manic.manila.muse

今日はどこ？　[Saan ka pupunta ngayon?] ang araw araw na tanong sa akin ni ate kapag nagkikita kami sa umaga. Alam nya kasing hindi ako napapakali sa bahay kapag naiiwan ako ng mahigit na isang araw. Hindi ako lumabas kahapon dahil naawa na ako sa balat ko - akalain mo bang magkakatan-lines pa ako sa kulay kong ito? Ang lupet talaga! :D

Sabi ng mga matatanda, ang mga taong may nunal sa talampakan ay lakwatsera at maraming mararating sa mundo. Hindi man ako gaanong naniniwala sa mga pamahiin, pinanindigan ko ang isang ito. Hindi kumpleto ang araw ko kapag hindi ako lumabas at nagpaaraw, o naglakad lakad patungo kung saan (kahit sa tindahan lang). Pangarap ko talagang makarating sa iba't ibang parte ng mundo - makihalo sa kanilang kultura at makita kung saan mailulugar ang sarili nating lahi. Paano? Hindi ko pa alam. Basta ang alam ko, marami akong nunal sa paa at swak, may nunal ako sa talampakan.

Ikaw? Kung magkakaroon ka ng isang nunal sa gitna ng ilong (na kasing laki ng tansan) o isang daang nunal na nagkalat sa buong mukha, ano ang pipiliin mo? Bawal magimbento ng sariling sagot! :D

"Asan ka? katropa ka na ni kuya germs - walang tulugan!" -- a message I received from my mother, 9pm saturday while I was having dinner with Marvin, Trisha and some of the Takushoku boys at the persian place beside the UP arcade.

hindi ko alam kung saan natutunan ng nanay ko ang salitang "katropa", ginamit nya pa sakin. laughtrip habang lumalafang ng korean noodles na gawa sa tatlong paketeng instant ramen at maraming kimchi. laughtrip habang naghihintay nagpapapansin sa mga waitress na parang hindi makapaniwala sa dami ng order ng grupo. nagtataka sa kakaibang panlasa at kahinaan ng tiyan.

bagsak sa sasakyan. tulog. 11pm.

Hindi ba talaga natutulog si kuya germs? 45 hours lang naman ang record ko this weekend eh. sayang, 3 hours nalang ay 2 days na akong tumatakbo sa kape at asukal (at tubig dagat). Kaya lang nasugat ako sa tuhod. At sabi nung kapitbahay namin, pag may sugat ka sa tuhod, tumalon talon ka para bumaba yung dugo, tapos matulog ka sa tanghali para gumaling agad. Bata pa ako nung sinabi nya yun. Bata pa ako nung huli akong nagkasugat sa tuhod. Nalaglag ako dun sa bangko na ginagawa naming bridge ng obstacle course. Ngayon yung kabilang tuhog ko naman ang may sugat. Pantay na, parang ovaltine.

Nabangga ako ni marvin habang naglalaro kami ng no blood no foul basketball sa batangas. Na-foul tuloy sya. Ginamit nya pa akong dahilan para hindi sya ilaglag sa pool nung mga takushoku boys - gagamutin daw nya ang sugat kong kasalanan nya. Ang bait diba? Pagkatapos ay pinalangoy ako sa dagat at pina-acting na nalulunod sa hanggang tuhod na tubig.

That's what friends are for XD

Hindi maganda ang beach sa matabungkay beach resort - batangas. Fanget sya. Fanget. Kaya maganda ang kanilang facilities at meron silang dalawang swimming pool (with kiddie slide!). Dahil hindi mo rin gugustuhing magswimming sa kanilang dagat. May floating cottages rin naman sila para naman ma-enganyo kang lumusong sa tubig-alat. Malayo daw yung swimming beach, malayo rin ang snorkeling sites - kelangan magbangka.

Eh ano pa bang magagawa namin?

Nagshooting nalang kami ng panibagong Takushoku video. Para naman may pagtatawanan sila sa kanilang graduation this week.

Ang aga kong nagising kanina kahit na sabi ko babawiin ko yung hindi ko naitulog ng friday at saturday. Kaya lang, masakit yung sugat ko.

Ang sakit din pala ng ulo ko. Pero nung napanood ko to, napangiti ako ng bonggang bonga. Ang galing naman ng ad na ito. Inspiration para sa 90th birthday AVP ni lola sa May.

