Category Archives: Reflections

Working-Mom-bag Review: The Ameli Viadukt Work Bag

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It has been 3 months since I bought my Ameli Viadukt Work Bag and am I still loving it? Read more to know in more details my bag review on the said bag. Let me divide this review into 3 parts. First, the basics of the bag like weight, dimensions, etc. The second part would be about its wearability and my experience so far. And lastly, my overall verdict on the bag. Let’s get started.

THE VIADUKT WORK BASICS. This bag is very elegant looking, in my opinion, with it is black coloured leather and gold hardware. Moreover, the small gold print of Ameli Zurich towards the bottom of the bag is cute, subtle and does not scream LUXURY in your face. It is indeed a classic, elegant and versatile bag than can be worn in my many ways. With this work bag, who says you cannot go to work in style. The following are the details of the Viadukt Work Bag as mentioned in the Ameli Website.

Dimensions

  • 40.0 x 26 x 13.0 cm (length x height x width). Suitable for most airlines’ personal item size requirements 
  • Weight 1.3 kg 
  • Maximum load capacity: 7kg
  • Notebook compartment: Max. 35 x 26 x 2 cm
  • The included strap is 2 cm wide, can be adjusted in three lengths (137 cm, 140 cm and 145 cm) or be used as backpack

Features

  • The bag comes with long straps, a dust bag and metal pieces.
  • Bag can be carried as backpack, cross-body bag, over the shoulder or using the strap as luggage pass-through on your suitcase
  • Removable shoulder strap with locking loops to fix the bag on a suitcase
  • One big compartment with an additional padded 15″ laptop compartment 
  • Four, different-sized flat pockets for mobile phone or daily essentials
  • Backpocket with zipper to quickly access your phone or mask 

THE AMELI VIADUKT WORK EXPERIENCE. I am happy to say that I have been to many places with this wonder bag – first I was on vacation in Austria, then around Munich, Germany serving as my mama-bag, and in New York and New Jersey USA while on a business trip. This bag’s aesthetics is on top. It hits quiet luxury points.

Significantly, its wearability equates versatility. This beauty can be worn as a handbag with its top handle. The long strap allows you to wear it as shoulder bag and a cross body bag. A big plus and a good news for those working ladies out there, especially, the commuting ones or the frequent traveller ones because it can be worn as backpack. I do not know about you but I somehow refuse nowadays to wear those ugly backpacks to work and the Ameli Viadukt Work bag really helped me achieve this.

My favorite way to wear this bag is as a backpack. Most especially that I travel mostly for work. When I do not have much on the bag, in other words, when it is not too heavy, I’d like wearing it as a handbag. When my toddler is with me, I love that I can be handsfree with its shoulder and crossbody bag options.

THE VERDICT ON THE AMELI VIADUKT WORK BAG. If you are to ask me if based on what I know now, would I buy this bag again? I would say yes. It is elegant and classic and it projects quiet luxury but does not break the bank compared to top known luxury brands. Fashion influencers would consider this brand up and coming. Second, I love that the bag is not heavy in itself. Third, I love that it can be worn in different ways.

I am all praises for this bag. But then again, it still depends on each person what they need and what they particularly want in a bag. I would say, when the bag is full and heavy, there are times that I experience the magnetic closure not fully closing well or not right away while I was carrying it cross body or as shoulder bag, especially when it is full & heavy. Second, I wish the handle can be a bit longer when I wear it as a backpack. But then again, it could just be me because I am not petit.

But overall, I would say YES to the bag again.

Mama Confessions Entry#2: Mom Struggles after 2 years of giving birth

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Note: Back to the past – sometime in 2022, I wrote this entry below. Since it was saved as a draft for awhile and also after being in hiatus for some time, I decided to finally publish this now. Let me know after reading if you can relate or have a similar experience and also how you cope with this kind of struggles.

I remember almost a year after giving birth, also almost a year of my parental leave, I was so excited to go back to work. I told myself that I am not gonna just be a mom, I want to be a working mom, a full-time working mom to be exact. I also told people always, especially during job interviews, that I am not only a mom, I am also a career woman, I am a wife, I am an artist, I am many things because I believe I can. I was so excited that I even search a lot of videos in You Tube on home organization, meal preparation, etc.

Almost a year later, fast forward, the inspired, excited mom is overwhelmed. It felt like I am working 3 shifts in a day. At times, I would wake up at 5am to work, then tend to my kid at 7am, fed her breakfast and make her ready to go to daycare. Me and my husband would alternately schedule bringing her to the the daycare around 8am.

