Pearl the Landlord

i gotta say, this clip of will farrel with a lil kid posing as the landlord sure made my day!

A Sad Day

one of the most important person in my life failed me.

i'm not mad, i can't get mad. that's how much i love and respect him

what do you do when the one person you've looked up to most of your life disappoints you for the first time?

what do you do when your pillar of strength and truth and everything that is right does something to hurt not just you but the ones dearest to you?

this is all new to me

i'm lost.

and no amount of bling or wine or vodka can make me feel otherwise.

American Idol : 6 - Finally!!!!

Sanjaya's stint ended today! And i couldn't be any happier!

I know a lot of the so-called Fanjayas in the world are sad but i'm sure they weren't surprised. It's been long overdue. The hair and the antics just weren't enough this week.

However, that being said, i'm still not wowed by this year's batch. It's just not the same. While it's true that there is more variety in this year's competition, past idol contestants were better than most of the finalists today.

I still have high hopes for Jordin and Blake though.
As for Melinda, i was grinning from ear to ear when Simon made that comment about her acting surprised each time a complement is given. Sheesh! I mean, how many praises does she need to actually believe that yes, she can sing and she sings well?!

Yes, I'm weak!

Diamonds are forever,
Sparkling round my little finger.
Unlike men, the diamonds linger;
Men are mere mortals who
Are not worth going to your grave for

So, my jeweler came in today. Despite my desperate cry, she opened her bag of goodies! Lo and behold, my eyes twinkled at the site of her new collection.

Before i knew it, she was taking them out of her lil box and slowly putting them on my ears! With a mirror in one hand, she told me how beautiful they looked on me. Heck! They did look good on me! And the matching ring was to die for!

What can i do? I'm a girl! I'm weak!

And i have a new set of diamonds!

Woohoo!!

Diamonds are forever, forever, forever.
Forever and ever

_____________________________________
Lyrics taken from Shirley Bassey's Diamonds are Forever

The Greatest Victory of All

When you hate someone, you give them power over you.

Life is too short to spend it hating somebody. Plot your revenge then put it in the back burner until an opportunity presents itself to annihilate the enemy.

Then enjoy your life on your own terms.

By the time your paths cross again, the people you hate will realize how pathetic their lives are compared to your magnificent one.

And all you'll feel is pity. And compassion.
They'll hate you for it and this gives you power over them.

The wheel turns.

But you no longer need that power. For you will be your own woman. On your own terms.

This is the greatest victory of all.

How can I

...forgive when there is no remorse?

...keep the ghost of my sordid past from the constant torture and taunting?

...end a chapter in my life without the proper closure?

...forget the hurt?

...trust and believe again when all my paradigms have shifted from what used to be true?

...start anew when the past is still holding me back?

i have tried. most days i succeed.
some days, i fail.

and even if the failures are so few, how come i feel they count more?

Green With Envy

I know! i know! it's never a sign of good character to be envious of anything or anyone! But what can i do???

For lack of anything to do, i figured since i got time in my hands, (what with the 5-day vacation) i'd go check on what's been happening to my peers. So there, I went online and checked on my friendster account. With the schedule i have, it's difficult to keep updated with the latest on my friends and the next best thing is to browse on their pages to touchbase with them.

Click. Click. Click.

Some had new babies, the others got married, travelled the world, moved to a different country, has come out of the closet, broken up, got back together, etc.

Click. Click. Click.

Then came the page of an old old friend. We haven't really talked in a long while and haven't seen each other in ages. Last year, she told me she was getting married. I wished her well. I saw the pictures and a short video. It was beautiful.

They got married at Waling-Waling Beach in Boracay. It was simple and intimate. Pictures/videos do speak a thousand words and my, they said a lot.

Normally, i don't get all weepy and emotional on weddings but something about the way they looked got to me. They were happy and the people around them felt the same. I never got to meet her husband but i knew their story.

More than the gown, the ring, the venue, i got envious of how in love they were. And that my childhood bestfriend has finally found her prince. A long way from pony tails and teen magazines, she has grown and lived what most girls only dream about.

