cheers for the new year

2008 is nearly over, a new one is about to begin. for some, the new year is a chance to forget and move on. for others, this brings a chance for a new life, a better life.

a new year is like a clean sheet, a new slate, a blank page where we can draw and paint and write to our hearts content.

so, as 2009 starts, let us all bring out our pencils and brushes and chisels and let us all carve and write and paint a better year.

cheers everyone!

this day, 3 years ago

so i slipped. i have just finished watching Titanic on HBO and darn it! much as i hate getting all cheesy and soft, i couldn't help it.

this day marks 3 years since the end of the worst relationship of my life my last break-up and i have not been in any relationship since. call it a lull, or a dry spell or the effects of getting bruised and battered over and over. call it whatever which way you want but it will only boil to one thing and one question alone. when is this lull going to end?

i mean, come on! it's been 3 effin years! what's up with the stall? seriously.

i am in no rush in any way but once in a while (read: after serious exposure to cheesy mush) i tend to bend and get a wee bit affected.

but, i'm calm now. i just needed to vent and now that i have, i shall get back to my normal bitchy self.

the sweetest thing

it is true when they say that the sweetest things come from the most unexpected people at the most unexpected time.

i lost my purse today. i went christmas shopping and completed my list. but as i was about to pay, i found out that my uber favorite purse was gone. in my entire life, this was the first time that it happened and to think i was ever so careful. my money, my cards, i was left with only my bag and my cel phone.

good thing my brother's girlfriend was with me so i was able to go home. shocked and unable to digest what just happened, we left the mall and set aside my shopping cart.

if it were just my money, i would be fine. but my brother asked me to buy his christmas list as well and his money too, was taken. ip called my besties and they were kind enough to help me block my card.

i was sobbing when i reached home and went straignt to my room.

an hour later, my brother came in and greeted me Merry Christmas. shopping bags in hand. he bought everything in my shopping cart. and i couldn't help but cry.

my brother did the sweetest thing. i lost his money and instead of telling me how stupid i was, he went ahead and made me feel better.

to the scumbag who stole my purse, i hope you had a need more than i. merry christmas to you.

ps. deeaye, thanks too for coming to my rescue and for the knock=off purse. oh and yes, alcohol makes everything ok :)

best all girl vacation ever

*click on the image to enlarge
my weekend at Punta de Uian was the best fun i've had in a long time and although the resort is quite far, it was very well worth it.

the beach was clean, the food was great EXCELLENT (see photos on the left), the staff was very efficient (props to Harvey and Jonathan and manong boatman who made sure we got to Capones Island and back safe and in one piece)

the best part probably is the sense of quiet and calm. which, at the end of each drinking session turned into a male bashing discussion hahaha! literature in hand being, "I Used to Miss Him But My Aim is Improving" and "The Bad Girls Guide to Getting What You Want. no, we don't hate men. in fact, we love them. we just didn't like who we had. seriously.

anyway, i had a blast with des and april and we will definitely do it again. soon. really really soon.

Punta de Uian

for 3 days and 2 nights...

i. can't. wait.

priceless

since my sister moved to her in-laws, i only get to see miguel once a week so i have to make do with pictures and videos like these...

Miguel @ 4 months 

The CPS Triangle, 20 years and counting

college days were my best school days. elementary was just blah and high school was spent with girls who, at the first glimpse of the male species, would go ga-ga. seriously.

i was blessed to have gone to a reputable school and joining this org made my stay in UP one of the best experience to date. college wouldn't have been the same without the wonderful people i've had the honor of spending 5 long years (yup, it took me that long loved UP so much i spent an extra year) with.

and so to you extraordinary brods and sisses, thank you. cheers to 20 fabulous years of fun and excellence.

see you all tomorrow! time to bring out the booze just like the old times!

Happy Anniversary!

teaser sent last May c/o Diet

santa, bring me love

this goes out to my fab single girlfriends. whether you've been good or bad, there is no better time to make that santa wish than now.

after all, santa isn't just for kids.

