My Online Journal

2 out of 7

2009-04-02T07:15:00.005+08:00

2 years ago, i wrote about being able to go to 1 out of 7 of the new 7 wonders of the world. i really feel very lucky and blessed to be able to do 2 out of 7 just a few weeks ago, christ redeemer in rio de janeiro. my 2 sisters and i joined a brazil trek in MIT. first time that the 3 of us got to travel together, too bad our youngest sister (we missed you shobe!!!) wasn't able to join us 'coz she has classes. it was a great experience! new friends, fun memories and a lot of firsts!

brazil, most specially rio, is a very interesting place. it's a good balance of urban and rural life, merging people from different places and different races. a lot more to it besides beaches, slippers, models and soccer games.

i didn't expect that staying in rio for a week would make me fall in love with the city. given a chance, i would love to live there.

goodbye for now rio...i hope to see you soon!

bored? need a break?

2009-02-04T00:04:00.004+08:00

amusing! hahaha:P

been busy lately, no time to write a new entry. in the mean time, for those with a few minutes to spare and those in need of a little entertainment, click this.

do i dare?

2009-01-09T22:16:00.002+08:00

i love sweets. i love candies.

knowing how much i love skittles, a friend told me recently that she saw chocolate flavored skittles. eversince i was told, i've been searching for it each time i pass by a candy corner store.

warning: if you are one of those easily grossed out, don't read beyond this sentence.

i've always loved jelly beans too & i remember a few years back when the first harry potter movie was shown, jelly belly company made these special harry potter edition of jelly beans. they were called bertie bott's every flavor beans & included over 100 crazy ones like hotsauce, leather, liver, cough medicine, etc. i got curious that time but i never had the chance to try them.

this morning, while i was at the mall, i passed by a candy corner store & was trying to look for the chocolate flavored skittles when i chanced upon these small boxes of jelly beans called beanboozled. these beanboozled jelly beans unlike the bertie bott only contain 10 crazy flavors such as toothpaste, rotten egg, babywipes, etc. i've always regarded myself as an adventurous eater but this time do i dare?

so what have i been up to?

2009-01-08T22:55:00.003+08:00

it's 8 days past 2009 & for those in the workforce, tomorrow is the first friday of the first work week. for me, i've officially became a bum for a week. weird thing is i'm not bored or bothered yet. i'm starting my year slow, still enjoying & trying to think of what i really want to do next in my life.

i know, i know...i should think fast & start acting soon. hmmm...it's just that i don't want to rush & enter something halfheartedly. i want to be sure that whatever i'm going to do next is what i really want & that it will be if not permanent, for a long term.

this week for me was all about tying up loose ends. i had my xray done, met up with some important people in my life, finished the book i'm reading & finally went back to the gym.

still don't know what i'll be facing for the coming weeks. so far though, i'm feeling good about 2009.

my last post for the year

2008-12-24T22:24:00.002+08:00

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

2008-11-24T14:22:00.004+08:00

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

2008-11-24T09:53:00.004+08:00

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

2008-11-09T19:29:00.006+08:00

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

2008-11-05T13:30:00.003+08:00

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...

2008-10-31T07:56:00.008+08:00

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

2008-10-28T09:11:00.002+08:00

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

2008-10-21T09:28:00.004+08:00

my sister is in Financial Times!

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

red and green

2008-10-15T19:33:00.005+08:00

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

2008-10-09T20:58:00.005+08:00

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

2008-09-27T08:36:00.003+08:00

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

what do you think of me now?

2008-09-26T09:23:00.004+08:00

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

2008-09-19T09:37:00.003+08:00

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

2008-09-16T08:31:00.005+08:00

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

2008-09-09T15:19:00.007+08:00

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

2008-09-04T14:09:00.002+08:00

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

2008-09-01T09:04:00.006+08:00

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

2008-08-26T21:57:00.007+08:00

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

2008-08-19T22:23:00.007+08:00

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...

2008-08-12T13:35:00.004+08:00

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

2008-08-10T14:41:00.009+08:00

roasted vegetables & pesto focaccia

plain & chocolate croissants

potato bread

ensaymada

carrot & herb bread

grissini

damn you motorcycle drivers

2008-08-08T08:07:00.005+08:00

stupid arrogant bastards. enough said.

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

i never imagined i'd feel this way

2008-08-06T11:52:00.003+08:00

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

2008-08-04T22:43:00.005+08:00

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

2008-08-03T20:11:00.012+08:00

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

2008-08-03T19:36:00.006+08:00

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

2008-07-30T08:20:00.006+08:00

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?

2008-07-28T14:03:00.004+08:00

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

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

watsup ketchup?

2008-07-28T09:52:00.007+08:00

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?

2008-07-17T11:33:00.004+08:00

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

2008-07-14T08:09:00.013+08:00

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.

2008-07-11T14:33:00.003+08:00

WARNING to all!

what's for breakfast?

2008-07-11T10:44:00.024+08:00

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

2008-07-09T12:58:00.012+08:00

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...

2008-07-02T09:10:00.008+08:00

Then... (Taiwan days)

Now...

