a welcome getaway

Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas

i never knew summer fun could be this early for me.

a few days ago, my HS bud, Lala asked me if i would want to join them for their Fuego trip. I've never been there, i didn't have any idea what it looks like and i have a lot of doubts about enjoying it there as i didn't have any high hopes for the beaches in batangas. i just told her i wouldn't be too sure as i had my tooth extracted that day too and i knew i needed to rest.

the night before i had some mean party with a few friends and came home late that i wasn't really sure if i could be up early for the trip. but lo and behold, i woke up just before my alarm went off at 5:45am...thus by 7am i found myself dozing off on my friend's car on the way to nasugbu, batangas.

we got there at about 10am and my saying that the place is nice is but an understatement. i love it there! the sand is not so white but it's almost powdery fine, and there's not much rocks in there so it's safe to walk around barefoot, never mind the hot, hot sand hehe.

but the water is really cold, medyo may nangangagat nga lang. they say it's water mites and not jelly fish stings. i had rashes for a while pero nawala din naman. unlike the ones i got in la luz, batangas which left me a few scars from those rashes :-C.

we went to the nearby resort which is Munting Buhangin for lunch as the food in Punta Fuego is quite expensive. we saw a lot of families there and some even pitched tents for a minimal fee.

since Punta Fuego is a membership-only resort, i can't help but just recommend Munting Buhangin instead as they share the same stretch of beach anyway. and it's pretty much easy to just cross over to their resort hehe...i got there brochure and here's what i found:

duplex aircon cottage (6-15 pax) P7500
single aircon cottage (6-15pax) P8000
family inn aircon (9-12pax) P6800
nipa house aircon (4-10pax) P2750
tree house (2-10pax) P2900

pwde rin mag pitch ng tent for P500.oo
may volleyball, darts, kayak, videoke, etc.

you may contact them at their makati ofc 892-6051 loc. 410/812-5448/818-1975/818-4798
email: buhangin@info.com.ph

i believe this beach stretch of Punta Fuego and Munting Buhangin is way better than that of La Luz, and even that of White Beach in Galera, as the sand here is finer, the water clearer, more calm and predictable.

and the added bonus is a view of this magnificent sunset. it looks so serene and calm. it helped much that we had quite a cool day that time which made everything more relaxing.

we got home past six and dropped by Tagaytay for dinner. too bad we we're not able to have bulalo that time as Leslie's was packed so we ended up having an all-american dinner at Mile-Hi Diner, ok din naman.

of course, i'd like to thank my sponsors, Anne and Lala for the trip and newfound friends Linda and Norma for the company. t'was a totally awesome experience!

dealing with pain

i watched Juno tonight and i just find it really good and heartwarming. i actually cried on the last part (dang, why am i always crying over movies i watch??).

but this time i knew so well why i cried...

ok, this won't be easy for me. it's not like i get to show all the time how wimpy i could be.

well, i'm due for a tooth extraction soon. not that i'm scared of my dentist. i have regular prophylaxis, i've even had a root canal treatment once. and my current dentist who's my high school classmate is actually good at making me feel easy and comfortable on the chair. but i dunno why i got so jittery with this prospect of having a tooth pulled out once more. but then again it has been ages since the last one. i could actually wait up for summer when i get home for this procedure but another part of me is making me push myself and just go on with this one.

i have been thinking about this for weeks now just that i am sort of biding my time. this morning i went to a dentist nearby and asked for an appointment. i have called last week and was decided to do it today, i knew someone is in duty yet i still went there acted as if i'm just interested for an appointment. i sort of changed my mind and had it rescheduled instead for the next day.

I have always believed that i have a higher tolerance for pain. that i have always been able to control, take care of myself. that i could take in anything whether it's good or bad, pleasurable or not.

just that this time, i don't know why, i'm just feeling oh so freaked out. i even texted my mom to say that "i'm going to have a tooth extracted. i am scared".

i had quite a hard time blurting it out to people that i am indeed scared of my coming appointment. it was just a sort of acknowledgment to what i was really feeling.

i cried while watching Juno because i realized how petty my fear is as compared to what other people are actually experiencing and what i have been through in the past.

i cried because i remembered i once gave birth too (yeah, i sometimes i need to be reminded of that). and my, that one wasn't one easy labor. i was in pain for like 4 hours as contractions came in, i was well-dilated as the doctors said (oops, TMI!) but Xan just refused to cooperate as if he didn't want to come out as easily. i was near faint, i was vomiting and pissing all over and hell, he just didn't want to budge a bit that they had to decide to cut me up.

hehe, i was asked several times if i could just go opt for a CS and all i could say was " ask my mom" the doctors must be having the time of their life when they heard that.

indeed they had to go ask my mom who was waiting nervously outside and just gave the go signal. so there, i got cut up right before the anesthesiologist had to wrestle with me so i could get my spine shot.

"injection lang ang masakit, everything else will be ok"

sigh. i so love my mom. that was her reply to my text message. even if i've been far away almost half my life, making decisions, fending, bearing everything that i could, i always turn to my mom whenever i want to. and she's just always there.

oh well, at least i had a good cry. i just hope i'll do just fine. i mean i've had a minor operation once, i have a few piercings, i get regular wax jobs, how much pain could i not take?

i'll just get myself a tub of ice cream right after then.

no sex, no Pex, just this survey...

::People::
Who is your closest friend?
my high school buds, my pex family, tsak, jenn, ai, ally, andrea, hitads...they all kinda know me in varying degrees.

What annoys you the most about them?
when they ask too many questions/ when they don't ask anything at all hehe labo!

Are you single? Or taken?
taken (for granted) haha joke!

If single, are you interested in someone?
uhuh

Who?
chismoso ka ha!

