indirectly; it helped a lot with my relationship with my parents. This experience, above all, had made me grow in total as a person as well.

I am proud to say that I have been my happiest in years. And it’s not because I won the lottery, or met the perfect guy. It’s because I found contentment. Of course, there had been ups and downs the past few weeks but I guess the simplicity of my life right now is just – right.

With school being out, and with my internship, I get to work with other people. Basically, I am forced to not be with my friends, who I realized is what was making me toxic all these past months. Detaching with a few old people in my life has done wonders for me. Can you imagine I lost almost all of my pimples? It’s not the soap, it’s the stress that’s the problem; and I am quite sure that the school work isn’t the reason for all that stress.

Through this, I feel that God is leading me to a right new path for me to grow more as a person and as an artist. Maybe the right path wasn’t sticking with my old friends because it caused me nothing but stress.

Finally, I have accepted and realized the true meaning of the statement “people come and go.” It is a fact of life. No matter how close you are, or how long you’ve been with a person, there is no guarantee that they will stay, so better not be surprised if people leave in your life. And I believe, for whatever reason it may be, it’s for the best. It’s nice to be actually thinking in a broader landscape. I learned that it is a mistake to chase on people since it takes your time and energy instead of you focusing it to more productive things.

I have also found a way to convince myself that love is not my priority in life. I have always wanted to be successful in my career and, again, it is a waste of time and energy to be focusing on something that is hopeless. I find that you cannot control people. You cannot make people love you. But your career, you can control. So I will make that my priority. I am probably about 15 years behind in achieving my goal but the time to start is always now, now that I have got my priorities straight.

My life is still far from perfect but I am very glad to say that it is on the right track.

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Frida In Bed

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Monthly Review 2015: May

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Writing about the past has never been as magical as writing about plans or the future. This is probably because the past will never be as mysterious as the future, or at least I never had this enchanting feeling about the past to have me inspired in writing about it. Ironically, History, for me is one of the most fascinating topics there can be. This is because it amazes me that things that happen in real life had been as exciting as that; things I could not do, say, think or even dream about – but actually happened, in the past, with other remarkable people. But MY past had never come close to what remarkable things I am able to read in history books. Nothing in my life had ever seemed to have been really worth writing about.

I am currently having writer’s block with writing my May 2015 Monthly review. Nothing seems to be significant enough, emotionally. I am not at all a famous blogger nor a famous personality so why do I feel the need to search for something so relevant as to compare the happenings in my life in a month to something as phenomenal as, I don’t know - the life of Frida Kahlo or Cleopatra or Marilyn Munroe? Or does the need to comply with a blog entry for the Month of May be my only basis for writing? Clearly, I would not be able comply to my power mantra “Brilliance Over Glamour” if I would just write non-sense stories or force myself to realize something I don’t really feel in my heart, but rather as an advertiser, to only find a way to “sell” the story. Personally, I do not believe that this is good writing.

Sadly, I cannot promise something good to come out but I will do my best into making my story interesting. In all honesty, I strongly believe that the reason for this writer’s block is because I feel nothing but remorse, guilt and indifference towards everything – but mostly indifference. At this point in time, I just want to sleep but can’t sleep because maybe I am not sleepy at all.

The difference with me and Frida, Marilyn, Cleopatra or any remarkable man or woman is that they made their life remarkable. They did something in their life that people can look up to. It’s funny how people tell me I’ve already come so far but the truth is, the secret to my “humility” is that I don’t really think of myself as that big-shot-something. I am nothing. I can paint but in my mind, I am not good enough. I haven’t done my best. And personally, I think being not contented at all with myself is a good thing. It makes me want to do more and be more. I am not at all proud of my “achievements” because I know I have to seek for even bigger things, bigger mountains to climb and pass through.

And really, grades are not that of a big deal. I have to give all my thanks to God because I got the grade that was more than what I expected but you know, to be honest, I never thought of people with high grades as superior to those who aren’t in the dean’s list. It’s funny how some of the people I know are disheartened or downed by how my grades are higher than theirs when the truth is, I know they are better than me as experienced artists. And whenever I get the chance I tell them that this shouldn’t be the case. Maybe the reason why people with higher grades are in that position because they had been more organized than the rest. People have to know that it is also important to become ever-diligent and organized if they want to succeed at anything. What is talent if you don’t know how to channel it?

