32 years ago today

a fabulous lady was born.

she was blessed with a wonderful family and loyal friends.

she went to a reputable school and landed a mighty fine job.

she fell in love a few times. had her heart broken more than once. she's had the love of her life and have had her share of marriage proposals.

she has turned into a woman of character. one who will not be swayed by what society expects.

she is halfway through her journey called life and there is still a lot to learn and discover - places to go, things to accomplish, people to meet.

and though love has been elusive for her the last couple of years she knows she will have her happily ever after one day.

~~~ o0o ~~~

thanks for those who remembered.

youtube star marie digby

i first heard about Marie (pronounced ma-ree-yey) a few months back when gail showed me a video of her version of Rihanna's Umbrella on YouTube. for someone who doesn't even like the original, i was completly blown away.

she's just so fun to watch and her voice is simply amazing. more than an eye candy, her voice is effortless yet full of soul. she does mostly cover songs but her originals are at par with the industry.

do check out her website and see for yourself.

my personal favorites are stupid love, an original song which has a very upbeat vibe to it and Joan Osborne's One of Us

but the one that made me a fan is her take on Linkin Park's What I've Done.

she just recently signed up with Hollywood Records and her album is scheduled to come out in February 2008.

a mighty fine deal for a girl who, a few months back, was just singing her heart out in the comforts of her living room.

retail therapy

nothing beats a good old fashioned retail therapy to drive away negative energy. i figured since my birthday's comin up, i deserve to splurge a little.

i did mention that i needed a me time soon so yesterday, on my way home from work (yes, i was working on a holiday. talk about pathetic! dedication), i decided to call and make an appointment with my stylist.

i wanted to have my nails done but i had to go to another salon for that and i didn't have much time so i went shopping instead. after a good hour or so, i left the mall with a pair of decent jeans, a really nice maong mini skirt and two flirty tops. not bad huh?

and so, as i count the days til "the day", i don't feel that bad anymore. enough to make me go out and celebrate perhaps?

today in history

first, there was the oakwood mutiny

today, it was the manila peninsula

when will it stop?

i work in ayala ave. and i have witnessed more than my fair share of rallies during the last 3 years. frankly, incidents like these have become ridiculous, bordering on stupidity.

i'm no fan of GMA but i don't think she's that bad. in fact, i have come to admire her resilience and tenacity.

all i'm saying is, give her a chance. enough with all these oust-the-president drama.

if one wants to solve a problem, why be part of it?

pre birthday episode

i'm having one right now.

i know i SHOULD be excited.

but somehow i CAN'T make myself to be.

one more year, another notch to my existence. over 3 decades of my life have come to pass.

am i where i thought i would be ten years ago? have i made something of myself? but the more important question is, am i happy?

bootie call?

he did it again.

i was getting ready for bed when i noticed that i had a text message. it was from him and it was sent 2 hours ago.

it read, kape?

thinking it was too late to reply, i still did. asked him if he was in town and for how long.

his reply, punta ko dyan?

since it was already 2AM i called him instead just to make sure he really was in manila and to offer lunch instead.

he never answered.

he's done it again.

and i thought he'd have balls by now. what the fuck was that?!

work whore yet again

3 weeks of non-stop overtime work sure did take it's toll as i am now at home nursing a flu.

i haven't seen my friends in a looonng time, my nails are screaming for attention and my roots are beginning to show.

i desperately need a ME time soon! otherwise imma go nuts!

time sure does fly and before i even realize it, it's gonna be my birthday soon. as i told april, i'm not at all excited. i'm turning 32 for crying out loud! what's to be excited about? hehehe!

anyway, i'm off to bed now. i'm reading this really nice book, P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern and i wanna finish it tonight.

it's back to work for me tomorrow and i am so NOT thrilled. hmn...maybe i can skip work again hehehehe!

in the company of REALLY GOOD FRIENDS

i had the best time last weekend.

since pam is leaving soon, we all decided that our monthly "date" be spent on the beach.

a good 3 hours drive from manila, Sabangan Beach is ideal for intimate weekend getaways. the cottages/bungalows were few so there weren't many people on the resort. each unit was built a few meters apart providing enough privacy for the guests. resort employees were very accommodating and the beach (with the exception of the coarse sand) was clear - clear enough that i actually went swimming (well, that plus the fact that i love meann to bits!).

