my last post for the year

i'm going home tomorrow to spend the holidays with my family in our hometown. it's great to be able to share these special days with loved ones & also get reunited with old friends.

2008 in summary was a huge year for me. with a lot of ups and downs. a lot of things to be thankful for. rocky, crazy, fun! memories i will surely treasure. i learned a lot which i know will help me face this coming new year. looking forward to 2009!

merry merry christmas & a blessed new year to everyone!!!:)

book of life

our lives are like books with empty pages, waiting to be written each day.

25 days from now, another chapter of my life will end. seems just like yesterday when it started. i can't wait for a new chapter to begin.

overheard

i heard this sad story over the radio this morning. a 20 year old girl. part time student & call center agent. works 5am 'til 2pm & goes to school after. only daughter. her problem -- she was recently diagnosed with brain tumor. she doesn't want to tell her parents because considering their financial position & the costs that will be incurred, she wouldn't want to be a burden to them.

if you were her, would you tell your parents? it's difficult to say 'cause we're not in her position, but even if i don't know her personally, i really do hope she tells her parents soon before it becomes too late. we can't carry all our burdens alone no matter how strong we think we are. we shouldn't always put all the weight in our shoulders.

hearing of situations like this makes me think of how lucky i am... how thankful i should be for what & who i have in my life. makes me realize that i should try to complain less & be more contented... that the problems i rant about are far minuscule compared to others.

positivity

just want to share a really nice quote my friend told me last week...

"What the caterpillar sees as the end of the world, the Master sees as a butterfly."

a positive thought to start our week:)

ninuninuninu

okay i'm bored. what should i do?

a. have a tattoo
b. leave my phones, buy a ticket & go somewhere far & quiet where no one knows.
c. hmmm...

i'm really running out of ideas. any suggestions?

i remember last time i was bored (mid last year), i had my hair chopped off:P

don't worry...everything will be alright...

REAL GIRL

If I had one chance to

In my life again

I wouldn't make no changes

Now or way back when

And if everything turns out

The way I hope it goes

But I can't wait to find out

What it is that God knows

But I don't want to think about

What's gonna come around for me

I'll just take it day by day

'Cause it's the only way

To be the best that I can be

I never pretend to be something I'm not

You get what you see, when you see what I've got

We live in the real world, I'm just a real girl

I know exactly where I stand

And all I can do is be true to myself

I don't need permission from nobody else

'Cause this is the real world, I'm not a little girl

I know exactly who I am

And nothing's ever perfect

There's no guarantee

And if I knew the answers

It would put my mind at ease

So I'll just keep on going

The way I've gone so far

And maybe I'll end up

Tryin' to catch a fallin star

Baby this is who I am

Don't need you to understand

'Cause everything is right where it should be

It won't be long til you know about me,

'Cause I don't give a...

Even when I'm out of love

'Cause everythings just how it should be

And it won't be long till you know about me

I never pretend to be something I'm not

You get what you see, when you see what I've got

We live in the real world, I'm just a real girl

I know exactly where I stand

And all I can do is be true to myself

I don't need permission from nobody else

'Cause this is the real world, I'm not a little girl

I know exactly who I am

(Real Girl lyrics - Mutya Buena)

reality check

one thing i hate about myself, which my closest friends also want me to change, is that i trust too much. i'm rarely skeptical with new people i meet. i give them a 100% of my trust, up to the point when they do something to break it. i've always believed that we are all born good and that deep inside the heart of even the most evil person is a pure & kind heart.

am i really wrong to believe this? i don't want to, but should i start doubting every person i meet and from there let them earn my trust? has our world really come to a point where we can trust no one but ourselves?

proud sister

my sister is in Financial Times!