Cherie, Shiny, Janice & Jany

images courtesy of Cherie & Shiny

Wanted (wahaha)

2008-07-01T10:56:00.000+08:00

image courtesy of tiff:P

the joker

2008-06-30T10:17:00.008+08:00

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

2008-06-30T08:32:00.005+08:00

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

2008-06-27T14:08:00.008+08:00

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

ode to the running man

2008-06-24T08:50:00.010+08:00

oh mr. running man,

in your full racing attire,

where art thou heading to?

can i join you today?

sprinting through edsa,

dripping wet and completely contented,

to be able to carry out your daily requisite of cardio exercise.

i'm not certain if it's the same person, but i think i saw him again. the running man i mentioned before who made the main road his private park. this time he was running in a zigzag pattern, through buses & cars in full stop (due to traffic) just before the kamuning bridge in edsa.

actually, i'd feel more at ease to learn that it's the same man. what i'm afraid of is if he's a different person. come to think of it, it will be a nightmare to wake up one day & find out that Epifanio De los Santos Avenue has become Epifanio De los Santos Arena.

WTF?!?!?!

2008-06-17T10:50:00.009+08:00

i have always loved driving. i've even written an entry about it before. but these days, i don't know whether driving makes me feel more relaxed (because i have a private time for myself when i can think & daydream about stuffs) or more stressed. the continuous increase in gasoline prices, declining quality of drivers (specially jeepney & bus drivers) and the sudden explosion in the population of motorcycles & bikes in the streets are driving me crazy! plus, is it just me or it seems the traffic is getting worse?

was driving along quezon avenue fly over this morning & saw a man (in full jogging attire) running as if he was in a park having his daily dose of cardio. he was running in the middle of one whole lane! WTF?!?!?!

Are we hi-tech enough?

2008-06-07T09:44:00.002+08:00

as each day passes, our world becomes more advanced...from new discoveries, to cloning, to trips to outer space, etc...but why are we not advanced enough to be able to discover cures for some illnesses?

this morning, at a young age of 55, famous actor Rudy Fernandez passed away after more than 2 years of battle with the big "C"...:(

Black Is In!

2008-06-04T09:01:00.006+08:00

Warning: If you're expecting an entry on fashion, stop & don't continue to read this. Hehehe;)

After the seemingly endless race for the 2008 US Democratic Presidential candidacy nomination, it's finally Sen. Barack Obama. Will Sen. Hillary Clinton be his official VP running mate? That we would have to wait & see. If they run together & both win, it will definitely make history...Obama being the first black President of the United States & Clinton the first female Vice President.

Exactly 5 months from now, the citizens of US will be voting for their leaders. Don't want to sound political here, but these leaders folks will be very important not only to them but to us & to the rest of the world...

the crystal ball was right

2008-05-15T11:22:00.004+08:00

It'll be David vs. David:D

(Hmmm...I wonder if it can predict my future too...hehehe...)

David vs.David

2008-05-14T20:52:00.004+08:00

Idol notes...

1. I like Simon. I think part of why I find him appealing is his character. Others might not like him & find him arrogant but for me he's just frank. I admire him 'cause he's not afraid to make honest criticisms and at the same time give credit where they are due. He says how he really feels without thinking or caring of how people will react. It's really either you like him or you hate him.

2. David Archuleta should stick to singing. He's cute in a "pretty boy" way & he really has a great voice (no doubt he'll go a long way) but seeing him perform Chris Brown's "With You" tonight, I conclude that he sucks at dancing.

3. David Cook rocks. Wasn't really an original fan of his (I was rooting for Michael Johns who got booted out early on). I think he gained more popularity after his rendition of Mariah's "Always Be My Baby". Heard him sing "Dare You To Run" & "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" tonight & I really like his rough, edgy voice.

My brave prediction...it's gonna be a head to head battle between the 2 Davids for American Idol's Season 7.

Labour of Love

2008-05-02T19:09:00.002+08:00

In this modern day & time, it's rare to find an honest to goodness helpful public servant. Sad truth but when I see a public official, the feeling I get is that of disgust & even fear rather than respect & relief. So a while ago, while passing through EDSA, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw an MMDA official helping a woman carry her plastic bag of groceries.

I didn't realize that such kind of person still exists. After a long day at work, the simple image I saw made me smile...

Juicy scoops on 2 TV series hotties

2008-04-17T13:04:00.003+08:00

i knew you'd be interested! hehehe:P
2 scoops on 2 popular hotties from 2 different series.

actor 1

actor 2

boooooooooooooooooo:(

Proud to be Pinoy?

2008-04-17T08:43:00.002+08:00

everytime i travel to a different country, people are surprised to hear that i'm from the philippines & that i'm a filipino citizen. with my fair skin & chinky eyes, most of the time i've been mistaken for a singaporean & spoken to in mandarin. when i go to hongkong or somewhere that belongs to the chinese territory, i can easily blend in.

foreigners who have not been to the philippines or are not very knowledgeable about the country still think that filipinos are brown, short & have flat noses. with our economy going weaker & with more filipinos going abroad to work (most of the time as domestic helpers or entertainers), it's sad that these foreigners look down at us. in spite of this, i've never been ashamed to raise my filipino passport & say i'm a filipino.

after this article coming out in cnn, would i still feel the same way?

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/16/philippnes.doctors.ap/index.html

This calls for a celebration!

2008-03-21T10:33:00.000+08:00

Recently, just heard that a good friend of mine passed the US CPA board exam.

