It's Never Too Late

The year is coming to a close, but the past two days saw me been pretty busy meeting up with long-missed friends for some pahabol Christmas gift-giving for 2008.

Gift-Giving #1: Reunion with GS Friends

“HA?! NGAYON BA YON?!?!?!”

I was frantically speaking with Vito over the phone that Monday afternoon. I just finished working out at the gym and just got out of the shower when I read a text from Gail, a good friend and classmate in graduate school, reminding us about our mini-reunion and exchange gift which was not until the next day. Or so I thought. Apparently, I got all mixed up with the date that I didn’t realize it was going to be on the 29th – that very same Monday – and not on the 30th, which I originally thought of all along. *Sigh* I was so underdressed for the occasion, having worn only my tee-and-jeans-with-flip-flops combo because I only had working out in my original agenda. Oh well, no time to rant ‘coz it’s not like I can do anything about the inevitable, right? So I was off to Bonifacio High Street where we’ll be meeting up, but had to do a quick stopover at Market! Market! for an emergency shopping of gifts worth Php 100, 50, and 20 which will be used for the exchange gift later on. Around 20 minutes after, I got to Pancake House in High Street, and Gail, Hershey and Tin were already there. Vito, Mac, Vench, and John arrived later on. Gail’s hubby, Vip, was also present. You can only imagine how it was chikka galore from where we were, and it seemed at that time that our table was the nosiest but we hardly cared; there was just sooo much catching up! The exciting part was the mechanics of our exchange gift. We were supposed to bring 3 unwrapped gifts each worth PhP 100, 50, and 20. The three groups of gifts were piled up at the center of the table according to their price. A shuffled deck of cards was used to determine how many gifts can a person collect: if he gets a JACK, he can choose any from the 20-peso gift; a QUEEN allows him a choice of any from the 50-peso and 20-peso gifts; a KING gives you the chance to choose one gift from 100-peso, 50-peso, and 20-peso gifts. That was the case until everyone gets his turn to pick from the deck of cards and there are no more cards left. For round two, it’s a similar mechanic but with a little twist: the deck of cards has been reshuffled, and everyone gets his turn to pick a card until no more cards was left on the deck. Only this time, a JACK gives you the chance to pick any gift that has been previously chosen, regardless of the price; a QUEEN allows you to choose 2 gifts; and a KING gives you the chance to take back 3 gifts. At the end of the day, everyone got to take home something. It was so much fun! We were planning on organizing a road trip for the crew, but we’ll have to wait until Gail gives birth to Baby Boy Garrido sometime late January of the coming year. Maybe we’ll go to Palawan, where Vench’s hometown is. Let’s see… ^_^


Gift-Giving #2: Coffee With Vic

After an hour of working out yesterday, I took a shower and went off to meet up with Vic, a good friend from way back during my Intel days. I caught up with him waiting at Nike Park in Glorietta 4, and we decided to have coffee at Starbucks. He was supposed to give me his Christmas present – the Green Archers 2009-2010 Team Calendar. I sooo love it! The calendar had pictures of the DLSU Green Archers taken during court action plus their respective birthdays as well. We spent a good deal of the next hour just talking about some stuff regarding work, family, and DLSU Green Archers, of course. I even suggested that why not come up with studio shots of the GA players in the upcoming team calendar for 2010, since it would appeal more to the female fans. (I hope they’d seriously consider it. Haha!) It’s just a shame that I wasn’t able to come up with anything to give Vic for Christmas; maybe I’ll just make it up to him next time we meet, like coffee or lunch on me. I was supposed to go somewhere with my parents later on so I had to cut our kwentuhan short since Cavite is still a long way from Makati. Nevertheless, it was so nice seeing him again, as his was one of those comforting familiar faces I can really count on when I’m in need of light conversations over coffee and something to munch on.

