I'm soooo freakin bored

Is it just me or is everyone not in the mood to work today? I'm just too lazy to lift a finger! I wanna go home and sleep!

Btw, I think I need a haircut! sigh!

look what i found!

1) New fave resto - KKK (Mall of Asia)
- their inihaw na liempo bacon style is to die for!

2) New fave dessert - Frozen Brazo De Mercedes
- if you want a sure fire hit dessert to parties, this is IT!

3) New hideout - Som's Noodle House in Reposo, Makati
- Gotta try their fried tonto fish. Simply delish!

4) New found skill - I can make a mean Baked Macaroni!
- Be my guest!

5) New "Want" - a cute puppy!!!

6) I gained some weight...atleat 10lbs i think. yikes!!!

Happy Birthday Barry!

Nadine is throwing a birthday dinner for her dog, Barry, tonight.
Lucky dog huh?

Happy birthday Barry!!!

When things are working out

About this time last year, my life was a bit of a mess. I was running in circles, not knowing exactly where I'm headed to. I've met new friends and lost some too. I was looking for answers at the wrong place and time. Searching for something that was missing in my life.
I realized now that a big part of me died that time. I just stopped caring for things that really matter. I felt really numb and cold inside. I lost track of time and reason. Nothing was making me happy. I forced myself to believe that I was okay but I know deep down inside I was just a mess.


It is at this time when things are working out that I come to realize how strong I am to have survived everything I went through last year. Only at this time when things are working out can I truly appreciate everything that I lost and gained to get to where I am now. Only now when things are working out did I come to realize how lucky I am to be living my life the way I want it to be. Only when things are working out can I fully accept the lessons to be learned and what I can still learn. When things are working out I see clearly where I want to be.

worth the wait

After three long hours, I was finally issued a U.S. Visa!
Next question is when will I get to use my Visa?
Hehehe! Hopefully by next year so I have to save up!

Hmmm...I guess I have to cross that out in my christmas wishlist =)

Holiday thoughts

***Things to look forward to this Christmas***

• Christmas Dinners
• Fireworks
• Parties
• Holidays
• Sinful Desserts
• Last Minute Shopping
• Pictures

***Christmas Wishlist***

• Digital Camera with Manual Settings =D
• New Laptop
• Pinnacle Studio 10
• Mandarin Lessons
• Driving Lessons
• US Visa

I think this christmas will be the merriest christmas of all! I'm so looking forward to next year!
Will next year be THE YEAR? wink wink! I really hope so!!!

US Visa

I'm scheduled for my US Visa Interview at 1230pm today . My mom has been bugging me all week to prepare all the docs. Hay! I can't wait to get this over with.

Movie Review: The Departed

I've heard a lot of good reviews about this film. Good thing we were able to catch the last week showing of The Departed at Robinsons Galleria. I wasn't expecting much...I had no idea I'm in for an early Halloween Treat! hehehe!

I LOVE this movie! It's even better than "V for Vendetta" which is at the top of my charts for the best movie of the year. I'm not a fan of Leonardo diCaprio but after watching The Departed, I have no other choice but to give in. He sure got me in this movie -BIG TIME. Superb acting! Truly one for the oscars!

I also love Jack Nicholson for his effective portrayal of Frank Costello. I cringed at his shadow alone! hahaha! Great storyline which got me holding on to every scene.

Scorsese did a great job with this movie!

blog leave

I've been on a 3-month blog leave and I must say I miss blogging. I've been too busy the past few months because of my new work and business. 24 hours seems too short for me nowadays. I never run out of things to do. And guess what? I can't go on leave from work til feb! Darn it!!!

Sounds like i'm complaining? Nah...I'm just starting...Did I mention that I wake up 6am every single freaking week day? I'm lucky if I get off at work by 630pm...then I'm off to check on my shop. Then it's time to go home and get some dinner. I'm so exhausted that by the time I get to bed it just takes a few seconds til I doze off to sleep.

My weekends would include a visit to the shop, buy ingredients and other stuff, dinner and sleep! I gained some weight =( Only because I don't have time to go to the gym anymore. Waaaahhhh!!!!

It may sound like I'm miserable...but surprisingly this is the happiest I've ever been. Maybe that's why I'm not giving up...I'm just too happy and grateful with whatever it is that I have right now to give this all up.

I've got so many things to look forward to...can't wait!

Finally, I'm getting a break!

It's been two days and i've been doing nothing. Actually, I've been quite busy the past two days. So many things to do...I'm soooo looking forward to next week! I'm in for something great!!! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Got togo...we're having dinner at bea's place.

I'm sooooo Happy!!!

Finally something really good happened to me today!
I've been waiting for this forever...
Things are definitely getting better! I'm so happy!!!

It's been raining all week

things i hate when it's raining:

• It feels so gloomy.
• Such a hassle when you want to wear open toed shoes! Since you don't want to get your feet wet you have no other choice but to wear closed shoes again! Darn!
• You're forced to bring an umbrella! It just doesn't go well with any outfit. Actually, it spoils your whole look!
• You can't move freely because you have to worry about not getting wet.
• Traffic is horrible!

things i love when it's raining:

• A cup of hot chocolate
• My cold cozy bed
• The cool weather
• Sharing an umbrella with someone special
• I get to wear my jackets and sweaters
• A bowl of hot and sour soup
• I get to wear my cool boots

Trade Offs

I remember way back grade school days when I'd collect stationaries and stickers. It was fun at the beginning but after awhile I got tired of my collection and decided to trade some of them for some of my classmate's personal collection. It was really fun for awhile. But at the end of the week, I ended up with an eclectic mix of stationaries and stickers. There are stuff that I don't even like to begin with. Only then would I realize that I like my original collection better than what I have now . But you know the rule, once you trade you can't take it back.

Life was so much easier back then. Atleast you only trade off stationaries and stickers...stuff that you can buy just about anywhere. As you get older, more serious stuff are being traded off. We are often reminded that we can't have everything. There's always something that we have to trade off for one reason or another. We make these trade offs for several reasons. There are times when our personal life has to take a back seat for our career. That's when you trade off personal happiness for security and financial freedom.

There will be times when your work becomes second priority over more important stuff like personal happiness and self worth. Often times we trade off unconsciously. But there are times when we intentionally make those trade offs in the hope that it will make your life easier. Sad part of it is when we realize we made the wrong trade off. It wasn't what we expected to be. And you wished you never made those trade offs to begin with. Regrets regrets!

I guess the moral of the story is to be extra careful when making trade offs. Know your reasons first and evaluate whether it's worth it. If you have doubts...better take your time and weigh your options.

Trade only what you can afford to lose.

You know what I want?

HOT pandesal and a cup of hot native chocolate. Ahhhh! I can die now!

Finding a gem

It's just funny and at the same time somewhat surreal when you see yourself or bits and pieces of yourself in another person. A person so different from who you are and yet for unknown reasons you can totally relate to what she's going through. You've been there and you've done that...or as my crazy friend would put it - "Been there been that".

As much as you want to give your 10cents worth...you hesitate because you know deep down inside you've heard all there is to hear that very same instance and yet you chose to take the difficult road. All your friends have been telling you countless times to move on and just forget about that guy. And for a while you find yourself convinced that you don't actually need him in your life. You spend the night crying trying to figure out what actually went wrong. You practice infront of the mirror on how you plan to break it off with him. It seemed so easy and you know you have to do it for your own sake. And just before you've gathered all your guts and strength...he suddenly shows up and make things giddy again...and you forget about what you've played over over again in your mind of how you'll dump his sorry ass.