"Santa, bring me
Bring me love
Tell me the time has come
That there is someone waiting for me too"

Chris Brown and Rihanna's concert, the verdict

it. was. awesome.

the long wait was very well worth it and i couldn't ask for a better finale.

that being said, however, i don't think i will watch another concert in a free standing venue in a long time. unless of course it's an NKOTB reunion concert

lss ... ella ella

the eve of Chris Brown and Rihanna's concert

and all des and i can talk about is which outfit to wear and what bag to bring.

what's up with that?! hahahaha!

oh and for those who are watching, you are not allowed to bring pointed umbrella-ella-ella

separation anxiety

i'm having one right now. it's been 3 days since i last saw my nephew and i get sadder by the minute.

my mom's solution : "have your own baby na kasi!"

yeah right.

there's truth in humor

me: ladies, are we gonna watch Hairspray? we gotta buy tickets soon as the good seats are almost sold out

April: i'm good with Dec. 6. and while we're at it, lets celebrate your birthday!

D.I.: so, what would you like on your birthday?

me: i want LALAKI!

yes, it sounded desperate and so un-ME i know! but seriously, i do want one! it's been 3 effin years! i think it's about time.

so friends and countrymen, if wanna make me happy on my birthday, you go find me a fine man!

is it just me

or is anybody else feeling the lack of Christmas spirit? i mean, one can't help but notice that people these days are in no way near what this season is supposed to be about. you know, being all shiny and happy and feeling the Christmas rush and all?

i, for one, didn't realize that it's just 44 days to go.

it's just sad. and so not right. especially when it's gonna be my nephew's first Christmas. so, global economic crisis and all, imma have to start shakin off the Scrooge in me and start thinkin about mistletoes and chestnuts and santas and presents and give miguel the best first Christmas ever.

seriously liking someone

and the fact that he's gorgeous is just a bonus.

Lay Bare Waxing Salon

if you're one of those who are so freaked out about growing hair in places where there shouldn't be, then Lay Bare Waxing Salon is the place for you.

i've been hearing/reading good reviews about it since forever and when they opened a branch here in Makati, i found no reason not to go.

my tolerance for pain is close to non-existent so a trip to a waxing salon isn't something i fancy. however, i also know that one must endure pain for the sake of beauty. so, armed with a couple of painkillers, my friend and i decided to checkout their branch in Buendia.

it was just like a regular spa with an entirely different menu - anything and everything that has to do with unwanted hair removal. the staff were uber nice which made me at ease right away. the rooms were just enough to fit a single bed and a few kikay items (powder, lotion, etc.). there also was piped in music to complete the spa-like ambiance.

i didn't want my first trip there to be traumatic so i opted for the safer treatments : eyebrow, underarm and upper lip wax. i'm not sure if it's because of the kind of wax they use but the treatment was close to painless.

i also have to add that my therapist/waxer/technician or however they call them was sooo funny. she was trying to convince me on having the famous Brazilian Wax to the point that she asked me if i wanted to look at her yah know what so i'd see how pretty it looks. really. seriously. or maybe she meant she was gonna show me "after pictures". needless to say, i opted not to do both. now boys, don't go running there and see if they would flash you.

i'm definitely going back though. maybe try the more painful ones if and when i'm ready. hats off to my good friend who dared try their bikini wax which, according to her was not as painful as she thought it would be.

Nights in Rodanthe

a second chance at love which proved yet again that age has nothing to do with finding it

richard gere still has it. gray hair and all, he still makes us ladies shriek like girls as he did with Pretty Woman.

diane lane, as with her roles in Must Love Dogs and Under the Tuscan Sun, has proven to be the epitome of a hopeful romantic. never giving up on love no matter how many times her heart has been broken.

nicholas sparks stayed true to what he does best, romantic tragedies which, after making you go "awww" with the plot, makes you go "WTF" in the end.

the beach house was awesome. i want one like that. or at least go away on a weekend or something to a place like that. minus the hurricane of course.

i'm glad i haven't read the book as it would've spoiled everything.

the only thing i hate about my Nights in Rodanthe experience was this gassy guy, three seats to my left who chose to burp with all his friggin might in almost all the really wonderful scenes.

i'm letting you go

from this day forward, i shall be free of you.

...of the idea of you
....of what it felt like to be with you
.....of the bar that you set ever so high
......of the kind of connection i thought all along only belonged with you
.......of hoping that someday you will realize that it's me all these years

tomorrow, i shall wake up, free and uninhibited. no longer will i be bound to the thought that what we had can never be found with anyone else. because it can and it will happen.

just wait, it will happen. and when it does, i expect you to be happy for me as i am for you.

simply adorable

miguel @ 3 months

now who wouldn't want to come home to see this uberly adorable baby boy?

ok, i wanna have a baby

Koji Murofushi

so long as he's the father!

imagine what gorgeous babies we'll make.

really, really gorgeous babies.

