Nuninu

Just sharing

2009-01-06T22:59:00.002+08:00

Got this forwarded message from Shai, thanks Shai for sharing... :)

God reserves something special for you... there is more to your life than you ever thought... there is more to your story than what you have read... there is more to your song than what you have sung... a good author saves the best for last... a great composer keeps his finest, for the finish... and God, the author of life, a composer of hope, has done the same for you... the best is yet to come... be there when God whispers your name.

When it rains, it pours...

2008-11-15T15:55:00.007+08:00

After a year and 13 days, I am finally updating my blog. I was not able to find time before, but now I suddenly do! Is it because I finally made time or is it because I finally found something worth blogging about? Hehehe... nuninu mode once again...

Anyways... cliche na kung cliche, but when it rains, it really does pour, doesn't it?

You keep a list of the things you need to do, but couldn't find the time to do it due to numerous meetings and issues you have to attend to. You carefully list down all activities you need to get done, but you get called in meetings. You beg off, but you are informed you have no choice in the matter anyway. Hay... there goes my day...

And so you look forward to working at home because you couldn't get things done in the office. As you prepare to go home to get those emails out of the way, you find out that your landline was temporarily cut off due to maintenance work. There goes my internet connectivity...

But before you go home, you look forward to spending time with your significant other. Have that regular dinner scheduled on a fixed day of the week, only to have it cancelled at the last minute, because like you, he had to finish a lot of stuff for work. There goes my social life... ehehe!

Since you have no choice but to go home a little bit early, you look forward to eating delicious home-cooked meals, only to receive a text message from your mom telling you to have dinner before going home as she chose that exact same day not to bother cooking dinner. Hay... so either McDo or Jollibee drive-thru it is.

Things are cool, you can still handle it. Even if internet is down, and you couldn't get work done, there are still those favorite TV programs to look forward to! It has been weeks since you last watched your favorite show. As you make your way home, you receive a text message from mom saying that the landline maintenance activity also affected your cable TV! Naku! Sino mananalo sa reward challenge ng Survivor Philippines? Charing!

"Oh, and btw," mom said. "If you plan to freshen up before going to bed, I suggest you get home early as there is a scheduled maintenance work from 10PM to 4AM tonight. They will temporarily cut off our water supply."

I was actually waiting for mom to say, "anak, better stay somewhere else tonight because they're also temporarily cutting off our electricity." I was already expecting it actually, buti nalang it didn't come to that.

I decided to catch up on my leisure reading nalang that night. :)

At being successful...

2007-11-02T01:30:00.000+08:00

I'm not much of a risk taker, but somehow, i think the time has come for me to start looking at other possibilities. They say that opportunity only knocks once, and I've every intention of welcoming this one with arms open widest. =D

People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be.

One of the things I have to put up with...

2007-10-06T14:37:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since my last post. So many things have happened since then, and there are so many things to do. Most of my free time is taken up by work and that's not healthy anymore.

Just recently, I find myself making an easy decision about staffing at work. To a certain extent, I felt uneasy about the decision I had to make. I know that someone won't be happy about it, but then I thought, this person will understand. And then I get the cold shoulder treatment...

One of the things I have to put up with lately... making a decision that I know would sacrifice the friendship I've built.

Being in the position that I am in right now doesn't mean that I have the power to grant everybody's wishes. I just wish people would understand that.

Sad stories na naman si Idj...

2007-08-22T23:51:00.000+08:00

You seek the company of that one person you most miss but there is absolutely nothing you can do to make that happen.

And so you seek the company of friends and grab that chance to spend time with them when an invite is given.

You simply feel that you must be with other people to take yourself away from a state of loneliness.

I miss my baby...

I thought we'll get to see each other again in exactly 10 days. But when I talked to him early this evening, he said that he was asked to stay on for a couple more weeks.

It sucks to be me...

My Visual DNA

2007-08-07T00:08:00.000+08:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Got this from Moja and TinaPIE and Kim P.

Kev also gave me the link to this before...

This makes me think... is this really me??? Hehehe...

Our HK Trip - Day 2

2007-08-05T21:06:00.000+08:00

And off to HK Disneyland Resort we go. We were advised not to go there in the morning as we will be bored to death by 5pm and might not have the energy to stay until the fireworks show at 9pm.

Zarah gave us advice on which attractions are must sees and which rides we shouldn't bother with. We also took a copy of the Magical Tips brochure to make sure that we won't miss out on the main attractions of the park.

Main Street USA

Shops, restaurants, museums and more shops are located along Main Street USA. This is also the best spot to watch parades. Sad to say we missed Disney on Parade. We only got to see the last car where Mickey and his friends were at.

Kev and I secured a great viewing spot though for Mickey's Waterworks Parade. We got wet, of course, but with the heat and being the hottest day ever in HK, we welcomed the water with open arms.

Come 8:45pm, Kev and I headed to Main Street USA, and tried to secure viewing spots for the Disney in the Stars Fireworks show. The fireworks display was not as spectacular as others I've witnessed. However, what set it apart is how the fireworks, the animation shown on Sleeping Beauty's castle walls and the music are synchronized. It was a nice show, but it wasn't that much.

Fantasyland

We didn't ride the carousel, or the Mad Hatter's Tea Cup, or the other rides offered. Instead, we took time to watch Mickey's PhilharMagic and The Golden Mickeys shows.

Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 3-D show that features memorable moments in various Disney animated movies. You'll get to smell the dessert, or be forced to duck to avoid that object being thrown at you, or experience that magic carpet ride.

The Golden Mickeys is an awards show turned musical. Favorite Disney characters performed live. However, once the show started, dismay replaced my excitement as the host started speaking Chinese, with the screen at the right side of the stage flashing English translations. So instead of watching the stage, non-Chinese speaking audience had to crane their necks to view the translation. Good thing though that all the songs are in English...

Tomorrowland

A la Planetarium - this is how a former colleague described the interiors of the Space Mountain. What's cool about this is that it houses a roller coaster ride that doesn't give a clue which way the track goes. One just had to brace oneself for sudden dips or unexpected sharp turns; and when one looks around, only the galaxy could be seen. When the ride slows down, a flash will go off which means a picture was taken. When you step out into the light, pictures are displayed. I am happy to say that Kev and I look great in our picture! ;)

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters - a fun and slow ride where riders are equipped with "laser guns" and get to shoot space aliens. With 2 people in 1 car, you'll get into a friendly competition, both striving to get the higher score and level. I beat Kev by more than 20,000 points!!! :)

Adventureland turned Pirateland

To quote Magical Tips brochure, "A humorous tour guide will take you along this 8-minute journey (Jungle River Cruise), taking you to see many wild animals. Be careful though - there could be some danger ahead!" Hmmm... 8-minute journey around the river - check; wild animals - check; some sort of danger - check; humorous tour guide - erm... I didn't understand a word he said because he was speaking Cantonese. Although maybe its safe to say that he is funny, because all Chinese-speaking passengers were laughing at whatever the guide was saying.

Compared to The Golden Mickeys, I liked the Festival of the Lion King show better. The language spoken throughout was English, and it showcased really great talents.

That's it for Day 2. Day 3 was uneventful. It was hot. We went to Central, to check-in our luggage, then back to Causeway Bay to shop a little. My feet hurt from all the walking. I bought a pair of uber comfy flip flops, then we both decided to head to the airport so that we can just make tambay while waiting to fly back home.

Our HK Trip - Day 1

2007-07-31T14:25:00.000+08:00

Kev and I finally had the chance to go on that much awaited vacation. In our 6 years together, we never had been fortunate enough to go on a holiday by ourselves. And so we were super duper excited about our HK trip, especially our visit to HK Disneyland - the child in us wanted to see this resort so bad and we finally had that wish come true last weekend. More on this later...

A lot of time wasted upon arrival at HKIA last Friday...

I was a bit absent-minded upon my arrival at HKIA. As soon as the plane stopped moving, I turned my ipod on. I was happily mouthing the words to a song, while making my way towards the immigration counter. The line to the counter was long, but then again, it was the busiest time of the day.

I was already the 3rd person from the front when I suddenly realized that I didn't fill out an arrival card. And so I had to go all the way back to fill that out and had to fall in line again - which, by the way, is a very long line - at a different counter this time to save face... =P

If you want comfort, don't go stringent on your budget

To cut costs, Kev and I decided to reserve a room at a hostel. You see, we only need a room to sleep in, as we expect to be spending most of our time outdoors. So the hostel we chose did not require us to pay deposit - just the confirmation number should've sufficed.

