Young Love - A Note To Self

Cara in Rio De Janeiro (photo credit: Macy Yap)

There has been a request from some wonderful blog-followers for more words, and so I share with you an excerpt from a much longer, much more sensitive piece of "literature" that I have written, that will be released when the time is right (if that time ever comes).

For now, I leave you with these thoughts for the teens to 20-somethings, from this 20-something's own instructions to herself.

*****

--- If you are in a relationship, make sure it is one that empowers you, one that allows you to learn from each other, not one that holds you back. Make sure it is one that doesn’t get in the way of you being you in your youth. 

Make sure it is one that teaches you about yourself. 

Make sure that it is one that makes you laugh more than it makes you cry. 

Make sure it is one that makes you feel like your capabilities are boundless.

Be with someone who supports you, someone who doesn’t impose unsolicited opinions, someone who allows you to take time for yourself. 

Be with someone you can honestly converse with, someone that listens, someone that you want to listen to.

Be with someone who doesn't possess you, but who possesses qualities that you admire.

Be with someone who doesn’t play mind games, who doesn’t use guilt to manipulate you. 

Be with someone who wants to know you, someone that wants you to know who you are.

Be with someone who makes you feel good about yourself, who everyday tells you that you are beautiful both inside and out.

Be with someone equally ambitious, someone also constantly working on self-improvement, someone who inspires you to challenge yourself instead of just being comfortable with what you have. It is more likely that this kind of person will understand that at this point in your life he may not always come first, but that that doesn’t necessarily make him any less important.

Be with someone who truly appreciates not just your presence but your role in his life, someone that trusts you and someone that you can trust. 

Be that someone for someone.

The time will come for compromises and sacrifices, but there is no better time to discover who YOU are than in your youth. 

The right person will admire your strength of character. 

The right person will encourage you to be the best version of you that you can be, and the feeling of security within that relationship will be unbreakable. ---

*****

To readers who have reached out via Twitter/Facebook/E-mail, thank you. I am honored, delighted, humbled.

Peace, Light, and Love,

Cara

Short Stories: 5 - Sweet Dreams, A Collaboration

A buddy of mine from The Digital Outhouse, Joseph Albert, and I have collaborated on a couple of tracks across the seas via Skype and the magic of Garageband for Mac computers.

There was a time when Joe was living in Taiwan while I was in Sweden, he sent me an audio file of him on the guitar playing Maroon 5's Sunday Morning. I was living in Stockholm in the dead of winter, stuck in my apartment to escape temperatures that dropped as far as -20. One snowy evening, I decided to record my voice over Joe's track, twice.

The result?

Another one of our little projects was a humble rendition of the timeless Beatles classic Across The Universe, also covered by Fiona Apple, and later the title of a movie based on the Beatles discography. Following the same concept as our first collaboration, Across The Universe was produced across-the-seas thanks to the magic of technology. Joe's guitar track was recorded in Singapore, while my vocals were laid on in two parts, first in the Prague, then in Stockholm.

A simple little lullaby to drift off to:

Sweet dreams.

*note: While technology played a huge part in the making of these tracks, there was no auto-tuning involved.

Short Stories: 4 - Teach Me Tonight

What else makes Cara feel small? Singing with a big band.

I had the great pleasure of attempting to cover the classic Teach Me Tonight, a very loose and low-key jam night at home with The Executives Band giving it our own little twist. We were graced by the presence of Jay Cummings, veteran drummer of the Stan Kenton Orchestra who has played with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman, and the Glenn Miller band.

Must-see: Dinah Washington's version, Frank Sinatra's version, and of course that of (my greatest influence) Amy Winehouse.

Note: Don't mind my Swiss uncle's little cameo, he's having a good time. Ha ha :)

Short Stories: 3 - Family Ties

Meet Fidel V. Ramos, 12th President of the Republic of the Philippines.
My paternal grandfather served as his Secretary of Foreign Affairs,
and my maternal grandfather served as Best Man at his wedding.

Cara with FVR, mom and dad 

Did I mention...

... that I sing?

No music. No microphone. No makeup.

Travel Tidbits: 2 - Breathtaking Views

Sharing some of my favorite "oh my goodness" moments from my travels, via my own pictures... 

