Some Kind of Homecoming...

Remember my "My To Do" entry in January? Am proud to say that most of it I have done this year (yeyyy for me) but sadly, some fell between the cracks.

Anyway, after a whole year of procrastinating, I went to DFA for the "personal appearance" part of the renewal of my passport (yeah, I just stayed in Manila this year, poor me). You know, it was a good thing that I renewed my passport online via the Pilipinas Teleserve Inc. When I got there, it only took me less than 5 minutes. No kidding!!! I was just asked to check if all the information printed on a paper were correct and was asked to thumbmark it, said it will be delivered on the date I requested. Wow! I was impressed.

Since it was still early for my 11:30am appointment, I decided to go to DLSU and renew my DLSAA alumni card. It was only a few kilometers away.

It was kind of weird being there. It brought back happy memories...with my blockmates, going to Harrison Plaza during long breaks, eating at Aristo and having my favorite Chicken Yakitori *wide grin*

Going to the 2nd floor to the DLSAA Office, I had to visit the Chapel of The Most Blessed Sacrament. "Someone coming home immediately heads towards the place that is most familiar, the place where one finds comfort, warmth, serenity. For the Lasallian student or alumnus, the Chapel serves as this sanctum, a place where one feels truly home." It was a homecoming of sorts. It was a good one.





Well, enough of the reminiscing. Mission accomplished. My card renewed. Bought some stuff at the alumni office and some DLSU stickers at the bookstore *yipeee*

It will be a long while again before I come back. Maybe next year?

"Do I Dazzle You?"

Few reasons why a lot of girls love Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.

A normal guy would say:
"I love you, baby!"

Edward would say:
"You are my life now."



As you leave the house, a normal guy would say:
"Bye. See ya!"

Edward would say:
"Hurry back to me."


While you've gone far away, a normal guy would say:
"I miss you."

Edward would say:
"It's like you've taken half myself with you."


If you died, a normal guy would find another.
Edward would kill himself because life without you isn't worth living.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Video courtesy of mj88svi.

Rihanna and Chris Brown in Manila

Rihanna and Chris Brown? back-to-back???
Whaaaaaaaaaaat??????

MTV Philippines is bringing 2 of the hottest and biggest R&B acts to hit the music industry. Mark your calendars, Sunday, 16 November 2008, at the Bonifacio Global City Open Field. Get your tickets now to avail of the early bird promo.



Contact ticketworld: www.ticketworld.com.ph at 891-9999

Cute nito!

Check out their website.

Sorry, not available for "pilings."

Taste of Europe

Cine Europa is back in Manila for the 11th year. All 17 movies are highly recommended. I've already watched two last Friday ("100 Steps" from Italy and "Colorado Avenue" from Finland) and Cine Europa goers clapped after their endings. I think that says a lot about the quality of the films.

We're planning to watch the other movies this week *wink*

I strongly suggest you catch at least one and you'll know what I mean.

It runs until 21 September at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City. Admission to the screenings is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Please visit the Embassy of France website for synopsis and schedule.

Poster from the Embassy of France website.

Something Something

Since last week, I've not been feeling well, probably because of stress in the office and probably from many other things. The effect was quite tolerable until I experienced what I thought was a simple upset stomach Monday morning which turned out to be a gastrointestinal something something (I forgot the term used by the clinic doctor). Initially, she asked me if I experience frequent burping *burp* (oops excuse me), chest pains (!!!), bloated feeling, in other words, “general discomfort.”

Somewhere in the Q & A, she mentioned heartburn, which frightened me. I thought it had something to do with the heart, which is not true. It turns out that it is a digestive problem. At least it’s not a heart problem, thank God for that. So it’s a digestive problem. She showed this leaflet and explained what could have caused this: stress, bad eating and sleeping habits, coffee, alcohol, smoking (and other bad things hehe).