I went to the hostel's admin office, and was expecting to be greeted by a pleasant lady, whom I've spoken on the phone with. So I was a bit surprised to be greeted in halting English by one of the Chinese staff. I explained that I was not able to print out my confirmation email but I have my reference number. But it appeared they didn't understand a word I said. This Chinese guy talked to me in Cantonese and using a calculator quoted a room rate, which is a bit more expensive than the rate confirmed to me. I had to explain several times that the rate confirmed to me was lower, but they could not seem to understand.

I pointed my finger to the computer monitor, gestured typing motions with my fingers, as I said, "I'll show you email."

I opened my inbox, showed them the confirmation email I received from them, before they finally agreed to the rate I was insisting and the room type that I booked. I checked the facilities as soon as I was showed the room, and the flush to the toilet is not working!!! No biggie, I'll insist with Kev that we spend the night at his hotel room instead, where he is confirmed for check-out on Saturday. But how are we supposed to survive on Saturday and Sunday with a toilet that won't flush? We ended up using the common facilities at the hostel, which is right across the hallway from our room.

I got lost in Causeway Bay

It has been a while since my last HK trip. I know my way around Central very much, but the only time I ventured Causeway Bay on my own, I got lost. And then last Friday, I got lost again...

I never had a problem reading maps before, but for some reason, I couldn't navigate my way around Causeway Bay that day. I was on my mobile talking to Kev as I was supposed to be going to his hotel. He ended up telling me to stay put and to identify the nearest landmarks and he'll go to me instead. Hahaha... talk about bloopers in HK man!!!

We planned to go shopping before meeting up with old colleagues for dinner - but it was not meant to be. Kev and I finally met at around 7pm, and we only had 30 minutes left before we had to meet up with them. And so, we quickly made our way back to his hotel to meet with the group.

Dinner was so expensive!!!

Erm...okay...

So we met with former colleagues, and not everyone had that much money to spare. We didn't have a say as to what food should be ordered, none of us even had a look at the menu, ergo, none of us had any idea how much the food cost at that resto.

But food was great, so who am I to complain?

So finally it was time to pay the bill, and we all had to pay HK$ 170 each!!! Converted to Peso, that would be about PHP1020!!! And I didn't even get to eat that much!!!

My slight adventure with HK street food

The last time I saw Zarah was in Greenbelt early this year... and so I was very much looking forward to seeing her in HK again. Since she was also a former colleague, she was invited to join us for dinner. But when she finally arrived, all the food are gone. So we decided to walk around the city and go shopping while some of the shops are still open.

But in the midst of our shopping, this girl made me eat HK isaw!!! HK fish balls, that is way better than pinas fish balls, and HK ox tripes, smothered with mustard a la wasabi... weird combination, but it was very good!

I have a new pet ;-)

2007-07-08T18:47:00.000+08:00

Isn't it cute? =D

Transformers is KEWL!!!

2007-07-01T15:45:00.000+08:00

No spoilers here... I promise!!! ;-)

Kev and I watched The Transformers last Friday. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the movie. I thought it was going to be 2 hours and 10 minutes of continuous action that only boys would enjoy.

I wasn't a follower of the Transformers when I was a kid. Occasionally, I would catch an episode on tv, just because kuya is watching, and he wouldn't allow me to switch channels. The only character I recognize is Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, both protagonists in the story. The only lines in the theme song I can recall is "The transformers, more than meets the eye." That was about the extent of my Transformers knowledge, of course in addition to the fact that they transform from robots to jets, choppers, guns, trucks, cars, etc. and vice versa.

The minute I saw the galaxy on the screen, I was hooked. Halfway through the movie, I wanted to visit the lady's room, but I couldn't get off my seat. Hehehe... Uhm... I wanted to share what scenes in the movie I like best, but I know that some of you haven't seen the movie yet. I don't want to post anything that would spoil anyone's fun.

So there... I just wanted to say TRANSFORMERS IS KEWL!!! I want to watch it again! For those of you who haven't seen it, go to the nearest movie house and watch it - NOW!!! Hehehe... I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Just another ordinary day - or so I thought

2007-07-01T15:03:00.000+08:00

Last Friday, I hit the big 3-0. Just a few minutes before 12 midnight, my mom came barging in my room, singing happy birthday at the top of her lungs - that was so cute! Hehehe... Kuya started arguing that it wasn't even 12 yet so it wasn't my birthday yet. My sister soon joined in, saying that my birthday is several minutes yet to come and that the clock in my mom's room is advanced, so she better hold her horses. Nonetheless, my mom gave me a kiss and a big hug. Soon after, text messages from friends and loved ones started coming in.

Just like any ordinary day, I planned to come to work extra early this day. As usual, I hit the snooze button as soon as my alarm clock went off. Its a good thing that a couple of my colleagues, who are on the same trip together with their loved ones decided to ring me at 7:30am. Otherwise, I would have been late coming to work that day.

Just like any ordinary day, my sister was running late, and so she was singing her favorite tune, "Hurry up ate and let's share a cab to work. I'm running late." Ever the giving ate as I always am, I hurried dressing up and finished preparing in record time. When we were about to leave, we teasingly asked kuya to bring us to work, since its my birthday and all. He agreed! So we got a free ride to work that day! I wish everyday is natal day...

Just like any ordinary day, I was on budget mode. I wasn't planning to treat anyone for lunch or merienda for that matter, because I didn't want to leave anyone out. To save the day, Leigh arrived with a big birthday cake that was meant to be shared by all my friends in the office. Instant birthday party! Instant celebration! So thanks Zimmies for sharing it with me. Thanks to my portfolio team for printing out a personalized birthday card, and having people sign it. I was touched by the message - "wag ka na sad ha!" I assure you dear teammates, I am not sad anymore. That was just a real bad case of birthday blues.

Just like any other birthday celebration, I was on my way home to have dinner with my family. However, my sister asked if we could celebrate both our birthdays this weekend instead. So unlike other birthdays I celebrated, Kev and I had a nice dinner somewhere and watched a kewl movie after. The movie was great!

All in all, I'd say my day has been perfect - ordinary somewhat, and yet not so much! :)

My blog has got a new look

2007-06-25T12:53:00.000+08:00

Kev took the time to revamp my blog template. Doesn't it look kewl?

Thanks By! With a template like this, I'd be more inclined to post new entries. I just wish I'll have the time though...

You're probably asking, what's with the logo? Bakit dahon? Erm... actually, i don't know. Hehehe... Kev doesn't know either. Let's try to make a story out of it. Shall we?
One is staring blindly into space - the mind completely devoid of thoughts; the eyes wandering around aimlessly. Suddenly, the attention is caught by a leaf falling off a tree. Then the mind gets to start thinking. It goes into a Nuninu mode. Then, the idea of posting a blog entry comes to mind.

How's that for justification? =P

My Playlist for Today

2007-06-24T13:08:00.000+08:00

I am one of those people who can't concentrate without some sort of noise in the background. I don't care what chaos goes on around me - as long as it is not quiet, then I'm good. So I set my ipod to randomly play songs as I do some operational stuff this weekend.

First song on the list - Bad Day. What is it with this song that every time I hear it, i feel like my world is about to end? All of a sudden, my insecurities rise up to the surface - then I start to pity myself; my problems require immediate attention - then I get frustrated by not knowing how to deal with it right away; all my issues need resolution ASAP - like hell I could think of something just like that!

So I move on to the next song - Message In a Bottle. "Just a castaway, an island lost at sea... another lonely day with no one here but me... more loneliness than any man could bear... rescue me before I fall into despair...I'll send an SOS to the world... I hope that someone gets my message in a bottle... sending out an SOS..."

Next song please - Run. "Yeah, I run, have I got a long way to run..."

Kill me now, I guess... Hehehe...

Tagged by Moja

2007-06-22T00:42:00.000+08:00

Instructions: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. At the end of your, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

I am a middle child - proud to say i'm not the black sheep of the family... I think...
I am a frustrated ballerina - that's why I love those ballet movies and novels. But I'm only familiar with Swan Lake. Hehehe...
I enjoy spontaneity
I work best under pressure - i think
I am so frustrated by the demands of my job and I do wonder how long I'll last - but I love what I do :)
I find it hard thinking of random things about myself when I'm asked. But when I'm not forced to think about my attributes, its very easy to make a list.
In a few days, I'll be turning 30. OMG!!! I AM OLD!!!