The one factual story that makes me proud about myself was that feature on Viva La Manika’s online exhibit which had been launched this month. And frankly, I think I had been talking about it too much, so this would be the last time I would ever bring it up. And also, just in case, I think I should say this to somebody (because I have no plans of telling this to my friends); I have been chosen to be the Creatives Head for Touchpoint for the next academic year. It literally frightens me to be in this position because I don’t feel like I am imaginative enough to do it but I am taking this as a challenge.

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Audrey's 21st Birthday

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Monthly Review 2015: March

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A photo I took while shooting for footage around UST. Lucky for me to capture a butterfly resting on a statue at the botanical garden.

March had been one of the busiest months this academic year yet I believe it was when I was most relaxed. By this time, I have figured out how to handle stress and bad situations by learning how to control my emotions.

I have heard this once on the radio and I haven’t been able to forget it since; “In being in control of our imagination, we are able to control our emotions.” I haven’t got it out of my mind because I find it so true. Let me explain;

Why are we afraid of the dark? Because we imagine that there are monsters and unknown things that are there.
Why are we afraid of speaking in public? Because we imagine that we might fail or mess up in front of a lot of people.

I hope you are getting the picture by now.

Fear is the number one hindrance in our lives, and often we are the only ones who are imagining the fear. It is true that “the only person who stands in your way is you.” Because at the end of the day, if you really want it. You’ll find a way to get it. You imagine away all the obstacles, and from there, you start achieving your goals, however small they are. When the fear is gone, you start doing.

This month I believe I started letting go of fitness, and I know, that’s bad. Can you believe that almost every day, I’m at McDonalds? Very unlikely of me right? But it’s true. We’d even drive thru Burger King on the way home at the express way for me just to have that delicious, juicy 4 Cheese Whopper I love so much.

It would be hypocritical of me to say that I do not enjoy fast food. I really do. I love it. It's like the recipes for these burgers, fries and chicken are especially concocted to taste exactly the same as the other, tasting as delicious as the last one.

Although it might seem common sense to say that “fast food is bad” but really, who am I to say that? I am not a food expert. And why do I enjoy it too much? Doesn’t that mean it’s good? I guess it is safe for me to declare that “fast food is bad only when you’ve had too much.”

Ánd I’ve had too much. My fitness goal was to have a visible hint of abs before the summer but do you think I’ve achieved that? Absolutely not! I have stopped going to the gym because of my busy schedule but my love for food is as heightened as ever. Instead of getting abs, I got these embarrassing flabs.

I’ve started working out again by the end of the month and on the first day, it was hard for me to breathe and doing core workouts had become a chore which usually are the easiest for me to do. I even resorted to heavy metal to get the adrenaline pumping but it is still difficult.

Lesson learned; there must always be maintenance especially with health and fitness. From now on, I will work out as regularly as I can. We must always make time for fitness, and although there is nothing wrong with a few greasy burgers once in a while. We must always remember not to abuse it.

6:07 PM
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Monthly Review 2015: February

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A photo I took from the Art Fair Philippines 2015.

February never fails to become significant. Again, February had been a month of trial for me. Let’s admit, it is tough to be facing the Love Month alone this year, but to be honest, it wasn’t bad. Being with friends and doing the things I love had been the highlight of the season. They were able to complete the puzzle that longed for its proper pieces. I felt complete.

What have I been up to lately? I’ve spent quite a lot of time with my best-est best friend, Erin. We’ve gone to the gym to work out together (even though at times, we’d just be surprised that we’d both be there at the same time). She took me boxing on Valentine’s Day. Boxing had been quite an experience for me. I highly recommend people try this sport. Erin tells me that it can be a really good stress reliever especially when you want to release all that rage, and from where I see it, she’s right. Your hand-eye coordination will greatly improve as well if you go boxing regularly. Erin had always been a good influence especially with sports and fitness. I think that was the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had so far; a simple boxing date with my best friend.

This month, the concept of self-love has been greatly emphasized also. I got a new gym membership this month and I’ve started really working out again. The past months, football was the only main workout I get. Now, I’ve set new fitness goals. I strongly believe that we should NOT stop going to the gym after we have reached our fitness goals. There is always room for self-improvement. And I do believe that one can never go wrong with being fit. One can take a step back with the intensity of their workout after reaching their fitness goals but we should never ever stop.

