chill
Friday, June 30, 2006
most of the time, we get so caught up in the grind and routine of our daily life that we forget to stop, and just enjoy every moment as it comes!relax. everything happens for a reason - so just go with it!
from a Yahoo article by David Romanelli, here are very insightful and inspiring pointers that would guide us in just going with the flow of life's mystery:
1. Recognize that whether by master stroke or pure chance, there is great intelligence in the universe.
Fact: A single human cell measuring 1/1,000 of an inch across contains instructions within its DNA that would fill 1,000 books of 600 pages each (Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now)
2. Minimize resistance.
"Nothing on earth can overcome an absolutely non-resistant person." - Florence Shinn
3. Spend time in nature.
"Genius learns from nature." - Oscar Wilde
4. Be patient with your struggles and challenges.
"Infinite patience yields immediate results." - Wayne Dyer
5. Free the mind from daily routines.
"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free the mind." - Bob Marley
6. Smile...everything is evolving just as it should.
"Sometimes joy is the source of your smile but sometimes a smile is the source of your joy." - Thich Nhat Han
so chill, everyone!
as for me, i might later drink that bottle of beer i saw in the fridge at home.
CARPE DIEM and have a great weekend!
coffee, tea, or.....*gasp* me?
Thursday, June 29, 2006
i'm not much of a coffee drinker, though i sure love the aroma of coffee beans!now, whether coffee is actually good or bad for the health, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it as long as it is taken in moderation, wouldn't you agree?
i'm sure a lot of you out there just looooove coffee, whether you drink it to jump start your day, or just to get by, or practically have it as your constant companion, or have it as an excuse to (over)stay in a coffee shop...
so tell, oh, do tell! how do you like your coffee? what is your favorite coffee?
as for me, i can almost smell the coffee beans...hmmmm...but i'll just have that english tea, please.
choo story
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
i always thought the one behind Jimmy Choo the shoe empire is, well, Jimmy Choo.i guessed wrong.
it's Tamara Mellon, formerly an Accessories Editor of British Vogue.
Jimmy Choo was discovered and just initially commissioned by Mellon to make unique pieces for the magazine. Mellon eventually had grander plans, and after acquiring go-signal from Choo, proceeded to build her dream.
this was 10 years ago. the name is now worth over $300 million.
whew.
now, i want some of those killer stilletos. even if i have to beg, lie or steal.
so choo me.
missed
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
i miss dancing.the feel of lambs wool around my toes...the way i look in tights and leotards...the tutu...the pirouettes...
the kicks...the twirls...the bend, the twist...
the sweat...the grunts...
the fall...the tears...
the smile...the satisfaction...
ecstacy is what i feel when dancing.
i have never felt that in a long time. and i miss it.
what do you miss doing?
from Bacolod with love
ladidadidadida...
oh, lookie, lookie...a Calea box straight from Bacolod!
i wonder what's inside...
*gasp* is that a chocolate cake?
a big, round, yummy chocolate cake?
and it's all mine?
aaaaaw, poor you. Calea cakes and pastries are just the best!
the men of Inside Man
Monday, June 26, 2006
ever since ricky left, i have been remiss in my movie-watching habit. as a result, i haven't been able to watch Omen 666. dang, darn, dammit!good thing i was able to watch Inside Man last week, though there is still a more recent film that i was able to catch just this weekend.
i wouldn't have forgiven myself if i missed this Spike Lee-directed film, since it stars two of my favorite and sexiest actors, Denzel Washington and Clive Owen playing the cop and the bank robber, respectively. this is quite a departure from Lee's usual political and drama-ridden films, but certainly not lacking in stor
y, humor and wit.Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer and Willem Dafoe complete the impressive cast, each contributing weight and plus points to the bank heist-with-a-twist movie.
and the ending? i definitely have no complaints! it's just as i wanted, with extra gravy!
i just had minor issues with the scoring (man, i have a thing with musical scoring, i tell you), and the sometimes erratic, jerky camera movements. but i think it's just me, hehe.
overall, this is a purely enjoyable not-so-Hollywood Hollywood movie. definitely something worth your while.
unlike that film i watched this weekend: the Manny Pacquiao Story, starring Jericho Rosales and Bea Alonzo.