What is your "type"?
someone who can stimulate me in all the right places

::Who did you last...?::
Kiss?
si ally, sayang di natapat sa lips

Watch a movie with?
my mom

Hold hands with?
Xan

Spend time with?
Ron

Tell about something bothering you?
oh my, don't make me start!

Email?
budget proposal

Text?
my phone's been silent so no one

Dance with?
myself :p

::Places::
Where did you last go?
Xocolat, just across admu

What country do you want to visit?
europe and the holy land

Where do you feel the safest?
my room, with Xan

What grocery store did you last go to?
rustan's

Where would you want to get married?
where i will be taken to get married

If you were going to die tomorrow, where
would you go?
huh? mamamatay na maglalakwatsa pa ba??

What state do you not want to go to?
in his state of mind (korny!)

::Colors::
Does red mean love or hate?
passion

What do you think of orange?
very vibrant

Is yellow the worst color on cars?
not really

What do you think of when I say green?
la sallista, yuck! haha!

Blue- water or sky?
sky

How many shades of purple can you think of?
violet, plum, lavender, lilac, periwinkle, blue violet, magenta

::Think about it::
If the love of your life just got dumped by their boyfriend/girlfriend, how long would you wait until you made a move?
haha! not in my books, sorry.

If you were on your way to a job interview and a person accidently bumped into you, causing them to spill their coffee on you, what would you do?
be annoyed..but i dunno really. have never really been to a job interview haha!

If a person you were in love with looked you straight in the eye and whispered "I
hate you", what would you say?
i'd be flattered. that means he loves me that much to be able to say he hates me straight in the eyes.

If someone was to propose to you tomorrow, who would you want it to be?
wag muna hehe

If you were to choose one car to drive for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
no idea. though gusto ko ng mini cooper talaga. kaso di kasya jan yung pamilya ko sayang.

::Random::
Do you look for crabs in those little pools of water at the beach?
..and shells and nice pebbles too.

What do you think of the word "moist"?
hmmm....chocolate cake na lang para safe haha!

When do you make wishes?
whenever i feel like

Do you have scars on your right hand?
nothing visible

Have you ever wondered how much people would care if you got in an accident?
oh yeah..especially on those times when i'd feel so KSP

Have you ever played Red Rover?
ano yan??

Electric or handheld pencil sharpeners?
electric! sosi naman..kahit ano basta alam ko gamitin

What is the most interesting thing on your wall?
the lyrics of Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen), had it for years

::Body::
When was the last time you washed your hair?
this morning

Have you ever had lice?
when i was a kid

Do you pluck your eyebrows?
it's waxed

Do you wash your face daily?
yup

Are your ears pierced?
yup

What is your opinion on your nose?
it's the same shape as my mom's

Do you crack your knuckles?
when i was in HS, till someone told me it's supposed to make them bigger

What kind of soap do you use?
dove, safeguard, kojic acid

Have you ever painted your nails?
just my toe nails

How much of your skin has been seen by a member of the opposite sex?
every inch haha

Are you comfortable with the way you look?
i'm ok with it

Do you shave your legs?
not anymore, wax advocate na

you sure you wanna be in fight club??

got this in my email and just thought of sharing this with you ...

HOW TO CONTROL EMOTIONS

This would give you guides on how to control your emotions towards your better-half, friends, officemates and all the people around you, . The rules of practicing " ugaling langit, ugaling kaaya-aya" :

#1 Ang naunang magalit ang may karapatang magalit. Pag naunahan ka na ng galit niya, tumahimik ka na lang muna.

#2 Walang taong nag-aaway mag-isa. Pag hindi kayo sumagot o pumatol, titigil din daw ang taong nakikipag- away sa inyo.

#3 Ang taong galit, 'bingi.' If someone is angry, wala raw pinakikinggan, so, don't try to explain and fight back. Hindi ka niya iintindihin dahil wala siyang naririnig kundi ang sarili nya.

#4 Ang taong galit, 'abnoy.' Ayon sa pastor, Biblical daw ito? because the Lord said when He was crucified, "Father, patawarin mo sila dahil hindi nila alam ang kanilang ginagawa." Modern term for these kinds of people are abnoys, so you better not get angry para huwag kang matawag na abnoy.

You should also know and realize that the persons who make your day bad are jewels , because you need them for you to mature. Hangga't andyan daw sila at kinaiinisan mo, ibig sabihin, immature ka pa. God will not take away those people; it's for you to take away your bad feelings towards them. You'll know na mature ka na pag dumating 'yung time na hindi ka na naiinis sa mga taong ito because you have learned to accept them and to have patience with them.

#5 Finally, the best part of this is to tell yourself na, because of this person, "I will grow mature," and that DAHIL SA CONTRIBUTION NIYA SA MATURITY MO, KUKUNIN DIN SYA NI LORD.

#6...this is my own contribution, and my favorite actually for all couples out there: when you are angry with each other, take all your clothes off and just hold each other's hands. wrestle if you want to. let's just see if you really wanna continue fighting.

chopsuey

wala lang ako maisip na title..magulo utak ko..i just want to write all these stuff down.

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great party last saturday, yey! just that i don't feel like goin to side bar for a while muna. i'm not so crazy over those diluted drinks, nah, sorry. i still miss the plain, good, old beer hehe.

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i watched Trainspotting that friday night. the Brit accent will always be cool. but that film is one crazy, crazy ride. :p

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watched Basic Instinct that saturday, ho-hum...Michael Douglas seems to act the same whatever movie he stars in haha. Sharon Stone looks immaculate but she's almost like some mannequin, perfect but lifeless. the love scenes weren't really that hot. or maybe i'm just so full of xtube (oops, lol!)

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sigh, Wicker Park is and will always be a good one. i peeked on those deleted scenes and found it to be more interesting. will start scouting for it's original french version when i get the chance.