but more than the beach, the food and the booze, it was a weekend spent with GOOD, GOOD FRIENDS. ayi, who, despite of what he's going through still manages to make us laugh with his usual witty remarks; meann who gives a damn but refuses to admit that she does, beyond the tough exterior, she is one of the most caring person i know and i miss her dearly; pam, whose determination and constant hunger for better opportunities is finally paying off; jacky, whose naivety and kind heart allows her to trust and see the good in people, i'm with her in her so-called quest for our shrek; dennis, whose smile simply lights up a room not to mention makes head turns, his passion to support kids with cancer is indeed admirable. it would've been perfect had mamu, shai and alexis been there as well.

they are simple people with simple joys. and i am glad to have them in my life. the friendship i have with them is one i will NEVER trade for anything. i have their backs as i know they have mine. they know when to listen and when to say the right things. they are part of the few who i'd want to be BOTH in my wedding and in my funeral.

and though we don't get to spend as much time together as we want, they are simply wonderful blessings which i will forever be grateful for.

out in the open

so the secret is out. while i was frolicking away, my sister finally told my parents that she's getting married.

the best part is that my parents like the bf and they have no apprehension so long as marriage is really what they want for all the right reasons.

he brings out the best in my sister. he makes her laugh. he encourages her to pray. my sister has turned into a completely different person - happy and positive. and from an older sister's point of view, that's all that matters.

so to you my dearest sister, congratulations. all the best to you and marlon. he better not make you cry or hell will freeze over. you can bet on that.

the jologs in me

yes, i have tons of jologs bones in my body and i ain't ashamed of saying so.

i am a certified PBB addict! i try to make it home early as often as i can just so i can catch it on TV!

i've seen almost all Aga Muhlach movies and i still get excited everytime.

i love squid balls. especially the ones being sold along Ayala Ave. yummmm!

i recently discovered that when it comes to beer, nothing beats red horse. it's cheap, tastes better and the best part, 2 bottles and i'm done!

i still have my Yves Dignadice scrapbook which i made when i was in 4th grade. i dunno why i keep it though. i just can't seem to part with it hahaha!

so there, love me or hate me. take your pick :D

crappy mood no more

yes, i have been a bitch the past couple of days and dan had been my sounding board. well, more like a punching bag hehehe. for that, he has earned his first mention in this blog.

just a brief intro, i met dan online a few years back and since then, we have been each other's rant partner.

so to you my friend, maraming salamat. we may fight a lot but i know we both mean well. inuman na!

==========

i met "the bf" this week. he seems nice. he doesn't talk much though. one thing's for sure, my sister looked happy.

imma have to wait and see.

my ears get tired too

i am deeply honored that people come to me to confide or simply rant. i have no problem with that. on the contrary, i love listening.

but there are times when i want to have my turn. i too have my episodes. and when i have them, i want someone who would listen without prejudice. someone who would shut up and hear me out. sadly, the numbers are quite few.

one thing i learned in life is that you can't expect everyone to treat you the way you treat them. those who rant and come to you in times of distress and desperation may not be there for you when you find yourself in the same pithole. it sucks when reality bites.

as in a movie, each plays a role. i just have to accept that mine is the one who listens.

i have this blog anyway. i have you to read and listen.

i'm getting married, please be happy for me

deep down i know i should. she seemed so sure and she said she's happy. but a big part of me was blanketed by sadness when she told me about her plans.

it was too soon. it was unexpected. i wanted to protect her. tell her she could be making the biggest mistake of her life. but i couldn't.

all my life, i've stood by her decisions, be it good or bad. she's a free spirit who does what she wants at all costs. she's had to deal with bad decisions and i didn't love her less.

a friend of mine once said, if there is one thing that a person should be selfish about, it's his/her own happiness. maybe my friend is right. and maybe that is why i won't stop her.

i want to understand, believe me i really do. i wanna share her happiness and be excited for her as every bride should be. but i still can't.

for days, i thought about the way i reacted. trying to find meaning in the way i feel. and every single time, i only arrive at one conclusion. i am the one being selfish. instead of being happy for her, all i could think of was that i was going to lose someone really dear to me to some guy i haven't even met.