That Side Of Town

Remember what I mentioned in my previous entry how my family was planning on a visit to Binondo for some food trip? Well, we finally went there last Sunday, which happened to be the Feast of the Holy Family as well. We were able to catch the 7:00 a.m. mass at Binondo Church and then had our breakfast at Chowking in Divisoria. Good thing my cousin came along with us, so we were able to split up in pairs – my parents and me and my cousin – since we had different agendas for the day. We agreed to meet up in front of Binondo Church by 11:30 a.m. to scout for a good place to have lunch.

Okay, so maybe Divisoria may not be the place where you have ample space to strut your legs for some leisurely window shopping, nor does it offer the luxury of free-flowing ventilation for its patrons BUT I sooo love the place! Why, because of the LOOOOWWWW prices and lots of good deals you can find, of course. (Just make sure you’re keen enough for bag snatchers lurking about, and remember to hone your haggling skills!) For someone who’s so used to the comfort and familiarity of the local malls, doing some window shopping along the streets of Divisoria was a refreshing change albeit exhausting. I got to wander further into the New Divisoria Mall and the famous 168 Mall where I had a grand time haggling buena mano prices for the dvd’s I bought, all adding up to more than a dozen! Pakyawan ito!

When we met up at Binondo Church, we dropped by Eng Bee Tin along Ongpin to buy some authentic Chinese deli – assorted hopia, moon cake, brown tikoy, cashew nuts, gabi and raddish cake, chan pui, etc. – all three shopping baskets in tow when it was our turn to pay the cashier. Oh, and I almost got half-full taking in the variety of samplers they had for customers. As for lunch, we weren’t that much hungry yet so we decided to explore Ongpin Street at little more. Our exploration brought us further to the neighbouring Quiapo, and my parents thought it would be nice for me to have a try of the legendary Mamon Luk. It was actually a mami house that was very popular way back in the early 70’s until late 90’s. When we got to the place, we all ordered their special mami and siopao asado – the two specialties and bestsellers of the house – as my dad regaled us with stories of how the place never changed a bit since he was but a teenage boy. It was so true – R. Mamon Luk’s got that antique ambiance shouting for some long overdue renovation else it could very well suffer demolition at any unsuspecting time. As for the food, well, there was nothing really that extraordinary about their mami but I must admit that the siopao was a winner – really chunky asado meat with salted eggs inside a gigantic white dough. Still, it was a nice experience to have a piece of a so-called legend, at least.

We were homeward bound after lunch, and we slept throughout the ride home, probably because we were dead tired and exhausted from all the walking and the haggling. Still, I’ve always enjoyed going to that part of the metro where there’s a little more something different and new to expect than the usual places I go to in parts of Makati, Taguig, and the South. On my next visit, though, I hope I can bring a camera with me so that I can take lots of pictures and memories from that side of town. ^_^

CHRISTMAS-ing At The Bay

My family would always spend Christmas day by attending the morning mass in our parish, followed by a sumptuous lunch which I fondly call our “Annual Christmas Lunch” – usually held in one of the many cozy and infamous spots of Tagaytay. The day is capped off by lounging around in Starbucks Coffee whilst basking in the cool breeze and ample view of Taal Volcano during late afternoons – something I don’t usually get to savor within the urbanized part of Cavite where my family resides. This has been our family’s tradition for the past five years. This time around, however, we opted to change that tradition JUST a little bit. While we still got together for our Christmas lunch, the whole day was spent at SM Mall of Asia for a no-diet-and-Tagalog-movie day for the family.

After the 9:30 a.m. mass in our parish, we headed to SM MOA to have lunch. Since traffic was a little more tolerable that day, we had a brief pit stop to gas up. Forty-five minutes later, we arrived at the mall and decided to have lunch at Via Mare. We ordered Sinigang na Tiyan ng Bangus sa Miso, Pansit Luglog, Fresh Lumpiang Ubod, and Oyster Rockefeller. I just love the way the oysters were baked – with lots of cheese, spinach sauce, and something very butter-y and garlic-y in between, and wasn’t overcooked nor underdone. For dessert, we ordered the classic puto bumbong with grated cheese and the tri-colour puto bumbong – another thing which Via Mare has been well-known for besides their specialty of baked oyster dishes.