In other words, your mama is not only overwhelmed, but also burned out. My biggest trigger was the announcement at work that there was a restructure and that our team is closing. I was managing my depression brought about by the above-mentioned situation. And it has been a vicious cycle of I am ok, I can still manage, to not and to ok again, repeat.

A lot has changed to date, fast forward 2023. I finally landed a new job in a new company. I am still in the same field but completely doing something different. I felt that career wise, I was able to find my niche. This also makes me happier. I feel there is a good future to look forward to, if only I put an effort and show my best. Plus I get to travel from time to time for work. The wanderlust in me is ecstatic.

I still get overwhelmed nowadays – as full time working mom, wife and as a creative. We also do not have a childcare yet since we move in to our new apartment 5-7km away from my daughter’s old nursery. The situation actually, I would say, is more tiring now because we are not only working full-time, but we are all having a home office plus a kindergarten. Not to mentioned, the housework. But I am more aware now. I am more conscious now.

Thanks to my depression – burned out situation in the past, I get to developed a sense of early warning inner device for myself. I know now consciously that if I go more towards a certain direction in my daily activities, it can reach to dangerous levels of exhaustion, anxiety, etc. That is why, if there are certain things not anymore doable because I am not full in all aspect of my being, I will leave it as, or I will park it for now. Like how I park for now my book project, and also how I was not active for awhile for this blog, etc. And it is ok! I prioritize first myself. The more I am enriched myself, the more I can give. I call this my inwards-outwards personal philosophy.

Everything is still a conscious process, of looking inward – to your most inner core, listening to that voice, taking the time to be in silence and be one with the self. Because only then can you be ready to face the outside world.

That is all for now, hope I am able to inspire you in my own little ways. Take care.

Some colours and a lot of silver linings…

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Life is colorful. It can be dark and gloomy. It can also be a fiesta of bright colours. Whatever it is, a mix of all or not, there is a lot silver linings for sure. One just need to seek to find it.

I am happy that creativity tickled my frozen psyche right at this moment. It means that I am slowly breaking into my inner self and process what I am experiencing these days.

It has been weeks since I am trying to get hold of motivation – the one that I used to know, that kind where I feel I can do anything in all aspects of my life. For quiet some time, all I feel is exhaustion – from motherhood, from full-time work (whose future perspective is for quiet awhile absent), from home management, from all other obligations in my life. I have just been pushing and pushing – to accomplish things I need to do. I literally feel doing 3 shifts in a day – from being a mother to full time worker to mother to home manager.

Don’t get me wrong. I want it like that. I want to work full time and be a mom, a wife and at the same time pursue some of my creative passions like writing & photography. I know there are things I cannot do as a result – like having to be able to cook warm meals all the time or have a super orderly home. It is hard, this I know for sure. But when you are inspired, the hardship is bearable, knowing that is gives meaning and fulfilment at the end of each freakin hard & long day.

I have to admit that my struggles at the moment sprung from the fact that work is unstable. There is a restructure and my team is affected. Since that announcement almost a year ago, I have been just managing my emotions. I get depressed from time to time and add to that the hardships and the pressure of the other aspects of my life.

Maybe I have been pushing so hard, to just go on, managing one moment at a time the different pressures and obligations I have, to the point of unconsciously burying issues in my subconscious. I am actually pretty good with self processing and pretty self-aware but this one somehow escaped me until it “surfaced to earth” again, so to say.

But like any other overwhelming situation, I know that I have to break them down into chewable pieces and take things one day at a time. For now, I am happy that I painted which I have not done for a long time. I am happy that I was able to express myself through that. And that’s it for now.

100 words challenge: part 2 – “Face”

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As a continuation to my first post on this: https://artsyfoxygracy.art.blog/2019/08/04/100-words-challenge-series-1-of-1-free-day/, here’s the next part:

“She was staring blankly at the wall for almost an hour now thinking of what lies ahead. She could not believe what she is about to face in the next months, in the next 9 months to be exact. Cara is pregnant! ‘That explains the puking and the sudden weight gain’, she silently exclaims. She wondered how could this happen! Her doctor explicitly said she is unable to bear a child. This must have been a miracle! A miracle indeed, even after all the many cocktails she and her husband consumed in the past weeks. And suddenly the doorbell rings.”

This 100-word-challenge is from Tara – https://thinspiralnotebook.com/2020/04/24/100-word-challenge-face/ and she instructs:
“Using “face” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.“

So tickle your creative mind and dare to write your first 100 word challenge using the word “Face”.

Enjoy reading and writing!

