A Unique Christmas Gift from Davin

I would say Davin’s gift was the most unique…

Thank you, Susan, for sharing my books with your (super cute!) son Davin and his class at the Creative Kids Development and Learning Center. Here he is, all smiles with Teacher Reina and Teacher Sharon in front of Santa's Workshop. I hope your classmates enjoyed the adventures of The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots!

A Bright Purple Spot for Your Christmas List

If you're a crammer like me and you're just starting to put your Christmas list together, you may want to share bright purple spots with friends and loved ones!

Perhaps you'd like to give books (or two, or three... or more!) - so how about The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots , a children's story I wrote in 2004, wonderfully illustrated by May Ann Licudine and published by Adarna House? It has been well-received around the world by kids and adults alike, and won the PBBY-Salanga and PBBY-Alcala Grand Prize, as well as the National Book Award for Children's Literature in 2005 (wooohoooo!).

Best of all, it's only PhP65... yes, only sixty-five pesos!

Let me know if you'd like to place orders, then we can arrange to meet or drop-off/pick-up the books, whichever is most convenient. If you give me names, I can also personalize (and autograph... naks!) them for you as well. Send me an email at yellowpaperclip@gmail.com or send an SMS at +63 918 930 2952.

22 days to go until Christ's birthday... Here's to a colorful and meaningful Christmas season!

Our Travel Books in A Different Bookstore

Thanks to family and friends who joined us at A Different Bookstore last night for Travel Books for a Cause 2. Special mention goes to...

A.J. - I was so happy to meet you (photo to follow!) after receiving your sweet note.
Tita Mel and Tito Mar - What a pleasant surprise! I'm so glad you're on Multiply so we can keep in touch in both our virtual and real lives.
Ruby - Thanks for posting our event on your site and bringing your friends and our batchmates too!
Joey - It was great to see you again after our random meeting at RMAF. Hope to see you at the next book launch... whenever/wherever that may be!
KP - I know you had a long day, but thanks for dropping by! Even if you missed "him"! Hee-hee...
Krissy - Better late than never! Thanks for dropping by (and I enjoyed our coffee date too!) even if it meant driving home late and alone.
Lola Pining, Lola Ludy and Tita Tonet - I'm so happy you came! Thanks for staying until the end even if you had a long roadtrip to Tagaytay that night.
Mama and Papa - Thank you for (still) being my biggest fans.

Nina, Sana and I are grateful for your love and support. Until the 3rd installment?

An Invitation: Travel Books for a Cause 2

Due to the resounding success of the first launch at Museo Pambata last September, we are having another "Travel Books for a Cause" with the support of A Different Bookstore. The launch will feature the following: Nina's Travel Sketches by Nina Lim-Yuson, Passport (travel journals in four themes) by Sana Sta. Ana, and The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots.

When: Saturday, November 24, 6PM
Where: A Different Bookstore, Serendra, Fort Bonifacio

A portion of our sales will again benefit ATD Fourth World Philippines, an international non-profit organization that helps families living in poverty to restore their dignity. Visit www.atd-fourthworld.org to find out more about All Together in Dignity (ATD).

Guests will enjoy a night of free entertainment, refreshments, gifts, as well as good company of old and new friends. And of course, our travel books will be perfect gifts for the season. We look forward to seeing you, your family and friends at A Different Bookstore!

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to North Carolina... and Gets a Yellow Book Back!

Remember that trip I made to the post office (when I saw 6 paperclips) to mail three copies of my book? Well, one made it to Neil in Delaware, another was bound for San Francisco (I'm still waiting to hear from her), and the last to North Carolina, addressed to Jeffrey Gitomer.

Jeffrey who? He has defined himself as (and I quote from his website): 1. a creative, on the edge, writer and speaker whose expertise on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development is world renowned. 2. known for presentations, seminars and keynote addresses that are funny, insightful, and in your face. 3. real world. 4. off the wall. 5. on the money. 6. gives audiences information that they can take out in the street one minute after the seminar is over and turn it into money. See also: salesman. (Better yet, see more of him at www.gitomer.com!)

Okay, so why did I send my book to a salesman? I bought two of his books at the airport in Pittsburgh (The Little Red Book of Sales Answers and The Little Black Book of Connections) because I really enjoyed reading the first book my boss bought (The Little Red Book of Selling) and thought I'd buy more. I haven't read many books on sales, so I can't say that his are the best - but I like Jeffrey's because he writes well, he gives simple yet practical advice, and he is outrageously funny... and as a rookie saleswoman in the team, that works for me! In The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, he shares that instead of boring corporate gifts or fancy dinners, he gives children's books as gifts - it's more personal and makes his clients happy to have something new to read to their kids or grandkids. And of course a lightbulb went on in my head! Why not introduce him to the Yellow Paperclip? It was one of those spur-of-the-moment, don't-think-too-much-about-it-but-just-do-it things - I wrote him a note on bright yellow paper, enclosed the letter and my book in an envelope and walked over to the post office the very next day.