A couple of weeks ago, my camera froze while I was shooting kids doing back flips on the sand at a resort in Nasugbu, Batangas. The words "lens error" shocked me from the LCD screen and my heart pounded as I desperately tried to get things back to normal. Though I eventually got the lens to close properly, there remained a very scary clicking sound every time the lens retracted completely. I imagined the lens hitting something inside the body of the camera, injuring it more every time I tried to use it.

I couldn't stand it so I asked around and tried to find the Canon service center in metro manila (apparently somewhere around Shaw boulevard) but all the links I got from google led to blogs with awful comments about them and deterred me from actually making the journey to try and find it. Bad customer service really REALLY turns me off (yes, even just rumors of it).

So I went to quiapo instead.

Felix R. Hidalgo St. is considered Metro Manila's mecca for photography equipment. Amidst the herbal products, vegetable vendors and fortune tellers lie a strip of photography shops that have been operating for decades -where people actually know and understand cameras. I walked around for a bit before I came up to a repair shop to ask them about my camera. Taking it in his hands, the shop keeper took some test shots and listened to the unmistakeably click of the lens.

"Okay pa to miss, gumagana pa naman eh. Pag tumigil na talaga, ibalik mo samin".

Although I bit shocked, I conversed a bit with the repair man and probed what they thought was wrong with the unit. Yes, it really was the lens hitting against something else inside the camera - but cameras like mine were apparently difficult to crack open and would take a considerable amount.

I took the camera to another shop down the road and they diagnosed it the same. The lens had a problem and the mechanism for focusing had to be "realigned" (and then some more big words which I can no longer remember). But they were willing to take it in for Php1500. Speaking to another person Php 200 off the initial offer and I left my bebe in their hands for its first ever repair in more than 2 years of my abuse. (My camera only had a 1 year japan warranty so I thought this was a good deal -plus the shop offered a 2 month after repair warranty).

A few hours later, I came back to claim my camera and all the shop keepers greeted me with:

"ate, masarap ba magswimming?"

They told me that they cleaned out the whole interior of the camera and brushed A WHOLE LOT OF SAND from it. (Little do they know how many beaches that camera has actually been to). The click is gone and though there is a slight mechanical sound every time the lens zooms and retracts, I couldn't have asked for more.

I walked around the streets and the church for a while to test my bebe. So many things to see and hear (read: vendors screaming for attention and Francis Magalona's Kaleidoscope World on endless loop) made it a total sensory overload.

I LOVE Quiapo :D

Here's some shots from that great afternoon.



more photos here (click please) :)

Sulyap 2 kahapon, hindi ako nakarating. Thursday nang tinext ako ni maam jina para tanungin kung pwede ako ng saturday morning para tulungan magbihis si umewaka-sensei para sa kanyang Noh performance sa Aldaba. Tinanong ko si julius kunga nong oras ang sulyap, 1 pm pa daw. Pwede pa.

Sabado, 1130. Dumating ako sa tambayan para idaan yung hiniram ni david na Igorot inspired poncho. Nakasalubong ko si maam jina. Sabi nya sakin wag muna ako umalis ng 1pm kasi humihit kumulang dalawang oras ang kakainin ng pagbibihis kay sensei. Walang ibang pinapasok sa dressing room kundi kaming tatlong tagabihis at ang aming manika for the day. Sabi nila 20 thousand dolyares daw ang halaga ng lahat ng nilatag namin sa sahig nung mga panahong iyon.

Sabado, 230. Naisipan ni sensei na gusto nyang gawan ng drama onstage ang kanyang pagbibihis. Gusto nyang sa stage nalang namin gawin ang aming final adjustments ng kanyang costume. Kasama sa show. Mega-Noh walk pa kami kahit hindi kami naka medyas lahat. Naloka si maam jina.

Sabado, 4pm. Nagtext si julius na tapos na daw ang Sulyap. Ang fail ko. Pero nasa sunken garden lang sila at nagpapaka-adik. Kailangan pa naming patuyuin at itupi ng maayos ang mga damit ni sensei. Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang hiwa-hiwalay na piraso ang isa-isa naming binalot at nilagay sa maleta.

Sabado,  6pm. Hinintay namin matapos ang show bago kinarga ang mga gamit papunta sa bahay ni maam jina. Imbitado daw kami sa executive house para sa huling hapunan ng mga special guests dito sa Pilipinas.