After lunch, we went to buy our movie tickets since we wanted to watch Ai-ai delas Alas in Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat. Much to our surprise, there was already a VERY LOOONG queue for the ticket booth, and the first three screening times have been sold out as early at 12:45 p.m.!!! The next earliest screening time available was not until 7:00 p.m., but we bought the tickets anyway; at least we had ample slack time before the movie. By 3:30 p.m. we decided to have light snack at UCC Vienna Café. We ordered UCC Clubhouse Sandwich, Sausage Waffle with Frankfurters, and Tendori Seafood Spaghetti (Which had lots of curry in it, giving the pasta a strong sweet-spicy taste that’s a little bit off with my parents’ preference of pasta.). One good thing about UCC, though, is that they have in their menu a wide variety of decaffeinated coffees to choose from, so my parents ordered the UCC Decaffeinated Coffee and Decaffeinated Cappuccino while I had the Iced Yin Yan Cha (Iced Milk Tea). Aside from the good food and fantastic brewed coffee they serve, UCC has that particular cozy ambiance that’s perfect for lounging around and quiet conversations while indulging one's senses to the delightful aroma of coffee beans brewing nearby. Around 4:15 p.m. we decided to check if there were people already lined up to the movies and, much to our surprise, there were already people waiting in line for the 7:00 p.m. screening! We had no choice but to fall in queue and wait (Believe it or not we were already sitting on the floor lest we want to strain our legs during the long wait.). Talk about a box office hit! After two hours of waiting, they started to let people in, and after 10 minutes the main feature began to roll.

‘Funny’ is not exactly the word I’d use to describe the movie – it would have to be ‘HILARIOUS’! The comedic tandem of Ai-ai and Eugene was simply at its funniest all throughout the movie. Here are some unforgettable quotes:

“Aanhin pa ang mala-palasyong bahay kung hindi naman kami doon nakatira?”

“Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who my friends are.”

“Ang batang masipag, paglaki PAGOD.”

“Ang babaeng hindi natutumba ay dating KONDUKTORA.”

“Ang lahat ng nakikita any nakikita ko rin.”

“Practice makes PERFECT; but then again, nobody’s perfect. So why practice?”

“Ang taong nagigipit, sa BUMBAY kumakapit.”

“Lahat ng problema may SOLUSYON. Kung walang solusyon, huwag nang problemahin.”

“Teach a man to fish and he will get a fish. FISH be with you!”

“Ang sakit ng kalingkingan, ang sakit sakit!”

“Hindi lahat ng gwapo may girlfriend; minsan may BOYFRIEND din.”

“Mas mabuti pang bumitiw nang maaga kaysa abutan ng dilim dahil MALAS daw.”


We were home by 11:30 p.m., and before calling it a day we had biko and ripe mangoes for late-night snack (Oh, what did I tell you? No-diet day nga di ba? Haha!), courtesy of my lola who gave away an entire bilao of biko to every household within our compound. The day had been fun albeit exhausting. The only tragedy was that I didn’t have my camera phone with me to take pictures with. (I had to leave my phone for a couple of weeks in Nokia Care for replacement of external casing.) Still, I enjoyed the day though it was a bit different compared to our past Christmases. Oh, and we were planning on a food trip in Binondo before the long Christmas break ends. I hope it pushes through. ^_^

Merry Christmas everyone, and enjoy the rest of the long holiday break!

Cheers!

^_^

Starry Evening

It's two in the morning that time, yet somehow I couldn't seem to shut my eyes to sleep after what became an INDEED star-studded night, as SMART held its corporate Christmas party with the theme "SMART @ 15.beyond" in World Trade Center last December 19, 2008. It was one huge event with literally huge crowd of almost 5,000 SMARTees coming in from the rest of the country to celebrate SMART's 15th anniversary and to usher in some major initiative come 2009. (Ok, at this point I'm done with all the corporatespeak.)