So there Moja! I made time for this...

I am tagging Tina (she never does memes), Carlo, Ed, Mimon (this guy doesn't do surveys either), Weena, Noel and Kim P.

She's Leaving Us!!!

2007-06-17T22:50:00.000+08:00

No more crazy pictorials...

No one to bug me anymore while I'm working and she's not...
No more head hanging upside down as she tries to block my laptop's monitor with the back of her head...
No one to pull my monitor down as I write that extremely important correspondence to resolve an issue...
One less excel guru to help me with those much needed reports...

One less person to witness my embarrassing moments...
One less person to laugh her ass off at the embarrassed look on my face...

One less smart gal to work with in the office...
Gone will be our endless ranting text messages about stupid people...

And no more lunch with missie...

It's time to say goodbye to Mojacko, the first person to ever spend time with me. I'm glad to be friends with you, and confidante to some of your rants about work and life in general.

Good luck in SG, but I'm sure you'll miss us... hehe... keep in touch and keep those blog entries coming. We want to be updated with the latest in your life. And if you ever decide to come home, make sure you let us know so that Lecha, TinaPie and I can have dinner with you.

My Share of Embarrassing Moments

2007-06-10T13:48:00.000+08:00

You know how it could get uncomfortable when your embarrassing moments are told by other people? I sure had my share, that's why I thought it would be better that these stories come from me. So here I am, about to blurt out my experiences to the rest of the world.

Summer of '91

At the site of Our Lady of Manaoag, there used to be a big tree surrounded by sinks. While washing my hands, my cousin took the sink to my right and said she wished she could brush her teeth. I reacted quite violently and told her NO WAY! Why would she want to brush her teeth outdoors? Why not wait until we could find a decent public toilet where she could brush her teeth in "private"? Imagine brushing your teeth and gargling in front of strangers! No decent lady would do that. It is simply not done!

She started acting really funny and was discreetly motioning towards my left. My eyes widened in surprise as I turned and saw the woman on my left brushing her teeth, giving me a look that made me quickly run back to our van and hide.

4th Year High School

We didn't have CAT then, but we were required to learn how to march and to issue & follow commands. We were given practical exams to see whether we all learned it by heart. During one of our practice sessions, our platoon leader picked out students to give them a chance to command the group. I was one of the luckier few and I had the chance to go first. The very first command I issued had the entire group bursting into laughter - and without permission.

The command - "humanda na"

But it was issued the same way a platoon leader would command "pasuloooooong-KAD!"

"humandaaaaaa NA!"

Christmas Season '98

Greenhills Shopping Center, tiangge area, Christmas season. I just got out of an illness so I was really weak. After 3 hours of shopping for presents, I've had enough. I was tired and I was hungry. At the first opportunity, I asked my mom if we could eat. "Mommy, gutom na ko." She said it won't be long and they'll be done soon. So we continued walking.

While walking, my vision started to get blurry, but I didn't want to close my eyes because I knew that the minute I do, I was going to pass out. So I was trying my best to keep my eyes open. In the meantime, I had that conversation with my mom again. "Mommy, gutom na ko."

"Sandali na lang 'to anak. Matatapos na tayo," was her reply.

So on to the next stall we went. At the third stall, I had to grab her shoulders. I was really hungry and I couldn't go on without food anymore. I didn't even finish what I had to say. "Mommy, mommy..." was all I ever said while slowly sliding down her side towards the floor. The last thing I heard was my mom telling me, "ano ba yan? ayoko ng ganyan."

Next thing I knew, I was sitting on a low chair, my mom was fanning me and there was a lot of strangers looking on. I heard someone said, "ayan na sya, ayan na sya." At that time, all I wanted to do was run.

I moved my eyes a bit to the left and saw my brother and sister looking at each other, helpless with mirth. As they helped me off the chair, my brother said, "nakakatawa itsura mo. Hinimatay ka ng dilat."

Greenbelt 3, May '07

My officemates and I were at the Time Zone, waiting in vain for one of the karaoke booths to free up so that my colleague could sing his heart out. Unfortunately, we weren't destined to sing that night. So we slowly made our way to Cold Rock.

I wasn't thinking, I wasn't aware of my surroundings. All I know is that someone entered through the sliding glass door, and I had to get through it before it slides shut.

With my head held high, I made my way towards the door. When I was just a step away, it started to slide shut. I gestured with my hands for the sliding doors to open in true Jedi fashion, but it didn't work!!! I quickly looked 'round for my friends and noticed them passing through the other door, which was clearly marked "EXIT"!!! None of them even thought of calling my attention. They just watched me make a complete fool of myself, let other people witness my embarrassment, and laughed their butts off on the other side of the door.

Thanks though to one of my colleagues who went back to get me and led me to the "right path!" Hmph! Some friends you guys are!!!

Big Brother, Salcedo, June '07

My colleagues and I headed off to Big Brother to have lunch. Our table was by the floor-to-ceiling glass window, and I was seated next to it. As we were paying our bill, my 1 peso coin fell to the floor. I told my colleagues I got it, and slid my chair a bit to the right. I was being careful. Given the number of times I've embarrassed myself lately, I HAD TO BE CAREFUL. So I slowly bent to the left to pick up the coin when I bumped my head on the glass - HARD! Man, it really hurt! I felt the glass shook. And I couldn't look my colleagues in the eye. Hehehe...

Everyone has their share of embarrassing moments - It could be slipping on the stairs, tripping over a banana peeling in front of your crush or being caught acting funny without you being aware that you're actually acting funny. At the time when it all happened, all we wanted to do was vanish from the face of the earth forever. But we never did, and we had to face endless teasing remarks from everyone who witnessed your every move. It could be embarrassing for a while, but when you look back on those times, all you could do is laugh silently to yourself, grin into space maybe, or just smile.

Meme Na

2007-05-27T18:11:00.000+08:00

I was tagged... so here I am.

INSTRUCTIONS: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.

Shelli’s Sentiments
Curiosity Killer
Chrissy
Kim
Nuninu

Next select five people to tag: (if you haven’t done it already)

Lecha
TinaPie
Weena
Caloy
Rom

What were you doing 10 years ago?

10 years ago I was shifting to a new course - from Community Development to Hotel & Restaurant Administration. I was selfish and didn't want to be a social worker. Back then, I was thinking I wouldn't land a high-paying job if I pursue Community Development. I wanted a management course, and I wanted to experience working for a hotel. Little did I know that my friends who stayed and finished the course get to travel to different places around the world (mostly Europe I must say), while I'm stuck here in Manila, earning just a fraction of what my friends do. Wrong move, eh? =P

What were you doing 1 year ago?

Errr.... I think I was persuading Kev to buy me something for my birthday, which I believe at that time would be the perfect birthday gift! =D

Five snacks you enjoy

Homemade ensaymada made of left-over pan de sal, topped with margarine, sugar and lots & lots of grated cheese, heated in the oven for about 2 minutes, served hot (of course) and with coffee
V-cut chips with a glass of ice-cold coke or mountain dew
Instant pancit canton with hot monay =P
Egg-mayo sandwich (with or without cheese)
Tuna sandwich with cheese on wheat bread

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:

Love Moves in Mysterious Ways (Nina, Julia Fordham, MYMP, etc... how can I forget?)
Underneath the Stars (Mariah Carey, one of my faves)
Greatest Love of All (by various artists - used to sing this in front of a crowd when I was about 8-10 years old)
Constantly (Vanessa Williams)
Why (Avril Lavigne - this is the last song I learned to play on guitar. I kept singing the song while trying to perfect how its played)

I actually am a walking song book - just don't ask me to identify new songs coz I'm not updated anymore. I guess you can say I'm a walking 1001 book... yep... that's how old the songs I know...

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:

Buy a house & lot in a neighborhood that's better than what we're in right now, furnish it with nice things, make it very comfortable for my family
Go shopping!!!
Go traveling - beaches galore!!! Maldives, Bora Bora, Seychelles, Caribbean, Fiji, and the list goes on and on and on....
Put up my own business, hire someone great & trustworthy to manage it.
Buy my own place - a sanctuary I can escape to whenever I need time to be alone.