I have also let myself let go with a little bit of temptation. Since I’ve reached my fitness goals already, I’ve let myself indulge with food like fries, pizza, ice cream and cake. I have also recently discovered how amazing Korean food is and it’s starting to become my favorite food. Back then I’ve always felt guilty whenever I eat “bad food.” But then I’ve realized that I should let myself live a little, especially since I’ve worked too hard and I think I deserve it as a reward. I believe that to feed one’s body with “cheat food” is to feed one’s soul with love. I just loooooove to eat! To be honest, it’s one of my favorite things to do.

See? “Doing what you love with the people you love.” And it doesn’t have to be a significant other. It can be your family or friends, or even just yourself. All you have to do is to let yourself see the good in things, only then will you feel complete.

12:28 AM
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Tips On How To Become Organized

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I have been what they call “burara” since the day one. I have lost things from cellphones, to wallets and many more that I cannot even remember. Recently my uncle who also happens to be a priest finally had the rage to brutally lecture me about how careless I am. It was one of the worst awakenings in my entire life.

It was Valentine's Day. I just got home from a long day of school in the morning and boxing in the afternoon with my best friend. I badly wanted to sleep since I was already too exhausted but my uncle met with us for dinner and then after, we went home so he could get my iPad’s charger to have it fixed. For some reason the charger I had was fake. Apparently, I lost the original charger. I as "too burara" to even remember how that happened. The iPad was from him and he was furious when he knew about it.

We stayed up until around 2am. I was exhausted and obviously, he was too. And he still had to drive to Manila because he had a mass at 7am the next day. He very much disregarded the exhaustion to talk to me about how I should be and how I should take care about things.

Here are some tips that I have made after that brutal “talk.”

Always be aware. Be aware of yourself, your things, and your surroundings. It is wise to practice full awareness even when at home or in a “safe” place. One can never be too sure. This will also train your mind to be alert and sharp at all times.
There is no such thing as too much when it comes to being safe. “Prevention is better than cure” as they say. “It is better to be safe than to be sorry.” We must take care of our belongings before it is too late. Your wallet should not have to be stolen for you to realize that you should not leave it lying just anywhere.
Take extra effort if it is important to you. For example, you have your very important presentation, your thesis presentation maybe. When writing it, make sure you always hit save. When you’re finished, keep a back-up in another USB. Even after saving, you must print it just to be even surer. Do not trust anyone but yourself to handle very important documents, files, objects etc.
Get informed. With gadgets, make it a point that you take time to read the manual for you to be able to take care of them correctly. This will also help you understand your gadget, enabling you to save time troubleshooting if ever a problem arises.
Use "organizers". Use a bag that has many pockets to keep your belongings organized. Use pouches or small containers to hold smaller objects. Organize your things based on groups (like for example, make-up should be in this pouch, important IDs and credit cards are to be put in that wallet, etc.)
Inventory your belongings regularly. Make it a habit to unload all your stuff to check what’s in it. This will also enable you to see what you don’t need and to remove the clutter especially in your daily bags, which leads us to;
Pack light. The less you carry, the fewer things you will have to take care of. Not to mention a lighter bag. They key is to make sure that you only carry what you absolutely need.

Now, I am religiously applying these tips. I have still so much to improve on but at least I am on the right track. “Better late than never” right? And believe me, it is fascinating how being organized can get when your life becomes easier simply because you are very much aware.

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November 2015: 3 Problems in my life right now and 3 simple Solutions

PROBLEM # 1: I have to mention this again; I HAVE NO REAL ACHIEVEMENT.

PROBLEM # 2: I DON’T KNOW MY PURPOSE

PROBLEM # 3: I HAVE NO SPECIFIC GOAL AND PLANS

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION???

SOLUTION # 1: LET GO

SOLUTION # 2: PURPOSE IS THE BEST MOTIVATION

SOLUTION # 3: PLAN ALL THE WAY TO THE END

Know your vocation, contribute to the world, live simply and focus! –Just a friendly advice to myself.

$tacking Paper: 5 Astounding Reasons Why Advertising Arts Is the Right Choice

1. There is NO MATH

2. The learning opportunity in the arts is almost infinite.

3. The “Advertising Experience” is brought to you.

4. Constructive Criticisms: It’s the best place to build character.

5. Money, money, money money... MONEY!!!

Monthy Review 2015: June

Frida In Bed

Monthly Review 2015: May

Audrey's 21st Birthday

Monthly Review 2015: March

Monthly Review 2015: February

Tips On How To Become Organized

Monthly Review 2015: January

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