2nd placer in the Philippine CPA board exams, she's now in Tokyo working for an audit firm. Next year, she'll be transferring to New York for work & at the same time pursue her masteral degree. Not only is she good in audit, she's also a great writer. I love reading her blog (http://jenny-the-sleep-talker.blogspot.com/). Some articles written by her have also been published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (a link to a sample of her written article -- http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=67623) . A really great achiever & all around person! But what I admire most about her is her ability to balance work & play. Despite being a very hardworker, she knows how to party hard too.

Congratulations Jenny! You deserve it! Really really proud & lucky to have such a wonderful friend like you!

Let's celebrate!!! Wootwoooot!!!

It's hot & I love it!

2008-03-05T08:05:00.002+08:00

after several days of gloomy unpredictable weather, the sun is shining bright today.

woooohhhhhhhhooooooo!!!!!!!! summer 2008 is officially here:)

Everybody's Free

2008-02-22T15:58:00.008+08:00

another holiday on monday, no work... wooohooooo!!! long weekend again:)

just wanted to share the lyrics of an old song, quite long but really nice. :)

(the lyrics include advices that we might not have thought of & are very difficult to follow, but true...)

Baz Luhrmann -- Everybody's Free (to wear sunscreen)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99

Wear sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be

it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by

scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable

than my own meandering

experience...I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not

understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.

But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and

recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before

you and how fabulous you really looked...You're not as fat as you

imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as

effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing

bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that

never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm

on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with

people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes

you're behind...the race is long, and in the end, it's only with

yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you

succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your

life...the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they

wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year

olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them whey they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe

you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky

chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary...what ever you do, don't

congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either---your

choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body,

use if every way you can...don't be afraid of it, or what other people

think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever

own...

Dance...even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

(Brother and sister together we'll make it through

Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there

I know you've been hurting, and I know I've been waiting to be there

for you. And I'll be there, just let me know, whenever I can.

Everybody's free.)

Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for

good.

Be nice to your sibilings; they are the best link to your past and the

people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you

should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and

lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you

knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live

in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will

philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize

that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were

noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,

maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one

might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will

look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who

supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of

fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the

ugly parts and recycling it for more than

it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen...

(Brother and sister together we'll make it through

Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there

I know you've been hurting, and I know I've been waiting to be there

for you. And I'll be there, just tell me now, whenever I can.

Everybody's free.)

96% vs. 4%

2008-02-11T10:23:00.000+08:00

In a survey taken asking if people wanted to know the exact moment they were to die, 96% said no & only 4% wanted to. (Bucketlist)

In the movie, Carter (Morgan Freeman) always thought he belonged to the minority who would want to know when they were going to die until he actually got the news of his prognosis. At most, 1 year to live.

If I were asked the same question, I think I belong to the minority. For me, it might be scary, but at least knowing how much time you have left, you'll be able to make the most out of it. To do what you want to do... say what you want to say... experience things you have never tried before... be with people that matters most to you...

Are you part of the 96% or the 4%?

Life is short

2008-01-23T08:47:00.000+08:00

A little more than a week to go & January 2008 will be gone...11 months before the year ends again.

Reading about the death of Heath Ledger really shocked me. Very young at the age of 28. A few days back, at age 25, Brad Renfro also passed away. So sad...

It made me realize how short life can be.

Let's learn to make the most out of each day we have. Try to be contented. Appreciate small things in life. Appreciate people & don't be afraid to tell them & show them that you do. Take risks. Try new things. Explore new places. Enjoy. See good in people. Spend time with those important to you. Do things that makes you happy. Love yourself. Be kind to yourself.

Be thankful for each brand new day you have to do these things. Don't take life for granted. Life is too short.

Driving

2008-01-19T07:56:00.000+08:00

i love driving.

some people would rather be passengers. they feel too lazy to drive specially long distances. i admit there are days when i'm out with someone driving for me. those rare times are when i feel lazy or exhausted, or i haven't had enough sleep (or just a chance for me to drink as much as i want. hehehe). :P but i realized i like driving on my own more. whether going to somewhere near or somewhere far. yeah, sometimes it feels tiring specially with all the traffic during rush hours, but driving makes me feel independent. i feel i'm in control & weird as it may seem...i love the risk. i love the challenge of "pakikipag gitgitan" & estimating if my car would fit a certain space. i love the challenge of trying to see whether i would make it on time or not. i love stepping on the gas & the sudden breaks, feeling the adrenaline rush passing through my body. yeah, i do curse the bad drivers but most of the time i feel happy when i'm driving.

parking...errr...it's okay, but looking for a space to park is a different story.;)

Late New Year Post

2008-01-18T08:21:00.000+08:00

Happy 2008!!!

Unfortunately, for some reason, I couldn't access my old blog so I had to create a new one.:) A new year, a new blog.

Found a link that tells the hidden meaning of a name. I tried mine & here it goes:

***What Janylaine Sing Means***
You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you.You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries.You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice.
You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality.
You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.
You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in.You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising.You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.
You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.
You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.

You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life.You are intuitive, brilliant, and quite introverted. You value your time alone.Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don't appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs.
What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyournameshiddenmeaningquiz/

Feel free to tell me your thoughts on the interpretation.;)

Happy halloween!

2007-10-31T14:10:00.000+08:00

can't believe it's already the last day of October. time flies!

nothing really particular to post about...just missin' my blog & felt like writing after i finished reading some blog entries of a friend.

happy halloween to everyone!!! 2 days without work for most of us! whoopppppiiiiii!!! 2 days of complete rest:P

Feeling incomplete

2007-10-17T10:34:00.000+08:00

Being a fan of the CSI series, it's sad & surprising to learn that Jorja Fox, who plays Sara Sidle will leave the show for good.