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oh yeah, do drop by the second floor at metrowalk for those hard to find dibidis, from classic films to the artsy, obscure ones. i hope to go back there for more.

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feeling pretty bit messed up the past days. my apologies for everyone else who's got the blues too. it's not that i don't wanna acknowledge your hurts, just that right now, it's ours that matters to us the most.

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i'll forever be grateful for friends who understand and show that they care. let the prayer brigade rage on! =)

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i love weekends when there's not much to do and no place else to go. when i'd get too excited about what film to watch next, what the updates are in my online community. just that sometimes, i'd get frazzled as to whether i should eat first or take a bath or just let on and sleep. i thank God for food deliveries when my cupboard runs empty. but i've to admit that at most times i'd rather sleep or munch on crackers when i'm almost too lazy to call/count my change/choose what food to get/let it cost up to the minimun food order. yeah, i'm that lazy sometimes, eh ano naman. :p

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i'm not feeling all blissed-out these days. i'm emo as emo can be, yuck!!!!

amazing!

URBANDUB with the MANILA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

i hope they do come out with an album together, unless meron na hehe...

never home alone

had a blast of a party last friday. came home around 5am, whoa! wasn't really that wasted though, after all we had a filling italian meal at amici before proceeding to side bar in el pueblo. and though the cocktails and shooters were at rather measly prices i didn't feel that knocked out at all (diluted? hehe!). went to starbucks metrowalk after, had my usual tall macchiato paired with longsilog which we bought at lugaw republic. nah, i didn't finish all of it as it was to be my one and only meal that following day.

because yeah, i chose to hole up again in my side of the world. enjoying solitude but never really feeling alone. wanting to feel numb but ended up feeling all too emotional for whatever had happened to other people.

spent my supposedly weekend watching hallstrom films and posting on message boards and talking to people. discussing issues which we ought not to have discussed at all as it doesn't really directly concern us. but i believe, as we get closer to people, no matter how far away they are, we get entangled with their businesses, with their lives, without us really noticing it that much. it's not really for the mere fun of it nor because we are just plain usisero (darn it, sana nga ganun lang!) but because we do care. sometimes i just wanna say screw caring for once! and turn back to my indifferent, snobbish self. maybe things would have been easier, more peaceful for me and to everyone of us.

a friend once told me never to pry too much. it's like trying hard to pry open some can, you'll never know if all you'd get are worms in it. eh di pa naman ako marunong gumamit ng abre-lata *bop*! which is exactly why i'm a big fan of those hunt's pork and beans with easy open cans wa-hoo!

oh well, yeah, that should be a lesson for me.

it's at trying times like this when we get to know ourselves and other people better. i'm still so pissed off at white lies, at seeming deceptions. but maybe it's more for my own selfish reasons. somehow i have to have a more open mind as to why people say and do things they opt to say and do. and still manage to get past through it.

i am still insanely human.

but yeah, i am no longer the rock goddess i've always wanted to be. little things affect me already. or maybe i should just stop watching all those over dramatic films. but then again watching other people wallow and yet still manage to triumph from life's adversaries is actually good to keep our hopes up alive.

just the same i'd like to believe that i had a good enough weekend. and am still grateful for everything that took place. and i know i could still carry on for more. gimme more, gimme more (lecheng britney yan na-LSS pa din ako waaah!)

with that i shall all bid you:

"Goodnight, you princes of Maine. You kings of New England.!"

(The Cider House Rules)

what's eating gilbert grape

realized how full of angst we are back in the 90s. not just in the songs we listen to but also in the movies we watched.

saw what's eating gilbert grape a while ago. my first after i saw it on the movies more than 10 years ago. i remembered we saw it then at Sta. Lucia Mall when it was still new. we were at the top floor and we just sat there on the floor, facing the window right after. my schoolmate kinda exclaimed na" kung di totoong special child si Arnie sobrang galing lang nya talagang actor!" of course, we all know now that Leo diCaprio is indeed normal like us (or some of us) and is just one hell of a good actor.

The scenes and lines were still very vivid to me. and i still cried at some scenes. it also has one of the most cathartic ending for an all too emotionally filled film. it made letting go and moving on actually easier to do.

oh, bought this dvd at the Chinatown in Singapore for $5 (roughly PhP150) =)

movie tag

Rules Of This Tag:

1. Link back the person who tagged you and write what was the movie his/her family enjoyed watching recently.

2. Now your turn to tell about the movie your family had just watched.

3. Tell something about the movie and spoilers are accepted (hehehe).

4. Lastly, write anything that has something to do with movies: Trivia, your top choice or favorites and why, your family's story about your favorite motion pictures, the first film you watched with your husband, any traditional film the family 's been keeping etc...etc...

5. Copy and paste the rules of this meme on your blog and pass the tag to as many friends, bloggers and movie lovers you want. Don't forget to tell them they're tagged and leave a comment here if you're done with the task.

1. I've been tagged by daiz, they just recently saw and enjoyed movies as the bee movie, cloverfield, juno and memento.

2. saw cloverfield recently too with my mom. i didn't quite enjoy it as i was too tired and sleepy. just got back from an early morning flight that day and it was hard enough keeping my eyes open. worse was the film's camera shots made me dizzy. made me want to hold them with steadier hands instead hehe.