I HAD NO CHOICE. my parents wanted it. debbie wanted it.
i just want to make that clear. in case you saw and recognized me.
the day that was
June 23, 2006.30 years old and still rocking, haha! really, what's there to be sad about? i have my family, my friends, and ricky.
and last friday, getting 2 out of 3 - family and friends - was certainly enough to make me face the days and the year ahead with much love and inspiration.
thank you to my cute and adorable sister, Debbie, and to my equally cute and adorable best friend, Celine, for not-so-secretly organizing a not-so-secret birthday gathering for me, at Italianni's Restaurant in Greenbelt 3.
the small party in attendance: family, friends, and the birthday girl.
my small family: papa, mama, moi and debbie. in case my sister looks familiar, click here and you'll remember where you've seen her.
my small family, plus one: papa, mama, moi, debbie, and her best friend and my adopted sister, april:
my sister asked me to act surprised when the Italianni's staff finally came on with their birthday serenade and the complimentary ice cream. i think i overdid it.
finally, before singing, they asked if it was my 18th birthday.
haha, now who could say no to that?
i choose to be...
Friday, June 23, 2006
...in a good mood today. owing to the fact that i'm a cancer, that would certainly take a lot of effort since we crabs are just the moodiest and crappiest bunch ever, wouldn't you agree so, snglguy?but still, i promise to be extra nice today and that is because....
1. i just renewed my driver's license over at the malate land transportation office. i didn't care that the whole area was just....ugly, and that i still do not know how to drive. at least, i now have a new license, plus, i look good in the picture - that is extremely important!
2. i am about to open a new account in a bank because ricky said so. haha...i don't care if we're apart. just keep the mullah coming honey! haha
3. my ma and pa are flying in from bacolod today, and will be here till sunday. it's been more than 10 years since my pa set foot in manila, and i'm sure he'll play the man-from-the-province part to the hilt! hehe
4. i just received a basket of flowers from my friends, and i just cried a bit, hehe
5. i think i will receive a gift from my boss today. i hope to receive a gift from my boss today. i wish to receive a gift from my boss today.
now, if you still don't know why i choose to be in a good mood today, June 23, 2006, then, ambot sa inyo! (ewan ko sa inyo...i don't know with you...)
tomorrow is a different story.
what now?
Thursday, June 22, 2006
dammit! i'm currently craving for the rightfully famous Famous Amos...
i was able to taste this heavenly creation while in Singapore, and now i miss it...sooooo much it hurts (okay, that's exaggerating).
butterscotch and pecan cookies
i-forgot-the-name-but-oh-so-delicious muffin
pleeeeeease, to all concerned (haha!), you all know what to bring me when you come home here...
i'll clean your house, wash the dishes, scrub the toilet, baby-sit, house-sit...
best days
i've been humming this tune all morning and now i just can't get it out of my mind. darn this LSS.
incidentally, this is the graduation song of Debbie and April's batch in La Salle Bacolod - Batch 2004 if i'm not mistaken.
i remember my graduation song: I believe I can Fly, by R. Kelly. looking back...eeew, really.
it's an upbeat song. quite a departure from the usual mushy, cheesy graduation songs, and i am adopting this as my graduation song. actually, the message of the song is quite nice and uplifting as well.
it's entitled "Best Days", i think, and if you are familiar with it, please tell me the artist or correct the lyrics, but basically, this is how it goes (i could sing it for you but i would probably ruin your day):
But I never want to lose what I've got
come to think of it, these are the best days of my life!
i just have so much to be thankful for.
we all do, don't you think?
tic toc
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
to more wonderful years ahead
with family,
friends,
and
with ricky, whom i will be spending the rest of my life with
through thick and thin...
carpe diem, vina, carpe diem!
part three: the singapura eating, shopping and eating adventure
finally, the last day, Sunday, June 11, came...our flight the next day was at 9:30 a.m., and though it sucked, we couldn't complain. everything about our trip was just fantastic.
that's us girls at the beautiful lobby of the beautiful Sheraton Towers, after our late breakfast, and before leaving to start the day.
ladida dida dida, on our way to the MRT station, which was just a 2-minute walk from the hotel. that's me, taking a picture of...