I don't really like Sara but I guess I'm already too familiar & used to the characters in the show that missing one main character affects me this way. It makes me feel down.

Most wanted

2007-10-09T12:59:00.000+08:00

Andrew Cunanan - the musical!

'Twas 10 years ago when Andrew Cunanan killed the famous designer Gianni Versace. He killed 5 people in 3 months and now belongs to TIME Magazine's top 25 crimes of the century.

I was really surprised to learn that his life was now the basis of a play in US entitled "Most Wanted". I'm curious about the play, on how they will portray his life & what really happened. Sadly though US is too far for me to be able to watch it.

Sooo confused...

2007-09-20T09:47:00.000+08:00

why is it that i've wanted something so bad for so long & now that i'm about to get what i want, now that i'm getting closer to it step by step i feel so confused, i feel scared...

is it because it's a major step, a major risk in my life that i'm afraid to take the leap & get disappointed with what the results will be? am i afraid to disappoint myself? to disappoint the expectations of people around me? do i feel scared that i might realize that i don't really want it as much as i think i do?

so many thoughts running in my mind...i feel scared, i feel confused...maybe i do think too much...

i feel sick deep in my stomach...feel like throwing up...

Farewell

2007-09-06T14:50:00.000+08:00

after a long battle against pancreatic cancer, pavarotti at age 71, succumbs to his illness yesterday morning (Italy, local time)...

farewell to the most beloved & celebrated tenor...:(

Turning a quarter

2007-09-03T11:16:00.000+08:00

thanks to all who remembered:D ***hugs & kisses***

(special thanks to mer & joanne for dropping by, i was really surprised & touched. special thanks to sands too--whom i often chat with but have only known for a few months & met once--for being one of the first to remember.)

I got hit

2007-08-31T21:27:00.000+08:00

"As we grow old, things get complicated. We settle to a less compromising situation. We prefer to dwell in the comforts of our 'safe, routine lives.' We tend to forget what it's like to dream, to take risk & to have fun. We harbor fears instead of challenging them. We have a choice... Choose to be happy & live your dreams. For it is better to have an energy tried & wasted than buried forever in a shady plot."

just want to share one good quote i got from a friend. very timely. this quote really hit me.

it describes exactly where i am right now.

The kitchen is busy

2007-08-21T20:47:00.000+08:00

a great long weekend for me:D

finally, i was able to explore & use for the first time, my oven & my kitchen aid mixer. woot woot!!!

as always, being an ambitious amateur chef, i tried to make a lot of different 'not so simple' things from recipes i got from the net. i made bagel last saturday afternoon & sunday, i made pizza & biscotti.

good thing my dad is not here in manila 'cause if he learns that i used the oven & mixer for the first time without reading the manuals (as usual, i was too lazy to read & too excited to use the kitchen equipments) i'm sure to get some scolding from him. the only thing i made sure before using them was to learn what the electricity requirements are 'cause i don't want to end up breaking my precious kitchen tools.

the bagel & pizza which both required yeast didn't rise to almost double though. until now i'm still trying to figure out what i did wrong. maybe it has something to do with the ingredients or the temperature. i'm hoping to figure that out soon when i make my next attempt at baking.
for the bagel, i just made it plain. no flavor in it. the taste was ok & it smelled good. it was a little tough though.

for the pizza, since i like simple pizzas like margherita or just cheese pizza. i worked with what ingredients i had for toppings at home. the sauce i used was tomato sauce & paste. the first pizza i topped with some sliced tomatoes, basil leaves, cheese, olive oil & pepper, the second pizza i added some homemade shredded fish (which my mom made). since the crust didn't rise when i placed it to rest, i just tried to make it as thin as possible to achieve a crisp crust. my sister liked it & she said that it reminded her of pizza from italiannis. hearing such a compliment from my sister made me really happy & inspires me to try & bake more.

the biscotti i made was a simple cinnamon sugar biscotti. the mixture of cinnamon & sugar baking in the oven really smelled good. even after baking the whole house smelled of it.

i know i love cooking but the thing i discovered about myself was that i love baking. surprisingly, what i like to bake are not the usual stuffs like cakes or cookies. i love baking breads.

another long weekend ahead & i'm really looking forward to it. hopefully i'll be able to solve the mistake i made, try out some new recipe & maybe discover something more about myself.

Good green stuff

2007-08-13T15:13:00.000+08:00

cooking makes me happy:D

yesterday, i was able to finally make pesto sauce from scratch. yehey!!! recipe was courtesy of emeril, one of my favorite chef.

eversince my basil plant started to grow leaves (thanks for the seeds ken), my sister kept on bugging me to make her pesto pasta. but i didn't feel that my plant had enough leaves yet & i was saving it for the right occassion. so since yesterday was the last lunch we were having as a family before my sister leaves for boston today (for 2 years for her mba) & since my plant had enough leaves already. i made pesto pasta.

hopefully the next time i make this, i'll be able to do the noodles myself too!;)

Dingdongs & reruns

2007-08-06T10:31:00.000+08:00

(entry inspired by my senti mood because of the weather & my meet up with 2 sgv friends last friday)

just like the dingdong mixed nuts (simple peanuts, corniks, greenpeas, popped beans & the nagaraya sort of peanuts) which we like so much, me & my sgv friends are all different. different persons with different personalities brought together to make an amazing mix & share a lifetime friendship with each other. no doubt, we can all succeed on our own, but i know that together, we can become even bigger.