Sabado, 9pm. Huminto kami sa shell para lagyan ng brake fluid ang sasakyan ni julius. Kinabahan ang mga gasoline boys kasi wala na pala talagang brake fluid ang sasakyan. Nagpahatid ako sa friispirit para makipagkita sa mga natitirang TK at durugin si jayvee sempai sa rabid rabbits. Pero last game na daw nila. Fail. Mcdo muna para magkape.

Sabado 10pm. Balik sa pagwi-wii. Mabuhay ang mga fashion victim!! Jayvee sempai, may araw ka rin.

Linggo 1230am. Nadatnan pa namin sila Janna sa Mcdo. Mukha silang call center. Tuloy ang tambay, chismisan at paguungkat ng mga lumang TK pics at videos para pagtawanan.

Linggo 530am. Breakfast! Kasi sabi ni Aura, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Lingoo, 7am. Uwian na. Bangag sa daan. Pinagtatawanan si julius sa jeep. Naguusap nang hindi nagkakaintindihan.

Linggo, 5pm. Kagigising ko lang. Panalo talaga. Next week videoke naman!

Parades, job fairs, locker frenzies and mcdonald's aftermaths: my two months (and a half) months as a student trainee at the Peninsula Manila can be best described in one word: whirlwind.

Backtrack to 2008, I was a pre-practicum student trying to please my professors as well as I could so that they would assign me to the Shang (where I hoped to be placed in the kitchen). But that didn't go as planned and my resume was submitted to the Peninsula - a hotel that I had neither considered nor even tried to visit. I wasn't even aware that UP sent students to the Pen!  After a couple of lengthy consultations, I underwent the rigorous roller-coaster of their screening process and was accepted as the lone representative of the university within the incoming batch. Scared and excited at the same time, I armed myself with hope that my performance would open more doors for the next iskos and iskas to come.

A couple of months later, I receive my certificate of completion: 370 hours of work chalked up to experience. The time I spent in Cost control, Human resources, Room sales, and The Peninsula Boutique gave me a feel of what it is like to work at one of the premier hotels in the country. Every day was a gruelling 10 hour shift of dashing across the back office hallways, clerical assignments, and the best customer service we could provide. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. Sure, there were days when I was so tired that I just wanted to stay in bed and situations with guests where I felt like they wanted me to melt into a puddle of incompetence, but in retrospect, it was all part of the exhilarating ride down a path that I might just choose to take as I begin the next chapter of my life. My co-trainees and all the members of the peninsula family have been nothing but wonderful.

My locker got broken into and I lost a lot materially, but God is fair. My peninsula experience opened my eyes to so many issues for self-improvement, allowed me to meet so many people that I now look up to, and helped me realize a couple of things that I need to remember if I want to become a true hotelier.

I think I'm going to miss the Peninsula sun :)

 

Dear friends,

SMART finally granted me a replacement SIM so we got my phone line revived earlier this evening. My mobile number hasn't changed so please shoot me a message with your name (and your birthday!) so I can start reconstructing my phonebook.

or you can also send me a PM. whatever floats your boat :)

Thanks!

Masigla akong naglalakad/sumasayaw patungo sa bahay namin kaninang alas nuebe ng gabi. kumakanta kanta pa ako at nakikinig sa masayang tugtugin. Nakita ko ang aming tito rey sa labas ng isang tindahan tatlong bahay mula sa amin, nagyoyosi. Binati ko sya ng nakasanayan naming *bang!* (with matching turo ng kamay at kalabit ng baril na hangin).

Tinignan nya lang ako.

Lumakad na ako palayo.

Pagdating ko sa bahay namin, kinwento nila na may nabaril kaninang umaga sa may kapitbahay. Mala-pelikulang "drive by shooting" pa raw ang nangyari. Kinilabutan ako. 

At eto yun, sa tapat ng bahay nung nabaril ko binati si tito rey.

bang.

I apologize to anyone who might have tried to contact me through my cellular phone today, (especially to those that I promised to meet/call/text). I didn't get your messages. My phone was lifted from my bag sometime today. Along with my whole wallet - ID's, calling cards, cash, receipts, powerful plastics, basura and more.

After the initial shock of realizing that my valuables were missing, I immediately phoned home to have the phone line (and all my cards), suspended until further notice. We also double checked all bags and reported the incident to hotel security.

As we left the hotel, my friend asked me why I was so calm amidst it all. Kung sya daw yun, malamang iyak na sya ng iyak. Sanay na daw ba ako? Sabi ko hindi ako sanay, manhid lang.

