V for Vina

dusk

2009-06-29T19:31:00.001+08:00

it's time ~
two birds fly across the
orange sky

father's day

2009-06-22T17:12:00.000+08:00

father's day
the girl screams for her mama
from her papa's arms

(a scene over lunch at a restaurant on June 21)

June 12

2009-06-16T11:24:00.003+08:00

homeless, his eyes are

hopeless, he begs for money

independence day

==============================

independence day

street children play basketball

on a makeshift court

friday

2009-06-15T19:12:00.003+08:00

chatter crescendoes

at quarter to seven

friday night

kittens

2009-06-10T20:20:00.001+08:00

morning sun

two white kittens wobbly

under a junk car

Hammock

2009-06-08T12:00:00.002+08:00

muggy night
a homeless guy sets
up a hammock

Hai(na)ku

2009-05-20T12:01:00.007+08:00

I reviewed my haiku pointers last night and realized I've been doing my poems wrong. I started dabbling with this beautiful Japanese poetry just last week, and I know I have a long way to go till I get it down pat. Nowhere in any site does it say that it is going to be easy, anyway. Writing extraordinarily out of the ordinary, in three lines of 17 syllables or less, is definitely not a breeze - not for me, that is.

In particular, I realized that I was writing in three fragments. Haiku (and senryu) is generally written in two parts: a fragment on the first or last line, and a phrase/sentence split on the other two lines. As a guide, a good structure for a beginner like me is:

setting - the fragment (first or last line)
subject/action - the phrase/sentence (on two lines)

So I did some tweaking on my poems, and I do hope it is better this time, at least technically. Here is an example:

Before

hint of dawn
half awake, half asleep
jeepneys chug and sputter

After

crack of dawn

jeepneys chug and sputter

incessantly

Okay, so "special" may not yet be written all over this haiku, but you know what they say! Practice makes perfect! :)

The almost-comeback kid

2009-05-15T15:03:00.007+08:00

I wanted to write something that could pass as witty about my semi-return to blogging, but really, the smell of adobo wafting from the office kitchen is killing me. It's paralyzing what's left of my working brain cells. I can't even work (which reminds me, I am supposed to work).

I am blaming everything on the well-marinated chicken and pork adobo simmering in the huge pot, with lots of peppercorn and laurel leaves. It is pure evil.

P.S. We are having a summer outing tomorrow, thus, the wicked adobo.
I forgive, but I don't forget. It is going down.

It's been a while

2009-05-14T21:39:00.003+08:00

four o'clock

papers stacked, but ~

my first haiku

(May 13, 2009, 4:00 pm)

It's in the stars

2008-10-23T12:29:00.004+08:00

Lately, I've really, really, reeeeaaaallllllly been thinking about cooking. Well, technically, learning how to cook.

And I know I'm going to be good (if and when I get to it). I beliiiieve! Amen, I believe!

Because my Cancer zodiac sign says so.

Is it November yet!?!

2008-10-15T12:37:00.007+08:00

I know, I know...it's almost there. But I wish it would arrive faster!

I'm finally going to Hawaii to visit Choak, and of course, I can't wait! Aaaaand...we're flying together, too! He'll come here to eat Jollibee, Pancake House, and Banana Leaf first, and off we go to Honololu!

I'm all exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hyperventilating

2008-09-23T16:08:00.007+08:00

It's the smile.

Really.

It IS the smile. Though he's not smiling here.

Suddenly, I don't feel too good. Like I'm having a fever - or something.

*Akihiro Sato, courtesy of www.akihirosato.blogspot.com*

Turning Japanese

2008-09-19T20:30:00.005+08:00

Homaygad. Blame it on overtime.

I came across this online shop called Tokyomade and I fell in love with some of the items. It took me tons of willpower to not click shop and gleefully type my credit card details (gotta save for the big trip!)

But, I want. I want. I want.

Though, alas, I think I need to consult my conscience first, who goes by the name of Choak. He usually puts some sense into my impulsive, hotsy-patutsy head, much to my dislike.

Of cooooourse...I don't have to tell him, do I...

Alive

2008-09-10T14:33:00.000+08:00

Last Monday night was the scariest time of my life.

I was on the last flight of Cebu Pacific from Bacolod to Manila. There was already some turbulence, although tolerable, enroute to Manila, but just as we were about to start descending, the pilot announced that they were advised by the tower to hold position at 5,000 ft because of bad weather condition. And this was when the nightmare really began.

We had to go around in circle for almost an hour, the plane rocking and shaking the whole time. I could hear the plane screeching, like what a car does when you step on the brake hard, and at one point, we saw another aircraft emerge on our side (which means it crossed below us).

I was crying, the girl beside me was sobbing, and an old woman at the back kept muttering "We're in God's hand now". I was also very hungry...which meant I was close to puking, and I was eyeing the paper bag just in case.

While I prayed and thought about my parents and Choak and what my friends were going to say about me when I'm gone, I was also deliberating if I should bond with my two seatmates (I was in the middle), because I didn't like them that much since the flight started - they didn't turn off their phones. I hate that, much as I hate it when passengers immediately turn on their phones as soon as the plane lands. Anywaaay, so I decided not to hold their hands, nor console the sobbing girl and just held on tight to my seatbelt instead.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity in hell, the pilot announced that we had to divert to Clark. It was still a little shaky going there, but we landed safely, and we all clapped.

We stayed in the plane for another hour - and did I say I was hungry? We weren't given anything to eat. Good thing I had my homemade beef tapa - but I had to stop myself from taking out the whole tupperware and laying it on the tray though. So I just resorted to making piknit and making small talk with my guy seatmate who kept shaking his legs.

At 9:45, we flew back to Manila.

And we're still here. I'm still here.

And maybe I'm just exaggerating about the whole incident. But whatever. It was really frightening.

I'm just thankful I'm still alive. :)

In denial

2008-09-01T18:48:00.002+08:00

Shoes, shoes, shoes. It's all I can think of right now.

All it took is just one new pair of black, patent mary jane pumps.

Sexy, black, patent mary jane pumps.

It's all Zara's fault.

I hate that store. It's evil.

A day with an OFW

2008-08-11T17:13:00.006+08:00

Last Saturday, I saw Debbie again after 3 months. It was the first of her three overnight Manila flights this August. Funny, but it felt like she wasn't really gone! We talked and joked like usual, like Dubai was just Parañaque - and ok, Greenhills - where she used to spend most of her time, anyway (think current and ex boyfriends).

She lost a little weight, but that's okay, because she was eating A LOT here. And we know what happens when one eats a lot and doesn't exercise!

We all had lunch at Lola Ina's in Seaside, and devoured our favorite prawns in garlic butter sauce, deep fried tilapia, and kilawin tangigue, but not before taking pictures, and while watching Wowowee. We decided we could squeeze in one more activity before she leaves at midnight, and we agreed to watch a movie at MOA. Tagalog, of course.

So we watched A Very Special Love, with matching pila to complete the experience. Loved the movie, by the way. Baduy na kung baduy.

Mabuhay ka, Deb.

Don't forget my pasalubong.

We're still together...

2008-08-09T01:00:00.003+08:00

...Even though we're apart.

2 years.
Still counting. Still lovely.

Thank you.

Note to self

2008-06-25T20:39:00.003+08:00

Please stop buying more yoga clothes.