Sun Salutations: Sunrise at Angkor Wat, taken from across the pond, Siem Reap, Cambodia

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

City on a cloud: San Francisco skyline taken from Mt. Tamalpais, California, USA

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Almost Dreamlike: Pao de Azucar and landscape taken from Corcovado National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Emerald City: The Sao Paolo skyline taken from Ibirapuera Park, Brazil

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Sugar-dusted: Old town Prague in the wintertime taken from the palace grounds, Czech Republic

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Spectacular: The Alps, taken in flight en route to Barcelona from Prague

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Turrets and Towers: Old walled-city of Tallin taken from the top of St. Olaf's church, the tallest building in the world from 1549-1625, Estonia

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Bridge Old to New: Riga, taken from the bell tower of St. Peter's Cathedral, Latvia

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

The Future: Eco-developments, taken from the top deck of Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Holiday Parade: taken at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial grounds, Taipei, Taiwan

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Jungles of South America: Taken in flight above the border of Argentina and Paraguay

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Cataratas del Iguacu, taken from a helicopter over Argentina

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Buildings as far as the eye can see: taken from the BANESPA tower (Sao Paulo's version of NYC's Empire State Building), Brazil

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Ooh Barcelona: taken from Gaudi's Park Guell, Spain 

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Wien: Taken from the palace grounds, Vienna, Austria

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Taken while skiing (well, attempting to) in Tahoe, USA

Three Bridges: The Vltava river, taken from a park behind the Prime Minister's office, Prague, Czech Republic

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Hong Kong Skyline: taken from Victoria Peak, Hong Kong

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

The lesser-seen side of the island, Boracay, Philippines

(photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

Short Stories: 2

Cara by the shore (photo credit: Macy Yap) 

The Ipanema coastline is beautiful,
but equally carnivorous. Thank God for Brazilian lifeguards.

They're not just nice to look at,
they save lives.

The following photos tell the story of an act of heroism I was lucky enough to witness while on location in Rio de Janeiro.

Watch that current, kids!

Lifeguards on Ipanema beach (photo by: Cara Manglapus)

On the lookout (photo credit: Cara Manglapus) 

Chopper rescues drowning kids (photo credit: Cara Manglapus) 

Safely ashore (photo credit: Cara Manglapus)

(photo credit: Macy Yap)

Influence & Inspiration: 4

RIP

 Etta James 

1938-2012

Another heavenly voice joins His choir of angels;

Generations upon generations will love you for giving us this gem.

Including current DJ sensation, Avicii.

Thank you, Ms. James.

What Women Want

Disclaimer: I'm probably the one-millionth person to touch on this topic, but I'm new to the blogosphere, allow me my two cents ;)

Ryan Gosling (photo credit: GQ Magazine)

Sometimes a girl meets a boy who tickles her fancy right off the bat. 

It may be the color of his eyes, the rhythm in his step, or the tenor in his “Hello.” His haircut, his wristwatch, or the mere timing of the acquaintance – she can’t quite explain what it is, not even to herself. But he interests her, and he doesn’t even know it yet.

Most men think they have the power to make women fall for them, when the truth is that every man that’s ever been given a chance to prove his worth has already been pre-selected. Yup, I hate to break it to you boys, but you aren’t in control of whether or not our panties fall to the floor, we are. Your efforts don’t actually go towards catching our attention so much as towards keeping us attentive.

We don’t essentially want you to knock us off of our feet, because in reality nobody really chooses to fall – and I’m speaking literally too. What we want is for you to prove that we were right about you all along, that you were worth our time like we thought you were. What women want is to be right, always right, and to be acknowledged for being right. #UniversalTruth

At this point I predict male readers will be firing up force fields around their pride, citing instances where they’ve successfully “bagged chicks” without even trying. First, relax boys, it's just a blog. Second, as early as now we can come to an agreement. It isn’t your #SwabeMoves that get us, its your personhood.

Okay, okay, so we swoon over the athletes and the movie stars and the musicians, but their physical appearance merely tickles our appetite. Women of substance appreciate men of substance, which is probably why even the less-than-perfect / asymmetrical-faced athletes, movie stars and musicians have groupies. We’re attracted to the passion that they have for their craft and to their personal drive to succeed. (Speaking of Drive, hello Ryan Gosling.)