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2

next to Sex and the City, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 comes in a close second for the best chick flick of the year (well at least for me).

i. loved. it.

the cast. Greece. the plot. Greece. the men. oooh the men. did i say Greece? suffice to say that after the film, we all wanted to go there. someday. maybe. hopefully.

unlike the prequel, part two is much lighter and happier with a whole lot of kababawan that would make the mush haters grimace in pain. needless to say that you ladies might wanna let the guys sit this one out as i'm afraid they will not appreciate this at all.

eat sushi off of what???

why?

seriously, i don't get it. i mean, come on! us Filipinos get bashed about eating with our hands all the time. i say doing that is way better and less ickier than eating food served on top of another person's body.

i'm sure their personal hygiene are impeccable but the thought of eating off a stranger, at a party is just way out of my league.

and why did it have to be sushi? argh!

love and time

this is a bit long but do read til the end for a major awwww factor.

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?"

Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!"

"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered. Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you."

"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way.

Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered.

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

-- Author Unknown

Friday hit 'n miss

HIT

Mom and Tina's Cafe

for lunch, my officemates and i decided to try the biggest buzz in Makati dining these days : Mom and Tina's Cafe. located along dela Rosa Street, the cafe is ideal for the working class at it is just a few minutes away from Ayala Ave.

we got there around 11:30 and there was already a queue of people waiting for their turn. i got excited. long line means really really good food. promising but not good for those who are famished as waiting time could last as long as 30-45 minutes.

the good thing about waiting however, is seeing food come out of the kitchen, giving us an idea on what to order. everything smelled and looked good. the wide array of baked items on display added to that i-feel-like-i'm-in-my-mom's-kitchen feel of the room.

after a good 30 minutes or so, we finally got seated outside. i ordered their Chicken Alexander - bits of chicken and mushroom in a creamy sauce layered with mashed potatos and corn served with 2 garlic cheese rolls. it. was. good. the potatos were cooked perfectly and the cream sauce gave the dish it's hearty fill.

the rest ordered the famous Shepherd's Pie (ground beef and mushroom in tomato sauce layered with mashed potatos), Fetuccine with Basil Pesto Sauce (squid and shrimp on pesto sauce and freshly made fetuccine noodles) and Paella Valenciana (a mix of chicken, chorizo and seafood on top of rice in tomato and olive oil). of course i poked my fork on everything and they all tasted sooo good.

my only complain is that there isn't enough ventilation outside which made dining a bit uncomfortable. a wall fan or two could make a huge difference.

all in all, my first Mom and Tina's experience was great. the long wait was worth it and the price is ridiculously cheap. we'll definitely go back. earlier next time.

MISS

Wensha Spa

i've been meaning to have a massage since i got back and what better place to go than Wensha Spa. i've been there several times before and i've never had reason to complain. a good massage with a complimentary buffet is a bargain after all.

last night, however, i wasn't happy. while i understand that Friday night is usually a busy night, i still expect the staff to be at their best and treat all clients in the same manner they would on a slow day. but no, at least not last night.

the massage reception area sounded like a marketplace with therapists arguing with the the receptionists on which one to go next blah blah. it was like listening to vendors offering their goods. really.

when we finally got our turn, we were escorted upstairs. what i saw as i entered the room wasn't anything i expected. there they were, 8 other girls having their massages. side by side. like a buffet of butt cheeks. not a pretty sight. so i asked the girl downstairs if it's ok to just wait til a private room is available as i wasn't comfortable sharing a room and getting naked in a roomful of naked girls.

her response :"babae naman yang mga yan eh. saka may rotation ang mga therapist. ready na yung therapist nyo so hindi na pwede palitan". another girl continued to say that it's really not possible. what the fuck??? how can it be impossible to wait??? they didn't even have the courtesy to tell us that we were going to use the common room. unacceptable!

in utter frustration, i agreed. i stripped naked in a roomful of other naked girls and had my massage. a few minutes later, another set of girls came in. TALKING REALLY LOUD while stripping. right beside my bed.

argh! so much for relaxation.

business as usual in AIG

i have been getting calls and messages from friends and family asking me about the current status of the company i'm working for. now, as most people know, i don't read nor watch the news as doing so just gets me depressed every single time.