Things go back to normal and you're happy again. You forget about that night you cried yourself to sleep because you don't know where this relationship is headed to. Your friends see you with him and they just don't know what to do with you anymore. You're back to your usual self destructive routine...it becomes a cycle until you find yourself in much deeper shit when you first started. and you wonder...why on earth are you doing this to yourself? Is it all worth it?

And then there's nothing but awkward silence...for you actually are at a lost for what to say or do. You know you can't hide from yourself. You know there will come a time when you have to face the problem. The very root of the mess that you're in. Why do you hang on to this person who gives you so much pain? Why do you allow him to treat you this way? Why are you doing this to yourself?

And all you can manage to answer is this: Because without him it all just doesn't make sense. Because you know that when you're with him everything is perfect...everything makes sense. For that very moment you can truly say that you're happy. It doesn't last very long yet it feels so damn good. You know it's not going to last forever yet you're contented and happy with what you have. You just know that it's all worth it. You know that he loves you. And for you that's all you need to know.

I know I don't make sense at all. That's the very reason why I decided not to share my thoughts to this poor girl, who like me just happened to care a lot about a guy...a guy who's so clueless of how close he is to losing a great gem - one that actually take others a lifetime to find.

Sick in the head

=( =( =( I've been sick for almost a week now. Sheesh! I got cough, colds and occasional fever. I just hate getting sick! I can't enjoy my food...can't talk that much...can't think straight...can't drink cold drinks...can't go to the gym... can't be my usual self! ayayay!

Hopefully I'll be feeling much better tomorrow!

she wants what you want

she wants what you want...she cares for what you care for...she hopes to have what you have...she dreams of what you are already living for...she continues to hope, to dream that one day she'll get noticed too...do you just sit and watch while she tries to get it from you? or do you fight for what truly belongs to you?

Looking forward to June 1

Things to look forward to come June 1st:

1) More time to work out in the Gym.

2) Lunch outs in Makati with friends.

3) No more commuting!!! Yipee!!!

4) Clean Slate.

5) Challenges ahead.

6) New things to learn.

7) New people to meet.

8) Coffee break with my makati friends.

9) I can go shopping or go to the salon during my lunchbreak!

10) More happy times ahead!


I can't wait!

Last Day at Work

I kinda feel sad since it's my last day at work today. I've been with this company 3 years and 5 months to be exact. How time flies! I'll surely miss a lot of things like...

1) Commuting from makati to quezon city...tiring but I've gotten used to it already.
2) A number of people I've grown close to in the last 3 years.
3) The cheap lunch at our cafeteria.
4) The business trips to the provinces.
5) The times spent chatting with friends and surfing the net.
6) The client calls and free lunch.
7) Events and freebies!

I will surely miss those things as i embark on a new road ahead of me. There's so much uncertainty ahead but I know I'll do just fine. Wish me luck guys!!!

faith

From Grey's Anatomy - my current fave tv series =)

Meredith Grey: At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don't really expect it. Its like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And its not so important happy ever after, just that its happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you , and once in a while people may even take your breath away.

Fish Talk

Last sunday, we went to cartimar to buy some cute salt water fish. We agreed to donate some fish for my friend's aquarium. I bought 4 fishes and 1 anemone. Pretty generous huh? Hehehe! Ofcourse, the fun part is giving them names...I named the yellow Butterfly fish as "Mango", the striped Butterfly fish as "Zara", the cowfish as "Moo", the little one we agreed to name him as "Jun-Jun" or Benjamin Jr. While the anemone we named "Buttercup".

Bea bought 2 blue tangs...I named them Suzi and Geno...yah after the sustagen kids. Hehehe! Sad news they didn't even last a day...they both died a few hours after we transferred them to the aquarium. Lesson learned: buy only from your trusted shop.

Hubert bought 12 little nemos...with a little push ofcourse from us. Hehehe! Guess what? Only 3 are left. Geez! Oh well...remind me not to buy from that shop okay?

I just found out from my friend that Mango is missing. Sigh. I feel kinda sad really coz mango is my favorite. I'm still hoping though that Mango is alright. We'll find out tonight.

loving my tan

I’m so tan and I’m loving it! This is probably the darkest I’ve ever been all my life. No wonder my mom keeps on complaining about my color. Always reminding me to put enough sunblock on. Good thing it’s not the ashy dark tan but more on the golden brown tan. Just like the way I like it.

I’m enjoying my tan right now but I almost forgot that I’m part of the entourage for my friend’s wedding on may 20th! And guess what their motif is? ORANGE!!! Deep dark Orange! I’m so sure I’d look really stupid wearing that orange gown come may 20th! Sheeesh!!! I love colors…hot pinks, yellows, purples, greens…but dark orange is my least favorite. It’s just not my color.

Oh well, so much for that. Summer is almost over. Groan! We have about 20 more sunny days to enjoy. Sigh. Well, I’ll be going to Talipana in Puerto Galera on the last week of May. Yey!!! One last beach outing before the rainy season begins! Good thing we’re not going to white beach. I just hate white beach. I think it’s too crowded and icky! I don’t ever want to swim there! And the accommodations? Dingy to say the least! Food? I don’t like at all! No white beach for me please!

Btw, I need to buy a decent snorkeling mask before may 26. I’ve been spending a lot lately! Hay! Well, anything for good clean fun at the beach…so how can I complain?
Hehe!

From Grey's Anatomy

A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today. This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I don't know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I'd have to say it has a lot to do with fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is just of making a decision, because what if you're wrong? What if you're making a mistake you can't undo?

The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We can't pretend we hadn't been told. We've all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today's possibility under tomorrow's rug until we can't anymore.

Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant. That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beat the hell out of never trying.


my thoughts on this:

Knowing is better than wondering.
Forgiving is way better than just forgetting.
Loving is better than hating.
Being yourself is better than living a lie.
Crying is better than keeping it all inside.
Waiting is better than rushing.

Are you for REAL?

Things are working just great! Makes me wonder sometimes if all these are for real. Deep inside I do want to believe it's for real but it's just way too soon to assume that everything will come out great in the end. I'm so used to getting my way through a difficult process that anything way too easy just makes me wonder. Much like my physics days...I got used to making simple things complicated. hehe!

Nothing much I can do now but to wait and see if he's for real.

My little paradise

This is my little paradise. Can't wait to go back there!

Moving forward

I'm gaining momentum and it feels great. There are some changes happening in my personal life and career. I've been meeting new friends and I'll be moving to a new job very soon. There's so much to look forward to.

Not to mention that I've been having so much fun the past month or so.

I'm sooooooooooo happy!

I hope this feeling lasts!

spending the weekend with the unfamiliar

Imagine spending a weekend with people you've just met...not a great situation to be in that's for sure. Especially if these people are all related to each other...except to you. The Outsider. The alien. The new face.

How would you handle that? Answer - Just Smile. That's what I did. Don't entertain thoughts of feeling out of place. Just get along with them...laugh at their jokes. Accept their offer of food and drinks. Prepare to be asked different questions. Answer their questions honestly and politely. Just be yourself no matter how difficult that would be. Learn to loosen up and soon you won't feel so out of place. You'll find yourself actually enjoying their company.

It's also a nice way to get to know someone better. People act differently when they're with their family. What you see is what you get. No pretentions. Just the real thing. You'll be surprised at what you will discover. Also a good way to learn something new. I learned how to kayak and play soccer ball. Unfortunately, I suck at soccer ball. Kayak i'm starting to love. Nice way to get a tan! haha!

After spending over a day with these people...I can't help but think that they're not that different from my own family. I'm just glad to get to know them even just for a day.

my thoughts

During my alone times i usually listen to music or read a good book and in between those i think of a lot of things happening in my life, people i've met and places i've been to... here are some of my thoughts...