While some women are particularly drawn to the shy guy, I am partial to boys with confidence – with humor and wit to back it up – boys that don’t take themselves too seriously, but are serious about what they want out of life. Whether we go for the one that waits for us to give him the “it’s OK you can talk to me” signal or the one that introduces himself with ease, all women will agree that we are easily attracted to a man who is comfortable with who he is.

There is nothing sexier than a sense of self-worth (that goes both ways, ladies). I’m not talking about the guy that’s so full of himself that he jabbers on about his accomplishments (or his inherited fortune – hey, if you didn’t earn it yourself then it isn’t yours to brag about). I’m talking about the guy that knows he has something good to contribute to society, and who continuously works towards self improvement. If he can show purity of intention and a genuine interest to get to know a lady better, then she will leave a window of opportunity open. Usually, it is at that time when a man thinks, “Aha, her guard is down, I can make my move.”

Not at all do I mean to discredit a man’s ability to attract the opposite sex, but to give credit to the man that knows that the most effective way to get a woman’s attention is to be a man, himself.

Carry yourself like you know who you are and what you expect of yourself, so that she, in turn, will know what she can expect from you.

We may be fickle about shoes, handbags and dessert, but when it comes to men, we know what we want when we see it. ;)

Cheers! 

Bro Tip: We like it when you pay us a compliment that we haven’t heard before.

Big Things, Small Cara

The ocean makes Cara feel small;

Krabi, THAILAND  (photo credit: Macy Yap)

Football stadiums make Cara feel small;

Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL

Giant rock formations make Cara feel small;

Krabi, THAILAND  (photo credit: Macy Yap)

A big brass Buddha makes Cara feel small;

Lantau, HONG KONG (photo credit: Martin de Guzman)

The Eiffel Tower makes Cara feel small;

Paris, FRANCE (photo credit: Mahalia Parcero)

Jaws at Universal Studios makes Cara feel small;

Los Angeles, California, USA

The New York Stock Exchange flag makes Cara feel small;

New York, USA

Giant park sculptures make Cara feel small;

Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo, BRAZIL  (photo credit: Macy Yap)

Christ The Redeemer makes Cara feel small;

Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL


Large ornate wall-clocks make Cara feel small;

Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC (photo credit: Martin de Guzman)


Tree roots that eat ancient ruins make Cara feel small;

Ta Phrom, Siem Reap, CAMBODIA


Cathedral doors make Cara feel small;

St. Sulpice, Paris, FRANCE (photo credit: Mahalia Parcero)


La Sagrada Familia makes Cara feel small;

Barcelona, SPAIN (photo: Cara Manglapus)


Majestic pillars make Cara feel small;

Berlin, GERMANY (photo credit: Allison Prevatt)


Quarter-pounder pretzels make Cara feel small;

Vienna, AUSTRIA (photo credit: Allison Prevatt)


Temple grounds make Cara feel small;

Kaohsiung, TAIWAN  (photo credit: Macy Yap)


Oversized lanterns make Cara feel small;

Tokyo, JAPAN  (photo credit: Macy Yap)

Frozen lakes make Cara feel small;

Lake Tahoe, USA (photo credit: Mikkel Aragon)


Asian Opera houses make Cara feel small;

Taipei, TAIWAN (photo credit: Mikkel Aragon)

Mt. Tamalpais makes Cara feel small;

Mt. Tamalpais, California, USA (photo credit: Cathy Engstrom)

The Swedish Crown makes Cara feel small;

Stockholm, SWEDEN (photo credit: Liv Borch)

The Plaza of Towers makes Cara feel small;

Tallin, ESTONIA


The Golden Gate Bridge makes Cara feel small;

San Francisco, California, USA

Wineries in Sonoma make Cara feel small;

California, USA

The Petronas Towers makes Cara feel small;

Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

This golden god makes Cara feel small;

Batu Caves, MALAYSIA

This lucky lion-dog makes Cara feel small;

MACAU

Being on this "boat" makes Cara feel small;

Marina Bay Sands, SINGAPORE

                                          Being on THIS boat makes Cara feel small;

Cataratas del Iguacu, ARGENTINA

               Funny how feeling so small can feel so grand.

I thank the Heavens for all the places I've been and all the places I have yet to see. The Earth is grand, and so are we. :)