coming from different backgrounds (different schools & different blocks), we met at sgv a few years back. all new CPAs, all very young & idealistic. slowly we became friends, shared lunch together, coffee breaks, snack breaks, friday lunch out, OT at the office, drinks & midnight snacks. we shared endless stories, jokes, codes, rants & kalokohans. we shared a lot of laughter & tears.

now we're all living our own dreams, (most have already gone to different countries), but whenever we get the chance to talk (in person, through ym or emails), it's like no time or distance separates us. we are still the same crazy young CPAs we were before. we talk about everything (from serious stuffs to silly stuffs), updates on what's happening to each of us, & more often than not, we catch ourself reminiscing our time together.

i'm really proud to be their friend & proud of what they have all achieved & where they are now. i'll never trade that one year i shared with them--priceless memories. though it's been a short time, it's one year i'll really never forget & will always keep in my heart.

(...manong & his chocolate covered pulvoron. 3 in 1 coffee & instant noodles in the pantry. dingdong breaks. bananacue, turon & camotecue from the jolly jeep. kakanin during lunch. midnight taho breaks. friday lunch out. enchanted trip. starbucks, coffeebean & caffea. kroco & cocktails. bday celebrations together. tripeaks club. :( )

caught the rerun of home alone 2 in star movies yesterday. i didn't realize how much i like this movie until i watched it yesterday. there's something about it that brings me back to being a child. it reminds me of spending christmas holidays in my hometown, of decorating the christmas tree in our living room, opening presents & sharing laughter about silly stuffs with my parents & my sisters.

i'd be willing to trade anything to bring back those times...if only i could be a child again...life was so much simpler then...but i'm a big girl now...& big girls don't cry...

Let's pray

2007-08-02T10:16:00.000+08:00

just read about it...like a scene from a movie, but this time it's real.

Minneapolis bridge collapses into Mississippi river. unfortunately it was during rush hour. let's pray for them.

Told you

2007-08-02T05:49:00.000+08:00

told you i was bored.

itching for a change...

...so i had my hair chopped off;)

Celebrations

2007-08-01T10:07:00.000+08:00

i love weddings!!! most people, when asked why they love weddings, find it to be a very romantic event. for me, it's not only attending the ceremony that i enjoy, what i like most when it comes to this important occassion is getting involved in all the preparations. honestly, i don't know why but i get excited & really enjoy doing research to help. (maybe i should think of becoming part of a wedding planner group as a second career...hehehe:P)

seems like recently, so many people i know are getting married. lotsa weddings!!!:D just this May, a first from our barkada got married. it was such a memorable event & really glad to be part of it. this December, a cousin is getting married & she' s getting me as part of her entourage too. next year, would you believe, 3 more weddings of close friends!!! one in September, one in October & the other one tentatively in December. (feel so honored that 2 of them asked me to be part of their entourage;))

anyone for november? any more to come? hehehe...

another thing to celebrate is the recent passing in the US CPA board exams of my dear friend betc!!! whoopi!!! soooooo proud of u & i knew you could do it:D

Ra-ta-TOO-ee

2007-07-28T08:23:00.000+08:00

Ratatouille ("ra-ta-TOO-ee") is a French Provencal stewed vegetable dish. The dish, originating in Nice, is fully named ratatouille nicoise. It may be served as a meal on its own (accompanied by rice, potatoes, or simple French bread), or as a side dish. Tomatoes are a key ingredient, with garlic, onions, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, some herbs de Provence, and sometimes basil. All the ingredients are sauteed in olive oil. It is also sometimes used as a filling for savoury crepes. -- Wikipedia

last night, i was able to watch the animated film "ratatouille". i like watching movies but i'm not really much into cartoons or animated films. i have not seen the trailer of the film so i didn't know what to expect. i have heard though that it was written & directed by the same oscar winning writer-director of "the incredibles" (one of the rare animated films that i was able to watch & really like) & how well the ratings are, so i became curious & went to see it with an open mind. unexpectedly, i looooooved it!!!:D brad bird (writer-director) did it again!

for those who have no idea yet what the story is, it's about how a simple rat wants to be an extraordinary chef. yeah, the story is (like any animated film or cartoon) impossible (and quite disgusting if you would think that a rat was cooking the meals for a restaurant), but i found it cute & there were moving scenes too. the story is a complete mixture of the most important things in life--dreams, family, friendship & love (bonus--good food!).

being someone who really loves to cook, i was entertained by all the kitchen scenes. the food animation was great! (although there were rat scenes which still have that ewww-factor & made me cringe) i can relate to "remy" the rat who dreams of becoming a great chef despite his family's objection & i hope that someday soon, like him, i will be able to fulfill that dream.

Crime scenes

2007-07-26T10:43:00.000+08:00

i love crime scene investigation.