3. the lead female characters were all gorgeous though. nevermind if they were virtually unknown. just that i wasn't that caught up with the human drama. and the monster just came out of nowhere and it wasn't even known what happened to it after. kudos to the effects though. especially after seeing the monster up close, wow! that was some visual delight i might say. how they ended with saying "i love yous" was a bit tad mushy. but then again maybe when you're in the brink of death too you'll end up saying them to anyone and everyone with you. :p

4. I'm still a big Ethan Hawke fan, it's not just about his good boyish looks but how he chooses his films well. Great Expectations, Before Sunrise/Sunset and Gattaca are big favorites. I'm still endlessly searching for his Hamlet dvd din pala. Our family watches Lord of the Rings series and all of Harry Potter on Christmas and New Year's eves. Same with The Ten Commandments and Jesus, Christ Superstar on holy weeks. Xan is still terribly on his Blues Clues stage. though lately he's learned to alternate it with Dora, Diego, Sesame Street and his a-b-cs...yun memorized na din namin. I've yet to take him to the theater, baka magwala kse sa dilim. =)

5. I'm tagging aian, jenn, karl and mec.

slingin' singapore

oh well...

isn't it kinda disappointing that one takes great pains in planning for a trip, researching for the must-see places to go to only to find out that all your companions really wanna do is shop? and worse, you have no more money to shop so what you can do is just hang around wherever they wanna go or be someplace else by yourself and just take pictures? hehe...

we arrived in Sg at past 10pm after almost 6 hours on the bus from KL. it took us a while to get a cab as apparently most taxis there are on call. meaning you have to call up their operators on the phone and ask them to send you a cab. unless you are on some pretty crowded places where taxis can wait and be flagged. but that was almost midnight and most taxis have status as "busy", "hired" or "on call" hahaha ang damot! we finally got to make a couple of calls from a nearby store to get us two taxis and after giving our address we got to our host's place safe and sound. we were so hungry and tired that we rested right after being served with a great meal of crabs and chicken, wow!

Day 1: we were supposed to start early the following day but we were just so tired the previous days that we adjusted our sked a bit. we left past noon for vivo city. the trip going there was an adventure in itself as we did not have any guides with us save for the map (yes, the map! para kaming si dora haha!) and some quick instructions from our host. it's an advantage that Sg's bus and train system are so organized. each bus and train stop has directions and lists of each stop. sobrang tanga na nga ata ang maliligaw pa dun. besides most of them can speak english.

after a good meal of chicken rice and yes, chicken and all other food stuff at vivo, we then got to the third level for the monorail ride to Sentosa. nothing special really, as we passed by sites which were still under construction. and before we even got on the ground it rained. no, it poured hard haha! we were planning to watch the Songs of the Sea later that evening but they didn't sell tickets while the rain kept pouring.

we proceeded to the Underwater World as at least it was indoors. and yes, i love the feel of being underwater too. it was not as big as Ocean Park's Atoll Reef but we circled it 3 times making me a bit dizzy too hehe...

then we rushed out for the scheduled pink dolphins show. though they didn't look pink to me, they were more like grayish, or baka nabura na ang kulay umulan kse :p

after getting on a tram for a short ride around the island we all went back to vivo...had some kopi tiam and toast and strolled around a bit. next stop was Mustafa in Little India. We got back on the train and stopped by Farrer station where Mustafa was just a short walk. we've been warned of the distinct, err, smell so i was a bit prepared to half-breathe all the way if there is such a thing haha! we were able to buy a few souvenir items. it was not relatively cheap compared to the ones in KL but they say it's the cheapest already everywhere in Sg.

and here's the funny thing, we were supposed to get dinner but we didn't want any indian food, and there's nothing but indian restos in the area. but of course, we were in little india after all. i searched my map again (yes, the map! haha) and looked for the nearest shopping center (as i was not satisfied with what i bought). i saw Bugis so we all hailed a cab and went there. we finally had our dinner at..tadaa...burger king! yey, western food for a change.

the oldies went home ahead after dinner, while we opted to stay longer and scour the night market. we were able to find good stuff at better prices. then we all went home ala amazing race, running after the the last train trip to the next as it was almost midnight. oh we got home without hitch alright except for that last bus where we had to alight off again as it was going the opposite way. yeah, right bus number, just the opposite route bleh!

Day 2: First order of the day was to go to Orchard Road. uhm, i didn't see anything special with the place except for the long stretch of malls and shops and more malls. but they got a big Borders shop there though. one sweet haven for book lovers like me.

from orchard we got on the train again and stopped at the City Hall station where we saw raffles place, a short walk and we saw the peninsula, and funan for the gadgets again. my other office mate went ahead for the stamps museum, while the rest of them went on to funan. what i did was walked on ahead looked for the city hall, the supreme court, the old and new parliament, found the st. andrew's church along the way too. if it wasn't for the rains i could have walked on to the merlion park as well. i could already see the esplanade at a distance.

when we all met up again i led them walking back down to where i passed by going to the merlion park. we were able to pass by the art shop, victoria theater and the national museum. we were able to get good photos at the merlion park before rain poured in anew.

we asked around for a bus that stops by suntec city. we could have walked but it was raining and they were all tired. we saw the fountain of wealth in suntec. we also had our dinner there. we were supposed to go to the night safari as our last stop but they said they were all tired. woe to me. :( so to stall a bit, we looked for a bus that could take us to our home. at least we could still sight see on the 25-30 minute bus ride before finally calling it a day.