I came home past 2AM (after a fun evening with Lyn, Eden and Carlo) and tiptoed my way in the house. What a happy surprise to see a Buy Gitomer box with my name on it! Wrapped in giant bubble wrap (as in the bubbles were larger than ten peso coins!), I got my own copy of The Little Gold Book of Yes!Attitude (the bright yellow book above with a great autograph and dedication: "Nikki rocks!") and a handwritten note from Jeffrey himself: Nikki - Thank you for your wonderful book and nice note. Waiting for world peace - meanwhile, enjoy my book. - Jeffrey

Now that's a real great salesman and connector!

An Illustrated Timeline of The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots

May Ann created an amazing timeline of our story, from the time she joined the 2005 PBBY-Alcala Prize (see some of her first sketches!). Click HERE to see the rest of our amazing adventure together. Thanks so much, May Ann!
She is currently in Florida as a featured artist in Small Stuff, an art show featuring American and international artists. Click HERE to see some of her pieces. I'm so happy and proud of her!

Paperclips on Pearl Drive

I walked over to The Old Spaghetti House behind Pearl Drive and saw one paperclip on the way (a green one) and three on the way back (a blue one, a silver one and a brown one). Four paperclips on Pearl Drive!

I'll post photos from my phone soon - just as soon as I figure out how to download them. Hee-hee.

The Yellow Paperclip Goes on TV

Nina, Sana and I were invited to be guests on ANC's show ShopTalk hosted by Pia Hontiveros to talk about Travel Books for a Cause. It's the first time I made it on TV! It was taped and aired live so I'm happy we didn't have any boo-boos. Here are some snapshots from Sana's blogpost:
There was a midnight replay but I wonder if it's on YouTube... Hee-hee. I don't have a copy of the show just yet.

We also got to meet Luntian Bag's Ichay Bulaong, corporate warrior, waterbaby and now a passionately green entrepreneur. Her reusable cacha bags come in funky designs (I got a cool bag with Rizal demanding us "Walang plastikan!" although I also wanted the one with Audrey Hepburn complaining that "Plastic bags are so last season!") and promotes a greener earth by asking all of us to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) whenever we go to the groceries or the bazaars. Thanks for the nice post too, Ichay! Hope our paths will cross again soon.

Sweet

Not as sweet as Yelley's love story, but perhaps sweeter than the pumpkin pails of candies kids got last night. My brother woke me up this morning with a handwritten note from the 7-year old son of his boss who recently got a copy of The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots as a birthday gift.

Dear Nikki:
I want to meet you. I like your book. I hope I will see you soon.
AJ

What a great way to start a new month: with renewed hope (beyond hope) for more new friends, more handwritten notes (when was the last time you really wrote and not typed?!), and more sweet stories to tell.

Paperclip Possibilities

What do you get when you meet with a producer and real-world Peter Pan, a musician and mother of two smart kids, and a former ad agency creative director on a late Friday night? Great conversation about children's stories with well-defined characters... enthusiasm for intelligent programs for kids... and lots of exciting possibilities for my paperclip and I. Abangan ang mga susunod na kabanata...

I Saw Red

I saw a small red paperclip in Laguna today and three things came to mind.

• Jason told me I should read Kyle's book about his amazing One Red Paperclip adventure. Who would have thought that our paperclips (well, our blogs) would cross paths as early as August 2005? What an amazing adventure. And what a great tagline for a book: Or How an Ordinary Man Achieved His Dream with the Help of a Simple Office Supply. One day, I'll go to Kipling and see his house. I actually sent him a copy of my book back then (I can't believe it has been that long!) but I didn't hear from him. I hope my Yellow Paperclip didn't get lost in the snailmail trail!

• The song I Saw Red by Warrant (eeeeeeeep... How old school! How cheesy!) and all the memories it brings back from middle school. (C'mon, I know you can sing with me...)
  

every day i wake up
i thank God that you are still a part of me
we've opened up the door
to which so many people never find the key
and if the sun should ever fail to send its light
we will burn a thousand candles
and make everything alright
then i saw red...

• The pretty red Christmas trees and stars all over Bonifacio High Street. We have 61 days to go before Christmas... and 68 days to a brand new year.
  

Dreams Mean Work

I've always loved the last line of By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept: "Dreams mean work." Given how I'm practically drowning in work now (and for the next 12 weeks), writing a story should be the last thing on my to-do list. Writing a story one day before a deadline should be a big, screaming what-the-heck-are-you-thinking, flat-out NO. But the orange paperclip I saw this Monday was a big push for me to just go for it. Maybe I felt like I had to prove something to myself.