I am happy for her. Envious, yes, as i have yet to find what she has found.

I know my time will come.

me, pau and bottomless margaritas

i've always been close to my sister but we had a falling out a couple of years back. she got crazily hooked on her new bike (yes, my sister is a biker chick! with biker friends to boot!) and i got involved in other things that we ended up spending more time with our own circle of friends rather than have our usual weekly rendezvous. and, while we didn't entirely drift apart, i have to admit (as i wrote in a previous entry), that i have missed my lil sister.

being able to touchbase with her is on top of my to-do list for 2007.
a long overdue margarita night to start off our weekly ritual is imperative.

and last night, we did.

in between margaritas, we talked for hours.
our plans. our mishaps in the past. the men in our lives, both present and past. our parents. the house that we bought. the car we're gonna buy this summer. the standing pact of taking care of each other as we grow old, not wanting to be like one of those who end up fighting over money and other trivialities that siblings tend to have.

i spent last night not with my sister, but with a friend and i'm glad we're back.

after the rain

the rain has stopped
the birds are out
a rainbow beams from a distance

and, though the ground is still wet,
i'm ready to go out and play again

Lesson Learned #2

Anything that is too much is not good and OVERthinking is NOT an exception.
For those who know me, i'm sure it's common knowledge that i tend to think too much. I've always lived by the rule of being not just 1 but 2 steps forward all the time. Firmly believing that no matter how careful one can be, there is always that probability that something bad will come out eventually.
In all my previous relationships, i have been guilty of this. I THINK TOO MUCH! And, while it has saved me a lot of tears and mishaps, there have been some instances where it backfired. Opportunities were lost and the list of my what if's and could've beens started to pile up.
Last night, i did it again! I've been talking to an old friend the past couple of days now and while i'm happy with the fact that after three years, we have once again reconnected, a part of me is a bit wary of seeing him. Being the way i am, i've created a whole bunch of nuisances to think about. Instead of lookin forward to it, I started to stress over stuff like, what if we feel the same way/what if we don't? or what if i feel the same and he doesn't and vice versa? Bottomline, i dreaded seeing him again!
And then I realized, what the hell am i doing pre-empting things and losing sleep over something that may or may not happen? I will have to do things differently this time. We lost each other before because we both thought too much when in fact it was so simple.
So now, imma take my sweet time and see where this goes. Nuff with the drama! I'm goin out with him this weekend and let's see what happens. Be it friendship or beyond, who knows? Either way, i'm just as glad to have him back.
Besides, as Jack Burton aptly put it, "You were not put upon this earth to get it!"

Capricciosa Ristorante @ Greenbelt 2

Capricciosa Ristorante, one of the latest addition at Greenbelt 3's wide array of restos proved to be a really nice place for people dining in groups.

The food:
They had the usual antipasti (appetizer), zuppe (soup), insalata (salad), pizze (pizza), spaghetti and gelato. For cheese lovers like me, a must try is their Quattro Formaggio pizza. The combination of 4 cheeses using blue cheese as the base was a very good complement to the soft and semi sweet pizza dough.

The pasta servings were huge but taste was not sacrificed. Nothing fancy with their version of Pesto but their Mushroom Spaghetti was to die for! Noodles were cooked to perfection and the tomato based sauce was infused with a generous portion of cheese. YUMMY!!!!!

The staff/service
We were waited on by Joker and Glyna and they were so nice. Yes, it took a while for our food to arrive but they were nice enough to check on us a few times until orders were served.

The price
It's not as expensive as other Italian restos as the servings were good for 3 or 4 people. However, you have to ask them if you're ordering too much or too little since you may not leave any room left for dessert.

The verdict
Capricciosa is a relatively new place which definitely left room for improvement. My expections were met as far as the quality of food they serve. However, since it is a new place, not a lot of people are familiar with their menu. It would've helped a lot if their menu had more illustrations. Eating is a feast for all senses and then next best thing to actually tasting it is seeing how it's gonna come out.

I'm a sucker for Italian food so I will definitely go back. I have yet to taste their wine so i'm lookin forward to that.