...ryan (and celine behind him), taking a picture of us.
our destination: Novena Square mall, for more Charles & Keith shoe shopping, and this:
boy, was the place packed and busy! Wee Nam Kee was more of an eatery than a restaurant, but it sure was popular, based on the influx of hungry people like us! good thing we were able to have a table inside because it eventually rained hard.
after lunch, *burp, excuse me*, we decided to go Suntec City mall for more of the intended shopping/window-shopping.
as expected, people abound at the mall. people from possibly any place you could think of. but that did not stress me out. not a single bit.
because these two special men made sure i would be able to brave the crowd.
me, ben, AND jerry united in singapore by their new york super fudge chunk. aaaaah, what could be sexier than that?
day three, and i just had to have a (ful)filling threesomely twosome. hehe.
the Great Singapore Sale war zone - take a peek
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
erm, i know celine's in there. somewhere.
i wish i had a staff to part this ocean...
what are you looking and smiling at, huh? you guy in yellow shirt you!
definitely not for the faint-hearted.
what starts my day
my typical breakfast:
Kellog's choco frosted cereals swimming, nay, drowning, in full cream milk, and one piece of banana.
fast, no fuss. it always makes me feel like a kid.
gets me going till around 11:00 a.m., then i'll go looking for some crackers to get me by till lunch, hehe.
what's your typical breakfast?
(more of the singapore adventure coming up!)
part two: the singapura intoxication
Monday, June 19, 2006
but before that, let me just vent...
well. that makes me feel better now.
let's move on, shall we?
==========================
first glass was the Singapore Sling at Raffles Hotel at around 4:00 pm. yes, remember that?
we specifically reserved day two (a Saturday) for our night out, originally at Zouk, but we were only able to leave our hotel at 11:30 p.m., and after taking a suggestion from the friendly Sheraton staff to have dinner at Lau Pau Sat (another hawker type food center), we decided to proceed to nearby Ministry of Sound club along Clarke Quay (yesiree, Singapore has THE famous Ministry of Sound...*turning green with envy*).
like Zouk, the Ministry of Sound is a clubs-within-a-club club. when we asked the receptionist how many areas there were inside, she said five - although we only familiarized ourselves with three - the hip hop/ r&b music area "Smoove", the chill-out/lounge music area "Pure", and the house music area, presumably the main area, whose name we forgot and where we eventually stayed.
entrance fee for the ladies was Singapore $25 (P800 / USD 15), and Singapore $30 for the men (P960 / USD 18), with two free stubs for drinks and access to all of the clubs. rather cheap, yes?
erm, nooooo, i'm not drunk in this shot, although this was taken as we were leaving the club, at around 3:00 a.m.
erm, noooooo, not drunk here either. this is my second glass for the day, and the first at the club.
hehe, look at me...crazy, crazy me. like an animal let out of its cage, with a glass of vodka sprite in hand.
that's the third glass for the day, and the second at the club. like an animal let out of its cage, with a mug of Heineken in hand. do i look druuuuuunk? i'm not drunk! *hik* i only had 2 glasses! how could i be drunk? *hik*
weeeee! i had a great time!
did i mention i had a great time?
what a blast at the Ministry of Sound. i even bought a CD of its 2006 collection Asia edition, the next day at HMV (awesome t
racks by the way; i highly recommend it!).
what a long, tiring day, capped with awesome sounds in an awesome club, with awesome friends, and awesome drinks.
oooooh, did i mention i had a great time? *hik*
time out!
Sunday, June 18, 2006
woohoo! i love personality tests!
this one caught my fancy while bloghopping. thanks to meigh for this one!
i most especially love the "live richly" part...