Day 3: is friendship day. my boss-pari said mass at the community church to a group of Filipinos there. after which the house where we stayed in had their house blessing. i had to leave them as i was to meet my high school friend, Sylvia back to vivo city. yes, i went back there by myself. may map naman ako eh hehe. after a hearty buffet lunch of salads and pastas and meats she brought me to Page One where her hubby loves to scour books din pala. i introduced him to neil gaiman, he bought neverwhere upon my recommendation, and they bought me fragile things (my choice) as a gift, yey! the best thing i got actually aside from the godiva chocolate which they also gave me.

i met up with huck right after and we had coffee at starbucks. for once i just wanted to sit still while sipping my macchiato and just watch Singaporeans pass us by. yeah, singaporean males are quite buff you know. i am amazed at how their bodies look so lean and muscular. drool. haha!

from there we went to chinatown where i was to meet my officemates for dinner. we strolled the area a bit. it was still raining, darn it. before we met them we sat down on some food street and got ourselves some tiger beers and satay. nam-nam!

that was to be my dinner already. i finally joined my officemates for our train ride back home where we had to catch our flight back home later that night.

phew! if not for the rains i might have enjoyed the trip more. i still wanted to see the zoo and the night safari and the museum but we lacked time. our bodies were all aching and sore already. our flight was delayed pa, thank you cebu pac! hmpf! we left past 3am instead of the scheduled 1240 am flight.

but hey, we got back home safe and sound. i've slept a bit, regained much of my energies already. twas a good experience and yeah, i don't really wanna complain anymore. babalik pa ako, after all i still have about two dollars in my ezlink card, sayang naman haha!

more pics here! =)

missing KL

yeah, i actually miss the place.

i knew all the research and planning for the itinerary made me quite dizzy and unexcited for a bit but arriving at the city all bustling and crowded awakened the wanderlust in me.

Day 1: i slept on the trip from katip to clark where the budget terminal was. i even slept through the 4 hour air asia trip to KL. nevermind if those rude Indian guys beside me were gambling on flight. the hell! how rude and noisy can you get. buti na lang di naman sila nangamoy. or maybe i just didn't smell it as i must be half-breathing all throughout the flight. the plane was pretty small and the claustrophobic me almost felt like panicking but i just had to take quick short breaths to pacify myself and tried hard to sleep.

we arrived safe and sound in KL and was greeted by heavy rains. our host had warned us of KL's erratic weather so it was ok. we took a taxi to our accommodations and felt like just travelling to subic hehe. twas kinda hard to imagine we were on foreign soil.

we got to our host's place at past 6pm, settled down a bit, fell asleep while waiting for the rain to stop then went to the mall at past 8pm to grab some dinner. oh, the sun doesn't set in KL till way past 7pm! but then again it doesn't rise till almost 8am anyway.

first stop was to the mall haha! midland megamall pa. sows!

but the food was great. so spicy and tasty and yummy!

we went home after milling around a bit. after all we had quite a long day travelling and there's still the next day for the real fun to begin.

Day 2: we started out quite early the next day for genting highlands. we didn't plan on getting on those rides (yeah, corny hehe). we only went there to check out the place. naman, cable car ride pa lang nanginig na tuhod nila eh haha!

twas just like enchanted kingdom just that it's much colder. yun lang. or siguro kse di naman kami nag rides. but then the rides in Ocean Park looked cooler as it was overlooking the South China Sea. kaso sempre di rin kami nag rides dun haha!

we went back down after lunch. after all it's almost two hours of bus ride to the city. then we stopped by chinatown and walked all the way to plaza low yat where all the electronic gadgets are supposed to be sold cheap. but then i'm not into gadgets, nah, make it i don't have any budget for that so all i bought really was a 2 gig flash disk for 39 rmb or roughly 500 bucks. not bad really.

then they went more shopping while i took more pics and looked around. and we all headed to KLCC for the petronas towers, yey!

there's a posh mall on the lower floors that we felt we were so dugyot upon getting in. for once nakakita na din ako ng magaganda hehe. pero wala pa din tatalo sa ganda ng mga Pilipina!

finally got two grab myself two pairs of vincci shoes, yeah, two pairs! i still dunno when and how to wear them though :p

after dinner and more shopping/window shopping, we went to the fountain area for a better view of the towers.

it looks awesome from a distance. it looks more amazing up close!

though it's pretty hard to get good pictures. i had to almost lie down on the cement floor to get this one. but who cares, all the other tourists followed suit as well hehe...

went home feeling bit yet still exhilarated. the following day is yet another day, and we were to travel to Singapore late in the afternoon.

Day 3: the oldies opted to stay at home while us, the younger once went out to buy tickets for our Sg trip and yes, do more last minute shopping and sightseeing. the bus ticket to Sg was at 30 rmb or a little over 300 pesos we went to central market, which doesn't really look like a market. we bought more souvenir items, like tshirts and ang walang kamatayang key chains haha. bought more trinkets and decors and had great food (again!). we set out again, walked a bit to the capitol, merdeka plaza, saw more of chinatown even if the sun was up shining brightly. then we tried hard to squeeze in to check out the malaysian eye. after all we failed to go up to petronas towers as tickets were to be distributed only till 10 am when our day has just started.

somehow i love being up there, makes me feel more light and powerful and carefree and liberated. and i've seen that part of the amazing race in which they had to go up the London Eye to look for the clue for their next destination. wala lang, feeling na naman ako :p

my officemates felt freaky, they were half closing their eyes and tried hard not to peek. sayang, ang ganda ng view. i was moving around pa naman for good spots to have my pics taken haha.

then we all had to rush home to catch our 430 pm bus. we thought we were gonna be late as it took us forever to get a teksi goin home and another one going to puduraya where all the buses are. kaso Filipino time din pala sila. the schedule was at 430pm and we were supposed to be there by 415. we got there at around 420 and the bus was still nowhere in sight. it arrived past 5pm and we left KL at past 530 haha! we got to Singapore at almost 11pm haaay.

the following day is yet another day!

more photos here!

Do tell me you just dropped by...

...and i'll try to think about you for a bit.

got this from Marky's blog, and i don't mind admitting being a copycat hehe...post away and let's surprise each other! =)

Compose a comment or just leave your name and:

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll pick a place we could spend a day with.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal/thing you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you

not your ordinary kind of love story

i was jogging around the football field when i remembered Russel. he's some guy in my past, no it didn't really became an us but i did have fond memories of that boy. i'm reposting this blog post which i had three years ago. i'm really just hoping and praying that he is fine wherever he is now.