On Life

Life is full of surprises. You can't plan or prepare for everything. More often than not when you let go of the wheel, you end up exactly where you truly belong.

On Break Ups

Make it a point to have a clean break up. Believe me it's easier. It heals faster and you can move on with your life sooner than you think possible. If you leave things messy, and things don't get put right, you will end up hurting not only yourself but other people.

On Fake Friends

I should just tear their eyes out to get things over with, but then again how would they be able to look at themselves in the morning?

On Luck

Luck exists. It happens when we're so busy planning our lives, when chances happen, and when there's peace in knowing that you can't know everything.

On Living my life

I believe we write our own stories and each time we think we know the end... we don't.

On Love

In life we chance upon that one great love we couldn't live without. Fall head over heels. Love like crazy. If you don't there's no sense in living.

Wishes come true

The night is spent lying on the cool white sand while staring at the sky full of stars. Ahhhh...this is the life! I can't believe I'm actually here on this beautiful island off the coast of mindoro occidental. And to think two years ago all these was but a dream. I've always dreamt of being on this island...and now I'm here.

I'm surrounded with its beauty and i can't help but be awed. Overwhelmed. Everything I've been dreaming of is right in front of me...just within my reach and yet I found myself hesitating. I found myself holding back. I wonder why. Is this what I really want? I'm not sure anymore. I've been through a lot the past two years and all that has made me realize a lot of things that are important in my life. I do appreciate the beauty of this island...the promises it holds...the joy and peace it brings. But I don't know why I'm here.

Just before my mind can continue to wander off a shooting star appeared...I made a silent wish. At this age, I still believe that wishes do come true...you just have to believe in it. Wish with all your heart. I wished two years ago that I'd be on this island...and now I'm here.

Which made me think...if that wish came true then I guess I must have wished with all my heart that time. And if I did...that mustbe really important to me. I know now why I'm here on this island...for me to believe again that wishes do come true.

Highlights of our Pandan & Apo Getaway

Highlight #1 - Our 60 seater plane to San Jose, Mindoro.

We took the 545am flight to San Jose, Mindoro via Asian Spirit. It was really hot inside the plane...they only turned on airconditioner after we gained some altitude. It took us an hour to get to San Jose Airport.

Highlight #2 - The Van ride to the town of Sablayan.

When we got to San Jose Airport the Van I rented out to take us to Sablayan is nowhere to be found. Panic Mode On. After waiting for 20 minutes and still no sign of the van, the group decided to take the bus going to sablayan as our last resort. We hired 2 tricycles to take us to the bus terminal. Just before we reached the exit of the airport I saw a lightgreen hi-ace making it's way to the airport! Yipeee! Our van is here! No more dusty bus ride!!! Turns out the driver waited for us at Sikatuna Hotel. Hmmm...miscommunication I guess...but I was just too happy to see the van that i had no chance to get mad. Hehehe!

Highlight #3 - The really slooooooow boatride to Pandan Island.

It was the slowest boatride i've ever had! Knowing how impatient i am...hehehe! No other choice but to enjoy the boat ride and daydream of pandan.

Highlight #4 - We're finally here at Pandan Island!

It's so worth the wait! I've been wanting to go here for almost 2 years now...I can't believe I'm here! The pictures wont do justice to how great this place is...It's simply enchanting!

Highlight # 5 - Pandan Sunrise

Waking up early is not my thing but since I'm here at this beautiful island of Pandan...I just can't miss the sunrise! And it was soooo worth it! Look at that beauty!

Highlight #6 - Apo Island

It took a 2 hour boat ride to get us to this captivating island of Apo. Cool blue green waters, white sandy beach, great coral reef, colorful marine life, the lighthouse, the lagoon...truly my little paradise!

Highlight #7 - Snorkeling without a lifevest!!!

I'm so proud of myself! I conquered my fear! Actually, I cheated hehehe...i attached the lifevest to my shorts just in case i'd need a lifevest. After several minutes of snorkeling around pandan island i realized the lifevest was no longer attached to my shorts...i wanted to panic but i know I'd be in trouble if i do...so i took one deep breath and continued to snorkel. So this is how it feels to snorkel without a lifevest! hehehe!

Highlight #8 - The Pawikan Experience

Imagine swimming with a pawikan bigger than yourself...scary at first but soon you'll realize how gentle this sea creature is and only then will you be able to appreciate her beauty and grace underwater. But how about seeing the pawikan take a dump right infront of you? Not a pretty sight huh?! But then again, it's worth the experience of seeing it in action. Makes my pandan experience worth going back to again and again.

Weddings and whatnots

My friend is getting married this afternoon. She's about 2-3 years younger than i am but she's getting married already. Hmmm...in our group only 3 girls are still single...1 is engaged...2 are married and 1 to be wed. Talk about pressure! hahaha! Soon our get togethers will be filled with kwentos about babies and hubbies. And I'll be completely speechless. Hahaha!

I often wonder if I'd ever get married one day...I still have no answer to that. I still have a lot to do with my life. Talk about responsibilities.

Anyway, I'm off to the mall in awhile for a last minute shopping of other beach essentials for my pandan trip tom. I also need to have my legs waxed! I almost forgot that one! Whew! I guess I have no time to waste so i better move my butt now.

Summer thoughts

In the last 30 days, a lot has changed...it felt like i took another detour and i have no idea where this detour will lead me eventually. In this journey, I've made a couple of realizations...which i hope will do me more good than bad. =)

1) Look at the bright side of things - In this chaotic world we live in it's getting more and more difficult to look at the bright side of things. But if we succumb to that...it will be a lonely life to live. So take a moment and look at the bright side of things. You'll be surprised how good it will actually make you feel.

2) Never settle for second best - More often than not, everywhere we go everyone is in a rush and most of the time because of that we end up settling for second best. Don't fall victim to that. Take your time...don't rush things...eventually, things will fall into place and you'll get whatever it is that you've always wanted...nothing but the best!

3) Love yourself - Don't get into something in the hope that it will make your life better or more meaningful. Chances are it wont. Instead allow yourself to grow and be the best that you can possibly be. Learn to love yoursel first and share that with someone who will complement what you hold dear.

4) Learn from the past and move on - There are a lot of things that we can learn from our past but don't get stuck in it. Take the lessons to be learned with you and move on...there's still so much out there for you. Just believe.

5) Laugh more - Laugh at yourself once in awhile you'd be surprised how good it will make you feel. Problems will always be there but it wouldn't help if you frown all day...so go ahead and laugh! Life is too short.

6) Accept your mistakes and start a new - We all make mistakes but what's important is we are able to pick ourselves up and continue with the journey we've started. Forgive yourself for those mistakes. Everybody deserves a second chance.

7) Treasure your friends - When the going gets tough and the tough gets going...you'd be glad to have true friends around. They won't always agree with you but when everything fails they would still be there to support you no matter what. So appreciate your true friends.

8) Even the "meanest" person has something good to offer - Never give up on someone. Sooner or later something good will happen and you'd be glad that you hang on.

9) Do something good for your soul - Smile. Give. Help. Pray...these are some of the things that i need to do more to make my sould happy.

10) Go after what truly makes you happy - If you can't decide on what to do...just go after what will truly make you happy. You can never go wrong with that. If it still fails, you won't have any regrets. Fight for what you believe in and you dont have to worry about the what ifs.

Planetdive Outing

Before my memory fails me...i should write about our planetdive outing last april 8 and 9. Actually, I did the initial planning for this outing as a request from a friend who will be in town for a few weeks. But because of unforeseen circumstances...I had to lie low and ask my friend to take charge of arrnaging the outing. I wasn't supposed to join them since I got too much going on that time that i wasn't really in the mood to go swimming or spend a fun day at the beach with some friends. I felt with my mood i wouldn't be good company. But with some kakulitan I finally agreed to join them and I don't regret doing that. The outing allowed me to rest and do some thinking minus the city noise and crowd. It actually helped me put things in perspective.