I stuck a note on my locker door asking anyone to return the cards and the stuff he/she would have no use for. Kung sa kanya walang halaga, sa akin meron. Then I went home, after telling my friends that I was ok. I was sad because of the material loss, but the thought that I had lost some dear keepsakes made me even sadder. Not sad enough to cry though -- that came later on.

What made me break down was the sight of an envelope containing two simple postcards that were sent by the friends I had left in japan. They apparently arrived today and reading their super simple messages made me so happy that I was brought to tears. I was so overwhelmed.

It was a simple lesson that reminded me of the things that are much, much more important.

Wallet and such: Php 3 000
Cellular Phone: Php 9 000
Friend who care enough to communicate: PRICELESS.

----
You may still reach me through our landline, or my email (I promise to check everyday!). God bless.

 

But he is not in this photo. Kami lang yan noong sumali kami ng Walk For Austism last 2008. Hindi ko na rin maalala kung bakit kami nakanganga. Halos hindi ako makapaniwala na magiisang taon na mula noong huli akong sumali sa pagbuo ng isang event ng ASP. Marahil nasanay lang ako dati na palaging nasa opisina nila at walang mintis ang pagsali sa lahat ng event dahil wala silang sinasabayang subject, trabaho o ano pa man.

Dumating ang panahon na kinailangan kong pumasok sa UP, nahigop sa mundo ng CIS at nahumaling sa kasal-kasalan. Pinilit kong ipagsabay sabay ang mga gawaing ito pero sa huli, naubos ang panahon ko para magproduce ng mga AVP at kung ano anong anik anik para sa iba't ibang information campaign ng organisasyon. Pero hindi man ako organizer, sinikap ko paring makadalo sa mga concert, exhibit at iba pa.

Sa darating na linggo - JANUARY 18, 2008 alas 6 ng umaga, ay magkakaroon muli ng isang awareness activity ang AUTISM SOCIETY PHILIPPINES na kaakibat ng kanilang Autism Awareness Campaign. Tulad ng ginanap noong isang taon sa quezon city circle, magtitipon tipon ang mga pamilya ng mga batang may awtismo, ang kanilang mga kaibigan at iba pang volunteers sa SM MALL OF ASIA para sa ANGELS WALK 2009.

Ano kamo ang gagawin sa Angel's walk? Aba, eh di maglalakad! :)

Pagkatapos ng ANGELS WALK ay magkakaroon din ng concet sa Music Hall at meron ding raffle na bonggang bongga ang premyo!

Kung may interesado mang sumali, kita kits nalang doon sa MOA sa SUNDAY ng 6AM. Isuot ang inyong pinakamagandang GREEN outfit. Kasali po ako sa official documentations team - pipicturan ko kayo. Promise!

Paano ba yan? It's a date :)

 

I've always found it nice to get stuff in the mail. When I mean stuff, I mean letters, cards and little brown packages tied up with strings - yes these are a few of my favorite things. The first time I received mail addressed specifically to me was when I had my own apartment in Japan with a little mailbox that had my name on it (which I wrote personally on special printed paper- scented too.) I would squeal in delight whenever an envelope with a handwritten address appeared beneath the clutter of solicitations and fliers. I would run my hands over the envelope like it was the most precious thing ever and imagine the journey it must have gone through to get to me. Then my patience (or lack of it) would get the better of me and push me to tear the envelope open quicker than a 5 year old child opening presents on Christmas day. Emails are nice, quick and convenient, but nothing makes me feel warm and fuzzy like a handwritten note in an envelope with a stamp on it. The postal system indeed is a wonderful thing.

Weeks ago, I got a card from the caloocan post office advising me to claim a package that had my name on it. It turned out to be a large brown envelope from canada (where my bestest ever ex-neighbor betty lived) that contained a really nice calendar and this card


Although I claimed it a little late, it's just in time for the new year :) Have you noticed that there are less and less people giving away calendars these days? I miss the days when gasoline stations handed out glossy calendars to customers who were prudent enough to ask for them. Hindi na yata uso yun ngayon. Hindi na rin masyadong uso ang sulat. Sayang. Ang ganda ganda pa naman ng post office.

 

A weird thought came upon me this morning while I was on the MRT, on my way to peninsula. (Here's a backgrounder with a little too much information: I love the feeling of soft fabric against clean shaven legs. It tickles :D So after a fresh shave, I would jump into my silk pajamas or crawl happily into my bed and roll around in my sheets. Yes, very mature of me.)