Self's reply: Buy. Buy. Buy.

Bring it on

2008-06-19T20:29:00.010+08:00

It's not the years in your life that counts. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln

I turn thirtytwo on twentythree.

I'm just getting started!

Mabuhay!

2008-06-12T14:20:00.005+08:00

Hallooooo! It's been a long time. Not that a lot of you would notice, hehe. Yes, I've been remiss in visiting blogs, as well. It seems that most of us have been busy and still are.

I feel a lot better now after my last post. I have adjusted to Debbie not being around. I know that she's happy and embarking on a new chapter of her life in Dubai and I shouldn't be sad. Plus, I'm going to see her in December...which, as a matter of freaking fact, is just around the corner.

N, on the other hand, is never really far, thanks to technology. AAAAAND! He's coming back end of the month (mahalo, Hawaiian Air)! I'd like to think he's revisiting so soon because he misses me...but I have a feeling it's because he just wants to eat Jollibee and Banana Leaf again...hmmm...

So...my birthday is coming up in a few days, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm turning 32! Yippie! I may be officially off the calendar, but I'm still in the lottery and bingo numbers! Ha!

As an advance gift to myself, I enrolled in Bikram Yoga classes just last week, during the long weekend. And booooy, I can't stop thinking about it. I look forward to this weekend so I can resume practice and I'm still contemplating (very hard) if I should take the Monday 6:30 am class so I could make it 3x a week. And yes, I am also looking forward to the day when I could, uhm, bend it like Bikram. Hehe. Yeah, maybe after 10 years.

Have a great weekend everyone! Stay good, like me! Hehe.

Handle with care

2008-05-16T16:17:00.005+08:00

I seem to have lost my spirit after saying goodbye twice this week - first to C, who flew back to Hawaii, and second to my sister, Debbie, who flew to Dubai.

I feel so drained. So empty. So tired.

If anyone finds it, could you send it back to me? And if it isn't too much to ask, ASAP. Please.

I have to have it back.

Is it May yet!!!???!!!

2008-04-08T20:01:00.006+08:00

4 more freaking weeks till my date with my Neko!

Grrrrrrr... Already, I can't sleep very well. To say that I'm excited is a bit of an understatement.

We're turning two this August. But up until our Beijing date last year, we've only been (physically) together for a total of one month. So add nine more days to that, with our Manila thrilla and Hong Kong action next month.

Then again, those are all just numbers. We are always together. And the words long and distance in long-distance relationship is just a state of mind. And savings, for me, is starting to become merely a figment of my imagination - but that's another story, I guess.

*sigh*4 more weeks...I think I'm gonna go crazy.

Oh, wait. I already am crazy!

2008-03-17T15:32:00.007+08:00

My cup runneth over.

Thank You.

Dear Adam

2008-03-06T18:49:00.009+08:00

Last night with you was fantastic. You still give me chills - the good kind, until now.

I love you and the rest of Maroon 5. But mainly, just you.

I know you were singing to me the whole time. It's okay. It's our little secret.

And can I just say...I love you more, now that I know that you play the guitar damn well. I could only imagine what other things you could do with those magical fingers of yours.

Come back. I will wait for you.

And next time, I'll make sure to bring a camera.

Question

2008-02-28T17:00:00.004+08:00

Pole dancing or Belly dancing? That is the question.

Shaun T and his rock-hard abs are great company in the morning, but I am thisclose to getting bored. I mean, how much tilting, tucking and tightening can one take (or make), huh?

Man, I need some bending, thrusting, swaying, gyrating, locking moves! Oooo, yeah...I want those. Grrrr...

Weehoo. I think I just need a vacation.

Or maybe a splash of cold water on the face.

Or maybe a good spanking. Ha!

Is it March yet?

2008-02-15T16:32:00.005+08:00

My Neko dreamt the other night that he picked me up at Honolulu airport and we proceeded to Waikele where he introduced me to one of his friends.

Well, all I can say is...Hawaii, here I come!

But only after...Manila, here he comes!

And...Hongkong, here we come!

Oh, yes...We're cooooommmmiiiing!!!

I'm thinking again...

2008-02-11T11:25:00.000+08:00

It just sucks sometimes. There are moments when I can't help but get too lonely and cry and ask questions I try to answer myself.

But I chose and signed up for this - and everything else that comes with it. And maybe it's my karma, so it's fair game. Is it? Oh, I hope not. I still keep on dreaming.

And I guess I can just keep on shopping, too. It helps - until I realize I've spent a little too much. And then it doesn't help at all.

Gaaaah. Okay. Feeling a bit better now. I'm wearing this new skirt I bought at 75% off from Zara.

So yeah. Happy Valentine's week everyone :)

(And I better receive a surprise on Thursday, mister.)

I'm thinking...

2008-02-05T10:56:00.000+08:00

What do I have to do to make Anthony Bourdain come here to the Philippines for No Reservations...

I'll swamp him with mails?

Hmmm...I could sound all gushy and perky! Like...exclamation points all over?!!!

Or desperate? Please-Mr.-Bourdain-please-come-here-please kind of desperate?

How about...threatening? You have to come here. Or else.

Oh! Oh! How about all three, huh? Ok. Freaky. But hey! Who knoooows....

*sigh* Mr. Bourdain. Tony. Just in case I get extremely lucky and you get to read this, I just want you to know, I will be here waiting for you!!! It's ok. C wouldn't mind. Please come here, please. It would break my heart if you don't. Please. Give Philippines a chance, pleeeease.

You better f*cking come here. OR ELSE.

Shit

2008-02-01T14:16:00.000+08:00

Yes. That is what greets me almost every morning just before I go to work. Literally.

Dog poo on the garage entrance.

There used to be like 3 or 4 scattered all over, but lately, there's just one. But man, it is the nastiest looking dog poo I have ever laid eyes on. The guard this morning said it's from the neighbor's dog. That dog must be sick, I thought. Because that shit was the shit! Really. It gets worse everyday. You get the picture? Ooor...maybe you'd rather not.

Ooops...Did I miss the part where I was supposed to warn of the possible gross theme of this post?

Hehe.

Why am I even talking about shit on a beautiful Friday?

Today's horoscope

2008-01-22T11:34:00.000+08:00

Cancer

The tables turn in a relationship. If you've been giving more, now it's your turn to receive. Tonight, once you step out of your routine, the adventure is wild, and you're even wilder.

Great. My (supposed-to-be) giver is thousands of miles away.

Dangit danggit.

Aloooooha! Ha!

2008-01-16T18:05:00.000+08:00

Sorry PAL.

Hawaiian Airlines will now have direct Manila flights starting April 14, 2008! Woohoo!

Mahalo Hawaiian Air! Mabuhay babe!

Get ready for the balut!!!

The beijing post - almost there...

2008-01-14T18:50:00.000+08:00

Before I formally write about my Beijing trip, I think it is more proper to introduce you all first to the Neko, sometimes and formerly known as just N.

Two crazy bloggers giving it a shot. Yup, that's us.

But I guess you've figured that out by now, huh? :P

Yeah, yeah...i'm stalling.

Why?

2008-01-08T19:33:00.001+08:00

January 9

Hehe. Stupid me. I didn't even check that my draft yesterday was published. Thanks Consuela! :P

I was asking myself why I still couldn't write about my Beijing date with my Neko. It's been more than 2 months now! How could I not write about it? I absolutely loooove the place! And the people... Aaaah, yes, the charming, sweet people. Who wouldn't love them!?!