Five bad habits:

I smoke
I work too much
I complain too much (I think)
I sleep late
Erm... uhm... hehe :-)

Five things you like doing:

Reading
TV series marathon on weekends
Hanging out with Kev
Eating
Coffee or drinks with friends

Five things you would never wear again <-- can I change this to 5 things I would never wear EVER?

Tops with shoulder pads
Mid-rise panties with super low-waist jeans --> i hate it when I see girls wearing panties with waistbands higher than their jeans. Doesn't matter whether they are good undies or not, but its supposed to be hidden - hence the term underwear.
Super loose shirts
Thongs -- these are so uncomfortable
Shoes that aren't larger by at least half my size

Five favorite toys:

My brother's guitar - since he broke mine, I now plan to break his =P
My phone - i have worms and sudoku games on my phone, and i love replying to text messages from friends.
Frets on Fire - Kev installed it in our PC at home. It's like Dance Revo but this time, it's like playing a guitar. You hold the keyboard like you would a guitar, have your left hand's fingers ready on keys F1 through F5, and your right hand's index finger on the Enter key, and you're ready to go. My sis, bro and I would take turns playing the same song, doing our best to get the highest score.
My cam - i take snap shots of whatever when I can't find anything to do at home. I'm not good at it though...
My ipod - commuting to work is never boring with my ipod playing!

...

2007-04-28T23:06:00.000+08:00

Lately, I often find myself spending more than 10 hours in the office before deciding to leave for the day. On weekends, I find myself slumped over my laptop, my fingers tapping away at the keyboard, trying to get issues resolved, or just simply getting things done.

I hate to admit this, but I'd rather keep myself busy than face the fact that Kev isn't here to spend time with me. Sure, I go online so we could chat, we do send text messages and we do call each other up - but its not the same. It's been almost a month now (and 1 month yet still) and it does get lonelier every day.

I'm sorry if i'm getting all mushy, but I really miss the guy...

Some people are so blind!!!

2007-04-21T23:42:00.000+08:00

Why is it that this certain someone is always getting credit for something this person never did? I hate it when people who actually did something go unrecognized, while people who never did always get praised!

I'm not lost. I'm just sad.

2007-04-01T01:36:00.000+08:00

After more than 6 years of seeing Kev on an almost daily basis, I am going to have to adjust to not seeing him at all for 2 consecutive months. He's on his way overseas to work on 2 projects, which they all hope to finish in 2 months. Hopefully, it'll be just 2 months. Good thing he's on roaming, so we can still text or call each other. There is also google talk and we can always communicate through emails.

But it won't be the same...

See you soon...

2007-03-18T13:45:00.000+08:00

One of my dear friends in the office will be leaving us. Although I haven't spent that much time with her these past few months, she still remained one of my closest friends at the office.

It was a bit of a shock actually - one minute we were talking about office grievances, the next I thing I knew, she was saying goodbye. We were talking about finding opportunities elsewhere, and while I understand that she does have plans of leaving, I didn't expect her to act on it so quickly.

Nevertheless, I do understand why she had to leave - and I applaud her for pursuing her dreams.

Good luck missie and please don't be a stranger. Thanks for sharing your life with us... :)

This goes out to all my friends...

2007-02-04T01:56:00.000+08:00

A friend of mine once told me that people are always too busy worrying about everything, most especially the future that they never truly appreciate what they have at the moment. People never really realize that they are happy NOW because they think of sadness for THEN.

And so I share this poem by Max Ehrmann, about how each of us should live our lives. Another poem yet again to help us live by....

Desiderata
by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Do not be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

D' Day with Friends

2007-01-14T17:56:00.000+08:00

Anticipation

Everyone who wanted to participate in the war game activity talked about nothing else - who they wanted to join, who they wanted to hit, who they wanted to be teammates with, what sort of clothes to wear, etc.

The Game

Saturday - paintball challenge day! Those who were up to the challenge met at the Global Gutz Paintball Field, looking forward to a day that promised a stress-relieving adventure guaranteed to be fun yet painful for those who dared to participate.

Under the scorching sun, we attempted to outwit the opposing team, crawling on all fours, if necessary, to get behind the best cover, forever crouching low to ensure we won't be seen by opponents as move from one obstacle to the next, while endlessly firing our rifle, hoping to get a shot and put a member of the opposing team out of the game.

The Aftermath

Today is Sunday and my body hurts all over - it hurt to get out of bed this morning, my back screamed in agony as I bent a little to freshen up, my knees & thighs were shaking as I slowly descended the stairs and my arms refused to be raised above elbow-level when I tried to reach for something.

In Retrospect...

The paintball challenge was so much fun and I'm sure all those who participated are looking forward to more! Never mind that it was a bit expensive; never mind that we had to endure the scorching sun; never mind that we had to crawl through the obstacles to get the better of the opposing team; and never mind that we had to endure muscle pains a day after. I guarantee (though I'm not sure others would agree) that it would be all worth it!

DWH Christmas Party @ The Verve

2006-12-30T12:54:00.000+08:00

It was fun! It was a blast. Although I was a bit nervous during the 1st half, I ended up having so much fun! Here are some pics to share with you...

Effects of the Delayed 13th Month Payout

2006-12-28T23:41:00.000+08:00

There are those people, myself included, who rely so much on this payout to settle bills, particularly credit card bills. It didn't help at all when my due date passed and I had to incur finance charges for not settling my bill on time. Tsk tsk...

Extended mall hours - that's cool! However, I don't appreciate how difficult cab drivers can be when they know pedestrians are desperate for a ride home. If they do agree to bring you home, they'll ask for a ridiculously high extra charge, one doesn't have a choice but to wait patiently for a willing cab driver to bring you home.

On the bright side...

Window shopping is so much fun!!! I love looking at those cool gadgets I can't afford, clothes I cannot wear ever, accessories that would look ridiculous on me and eyeing those gift items I wish I can afford but couldn't. So, the extended mall hours and delayed payout really had me enjoying this activity for a while.

Given the limited time I had to shop for presents, I had no choice but to take full advantage of the late mall hours. I so appreciated all those extra hours so much that after a long dinner with friends at a restaurant in Serendra last Saturday, I had time to drop off gifts at home and go to Robinsons Galleria to buy gifts for family members I haven't had the chance to buy gifts for.

And finally, since the payout was so late, I didn't get to spend much on unnecessary expenses. I still have money left, which is more than enough to get me through the next payday! :)

Philosophies in Life

2006-12-10T15:07:00.000+08:00

Just want to share some philosophies in life I try to live by...

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.

You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.

You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.

You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love.

So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

~anonymous~

Here's another from one of my favorite novels...

You can't outwit fate by trying to stand on the sidelines and placing little side bets about the outcome of life. You either wade in and risk everything to play the game, or you don't play at all. And if you don't play, you can't win.

Matthew Farrell
Paradise by Judith McNaught

I scored 42!!!

2006-12-01T15:39:00.000+08:00

I was over at Tina's blog and saw her entry on Dr. Phil's personality test. I'm curious to find out how Dr. Phil would describe my personality. I scored 42, and apparently....

Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

I wonder if these are all true...

The Promise

2006-11-26T21:28:00.000+08:00

I just finished The Promise by Danielle Steel - a very touching story of 2 people who are very much in love but were torn apart as a result of a very tragic incident.

Michael and Nancy were very much in love. They were planning to get married despite not getting the blessing of Michael's mom. In their mad rush and excitement to start living their lives together, they met a tragic car accident, leaving Nancy with no choice but to let go of Michael.

Nancy was confident that Michael would eventually find her, even if she changed her appearance. After all, they made a promise to never to say goodbye. Little did she know that Michael's control freak of a mother would ensure that their paths would never cross again.

They led separate lives for a couple of years - both driven to succeed in their chosen fields of expertise because that's all they have left of themselves. Nancy changed everything about herself, including her name, and became obsessed with photography; while Michael continued to immerse himself in work, thinking that Nancy is gone forever.

Fate brought the 2 of them together, until they eventually found themselves back in each other's arms.

Typical love story, but how the story was written brought tears to my eyes. It was a very touching story of 2 people who are very much in love.

So, here I go again, wishing that life is just like the movies or the books we read. I sometimes tell myself to stop obsessing with them, but all these fantasies about how life could be perfect and all its dramas just attract me so and make mo long to live a life just like our favorite heroines.