Congrats Jack! We're so proud of you & we love you!!!

red and green

last time i went to MOA was January of this year. 9 months since, i had the chance to go there again for Sunday brunch with 2 of my great friends. i was amazed to see red & green lights installed in the parking slots. if the light in a slot is green, it means that it's available & if it's red it means that a car is parked. i wish all malls will have these kind of lights installed. it will help save gas & save time too!

thanks to ecat for the photo

Nohari Window

the nohari window is the opposite version of the johari window. it maps out a person's perceived & unrecognised weaknesses. i hope those who know me will take time off to answer this for me. don't be scared to put your name or if you are, you can answer with a codename or just leave it anonymous. i'd love to hear criticisms & hopefully change to become better. hehe:)

http://kevan.org/nohari?name=janysing

oooopppppssssss

careless me, i forgot to post the link to my johari window. hehehe. so here it is.

what do you think of me now?

reading jenny's recent entry about her johari's window, i remembered that i created one for myself too same time as she did.

two years since, many things came about. people...places...events...

i got inspired so i'm also reposting this. i'm hoping to obtain new responses from old & new friends/acquaintances. just to compare how they see me now from two years back.

Arena (known to self and others) dependable, logical, mature, sentimental, trustworthy	Blind Spot (known only to others) adaptable, calm, caring, confident, friendly, giving, helpful, idealistic, independent, intelligent, kind, loving, modest, organised, patient, quiet, reflective, relaxed, responsive, self-conscious, sensible, shy, warm, wise, witty
Façade (known only to self) observant	Unknown (known to nobody) able, accepting, bold, brave, cheerful, clever, complex, dignified, energetic, extroverted, happy, ingenious, introverted, knowledgeable, nervous, powerful, proud, religious, searching, self-assertive, silly, spontaneous, sympathetic, tense

All Percentages

able (0%) accepting (0%) adaptable (8%) bold (0%) brave (0%) calm (25%) caring (33%) cheerful (0%) clever (0%) complex (0%) confident (8%) dependable (25%) dignified (0%) energetic (0%) extroverted (0%) friendly (25%) giving (25%) happy (0%) helpful (8%) idealistic (16%) independent (33%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (25%) introverted (0%) kind (16%) knowledgeable (0%) logical (16%) loving (8%) mature (25%) modest (25%) nervous (0%) observant (0%) organised (16%) patient (8%) powerful (0%) proud (0%) quiet (41%) reflective (8%) relaxed (8%) religious (0%) responsive (8%) searching (0%) self-assertive (0%) self-conscious (8%) sensible (8%) sentimental (8%) shy (41%) silly (0%) spontaneous (0%) sympathetic (0%) tense (0%) trustworthy (33%) warm (16%) wise (8%) witty (25%)

my thoughts on pain

there are moments we just wish that the journey of life is smooth. no curves or rough roads to travel. then again, without these difficulties, how can we become stronger & better? by going through hardships, we learn to appreciate simple things more. all these trials are meant to happen to teach us something. a lesson we otherwise wouldn't learn if we were forever sheltered in a perfect life.

i told my friend jenny once, "why do we need to feel all these pain? why can't we just always live a happy life?" she told me, "if we don't feel pain, how can we feel we're alive?"

daddy's girl

we've never been the expressive kind of family. we don't give hugs or kisses when we leave or come home, not even during special occasions. we love, care & support each other in silence, particularly my dad. he's the type who's reserved but you sense the deep concern. he's a wise man who rarely speaks, so when he does we really listen.

being the eldest of 4 girls, i think i'm more of my mom's girl than my dad's. i feel that amongst us, my 2nd sibling or my youngest is closest to my dad. that's why i really value the few times that my dad shows his affection towards me.

this morning, while i was having breakfast, he came to me with a tube of antibiotic. he told me to apply it to my wound. (fyi: i just had a big wart removed from my middle finger in my left hand)

i cherish these occasional moments, they transport me to a state of bliss.

never too late

i've been meaning to write this entry for a while now but due to the crazy schedule last week (dinners, reunions, weddings, etc...) and because of fear that i will not be able to adequately describe how i felt and aptly thank the people involved, i kept on putting this off.

today, exactly 1 week since my 26th, my schedule is a lot better. i still don't know the best way how & i still don't think any words i say will be sufficient to express my feelings & my appreciation. so i'll just do it the way i know how...i'd like to simply say THANKS!