*****************************************************

you were sitting then at dunkin donuts waiting for your friends. you had your hair grown long enough to be tied back looking neat.

i was standing outside waiting for my ride.

you smiled at me.

i hesitantly smiled back.

you called me in.

i did and we talked a while. i noticed you had with you Nicholas Spark's A Walk To Remember. i told you i loved the book and the movie and the soundtrack. you told me you have the cd soundtrack and the dvd too. we chitchatted for a while but i had to go so we exchanged numbers instead. we also agreed to see each other again once we get back to manila. that was december.

i felt thrilled a bit. after all you were a sorta crush from way back. we first met at a science camp in high school. you were in first year high. i was a senior. you were but a kid then.

i kinda forgot about it then. till i got a text message sometime in february. it was from you. you wanted us to meet but we were both too busy to agree on a good date.

but that valentine's day, we both talked about being text dates instead. even if we did not have to see each other that day at least we were able to keep track of each other at least through texts. i remembered not being able to reply to your messages and you reprimanded me for being a bad date. thus came night time, when work was done, i set all things down and texted with you till late night until we fell asleep. that has to be one of my most memorable valentines day.

we met only about a week later. twas kinda good to squeeze such moment in both our busy yuppie lives. and though i'm not really into horror films, you made me watch The Eye which did not really stop me from having a good time. the conversations, the closeness, the mere feeling of being with you was totally different. it was as if it was meant to be.

but maybe not. our work, our businesses were always between us. we would agree to see each other again but something would always come up.

you would tell me to meet up and i would wait and wait. but there wasn't a mere scent of you.

you would surprise me with a visit but you'd be surprised i was not home.

you would hastily ask me to see you after your football practice but i've already made prior engagements.

you told me i'm impatient. i told you you were plain unavailable.

a mere discussion turned into an ugly text war. and we were not even together yet.

i had to go on.

this girl has been scalded and scathed. the young girl's fantasies remained as such. it was time to get real.

you asked for us to start over. though hesitant i wanted to give it a chance too. i wanted to see if things will get better if we see each each other again.

we met again one holiday. and like the first time, we also watched a movie. but i enjoyed the movie more than being with you. it was after all nicholas cage's The National Treasure. i was grateful you took me to it. but not so much that i get to see you again. twas truly the end for us then as the end credits rolled.

i was kinda hoping that maybe, just maybe fate, will be sweeter for us again. i was looking forward to still seeing you around and learn great things about you. who knows.

PS.

There's no more chance of seeing him anywhere anymore. Apparently he took his own life reportedly after having broken up with his gf. Only God knows what the real reason could be. But it's such a waste. Such a sad, sad news. Dunno. Am still at a daze.

Rumors...

i know we all hate bein involved in rumors...but here's a few of 'em we'd love to talk about and i hope they are indeed true.

Rumored Concerts in the Philippines This 2008

1. Madonna

"I heard about the rumor that she’s coming just last December. With the Confessions Tour Album and also with the release of her eleventh studio album under Warner Bros. featuring collaborations with Timbaland, Pharell Wlliams and Justin Timberlake, it will also be perfect for this musical icon to come over here in Manila. As some says, this is still under negotiations but there are greater chances that it will push through. The concert is rumored to happen in July with Taguig Open fields or MOA Complex as venues."

2. Dave Matthews Band

"With an award and several nominations from Grammy, having sold over 31 million albums and included in the Top 100 Highest Selling Music Acts of all time, who will say it’s not worth for Dave Matthews band to do a concert here? Well, there are rumors that they will also do a concert here in September and it could be held at the Fort or MOA complex."

3. U2

"Aside from 170 million albums worldwide and being able to grab more Grammy awards as compared to other bands, the band is also known for addressing several issues such as poverty, disease, and social injustice. While keeping their traditioal sound and influences, U2 has been able to keep loyal fans while getting a new generation of fans worldwide. U2 is rumored to do a concert either at MOA complex or at the Fort this September."

oh well, i don't really care about all the other artists but the complete list can be found in here

timelines

for the past ten years, i've been drafting the timeline for our project. and yes, each year for the past 10 years this has been the timeline of my life as well.

i found myself lost in the flurries of promos, going out of town, meeting different people, conducting interviews, lugging tripods and videocams, climbing mountains, riding almost all sorts of vehicles from planes to bangka to habal-habal heck even horses! and we culminate it with a night of so called glamour as we strut in our best shoes and attire and enjoy the sights as our awardees are thrown into the limelight.

we rest a while and we start all over again.

well at least i am more able to plan out my activities. know where i could be at that time of the year, take control of my trips and side trips as well. and yeah, each thought of being able to go someplace again after a couple of months of staying at the office is indeed enough motivation to just hang on and relish each days of being kept indoors.

thus as i crawled on to each timeline, i never really noticed how ten years just passed me by. and though i've been ranting again and again about wanting to try working someplace else, i'd tend to forget about it as soon as i get into the motion of starting over again the cycle that is the project.

as i am drafting this year's timeline, i can't help but think how this draft has ruled my life for so long now. i've been guided by these little details that i fear i've lost sight of the grander thing i should actually be working for. what is the bigger picture that i really need to see? where do i want to really head on to? what am i really doing this for?

but is there really a bigger picture? a point for all of this that i need to figure out? or shall i just live each day, fulfill each task at hand, carry on one timeline and make sure that everything has been done on time, and according to what has been planned?

drat! all i really to think of now is hope for the project to kick off as soon as summer starts so i can have my own share of side trips to the beaches as we promote our search to people. to schedule the interviews in time for our city fiesta so i can go home again. reserve the cooler months for a Japan trip in case i will really be sent (wishful thinking!)...and so on and so forth! planning things as these are good enough stimulants, you know!

virgin suicides

the lazy rainy sunday afternoon saw me pouring my heart out for this gorgeous young girls who instead of basking on the beauty that is life ended up killing themselves for some mysterious reasons.

narrated by some young boys who've grown to love and follow them around, i have learned to become fond of these boys as well. how they showed concern, how affected their lives have become to the point of collecting memorabilia and almost obsessing on these girls prove to be so endearing.

the mystery of why the girls committed suicide was never solved. but the way the story is told, the warmth of the scenes, the marvelous play of visuals and imagery make it all unforgettable.