Would sheep get tickled if you put a blanket over them after they've been sheared?

Funny thing is, it popped into my head all of a sudden (i figure, it might have been because I read an article about sheep last night) but I played with the thought all day. They say, I looked like I was concentrating on cross checking receipts and encoding supply transfers but somewhere in the back of my head, I was thinking of sheep.

What a wonderful day :D

...ay may pasaherong chainsmoker na hindi makapagpigil.

Nasubukan mo na bang maging pasahero sa isang bus o kahit na anong pampublikong sasakyan na parang mas mausok pa sa loob kesa sa labas dahil may naninigarilyo sa loob? Kung hindi pa, swerte ka. Dahil kung oo, malamang wala kang nagawa kundi mainis at magtakip ng ilong hanggang sa (A) bumaba na ang tambutsong naglalakad o (B) naubos na ang yosi nya at naging kalat na sa sahig ng sasakyan ang upos. Malamang, kasama ka sa mga passive aggressive commuters na bida sa pelikula ni david (pero syempre, si david nalang nag magkwekwento nun). Malamang, pareho tayong dalawa.

Nakakainis no?

Sumakay ako ng ordinary bus mula ayala pauwi sa monumento kaninang madaling araw. Hindi ako sumasakay ng ordinary bus pag umaga (dahil ayokong ma-haggard) o tanghali (dahil traffic, mausok at amoy kili kili sa loob ng siksikan na bus) pero pag madaling araw, parang jet coaster at malamig ang simoy ng hangin. Masaya akong nakikinig sa paguusap ng bading na magkaibigan sa harap ko nang nakalanghap ako ng usok.

Naninigarilyo ang isang bagong sakay na lalake sa likod ko. Bwiset. Pero mukha syang adik at mukhang papatol sa sinaway. Wala akong nagawa kundi umurong papunta sa bukas na bintana. Mas ginusto ko pang lumanghap ng polusyon ng EDSA kesa sabihan sya na wag nyang angkinin ang hangin sa loob ng bus. Hindi ako mapakali pero wala rin akong imik.

Hanggang ngayong nasa bahay na ako, nasa kama at dapat tulog na, hindi matahimik ang loob ko.

Naiinis ako.

Naiinis ko sa mga sasakyang naka-park sa kalsada dahil gahaman ang mayari ng bahay at sinagad ang kanyang gate sa sidewalk. Kung wala kang paradahan, wala kang karapatang bumili ng sasakyan.

Naiinis ko sa mga pedestrian na naninigarilyo habang naglalakad, nagtatapon ng balat ng candy sa kalsada at nagje-jaywalk sa ilalim mismo ng footbridge. Hindi mo ashtray ang buong maynila at hindi ka rin athlete para gawing obstacle ang mga sign ng MMDA.

Naiinis ako sa mga naninigarilyo ng walang pahintulot sa mga pampublikong lugar. Kung maninigarilyo ka sa paligid ko, wag kang bubuga.

Pero higit sa lahat, naiinis ako kasi hindi ko alam kung kanino ako dapat dumaing, o kung ano ang dapat kong gawin para maiwasan ang mga ito. Bawal na ba akong magcommute? bawal na ba akong maglakad sa sidewalk? Ako nalang ba ang iiwas?

Hindi dapat. Hindi tama.
At hindi na ulit mangyayari.

were spent doing some of my favorite (but long neglected) time consumers: reading, cleaning and walking around. Yesterday, I finished up Freakonomics and some more chapters of El Filibusterismo (the ones that I failed to understand the nth time around) and was looking around for another good book to read when I had the sudden urge to purge my desktop of clutter.

The weather was particularly nice today (it felt like autumn!) so I stepped out and wandered around the neighborhood for a while. As I passed by the pink catholic church a few blocks from our house, I was surprised to hear Madonna's "Like A Virgin" playing from within the adjacent hall's closed gates. Nagpaparty yung mga madre? I chuckled to myself and I made my way through the rest of the streets in silence. I could still see remnants of new year's eve with all the firecracker debris and bottles upon bottles of wine on the sides of the street. My mind was clear - no worries, no apprehensions. I returned home with a box of brownies in tow. I needed energy for my next cleaning mission - my closet.

I hope tomorrow will be as productive.
It's gonna be a fine 2009 :)

Because my writing skills are currently not working with me, I have resulted to copying the year end meme from everyone in the internet. Andami palang nangyari ngayong 2008!