A little food review on my own

2006-11-26T01:48:00.000+08:00

Following the success of The Makati Brunch Club, Kev has been encouraging me to write reviews about restaurants outside Makati, particularly those new places we try. I've been meaning to do it, but there aren't any new dining outlet we've been to, until we decided to go to SM Megamall last weekend.

CAVANA
Cavana, located on the Ground Floor, Bldg A of SM Megamall, offers a variety of chicken & beef specialties that are uniquely Singaporean... I think...

Ambience
The interior is so typical of fast food chains. - bright white lights, crowded tables & chairs, booths along one side of the wall, a counter where customers can order and pay for their food, and little bits of food remnants scattered on the floor.

Food
Kev ordered honey roasted chicken, which he claimed is just plain roasted chicken. I had the satay beef hot plate and it was yummy! The beef was surprisingly soft, I was expecting it to be a bit rubbbery but it wasn't. Its sauce was sweet with a twist! The beef was served with garlic rice, its taste reminiscent of those served by Big Red Hen. Served on the side are buttered vegetables and bean sprouts.

Price
The price we had to pay for everything was about P300. I enjoyed my meal, but looks like Kev didn't. So I guess it was worth it for me, but not for him.

If you're looking for affordable Singaporean food on a hot plate, I'd recommend the Satay Beef. But that's about the extent of my recommendation. I've yet to try other specialties.

OHANA HAWAIIAN BBQ

Last friday, we passed by this restaurant while wandering aimlessly inside the mall, looking for a new and affordable affordable place to eat. Kev and I have always wondered how food served at the Ohana Hawaiian BBQ, located at the 2nd floor, Bldg A of SM Megamall, would taste.

Ambience
Definitely beats the ambience at the Cavana, with Ohana's somewhat dim lights providing a flattering glow on the diners. A sofa is available by the counter for hungry diners waiting for a table to be available.

Outside the restaurant are tables and chairs beneath coffee shop umbrellas, which I think should give a feeling of being "outdoors". I didn't think it was cool though...

Food
Kev & I both ordered Pork BBQ. Nothing special here - it's just pork bbq. The condiment served along with the bbq is your typical sauce but with a twist, I'm afraid I'd have to say a bad twist. Argh!!! Just thinking about it, reliving the moment when I tasted its sauce without the meat makes me shudder. But it could just be me...

The bbq was served with plain rice and macaroni on the side. The macaroni salad is bland - lacks the flavor of the typical macaroni salad you get from other restaurant outlets. Nothing special with the iced tea either.

Price
We paid P135 for the dish, not counting the drink. For something as ordinary as this, the food is a tad pricey. I think the dish is worth P85 to P100 max, and at that price, it should include drinks already.

UIT - Part 2

2006-11-18T17:59:00.000+08:00

For the 2nd day of the UIT, we all headed to Microtel Inn & Suites Eagle Ridge, Cavite. This time, the event was successful.

We had almost 3 times as much participants compared to the previous day, we didn't experience downtime, connectivity was perfect, and the feedback we obtained were really valuable since most of the participants were all internet savvy travelers who had an experience in securing online reservations.

The overnight stay was for me, unnecessary, as we finished all our UIT activities by 2pm on the 1st day, except for the sunset discussion. We had plenty of time to travel back to the office and catch up on backlogs. But for some reason, we opted to stay.

There was plenty of time to rest, or to catch up on emails, or to make chika with others. And for dinner, we all went to Tagaytay, then back to the hotel to get some sleep.

The only thing I find weird is how some people claim to be tired, when we actually didn't do much. I guess they're tired from traveling? We reached the office in just a little over an hour, so that was really quick. And it was a really comfortable ride, so I don't get it why some people are so tired. They didn't even stay up until 2 or 3am. So why are they, again, tired?

So anyways, with so much time wasted, I'm here, taking a break from work, when I shouldn't be... But here are some pictures...

Setting up before participants arrive

PMMS ready for dinner

Dinner at Buon Giorno, Tagaytay

Dessert at Cafe Breton, Tagaytay

Microtel Inn & Suites Eagle Ridge at night

Microtel during the day

One last picture before leaving

UIT

2006-11-15T13:28:00.000+08:00

We're here at the hotel conducting usability interface testing for the new booking engine. The entire morning, we encountered nothing but roadblocks.

We were waiting for the 1st guests to arrive, which is supposed to be at 8am. But due to the terrible Baclaran traffic, 1st guest arrived at about 11am.
Since its for the hotel website anyway, we decided to invite hotel staff instead. When they finally arrived, we suddenly lost our internet connection. We chatted about hotel stuff for a few minutes before finally deciding to stop the session while waiting for the internet connection to be fixed.
As soon as it was taken care of, we are unable to connect to the server.
Luckily, as soon as the next set of guests arrived, everything was back to normal. But instead of testing the new booking engine, we ended up testing the existing interface.

Talk about things going bad and half a day wasted! Tsk tsk tsk...

The Non-Conformist

2006-11-13T23:52:00.000+08:00

THE NONCONFORMIST are the explorers. Their natural curiosity, risk taking, and enthusiasm often land them in hot water. They need diversity, and don't like to be stuck in a rut. The whole world is their school and they see a learning possibility in every situation. The questions never stop. They are well advised to look before they take action and make sure they have all the facts before jumping to conclusions.

Got this from a friend, and according to her quiz, I'm a non-conformist. Now, thinking about it, I might actually agree.

I'm a naturally curious & enthusiastic risk-taker that often finds herself in trouble. I love chaos and I hate routines. I try to always look at the brighter side of things coz life is all about choices. I ask too many questions but I seldom seek advise. More often than not, I go by my instincts, which isn't always right. Do I jump to conclusions? Definitely! But who doesn't?

Bad Day

2006-11-09T21:54:00.000+08:00

by Daniel Powter

Where is the moment when you need it the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
Tell me your blue sky's fade to grey
Tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

You're standin' in line just to hit a new low
You're fakin' a smile with the coffee to go
Tell me your life's been way off line
You're fallin' to pieces every time
And I don't need no carryin' on

'Cause you had a bad day, you're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know, you tell me don't lie
You work on a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day, the camera don't lie
You're comin' back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day... you had a bad day

Well you need a blue sky holiday
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don't need no carryin' on

Sometimes the system goes on the blink and the whole thing it turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know that you could be well all that strong
And I'm not wrong...

So where is the passion when you need it the most
(oh, when you're down)
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

'Cause you had a bad day, you're takin' one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know, you tell me don't lie
You work on a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day, you see what you like
And how does it feel, one more time,
You had a bad day... you had a bad day

Q&A ng Walang Magawa

2006-11-08T00:33:00.000+08:00

Ey Ganns, borrow meme idea ha? :-)

Where were you 1 hour ago? - playing computer games with mom & geelyn
Who will be your next kiss? - who else? ;)
Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? - yep, throw pillows
When is the last time you went to the mall? - just this evening. i always pass through the mall on my way to the MRT
Are you wearing socks right now? - no
When was the last time you went to the province? - last month, Cavite, company outing
Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days? - no
What was the last thing you had to drink? - water
What are you wearing right now? - pambahay shirt & shorts
What was your last purchase? - bought ice cream for dessert
Last food you ate? - ice cream!!! yummy!!! :)
Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? - Kev :)
Have you bought any clothing items in the last week? - nah, but i want to. I saw this great blouse in glorietta which i'm planning to buy soon
Do you have a pet? - yep, si Kenok
What's the last sporting event you watched? - basketball on tv last sunday, but i wasn't paying attention
What is your favorite class? - call me nerd but I like Math, hehehe... in college, i liked Beverage Management - lab please... aloholic beverages taste test every week for 1 whole semester
If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be? - no place in particular, just not at home. i'd like to travel - there are so many places i'd like to visit
What is the last thing you purchased online? - mp3 songs for Kev
How old are your parents? - my mom's 58
What's your favorite soup? - dunno, i'd eat anything
Do you miss anyone? - yes
Last play you saw? - Madama Butterfly back in college =P
What are your plans for the night? - post this meme, take a bath, read a book, then sleep
Who is the last person you messaged on myspace? - Eargasmic 'Am
Ever gone to camp? - never
Were you an honor roll student in school? - never, hehehe...
What do you know about the future? - nothing happens according to plan.
Are you wearing cologne? - not tonight, silly to wear cologne while at home
What should you be doing now? - what i'm doing now
What perfume or cologne do you use? - Green Tea by Elizabeth Arden, Lemongrass Sage by Bath & Body Works, Amber Romance & Secret Crush by Victoria's Secret =P
Do you have a tan line? - very faint tan line from last month's outing
How old do you want to be when you have kids? - i'd love to have 1 now =D
Do you collect anything? - Books!!!
Do you have any tattoos or piercings? - one piercing on each ear
Have you ever drank your soda from a straw? - naman!
How do you like your soda? - with ice
Do you like hot sauce? - depends on what i'm eating
Who do you like? - Kev, my family and friends :)
What is your mood? - bored, obvious ba? =P
Are you someone's best friend? - i hope so :)
What's the last TV show you watched? - Bakekang... hahahaha