I fell in love with the place the first time I went there 2 years ago! In fact, it took a little more than a month before I could write about it! That's how much I adored it. Can't you feel my excitement?

Shiyet. I want to get it done and over with.

Oh baaaabe...can you write about it first?

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T20:06:00.001+08:00

I have never been one to make resolutions for the new year. I never had specific goals. I just try to be always positive and let things come as they may. So far, I have no complaints.

Bring it on, 2008! I have never been this ready.

And to everyone, may this year be the year for you, too. :)

P.S. Ooookaaaay...one minor resolution: post Beijing.

Fa la la la la la...

2007-12-27T19:48:00.000+08:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

Thank you for being a part of my 2007. I hope to be a part of your 2008.

Let's live, laugh and love our whole life long! Cheers! :)

P.S. I love you babe! It has been a wonderful year with you. I'll see you again soon. *hack tui*

Kasal-Kasalan

2007-12-17T20:31:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Gino and Kaye for tying the knots last December 7 and 15 !

Best wishes, guys! Really! :P

Now...that leaves Sheila and Cindy, aaand...hmmm...did I miss anyone out?

Hehe.

knock knock

2007-12-03T20:34:00.000+08:00

is anybody still there?

hehe.

WOW

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

One year already, babe!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I love you always. :)

In your face

2007-07-25T22:23:00.000+08:00

Facebook, that is.

N "told" me to sign up in yet another account (Twitter what?) - and being the good (!), obedient (!) girl that I am, I did.

And now, I'm sort of addicted to it. Gee...thanks a lot, babe.

Finally.

2007-07-20T18:45:00.000+08:00

After years of postponing, I have decided to exercise. As in real exercise. Not the I'm-going-to-the-mall-and-window-shop-so-isn't-that-exercise-too exercise. I have enrolled at a small gym near my place, and I am going into my 3rd week now. Finally, too, N has stopped dropping occasional hints about the E-word. Yeah, I got the message, mister!

Soon, my fatty liver ECU finding will be history! Soon, my body fat will go down from 25%! Soon, I'm going to have rock-hard abs! And toned arms and thighs! And bigger butt! And maybe bigger boobs, too! Okay, maybe just the fatty liver and body fat will do...

Less fats, less carbs aaaaaand okay, more veg - ve - vege - vegetables...

This, I'm saying, after I've eaten Brother's Burger (fat and carbs) for lunch. And this, I will remember while I eat my Lucky Me Chili-Mansi Pancit Canton (carbs and preservatives) for dinner, and maybe Pad Thai noodles (more carbs) at SOMS tomorrow or Sunday.

the big 3-1 last 2-3

2007-06-25T16:41:00.000+08:00

What the heck!

Cheers! :)

My horoscope for today

2007-06-07T10:33:00.000+08:00

Cancer

If you feel a bit restless, it's because you want a little adventure. You want something new to happen in your life. Why not go someplace you've never been before?

So apt!

Now what little adventure should I get myself into, this time? Does buying something (or some things) new in a mall I haven't been to, count?

Hehe, I guess not.

it's june!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-06-01T07:00:00.000+08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, baby!

Eat, drink, travel, live, coffee, dream, and love crazier!

I love you always.

gagagalera

2007-05-11T20:08:00.000+08:00

by hook or by crook
rain or shine
high tide or low tide
for better or worse
uhm...to be or not to be...

debbie and i are going to puerta galera tomorrow as planned, dammit!
me and my bikini are ready! hehe, don't worry babe...you don't have to kick some butts :P

till next week guys! take care and V-O-T-E wisely! :)

commercially speaking

2007-05-04T19:21:00.001+08:00

i so love this Biolink VCO hot oil commercial! it never fails to give me the giggles every single time!

in fact, i look forward to it during breaks, in between my...uhm...maging sino ka man and walang kapalit...and...uhm...pinoy big brother nightly treats.

rats. i think my cool factor just went down a notch.

!!!!!!!

2007-04-23T19:00:00.000+08:00

ooooo, the days are breezing by soooo fast!!! can you feel it? can you feel it? soon, it's going to be june already!

june, june, june!

it's going to be my birthday!!!

dammit, (and i mean that in a happy way), i'm going to turn 31! now, i don't know why i'm excited about finally reaching the last date of the month, but i just do. dammit, i've never felt this good, this young, and this crazy in my entire life. i'm all woman now! dammit!

it's going to be N's birthday!!! i'm actually working on my birthday gift for him, which he'd better like. i've never been this aroused (sounds better than excited) with a project in a long time. i'm soooo pumped up that it's got all my juices flowing! cre-a-tive juices. sheez.

i'm going to turn 10 in the company!!! 10 years...now that's fast! come to think sapuwet, i could actually resign already and get a special compensation package...but then, i'll be jobless afterwards, so that's not a good idea for now.

aaand just because it's june, it won't be long till it's going to be august! because two people (a.k.a. N & V) are turning one in august!

aaand when it's finally august, it won't be long till it's october! because in october, it's coffee time with N again! this time in beijing. oh yes, what can i say...our love's semi-international, and definitely expensive (there goes my so-called savings).

june, june, june!

*sob* what's taking it so long?

~as of Wednesday, April 25....N and I are meeting in SEPTEMBER!!!!! gotta pack soon!!!!

no apologies

2007-04-17T19:11:00.000+08:00

last april 15 would have been our 7th anniversary.

but all those years seem distant now...
all those moments just seem like a dream...

i am moving on, he is trying.
i have found love and life again, he is searching.
such is life. it isn't fair.

but life is also what me make it.

i am happy.
i am in love.
i have found myself again.
i dream once more.

life has never been this beautiful.*

*thank you, baby.

wassup!?!

2007-04-10T18:50:00.000+08:00

back to reality...

and it's aaalll good. :)

the floating market experience-bangkok 2007

2007-04-03T13:55:00.000+08:00

it was a clear and beautiful tuesday morning as we headed out early to ratchaburi province, a 2-hr drive from bangkok, for the damnoen saduak floating market tour. this floating market is over 100 years old, and considered to be the biggest and most popular in thailand. we had to be there early since the market closes at 11:00 am, and it is routinely crowded with hundreds of vendors, buyers and tourists.

yes, this is the stuff we see in pictures...a colorful and lively 'street' full of small rowing and long-tailed engine boats with vendors selling food, particularly locally produced fruits and vegetables, and more.

it was buying and eating floating market style as we sampled fruits and noodles and shopped for souvenir items from our paddle boat.

N even spotted some sweet tacos (actually, sweet coconut pancake - or something like that) and bought me a bag, most probably as a guilt-gift, since he deprived me a few days earlier (yes, i shall never forget, mister!).

the sun was already quite scorching when we finished the tour, and before heading home, we cooled off with some delicious ginger tea, and by having our pictures taken with a monstrous python.

from waterway traffic, it was time to navigate through land traffic in the evening, as we rushed for our dinner cruise along chao praya river. we thought we wouldn't be able to make it, but N's cousins had the time wrong and we ended up being at the ship an hour early. it was also rather chilly but i didn't mind. it was a great excuse for an excess of embraces!

this was our last tour day, and it couldn't have been any less perfect.

could it be the heat?