What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Succeed in living by myself in the Philippines (and in Palawan nonetheless) and start a business with friends! :D

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
i dont remember making any. I dont believe in them.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
If the wedding team counts, yes :D two of them!

Did anyone close to you die?
family.

What countries did you visit?
sadly, none. but i did get to see a lot more of this beautiful country :)

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
plane tickets to fabulous destinations!

What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 29, my peninsula interview. Because I need to remember what I did right to make it.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
a longer and fuller resume with a lot more relevant life experiences.

What was your biggest failure?
preparing for the JLPT. i could have done more. I really could have.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
i was brought to the hospital for tension headaches. stress related! oh and they did a second MRI for my knee. that's pretty much it :)

What was the best thing you bought?
arnis sticks :D hahaha!

Whose behavior merited celebration?
mine! I've been a good girl :) really. REALLY!

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
a certain someone who refuses close chapters and move on with his life. I swear, all he needs is eyeliner.

Where did most of your money go?
pizza. and my thailand fund envelope. I've been saving :)

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
travel to philippine destinations and weddings :D

What song(s) will always remind you of 2008?
ask me in 2009.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? i weigh the same!
iii. richer or poorer? definitely richer :)

What do you wish you'd done more?
make time for my friends who are not around my immediate vicinity all the time. even if its just time to write a letter.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
worrying and being a bitch.

How did you spend Christmas?
slept on my sister's bed on christmas eve (because we don't do the noche buena thing around here), went to church on christmas day, took photos, drank a lot of wine and ate nothing but pears and quezo de bola.

How many one-night stands?
zero.

What was your favorite TV program?
HOUSE! :D and the big bang theory!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate them but I don't like the way they handle things. I hope I get over it.

what was the best book you read?
I reread El Filibusterismo. that was a gem :)

What was your greatest musical discovery?
loved the killers for the latter part of the year

What did you want and get?
a role in a theatre production (twice!). I've wanted to be in theatre since I was in gradeschool and a mishap made my dream come true!  Now if i can only be in a musical...

What was your favorite film of this year?
juno. it was a 2007 film but i saw it for the first time this year so it has to count :D

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had a pizza party with my spanish class and gave out 22 cupcakes for my 22 years. then tomo-kai sang me a birthday song on the phone while i was having dinner with my family. na-touch ako! :)

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
lalake! :D

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
back in jeans, shirts and business suits. hindi na ako mukhang ethnic minority. minsan nalang :)

What kept you sane?
McCafe.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
mokomichi, ampogi mo!

What political issue stirred you the most?
the RH bill

Who did you miss?
a lot of my friends. really.

Who was the best new person you met?
I met so many new people, i wont even try to pick one. It has always been so hard for me to pick the BEST.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
speak or forever hold your peace

Was 2008 a good year for you?
of course!

What was your favorite moment of the year?
this is the problem with favorites, you cannot possibly reduce one year's worth of good experiences into a single moment worth treasuring. No!

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
moments of rejection and disappointment.

Where were you when 2008 began?
at home, with a torotot hat watching our neighbors' pyrotechnics.

Who were you with?
my family

Where will you be when 2008 ends?
on the street, watching our neighbors' pyrotechnics.

Who will you be with when 2008 ends?
my happy self. and my weird ass family.

Do you have a new years resolution for 2009?
I don't believe in new years resolutions. change should not be scheduled for tomorrow when it can be done now.

Did you fall in love in 2008?
yes!

You regret it?
of course not.

Did you break up with anyone in 2008?
i closed some chapters. i started new ones. it's all part of growing up.

Did you make any new friends in 2008?
I'm proud to say I did and I intend to keep them :D

What was your favorite month of 2008?
hard to say. its a toss between may (when I was living in the south) and december (when I had weddings almost everyday). the busiest months are always the best!

How many concerts did you see in 2008?
wolfgang reunion concert! yea :D

Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2008?
oh yes. two boxes of wine JUST for christmas.

Did you do a lot of drugs in 2008?
if painkillers and paracetamol counts, then yes. a WHOLE LOT.

Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
i regretted it, i learned from it.

What was the worst truth someone told you in 2008?
"you have a double chin" - c/o maureen santos. you're fat!

Did you treat somebody badly in 2008?
I hope not.

Did somebody treat you badly in 2008?
i fought back.