We originally planned to ride the designated bus that was supposed to pick-up Tower-based employees going to the venue. Good thing we were able to hitch a ride with one of the committee members, and by some ten minutes before six we were already making our way inside the main hall. Being the pasaway that I am, I left my badge at home and had to fall in queue, which took quite a while since they still had to verify some details. After what seemed like 15 minutes, I got my tix for the event and went inside - to eat! I eventually catched up with Irene and Cristy, and after finishing our plate we went inside for the program proper.

Did I just say star-studded? Hell yeah! Let me see... well, there was Ai-Ai delas Alas as one of the main hosts, boxing pros like David Diaz, Edwin Valerio, Onyok Velasco, and Harry Tañabor; PBA cagers from the Talk n' Text squad, including former Green Archer Mac Cardona (Who happens to be one of Ryh's major crushes!); performances from Kapamilya stars Billy Crawford, Sam Milby, Angel Locsin, Piolo Pascual, Toni Gonzaga, and Christine Reyes. There were also a handful of Kapuso celebs like Ruffa Mae Quinto, Posh (Who did quite a number of song-and-dance numbers as part of the opening act.), and The Angelos. (They performed SMART's new theme song entitled SMART: Tranforming Lives.) It's just too bad that Papa Lloydie wasn't there!

Cristy, Me, and Ireney

Although we did enjoy the night, it would have been more perfect if more from our team went to the event. As it turned out, there was only me, Cristy, Irene, and Bodjie from QPM who participated in the event. In my case, attending the event was my way of being thankful that, despite the economic recession making its presence felt within the country, SMART came up with such an effort for its employees to come together and celebrate. Other companies, as I've heard from friends and colleagues, were not so generous to do so. That's one good thing to be thankful for, right? Oh, and another really good reason to attend SMART Christmas party is the announcement from PLDT chairman himself - tito Manny Pangilinan - on the current status of the 'B-word' for all SMARTees. What's it gonna be for this year? Well, let's just say there will be room for savings in the coming days. Haha!

I haven't had the time to post pixies yet... coming up REALLY soon in my Multiply site.

Hawaiian Christmas

It was the annual PSG Christmas Party held in Hillsborough, Alabang Village. The theme was supposedly Hollywood awards night or movie-inspired costume, so our group came up with 50 First Dates – inspired theme for out get-up. You can just imagine how were a table of florals and Hawaiian polo (Complete with ukulele, pineapple, and flowers on our ears!) amidst a sea of formal evening gowns and tuxedos. But, we pulled it off pretty well, and we had our own version of a so-called ‘good time’ anyway.

All flowered up! Hahaha! ^_^

The girls

QPM Crew... Guess who's playing Adam Sandler!

So how do I summarize the evening? I guess it was pretty much ok, although I must admit that the venue for the party is not exactly commuter-friendly. Still, we had lots of laughs for the evening. Oh, and someone DID fall in-love that night. Clue: the writer who fell in love with her guitar man. ^_^

Monday's Out-Of-Office

Tanay, Rizal – Now this was one part of Luzon I haven’t been to, not until our group had it’s strat planning-slash-workshop-slash-wellness activity last December 08, 2008 at JE Camp in Tanay Rizal. The crew was complete that day, save for Mina who’s currently on Maternity Leave. (We miss you, Minapye!) Assembly time was supposedly 6:00 in the morning at SMART Tower, in anticipation of the long road trip going to the venue. But, knowing how true blue Filipinos we were, it was not until 6:30 a.m. when the crew was almost complete and, by a little over 6:45 a.m. we were already northbound en route. Hmmm… so far traffic was to our advantage that morning, and in a matter of twenty minutes we stopped by Burger King along Marikina for some quick breakfast dine-in (And of course, for some photo ops as well!). Off to the road we were again, and after another of what seemed like 45 minutes, we reached the gates to JE Camp.