2007-04-02T10:54:00.000+08:00

because right now...

1.) i'm hating manila: the effing noise, the effing traffic, the effing dirt, the effing litter, the effing parking fees, the effing potholes. and yes, those effing campaign materials and jingles are getting through my nerves too.

2.) i'm feeling sad and lonely and jaded and restless and ooooo...i don't know. and on top of that, i'm having a headache that just wouldn't go away - most probably because of #1.

it's a good thing i'm going home to quiet and clean bacolod this weekend, where we will hit the beach, and i get to eat my favorite meals again, and hole up in my room with the a/c on almost the whole day (and not worry about the exorbitant electricity bill), and be able to sleep peacefully in the dark and silence of the night.

ahhh...just the thought of it makes me feel a tad better now.

yeah, it must be the heat. or, it could just be that it's that time of the month. or, i just miss N. or, it could be all three.

have a meaningful and lovely week everyone!

the Kon Thai Kaa experience - bangkok 2007

2007-03-26T12:26:00.000+08:00

that monday morning, i was made to wear the official yellow polo shirt commemorating the King's 60th year reign for our Grand Palace and Wat Pho tours in busy bangkok. our mission for the day was to get me in for free, since according to N's relatives, i look thai. i was given instruction to not speak and utter an english word especially at the entrance, and N also made me memorize a sentence i would say in case i was asked if i was thai: "Kon Thai Kaa", meaning, "I am Thai". how i would be able to understand if i was indeed questioned was beyond me, but i was sure N would give me a nudge or a wink or something.

First up was Grand Palace, and i passed with flying yellow color.

now, if you can visit only one place in bangkok, the spectacular Grand Palace should be it. it is, undoubtedly, the city's most famous landmark. this complex, whose layout is similar to the palaces of ayutthaya, houses government offices, royal residences, and the Emerald Buddha temple - all done with elaborate and intricate details that showcase the thai people's craftsmanship.

after we were sure we've covered almost everything, we caught a cab and proceeded to nearby Wat Pho (or Wat Po), where, ehem, i got in for free again. This is home to Thailand's largest reclining Buddha (46 meters long and 15 meters high), and to the famous traditional thai massage at the massage school, where we had a full-body session.

refreshed and rejuvenated, N and I went home ready for some muay thai action in the evening at the ratchadamnoen boxing stadium, where N was stopped before entering and asked if he was thai.

we were holding hands but i was ready to run in case i was stopped and asked the same question. thankfully again, i didn't have to.

in case you didn't know, Kon Thai Kaa.

the ayutthaya ruins experience-bangkok 2007

2007-03-23T16:07:00.000+08:00

so much for reprieve. N gave me an ultimatum to finish my bangkok posts and no amount of pleading for extension could sway him. that's my man. :)

==========================

i was still on a rush from my too-good-to-be-true encounter with the elephants when we proceeded to explore Wat Phra Si San Phet and other ruins in the Ancient Palace in ayutthaya. it seemed almost unreal and magical to be surrounded by the centuries old structures - towering and grand in every sense. the whole complex was so full of history that i just felt trivial.

our cameras went a-clicking here and there while N and I made sure to get as far away as possible from his little monster of a nephew who would either run ahead of N to hold my hand or friskily cling on to me like a koala.

temples and buddha ruins are spread and scattered all over the city, some already incorporated in current buildings and compounds, that there was always something to see left or right. such was the case when we were on our way back home, when we chanced upon Wat Lokayasutharam or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. at more than 27 meters, it was one huge buddha!

it was a long, fun-filled day in ayutthaya for us, capped by dinner at a german-themed beer garden near bangkok, where the little perv slash nephew, upon seeing that N went to the restroom, creeped under the table, gave me a back hug and was starting to inch his hands towards my chest until he got the spank from me.

well, well, whaddaya know...

2007-03-20T12:02:00.000+08:00

i'll be celebrating my blog's first anniversary on march 22 and i am happy that you all are a part of it.

i could write about it on march 22, but being the impatient and impulsive girl that i am, i WANT to tell you about it NOW.

in a span of one year of blogging ups and downs, i welcomed 3-0 with open arms, had to say goodbye to my boyfriend of almost 7 years, and stalked N till he gave up and said yes to me (there. are you happy now, babe? :P).

in between, i found myself again.

and boy, have i forgotten. i can be a handful.

this.is.SPARTAAAAA!!!!!

2007-03-14T18:51:00.000+08:00

W O W.

and i didn't even really, really, reeeeeally care about those hard abs and chiseled thighs and occasional glimpses of yummy bums.

erm, did i say hard, chiseled and yummy?

P.S. peace, my one and only Spartan! :P

shoo!

2007-03-09T11:14:00.000+08:00

this morning at home, i spent a great deal of time chasing this fly that had magically appeared, and was leisurely cruising low and resting once in a while on the floor. it wasn't the 'aggressive' type...wasn't technically bothering me or anything. but in my past life, i may have been a professional insect exterminator who dearly loved and took pride in my work.

i gave my chasing a rest when i was already drying my hair...but then the fly probably had a death wish for it kept intruding my personal space. nooooo waaaaay...you don't know me, mister (or miss). it is my mission to kill things like you. i have mastered the skill of hand- clench-catching a mosquito and would risk my own life inhaling poison by following a cockroach with sprays of insecticide.

i...vina...*grabs my slipper*annihilate things like you with passion.
*smaaaaack!* there goes my slipper on the floor.

just like that, the fly met its bloody end. it died an instant death and did not feel any pain (it's a different story for roaches...i prefer that they suffer).

and to set me apart from other so-called professional insect exterminators, i lovingly cleaned up the mess - with tissue and all-purpose cleaner/disinfectant.

now, if only i can do the same thing to the wonderful, adorable, loveable drivers and pedestrians of manila.

P.S. HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE! :P

intermission...drum roll please!

2007-03-01T19:35:00.000+08:00

i have spent All My Life, looking for my Hero, and now that i have found you, i am in Heaven.

Is This Love? indeed it is. I Get Weak even just thinking about you.

Oh, You Got It All, baby! The Search Is Over. Could it be? God Must Have Spent a Little More Time with You.

And I'd do anything for you. You're the Inspiration.

Yes, babe. I'd Do Anything for Love...But I Won't Do That.

hehe.

aaw, come on guys, i haven't turned psycho (yet) or something. and i'm not about to embarass N! even though i'm Truly, Madly, Deeply...aaaack! ok! ok!

they're sooooongs, people. more importantly, they're looooove songs. but!!! most importantly, they're awesomely baaaaaad love songs - according to VH1 that is.

and this realization hit me - over and over again, while watching the show: not that song!...hey, i like that song!...nooooo! not that song, too, dammit! yes, that kind of realization. but nothing's gonna stop me from singing them still! oh no siree!

it may be the lyrics and the meaning behind the lyrics, the artist, the video, or well, just about anything and everything. in any case, i'm sure you have your, ehem, (old) favorites here, too!

sooooo, ladies and gentlemen...i proudly present to you, the bottom half of the 40 Most Awesomely Bad Love Songs...Ever, from VH1. taaaaaraaaaaaa!