The Picto-Personality Test When alone, you like to relax and do exactly what you feel like doing at the time. You are laid back. Anything goes, with you. In the future you will be happy and live richly. |
| Take this Test at QuizGalaxy.com |
==================================
the singapura intoxication part one
Saturday, June 17, 2006
of course, any vacation wouldn't be complete without alcohol intake! for me, anyway.
so while in singapore, there was no excuse for not trying the famous Singapore Sling and half-immerse in the singaporeans' hard-partying ways.
while at the raffles district in day two of our singapore adventure, we dropped by the legendary Raffles Hotel, where the Singapore Sling was born.
the Long Bar at the 2nd floor of the hotel is where the concoction supposed to have started, but at 3:00 pm, the place was actually full with Europeans watching a World Cup game.
we opted instead to have our drink at the sprawling Raffles Courtyard, which was just lovely and charming.
ria had to leave because she wasn't feeling very well, while gino and kaye had their separate trip to Sentosa and the Night Safari, so it was just celine, ryan and I.
now, as i mentioned before in one of my previous posts, ryan and celine are allergic to alcohol - that's how i want to say it, anyway, but ryan was game enough to have one for himself.
so that's ryan and i with our glasses of Singapore Sling, while celine had her, ehem, Virgin Sling (Singapore Sling minus the alchohol).
the sling supposedly started as a ladies' drink, and that's exactly how it still tastes: sweet with a pineapple-y taste and the right amount of alchohol bitterness. i'm not much of a ladies' drink drinker, but the sling was not bad, lah! definitely not bad, at all!
as for me, i was feeling just pretty fine and waiting for the effect of the alcohol to sink in. it didn't happen.
now you know why i'm not much of a ladies' drink drinker.
part two: the singapura shopping experience
Friday, June 16, 2006
after breakfast, we were off to Bugis Junction. well, the girls were, to be exact. the guys were to be at nearby Sim Lim for electronics and gadgets galore (as the story usually is).that's us, minus gino the photographer, at the MRT station going to Bugis. at day two, we're still roaring and raring to go, slight limp and tight, aching muscles included.
i don't remember Bugis to be this beautiful. maybe because it was raining hard then, 3 years ago, which made the whole place look a bit bleak?
but really, it IS beautiful - the whole architectural design is just great. airy and bright, it is a surprisingly welcome and quiet break from suffocating, noisy orchard.
after Bugis, we decided to check out Raffles City Shopping Center, another lovely but rather upscale mall in upscale Raffles District. it wasn't any surprise, therefore, that we weren't able to buy anything from any of the shops.
come to think of it, at the rate we are going with spending here, here, here and there, and traveling here and there, we probably aren't even close to saving...
wahaaaat? am i supposed to speak just for myself?
(more of the singapore adventures coming up!)
the singapura eating experience round one chapter two
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
day one dinner was at Newton Food Centre, a mere 5-6 minutes walk from our hotel, Sheraton.after dropping off our Ikea purchases and resting a bit, we proceeded to the place: a hawker-type center with rows of eateries to choose from. it was packed, as almost anywhere in Singapore was, but we were able to spot a free area for the group.
we ordered mild tom yum soup, noodles, beef & chicken satay and barbecue chicken wings. and yes, we had to make do with what was only given to us to eat from and with: styrofoam bowls and plastic spoons for the soup, and wooden chopsticks. nothing else. pretty inconvenient, but what the heck! this is as authentic as it gets!
after dinner, we took the bus to Little India for the 24 hour shopping centre, Mustafa Centre. we didn't stay long there, though. the whole center was, erm, overwhelming, if you get my drift.we decided to end the day/night with, noooo, not coffee although we originally thought of it, but ehem, ice cream. at past 12 midnight, would you imagine!. sheesh, reminds me of the ice cream craving we satisfied also around midnight, last month at the Manila Peninsula Hotel.
Swensen's was the spot, just below the Crown Plaza Hotel along Orchard Road. boy, was i intent on having that ice cream! this was no time to be on diet...i was on vacation for chrissakes!
oooooh, what to eat...what to eat...there were so many to choose from! i was torn between Frosted Chocolate Malt (frosted chocolate malt ice cream with marshmallow topping, hot fudge and chocolate balls) and Sticky Chewy Chocolate (sticky chewy chocolate ice cream completely engulfed with hot fudge).
i chose Frost
ed Chocolate Malt (right) since it's an all time favorite but darn, i wanted that sticky chewy chocolate, too! i was selling it to ryan, but he just wouldn't buy! grrrr, he and celine ordered Hot Fudge Sundae (two scoops of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and almonds), while gino and kaye ordered White Chocolate Blondie (almond-filled rich white chocolate blondie sizzling with maple butter syrup and a shower of pistachios, peanuts and almonds). ria, on the other hand, brought her south beach diet to singapore, so she just ordered coffee at adjacent starbucks.
haha, look at me attack the monster. no time to be shy, folks! i don't get to eat like this back home!
as usual, curious celine just had to dip in. HAD TO. i didn't mind. we all dipped into each other's ice cream anyway. except for ria, that is. but i'm sure she wanted to!
finally. day one over and out, and we have just started!