In conclusion of my consultation, I was prescribed 2 medicines, an antacid and another medicine and of course, informed me of SOME things to avoid:

• Avoid high-fat meals. Fats can slow down/delay gastric emptying.
• Eat small, more frequent meals rather than large meals.
• Don’t eat within two to three hours of going to bed.
• Avoid tight-fitting clothing, especially after a meal.
• Lose weight if over weight.
• Don’t exercise immediately after eating.
• Avoid eating late night snacks altogether, since lying down soon after eating will almost always worsen the problem.
• Smoking and drinking alcohol can worsen heartburn.
• Some prescription medications can cause heartburn.
• To reduce night time episodes of heartburn, elevate the head of your bed four to six inches.
• Some over-the counter medications can cause heartburn.
• Avoid: chocolates, fatty meals, coffee, alcohol, onions, peppermint and spearmint, tomato-based products, and beans.

Okay, okay. I am guilty of some of those listed above *sigh* and I have to do something and sacrifice some things.

I guess, its better than experiencing that terrible discomfort again.

Hey, btw, this gastrointestinal something something can recur *double sigh*

US Open - Day 15

The usual 14 days of grand slam games extended to 15 days due to rains last Saturday, delaying the games for a day.

All I can say is, he is back! Roger Federer, now 5 time US Open champion, won in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 defeating world no. 6, 21-year old Scot Andy Murray. He was in his old form: his deadly inside out forehand, his quickness and aggressiveness (I love his serve and volley style). He showed so much confidence as the game progressed. I saw the second and third set live on "Balls" Tuesday morning before leaving for work (and watched the whole game on replay the other night) and boy, was I so happy for him. It broke my heart when he lost to Nadal in the Wimbledon finals *sigh* he could have gotten another slam under his belt that time. On the other hand, I felt sad for Andy. After defeating world no. 1 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, I actually thought Andy can win against Roger (remember Andy is 2-1 head-to-head with Roger in hardcourt). Great match! For Roger: GO FOR 14!!!



In the women's side. Serena Williams won in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5 against Serbian Jelena Jankovic. Serena was all power (same could be said about her sister Venus). You could hear her grunts all over hehe. As for Jelena, she will be a force to reckon with in the coming tournaments. A couple of more grand slam experience and she'll be ready. Serena is back to world number 1 after 5 years (last time she was no. 1 was in 2003). Jelena, by the way, is now world no. 2 and Ana Ivanovic is down to no. 3.

Now that the last grand slam of the year is over, next important tournament would be the year ending Sony Ericsson Championship in Doha in November for the women's and the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai for the men's side also in November. And yes, a lot of players will be looking forward to who will be the year-ending number 1 for both sides. That's also a big deal.

Next grand slam will be the Australian Open (Melbourne Park, starting 19 Jan to 1 Feb 2009). Can't wait!

Images from: http://www.serenawilliams.com/ and http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/index.cfm

How...

and

Something New

The other day, I was looking for a key chain that will go with my new keys, something that will represent me, as in me.

So I looked for one in my collection.

Thought of using this one, but I thought its so KrisA.

How about this one, a 'pasalubong.' But I remembered, it should be personal. E hindi pa nga ako nakakapunta ng Guam e.

Or this, an Asian Games key chain...hmmm...pero hindi latest. hehehe

Then, I remembered seeing something a few days back that caught my attention, which I thought could work. It was a cellphone charm. I said to myself, I'll just remove the black thingie so I can use the other part as a key chain.

So this is how it looks like. Its so me.

Got the "R" and the tennis racket (bought separately as cellphone charms) from Comic Alley in Megamall. Actually, the "R" stands for Ryoma Echizen, the main character in the popular Japanese manga, Prince of Tennis. Btw, manga is the Japanese word for comics or print cartoon and anime is animated cartoon. And the tennis racket represents my love for tennis. Une passion la tennis, sabi ko nga sa aking French beginners class :)

So, that's the story of my search for my key chain.