BK Stopover

JE Camp was a sprawling estate that very well reflects the grandeur, wealth, and power that was sooo Joseph “Erap” Estrada. Though the lawns and the estate was well-managed by in-house staffs, still, I can only imagine how it was much more luxurious and striking back in the days when Erap was still in the seat of national power. That is, until the entire fiasco had erupted and the local government had to take over some of his properties, including JE Camp. (Now there’s some JE 101 for y’all! ^_^ )

We were divided into two groups, and I was groupie with Sab, Eric, Cristy, Mela, and Angel. We’re supposed to come up with this collage thingy that was to represent our future plans and actions for the 2009 initiatives and to-do’s. Later that day, each group presented their respective “works”. Good thing both groups were able to finish just on time, allowing some ample time to tour the estate and have some photo ops as well.

By 5:30 p.m. we were aboard our vans and homeward back to Manila. Dinner followed at Conti’s in Serendra for some post-birthday treat from the three team leads who celebrated their respective birthdays last November. Towards the end of our main course, we were sooo FULL that we had to take out the dessert that came with dinner. Thanks to Ms. Teng, Ms. Cathy, and Ms. Lily for the sumptuous dinner! Oh, and we also had the first leg of Kris Kingle that night. Guess what I got??? A Gary V. Karaoke CD! Nice!

There, I finally got myself to write about that event. I was almost on the brink of not blogging about it anymore – the holidays and all the anticipation for the long Christmas break is making me way too lazy than I want to. *sigh* I still have two more make-up posts coming up… 2 Christmas parties in a roll. Coming up next! ^_^

Us Women

I just wanna share two meaningful proses which I’ve picked up from my BDJ 2009 Planner. I thought it was a lovely read, especially for all my ladies out there.

* * * * * * *

Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Practice wellness.
Play with abandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Continue to learn.
Appreciate your friends.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.

- Mary Ann Radmacher

* * * * * * *

Why Every Woman Is Beautiful
(Anonymous)

Her heart loves
a rollercoaster ride
She cries. She laughs.
She falls in love.
Sometimes, cautiously.
Oftentimes, recklessly.
Her mind is on
a constant marathon.
Running. Running away.
Changing pace.
Turning around.
But never stopping.
Her dreams keep on flying.
They may not reach the sky
but will never ever take a dive.
Her hands touch
other people’s lives.
Constantly.
As if that is the reason
for their being.
But most of all,
every woman is beautiful
because she is both steel
and cotton candy
and everything in between.



*sigh*

I can sooo relate.

Cheers to being those complicated but very beautiful creations called women!

^_^

Of Friends And Acquaintances

A week ago, I met up with my old college friends whom I haven’t seen for quite some time. Our meeting place was at Gella’s in Las Piñas sometime around 5:30 p.m.

*Sigh*

I missed the place! I’ve been to Gella’s countless times before on given occasions – birthdays, drama practices, get-togethers – plus her mom’s the kindest hostess there ever was. (And did I mention she cooks one helluva killer menudo? Yummy!) Just like the good old times, I was the early bird as usual, while the rest of the crew arrived sometime past six in the evening. So good to see all of them again – Gella, Rhyzza, Marvin, Jhey, and Yayans.

Getting together with my college friends, I can’t help but compare how friendship was like back in college and now. Back then, we were a solid crew consisting of three guys and gals. Sure, we’re diverse and conflicts once in a while are inevitable. But at the end of the day the bond still stands. Some would reason that the four years we spent together within the walls of the university has got to be the big factor for the strong bond, but I say it’s more than that. It’s been more than four years after we graduated, and still it’s as if nothing’s changed. Though, I must admit, changes are apparent in terms of topics for discussion – from love life and notorious professors to career and a bit of national issues. In other words, we’ve matured in more ways than one BUT the friendship stays as if it was only yesterday when we were those unruly and pasaway BCS 41 in green and white uniform.