=========================================
L-R: moi, ria, kaye, gino, ryan & celine
the singapura eating experience round one
and then there's this:
aside from shopping, them singaporeans sure love to eat! and again, we had to keep up...
on our first day, we had our lat
e lunch at Takashimaya Food Village within the Takashimaya Shopping Centre, one of the many shopping centers dotting Orchard Road, and with direct access to the MRT Orchard station.
the place was like a maze! various stalls offering various cuisines can be had, and boy, was i confused! i didn't know what to order! there were korean, japanese, thai, chinese and lots more!
hmmmm...what to eat...what to eat...
i must have spent around 20 minutes just going around in circles. eventually, i settled for a thai-style beef & noodle stew which actually tasted good! it was a pretty huge bowl, though, so i wasn't able to finish everything.
and whoa! all those people - they just made me dizzy!
we conquered the food village, and we conquered Ikea afterwards - but that just made our stomachs grumble all over again.
up next, dinner. and we knew just where to go!
the singapura shopping experience part one
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
it's a war zone out there. definitely not the place for the weak and the slow - and boy, we had to keep up.
world cup mania, rain, and aching joints and muscles aside, the whole Great Singapore Sale experience was something i would gladly relive every year, if shopping allowance permits. of course, it helped that our hotel was just lovely - we had no worries of any sort at all.
we were billeted at the Sheraton Towers along Scotts Road- although not along Orchard Road as we hoped, we were just 2 minutes walking distance from the Newton MRT station, and the Orchard station was just one stop away.
after checking in in a breeze, settling in our cozy rooms and taking our brief lunch at Takashimaya Food Village, we were off at around 4 pm to our first business of our 4 day stay: Ikea along Alexandra Road.cameras are not allowed inside the 2-level store area, but just take a look at the directory, and trust me when i say that you could just spend your whole day here. the place is pure heaven, even for you men!
for those of you who still don't know, Ikea, a European brand, offers wide ranging, well-designed functional home furnishing products at super-affordable prices. Ikea's home is Sweden, having established the concept in 1958, while the Singapore store opened in 1978.
entering the store, you must remember to bring these important items: the cart, of course, and a pen and a paper to write down the details you see on the tags of the items in the various showrooms. isn't that neat!
*sigh* if only i wasn't thinking too much of the possible excess baggage or the inconvenience of lugging around boxes and plastic bags, i wouldn't have minded spending everything i had here...
we were dog-tired but still giddy when we were done at around 7 pm.
we went back to the hotel to drop off our things and rest a little. after dinner at the Newton Food Centre, we were off to the only 24-hour shopping centre that i have known in my entire life: the Mustafa Centre in Little India.
at 11:15 pm, the place was packed with people and smell of all sorts, so forgive me if i was not able to take any picture.
we were out (and in a hurry, i think you know why) after 45 minutes, and we decided to cap the night off, initially with coffee.
we ended up eating ice cream at Swensen's along Orchard Road. at 12:15 in the morning.
the shops were closed, but a lot of people were still out and about.
aaaah, singapore.
what a day. what a start!
(i'll be posting separately on my food-trip trips! in the meantime, i hope you enjoy the ride!)
back home (almost)
Monday, June 12, 2006
aaaaaargh...i am in great, terrible, awful pain.
great, terrible, awful body pain.
i am in dire need of a body massage when i get back.
but only after i lie on bed, stare at the ceiling, and slap myself back to reality.
vacation's over.
sing, sing, SING!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
whew!in another photo-finish fashion, my Singapore trip with my friends is pushing through, and we are leaving tomorrow.
there's one minor hitch, though - we still do not know which orchard road hotel we're staying at! well, at least there's a hotel we will be staying at.
earlier this morning, we still did not have a word from any of the two hotels where we had our booking, while our PAL flight was already confirmed. to say that we were worried would be an understatement. but then, we found a generous soul, and that's all i'm going to tell, hehe.
so where to go in singapore? anywhere the road and "sale" sign will lead us - that is, after all, the main reason why we're going there - to experience the Great Singapore Sale!
case in point: there are exclusive deals for tourists such as, 50% off for Apple Ipod Nano and Creative Zen Neeon!
and then, we will be having our Zouk night, and i got just the right dress-to-kill dress for that!
and how about some singapore sling at raffles hotel?
and Ikea! oh, Ikea...can't wait for Ikea! and the shoes, the bags, the clothes, the accessories, the food....food! chili crabs and hainanese chicken!