I'm tagging Leigh, Tina, Lean & Ganns... sige na MBC friends :)

My Wants

2006-11-05T21:37:00.000+08:00

Here is a list of things that I want:

I want new clothes - My clothes are old. I need to replenish my wardrobe.
I want new shoes - My shoes are worn out from all the walking
I want a new book - I've run out of books to read. How am I going to get myself to sleep?
I want to travel - erm... The person I want to bring along doesn't want to travel - for now
I want to go to the beach - I just want to relax and stare at the endless sea; and come sundown, to watch the sun set gracefully upon the horizon
I want to dance - I want to enroll myself in a dance class; don't know what kind of dance I'd like though
I want to own a Yamaha Electone organ - the type organ players use for recitals; I remember my last recital, it was fun!!! And, I want to enroll in organ lessons again.
I want a new guitar - My guitar is broken; my brother claims its because of the heat and the rain, but i beg to disagree. It's his fault, he just doesn't want to admit it =P
I want to play badminton - I need the exercise, and I haven't played in a while.
I want to get out of the house - I'm getting tired of being the perpetual coach potato
I want a margarita - yeah.. I think I need a drink

To obtain all these would require cash - lot's of it! Now that's something I don't have at the moment. So I guess I'll just have to settle for being a professional coach potato.

Brain Teaser

2006-11-01T23:54:00.000+08:00

I found this puzzle and attempted to solve it. It's Einstein's Brain Teaser which he claimed can only be solved by 2% of the world's population. I wanted to believe that I'm part of the elite 2% who have beautiful minds, so I tried to work on it.

I didn't solve it but I am not giving up just yet - I'm a person with logic... I can do this!!! Hehehe

Anyways, if you want to give it a try, here's how it goes...

Facts:
There are 5 houses in 5 different colors
In each house lives a person with a different nationality
These 5 owners drink a certain beverage, smoke a certain brand of cigarette and keep a certain pet
No owners have the same pet, brand of cigarette or drink
Clues:
The Brit lives in the Red house
The Swede keeps the Dog
The Dane drinks Tea
The Green house is on the left of the White house
The Green house owner drinks coffee
The person who smokes Pall Mall keeps Birds
The owner of the Yellow house smokes Dunhill
The man living in the house right in the Center drinks Milk
The Norwegian lives in the first house
The man who smokes Blend lives next to the one who keeps cats
The man who keeps Horses lives next to the man who smokes Dunhill
The owner who smokes Camel drinks beer
The German smokes Marlborough
The Norwegian lives next to the blue house
The man who smokes Blends has a neighbor who drinks Water
Question
Who keeps the fish?

Let me know what you get. No googling please... =P

Si Maria...

2006-10-31T23:47:00.000+08:00

This story is for my friend. It was nice chatting with you missie... it's been a while. So here I finished the story we started. Hope you like the ending...

si maria...

si maria na walang malay
walang kamuang-muang sa mundo

sa kanyang pagnanais na makamit ang pinakakamimithing kaligayan sa piling ng isang minamahal
sa kalagitnaan ng kanyang pag-aagam-agam
d nya namalayan
na may isang lubak sa daan
na naging sanhi ng kanyang pagkatapilok

lagpak...
una ang mukha
sa isang pares ng mamahaling rubber shoes

unti-unting inakyat ang paningin
sa pantalon na maong na mukhang mamahalin, ngunit halatang may ilang linggo na itong hindi nalalabhan

hmmm....
kinda narrow hips ha

dahan-dahang itinaas ang mga mata sa tight-fit na shirt na usong-uso ngayon
ang kanyang dibdib... hahaha... ewan
matikas ang kanyang tindig

at bakas na bakas sa nakabalot na shirt sa kanyang katawan
ang pandesal sa kanyang abs, na nagpapatunay na maraming oras ang ginugugol sa gym

unti-unting syang bumangon sa pagkakadapa
dahan-dahang inabot ang alok na kamay ng matipunong mama
sabay mabilis na nagnakaw ng tingin sa mukha
isang saglit lang
at natuwa sya sa kanyang nasilayan
ngunit sya ay napangunahan ng hiya
hindi makuhang tumingin ng tuwid sa nakabangga

pinag-isipan nyang mabuti
kung nararapat ba syang humingi ng paumanhin

"gwapo sya
at mukhang magalang
pano kung sya na nga?
palalagpasin ko pa ba?"

sya ay naglakas ng loob
tumitig ng direcho sa mga mata ng mala-adonis na lalaki

"ako nga pala si maria
pasensya ka na sa pagkakabangga
hindi ko sinasadya"

tinitigan si maria ng isang pares ng malalim na mata
matagal bago nagpakita ng reaksyon
nang sya ay unti-unting napangiti
at sabay na nagsabi

"ako nga pala si george
short for georgina
sister!!!
hindi tayo talo!!!"

wala lang... =P

Crazy monday

2006-10-31T00:28:00.000+08:00

It has been a crazy Monday because of a "singit" urgent ad hoc task that was due end of the day. Give me numbers anytime and I'd be more than happy to work on it. It doesn't matter if it takes more than a day to finish, I would be happy to do it. But ask me to do research? No, thanks!

Nyahahah! As if I have a choice? We managed to pull through though, and we were able to give more than what's required of us. So I'm proud! :)

I'm a proud ate!

2006-10-24T01:45:00.000+08:00

While walking to the mall on my way to meet up with Kev, I received a text message from my sister,

Ate! CPA na ako! Ang sarap ng feeling!!!

After several months of reviewing, her hardwork finally paid off! I'm so proud of you little sis! Here's to more good things happening in your life! :)

Me Against Them! =P

2006-10-17T22:13:00.000+08:00

There are days when I am simply amazed at how talented other people can be. I'm even more amazed when they're more talented than I am!!! I know... I know... I think so highly of myself. But hey, that's what makes me survive in this crazy world. Hihihi....

Finally!!!

2006-10-15T21:08:00.000+08:00

Several months into the rainy season, the company finally decided to push through with the outing. With the exemption of a few colleagues who couldn't make it at the last minute, we all headed to Caylabne Bay Resort.

Upon arrival at the resort, we were all given leis and drinks to quench our thirst. We waited a few minutes, everyone not wanting to get off the bus as Superman Returns was playing...

Teambuilding activities after we all settled in our rooms. Go orange team!!!

After a couple of very physical teambuilding activities, we all freshened up and had dinner...

...then dressed up our "Ms. DWH" contestants. Sad to say Ms. Celine Orange Calamnsi only took the 2nd runner-up place, tied with red team's Jay-la? Not sure what they named him. 1st runner up is green team's Carla Grasa, while the crown went to PJ.

Teambuilding activities officially ended with a group picture.

Yey!!! With activities finally over, we can now have our own fun...

Leigh and Tina wondered what to do...

Leigh proposed to make Tina drink beer, so we tried to push 1 half-empty bottle her way. Strong-willed as she is, she refused, until she was handed a shot of tequila. I would have loved to post her pic here, but since Tina's my friend, I decided not to...

We headed to one of our colleague's suite and had a house party. I wonder if Leigh and Tina fancy Markie? Hehehe... We partied until 4am that night.

Then woke up at 6:45 and had breakfast, then took a dip in the pool...

Finally, time to go home. These people with me are the people I hung out with while at the resort.

We were all tired and couldn't wait to get home. But we sure had fun!!!

Meron Pa!

2006-10-10T23:10:00.000+08:00

I was reading some blogs over at friendster, and noticed 1 which talks about having no other job vacancies available except as customer service representatives in call centers.