Here are some of the pics i took...

the lounge area facing the beach. nice!

the pathway going to the dive shop.

With my friends

Anilao Sunset never fails to take my breath away

The planetdive outing was actually my first beach outing this summer. It's always great to take time out and recharge even just for a day especially with the company of your dear friends. Somehow it allows you to appreciate the simple things in life that you've taken for granted unintentionally. You go back to your city life with more hope that things will get better, more strength to face whatever comes your way andmore aprreciation for what you have and will have...life can't get any better than this!

I'm losing it!

This pandan trip is starting to get into my nerves! A friend wants me to plan everything from getting the airplane tickets to san jose right to the moment we step off the plane...to the boat ride going to pandan...not to mention the apo island tour...and of course our way back to manila! I swear this guy is too OC!!! way too OC i should say!

Will i be able to stand this guy's OCness?

off to pandan

I can't wait to go to pandan! Two more nights and i'm off to pandan with friends and friends to be. I can't wait to laze around the beach...walk barefoot...enjoy the sea breeze and of course, get a tan! Hehe! I still haven't decided what outfits to bring...got too busy looking for a van to rent for our landtrip from san jose to sablayan. With a little help from sikatuna hotel in san jose i was able to talk to this guy who has a van rental service. He's quote was 4500Php roundtrip...and take note he'll take care of the gas. It sounded like a really good deal considering the first quote i got from another van rental service connected with sea coast hotel. They were asking for 3500Php one way! That's only one way!!! So 4500 was a really good deal for me!

A friend who's a master of the art of haggling insisted that i still haggle for the price...i hate haggling! but i know i have to learn to haggle sooner or later. Anyway, i tried to haggle for the price but the guy insisted on the price he earlier quoted...too bad! But hey! when i asked if he could throw in a free tour of san jose...he agreed! haha! as if there's anything worthwhile to see in san jose. Lol! But it's still free so it's still cool nonetheless! hahaha! i'm such a sucker for freebies!

In the meantime, I'll daydream of pandan and everything in between! This is the life!

Senti Song for the lonely heart

I can't make you love me (Bonnie Raitt)

Turn down the lights;
Turn down the bed.
Turn down these voices
Inside my head.

Lay down with me;
Tell me no lies.
Just hold me close;
Don't patronize.
Don't patronize me.

Chorus:
'Cuz I can't make you love me
If you don't.
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't.
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power;
But you won't.
No, you won't.

'Cuz I can't make you love me
If you don't.
I'll close my eyes,
Then I won't see
The love you don't feel
When you're holding me.

Morning will come,
And I'll do what's right;
Just give me till then
To give up this fight.
And I will give up this fight.

Chorus (1x)

Senti Song for the lonely heart

What if (Kate Winslet)


Here I stand alone, with this weight upon my heart,
And it will not go away
In my head I keep on looking back, right back to the start
wondering what it was that made you change.
well I tried but I had to draw the line...
and still this question keeps on spinning in my mind:


What if I had never let you go?
Would you be the man I used to know?
If I'd stayed, if you'd tried,
if we could only turn back time,
But I guess we'll never know.


Many roads to take, some to joy some to heartache,
Anyone can lose their way
And if I said that we could turn it back, right back to the start,
Would you take the chance and make the change?


Do you think how it would have been sometimes?
Do you pray that I'd never left your side?
What if I had never let you go?
Would you be the man I used to know?
If I'd stayed, if you'd tried,
if we could only turn back time,
But I guess we'll never know.


If only we could turn the hands of time.
If I could take it back,
would you still be mine?
'Cause I tried but I had to draw the line,
and still this question keeps on spinning in my mind:


What if I had never let you go?
Would you be the man I used know?
What if I had never walked away?
'Cause I still love you more than I can say
If I'd stayed, if you'd tried,
if we could only turn back time.
But I guess we'll never know.


(softly) We'll never know.

Emotional Rollercoaster

This week has been one hell of an emotional rollercoaster for me! I'm going through a really rough time now. This is probably the biggest mess I've gotten myself into. All 28 years of my life there wasn't any major problems that came my way. Come to think of it, all the problems I've had before are so petty that it shouldn't be tagged as a problem to begin with. It makes me puke out of disgust. But this one is no joke...I can't believe that I've gotten myself into this mess.

I wished I could turn back time and redo everything. But I know I can't do that. I really have to face reality that I made a mistake and that's why I'm in this mess. I didn't mean to hurt other people...but sadly, they're hurt and there's nothing I can do to make them feel better. I know somehow someday I'll regret this...regret hurting them so bad. I just hope that I'd be able to make up my mind on what I really want for myself soon...I hope and pray that it's not too late.

something to reflect on

Life is no straight and easy corridor

along which we travel free and unhampered,

But a maze of passages

through which we must seek our way,

lost and confused, now and again

checked in a blind alley.

But always, if we have faith,

God will open a door for us,

not perhaps one that we ourselves

would ever have thought of

But one that will ultimately

prove good for us.

A.J. Cronin

Kayo ba?

As i'm typing this everything tells me that i'm about to make a wrong decision, as if i haven't made enough mistakes in my life. haha! But then again, mistakes are just part of life right? After reading all your stories the more pressured I got to write and share my own story. Well, I really didn't expect that anyone would even reply to that message. Thanks to jorge for taking the first leap. Now I really have to write my story.

Okay, so what should i write about? Something interesting i guess...or i might just bore the hell out of you guys. Like the meeting i went to a few hours back. I swear i wanted to scream just for kicks! hehehe!

Going back to my story...

I'm writing about the question I always get from you guys way back college. There were some who were brave enough to ask me face to face while some would just stick to making face. "Kayo ba?" sounds familiar right? After x number of years, here i am attempting to answer your question as truthfully as i can. That way when we bump into each other in the future I wouldn't get that question again. I swear I get asked that question a lot! I lost count already.Well, i must admit it's a great ice breaker for those people i barely spoke a word to in college. hehe. But really it's not because I don't want to give a starightforward answer...it's just sometimes there's no straightforward answer specially when dealing with feelings and all that mushy stuff we're so crazy about.

"Kayo ba?" The answer to that question actually depends on the time the question is asked. If you're one of those people who asked me sometime between 1995-1998...well, the answer is a big fat NO.What? You waited 8-11 years just to get a negative? Don't fret...we were just dating that time...and things were a bit complicated to say the least. If you asked sometime 1999 - 2002, the answer is YES. We're very much together during those times. Then for some weird reason we broke up. Break ups make you realize that you dont own anything. It has taught me that nothing really belongs to me but I got through with a little help from friends.

I don't know about you guys but I'm a believer of second chances so when love came knocking on my door again sometime 2003, i decided to give it another try. With the hope that this time things will be different. And I wasn't disappointed. Things were different. For a time I thought we were doing really well. Fast forward to last quarter of 2005, for unknown reasons it ended. Even until now I don't know what happened and why it ended. Again I'm reminded that nothing really belongs to me. Anyone who has lost something would understand me. But I'm not mad or anything, somehow all these has taught me to live my life as if it were my first or last day. Atleast now, when somebody asks you "kayo ba?"...you can replyback "It's Complicated"... thanks to friendster for making it so much easier! It's complicated is way so much better than an awkward silence. hehe.

So ask me again that question. "Kayo ba?" It depends who you're referring to. All I can say is whoever this person is...atleast I've gained one very happy day in my life. Considering how things are around us, one happy day is almost a dream.