...like fitting together puzzle pieces to see the real picture

watched the season ender of csi vegas last night. it made me stay up late & now i'm feeling really really sleepy...(damn! can't have coffee though. trying to avoid that stuff & be a little healthy so i'm stuck with my caffeine free herbal tea.)

been a fan of csi vegas for quite some time now. it triggers my curiosity how smart the crimes are planned & executed. i get fascinated & intrigued on how Grissom & the rest of his team outsmarts the criminal & eventually solves the crime. i love the characters (specially Warrick :P *wink wink*), love the details, love their lines. i even get a rush of excitement when i hear the theme song playing at the start of the show (who are you...who who, who who...hehe)! i love it to a point that i even thought of becoming one. but i'm pretty sure i need special education to be one & that it takes a lot of hard work, & if i'm gonna do it here...i'd be better just watching the show & dreaming. hehehe...

lately, i started watching csi new york & i think i'm starting to like it too. (oh no! another show that will keep me up late.) i was able to catch an episode or two of csi miami before but i honestly didn't like it, i don't like their style. i can't even believe the ad on tv that says csi miami is the "world's most watched show".

in my opinion, the vegas team is smart in a practical way (i don't know the exact term, sort of "street smart" i guess). the new york team on the other hand is wise in a "bookish way". i love how both teams remain calm in solving crimes. both don't jump into accusing someone without first thoroughly investigating & collecting evidence. as for the miami team, i find their style a bit "arrogant". i've observed that they are fast into making accusations. i particularly dislike Horatio, i hate how he sometimes tend to threaten suspects. if i were to rank the 3, i'd say number 1 for me would be csi vegas, number 2 csi new york & last csi miami.

which crime scene investigation is the best for you?

Push the button

2007-07-24T15:59:00.000+08:00

the clock is ticking...really fast...

(can't do anything about it. i wish there was a pause button out there somewhere)

i'm too lazy to move...

yeah...i think i'm too familiar with it & too comfortable already.

this is not good at all... i have to start moving soon.

Finally found it

2007-07-23T08:57:00.001+08:00

after the long search, i've finally found my perfect shade of chocolate brown nail polish...

call me shallow but looking at my nails right now while i'm typing, i'm happy:)

for a change, it's a monday morning but i don't feel down. i'm quite surprised that i feel happy. nothing particularly good happened yet but i'm just feeling lucky.

i feel really satisfied with my life...

i feel so much blessed:D

A little discipline please!!!

2007-07-22T12:30:00.000+08:00

queue (kyoo) -- noun, verb [French, from Old French cue, tail , from Latin cauda, coda.]
-- used more in British English, while the world "line" is used mostly in American English. Canadians use the term "line up".
-- Chinese "排队", Spanish "fila", Filipino "pila"

this concept is so simple yet why can't some people understand & follow it???

it really irritates me...

a little discipline please!!!

Goodbye Harry...

2007-07-20T13:47:00.000+08:00

no, i don't know how the book will end yet. i don't know if harry will live or die.

having read some of the 6 books & watched all 5 HARRY POTTER movies, i can say that i'm quite a fan of the series.

tomorrow, the last book of the series would be released. (no, i haven't reserved/bought my copy--actually i haven't bought my copy of any of the 6 past books) many are excited, not only here but all over the world. unlike them, i'm not. i feel sad...it breaks my heart that the series i've come to love will now come to an end.

i think i want to buy my own copy of the 7 books soon...

Rush

2007-07-19T08:09:00.000+08:00

it's a great contradiction that i, being such an impatient person, do not appreciate the rush of life here in the city.

it's thursday already...(what happened between monday to wednesday???--nothing enters my mind...) time flies!!!

i've lived half of my life here in manila already (for my studies & for work), yet i'm still not used to this life. i still crave for the slow & simple life in my province. most people would find it rather boring to live in the province & would find time moving too slow for them...but not for me. most of the time, people do not believe me when i say that i'd rather live in the province, have a slow paced life & be able to enjoy the simple things life has to offer.

lately, i find myself complaining too much about how my life is a routine & how i'm so bored with it. petty things irritate me. i can't control it & it makes me feel embarrassed. maybe i'm getting tired with living here in the city...

i hate it that i have to wake up early in the morning, prepare in a rush (don't even have the luxury of enjoying my breakfast) just to beat the morning traffic. after office, again i have to endure the long drive home. at the end of the week, i often find myself trying to remember what i did in the past few days & i almost always end up recalling nothing particular that i did & i enjoyed. i feel really exhausted...

helping me keep my sanity in this complicated life in the city are my friends. they all live here. even most of my childhood friends have already moved here for work. my friends here are the only thing that keeps me from moving back to my hometown...

well, who says life is perfect? you really can't have the best of both worlds. i guess for now i just have to weigh which matters most to me...

Bitch

2007-07-18T10:30:00.000+08:00

this early & i'm already feeling crappy. turning out to be not such a great day for me. starting to be bitchy again but i can't help it.

i hate the world today...you're so good to me...i know but i can't change...tried to tell you...but you look at me like maybe...i'm an angel underneath...innocent and sweet...

i'm a little bit of everything...all rolled into one...

i'm a bitch...

i'm a sinner...i'm a saint...i do not feel ashamed...i'm your hell...i'm your dream...i'm nothing in between...

so take me as i am...