however, in light of the current hullabaloos that Wall Street is going through these past couple of days and with two major banks filing for bankrupcy, i had to know the facts. i neded to know since the company i'm working for is a regional center of AIG New York.

more importantly, will i still have a job in the coming days?

in a span of 3 days, several emails and press releases have been sent. the US Federal Government, with 79.9% equity share saved our butt and gave AIG an 85 billion dollar loan; our CEO who sent an email yesterday assuring us that everything will be alright, was replaced today by a new guy from another insurance company. the media hype didn't help at all. we all got worried.

during a mini town hall meeting this morning, our bosses here explained everything and continued to reassure us that though there may be changes in the next few days/weeks/months, all is bound to get better.

so dear friends and family i still have a job. and to all policy holders and investors, it is business as usual in AIG.

for more details and press releases, you may click on the ff. links:

AIG Corporate site
AIG Recent Stock News
Fed’s $85 Billion Loan
Ex Allstate Exec to Run AIG
Edward Liddy

maid of honor yet again

the place has been set.

the invites are being printed.

the gowns have been fitted.

and come November 5, i will be walking down the isle as a maid of honor. again.

of pixie dusts and happy thoughts

i need a bag of these.

not because i want to fly.

but because the thought of not being able to know how to have fun gives me the creeps. i have been way too serious lately that one of my friends suddenly blurted out "pixie dusts sweetie, you need some pixie dusts".

and thus, leading me to think that i may be turning frigid and OLD. not a good thought. never a good thought.

so, Tinkerbell if you're reading this, pay me a visit tonight and sprinkle me some.

please?

West Side Story (Dress Rehearsals) @ Meralco Theater

ANITA (Rowena Vilar) ROCKED! i loved loved loved her! her voice, her accent, her moves. everything about her screamed Anita.

as for the rest...

sleep

i've long forgotten how it feels after a good amount of sleep. that's because i haven't had much of that for ages.

so today, i did just that. sleep. for the whole day. really.

it felt great.

now, if only i can do it at night, it'll just be purrfect.

running on empty

i. need. a. break.

it's been uber hectic since i got back. in fact, it prolly is the busiest week ever.

i am so looking forward to the weekend.

is it friday yet?

home sweet home

so i'm back. haller! mabuhay!

first off, the service of SQ918 SUCKS!!! it took them forever to clear the trays which, under normal circumstances, i wouldn't have minded. but no, they had to be uber slow tonight. when i seriously had to pee and i was on the window seat.

it's so nice to see my folks with their uber excited as-if-i'd-been-gone-for-years faces. haha! really, that's how they are. could be one of the reasons why working abroad has yet to cross my mind.

miguel. is. not. home! grrrr!!! when on my way home, all i could see is his face, my sister chose tonight to take him some place. asarrrrrrrrrrr!!! now i have to wait another day to see him.

i'm tired and i'm going to bed. goodnight Manila. it's sure is good to be back.

and so the shopping bug bit

pretty hard if i may add.

heavy rains didn't stop me. the traffic didn't stop me. not even the flock of people along Orchard Road.
i. went. shopping.

the damage: 3 pairs of shoes from Charles & Keith; 10 shirts from Giordano; Baby stuff from IKEA; more baby stuff from Takashimaya; belgian chocolates from Paragon; some more chocolates from Carrefour.

now i'm broke. what i didn't spend in Jakarta, i spent here. even more than the limit i set. damn you Singapore! hahahahha!

tomorrow, i'm heading home and i can't wait.

missing miguel

B.A.D.L.Y

it's not even a week yet and i miss my nephew terribly. argh!

it's been raining since i got here and there's nothing much to do. i slept the whole day yesterday and only met up with friends tonight. had my Singapore Sling fix at Clark Quay.

tomorrow i'm hitting the malls. there's a baby fair in Takashimaya and i am so gonna buy miguel stuff. lots of them hehehe! good thing i missed the toy fair, otherwise i'll be spending more. there goes my per diem!

i'm off to bed now. goodnight Singapore. hopefully, it doesn't rain tomorrow.

buhbye Jakarta, hello Singapore

the IT review in Jakarta went well. all my previous freakout episodes were all but that, freakouts.

in fact, my wishful thought was granted. i. think. they. liked. me. hahaha! well at least i liked them and every jitter i had disappeared as soon as we got there.