Taco Night

I've gotten used to having my mom cook dinner for us. Well, it's been almost a week now since my mom left for davao...and it sure sucks going home without food on the table. Anyway, for some weird reason i decided to do some cooking. Yah i know this is scary! hehehe! Well, it's been awhile since i last cooked "real" food...and i somehow miss doing it so i got off my butt and decided to wear the mommy hat just until my mom gets back.

Tuesday night i cooked daing na bangus and sinigang na hipon. My guinea pigs were very much willing to taste my cooking. Hehehe! Ahem ahem...my sinigang was a hit! To think i was just working with whatever was left in our fridge. A little more practice and I'll finally have something to brag about. Sean suggested that we make tacos next time. Well, I'll keep that in mind.

Wednesday night i cooked crispy friend chicken and tortang talong. Uhhhmmm...i used this pillsbury ready mix fried chicken coating and it wasn't what i wanted for my fried chicken...but not that bad. I'll make my own coating next time! Tortang talong is one of my faves and it's not difficult to cook. Hehehe.

Thursday night is taco night. Due to insistent public demand. hehehe! Yah right! This was my brothers idea...it did sound like a good idea to begin with. I consulted with my friend ryan, who runs a resto in cebu, on how make tacos.

You need the following:
Taco Shells
Garlic - diced
Onions - diced
Ground Beef
Salt & Pepper to taste
Soy Sauce
Tomato Sauce
Cummin (1/2 tsp per 1kg of beef)
Red Bell Pepper - diced
Tomatoes - diced (take out the seeds)
Cheese - grated
Lettuce - shredded
Hot Sauce

First, heat some oil in a pan. Saute the garlic until golden brown and then add the onions. Next, add the beef until it turns brown. Add soy sauce, salt, pepper, tomato sauce and cummin to taste. Then add the Red bell peppers. Saute until beef is cooked. Set aside.

For the salsa, in a bowl mix the diced tomatoes and onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now it's time to assemble your taco! Get your taco shell, then put lettuce followed by your cooked ground beef. Add the Salsa you prepared earlier. Add some cheese and hot sauce.

Here's a pic of the taco we prepared.

Movie Review: Hostel

We watched Hostel last sunday at Glorietta 4. What can i say? Gory!!! This movie will make you squirm in your seat. There were scenes in the movie which made me want to cover my eyes but i forced myself to watch it or else i'd kick myself afterwards.

This movie is not for everyone...especially those that can't stomach really gory scenes. Hehehe! Well, it's worth watching! If you're brave enough and if you have the stomach for it...then go!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Massimo's (Part 6)

US Angus Beef - Php895 per plate. Meat is tender...well done. But I'm not a big fan of steaks...so much for that...hehehe!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Massimo's (Part 5)

Cannelloni - more like meat lasagna. Uhhmmm...nothing great. But looks really yummy right? It's all in the presentation!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Massimo's (Part 4)

Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli - ahhhh...this one i like!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Massimo's (Part 3)

Pumpkin Soup -Trixie ordered this. The rest of us wasn't in the mood to order a soup.

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Massimo's (Part 2)

DSC00549
Originally uploaded by twinklinglove.

Ceasar Salad - serving is a bit small for it's price. It's good but i've had better!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Massimo's (Part 1)

DSC02261
Originally uploaded by twinklinglove.

I've read good reviews about this place way before we even decided to go to tagaytay. Trixie mentioned that it was even featured in F some time last year. Anyway, i even made reservations the day before just to make sure we get a table.

Funny when we got there we were the only ones dining in that place. As if we dont want to have the whole place to ourselves.

Massimo's has a homey feel...really nice ambiance. If only i could say the same for the food. Well, lets just say for its price...i expected more.

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Bag of Beans (Part 3)

finish your food!
Originally uploaded by krisbu.

Guess who can't finish her food?

TRIXIE!!!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Bag of Beans (Part 2)

On Diet Breakfast
Originally uploaded by krisbu.

On a Diet Breakfast : sunny side up, bacon, bread and brewed coffee.

Yum! Yum! Yum!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Bag of Beans (Part 1)

Big Girl's Breakfast
Originally uploaded by krisbu.

Big Girl's Breakfast

Trixie ordered this breakfast platter: pancake, cheese omelette, bacon and brewed coffee. Big appetite huh? We'll see...

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Cliffhouse

Cliffhouse, Tagaytay
Originally uploaded by krisbu.

After our hearty breakfast at Bag of Beans we made a quick stop at Cliffhouse for some picture taking.

Buon Giorno, Cafe Breton and Fire lake Grill are located here.

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Carlo's Pizza (Part 4)

DSC02292
Originally uploaded by twinklinglove.

What a way to end our day! Grabe busog!!!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Carlo's Pizza (Part 3)

Creamy Pasta

DSC02290
Originally uploaded by twinklinglove.

Trixie ordered Pasta Alfredo to match our Pizza.
Yummy too!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Carlo's Pizza (Part 2)

Say Cheese!

DSC02291
Originally uploaded by twinklinglove.

We had to take a pic first before eating it.
Yummy pizza!
Take my word for it!

Tagaytay Roadtrip: Carlo's Pizza (Part 1)

DSC02289
Originally uploaded by twinklinglove.

After a relaxing massage at Sonya's Garden...we decided to grab a bite before we go back to manila. We ended up at Carlo's Pizza. good choice!

So if you're in Tagaytay and you happen to crave for pizza..head to Carlo's Pizza...their food is great and very affordable.

Off to Tagaytay

My friends and I will be off to tagaytay tomorrow for some R&R.

Here's our sched:

7:30 - meet sheila at shell magallanes station
8:30 - meet trixie at festival mall, filinvest, alabang
10:30 - late breakfast at bag of beans, tagaytay
12:00 - lunch at massimo
3:00 - massage at sonya's garden
5:00 - pizza at carlo's
6:00 - back to manila

I hope it will be cold in tagaytay tomorrow! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Can't wait for tomorrow.

V for Vendetta

We watched V for Vendetta last wednesday at Greenbelt 3. We had plenty of time to spare since the movie is scheduled to start at 840pm. We had chicken inasal for dinner. Nothing great I still prefer the original chicken inasal in bacolod. I think all restos here in manila serving chicken inasal are just trying hard copycats except for the chicken bacolod resto in katipunan and the one being sold at salcedo market every saturday. =)

Going back to the movie...I agreed to watch the movie even though I had no idea whatsover what this movie is all about except that natalie portman is in it. Anyway, the movie turned out really well...in fact, it's simply spectacular!!! I love it! You don't need to read the novel inorder to appreciate the movie. Hugo Weaving portrayed Vendetta's character very well..intelligent, mysterious, compassionate, ruthless and poetic! I don't know for some reason i can feel the intensity of his acting...the words that came out of his mouth...i was glued! I could feel the emotions behind the mask. Natalie Portman also did great...i could feel her rage...her fear...superb acting!!! I got emotional over some parts in the movie...you can't help but get carried away. This is one movie you can't get out of your head even after watching the movie.
Best Movie of the year so far!


Plot: In a story where Germany won a future World War and Great Britain is now a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as "V" conducts guerrilla warfare against the government. When he rescues a normal young woman (Portman), she joins his struggle against the forces of oppression...

Tagline: Remember...Remember the fifth of november.

See how this story goes...

Albert started this story in our yahoo groups...everybody was supposed to contribute to the story...of course, i had to contribute! hehehe! I'll update this whenever someone contributes their part and see where this story goes... happy reading!


Glancing

by Yahoo Groups TCA Class 94


Her chocolate skin is glistening...a mixture of sweat and soap and water.