40 - Hero by Enrique Iglesias
39 - Is This Love by Whitesnake
38 - Joanna by Kool and the Gang
37 - God Must Have Spent A Little More Time With You by N'Sync
36 - You're The Inspiration by Chicago
35 - The Search Is Over by Survivor
34 - Get Here by Oleta Adams
33 - Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden
32 - When You Close Your Eyes by Night Ranger
31 - Heaven by Warrant
30 - Suddenly by Billy Ocean
29 - You Got It All by The Jets
28 - Endless Nights by Eddie Money
27 - Eternal Flame by The Bangles
26 - All My Life by K-Ci & Jojo
25 - Love Of A Lifetime by Firehouse
24 - I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) by Meatloaf
23 - Rosanna by Toto
22 - I Get Weak by Belinda Carlisle
21 - When I See You Smile by Bad English

So, Hold On To The Nights people, because Even The Nights Are Better... As Long As You Love Me! (read: watch out for part 2!)

*PCEK baby!* :)

did somebody say elephants!?!

2007-02-27T11:31:00.000+08:00

my second tour day with my sweet N was with his relatives, including his little perv of a nephew (but more on him on the next post). destination was Ayutthaya, the Thai capital for 417 years (1350-1767), a 1 1/2-hour drive from Bangkok.

after a quick tour at Bang Pa-In Summer Palace and a huge lunch at Chatnam restaurant where N did not let any of those yummy jumbo river prawns go to waste (uhm, how many did you eat again, babe?), we proceeded to the Grand Elephant Palace to meet and greet the elephants. yippee!!!

boy, was i a bundle of squeals, grins, waves, claps and yes, joy - all 5 feet and 4.5 inches (okay, maybe just 5'4"). this was one of my longtime wishes! a personal encounter with these amazing animals!

from the scenic 20 minute-ride (ha! ours was taller than the others!), to watching the free show up close from the front row, to having my picture taken with the young frisky star, to passing through a standing elephant 3x times for good luck, i was a kid all over again! i was soooo giddy, i think i may have cried a little. and those times that i was hugging N, i may have been dabbing my eyes on his shirt. (hehe, kidding babe!)

i had such a great time, baby!!!
thank you, thank you, thank you! *chang kisses*

the jatujak experience-bangkok 2007

2007-02-23T15:49:00.000+08:00

jatujak (or chatuchak) weekend outdoor market boasts to be the world's largest.

now, whether this is true or not is immaterial. man, i just know it's huuuuuuge! and i'm just talking about the fashion/clothing and crafts sections!

walk, walk. stop. walk. stop. ask. bargain. will think about it. walk, walk, walk. stop. ask. bargain. will think about it. walk. stop. stop. (okay, lots of picture-taking in between) now, where was that shop where i saw those bling-bling rings? and that bag i saw? could it beeeee this row? no, this isn't it. maybeeee this row...

yeah, yeah. i sucked. big time. i ended up buying just a few tank tops - and they're not even for me!

i shoulda and i coulda, since i got (enough) moolah, but heck, i didn't go to bangkok with shopping in mind! *cough cough*

i went to bangkok to see my N, and to spend quality time with him!

N, who patiently held my hand and never complained as i led the way across the sea of clothes and accessories...

N, who snapped pictures of me here and there while i only took, like, two of his...and one is a back shot.

N, who was just forced to go to jatujak in the first place. like he had a choice, actually.

thank you baby.
can we do it again?
please? :P

almost-bangkok post

2007-02-21T11:18:00.000+08:00

i arrived in bangkok with everything light - and left with all things heavy. heavy luggage, heavy heart, and well, just plain heavy.

then again, i was there for 9 days. 9 full days of amazing food, beer, sights, food, great company, getting lost in conversations, and food. 9 full days of fun and laughter (and some tears towards the end - but that's just me). 9 wonderful, beautiful, unforgettable days and nights - of holding hands, taco hugs and kisseeeees, southpark episodes, tv shows in thai that i try to interpret on my own, silly talks and antics, hairpins, and roll-around-cuddle time...

what i enjoyed most in bangkok in those 9 whole days? well, i guess it's pretty clear.

food.

hehe. of course not, coconut!

YOU, babe.
bangkok was simply about you, and being with you.

and i miss you, my N...

and the food.

pssst...

2007-02-15T14:57:00.000+08:00

is the coast clear?

no more fever and frenzy from that commercialized and over-abused day known as valentine's day? or, is the hullaballoo dying down at least?

because now, i would like to reclaim what's rightfully mine...

a definitely happy, hearty V day! anytime. everyday.

Vina day. get it? got it?

good.

goodbye...hello.

2007-02-13T18:29:00.000+08:00

just a few days ago, i made one of the most important decisions in my life. it was something that will change the rest of my future - a future i have thought i believed in for years.

some things just aren't meant to be, no matter how long you've invested your heart and soul into it. life is full of gambles, and it is a journey. there are rewards, but only if you make choices...only if you make decisions on how you want to live your life. should i stay even if there have been too many signs i have willfully ignored? should i hold on even if i have doubts?

and so, i chose to let go. i chose, and i choose to gamble. because this is how i want to live my life. this is how i can live my life. i may have caused pain and hurt, but whichever way i look at it, i will still cause pain and hurt, because i can never be happy.

i can say sorry...say it is my fault, because i have been weak. and i mean it, because it is my fault. in moments of solitude, i might wonder about what could have been and shed some tears. yet i do not have regrets.

i have loved and been loved unconditionally. i have been happy.

some things just could never be.

sooo...

2007-02-12T20:11:00.000+08:00

yes, i just came back last week from a 9-day vacation in bangkok. and as it usually is when vacation-hungry people come back from, ehem, vacations, i'm still in a bit of a lazy mood. and definitely, my mind is somewhere else (farther than bangkok, thousands of miles away from here, across mountains and oceans).

and soooo....i thought...how about i'll whet your appetites first, ladies and gentlemen?

with this,

up close and personal with a frisky elephant

and this,

tripping down the steps of a temple ruin in Ayutthaya

and okay, this one, too.

want my (floating market) coconut?

the photographer was reeeeeally good, i tell you. he's not for hire, though.

he's my photographer, if you catch my thai drift. :P

i'm back! kinda...

2007-02-05T18:55:00.000+08:00

sawatdee kaa,

my sweet, sweet taco.

i'll miss you a lot.

are you ready?

2007-01-19T14:54:00.000+08:00

i'm ready!

are we still crazy or what!?!

p.s. thanks santa!

tagged. i'm it!

2007-01-15T18:06:00.000+08:00

well, i did say i'll try, try, try, dear Houseband, and sooo....

taraaaaaa! here it is, le meme!

1. when you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
die pimple, die!

2. how much cash do you have on you?
*cough cough* obviously not enough. i'd have to withdraw later.

3. what's a word that rhymes with door?
poor. really, really poor.

i know, i know. it doesn't rhyme. just don't read it out loud.

4. do you label yourself?
not really. but maybe...kulot (curly)?

5. bright or dark room?
depends on what i'm supposed to be doing!

6. why is there always a missing question?
there is?

7. what does your watch look like?
let's just say i like them big.

8. what were you doing at midnight last night?
just about to sleep.

9. where is your nearest 7-11?
just a 2 minute walk.

10. what's a word you say a lot?
baby/babe.

ooookay...technically, it's not said. just typed. but still!