OMG....be still my heart... sssssh, be still, dammit!
with all these to look forward to, i don't care if i'd sleep on the streets.
it's a zoo out there
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
this column in today's Philippine Daily Inquirer caught my interest.
the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Philippines is pushing for the closing of, not just the Manla Zoo, but all zoos across the country.
as i have mentioned in one of the posts of owen regarding the singapore zoo, i have a hard time coping with my feelings towards going to our zoos here and seeing the caged animals considering our zoo conditions. embarrassing as it may be but i cry, even with just the slightest idea of animal maltreatment.
so i should be happy and one with PETA's call, right?
well, no. i do not agree with the group's push for closing of our zoos. at least, not all of them. if at all, we should lobby for the improvement of our zoo facilities and conditions, and the (more) humane treatment of the animals.
after all, these zoos/animals are more importantly for educational purposes - not only for the kids, but for all of us!
hair fixin'
i am so having a bad hair day today.
as a hair straightening dependent and with the promise of straight, shiny hair already expired, this should be nothing new to me. for one, i have the tools to help keep me and my hair still look 'pleasant': the dryer and the roller brush when i prefer to have my hair down, and this one when i want to tie it up:
yes, this baby is my saviour. it's just that i decided to tie my hair up in the office and this saviour of mine is not here to help me today.
bench's fix styling stick absolutely does wonders for hair that has a life of its own. it's primarily for men, for that messy 'do without the wet look that gel or oil usually gives. for guys out there, be sure to dry your hair first before applying. mess it up however you want, and viola! your 'do will do for the rest of the day!
for yours truly, with strands and curls sprouting up everywhere, this is a match made in heaven. it puts everything in place and has a matte finish - all you have to do is just slide the stick onto your hair. no getting your hands wet, sticky or oily with all that gooey gel or hairspray.
thank you to ben chan or to whoever for this wonderful creation, for making my life and my hair easier to manage.
as for today, sans the styling stick, clips are keeping my curls at bay.
*fix styling sticks are available in bench and pcx stores for P125.00 (small) and P250.00 (large).
CSI crossover special
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
holy macaroni! i almost forgot!
tonight is the CSI crossover special over at AXN!
from steamy miami to steely new york, 2 hours of non-stop action and suspense are in store for us CSI lovers starting at 10:00 pm!
although i'm more for the original CSI and CSI New York, i still wouldn't miss this one out. i just love forensic shows, and CSI tops my list. thank you jerry bruckheimer, huh?
which makes me wonder, what the hell am i still doing in the office?
can you taste the air?
CNN's Inside Asia segment last Sunday took a look on Asia's pollution crisis.
Why the special focus on our region?
It's because we have here the world's most polluted country, and majority of the world's most polluted cities/places.
The first honor goes to the giant itself, China, having 16 of the most polluted cities/towns in the world, including the worst of the lot, the provincial town of Linfen, according to a recent survey.
Linfen, home to an estimated 214,000 population, is a steel and coal factories town. It is extremely polluted that there are dead animals everywhere, particularly near the poisoned creeks or rivers, and that the people cannot grow trees, plants, or crops - all because of the toxic emissions from these factories. Needless to say, the main cause of death of the residents over the years has been linked to pollution.
Beloved Hongkong is not saved, either. Whether it is in the list or not, I am not sure. But here's something juicy: those pictures we see (on updated brochures or postcards for
example) of the beautiful Victoria Harbour and other tourist spots, amidst clear and sunny skies, might have been digitally enhanced as it is almost impossible now to regale in the picturesque view of Hongkong with all that smog, except on a really, really good day.While causes of Hongkong's pollution can be considered internal, traceable to its transportion system and the increasing number of vehicles among others, what is actually interesting to note is its close proximity to Guangzhou, which has numerous steel and coal factories like Linfen.