She feels hot. Washing clothes at 12 noon is not a very bright idea.

She sat on a low stool and spread her legs wide. More of that glistening _mocha skin is exposed now as her smooth thighs reflects the mid day sun.

I should have worn a bra, she thought.

Washing clothes really makes one wet. The tips of her breasts try to peek through the soft white cotton tee shirt she's wearing.

She thought ...I probably look like one of those sexy Tanduay calendar girls. Well, except that they were not washing clothes. Nobody's here right now. Maam and Sir are at work. Im all alone and I dont think anybody could see me out here. Ill just take off my shorts and wrap a towel around my waist.

Why is she standing up ? What is she doing ? Is she going back inside ?

Dont go back yet. Wait...she's taking off her shorts...

She turned her head. Turned her head at the deserted house next to the fence. She looked at the dark window in that old house.

(Tine's Contribution)

She stared at it for a long time. The glaring summer sun was making it even more difficult for her to see clearly what lies behind that dark window.

"I should've borrowed ma'am's Gucci sunglasses!" she told herself. Sir gave it to ma'am as a gift last christmas and Ma'am really liked it. She wore it every single day...like when she's out jogging in the park, or buying fish in the market, or simply having tea with her amigas. I tried to borrow it once but Ma'am would'nt let me. She said it's only for rich people like her. Anyway, i heard those tanduay calendar girls wear gucci sunglasses as well. I should get one! It would be nice to wear those sunglasses when i'm out doing the laundry. Haaaaaay!

Just when she was about to look away from the dark window, she saw the brown dingy curtains moved! In panic, she quickly grabbed a towel to cover herself! Is someone watching her from that window? who could that be? How long has he been watching me? Is he drugs addict?

Ryan's> >> >
"hey Zante! waaasuuuup!!?", Joey shouted coming in from an old 1970's wooden apartment door. Zante was stunned, quickly covering himself and moving away from the window. Zante is a professor in a reputable university in the city. heheaded the computer engineering department who had been recently awarded the department of the year. everything in his department is well organized and well informed. every exams are computer generated and encrypted with 512bit cipher strength. he also teaches one of the pre-requisite major subject before graduation. it was not an ordinary day, why? Zante had been to the deans office for reasons nobody knew. "what you are doin?" joey asked. as if in doubt to why Zante was half naked and smiling. "whhyyy, uhmmmmm... i was just looking down the window", chuckling as he scratched his head.

Zante's>>>
"I was just looking down the window to get my spare key," Zante continued. "I hid it here, in case I'd lose my key. I realized that I left my key in the office when I got here. I had to rush from school to get my proposals for the robotics design that the department will be undertaking next school year. My dean needs it badly right now, so I have to excuse from the office just to get my designs here. Just have my memory gap. Not realizing i don't have the key with me." Zante smiled. Joey asked, "Why are you so wet and half naked?" Zante replied, "I really hate the feast of john the baptist. You see, those people from the barangay threw pails of water on my way here. It just happened that I opened the windows of my car because the airconditioner broke down. just a series of misfortunes." Zante smiled again."REally? Well I guess I should watch out for those people on my way to downtown." Joey chuckled.

Across the street, Zante found out Ryan was using his high tech binoculars that could see through any wall using state of the art technology focusing. He was focusing on something....... His focus was what was beyond the window where Joey found Zante looking for something... Joey, amused, said, "What is Ryan up to right now?"

How it went...

I was home by 6:45pm thanks to the reckless-drag-racer-wannabe- taxi driver...i almost reached my boiling point because of his driving skills but decided to keep my cool. Breathe in breathe out! To make matters even worst...when i got off the driver said: "thank you misis!" and drove off!!! That was it! Dear old me a Mrs? Awww Cmoown!!! Mrs - rarely spelt out as Missus is a form of address for a married woman as defined in google. This is the first time...let me repeat that...First Time that i was addressed to as a Missus! Do i look like one already? Argghhhhhhhhh!!! I'm used to being called "nene" or miss...but never...i repeat NEVER was i addressed to as missus!

To release my frustration i changed into my gym clothes and hurried off to the gym. That taxi driver was my motivation to burn those extra bulges off! 7:00pm: As expected the gym was packed! I was controlling my temper...of course i had to fake a few smiles to my gym "friends". hehehe! Bike, stretching, dumb bells, leg press, abs machine, glutes...after an hour i was done! That was my shortest workout ever.

8:00pm: Hurried home and took a shower. I have to get ready for dinner with albert. I settled for a black sleeveless top and my fave jeans. Hmmm...that was fast!

8:45pm: Albert and I wanted italiannis...we were craving for their bread and sicilian chicken salad! But we only have an hour to eat and usually we take more than an hour when eating at italiannis. So Italiannis is out of the question.

Albert: How about Heaven and Eggs?
Tine: Nah...it's too HEAVY! hehehe
Tine: How about A Venetto?
Albert: Sounds good. Lets go!

So we headed off to Glorietta 3...only to find that A Venetto was full! Yech!
Anyway, we ended up eating at Teriyaki Boy.

9:30pm : Had coffee with Pam, Carlo, Rosanne, Lovely, Anwar, and Albert. I introduced albert to everybody for the first time (except anna coz they met last dec at chloe's party). As expected everybody loves him...well, atleast that's what they've told me. Anyway, how can you not like albert? He's very sociable, smart, can talk endlessly, full of wit matched with a great sense of humor.

Beat that.

We all had a great time. It was filled with stories about a friend getting married this june and how we so want to stop the wedding(hehehe), the reason behind maya's absence-pressures of the bar exam, rosanne's reunion with her baby, mysterious back spasm of pam, my new boyfriend, how the wolrd is too small that albert actually knows lovely's bf, anwar, from college, and anna's life as a full time mom to chloe. I found myself laughing and having a great time. Too bad we had to end it by 1am!

Btw, thanks to rosanne for the coffee and chocolate kisses! Have a safe trip back to the US. Til your next visit!

Hectic Day

Whew! I'm almost done with my report. Yey! It's 4:43 in the afternoon couple more minutes and i can leave the office. Hehehe! I'm having coffee with my high school friends later at 930pm. That means I have to be home by 630pm then proceed to the gym for a 1.5 to 2 hour workout. Should be done before uhmmmm...830pm? Still got time to shower and dress up. Errrr! I don't have anything to wear!!! Eat dinner? Hmmm...i'm not sure about this. I guess I'll just have to grab something to eat on my way to greenbelt. I sure hope I'll get there on time...wish me luck!!!


Btw, Happy Birthday Sheila!!! Have a great one girl!

What I'm Reading Now: Eleven Minutes By Paulo Coelho (Part 3)

From Maria's Diary, on the eve of buying her ticket to brazil:

Once upon a time, there was a bird. He was adorned with two perfect wings and with glossy, colorful, marvelous feathers. In short, he was a creature made to fly about freely in the sky, bringing joy to everyone who saw him.

One day, a woman saw this bird and fell in love with him. She watched his flight, her mouth wide in amazement, her heart pounding, her eyes shining with excitement. she invited the bird to fly with her, and the two travelled across the sky in perfect harmony. She admired and venerated and celebrated that bird.

But then she thought: He might want to visit far off mountains! And She was afraid, afraid that she would never feel the same way about any other bird. And she felt envy, envy for the bird's ability to fly.

And she felt alone.
And she thought: "I'm going to set a trap. The next time the bird appears, he will never leave again."

The Bird, whow as also in love, returned the following day, fell into the trap and was put in a cage.