THANKS to my Bicol friends, my HS friends, my college friends, my Shanghai friends and my family.:)

thank you for taking time off from all your busy schedules & travelling all the way to Makati on a week day to spend my special day with me. you made my day complete & unforgettable. you made my 26th my best birthday so far.

most importantly, i'd like to say thank you to 2 important persons i treasure in my life who made this possible. they were responsible for organizing this. THANK YOU TIFF & ECAT!!! I FEEL SO BLESSED & LUCKY THAT I HAVE MET YOU BOTH & HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE.:)

no hair no hair

i admit. there's something about men with shaved heads that makes me take the second look. tall, lean men... goatie... some tattoos are even fine. in short, i don't dig the "good guy/clean look" that much. (my close friends even tease me sometimes that maybe my type is someone who's like basura.)

take for example derek ramsey. major hotness!!! bring him in and maybe you'll need to bring the firemen & firetruck along.:P that's why i can't help but react to his latest billboard for an apparel brand along cubao-edsa southbound. what's up with him growing his hair?

BERdays

September, October, November, December...

it's the first day of the -ber months. when this time of the year comes around, i begin to feel the holiday spirit. it's time to start saving, thinking and maybe buying of gifts. knowing myself too well though, i'm pretty sure i'll be part of the crowd, rushing on the last few days before Christmas. i'm a crammer, which i admittedly am not really proud of.

time to bring out the boxes of balls & tree again! (one of those few traditions i start early enough:P)

on an unrelated note: yesterday, we had to give up one of our maids who's been with us for quite awhile. surprisingly i kind of miss her. on the outside, i might seem tough & nonchalant but i think i'm the type who really gets easily attached. this maid of ours is crazy with a security guard from a bank near our house whom unfortunately is already married & with children. since this maid is still young, i think about 19, we had to ask her dad to come from the province & bring her back home. as much as we wanted her to stay with us, we didn't want anything bad to happen to her. we had to protect her.

don't mess with me

place: naia 3, departure area
time: approximately 8 a.m.
scenario: after placing my handcarry items (consisting of a small bodybag & a small paperbag containing 1 bottle crispy pili nuts for the aunt of my friend) through the xray machine

xray machine officer: anong laman nito? (while prying open the small paperbag)
me: pili nuts. bakit bawal???
x.m.o: ay...di naman po ma'am.

end of discussion.

i can be a bitch sometimes. i fight when i know i'm right.

day three

pandesal...plain, chicken adobo & corned beef




soft rolls


panini


coffee & pandan buns



ciabatta

french bread

challah bread

i'm coming home, back to the place where i belong...

i've waited for this for sooooo long...

i don't even remember exactly how long. hmmm...more than two years, that i'm sure.

i can't describe how i exactly feel. excited? scared/nervous? happy? i guess it's a mixture of all these feelings.

reality is not yet even sinking in. it feels too good to be true, like one of those damn good dreams that makes me wish it's not yet time to get up.

please don't wake me up...

(I guess the dominant feeling I'm having right now is that I'm scared. Scared that either I will not like it as much anymore so that I would not want to go back or that I will be reminded of why I love it so much that I would not want to leave anymore.)

day two

roasted vegetables & pesto focaccia

plain & chocolate croissants

potato bread

ensaymada

carrot & herb bread

grissini

damn you motorcycle drivers

stupid arrogant bastards. enough said.

**pardon my language, i just had to let that out

i never imagined i'd feel this way

Ecstatic.

I've been getting a lot of positive reactions after posting my picture in chef's uniform & pictures of the goodies we made last week for our first day of bread baking class.

A lot of important people in my life seem happy that finally, I'm pursuing, little by little, what I've always wanted before.

Honestly, I know I still have a long way to go. There are a lot of things I have yet to learn.

Thank you...

Home Alone 5: Lost in Israel

Home Alone


Home Alone 2: Lost in New York


Home Alone 3


Home Alone 4: Taking back the House


Do I see a part 5??? -- Home Alone 5: Lost in Israel

images courtesy of wikipedia & soapchat.net

fun busy weekend

after my first day of bread making class, i got inspired to bake (well, maybe half inspired, half carried away...haha:P). so i chose to make something i've wanted to try long before...eclairs!

i got a recipe from marthastewart.com. the recipe for pastry cream filling required eggyolks. not wanting to waste the eggwhites, i thought i'd make something else with it. i decided to make meringues too.

okay okay, maybe i was ambitious to want to try 2 different recipes considering that i started at 4 p.m. already. so i settled on the meringues first & put off making the eclairs on the next day.