Because I Said So

In a desperate attempt te ensure that her youngest daughter doesn't end up like her, Daphne Wilder (Diane Keaton) decided to search for the perfect man for her.

But when Milly (Mandy Moore) found out that the Jason (Tom Everett Scott) and Johnny (Gabriel Macht) both came out of the personal ad that her mom made, she finally had to say something.

Because I Said So is a story of a mother's love that tries to answer questions like "Where does it begin and where does it end?". It is a film both the young and the old can appreciate. A mix of comedy and romance plus a heavy dose of reality sure make this film worth watching.

And yes, it may help one to understand why moms are the way they are sometimes.

Lesson Learned #1

"If you love someone, you say it right then, out loud. Otherwise, the moment just passes you by. "

- My Bestfriend's Wedding

I made the same mistake a couple of years back when i failed to acknowledge what i felt for this guy. His name is Gen - smart, funny and everything else i wanted for in a man. We had that kind of a connection which can never be replaced. One that happens only once in a person's life.

The catch, he had a gf. I waited for him to choose me over her but the time never came so i decided to let him go.

Last week, he called and for the first time, we got to talk about what really happened. What we both discovered came as a surprise, a big one. Turns out, while i was waiting for him to choose me over her, he was waiting for me to make him choose as he was ready to be with me. He thought I didn't feel the same so he kept quiet for fear of losing what we had. When i finally called it quits, all his fears were validated. That to me, it meant nothing. And so, he quietly bowed down.

If only someone said something.

He's back in my life now. For what reason, i have yet to discover

I did miss him. More than anything, i miss the friendship.

"It's time to make new memories," he said. But he still has a gf and the lessons in the past may come in handy this time around. For now, just knowing he's back will suffice.

It's never good to assume so now i'll be taking everything with a grain of salt.

I'm older.
I'm smarter.
I know what i deserve.

American Idol : 6 - Top 16 Disappointing Results

i'm sure a lot would agree about last night's vote results. heck even Sanjaya Malakar couldn't hide his surprise when his name wasn't called out. it's just too bad America didn't go with what the judges thought of Aj Tabaldo who's performance was better by a mile over the others.

as for the girls, i stand firm to what i previously said about Antonella Barba. i don't like her at all. fine, she can sing but there's somethin about her i'm not diggin. would've loved to see more of Alaina Alexander instead of her.