11. who told you he/she loved you last?
see no. 10

12. last furry thing you touched?
a pit bull puppy named maw-maw.

13. how many rolls of film do you need developed?
n/a

14. favorite age you have been so far?
what the heck. 30!

15. your worst enemy?
myself. but don't tell.

16. what is your current desktop picture?
b/w jackson's coffee pic.

17. what was the last thing you said to someone?
okay.

18. the last song you listened to?
I wanna Love You by Akon and Snoop Dogg.
"i see you winding and grinding up on the floor.
i know you see me looking at you and you already know..."

what can i say? the tune's catchy.

19. what time of day were you born?
2 or 3-ish in the morning.

20. what do you do when vending machines steal your money?
that's exactly why i don't do vending machines!

21. do you consider yourself kind?
unfortunately, yes. to a fault.

22. what's your life motto?
carpe diem.

23. name three things you have on you at all times.
only one. his heart.

24. can you change the oil in a car?
of course not.

25. when was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
i wrote on a card and a book and fed-ex'd it first week of january.

there, H. i did it. can i have my reward now? :P

have a great week ahead everyone!

aaaaah...freedom!

2007-01-09T19:10:00.000+08:00

emancipation~
~independence
liberation~
from slavery...

...of hair clips, hair bands, head bands, hair gel, hair spray, the hair dryer and its army of brushes, and the hair straightening.

i am now what i have always been.

i am curly and wavy.

weeeeee!!!

ladida-dida

2007-01-03T19:47:00.000+08:00

HAAAAAAAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

hApPy new year! Happy, happy neeeeeew yeeeeear!!!

Happy 2007!!! haaaaaap......wait.

2007! 2007? t w o t h o u s a n d s e v e n.

rats. it's two "uh-oh" seven.

lots of things are happening this year. maaaaajor things.

crikey. what can i say?

bring it on. i'll be waiting :)

thinking out loud

2006-12-20T20:02:00.000+08:00

now what can i give lonely, cash-strapped, have-already-bought-everyone-else-their-gifts me this christmas?

think, think, think...

lights out

2006-12-15T19:45:00.000+08:00

i miss home.

i miss us.

it could just get lonely here.

go ahead. make my day.

2006-12-14T19:25:00.000+08:00

our daily mails and messages oh-so-sweetly heralded by the sometimes-unreliable-but-should-i-really-complain office computer and cellphone...

they always make my day. you always make my day. everyday.

uh, not you, dirty harry.

go ahead...what makes your day?

hello, santa?

2006-12-11T14:51:00.000+08:00

all i want for christmas, is for christmas to be over!

please santa, can i have january already!?! can it be 2007 already!?!

you don't have to buy me any expensive stuff...you don't even have to buy me any stuff! all those could not compare to the priceless (ooookay, pricey) gift that awaits me on, yes, january 2007.

so please, pretty please, my dear santa...i just want january 2007!

and if it still isn't too much to ask, can i have it, like, now?

hello? hello? santa? hellooooo?

stuck in me 2 - too soon

2006-12-07T19:21:00.000+08:00

now it's 'imagination is more important than knowledge' that's been torturing me the whole day.

aaaaaack! what the hell is wrong with you?

well, not you, mr. einstein.

geez.
maybe i should just go home now.

and imagine myself in sanuk bangkok - shopping, among other things.

yes, that might make me sleep soundly tonight.

v is for weirdo

2006-12-04T20:50:00.000+08:00

it was just a matter of time that it would get noticed. and who else to notice it but my sister.

that every single time i do my grocery...after carefully and painstakingly weighing the necessity of items not necessarily included in my list...after comparing prices and quality and quality for price...after changing my mind on a couple of things a couple of times...

when i have to pay at the check-out counter, i always end up leaving a few items in the cart.

every single, freaking time i do my grocery, there are some things deliberately, intentionally left behind in the cart.

and i enjoy doing it.

aaaaah...weirdo.
weirdo and loving it.

hey you!

2006-11-30T19:56:00.000+08:00

your love is still king, you know.

thank you.
for this, and everything else.

okay, don't be smug now.

cheers!

2006-11-30T19:08:00.000+08:00

when everything else gets a tad too crazy even for crazy me, i turn to them.

they don't give the sanest advice.

hell, they don't give any advice.

they just pump up the volume.

(L-R: debbie-the sister, who? me?, and april-the sister's BFF slash my adopted whatever)

long live wine-in-mug-nights-at-home with my girls.

stuck in me

2006-11-29T16:35:00.000+08:00

weeeeell, not exactly in that sense...

the quote 'the more things change, the more they remain the same' has been flashing over and over again in my head today, for no reason - or so it seems? but then, i have no intention of over-analyzing that. not today. my brain's playing tricks and is too messed up as it is.

at least, that line's much better than the other day's five-fifty five-fifty fiiiiive greenwich delivery...call five-fifty five-fifty fiiiive greenwich delivery... (damn those commercials!)

what's stuck in you?

sooooo...

2006-11-27T15:09:00.000+08:00

December 22 is Global Orgasm Day, and everyone is invited to participate in this move to "reduce the current dangerous levels of agression and violence throughout the world".

sooooo...my question is, does it have to be December 22?

will my exertions...errrrr, i mean, our efforts, still be appreciated, liiiiike, next year? as in, early next year? because i'm scheduling mine sometime between end of january till early february.

ah! i mean, will our efforts still be appreciated any time of the year? and i am assuming even solo contributions will also go a long way? because, you know, there's nothing like a joint endeavor, right?

whoa. what i really mean is, we can still contribute to world peace in any way we can, yes?

yeah. that's what i actually meat. i mean, meant.

man, oh, man.

oooooh, man.

friday morning delight

2006-11-24T12:13:00.000+08:00

it was a fine morning as i drove to work today. not too sunny and hot - just perfect to have the window down.

i was first in line as the traffic light along taft/agoncillo turned red. with my hall and oats essentials cd playing track 7 (my favorite 'one on one'), two caucasian males crossed just right in front of the car, and i followed them with my gaze, from right to left. one of them was cute...yummily lean in those shirt, shorts and flip-flops...

and then, when they reached the pavement, cute guy slightly turned and looked straight at me, catching me looking at him.

and he smiled. at me.

and i froze.

and i felt my cheeks turn red.

and just when i started curving my lips into what i hoped would be a nice smile, i heard honks. lots of freaking, goddamn honks. and to think the light just turned green. i think, i think.

cute guy and i, we had a moment. a one-minute or less-than-a-minute moment, but still a moment, dammit. and i had to say goodbye to that moment as i sped away.

and i never let any of those f*ckers behind me overtake tyler.

moral of the story: erm...don't peel my eyes off the traffic light till it turns green?

the f*ck and thank you post

2006-11-23T12:16:00.000+08:00

oh, f*ck it!

f*ck the never-ending tears, f*ck the sleepless nights, f*ck this troubled (love) life.

oh man, it's hard. i'm still in deep sh*t, but f*ck it, really. i'll worry about it next year...

thank you to everyone who took time out to check on me and offered sweet words. i really, really appreciate it:

to christine, jv, era, cruise, dez, for the encouragement and positivity
to teepsee, for the offer to drink, hehe...but you get better girl, and take it easy ;-)
to obi, thanks man, we're friendsters na ha! :P
to señor eric, for making me think about that dec. 3 event in intramuros :)
to ate ghee, for simply being here
to ms. jmom, tito richard, who only make me cry even more with your touching and wise words :)
to the newbies iskoo, ferdz, who must think i'm on the verge of suicide :P
to bh, whose cover is now blown...ha! :P
to sweet kyels and consuela, definitely pretty tintin, my manang, ate girlie, my soul sisters jase and yuri, and the man, my man, neko, i only have love for all of you
and to the anonymous commenters who i think might still be one of you here...

i dream of better days ahead, and i hope you'll still be there for the ride. it'll be a goooood ride with me. ha! definitely. :P

weehoo...well, well, what do you know... i just might be back, after all.

burning the bridge

2006-11-21T11:07:00.000+08:00

one day,
these tears will stop falling.

someday,
i will stop hurting.

but when that day comes,
i will still love you.

and how i love you so,
but i am sorry
i could not be any stronger.
i am sorry
i could not hold on any longer...

it's been done
it cannot be undone.

i find myself alone
i find myself again.