Which brings us to this case in point: pollution, like so many other things and resources, can be exported - whether in the same region, or across the oceans.
What's scary is that this is a "product" we can never refuse.
cleanser-holic
Monday, June 05, 2006
i have a weird fascination and obsession with bathroom and all-purpose cleaners.
there is no other excuse nor explanation for this, except that i have somehow become my mother, but to the nth degree. i have morphed and mutated.
i am not yet a member of any warehouse store here in manila so i don't know how vast their selections are, and because our supermarkets have rather limited stocks, i have taken a liking and inclination towards puregold duty free shop in clark.
and that's exactly where i was last saturday. after bringing ricky to the airport (sans the tears!), the send-off party consisting of yours truly, debbie (my sister), april (debbie's best friend and my adopted sibling) and bobby (ricky's twin), slowly and carefully navigated our way through the heavy rain and intentionally sought shelter at puregold. i needed to replenish my household cleaners stock.
while most of the normal people usually gravitate towards the chocolates and candies section, i giddily headed, like i always (ab)normally do, to the cleaners section.
aaaaah, blissful state captured by my sister before a guard took her away. hehe, not really - the guard just informed her that picture taking was not allowed.
when we finally got back home in manila, i wasted no time in introducing the new members, the All-Purpose Cleaner (2nd to the right) and the Lysol Bathroom Cleaner (right), to the rest of the family.
by sunday morning, i was happily and gladly scrubbing, brushing, wiping and polishing away in the bathroom.
i was in a good mood for the rest of the day.
sisterly love
my sister, Debbie, does not like sharing her bed with anyone, including me. i could only cuddle next to her for a few minutes before she kicks me out (well, not literally).
if you ask her what would happen when she's already married, she would reply that she and her husband will sleep on separate beds.
this is the reason why she has to have her bed all to herself:
the head reattaches itself back once the owner awakes.
ha! this is what you get for waking me up in the middle of my dream!
one night with Zanjoe
Sunday, June 04, 2006
who has already seen Zanjoe's Bench underwear billboard?
Me! mE! ME! MEEEEEEEEEEH! i saw it yesterday, along EDSA.
oh, he was just divine in his underwear and nothing else. i tell you, that image is going to keep me company for a long, long, time - that is, until he has a new one.
in fact, i probably was so subconsciously ecstatic that i dreamt about him last night, the first night of my "singlehood". well, actually, ricky was in that dream, too. sort of.
in my dream, Zanjoe and i were a couple *sigh*, and we were taking a vacation in bacolod. he was staying in our house there. but because my parents were around, we had to sleep in separate rooms (dammit!). one night, when my parents were out, Zanjoe and i decided to go to a club.
in the club, we headed straight to the bar to order drinks. when the bartender turned to face us, i was so happy coz i knew him. haha, it was ricky. i then introduced them to each other. when our drinks were served, we wasted no time in bringing these to the dance floor and we started dancing...
and then i thought i heard knocks. on a door. my door?
and then Zanjoe started vanishing in front of me. No, no, no...
i heard laughing. squealing.
Zanjoe was gone. the club was gone. the dream went pfft.
laughing. squealing. outside my door.
aaaaargh! debbie and april. they had just come home from a night of partying. i cursed while i opened the door and saw them half sprawled on the floor.
i hate them. i told them that this morning.
now, i'm never going to know what was supposed to happen next after that dancing.
i could only imagine. i'm sure ricky wouldn't mind.
Pen Pals
Friday, June 02, 2006
last saturday, after attending the surprise birthday celebration for my boss, the gang decided that it was a bit early to head home. myself excluded, these friends of mine and even including ricky, hardly drink nor party, but we all do have something in common. i guess you know what it is.
standing there at the lobby of Pavilion Hotel where the party was held, we each had something to say on where we can cap the night off.
Me: eyes lighting up...Nuvo!
they all look at me blankly. i forgot, like i always do - they don't drink.
Them: What are we going to do there?
see? i told you.
One of them: and besides, it's expensive there!
Me again: Old Swiss Inn!