Jakarta was nice way better than i expected. minus the terrible traffic and the ridiculous, can-give-you-a-heart-attack way people drove. it. was. scary.


other than that, i loved it there. loved it enough that i wouldn't mind if the office sends me back next year.

and, after eating all the satays and nasi goreng i could eat, i am now in Singapore where i will get drunk, eat chili crabs and maybe even try their chicken rice since i refused to try it the last time i was here (i don't like boiled chicken hehe).

Singapore Sling, here i come!

just when i think everything is peachy...

something happens and ruins the mood.

and the timing couldn't have been any worse.

miguel - one month

our little miguel is now a month old and already has a personality that one would easily adore.

(read: he cries and poops when and where he pleases hahaha!).

and then gives you the sweetest smile ever

Jakarta, here i come!

with a touch of apprehension, might i add. really.

it's gonna be my first time to go there and my first time for audit. to say my stress level is uber high is an understatement. i am so freakin out just thinking about it.

i'm not saying i'm not liking it. i'm just freaking out. what if i do something terrible? what if i disappoint the clients? what if their expectations of me are not met? yes, i'm way in over my head. hahaha! for all i know, they might actually like me. wishful thought? i hope not.

sans the self-inflicted audit/work stress, i'm actually looking forward to this trip. we're flying via Sing Air and will be staying at Le Meridien. i am so gonna try their food as i have yet to have an authentic nasi goreng and, since my satay experience in Singapore wasn't as pleasant as i thought it was gonna be, i will definitely try it once more, this time, where it came from. okay now i'm excited hahaha!

oh, and the best part of the trip is that when i get there, i get to be a millionaire (^@^)

work updates

the other day my boss asked me for an honest opinion whether to transfer this imbecile of an officemate to our team or not -- I SAID NO. nothing personal there, i said. which is true. i just didn't like how he works. she talked to the rest to the team as well and voila! the transfer was cancelled. i did feel slightly bad after. just a tiny, weeny bit.

now my team is down to three and i'm up to my neck with work that i hardly ever leave my seat and the only time i get to puff a smoke is after work. which, come to think of it, is actually good for my health :D

i'm leaving next week to do an audit in Jakarta then i'm off to Singapore for some R&R.
i. can't. wait.

Your Personality Type: The Groundbreaking Thinker

The Groundbreaking Thinker

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"Groundbreaking Thinkers are very critical and demanding when it comes to picking a partner because they look for the ideal relationship and have a very concrete picture of this ideal relationship. Mutual aims in life are very important to them.

They do not like compromising and would rather remain alone.

For the partner, it is often a challenge to have a long-term relationship with a Groundbreaking Thinker. Groundbreaking Thinkers need a lot of space and diversity or otherwise they become bored and feel cramped. Types who are rather more traditionalistic often have problems with the willingness of Groundbreaking Thinkers to take risks and their often crazy, spontaneous actions. However, if one can summon up sufficient flexibility and tolerance for them, one will never be bored in their presence and will always have a loyal and faithful partner."

sosssssssssssssss!!!

there was a boy in my bed last night

i wasn't able to sleep and my bed smells funny.

he'll be spending the night with me again this weekend. i can't wait!

Where the Hell is Matt?

really. really. nice.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo

on career growth and imbecile replacements

we all come to a point where we have to choose between what's best for our careers and what's been our comfort zones for the past couple or so years.

being in the field of information technology does give one a variety of options in one's continuous search for career advancement and of course, greener pastures. i know that fully well.

people come and go, i know that for a fact. but if it's half of the team, i can't help but take most of the brunt. as i am new to this team, i am, as early as now, feeling it's toll. i'm still in transition and now have to step up. the pressure is on.

i'm still recovering from the thought of losing the ones closest to me. and as if it's not bad enough as it is, i heard that this imbecile wants to take on the opening. we are crippled now, i have to say. but getting one who could barely walk let alone stand is like a drizzle of salt over fresh wound.

i. don't. like. him.

everything about him. more than his attitude, his work ethic is close to non-existent. really.

i could take on added tasks and bigger responsibilities but i cannot stomach the thought of working with him.

please pretty please let the Sybase gods send us the needed help before my boss decides to get him!

miguel - one week old

only a week old and he can already turn to his side on his own.

he does this facial expression a lot

baby iana came by to visit