On this day

2006-11-15T16:19:00.000+08:00

1:02 p.m.

I just want you to know that there is nothing more I wish for in life but to see you happy, and I am trying my very best to live up to your expectations. It's hard but it's worth it.

You don't deserve anything that's happening right now. I can't blame you if one day you will just vanish, but I am trying hard to make things right and I hope it is not too late.

I love you. Always remember that.

I will always remember that...

And I will always remember this day.

This day is one of the saddest days of my life.

November 15, 2006
6 years, 7 months...

crossroads

2006-10-26T17:08:00.000+08:00

where do i go?
which do i choose?
what do i do?

should i run from you?
i want to run to you.

i thought i knew...
i think i know.

i hope i make it through.

how...

2006-10-18T20:36:00.000+08:00

how would you like your goodbye?

how do you say goodbye?

there can never be an easy answer
there can never be an easy way out

and so i ask for strength
and so i hope for forgiveness

because i have never been good with goodbyes...

and then there's tyler

2006-09-25T15:36:00.000+08:00

i could vent about my car having been intentionally scratched over the weekend by some spineless, mindless, gutless, effing humanoid/s, while just parked in the condo building at that...

really, i could. i could, i could, i could.

buuuuut...i won't. it's not worth the fuss.

i mean, it may have been newly repaired (for all those previous dents and scratches) just two weeks ago, but why should i make a big deal about it, right? i could just have it fixed again, and spend some money again, right?

right. noooo biggie.

it may be my precious car, but it's still just a car...

a car i have named tyler. to somehow make me think of a happier place and of better things especially in times like these. better things like shoes and clothes.

yeeees, tyler. like the shop. my favorite shop to-date, but which i shall temporarily avoid with all my might and will.

temporarily. let's make that clear.

and okay debbie, you win. tyler sounds better than vin diesel, my first choice.
but don't you worry vin, i shall never let you go.

and my point is...

2006-09-22T14:22:00.000+08:00

aaaaaargh! i can't take this anymore!

this is torture! tohortuhuuuure!

i miss you so much, can't you see?

hi! i'm vina!
and in a nutshell, i'm a nutcase!
still love me?

have a great, crazy weekend everyone!

and the beat goes on

2006-09-21T10:58:00.000+08:00

what a wonderful day it is!!!! isn't it? isn't iiiiit?

i feel like hugging everyone i meet...though i haven't hugged anyone yet. i feel like giving everyone a kiss, too! okay, maybe i'll have to think about this one.

i'm in the office, the bosses are not around, i have my speaker volume a little louder than it should be, playing house/dance music and just moving my body to the beat, a.k.a. dancing. yes, there's some singing, too.

what? if there are other people here in the office? hehe, don't be silly...of course, there are! ssssh...there even are cameras. as a matter of fact, there's one just across me...but that doesn't mean i should be shy!

so okay, the craziness has been established, the reason behind, not quite.

let's just say, i feel good. today. and sometimes, there doesn't really have to be a reason, don't you think?

but maybe, these will do:

1. i drove safely to the office and for the 3rd straight day, i successfully squeezed through the narrow basement parking and semi-successfully parked the car in reverse (it's parked a little off-center, hehe)

2. i still fit into my white topshop pants that, i swear, has a life of its own. aaaand i'm wearing my tyler pumps and really, really cool tyler long-back jacket...and man, i feel, hmmmm, let's just say, nice

4. i'm already starting to feel confident about my driving skills, after 6 days of driving alone. i have even started cursing, but only under my breath...and only at pedestrians who like cruising and taking their time crossing the streets

5. as of today, i am still loved. and missed. and needed. and wanted. and i love him. and i miss him. and i need him. and i want him, too.

*sigh* now why am i feeling a little down, all of a sudden...

dammit. it's quiet, that's why. i've finished the cd.

oh well, time to play another one. and move my body to the beat and do some singing, too.

have a great day everyone!!!!! carpe diem!

my sweet, sweet thoughts on having kids

2006-09-18T19:55:00.000+08:00

i swear....

if i hear in the office another one of the why-aren't-you-pregnant-yet or soon-you're-the-only-one-here-who's-not-married-nor-pregnant or you're-30-why-aren't-you-pregnant-nor-married-yet lines...

i'm going to kick the sorry ass out of him / her / them.

i'm kidding, of course - about the kicking ass bit. maybe i'll just flash him / her / them the middle finger.

okay, maybe that's too much, too.

i'll just perfect my "but i don't want to, yet" retort with matching smirk and shoulder shrug.

that's more polite.

i'll have kids.
someday.
i am a late bloomer, after all.

friday night out

2006-09-15T12:03:00.000+08:00

on a wednesday night. with my ever-reliable drinking and party buddies, sister debbie and "sister" april.

i, in my 3-inch heels, debbie in flats, april in kitten heels.

i, with 1 glass of amaretto sour and almost 6 glasses of vodka/sprite (darn, i think someone handed me a glass of rhum coke, too), debbie with a half bottle of san mig light and 3 glasses of vodka/sprite, april with a half bottle of san mig light and almost 5 glasses of vodka/sprite.

i, 30 years old, debbie and april, 23.

heel height and glasses of drinks considered, the 30-year old danced non-stop for more than 2 hours. runner-up, april. played mother, debbie (tsk, tsk).

later in the day (yesterday)...hangover and major body ache. and oh, yeah...work.

oh well. work hard, party hard.

and then just get some more sleep and maybe a massage.

oooor sleep, massage, and talk to my prince charming for some extra TLC.

happy weekend everyone! carpe diem!

no doubt about it

2006-09-12T20:32:00.000+08:00

YOU make me happy...

driven

2006-09-12T14:20:00.000+08:00

woohoo! a brand-new car for a brand-new me!

weeeeell, actually...a buffed, polished, now dent-free, maintenance-checked, spanking-clean and definitely brand-new looking 2004 civic for an unquestionably, unarguably, undoubtedly brand-new me.

never mind that i actually did not finish the required five-hour driving lessons. i still have a one-hour session that i need to reschedule. but knowing me (yes, the old and new me), i would consciously forget about it and concentrate on this new project of mine. hey! in my 4 days of driving, i've already been through heavy rain and flood, and have successfully navigated the notorious traffic and streets/roads of taft, quiapo, españa and sampaloc. never mind, again, that i still have to perfect my turning skills and that i haven't tried parking yet.