100 words challenge: series 1 of 1 – free day

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My take on this 100 words challenge is to make it into a continuous series wherein the story continues as it evolves. Read below my first one:

It was her free day, so she woke up late, took a shower and went to her favorite breakfast place. She savored every moment, enjoyed every bite of the delicious Brioche con Salami and drank every sip of the creamy Italian chocolate drink.

She found a nice spot, after breakfast, in her favorite bookstore. Jackpot! There was an outlet, as she needed to charge her almost-empty-battery-phone. The spot where she sat was overlooking the busiest, tourist spot in the city. She was observing the busy tourists as they take selfies, amazed by the wonderful centuries-old architecture in front of them.

– written by myself (mg.aragon)

I got this inspiration from here: https://thinspiralnotebook.com/2019/07/31/100-word-challenge-write/ So here’s what to do as mentioned in the link I have shared with you:

Using “write” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.

from https://thinspiralnotebook.com/2019/07/31/100-word-challenge-write/

Be challenged! Start exercising more that creative muscle! Join this 100 word challenge!

What’s you word for the day? – mine is creativity

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At times, when we cut some dead connections in our lives, be it only accidental or deliberate, paves way to freedom and a lot of space enough for you to enable more self-reflection, self-awareness and more space for creativity to come out naturally.

Ever since I started this blog, which by the way, 2 or 3 weeks ago, I realized that in order to increase traffic to my blog, I need to also engage and participate with like-minded people here. And not only because of that, as it also enriches me to do so, I decided to take time (every weekend because of my day job) to read and explore other blogs that is also in line with my passion of creativity in photos, abstract paintings, life’s reflections and the like.

For this weekend’s exploration, I came across and read a lot about creativity and here are my lovely discoveries:

enjoying the creative cycles in life by Tracy K. https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/164007671/posts/194 wherein she talked about different cycles of creativity. I think anyone who is creative like me would relate to this.

I like how Xenia https://tranature.com/about/ at first just used her creative passion through her blogs which end up so much more. I think one just need to stick with their own passion and the rest will fall into the right place.

Another page that always tickles my creativity is by participating in the weekly Lens-Artists Challenges https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/lens-artists-photo-challenge/ wherein for this week, it was about Seascapes. Being an island girl myself, I particularly love this challenge as the sea and any body of waters always brings me that positive feeling. https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/ 

Looking forward to know more about the creatives and their thoughts. How about you? What is you thoughts about creativity?

that kind of love that hinders….

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This is a question to all the mothers out there…what kind of tough love are you doing to make your child/children grow? I know that growth does not always mean comfortable and easy.

If your kid misses you like crazy to the point of “does not make sense”, will you encourage such behavior because it feels good to be missed by somebody, that it feels good to be needed? Do you feel guilty if you do not give in?

I hope you don’t because it is required for someone who truly love someone to go beyond what is easy and comfortable. It is required of those who truly love someone, be it a mother to a kid, a friend to a friend, a sibling to a sibling, a husband to a wife and all other forms of love – to enable those who they love to grow and be the best that they can be.

Tough love is seen in all parts of nature. The mother eagle showing less and less to her eaglet as it grows, allowing the baby eagle to learn to fly on its own and feed on its own. Growth is also never comfortable. Look at all the butterflies who undergo a painful process before becoming so beautiful like it is now.

What about you? Have you ever truly loved? Or did you love, that kind that hinders?

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My Reflection on the Christopher Street Day 2019 in Munich

Friends of mine were at the neighborhood to watch the CSD2019 Parade in Munich. For a straight girl like me but a confessed gay girl by spirit and heart (wink, wink), I (together with my husband) did not hesitate to join them and also because it was just literally a few steps outside our gate.

As expected, it was indeed colorful, fun, jolly, and full of spirit. It is never boring when you are with the LGBTQ community. However, amidst all the glitter, the pride, the rainbow colors, the street dancing, the very friendly strangers, the bright and liberate costumes – it was indeed a political movement. It was a clamour to fight for continuous diversity and inclusion, that love has no boundaries and for this years CSD, at least in Munich, I would say that there were a lot of companies and non-LGBTQ organizations joining, in solidarity with our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.

I also noticed during the Pride Month in June, that in Linkedin, there are a lot of companies who incorporated the rainbow colors in thier logos. In my company, I am proud to say that they also hanged the rainbow flag.

Kudos to all sectors of society who took the time to be in solidarity with our LGBTQ fellow men. And I salute the bravery of each lesbians, gays, bis, trans and queers in the world because I can only imagine the difficulty they undergone at the beginning – when they were coming out and fearing about acceptance from their lovedones and family. I mysely, is a proud cousin and friends to my gay and lesbian family members & friends.