With the way I dream, dreams mean a lot more work, but they also mean...

• Emailing and texting friends to get first-hand information (and I got some amazing responses! THANK YOU SO MUCH for the help and inspiration!)
• Staying awake past 2 AM to write a 5-page story
• Getting a friend to critique my draft this morning (Salamat, Mia!)
  
• Almost tripping in the rocky carpark where I had to park to get a document notarized
  
• Skipping lunch to drive all the way to Kamuning (thanks for the directions, CJ!)
• Seeing the sparkling new, brightly-lit and happy Adarna House for the first time
  
• Getting stuck for more than an hour along EDSA on the way back to Ortigas (okay, I had a bag of chips to munch on...)
• Eating a late lunch alone
• Staying late in the office again to beat another deadline (and I did!)
• Having the satisfaction of saying, "I really did it!" and "I can't say I didn't try!"
• Feeling like you can still edit and re-write, over and over (so I don't want to look at the story again because I'll just see the blemishes, but alas - it's done so I can't fret. At least for now...)
• Waiting for the results to come out on or before Friday, November 16
  
• Smiling (even if I'm dead tired) because I know I just wrote another story... and I'm really happy how it oozed out of me quite easily, and how it turned out. I believe I experienced a wonderful I'm-in-my-flow moment last night/this morning.

Yes, dreams mean sooooo much work. But dreams also mean more exciting times ahead... and more paperclip sightings to keep me dreaming in the first place.

All in a Day's Work

"It could've been worse," my client contact said in jest, and I smiled back to try and hide the hurt. It's all good, I thought to myself. Breathe in, breathe out, Nikki. It's all good. All in a day's work.

I did a client presentation this morning... and got grilled. To his credit, I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. But with all due respect, he requested the meeting to be moved 4.5 hours earlier (I got a call at 9AM to be in Laguna by 11AM!) which ate up my prep time. To make things worse, he was just plain rude. Pinahiya niya ako sa harap ng lahat. I was warned by my contact about the personalities I'd be meeting this morning and I guess my stupid insecurity got in the way again. I choked. Gulp. Breathe in, breathe out...

I walked back to the parking lot slowly, with what-the-heck-am-doing and who-am-I-kidding thoughts swimming in my head. I couldn't help but feel like I was back in my 11th grade classroom, transported back to that day my English Literature teacher accused me of plagiarizing an essay (yes, in front of my class). I remember feeling so small and so ashamed, standing there red-faced and defenseless. Napahiya. Nakakahiya. At hindi pa ako makasagot.

And then, like a bright flash of light, there it was: my paperclip for the day, bright orange and happy. See? It's all good, Nikki... Don't let anyone ever tell you you're not good or not good enough. Or at least don't let it affect you... so much.

I smiled. Of course I couldn't help but think this was a sign for me to rethink my life plans. With my nearly 24/7 work schedule these recent weeks, I seriously need a break or a retreat or at least quiet time to write. (Which reminds me: Will I still be able to submit to PBBY-Salanga? Eeeeep.)

I continued walking. I may not be able to confront that VP again to redeem myself (like I did with my teacher) but I felt better just thinking about the wonderful people I work with. I'm glad my stress comes from deadlines and not from difficult people. All of a sudden, planning events, editing reports and writing about business leaders seem like a joy to do.

All in a day's work, all in the life of a paperclip. Breathe in, breathe out...

My Book as a "Paperclip" for Others

Except for meals, bladder breaks and at least 4 hours of sleep, I've been working on overdrive for the last few weeks. You can imagine how this email from a client made me pause, smile in the innermost part of myself, and whisper a prayer of thanks. I'm glad my work has allowed me to meet such wonderful people.

Hello, Nikki!

I got your book and read the story. I felt warm all over when I read the adventures of the Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots.

I wondered. If a simple paperclip can connect the lives of so many people, how much more can someone like me… who has more than just bright purple spots… do to connect lives of people I meet or even just to stay connected with them. Surely, the idea of staying connected with them is daunting enough for me. I have a very close friend whom I have not spoken to when I left Intel. Perhaps it is time to call her.

Could I even be that “paperclip” that can help reconnect two important people in my lives who are not in speaking terms? I continued to avoid getting myself involved in their situation. Perhaps it is time to be like your yellow paperclip and try to link them up once more.

Thank you for the signed book. I will buy your book and give them as gifts to friends. I want them touched by your “paperclip”. In a way, your book will be my paperclip to them. Also, I want you to prosper as an author. This way you will be inspired to write more stories… and be the next JK Rowling. Can’t wait for that to happen!

I can be the woman for others, and my book can be the paperclip or the link for others. Naks! Maraming salamat, G. Hope to see you soon!