The bestest college barkada (L to R: Tantan, Jhey, Geh, Rhyzza, Marvin, Gella, Yayans, Issy, Wino)

*Sigh*

I wish I’d feel the same way about the people I am with right now. But truth be told, it’s hard to find true friends nowadays in a pool of acquaintances, especially at the workplace. If there’s one thing I’ve learned recently, no matter how much I’m willing to accept people for what they are – strengths, weaknesses, and all – they may not be willing to see past my outer demeanor and try to know the real me. It’s sad, but it’s one of the realities I must live by as an adult. Still, I’d like to believe that I’ve made true friends along the way, and that somehow the bond is for keeps. That is, setting aside my being a self-confessed bratinella with a frank attitude and a sharp tongue that could easily break a spirit if I choose to. This is me, after all; I’m not going to change who I am but I am trying to be better.

So what are we?

Are we friends or merely acquaintances?

Cheers! ^_^

The Ultimate Movie Day

I feel like it's been ages since I last spent my weekend in some major slack time. It's been, like, what? Two… three weeks since?

As for movies, well...

The last movie I saw was Twilight, and the movie buff in me was dying for the luxury of the big screen. So when we got to SM Mall of Asia last Saturday, screening times at the box office were the very first things I checked out. Oh goodie, Bolt was already showing! There's just one problem, though (Actually, make that two!): my dad wanted to watch the Keanu Reeves flick (The Day The Earth Stood Still) while mum wanted to see Four Christmases starring Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn. So how did we solve the dilemma? It was pretty easy, actually - we watched all three flicks! Talk about one ultimate movie day!


First movie: The Day The Earth Stood Still

I must admit that while I used to gush all over Keanu Reeves during The Matrix fame, somehow I couldn’t quite find the same charm he used to have when I watched the movie (Or at least that’s as far as the movie was concerned.) Sure, he's still good-looking and all BUT I couldn't quite bring myself to comprehend Reeves in a film that showcases extra-terrestrial subject in its main plot. Overall, I thought the movie was downright boring. I learned it was a remake of a classic film with the same title, but in my opinion the flick's not much of a buzz-worthy. Uhhm… next movie please.

After the first movie we decided to have lunch first at Mangan. As usual, it's been a good dining experience, not missing out on Bibingka with Quesong Puti and Puto Bumbong (Which I tried for the first time, by the way.) for dessert. By the end of lunch, FULL was an understatement for me and my family.



Second Movie: Four Christmases

If I hadn't known my mum better, the only reason she wanted to see the movie was pure curiosity as to why it topped the US box office, beating Twilight in terms of gross earnings during its opening week. Anyway, it's her turn to pay for the movies sans popcorn since we're still so full after the hearty lunch.

Two words: FUNNY and SWEET. Now, I never really was a Vince Vaughn fan, but somehow I liked how he laid out his role in the movie. As for Witherspoon, I've always thought of her as one of those underrated good actresses, but the onscreen tandem with Vaughn was just the right kind for the flick. There were many funny moments and still it was all too sweet! But, truth be told, I wouldn’t wanna be stuck in the middle of the movie’s plot in real life. As if the holidays ain’t stressful enough! Shheesshhh!!!


Third movie: Bolt

We still had two hours before our third and last movie. This gave me ample time to do some window shopping and some slack time as well. I ended up buying a simple top and a new pair of flats, and then I met up with my folks a few minutes before our designated screening time.

The good thing about Bolt was that the humor was never trying hard nor exaggerated. Bolt was simply adorable! Even my parents were laughing at the funny scenes in the movie. Count on Walt Disney to come up with a feel-good animated movie, the likes of Finding Nemo and Wall-E. Good thing this movie came in last on our itinerary; the humor helped to perk up the mood all the way home.


*Yawn*

I’m sleepy so I guess this is the part where I’ll be closing my entry. I still owe my readers two more make-up post; hopefully I can cook up something by tomorrow or at least before midweek sets in. But with all the festivities that are going to take place this week (Think: Christmas parties!), I can only wish myself good luck.

Whew!

Finally!