it sucks i know. it's just that i wanna make sure she's doing it for the right reasons. when i know that she is, then i can be happy for her.

tell me, am i being a bitch in the one time i hope i'm not?

partying on josh's concert

josh groban arrived yesterday for his scheduled concert this week.

i won't be able to watch it though as money, obviously, didn't grow on trees. besides, it's my bestfriend's BIG 30 bday bash on the same date and i'm sooo lookin forward to it.

themed Mini Mad Mod 60's, it sure is gonna be one for the books. all guests are to come in 60's fashion so we're all playing dress-up. imma be wearing this really cute 60's mini dress with a mod make-up to match.

and though there's a slim chance that josh will have another concert here in the future, i don't mind. after all, it's not everyday that my bestfriend will turn 30.

Happy Birthday bitchsis!

welcome to the fab world of 30-something women! cheers!

happy sad

pam, a dear friend from my Chinabank days, just got her US VISA yesterday. this is what she's been workin hard for and i couldn't be happier.

among the group, i always knew she would go places. she dreams big, works hard and parties even harder. her nothing-can-stop-me attitude sure paid off as she's bound to leave some time in january.

she will be missed and i too am a bit sad. but i knew it was inevitable. it was just a matter of time. and it has come.

good luck to you pammy dearest. do take with you all the good times and leave the bad. it's time for you to start anew and i'm sure you're gonna do fine.

all my love and prayers are with you always.

the thing about GOOD relationships

is that there is no need to apologize. a simple nod or a hug will suffice and everything will be back to normal.

fights/misunderstandings, no matter how trivial or grave, as in any relationship, is normal. they spice up romance, jolt one to reality or simply stress a shortcoming.

some survive while others do not transcend.

mistakes do happen. and like everything else, how to deal with them is a matter of choice. some choose to forgive albeit not forgetting the lesson learned. some choose to forget and pretend that nothing happened. while others choose to let each mistake pile on top of the other, refusing to rise above it and allowing their relationships to dwindle and fall apart.

your life, your choice.

i choose to be the one that forgives. i have forgiven, i have moved on. and while it's true that the same mistakes are to made again, it doesn't matter.

my life. my choice.

thank heavens for babies

it's amazing how a single picture can change one's mood. even more amazing is the effect that babies have on everyone. in their presence, one can't help but smile.

with their cute lil hands and feet, chubby-pinky cheeks and their oh-so innocent smiles, they exude an aura of peace and simplicity. they live in a world where the biggest problem lies on trying to say a word or taking that very first step. where hugs and kisses make troubles go away. a world free of life's complexities and oftentimes subject to the envy of adults.

i chanced upon a picture of my inaanaks who happen to be twins. emil and emir are now 2 and they are simply adorable. they talk a lot using words only they can understand which makes it all the more fun listening and watching them play.

looking at them sure turned my sour mood to sweet and i can't wait to see them again this november as they turn 3.

a bitching to end the week

i'm mad...oooohhhh i's so friggin mad!

meaning well and giving constructive criticisms is one thing, being a self-righteous obnoxious jackass is another.

i know my faults. i know my shortcomings. no one asked for your advice as i'll go and ask myself if i find the need for one. there are better ways of getting your message across. how you did it (have been doing it) was not one of them.

you're my friend and i love you. just give me this day not to like you. maybe tomorrow we can be normal again. apologize even, for calling you a jackass. just not today.

hurray! hurray!

and so the countdown begins! Sex and the City : The Movie is scheduled to be released sometime in May 2008.

earlier rumors about Chris Noth aka Mr. Big not being in the cast proved to be wrong and i can't help but give a lil squeal. he is, after all, the main man of the show.

the ladies are back. fiercer and more fabulous than ever. if the movie is anything like the series, i'm sure it's gonna be a hit.

oooohhhh i can't wait!!!!

***photos courtesy of Sex and the City : The Movie (2008)

an odd ad

tagged "ANG MAMATAY NG DAHIL SA YO", Nike's ad campaign for Manny Pacquiao gives me both the chills and the creeps.

admittedly, the way it was presented is amazing, awesome even. and to have it weeks before a major fight, the timing was perfect. it was pure genius.

however, i can't help but think that it kinda sends a creepy, bordering on morbid message. but then again, it's just me.

go pacman!