She Looked at the bird every day. There he was, the object of her passion, and she showed him to her friends, who said: "Now you have everything you could possibly want." However, a strange transformation began to take place: now that she had the bird and no longer needed to woo him, she bagan to lose interest. The bird, unabale to fly and express the true meaning ot his life, began to waste away and his feathers to lose their gloss; he grew ugly; and the woman no longer paid him any attention, except by feeding him and cleaning his cage.

One day, the bird died. The woman felt terribly sad and spent all her time thinking about him. But she did not remember the cage, she thought only of the day when she had seen him for the first time, flying contentedly amongst the clouds.

If she had looked more deeply into herself, she would have realized what had thrilled her about the bird was his freedom, the energy of his wings in motion, not his physical body.

Without the bird, her life too lost all meaning, and Death came knocking at her door. "Why have you come?" she asked Death. "So that you can fly once more with him across the sky." Death replied. "If you had allowed him to come and go, you would have loved and admired him even more; alas, you now need me in order to find him again."

What I'm Reading Now: Eleven Minutes By Paulo Coelho (Part 2)

Extract from Maria's Diary, written that same day when she met Ralf Hart

Today, while we were walking around the lake, along that strange road to Santiago, the man who was with me-a painter, with a life entirely different from mine-threw a pebble into the water. Small circles appeared where the pebble fell, which grew and grew until they touched a duck that happened to be passing and which had nothing to do with the pebble. Instead of being afraid of the unexpected wave, he decided to play with it.

Some hours before that scene, I went into a cafe, heard a voice, and it was as if God had thrown a pebble into that place. The waves of energy touched both me and a man sitting in a corner painting a portrait. He felt the vibrations of that pebble, and so did I. So what now?

The painter knows when he has found a model. The musician knows when his instrument is well tuned. Here, in my diary, I am aware that there are certain phrases which are not written by me, but by a woman full of "light"; I am that woman though I refuse to accept it.

I could carry on like this, but I could also, like the duck on the lake, have fun and take pleasure in that sudden ripple that set the water rocking.

There is a name for that pebble: passion. It can be used to describe the beauty of an earth-shaking meeting between two people, but it isn't just that. It's there in the excitement of the unexpected, in the desire to do something with real fervor, in the certainty that one is going to realize a dream. Passion sends us signals that guide us through our lives, and it's up to me to interpret those signs.

I would like to believe that I'm in love. With someone I don't know and who didn't figure in my plans at all. All these months of self-control, of denying love, have had exactly the opposite result: I have let myself be swept away by the first person to treat me a little differently.

It's just as well I don't have his phone number, that I don't know where he lives; that way I can lose him without having to blame myself for another missed opportunity.

And if that is what happens, if I have already lost him, I will atleast have gained one very happy day in my life. Considering the way the world is, one happy day is almost a miracle.

What I'm Reading Now: Eleven Minutes By Paulo Coelho (Part 1)

I came across this book accidentally while looking for something to read while my parents and siblings went out of town last week. Anyway, I read the first few pages and i liked it...and so i decided to "borrow" it from my sis (without her knowing) hehehe.

I haven't finished reading the book yet since i'm spending almost all my weeknights at the gym. In a panic mode for a much needed workout and by the time i get home i'm usually dead tired that i only manage to read a few pages before my system shuts down to lalaland.

Anyway, i really like this book...so i'm posting some of my fave parts of the book...hope you guys like it too!

From Maria's diary, on the day that she met the swiss man:

Everything tells me that I am about to make a wrong decision, but making mistakes is just part of life. What does the world want of me? Does it want me to take no risks, to go back to where I came from because I didn't have the courage to say "yes" to life?

I made my first mistake when I was eleven years old, when that boy asked me if I could lend him a pencil: since then, I've realized that sometimes you get no second chance and that it's best to accept the gifts the world offers you. Of course it's risky, but is the risk any greater than the chance of the bus that took forty-eight hours to bring me here having an accident? If I must be faithful to someone or something, then I have, first of all, to be faithful to myself. If I'm looking for true love, I first have to get the mediocre loves out of my system. The little experience of life I've had has taught me that no one owns anything, that everything is an illusion-and that applies to material as well as spiritual things. Anyone who has lost something they thought was theirs forever (as has happened often enough to me already) finally comes to realize that nothing really belongs to them.

And if nothing belongs to me, then there's no point wasting my time looking after things that aren't mine; it's best to live as if today were the first (or last) day of my life.

Choices

In our life's journey, we make choices...a lot of them. More often than not, these choices shape us to who we are now. Sometimes whether we like it or not. I've made a lot of choices...good ones, well-thought-of ones, i-so-wanna-kick-myself ones, i-completely-forgot-i-did-that ones and ones that put a smile on my face. Funny thing is i don't regret having made those choices. I believe these choices brought me to where i am now. I'm happy where i am now...right this very moment as i'm typing this...yes, i am happy and contented. And that's a lot coming from me.

A very Orange Sunday Afternoon

I tagged along with albert, jake and rica last sunday. We went to brothers burger in rockwell to satisfy their craving for burgers. It was actually their very-late-lunch at 330pm. Since they were all eating i was forced to eat 1 baby brother burger (emphasis on the word "Baby"). Okay okay...no one forced me alright...what can i do? I would feel out of place if i didn't order some food and besides those burgers are just too good to resist.

We then walked our way to powerplant to do some window shopping.
Check this out!


Notice how albert and jake wore the same colored shirts? hehehe! Orange must be the color of the day! Can't resist the urge to take a pic of them!

After some window shopping...i noticed that there were quite a number of people wearing Orange. It was so weird! Every shop we went to there's always an Orange-clad person. I can't help but laugh it looked like there was a jailbreak or something!hehehe!

It was one Orange afternoon alright!

Crazy about Polly's Chocolate Cake

After work last friday, i hitched a ride with my officemates to buy Polly's Chocolate cake in magallanes. I felt like i kid so eager to have a taste of polly's yummy chocolate cake. But of course, i waited til i get home...i even went to the gym first to work out before enjoying my chocolate cake. So much for my workout right? hehehe!

I was supposed to post a picture of the best chocolate cake i've ever tasted. But i forgot all about it after i took my first bite. Blame the chocolate cake, okay? Anyway, take my word for it when i say it's sooooooo good!

Head over to Select, Shell Magallanes Station and buy yourself one box of Polly's Chocolate Cake for only Php360.00

I swear i can eat the whole box in one sitting! But of course i'm trying to cut down...so a slice or two or three is enough for me. =)

here's a pic i got from a blogsite i often visit www.dessertcomesfirst.blogspot.com
this site makes me crave for yummy desserts...i sure want to try the other desserts posted here...don't you think the pics look so yummy?

Movie Review : Shopgirl

Movie Fave #1 : Shopgirl

Starring: Steve Martin and Claire Danes
Rating : 4/5 stars

Relationships don't always fit like a glove.

But Mirabelle, now feeling the warmth of her first reciprocal love, was broken away from him. And as Jeremy offers her more of his heart...Mirabelle offers equal parts of herself in return. At this point Jeremy surpasses Ray Porter as a lover of Mirablle because what he offers her is tender and true.

Some nights alone, he thinks of her.
Some nights alone, she thinks of him.
Some nights these thoughts occur at the same moment.
And Ray and Mirabelle are connected whithout them knowing it.

As Ray Porter watches Mirablle walk away he feels a loss. How is it possible, he thinks, to miss a woman whom he kept at a distance so that when she was gone he would not miss her. Only then that he realize how wanting a part of her and not all of her has hurt them both. And how he cannot justify his actions except that...well, it was life.

Cleaning out my closet

My mom has been complaining about my overflowing closet. She wonders how i still manage to get the clothes i want in that messy pile. Well, honestly i dont! Hehehe! After staring at my closet full of clothes i finally decided to deal with it fair and square. No more excuses...I'm going to clean it out! Yah you heard me...i'm cleaning out my closet! I have to hurry before i change my mind. Hehe!