practice shall make perfect. and i shall officially start my practice tomorrow. morning.

and mornings thereafter. and reluctantly, with a chaperone. till i get impatient, like i always do on most things, and just drive my baby whenever, wherever i want....till i make perfect.

drive alone, or maybe with debbie and april, who are oh-so raring, oh-so roaring, and oh-so willing to be my passengers. so sweet of them, really. so driven like me.

i wish them good luck.

sweet sweat

2006-09-11T15:10:00.000+08:00

sweet shirt. *scratches head*

sweet t-shirt. uh, doesn't sound right...

sweet shirt. i guess that's the correct one.

ha! manic monday?
no sweet!

the tour that was - part two

2006-09-08T12:18:00.000+08:00

final stop of last saturday's northbank walking tour of carlos celdran was quiapo.

with all the warnings and horror stories i (or we) have heard about quiapo, it was good timing that señor enrique, his nephew, edick, and i were finally "united", since a buddy system was required. ha! i had two buddies, front and back, while maneuvering ourselves through the stalls of what-have-you's, out to quiapo church and the plaza.

aaaaah, quiapo...

quiapo is certainly a feast for the senses....an experience on its own.... more popularly, it is a contradiction of religious sorts, for believers of all kinds and classes.

here, you could pray for someone to love you, or you could just buy a love potion or light a (red) candle. you could pray for protection and good health, or you could just buy an amulet or light a (pink) candle. you could pray to be blessed with a child, but you could buy a bottled remedy to "fix" the "problem". hell (no pun intended), you could probably buy something for redemption and to fast-track salvation!

to seal the quiapo deal and wrap-up the tour, carlos had us enter the side of the church, take a few steps up a spiral stairway, and touch the feet of the Black Nazarene. wow, the Black Nazarene!

so i walked up the stairs, touched a foot and prayed. who was i to question all this craziness and hullabaloo in the world?

it was a fun and interesting tour, to say the least. more than two hours of carlos bringing us back and forth to the old and new manila, dropping a few juicy tidbits here and there, making us laugh, sigh and hope, if not contribute, for a renewed and better home that is manila and the philippines.

thank you to gracious host señor (and to edick) for the company, and to myself for finally, finally, making it a point to join a tour.

second day groove

2006-09-06T15:53:00.000+08:00

second day of driving lesson, and it rained like crazy!

but i did not fret, not while driving that is, because hey, i'm going to drive through a storm at one point, right? ooookay, not through a storm. i'd rather be holed up in bed {start of dream sequence: cuddling...and snuggling...and spooning :end of dream sequence} than be out driving in the streets through a storm or heavy, heavy, heeeeavy rain.

second day of driving lesson, and i'm still in one piece. the car is still in one piece. the instructor is still in one piece.

erm, on the instructor...i don't know what happened to Remy, or what i might have done to him, but today, it was Lino (or Lina, hehe).

should i start getting worried? about my driving, that is?

nah. it's only been two days!

the tour that was - part one

2006-09-06T13:39:00.000+08:00

i can't believe señor enrique stood me up!

this kept playing in my mind as 45 minutes into the northbank (escolta and quiapo) tour of carlos celdran last saturday (september 2), i still found myself alone and carrying the plastic bag of bacolod butterscotch and tarts intended for him.

from the group's meeting place, polland cafe (yuchengco street near savory restaurant), at 3:00 pm, to starting the tour just across the street with the view of the pasig river/manila post office, to a walk-through of the interesting collection of old photographs, newspaper clippings and bottles at the calvo building, i was by my lonesome self, in my first guided tour in manila, and thinking if i should just strike up a conversation with any of the tour members. yeah right.

a few minutes after we stepped out of the building, i was actually contemplating in giving the bag of goodies away to this cute, blonde, blue-eyed, little girl (who kept looking and smiling at me for some reason, i swear). but then, someone tapped me on my shoulder, asking if i was vina.

haha, it was eric! of course he did not "indian" me! he and his nephew edick had just been with the group all along, and he was also wondering if i stood him up!

oh well, sorry cute, blonde, blue-eyed, little girl...

first day high

2006-09-05T12:00:00.000+08:00

Sentence for the day: "Mind the wheel."

Repeat: "Mind the wheel!!!"

first day of driving lesson (around sampaloc and españa areas) and i must have scared my instructor. no wonder i detected apprehension - or was it dread? - when he semi-asked, semi-stated that i have a night session on saturday. yeah, well, there's nothing you can do Mr. Remy...you're in my mercy for the next 4 days.

but if I scared him, I excited me...the buzz and the rush are still surging in my blood. add to that, i'm wearing the new, s-e-x-y, killer pumps i bought from Tyler (Powerplant) last sunday, and my temperature just keeps on soaring.

caution: feeling extremely hot right now...

beautiful day, beautiful life!

2006-09-01T10:29:00.000+08:00

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's learning to dance in the rain.

It's singing in the car when you don't even know all the words.

It's giving your heart to someone even if you're a little scared at first.

It's about taking risks and making life worth living.

...Because every minute you waste

is a minute you'll never get back.

how fitting....
text message forwarded by my sister two weeks ago.

note to vina: must do that dance-in-the rain thing

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE aaaaand the "ber" months are here, so MERRY CHRISTMAS, too, haha!

finally

2006-08-30T12:17:00.000+08:00

i will be able to take you to places you've never been.
make you see things you've never seen.
take care of you...protect you...even impress you.
i will love you like crazy.

you and i will go a long way, baby.

driving lesson starts tuesday next week.
five days. just five mere days.
then i will be free from the chains of dependency.
i get to drive my beloved civic. and we shall look good together.

finally.

yes from me to you

2006-08-28T19:49:00.000+08:00

yes to crazy
yes to dreaming
yes to dancing like no one's watching...

yes to tomorrow
yes to next year
yes to not knowing but not having fear...

yes to tears
yes to smiles and laughter
yes to consequences and obstacles to conquer...

yes to friends
yes to family
yes to not having to say "if only"...

and yes...

yes to LIFE.

yes to LOVE.

yes to SEIZING EVERY MOMENT.

yes to LIFE and LOVE'S SURPRISES.

cheers!

freaky friday

2006-08-25T12:20:00.000+08:00

i love you

and

i miss you

like crazy...

YOU and ONLY YOU...

*sigh*

it's a date!

2006-08-24T19:32:00.000+08:00

i am soooo looking forward to joining inimitable carlos celdran on his north bank tour (walking tour of escolta and quiapo, and the north side of pasig river) on september 2, saturday! this will be my first guided tour in manila since i considered it my home almost 4 years ago.

this will be a welcome respite to my typically mundane, boring, and unexciting life particularly during the weekend (except for the 4pm-7pm slot - that's a happenin' slot). otherwise...boohoo, really. pitiful. i tell you, send me those drinks.

but, what makes this tour even more special is that i will be meeting gracious "host" señor eric, who is, of course, one of the best bloggers we have around here. to say that i am excited is an understatement. i am actually nervous! i hope he doesn't bite. on the other hand, i'm sure he wouldn't be able to bite...what with the butterscotch munching all throughout the tour, di ba señor! *nudge, nudge, wink, wink*

now please, puhleeeease...don't rain on my parade.

(photo grabbed from dreaming of la vida escolta post of señor enrique)