So much has been said about the girls over the years. But we have never found an answer. It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls... but only that we had loved them... and that they hadn't heard us calling... still do not hear us calling them from out of those rooms... where they went to be alone for all time... and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together.

and oh, the dibidi copy which i got for only 60 bucks also includes the soundtrack which features songs as Magic Man by Heart, Alone Again (naturally by George O'Sullivan, I'm Not In Love by 10cc, among others.

MY WISHES FROM 2007

i remember posting this before 2006 ended and i'd like to check out now how my wishes fared...

1. 15,000 miles. i hope to accumulate at least that in my Mabuhay Miles to at least take me to Singapore or wherever. So far I have 12000 plus. Yey!

i now have almost 20,000 miles, thanks to my frequent trips via PAL. too bad Air Phil has stopped giving mileage points in lieue of cheaper fares daw hmpf! note that about 2000 points will expire this March so i'll have to use them soon. i don't have to use this for a Singapore trip as i'll have a free trip scheduled already, yey! but March is just too soon..hmm...

2. 4 + 1. being the wanderlust that i am i hope i could travel to 4 interesting spots around the country and at least one abroad. don't really care whether it's work related or Pex sabit. waah!

yeah! was able to visit camiguin, davao, bohol, bacolod, palawan, pagudpud, etc this year. no international trips though but i'll have Sing and KL by the end of January this year so not bad really.


3. 50K. with how much i earn and spend a month i wish to have this modest savings by the end of the year. i wish! i wish!

hahaha i'm afraid i failed miserably in the savings department. i've saved a bit but it went mostly to Xan's account. at least it's not in my atm account which i can just dip in to anytime.

4. 50% off. i've been maxing my credit cards left and right and the interests i pay every month are just outrageous. i really wish i could just throw them out the window or lock it out for good. sigh.

i'm no longer using 2 out of my 4 credit cards...should be a good improvement, right?

5. 100 lbs. i really wish to keep my weight down to at least a 100 lbs. am barely 5' it wouldn't look good if i become overweight. that would spell then a regular trip to the gym and not to the kitchen har-har.

hell yeah! i was 118 lbs. after giving birth to Xan but i'm just about 103-105 lbs now even after the holidays, i believe i could easily go back to at most a hundred soon. yey!

6. 100%. someday soon i just want to be a full time mom to my growing bebi Xan. who's really turning into a bebi no more. sniff.

awww, it's still going to be an LDR but i'd like to believe that Xan and I will do just fine. he still holds my hand as we sleep.

7. The One. hmmm...i don't know how to describe this. i'll just leave it to my Maker. Prays.

WOW! Yun lang.

and now i'm so looking forward to a much better 2008! yi-ha!

loveable two

my Xan is turning two tomorrow. i've been keeping myself busy and nostalgic the past days by compiling his pics and going through it again. how he's grown so fast.

the entire family is as excited as i am too. though we are not really planning for an all out celebration we just want it as memorable and simple as ever. this kid is much loved and doted upon and it shows how bubbly and lovable he is with his endearing smile and loud laughs and shrieks. i don't think i could even bear referring to him as on his terrible twos.

though he has his moments when he would exert his weight around we somehow manage to sway him away from what he really wants unless its allowable enough. he could barely talk yet but he knows exactly how to boss you around by taking your hand and lead you to our cabinet where his goodies are stored when he is hungry. or take you to the tv stand where he gets to pick his Blue's Clues cd for us to plug on. or pick up your hands to let you clap right after he would sing and dance haha!

and it's almost always heartbreaking when he would let out that wild wail or just show some sad face when we won't give him what he wants. but somehow we know we would still have to control him whenever necessary. at least he recovers quite easily after handing him something else and soon he'd let out his toothy smile again. such bliss!

sigh. it's been two years of having him. two years of a semi long distance relationship too. but somehow i feel comforted that he is doing so well. his hugs and kisses will always be warm and welcoming, his charm all too familiar and sweet.

as always, i am grateful for my entire family. i never heard anything bad from them in having Xan. he's been a real blessing. our home has never been this all lit up. i have my entire posse with me in rearing up this child to the world. it is indeed one charmed life.

a delayed reaction

it dawned on me a few moments ago that i am indeed in my thirties already.

surprise, surprise! haha!

30 flat was ok. besides i was about to give birth to Xan then so there really was not much to mope about.