Hello?!?! D ka lang naghahanap! Come to DWH and apply for any of the job offered - we're hiring Performance Maximization Assistants, Web Designers, Copywriters & Search Engine Marketing Specialists. No shifting and super friendly people to work with!!!

Wala na bang iba? Meron pa, marami pa!

Doggies!!!

2006-10-08T21:40:00.000+08:00

I love dogs - especially pure breed toy dogs - they're such a cute bunch that I just can't get enough of them whenever I see one. I also love mongrels, but only those cute askals. I have 1 such pet at home and his name's Kenok. :)

Kenok as a pup

Anyways, I was over at Kev's place yesterday for lunch. I always enjoy going there as they do have quite a number of dogs!!! There's Peachie, Mopy, Dot-dot, Jet & Joey.

Cute Joey

An added bonus is whenever his sister and her kids visit, they always manage to bring along at least 1 pet. Yesterday, they brought with them a Chinese shar pei named Botox. She's so adorable!!! Makes me want to get one.

Botox - I wonder if he can see?

I so love dogs. But we can't have more than 1 at a time. Having at least 2 won't fit inside our little house. Oh well, at least we do have Kenok - sweet yet terrifying Kenok Manok!

Kenok on his back

Stupid Cab Drivers!

2006-10-08T12:04:00.000+08:00

I met Kev at close to 9pm Friday night. We had a quick dinner, had a quick smoke right after, goggled at the new ipod nano on display at one of the store windows, went to Tower Records to buy some CDs before finally deciding to go home.

We found ourselves stuck in Ayala Center, impatiently waiting for a cab to bring us home without the usual haggling for how much they're going to add to the fare. We waited for more than an hour, walked from SM to Glorietta, then on to Landmark and Greenbelt, before going back to Glorietta 2 to wait some more. All cab drivers were saying it was traffic going to Pasig and they wanted P50 more on top of the fare. One cab driver even had the guts to ask for P300 to bring us home, when it usually just costs P100, and that's with extras already.

Everytime a cab driver refused to bring us home, I'd grumble to myself "stupid cab drivers!" I just refuse to believe that it's traffic along EDSA going to Pasig at 10pm on a Friday night, because it just isn't possible. I always get that from cab drivers, and whenever they say it's traffic, it never is so!

At around 10 past 11, we finally hailed one who was willing to take us home. I was giving Kev a look that says "Yey! This guy isn't going to charge us extra." So we settled inside, made ourselves comfortable for the much-awaited ride home. While winding our way within Ayala Center to get to Ayala Avenue, cab driver suddenly said,

"Traffic ho papuntang Pasig. Mag-Kalayaan na lang ho tayo. Traffic kase sa EDSA, halos hindi umaandar sasakyan papuntang Pioneer. Saka pakidagdagan na lang ho ng singkwenta yung metro. Wala ho kaseng pasahero dun sa inyo eh, babalik pa po ako ng Makati."

Did we have a choice?

Anyways, when we finally got home, it was close to midnight. The cab driver was right, it was traffic going to Pasig that night. It took us more than 30 minutes to get home, when it should just be 10-15 minutes at that time of the night. =P

Three Days of Darkness

2006-10-03T16:27:00.000+08:00

Yep, that's how it was when super typhoon Milenyo hit us. Some people are luckier than most, while the the less fortunate ones had to endure no electricity supply for days.

Thursday morning, I arrived earlier than usual for work. Not 2 hours later, management sent us home. I took a cab and hurried home, afraid to be outdoors, caught in the middle of the storm. Upon reaching our house, there was no electricity. I'm such a coach potato that without tv and dvd player, I would be left with nothing to do.

During these days of darkness, I entertained myself:

I learned a new song to play on my guitar. With the help of Kev, I learned to play on my guitar part of Sitti Navarro's original song, Para Sa Akin. Unfortunately I didn't get to finish it. Apart from the fact that my fingers hurt as it was a difficult piece to play, I was also afraid my ipod would run out of battery if I kept listening to the song.
I read novels by candle light and finished 3 books over the weekend.
When my eyes got tired from all the reading, I went to sleep - in the middle of the day. This is such a weird thing for me because when we have electricity, I would rather watch movies on dvd or watch fave shows on tv.
When I wasn't doing any of those things, I played cops & robbers with JC, our family's sort of adopted son. The 2 of us would each have our toy guns, seek cover from behind chairs, desks or whatever's big enough to hide us. My absolute fave in playing this game is how JC would play dead - first falling to his knees, gradually falling down until he's on his side, right leg crossed over his left, face slightly turned towards the floor with his eyes closed! Oh and btw, his act wasn't complete without making this weird "ack" sound when he's "hit".

And finally, the silliest thing I've done thus far to pass my time. I sat backwards on our computer chair, chin resting on top of the back rest, arms wide open while spinning the chair repeatedly, singing my LSS song at the top of my lungs. The spinning chair gained momentum as I neared the end of the song, until I finally stopped the spin at the same time my last note ended.

The first 2 I mentioned, I get to do regularly. But for the last 3, those don't really fit my personality.

You know how summer solstice can get you restless and make you act crazy? If ever there's such a thing as back-to-the-old-days-without-electricity solstice, then that last act I did to pass time could probably be my wackiest, non-sense-est, insane-est act ever. Crazy, crazy, crazy...

PostSecret

2006-09-27T14:50:00.000+08:00

My friend referred me to PostSecret, a blogsite where people can send their secrets while still maintaining their anonymity. Each entry is well-written and direct to the point. Succinctly said, I must say.

Visit their website and read about strangers' secrets.

Tagalugin Mo 'To!

2006-09-26T23:49:00.000+08:00

Ever tried one of those quizzes people pass around via emails? It always helps when one is bored and is just looking for something to do. The last time I saw one of those was during the SARS era, when we almost had nothing to do in the office. Online sales were at an all-time low and all CSRs were left twiddling their thumbs. It was during those times when the boss would see employees doing something else besides office work and still wouldn't mind. Don't we all want bosses like that? Hehe...

Anyways, one friend sent me one such quiz yesterday. The quiz is to translate all those English words into Tagalog. Being a perpetual Tagalog-speaker, I thought it'd be a breeze. Sad to say I failed the quiz, scoring only 66 out of 100.

Naman! What's announcement in Tagalog anyway? Pahayag? It didn't work. What about knowledge? Isn't it kaalaman? Or am I just stupid? Hahaha... What about sewerage? For that I absolutely have no idea =P

Here are the words I can't think the Tagalog equivalent of: announcement, approach, benefit, calf, care, city, customs, dictionary, erase, excite, feature, flame, gerund, group, guide, idiom, instruction, judge, knowledge, office, park, petal, refreshment, report, research, ribbon, sewerage, standard, suggestion, valley and window.

Would you know?

Too Much Time

2006-09-24T23:04:00.000+08:00

My mom always say, I must always find alone time to do things for myself, and I do. Yet, I find myself envying those people who never seem to run out of things to take care of.

I guess I spend too much time by myself, not going anywhere on weekends, unless it's absolutely necessary. I read books, I watch tv, I learn songs to play on my guitar, but somehow I still get bored.

I need a vacay, at least I think I do. I love the beach, but I haven't been near one for almost a year. I can go window shopping, but I get depressed when I see things I like that I can't afford.

I have too much time on my hands. I need to keep myself busy...

I'm So Bad...

2006-09-24T00:52:00.000+08:00

When my brother was in college, he was the lead singer for a rock band. He wore plaid shirts, tattered jeans and had long hair that he'd always wear in a ponytail. When it was time for him to go on stage, he'd let his hair down and bang his head in time to the crazy music. I must admit they were good - at least being the loyal sister that I am, I must believe they were.

Eventually, he mellowed down a bit and went for the much subdued acoustic songs. He would play his guitar the whole day, tap his foot in time to the beat and sing his heart away. Occasionally, he would ask me and my younger sister to jam with him, and we always ended up having so much fun. Sad to say that with the re-emergence of alternative music, those jamming sessions were over. But not for my bro though...

You know how call centers come up with different activities to ensure their agents stay with them and have a good time throughout their tenure? One such activity is the battle of the bands, which my brother and his staff decided to join.

So here come practice sessions, with my brother on vocals yet again. He records those sessions and proudly makes us listen to how... ah... uhm... erm... let's just say they need more practice =D

Why is Barney Purple?