First thing i did was i emptied my closet including the drawers...taking out one clothing at a time, dumped it all on my bed and with a sigh i sorted it by category:

• Pile# 1 - Office slacks
• Pile # 2 - Casual Pants and Jeans
• Pile # 3 - Cropped Pants and Shorts
• Pile # 4 - Beach Wear (Shorts, tank tops, Swimwear, etc.)
• Pile #5 - Casual Tops
• Pile # 6 - Long Sleeves & Formal Tops
• Pile # 7 - Sleeveless Tops
• Pile #8 - Party Tops
• Pile #9 - Dresses
• Pile #10 - Jackets and Blazers
• Pile # 11- Gym Wear (Jogging Pants, Socks and Sport Shirts)
• Pile #12 - Sleepwear
• Pile #13 - Underwear
• Pile #14 - Towels, Bedsheets, Pillowcases
• Pile #15 - Clothes that don't fit me anymore

Key learnings:

1. Cleaning out my closet is soooooooooo EXHAUSTING! So start early and do it on a lazy sunday afternoon when not much action is happening that way you won't miss out on anything.
2. Learn the art of folding clothes. Yah...you need that to make your closet look good and organized. Try color coding them too! Makes life easier!
3. Letting go is so hard to do. But when it doesn't fit you anymore...you have to let go. I know it hurts but you have to do it! So just close your eyes and throw it out.
4. Clothes bring back memories. I never imagined I could get emotional over clothes. Remember that plain tee you wore when you first met your boyfriend? How about the perfect fit slacks you cried over coz he just couldn't understand why you had to buy 3 of 'em? Or that cute jogging pants you wore to your first work out ever...and that perfect halter dress you bought for only a hundred bucks? These are priceless memories. sniff sniff!
5. Measure your growth. I'm surprised at how many clothes dont fit me anymore. Is it because i gained some weight? Nah, i think i was just too skinny before. Yah! That explains it period.
6. I can't get enough of 'em. I love clothes. I admire the cut, the color, the style, the fabric...the stitching... the texture...the cute buttons...i could go on and on!
7. Always go for Quality over Quantity! Nuff said.
8. You can never go wrong with classics but add some personality in your style to make it truly your own.
9. If you found the perfect fit...won't hurt if you buy two or three of 'em.
10. If it makes you feel good...go ahead and indulge!

I can't be more proud of what i've done! I've successfully cleaned out my closet! It's so nice looking at my now more organized closet...now it's so much easier to get my hands on what i needed. Saved me precious time and hey, i even have space for new clothes! Yey!!!

Dreaming of Bantayan

Countdown to Bantayan: 1 Month 2 Weeks and 1 Day

Here's my list of things i want to do in Bantayan:

• Walk barefoot on it's soft white sand
• Laze around on a comfy hammock
• Read a good book
• Listen to soothing music
• Explore it's marine life...Snorkeling!!!
• Cool down with a tall glass of fresh fruit shake
• Get a tan!
• Have a drink or two... or three...
• Take tons of kodak moments
• Watch the sunrise and sunset
• Have a blast!

State of Emergency or so they say

When i heard about the proclamation of a state of emergency last friday afternoon i thought to myself: "there goes my friday night of booze and fun!" hehehe! I gave in to the idea of spending my friday night at home...well, probably go to the gym first til about 9pm and spend the rest of the boring evening watching tv. Good thing albert invited me to have dinner at amici. Hmmm...just the thought of pasta and pizza makes my mouth water. hehehe!

Before going to amici we made a not so quick stop at MCS for some pirated dvds. I had no plans of buying pirated dvds...but when i saw all those dvds...my gosh! I just couldn't stop myself. It felt like i was hypnotized! After a few minutes of scouring through the never ending pile of dvds...i finally surrendered and bought my FIRST pirated dvd!! =( i know! i know! i'm bad! To think i used to conduct trainings about anti-piracy and stuff! Geeeezzzz!!! and how i used to tell my friends not to buy pirated! I'm only human! Who can't resist those cheap dvds? huh? Oh well, so i submitted to temptation of buying pirated dvds...enough said!

Anyway, i bought the following: If only, Fever Pitch, Spanglish and A lot like love. If i'll burn in hell for this might as well watch all the dvds i can get my hands on. Btw, after watching my first ever pirated dvd i then made a list of dvds i want to buy on my next trip to dvd land.

Ooops! i almost forgot to mention that my bronze- tiangge- bought- cute- sandals got stuck on the last step of the escalator! talk about embarrassing myself infront of those people. While Pres. Arroyo proclaimed a state of emergency...i was having my own state of emergency right at the heart of pirated dvd haven. I didn't know my cute bronze sandal can stop the escalator from moving! hahaha! The lady behind me was so terrified she sorta jumped off trying to avoid the now weird looking sandal...i wanted to laugh but looking at my now damaged sandals i wanted to cry! Waaaah!!! My fave bronze sandals looked great with just about anything from jeans to slacks to skirts...huhuhu! It will be difficult to find a perfect pair of sandals again! Going back to my story, Albert tried to pull my sandals off but to no avail. But i couldn't just go walking with just one sandal alright? So i took a couple of deep breaths and gave it one strong tug...tada! got my sandal back! hooray!!! Anyway, after that i continued walking as if nothing happened...while deep inside i was about to die of humiliation! hahaha! Said goodbye to my cute bronze sandals that night...that was my cue to buy a new one! **Big grin**

After having said that...got me thinking what pushed me to buy those pirated dvds...it was my sandals!!! i was mourning for my-tiangge-bought-cute-bronze-sandals and i poured it all out on those dvds! hahaha! still a lame excuse don't you think? Atleast i gave it a try!

Craving for Gelato

Had my first taste of amici de don bosco's gelato last friday night. I bought 1Kg of Vanilla with Nuts Gelato for only 350 cool pesos! Every creamy spoonful was worth it! Not to mention the generous amount of whole pistachio nuts and almond flakes mixed into creamy vanilla gelato. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! My perfect gelato with just the right amount of sweetness! Looking forward to my next scoop of gelato!

FYI: Amici De Don Bosco is a small cafeteria run by an italian priest located at the corner of pasay road and pasong tamo in makati.

Why i blog?

Reason # 1 : Kill Time
Blogging is one way to get rid of boredom. Yah right! This is actually my 4th and hopefully my last blog account. 1st account - for some weird reason i forgot my username and password so i decided to just give it up. 2nd blog - my private blog where i write about my innermost feelings. Bitch about certain events and people. hehehe! Sorry not for public viewing. 3rd blog - my friendster blog account. My pathetic attempt at blogging. Surprised me that some people i dont even know are actually reading my posts. Oh well, it's a good way to practice my blogging skills if i have any. Anyway, this new blog i hope will be my last! I'll try to transfer my fave posts from my other blogs here.

Reason # 2 - Chronicle events
I used to own a journal...where i scribble away my thoughts and feelings. I thought it's a nice way to chronicle my so called life. I love reading it during my alone times...it gets people and events in perspective. Allows me to reminsce about the good old days and see where it got me.

Reason # 3 - Get Creative
Hopefully this blog will allow me to be more creative. If only i have enough time to waste on creating a look for this blog.

Reason # 4 - Talk about things i love
Finally, a space for me to talk about some of the things i love and love to hate hehehe. From places i've been to, books, movies, food, shopping, and other simple joys in life.

Reason # 5 - For us to get to know each other
I'd love to hear what you have to say. So, comments are most welcome here.

Anyway, whatever reasons i have...what really counts is that i love what i'm doing.
So let me just blog away!