For a couple of days now, I’ve been pretty much hushed in terms of updating this blog because I’ve been VERY (And I mean VERY, VERY!) busy during the previous week. (That’s what I get from juggling deadlines at work; final course requirements before school term come to a close, and some spare time to do some workout at the gym – hectic!!!)

There will probably be three make-up posts which I’ll be putting up really soon – one is the long-overdue reunion with my college friends, and the other would be the planning session we had just recently with the whole SAQM – QPM crew. As for the third, well it’s actually more of a 3-in-1 movie review after spending what I call an extreme movie day with my folks over the weekend. The best breather – as mom calls it – after a so-called hell week. As for pictures, I’ll try my best to organize my albums over the weekend and upload them in my Multiply site. I think there will be 3 or 4 albums coming up.

Sigh.

It’s been one helluva week for me especially since I’ve been spending many nights gruelling and neglecting sleep. In fact, lack of sleep has taken its toll on my system – zits have been pretty much making their presence felt in my T-zone lately. Oh well, thank God for quick fixes like concealers and zit zappers!

Before anything else, this isn’t really much of a post – just a breather after the week that was. Much more stuff coming up pretty soon!

^_^

Solace

I miss you

But to even think of you is a grave mistake;

The sunset is closing in on us

And we have no choice but to part towards an indefinite night,

Never knowing when the sun will shine on us again;

They say I would just have to take solace in the nightingale's song

But how could I?

When I got used to watching the skylarks with you?

Life has its way of teaching us lessons,

And mine came in the hardest and the saddest

But my heart just never learns;

For even if I close our chapter with a promise of farewell,

My heart keeps looking back for traces of you;

I still keep fragments of our memories in my mind,

And like a lost child, I throw pieces of them along the way

So that maybe, just maybe

If my heart yearns for you too much

I can somehow find my way back to you -

To us.

Of Unconventional Kind

Remember how I’ve always been a self-confessed professional crammer? Well, it not only applies to my studies you know, but in terms of Christmas shopping as well. You see, I haven’t done a single Christmas shopping to check off any item on my Christmas list. BUT I manage to have my Christmas gift for my parents delivered just yesterday at home. Mind you, it’s not the typical all-wrapped-up-in-a-box kind of present; it’s more of the all-boxed-up-and-install kind.

Just a little segue: you know how the Pacquiao – De La Hoya match is coming up this Sunday, right? Well, dad’s been utterly excited about it because for the first time, he’s gonna watch it live via satellite after I bought a satellite cable for them and had it installed in their bedroom tv. (Which means it’s gonna be for their exclusive use!) Hehehe… talk about HBO-CNN marathon!

Well, at least that’s one item off of my Christmas list. I was watching the local news last night, and man, the malls were jam-packed with shoppers!!! Uggghhh! I wonder if it’s gonna be the same scenario when I do my last-minute Christmas shopping spree. Hopefully the crowd would have tapered off by then. If not, well… lots of luck to me then.

101 Truths

This entry marks my 101st to this blog… one-hundred-and-one memories; a hundred-and-one truths.

When I first started this site, I was merely considering joining the bandwagon that has enthralled most of my female clique – blogging. In fact, I wasn’t that confident about myself keeping up and was resigned that one of these days I’d eventually get tired of it and run out of things to write and share about. I said to myself. “Yeah, sure… but eventually this blogsite’s gonna close down.”

I was obviously wrong.

From food, dating escapades, rants and raves, love and lust, and just about anything and everything from the rollercoaster life that is so mine, it seems as if life is INDEED more than meets the eye; that there are more than a hundred-and-one visage to share. And as time progressed, blogging has become a therapy – not just for my mere physical – but for my emotional state as well. Of course, there’s still my handwritten day-to-day journal where I keep the most private and personal details of my life, but I guess sharing at least glimpses of whatever’s up with me and my so-called world is my own way of paying ode to a beautiful gift called Life.

Cheers to one-hundred-and-one truths!

Cheers to life!

^_^