How much money did you spend in 2008?
not a lot :)

What was your proudest moment of 2008?
when umewaka sensei burst into the dressing room and told me that I was fantastic. I impressed a NOH master. -- italian restaurant second run.

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2008 and change something, what would it be?
nothing. absolutely nothing.

What are your plans for 2009?
Slow things down, think and reconnect with the people that I need to have around me.

Thank you 2008. You've been great,

So much for freedom week.

I meant to relax but how could I? With all the weddings and partyfuel gigs scheduled one right after the other, the most I had was 2 hours of sleep in one night (and even with that, I won the "who gets more sleep" challenge with Clarice. Wedding coordinators are not human, I tell you).

I was managing it pretty well until I got the shock of the week when we bartended for Insular Life's departmental christmas party last friday. While cleaning up after closing the bar, (and somewhat stupidly using a rag and my leg instead of a real working mop), I slipped, banged my knee on the floor and crashed my face on the windowsill. I was dazed for a couple of seconds and immediately scanned my face for any form of cut or bruise. I had a wedding scheduled in a few hours and I refused to go there looking like someone that had the losing hand in a boxing match. Kamille was more worried than I was, but then we laughed it off and charged it to experience.

I covered the bruise as best I could for the wedding yesterday and showed the remaining bump to my mother when I woke up this morning. Kamukha ko daw si Dela Hoya.

what, I look like a man? buti nalang pogi si dela hoya. Kung sinabi nyang kamukha ko si pacquiao, malamang naloka ako ng bonggang bongga.

So today I took a REAL break and was watching the probe team with ate this morning. They had a feature on JUANA CHANGE and her two youtube videos that EVERYBODY has to see.

So go see them.

God bless.

...Santa is even-tempered. Santa does not hit children over the head who kick him. Santa uses the term folks rather than Mommy and Daddy because of all the broken homes. Santa does not have a three-martini lunch. Santa does not borrow money from store employees. Santa wears a good deodorant...
- - - Jenny Zink (To employees of Western Temporary Services, world's largest supplier of Santa Clauses, NY Times 21 Nov 84)

Haha! Mabango dapat si santa claus. Natuwa ako. I'm currently brushing up on some Christmas trivia for the Toastmasters Christmas party I'll be co-hosting in a few hours. As opposed to what my mother thinks, I actually do prepare for all things toastmasters. Akala nya lang hindi. Mahilig kasi sya sa maling akala.

So my mind is finally off the JLPT. I had peaceful, undisturbed sleep since I got home at 5pm til around 9 am this morning. It was the same thing that I did after I took the UPCAT 6 years ago. Ang fierce ng JLPT! Sa stress namin ni Karen after the exam, napaupo kami sa benches at napa-retouch ng make-up. Yung mga level 1 takers naman nagbibiruan na "see you again next year!". I just hope hindi ako masyadong ma-shock pagdating ng results ko next year. I really do NOT know what to expect.

I had lunch and coffee yesterday with the rest of the Tomo-Kai JLPT takers. Para kaming nag field trip sa La Salle (sa pizza hut at sa starbucks) dahil sa dami ng TK members na dumating for all levels (from level 4 to level proctor! haha). Sayang walang banner at picture na complete attendance! Pwede sanang i-balitayori. At sayang din na wala akong camera para i-capture ang mga mukha ng mga tao after the exam. Priceless!

This week will be freedom week :D
Goodbye speedanki, Hello brides and grooms and PartyFuel guests!

When he enters the fight, all he has is his enthusiasm and the moves and strikes that he learned during his training. As the fight progresses, he discovers that enthusiasm and training are not enough to win: what counts is experience. Then he opens his heart to the Universe and asks God to give him the inspiration he needs to turn every blow from his enemy into a lesson in self-defense. (from the manual of the warrior of light - paolo coelho)

LIFE is a matter of perception.
God bless :)

After the emotional highs and lows that I went through during the Peninsula Manila's screening procedure, I can finally relax.

Well, for now.

The contract is signed.  The deal is sealed. All I have left to do is deliver myself to the service entrance on the 22nd of December, dressed in my spanking new suit (because apparently they only wear black suits and my current one is a lovely shade of gray).

then the real test will begin.

Hello hotel. Bring it.

--
In the meantime, I have arnis, the JLPT, 7 weddings, 1 hosting and a whole lot of PartyFuel Bartending gigs to keep me busy. I am FINALLY done being married to my phone. I shall now be married to my electronic dictionary.

:D