the result? as usual, it was tiring & the kitchen got really messy. at first i thought the meringues failed because it felt a little sticky when touched & chewy when eaten. but after keeping it in an airtight container overnight, it became dry outside & crunchy inside. just as how meringues should be. the eclairs turned out not as puffy as they should be but these also tasted great!

on the first day

on our first day of classes, these were the goodies we made...

doughnuts


berliners


bear claws


cinnamon raisin rolls


cinnamon raisin breads


danish pastries

i adore BF

I’m one of those guilty of ranting about our current traffic situation in the metro. What I fail to recognize is that based on statistics traffic actually improved. In 5 years time, the number of cars increased by 100% whilst traffic decreased by 50%. Not bad eh?

I’d like to clarify one thing; this is not part of BF’s campaign.

I honestly admire this man. I agree with him when he said that discipline is really one of the key characteristics we all should have. Oftentimes, we are coaxed to defy the system because everybody seems to do the same. We also blame the lack of policies to justify violation of rules. I believe that no one, not even the most righteous man on earth can win this war alone; a little discipline from us on our own will definitely go a long way.

It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. He has his fair share of criticisms too, but that’s part of life. As they say, you can’t really please everybody. I can’t attest to how decent he’ll perform in the following years, after all no one is perfect. All I can say is I have a high regard for him & I appreciate what he’s done so far.

I heard he’s running for President this 2010; I wonder though, will this make me exercise my right to vote for the very first time?


"As a leader, I cannot cry with the poor for if my eyes are blinded by tears, who will lead them out of poverty? The people would eventually realize that what we are doing is for everybody, especially the poor. It is what the people of Marikina realized when we implemented similar measures. They are now more politically matured because they are now reaping the good effects of discipline." -- BF

image courtesy of businessmirror.com.ph

i kinda agree, don't you?

Naples, Italy...
Moscow, Russia...
Sao Paulo, Brazil...
Manila, Philippines...
New York City...

we're part of it. do you agree too?

watsup ketchup?

First day of the week, last week of the month. So many things things happened in the weekend & things happening today. News overload!

1. Dark Knight shatters another record -- yay!!!

2. Separate terrorists bombings in Istanbul & India -- why do we need to waste precious & innocent lives?

3. State of the Nation Address by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today -- expect a lot of protests.

4. Another typhoon in our country (Igme) -- don't forget your umbrellas & rain gears!

5. NO classes for elementary & hs in the metro & some universities & colleges -- don't we all wish we were students again?

hay...soon?

image from www.flickr.com

will it ever be the same again?

All good things must come to an end.

First it was her...

Then him...

No, the show's not wrapping up yet, but its going to lose another one of its original & main characters. I have grown to love the series that I've written about it a few times. I can't help but get affected by another goodbye.

:(

the daily show

good morning ladies & gentlemen! welcome to the daily show with jany sing! this is the show where we watch & tackle another episode of one more day in the life of no other than...JANY! -- audience claps & roars, hands over head, with matching standing ovation to the cue of the set production assistant

PLAY VTR:
wake up (just a few minutes before the alarm sets off)
brush teeth & drink a glass of water
take a bath & dress up for office
gulp down breakfast & vitamins, then brush teeth
participate in the drag race in edsa going to office (while listening to rx 93.1)
park car & join the walkathon to office
work
...(vtr continues to play, ending with jany retiring to sleep)

heard this new song over the radio this morning. i'm not normally a fan of OPM songs but i like this for being so witty & straightforward:

AKALA

Parokya ni Edgar

akala ko iced tea yun pala beer

akala ko reverse yun pala second-gear

akala ko kasya yun pala hindi

akala ko tama yun pala mali

akala ko hip-hop yun pala metal

akala ko batis yun pala kanal

akala ko toothpaste yun pala glue

akala ko verde yun pala blue

akala ko tsinelas yun pala sapatos

akala ko umabot yun pala kapos

akala ko bukas yun pala kahapon

akala ko mamaya yun pala ngayon

akala ko alam ko na ang lahat

ng dapat kong malaman

ngunit mali na naman

pero okay lang yan

wag kang matakot na baka magkamali

walang mapapala kung hindi ka magbabakasakali

dahil lumilipas ang oras

baka ka maiwanan kung hindi mo susubukan

akala ko chicken yun pala asado

akala ko bukas pero yun pala sarado

akala ko mansanas yun pala banana

akala ko meron pa yun pala wala na

akala ko foreign yun pala pinoy

akala ko blackjack yun pala pusoy

akala ko talo yun pala panalo

akala ko si chito yun pala ako

akala ko dati walang mangyayari

akala din nila ngayon wala silang masabi

akala ng lahat mapapagod din ako

mabuti nalang matigas ang aking ulo

akala ko walang mapupuntahan

kahit na paghirapan ngunit mali na naman

kung di ko sinubukan sanay hindi ko na nalaman

edi na sayang lang

wag kang matakot na baka magkamali

walang mapapala kung hindi ka magbabakasakali

dahil lumilipas ang oras

baka ka maiwanan kung hindi mo susubukan

thanks for watching today's show! hope to see you guys again tomorrow & have a great day to everyone! -- again, audience claps & roars, hands over head, with matching standing ovation to the cue of the set production assistant

yes...it can kill.

WARNING to all!

what's for breakfast?

A large bowl of warm old fashioned oats with my mom’s (homemade with much LOVE) tablea (native cocoa) & powdered milk…this is my typical morning meal. I have this everyday & I don’t seem to get tired of it. No matter how full I was the night before or how early I have to leave the house that day, I see to it that I don’t miss my usual breakfast or else my day won’t be complete. My ultimate comfort food, I can even actually eat this any time of the day. For lunch, snack or even dinner.
We all eat differently in the morning, ranging from instant meals, to quick & easy to prepare, to the more time consuming & sophisticated. Nowadays, most people are too busy that they are used to skipping breakfast.

Garlic rice, egg & longganisa, hot pandesal with corned beef or quezo or mantekilya, rice porridge with pickled vegetables, hot noodle soup with dumplings, toast with butter & jam, cereals with milk, eggs benedict, waffles, pancakes, french toasts, yogurt, granola, et cetera...et cetera.

As they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What's your breakfast today?

secrets of a rich man

From an article today in inquirer.net:

Lucio Tan's 8 secrets to a happy life
1. Work hard to achieve your dreams.
2. Take every opportunity, masama o mabuti, as an opportunity to learn and grow.
3. Lead a simple life. Do not live beyond your means.
4. Do away with the very bad Filipino attitude of living on credit, or spending today, earning money tomorrow.
5. Be matipid; teach the kids the value of saving money and using money wisely.
6. Make sure to pay your debts.
7. Don't betray other people's trust.
8. Take care of your parents, your other elders.

I don't think these are really secrets, we all know these but most of the time we forget. Our memories just need a little refreshing sometimes and it's good to be reminded by one of the wealthiest & most successful, albeit simple, men in the world.

I particularly like #s 2, 3, 7 & 8.

10 years later...

Then... (Taiwan days)





Now...



Cherie, Shiny, Janice & Jany

images courtesy of Cherie & Shiny

Wanted (wahaha)

image courtesy of tiff:P

the joker

they say majority of the largely successful comedians are actually unhappy within. they try to make fun of situations & themselves in order to hide what they're really experiencing & feeling. like the joker or a clown, they paint their faces with a permanent smile to mask their true sentiments.

with me, i cannot & i refuse to conceal what i'm truly feeling. i won't fake a smile when i'm feeling like crap inside.

what you see is what you get. love me or leave me.

image courtesy of www.thehollywoodgossip.com

breakdown

what really matters most? the journey or the destination?

some people say that it's the journey, 'cause along the way you discover things about you & others. you get to experience new things & commit mistakes that teach you valuable lessons in life & make you stronger.

some argue that it's the destination, 'cause what's the use of going through the journey if you know that what lies ahead is not significant to you at all.

BUT what if...just what if...NEITHER the journey nor the destination makes sense to you??? IS IT WORTH IT???

i heart u

saw these pictures of josh & his bachelor's pad online...

























i think i'm gonna melt in my seat. gosh...he's soooo cute.

i HEART him.

images courtesy of http://omg.yahoo.com