On Spiral, my Shanghai girls & Harry Potter

2007-07-17T14:41:00.000+08:00

another buffet dinner last saturday. this time we went to SPIRAL. honestly, i'm starting to feel that all these hotels offering buffets tastes similar already. as usual, food overload! GLUTTONY.

i loved their laksa! spicy enough for me:D the churros dip was really delicious too! really chocolate-y, really sinful!!!

i had a blast getting together with my shanghai girls again. we all love taking pictures. all love to eat & we talk about food nonstop! after the saturday buffet, we swore not to eat too much anytime soon (maybe just drinks...hahaha). i realized one thing that night, it's great sometimes to be in the company of people younger than you are (just being honest here...hehehe). it's like i was able to have a break from all the serious stuffs & all the serious & older people in the office (i think 95% of the people in the office are older than i am & 100% of them more serious than i am...hahaha). fud + friends = definitely a great time!

now back to my crappy diet...:(

i was also able to watch harry potter last sunday with my sisters. it was great!!! i really loved it & i wouldn't mind watching it again! i found it a little bitin though. i really enjoyed the movie. having read the book, i imagined the scenes & it was amazing to watch my imaginations come to life.

now i'm trying to restrain & convince myself not to buy the books...

I just have to laugh at myself!

2007-07-13T14:17:00.000+08:00

this might sound weird but i find myself rather amusing.

i know what i want but at the same time, i value the opinion of others.

as i was ordering lunch today, even with a slight idea of what i wanted, i asked the person behind the counter what to order best. after a few recommendations & a few questions, i find myself still ordering what i initially wanted (which was not among the recommendations :p).

i'm often guilty of this! i actually find it ridiculous that i still ask, even if most of the time i go back to what i wanted in the first place (whether it's among the suggestions or not).

for this, i'm giving my self a big laugh & the roll of the eye! :p

on the side: i find my dad really cute & sweet this morning. as my sister was still sleeping, he prepared her breakfast (placed the oatmeal in the bowl, dropped 1 pc. native cocoa & stirred it well). even if sometimes i get crazy 'cause he can be makulit & stubborn (which i think most parents become as they get older) i really felt touched by his gesture & through that simple act, i felt how much he loves his daughters.

Missing u...

2007-07-12T16:28:00.000+08:00

just talked to my cousin from cebu on the phone. i miss her! i miss our shanghai days!

i remember my friend (after seeing my pictures) asking me when i was still there, why i was blooming. i didn't know the exact reason why. i guess it was because my life was really relaxed there.

i miss shanghai terribly!!! (i can't believe i'm saying this)

How much longer?

2007-07-12T15:55:00.000+08:00

i think i need something...i feel bored...

just received a memo for 3rd offense. 3 lates a month constitutes 1 offense. meaning, as of the month of June, i had 3 months with 3 or more lates already. when i received my memo for 3rd offense, i was looking for what my penalty was & ironically, i felt disappointed to find out that i was only getting monetary penalty. where's my days of suspension? why am i not getting any?

i don't know how much longer i can endure this. how much more of this? i want a BIG CHANGE but i don't know yet where to start. I'M TRAPPED...

You have stolen my heart

2007-07-11T11:14:00.000+08:00

nope, no one has stolen my heart yet but this song did...

i'm currently in love with this song & i've been listening to it over & over again (love the tune, love the lyrics)...

"STOLEN"

We watch the season pull up its own stakes
And catch the last weekend of the last week
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced,
Another sun soaked season fades away

You have stolen my heart

Invitation only, grant farewells
Crush the best one, of the best ones
Clear liquor and cloudy eyed, too early to say goodnight

You have stolen my heart
And from the ballroom floor we are in celebration
One good stretch before our hibernation
Our dreams assured and we all, will sleep well

You have stolen
You have stolen my heart

I watch you spin around in the highest heels
You are the best one, of the best ones
Well all look like we feel

You have stolen my
You have stolen my heart

plus...i just learned that the lead singer chris carrabba is cute! hehehe:p

on the side (really unrelated to the title of this post) -- i was reading an article in time magazine this morning & i just learned that tempura is of portuguese origin! it was brought to japan in the 16th century. can you believe that? hehehe:D

1 out of 7

2007-07-10T12:49:00.000+08:00

the list of the new 7 wonders of the world is out (www.new7wonders.com) & i've only gone to 1 out of 7! the 7 (in no particular order) are:

The Great Wall, China
Petra, Jordan
Christ Redeemer, Brazil
Machu Picchu, Peru
Chichen Itza, Mexico
The Roman Colosseum, Italy
The Taj Mahal, India

my family & close friends would know that i REALLY LOVE travelling. it's like an addiction, an obsession, "my bisyo" (most of my salaries go to this, hehehe...). i love going to new places (be it be near or far) , discovering new things fascinates me. i love the adventure! i love seeing how things work in different places, how the people are, their language, their culture, how much they are similar or different from us & of course what i love most is discovering their food! hehehe:D i could be quite adventurous when it comes to food (except for the chicken feet which i really don't think i could eat. i imagine it to be soft & slimy. yuck! hehe). i love trying out new foods, love the local exotic flavors.

last year, i was lucky enough to be able to go to "the great wall" on a tour of china with my cousin. 1 out of 7! hehehe:D as for the other 6, if i would be lucky enough to go to these places, this is the particular order that i want:

The Taj Mahal, India
The Roman Colosseum, Italy
Chichen Itza, Mexico
Petra, Jordan
Christ Redeemer, Brazil
Machu Picchu, Peru

actually, to be honest, i've talked to some friends & we're starting to plan a few trips for this year & early next year. (yehey!!! *wink wink* shhh....hehehe:p) though i don't think any of the other 6 wonders of the world are in those places we plan to visit.

so i guess this just means one thing: i have to work double time! double hard!!! hehehe:D

Rainy days & Mondays always get me down...