2006-09-21T23:34:00.000+08:00

I saw Barney again tonight, singing, dancing & hitting the drums. Isn't he weird? JC, our "adopted" kid, resumed playing Barney shows on dvd. For the past couple of months, we thought he outgrew these shows already as he would always insist on watching either Shrek or The Incredibles. Boy, were we wrong! And we really thought we'll never see that purple dinosaur ever again.

So there was Barney, moving in time to Dino Dancing Tunes & singing Baby Bop's Hop Song. I swear, soon I'll be able to sing all Barney songs by heart.

Anyways, the ultimate question that's been bugging me ever since I saw that thing on tv suddenly bugged me again -- WHY IS HE PURPLE? Why not a more acceptable dinosaur-like color, say moss green or brown perhaps?

Looks like I'm not the only one who's wondering why... I searched "barney purple" in google and it returned 1.68 million results! Here are some findings from my so-called research:

Someone paid a fee to ask this ultimate question at answers.google.com. However, the asker rejected the answer. I think it was too serious for him to consider. It just said that purple is an appealing color for children and that it helps develop their imagination. If I was the one who asked, I would probably reject that too... There was another one who answered that Barney was supposed to be red, but since it was a threatening color and yellow and blue are out of the question, they opted for puple as a compromise. Furthermore, the color purple is easier to "technologically reproduce", especially for old TVs. Hmmm... are those enough answers for me to put the question to rest? Nah...
In Urban Dictionary, they have accepted Barney Purple as an acceptable color "slang". They even used it in a sentence: "I had to get them to re-paint the whole room. I am NOT having my living room Barney purple!"
Jihad.net has created a role-playing game called Destroy Barney! But since I'm not into role-playing games, I didn't explore this further.
I found an archived short article in The New York Times' website which refers to a previously written piece titled "Of All Dinosaurs, Why Must This One Thrive?", referring to Barney as a "talking eggplant."

So there you have it... my attempts at having the "ultimate" question answered. But I'm still in the dark -- why is Barney purple again?!?!?

Cool Blog

2006-09-17T00:29:00.000+08:00

I stumbled across a cool blog a few minutes ago. From the moment I read its description, I was hooked. The blog is all about a collection of candid photographs of strangers, captured in the middle of doing whatever. The blog is participated by friends who share a common interest, and that's love for capturing moments in photographs. They call it Strangers Among Us.

And They Struck Again!

2006-09-16T01:56:00.000+08:00

Last year, my boyfriend introduced me to the wacky scenarios caused by Improv Everywhere - a growing "organization" (for lack of a better term) based in New York. This group was created by Charlie Todd in 2001, and has since then executed quite a few missions involving "secret agents". Some missions required participation from avid fans, while some were executed only by core members. Their tagline says it all - "We cause scenes" - and caused scenes they had.

I imagine that careful planning was always involved whenever the group comes up with a new mission - serious research, budgeting, some testing, composing songs and sometimes even rehearsals - the works! They exert all those efforts to "cause chaos and joy" to whoever is there to witness them accomplish their missions.

To date, I have 3 favorites so far:

The Moebius - Undercover agents performed a series of events which lasted for 5 minutes, meticulously repeated 12 times, all within an hour. Patrons at that particular Starbucks outlet might have thought deja vu, or could've been weirded out, or if they were sane enough, have thought those agents were crazy.
Best Gig Ever - Undercover agents headed to a club in New York on a Sunday night, at a dead time slot, to watch a band perform. They asked everyone who wanted to participate to download songs composed by the band and memorize its lyrics, so that they could sing along while the band performed. The result -- the best crowd reception the band ever got, a better time slot and more gigs!
Even Better than the Real Thing - Agents performed on a rooftop and pretended to be U2! Undercover agents, strategically positioned a couple or so blocks away from the venue helped gather people to watch U2 perform live! The police had no choice but to make an arrest for the disruption of peace. However, even if it's clearly obvious that the band wasn't U2, undercover agents stuck to their "identity".

Take a look at their website, and have a good laugh while reading each agent's reports on their missions. The reports could be quite lengthy, but it sure is a fun read. :)

Masas - Greenbelt 2

2006-09-16T01:12:00.000+08:00

Lean, Leigh & I headed to Masas in Greenbelt 2 to have lunch there again. We had a coupon for a free order of 1/2 crispy pata, which was given to us when last we brunched there. Take a look at the review I posted for Masas at The Makati Brunch Club...

Dining at Masas in Greenbelt 2 in Makati is always a delight. Aside from the great food, it's also a great place to hangout with friends and catch up with each other's lives. An added bonus are occasional acoustic performances at night, which never fails to delight music-lovers, such as yours truly. Watch out for my friend Zion, who won last year's Next Big Thing - Search for the Next RnB Star. He sometimes performs at Masas, accompanied by his acoustic buddy.

Now back to the food...

Tina, Leigh, Lean and I headed to Masas in Greenbelt 2, along with a few co-workers, to celebrate Tina & Leigh's birthday. I hesitated at first because I know menu items could be a bit pricey - I didn't know they have "silog" items that are quite affordable (the most affordable being at P105).

Adobo Flakes

I ordered Adobo Flakes, served with fried rice, scrambled eggs, diced tomatoes & onions with 2 slices of salted egg and sauce on the side for the adobo. The food was hot when it was served; and the entire dish was not at all oily, at least not as oily as "silog" food served in other restaurants. The saltiness of the adobo, even with its sauce, was just right.

The service was fast. But that's probably because we went there early. The staff were also friendly, they struck a pose behind us when we took pictures of each other. I think they're quite notorious for that.

Take a look at those bartenders behind us...
This was taken last year when I had dinner with some close friends.

I Caught the Bouquet!!!

2006-09-14T23:28:00.000+08:00

Newly wed couples are getting more creative as they think of ways to ensnare their poor single friends to participate in singles' games during wedding receptions. If they do it the traditional way, they can expect none of the ladies to scramble for the flower bouquet, while men won't fight for the garter when the unlucky lady isn't a hottie. Naman!!!

As a result, newly wed couples have no choice but to come up with crazy games just to get all single friends to participate. Winners will be based not on who was worst or who was best, but on something only the newlyweds understand. It's getting quite predictable actually... so predictable that when I participated in such a game during the last wedding I attended, I decided to be the worst.

The newly weds started calling out names of single ladies "randomly". Right... they have all their single friend's names written in small pieces of paper, and they called everyone who's name is written on those. They weren't even drawing lots!!! So yes, they selected single friends randomly... When they called out my name, I boldly went up front. I had a strategy. I was confident. I won't be the "lucky" girl. The girl who can say "Congratulations" for the longest time wins. Two seconds into my congartulations, I choked. I asked for a second chance. Either the couple didn't hear me, or they chose not to. No biggie, I knew they wouldn't pick extremes - I was safe.

I was wrong! They picked the shortest time! It was me! Oh dear... I decided to be a good sport and participated for the duration of the game. No hard feelings towards the couple. Did I have a choice?

As soon as it was over, my colleagues started getting excited for another wedding they'll attend soon -- MINE!!! Are they crazy??? Catching the bouquet doesn't mean I'm next. Catching the bouquet doesn't mean I'll let it decide my fate. Don't get me wrong, I would love to get married - tomorrow, sometime soon, or in the distant future... It doesn't really matter when. All I know is that my boyfriend and I will get married when the time is right. Besides, we're still young... ;-)

Clients na Pasaway!!!

2006-09-03T20:54:00.000+08:00

It's weekend, and I'm stuck here at home doing serious office work -- unfortunately scheduled to do some operational stuff for the weekend. Well at least I don't need to come to the office just to do that. I could just stay home, hook-up my laptop to the internet and I'm all set.

I find it so amazing how some people manage to find themselves in the same situation over and over again. After educating them to prevent certain things from happening, one can't help but wonder how they can be so incredibly stupid to allow the same things to happen again. Yikes!!!

It's so frustrating when you find yourself in such scenarios. You think of ways to resolve the issue, sometimes you speak with their clients on their behalf, and slightly reprimand them for allowing it to happen. You get them to promise not to let it happen ever, but not even a couple of months later, you find yourself doing the same thing again.

Oh well... clients! Don't we all wish those difficults ones would just go away? But hey, we need them. And yes, let's admit it, we find ourselves getting stronger with every difficult situation we face, every impossible issue resolved. So I guess I should just stop complaining... Nuninuninu