Thank You for Traveling With Us

Nina, Sana and I, together with the rest of the ATD Fundraising Team and the Volunteers, want to say... Thank you! Maraming salamat! Merci beaucoup! Xie xie! Kamsa hamnida! Terima kasih! Danke! Gracie!

Thank you for coming to Travel Books for a Cause last Saturday and supporting ATD Fourth World. We were able to raise enough funds to send one ATD (All Together in Dignity) community member to celebrate October 17, the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty, with the United Nations delegates in New York City.

Here's our little Oprah-esque interview-cum-talk show, with our very own Bing Manlapaz.
Here's a snapshot of the poster I prepared, highlighting my travels as well as that of my book. If you look closely at the map, you'll see that my paperclip (marked with the pink/purple spots) has travelled to more places than I have (marked with the green spots)! I put up my favorite paperclips from my collection as well (yes, I collect paperclips!). Thanks to Tisha for the cool yellow-and-red hanbok.
Visit my Multiply gallery to see more photos. More to follow from our team of photographers...

We'll do a take-two for Travel Books for a Cause in early November. Stay tuned for more details.

An Invitation to "Travel Books for a Cause"

3 Titles. 3 friends and 3 volunteers. 1 Cause.

Nina's Travel Sketches features her beautiful watercolor sketches in three volumes: Philippines, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe and North America. Sana's Passport comes in four designs and is a travel journal/sketchbook/scrapbook, a handy companion for your next trip and perfect for organizing tickets, photos, flyers and other travel mementos. My children's story The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots features a traveling paperclip on its way to self-discovery.

Please click the image to read the invitation. Nina, Sana and I look forward to your RSVPs. See you on Saturday, September 22!

What's the "cause"? Visit www.atd-fourthworld.org to find out more about All Together in Dignity or read previous posts here and here.

Call for Entries: 2008 PBBY-Salanga Prize

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is now accepting entries for the 2008 PBBY-Salanga Prize. The deadline is on October 19, 2007.

The contest is co-sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and The National Library. The winner will be given a cash prize of P25,000.00, a gold medal, and an opportunity to be published with the help of the PBBY. Visit the official PBBY website for more details.

A Blue Paperclip in Cebu

It was a good omen: a blue paperclip right outside the blue Parklane Intenational Hotel as I walked towards the van that drove us to the Cebu City Country Club. I gave a presentation this afternoon on Creating a Service Culture upon the invitation of our good client Primary Structures. It was my first time to travel alone to Cebu for a DDI trip. I had butterflies in my belly and needed more sleep (I stayed up until 2 a.m. putting finishing touches to my PowerPoint!) so the blue paperclip was a welcome sight.

I also had a blue paperclip sighting this same time last year. Today's blue paperclip comes at just the right time (although this post is a couple of days late) because we won against DLSU again, and by just two points again! Wooohoooo! Go, Ateneo! One big fight!

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Delaware

Hooray! My book traveled safely across an ocean and a continent, and made it to Neil and Rebecca in Delaware. I got an email from him this morning to say the package arrived last Saturday...

It was so cool to see a real book with one of my friend's names on it!! Rebecca and I liked the story a lot, too.

Her sister's family just moved into town, and they happened to come over to our house for dessert Saturday night. When it was about time for them to leave, I told the two kids (2 and 5) that it was time for Uncle Neil to read them a bedtime story. So we sat down and read it together. They liked it a lot. They liked finding the paperclip on each page and various other things as well...

Before they left, my nephew (the 5-year-old) said to Rebecca: "I'm a yellow paperclip with polkadots. Where will you take me?" We laughed...

Aaaawww... I love hearing stories about how the paperclip "works" across cultures. The paperclip has got to be one of the most universal things on the planet, something to figuratively and literally link us all together.

And yes, the character Grandpa Neil in the story is based on real people, just like the other characters. Think of it like lots of Hidden Mickeys! If you only knew all the stories behind the story... Hee-hee. Well, my grandpa was named Cornelio (known as Lolo Eliong to us) and died of bone cancer, and Neil (short for Cornelius, Anglicized version of the Spanish Cornelio), a dear friend from Indonesia almost 15 years ago. He and I had this thing for the color purple too...

Coming soon: Paperclip stories from North Carolina and San Francisco!

The Yellow Paperclip Gets Shot

... by an awesome photographer named Luis Cruz. We had so much fun, and got great photos for our Travel Books for a Cause fundraising project for ATD. Here's the Yellow Paperclip hanging out (it was literally hanging off the wall with a piece of BlueTac!) with its many friends. (Yes, I collect different kinds of paperclips. Now you know what you can give me for Christmas, my birthday and any other special occasion!)

Now you see my paperclip... now you don't!


My coolest pair of glasses...
Incidentally, I also met Luis at the Blog and Soul Movement blogger meet a few weeks earlier. Don't you just love it when worlds collide... Salamat, Luis - with you and your camera, we enjoy getting shot!