2007-07-09T11:41:00.000+08:00

it's monday morning & as i was driving on my way to work, it started to shower...
it's been raining almost everyday these past few days, but it usually rains during late afternoon. today though, it rained in the morning.
rainy days always seem to dampen my mood. i don't like gloomy days, i don't know why but i feel sad/depressed when it rains. (i have a friend who really likes it when it rains, it makes her happy & i find it strange.)

thank God that despite the usual monday traffic & slight shower i was able to beat the clock! i wasn't late for work:) 4 minutes more & i would have paid the penalty again! hehehe:D

Jack's back

2007-07-07T10:00:00.000+08:00

yehey! jack's coming back home! time really flies...it's been more or less 5 months since my sister left for beijing to study mandarin for one term, like i did in shanghai. tomorrow she's coming home. though not for good 'cause she'll be leaving again next month to take her masters degree in boston. (more on that in my my future posts) i'm really happy & excited to see her. she's younger but she's like the achi (older sister) i never had:D

double yehey!! my dad's flying to manila tomorrow too! for those who don't know it, i'm from bicol & grew up there. me & my sisters transferred here in manila when we started high school but we still have our "home" (not a mere house) in bicol. my parents still live there & we have a small business there but me & my sisters stay here in manila by ourselves (independent living...hehehe) to work/study here. we try to go home during holidays but almost every month my dad or mom comes here for a week or so to visit us.

triple yehey!!! HARRY POTTER will start showing next week! i'm not really a fan of fantasy/fairytale movies, those which don't reflect reality, but HARRY POTTER is one of the exemptions. really looking forward to watch this movie. i'm sooooooo excited!:D

quadruple yehey!!!! tomorrow, i'm planning to take my sisters to the new biggest bookstore here in the philippines---FULLY BOOKED---5 stories of pure bliss! i've always loved books... i love going to bookstores... spending time browsing books... buying books... to be honest, lately so much things occupies my time & my mind that i'm not in the mood to read. i still have a few books unread at home that either me or my sister bought before. hopefully going to fully booked tomorrow will get me back in the mood to read.

wow! so many things to feel "yehey" about.:D and to think the new week hasn't even started yet. looks like a great week coming:D

Got milk?

2007-07-06T13:37:00.000+08:00

was really hungry a while ago but had late lunch 'cause i needed to finish some work. now i'm having a f*cking stomach ache...i need a glass of milk to soothe my stomach ache.

anybody got milk?

Unlucky?

2007-07-05T14:45:00.000+08:00

"may balat ka sa pwet!", that's what they say when someone's really unlucky.

i don't have one but i feel like i must have an invisible one! hahaha:)

some circumstances when i feel like i do...

my first time to go to boracay with my barkada, we were met by a storm i think a day or two before we left to come back to manila, so we had to extend another day.
my last boracay trip, the day we were about to leave for manila, it rained really hard in boracay so our flight was cancelled & we had to extend another night.
this morning, while i was driving on my way to work, i saw a bus in one of the emergency bay in edsa & i thought to myself "Thank God that so far I haven't met any trouble with my car". then after passing by a gas station to fill up, my car went through a hole in the road & i didn't realize that the hole was that deep & big until guess what??? it caused me a flat tire!
i started my blog today & after writing my first post, as i was figuring out how to attach my link into my account, the internet was down!

sometimes, i feel really lucky too!

on my recent trip to phuket, the time for my connecting flight from bangkok to manila was just right. i still wanted to shop in the duty free airport of bangkok so i prayed for a delayed flight back. can u believe it! God answered my prayer & so my flight was delayed 3 hrs!!! 3 hrs more for me to shop:D
last friday, when i got home from meeting my high school barkada for dinner in libis & having some drinks & coffee in greenbelt with my sgv barkada, i noticed smoke coming out of the hood of my car. when i asked the driver to check it the next day, he told me the radiator was broken already! it was really bad that we couldn't bring it from our house to the repair shop anymore & we had to ask wheeler's to tow the car to bring it to the shop. they couldn't repair it anymore and had to replace it. good thing i was able to go home safe.
when i had a very bad flat tire this morning, it was really near the office already. near enough for me to be able to park my car in the parking lot.
i was feeling really bad about the internet being down a while ago that i had to have something to cheer me up so i went to my favorite coffee/tea shop--CBTL--to get my tea latte & i discovered something good! their biscotti!:D

i guess we all have our lucky & unlucky days...

as one of my new favorite song from maroon 5 goes, nothing lasts forever...one moment i feel cursed & the next i feel like the luckiest person in the world!:D

My First Post

2007-07-05T09:55:00.000+08:00

i've been reading different blogs for almost a year now, mostly about food (because of my love for cooking & eating) & also blogs written by my friends. i have always wanted to start my own, but because many things occupied my time (like studying Mandarin in Shanghai & now, going back to work), i didn't have time to start my blog until now. also, another reason why i didn't have the guts to start my own blog was because of questions bugging my mind like, "what if there comes a time that i don't have anything to write about anymore?", "what would others who get to read my blog (if there's any...hahaha!) say about what i write or how would they react?", "what if my grammar's wrong?", etc...

i realized now that i've been thinking too much!!! i feel i need & i want an outlet to express how i feel & say what i want. to hell with what people would think & say, what do i care? :)

thanks to my friends-- jenny, vanj-- for inspiring me to start my own.