Kaye: eyes lighting up...Wow! Steak!
Gino, her boyfriend, looks at her incredulously, with matching raised eyebrows. Kaye is supposed to be on a diet, to put it gently.
a few more names that i don't remember anymore cropped up.
Ryan: eyes lighting up, mouth foaming (haha, not really)...i know, i know! ice cream!
All of us: Yes!
Ryan: i know, i know! Manila Pen!
and so, with a unanimous decision, we all headed our separate ways and met up at Manila Pen. it was around 11:15 pm .
ricky and i were the first to arrive. entering the lobby, i could already see a buffet bar near to where there was an available table for six. one buffet bar of...are those chocolates?
OMG. the hotel was having its chocolate buffet. i immediately called up celine and kaye and told them to hurry up since the buffet was only till 12 midnight. we were complete around 11:30 pm.
personally, i don't have a sweet tooth, so it wasn't much of a dilemma for me. but celine, kaye, and ricky (yes, ricky) do.
thankfully, common sense and self control prevailed, and it was decided that we were better off with ordering an ice cream or other appetizers to share, since the chocolate buffet, as in other buffets, was not meant for sharing. another unanimous decision.
or so i thought.
just when we had already finished ordering an ice cream named Pen Pals (!), good for 6 to 8 persons, a club house sandwich for Celine and Ryan, a sausage for Gino, and a chicken adobo main course for Ricky (he said he was hungry), chocolatey food arrived.
one plate with chocolate cake. two plates with chocolate crepe. one plate with fruit sticks. one cup with ice cream. one bowl for the chocolate fondue dip.
Ricky. i should have known.
one by one, our orders arrived. last to be served was our Pen Pals.
our jaws dropped. holy macaroni. it was H-U-G-E.
it was a really, really, huge bowl. with 18 scoops of assorted ice cream and other toppings. there was no way we could eat all of it.
and the chocolate bar selections just kept coming in for ricky - which he had all to himself, by the way. and we still had the adobo, the clubhouse sandwich, and the sausage.
Office Miss(ed) Manners 1
Thursday, June 01, 2006
obviously, there are still people out there who still do not know that if there's someone in a company/office that you have to be nice with when trying to request for an appointment or to have a proposal accommodated, it's the SECRETARY or the ASSISTANT.
this i repeatedly realize everytime i encounter a pompous, seemingly know-it-all, arrogant person whether on the phone or up-close.
i am thankful to my mother, who has been an executive secretary (and great at it!) for as long as i can remember, for the gift of putting people in their rightful place with words as sharp as a samurai's sword, often one-liners. but i have added something special to make it my trademark: a tone so dry, it's dripping with sarcasm.
i know, i know. i'm bad.
but only if you are! let's make that clear, shall we?
case in point: this afternoon, i got a call from a lady who we shall call Ms. M:
Ms. M: Hello, good afternoon, Is Mr. F (my boss) in?
notice that she hasn't even introduced herself. a big no-no!
Me: And may I know who THIS is please?
Ms. M: Oh, this is Ms. M, Mr. Bean told me to call your office and look for Mr. F.
Me: I'm sorry mam, he's not in. Would you like to leave a message?
Ms. M: Okay, it's like this. I'm from XYZ Company, and Mr. Bean just told me to get in touch with Mr. F.
I'm already tapping my fingers here.
Me: Yes mam, do you have a proposal?
Ms. M: Yes...
Me: And what is your company profile mam? What is your proposal?
Ms. M: We're into insurance. What time is Mr. F coming back?
Me: I'm not sure mam. Would you like to leave a number so I can get back to you?
Ms. M: a bit of silence...No, it's okay, I'll just tell Mr. Bean, then we'll just go there together.
Me: I'll still have to set the appointment mam.
Ms. M: Oh, I thought Mr. Bean could just go there anytime.
blood rushing to my head
Me: dry and dripping... DRY AND DRIP-DRIP-DRIPPING...No mam, we still have schedules to follow, YOU KNOW.
Ms. Me: Oh, I didn't know that (oh you didn't, huh?). Okay, I'll just call again. (we'll see about that...)
Me: Okay. Bye.
I put the phone down before she could say anything else.
remember, be nice to the assistant!