next week is the last elimination for the final 12. let's just hope that America would realize it is a TALENT show and vote based on that.

~~~~~

Kellie Pickler sure did "grow" a wee bit dontcha think? she's got curves where it matters now hehe! way to go country girl! just try not to look slutty next time. you got the voice sweetie, and ur pretty face need not be covered with such mess-up!

Foxxxy Ladies Night @ TGI Friday's

ladies, if you love margaritas as i do, you have to check out TGI Friday's Foxxxy Ladies Night every Wednesdays.

For just 435Php++, you get a 3-course meal: a choice of 1 appetizer, an entree and a sorbet martini for dessert. The best part? You get free flowing margaritas! woohoooo! It's literally margarita til you drop! Imagine how happy we were!

Their Ultimate Margarita, served in a glass sembling a fishbowl (and i mean fishbowl!), is a dream come true for margarita freaks like moi!

Choose from 3 different flavors :

• The Ultimate Margarita*, their signature Margarita made with Jose Cuervo Gold, Cointreau and Reynal VSOP.
• The Candied Orange Margarita, kinda like the classic but served with orange
• The Mango-Berry Margarita* which a combination of Jose Cuervo Gold, fresh strawberry puree and the sweet flavor of mango or the new Espresso Martini, made with ABSOLUT Vanilla, crème de cacao and Starbuck’s™ Coffee Liqueur.

What are you waiting for? Visit any TGI Friday's all Wednesdays of March and drink til you drop!

Cheers to us foxxxy ladies!

*ingredients were taken from TGI Friday's press releases

American Idol : 6 - Fearless Forecast

only on it's second performance week and i already got the Idol fever. well, maybe not as high as last year's but i'm expecting it to heat up as the weeks pass.

i know it's too early in the season but my fearless forecast is that a girl would win this time.

while Lakisha Jones had a very commanding first week and obviously an early judges fave, my cards are on Jordin Sparks . i simply adore her!

for the boys, i'd say either Phil Stacey or Chris Sligh would be the last guy booted out. if the audience decide to vote based on talent, that is.

as for last week's eliminated idols, Antonella Barba should've been the one sent home instead of Amy Krebs.

it's idol night once again tomorrow and i can't wait. hopefully the guys do better this week.

valentine shmalentine

not that i'm a bitter, self-righteous biyatch but i really really don't understand the fuss that people go through just to get by this day.

flowers, balloons, restaurant reservations, love letters, countless text messages are the main (if not the only) concerns of everybody.

all in all, today is a day destined to be a day of mush. a day where lovers/couples try not to fight and be at their best behavior.

don't get me wrong. i'm all for being nice and sweet. i just don't get it why people choose but one day to do this. one day. just one day. while it's true that doing one thing all the time robs it of it's special what-not, that i love you said all the time takes away it's meaning, that dinner reservations often made kinda makes it just one of those ordinary meals, i still don't get it why everybody chooses only this day for such.

wouldn't it be nicer to have valentine moments even in march or june or august? it doesn't have to be a dozen expensive roses or a fancy dinner. just a simple note or breakfast in bed or a well thought of movie will suffice.

random acts of sweetness are better by a mile over the expected events that would transpire on valentine's day.

i may seem like the scrooge of valentine's day but at least i don't wait for today to come to do the things that most people do on this day.

still, in the spirit of St. Valentine ....

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

happily ever after

he is a 71-Yr old retired farm consultant.
she is a 56-Yr old full time housewife.

he was her 1st boyfriend.
she was his 13th.
they were each other's last.

he whispers i love you to her every morning.
she can't eat without him.

they hold hands even inside the church.
they would fight but will be laughing a few minutes after.

i've seen them in their highest of highs and their lowest of lows.
they are each other's strength.

as i sat across them on the dinner table, i tell myself that someday, i too will have that kind of love. one that is unconditional. one that is real. one that will weather any storm. one that isn't perfect but almost is.

in the age of broken marriages and falling outs, they stand firm to their vows, committed since the day they were married.

they have given me hope.
a hope that a love as beautiful as theirs still exist.

Happy Anniversary Mama and Papa.
All my love to both of you!

Someday, i will have my turn.
My happily ever after will come.
I know that because of you.

2006 in a glance

April asked me to answer these questions to recap 2005 but I didn’t. I figured that wasn’t a good year for me and nothing I write could make it any better. Now 2006 was a completely different year and I feel that it merited a blog entry so here goes. The Year That Was 1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?

• Virgin hair no more as I had my first ever highlights courtesy of my ever trusted stylist, Topher
• Went out of the country at my own expense. While my wallet does not agree with me, I’d say that was the best thing I’ve done last year.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I never was nor will I ever be one who makes them. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My cousin Helen gave birth to a really adorable baby boy named Harvey :) Mamu is a brand new mom with bouncing baby joshua

4. Did anyone close to you die? Tatang, my mom’s eldest brother did :(

5. What countries did you visit? Singapore and boy do I wanna go back!!!!!

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? Rest! Sleep to be exact! My insomnia days are beginning to catch up on me and I’m not getting any younger!