31 was still ok. and i was excited seeing Xan turn 1 too.

but as Xan turns two and is no longer a baby, being 32 makes me feel that i am indeed falling deep into my 30s already. before i knew it i'll be nearing 40s soon waaah!

yeah, age is but a number. am not really that worried about it. it's what i've done and accomplished in my entire lifetime which makes me feel a bit small.

and i just read this from mec's blog a while ago that:

...it's really horrible to be thirty and not have confidence that you have much to offer the world.

i've always wanted to go back to school too. not that i want to have more certificates or diplomas. i guess i just want to feel forever smartie (lol!). i remembered having inquired both in admu and up for MA classes but my endless travels made me not pursue them anymore unless i am willing to get 2-3 subjects per semester and finish like forever, if i do finish at all.

being with people from the academe still intimidate me at times. and i do hate feeling bobo. i used to watch all the game shows i could lay my eyes on though lately i am finding it hard to answer even the easy questions in Janno Gibbs' Kakasa ka ba sa Grade 5. Drat!

oh well, i look at myself in the mirror and feel little wrinkles (wrinklets?) start creeping in. maybe i should finally be religious in applying those anti-aging cream my sister gave me. and these excess pounds i gained last holidays seem to be too comfy in packing up my butt already. and there's still that little jiggle on my tummy even when i don't feel like belly dancing. or maybe because i haven't really tried that new sneakers my bro gave me for kris kringle. but then it feels so cold to jog outside and my knees and joints are aching all over even before i started stretching up a bit. oh no, signs of aging!

waaah! i'm old, i feel old, i look old. and i'm even whining like some old lady already. darn it!

tagalog translations

I'm still in a vacation mode and there's not much stress here really hehe...thus, there's not much i could blog about but mere memes...have fun

English movie titles and its Filipino
translation..

GALING NMAN NITO!!
HAHA..
Message:

1. Black Hawk Down - Ibong
Maitim sa Ibaba

2. Million Dollar Baby - 50 Milyong
Pisong Sanggol (depende sa exchange
rate)

3. The Blair Witch Project - Ang
Proyekto ng Bruhang si Blair

4. Mary Poppins - Si Mariang May Putok

5. Snakes on a Plane - Nag-ahasan sa
Ere

6. The Postman Always Rings Twice - Ang
Kartero Kapag Dumutdot Laging Dalawang
Beses

7. Sum of All Fears - Takot Mo , Takot
Ko, Takot Nating Lahat

8. Swordfish - Talakitok

9. Pretty Woman - Ganda ng Lola Mo

10. Robin Hood, Men in Tights - Si
Robin
Hood at Ang Mga Felix Bakat

11. Four Weddings and a Funeral - Kahit
Apat na Beses ka Pang Magpakasal,
Mamamatay Ka Rin

12. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly -
Ako, Ikaw, Silang Lahat

13. Click - Isang Pindot Ka Lang

14. The Day of the Dead - Undas

15. Waterworld - Palaisdaan

16. There's Something About Mary - May
K'wan sa Ano ni Maria

17. Employee of the Month - Ang Sipsip

18. Resident Evil - Ang Biyenan

19. The Grudge - Lintik lang ang Walang
Ganti

20. Nightmare Before Christmas -
Binangungot sa Noche Buena

21. Never Been Kissed - Pangit Kasi

22. Dude, Where's My Car - Dong, Anong
Level Ulit Tayo Nag-park?

23. Beauty and the Beast - Ang Asawa ko
at ang Nanay Nya

24. The Lord of the Rings - Ang Alahero

25. Die Hard - Hindi Mamatay-matay

26. Die Hard, With A Vengeance - Hindi
Na Mamatay-matay, Nag Higanti Pa

27. Lost In Space - Mga Tangang Naligaw
sa Kalawakan

28. Paycheck - Sweldo

29. Cinderella Man - Bading si
Cinderella

30. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -
Nag-trabaho si Charlie sa Goya

31. Blade Runner - Magnanakaw ng Labaha

32. Schindler's List - Mga May Utang
kay
Schindler

33. Men In Black - Mga Lalaking
Namatayan

34. X-Men, The Last Stand - Mga Dating
Lalaki, Huling Tinayuan

35. Wedding Crashers - Mga Bwiset sa
Kasal

36. The Day After Tomorrow - Sa
Makalawa

37. Three Men and a Baby - Ang Tatlong
Yayo

38. Catch Me If You Can - Habulin
Mo 'Ko

39. A Bug's Life - Ang Buhay ng Isang
Surot

40. Die Another Day - Mamatay Ka Uli
Bukas

41. The Rock - Ang pagkain ng baboy

42. Jaws - Panga

43. Back to the Future - Sa Likod ng
Hinaharap

44. In the Line of Fire - Tumulay ka sa
Alambreng may Apoy

45. Saturday Night Fever - Sabado ng
Gabi, may Trangkaso

46. Stepmom - Tapakan si nanang

47. Brother Bear - Kuya Oso

48. Police Academy - Paaralan ng Mga
Buwaya

49. The English Patient - Ang
Pasyenteng
Inglesera

50. Man on Fire - Nasusunog na Mama

51. The Horse Whisperer - Ang Tsismoso
ng mga Kabayo

52. Dante's Peak - Ang Bumbunan ni
Dante

53. Legends of the Fall - Ang
Kasaysayan
ng mga Lampa

54. The Forgotten - Ewan ko di ko
maalala

terrible 32

dang, i'm old na waaah!


Jan. 05: had a sort salubong with my sis, nephews and nieces at iliganon bar.

the following day we went out to lunch with the entire family.


back home we had dinner at home naman with Mama's pancit, humba, cake and ice cream (parang bata hehe)

i am forever grateful to my family and friends for making my day great ever. wala na ako sa kalendaryo, buti na lang may bingo pa haha!

special thanks to billy corgan for composing 33, at least i still have something greater to look forward to. yi-ha! =)

oh, before i went home i had my hair fixed again, kaya yan mukha na akong bading haha!

lagnat-laki

Xan and i are currently not feeling so well. blame it on our endless trips to the stores and eating and walking out in spite of the rains.

my mom says though that it must be lagnat laki as both our birthdays are soon coming up. she suggests we offer one buhay na manok to ward off sickness. duh!

i don't really worry much about it as at least i get to spend more quality time with Xan as we both stay and lie and roll over the bed all day long watching Blues Clues and Sesame Street till we both get to sleep.

quite a respite too as i get to stay off the table and ref and munch on whatever i could find there =)