7. What date(s) from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• October 19 – the day I first set foot on Singapore
• January 1 – met Ygy, one of the girls my EX cheated on me with. What a nice way to celebrate the first night of the year huh? The funny part is, we became friends. Forever in the mission to cuss men like THE EX hahaha!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

• Financial stability
• Survived a really terrible break-up with grace

9. What was your biggest failure? Can’t say I failed big time in 2006.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Besides the usual flu, nothin really major thank God!

11. What was the best thing you bought? Most of my purchases last year were for jewelry. As they say, diamonds are a girl’s best friend so I’d have to say my best buy would be the diamond set of earrings and ring (6 diamonds a piece) woohoo!!!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

• My brother Jimbo, for turning into one of the most responsible people I know.
• My good friend Nilo, for coping the way he did after his own personal tragedy.
• April, for being there when I needed someone the most, even when I said I wanted to be left alone.
• My mom and my dad, for loving each other even after 32 yrs of marriage

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

• The EX – for bein the jackass that he was. For hurting not just me but his daughter as well. For the false security. For his cowardice in facing me. And for the many other crazy stupid things he did.

Appalled yes, but I was not depressed. No use stressing over depression over someone like him.

14. Where did most of your money go? Clothes. Shoes. Jewelry….lots of jewelry!!!!!!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My trip to Singapore.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006? Feels Like Home – Chantal Kreviazuk

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder? -- A whole lot HAPPIER thinner or fatter? -- Thinner woohooo! Lost about 10lbs last year!!! richer or poorer? -- I’d say richer. Not by a mile but makin lil baby steps :)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

• Gym.
• Save money.
• More leisure time with my parents. A simple weekend out of town or dinner. More of those would’ve been nice.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Plotting of ways to make the EX pay! Hahaha! Seriously, though, It would’ve been nicer not to have spent that much on impulse shopping!

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Spent Christmas eve the way I’ve spent it since I was born. Major family reunion with my relatives in Bulacan. This year though, we were a few members short :( Christmas Day was my Dad’s family’s turn. Had the usual Christmas dinner in Alabang.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006? NOPE

22. How many one-night stands? Not my thing

23. What was your favorite TV program? Definitely Grey’s Anatomy and a near second would be One Tree Hill

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Nope, i still HATE the same person I did the year before! Hahahhaha! But on a more serious note, I don’t hate anyone now. I may not have liked the way a few people in my life behaved but I don’t hate them. Neither do I hate the EX. I could care less for what happens to him but that doesn’t mean I hate him :)

25. What was the best book you read? I only read the Shopaholic Series last year so I’d say those three :)

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Bethany Joy Lenz . Too bad her album didn’t come out last year.

27. What did you want and get? A Well deserved vacation. Peace of mind.

28. What did you want and not get? A Classic II Lacoste bowling bag . But a very sweet friend gave me a really nice Longchamp bag so I’m cool! Thanks fafa R!

29. What was your favorite film of this year? Happy Feet! Was smiling from start to finish!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Compared to last year’s major bash, my 31st birthday was simple and quiet, spent with my family.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A heartfelt sorry would’ve made forgiveness easy.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? 2006 was a year of reinvention for me. I now have, in my closet, an array of Kikay, flirty clothes and shoes.

33. What kept you sane? Closest friends. My mom and my dad.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? McDreamy! Sexy and enticing as a forbidden fruit!Yummmmyyyy!!!!

35. What political issue stirred you the most? I’ll have to pay more attention in 2007.

36. Who did you miss?

• My sister. Our usual midweek dinner/magarita/coffee nights.
• Justine, the EX’s daughter. Her unconditional love. Her songs. Her laughter. The hugs and kisses.

37. Who was the best new person you met? Celia! A Fab new friend. Smart and driven, the latest addition to my bitches!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. If you want things to happen, you gotta make them happen. No matter how hurtful the circumstance may have been, forgiveness will eventually come.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. “I’m every woman, it’s all in me!”

~~~~~

2005 ended with a sad note. And while 2006 started in the same tune, I’m glad the melody changed as the year ended.

alone = lonely?

i was watching a rerun of before sunset last night and this line stuck: "being alone is better than being with a lover and feeling alone" - Celine

so why put up with it?

it's just a pity how some people stay in unhappy relationships just coz they feel that being alone would kill them. or that it's better than having no one. thing is, you may have someone beside you but still that doesn't guarantee a warm and cozy bed. it could very well be just as cold, even more. isn't it better sleep in an empty bed rather than have someone beside you who isn't really there?

again, i ask. why stay?

i'm glad i didn't.

i'm better off. i'm happier. and no one will again make me feel otherwise :)