After the Storm

(sharing lang...)

It's very hard to lose a love one, lalo na kung magulang. I should know.

Biro mo, lagi natin silang kasama since nung maliit pa tayo hanggang sa paglaki natin. Andyan lang sila sa tabi natin. Parang pader ba.

I really felt a void after I lost my Dad. It was only after that I realized how much I loved him, how important he was. Nung mawala siya, dun ko na na-realize na kung kahit brown out, na sobrang dilim (uso brown out noon), basta alam kong andyan siya with us, walang rason para matakot. Maliit na bagay pero ang lakas ng dating sa akin.

When I went back to work after a week, I felt some kind of attachment to everyone who was close to me. Ang weird talaga. Call it senti or arte pero totoo ito. I realized and was suddenly afraid I could lose them anytime.

I miss my Dad. I miss my Mama. But I know they are happy. I am comforted with the thought na hindi na mahihirapan si Mama. God is always good and He knows what is best.

A former boss told me, "You're lucky if you still have a parent. You are extremely lucky if you still have both your parents."

Kaya kayo, love your parents.

As for me, don't worry, I'm okay.

My Prayer

Dear Lord,
Thank you for sharing Mama with us. We know she is very happy, pain-free, worry-free. Magkasama na sila ni Daddy. We know how much she missed Dad when he passed away. They are both with You now.

My kuya, my sister and I are truly grateful for the very precious time You have let them spent with us. We know how much they worked hard for us---for us to have a comfortable life...for us to have a good future.

Give her eternal rest, O Lord, and may Your light shine upon her forever. Receive her soul and present her to God the Most High. May her soul rest in peace.

In Jesus' name. Amen.


I love you, Mama! I love you, Dad!



It was my Mama's 40th day last Friday.
On behalf of my family, thank you for your sympathy, support, and concern when they were needed so much.

Tony and Indy

Iron Man is one of the best movies I've seen this year.

Prior to watching the movie, I had no idea who Iron Man (the comic book hero) was. All I knew was Robert Downey, Jr. was in it. I thought it was going to be another Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (sorry, I didn't like that one). I was hoping it's going to be different and I was not dissappointed.
Robert Downey, Jr. has matured a lot (age and experience) and the role of Tony Stark suited him well. He still has that "pa-cute" side of him (but done in a millionnaire/all business kind of way).
Before his brush with the law in the late 1990s, I considered him as one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. (I fell in love with Robert in his previous movies, "Chances Are" and "Only You").
I hope he continues this upswing in his career. He deserves it.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Despite the old age, Harrison Ford is still Indiana Jones, Jr.

If you're going to compare the latest franchise with the last one (that being Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989), you will be dissappointed. But if you're mababaw like me, you will definitely enjoy it. It's been 19 years, yup 19 years, since we've last seen Indy and we missed his great adventures. He's still afraid of snakes (like me) and has the best smart-ass one liners. My advice is: just enjoy the ride!

Movie posters from wikipedia.com

Beach-ing Again

Who said there was a tropical depression? (Actually, tropical depression COSME was just around the corner).
Last weekend, we had our summer outing at Sandbar Boquete Beach Resort in Puerto Galera. We left Manila at 6:30am and reached the resort before noon (the boat ride to the resort took longer than expected because of the strong waves).
To sum it all up and just like what my friend Tess said, "We have conquered the big waves....our fears....and we have been blessed! We had a great time!"


See our pics here.

Prayer Before Work

Prayer Before Work

Lord, as I start the day, let me remember how blessed and

lucky I am to be in my job.

Remind me to be grateful for the work I do,

the people I meet and the wage I receive.

Keep me cooperative with my colleagues and

friendly to the people I serve.

If I have to complain, make me think of the common good and

later of my own welfare.

Help me to be honest in my dealings and

responsible in the task assigned to me.

Make me aware that in my work, I bring your work to completion.

Amen.

HBs LLB Weekend

Ahhhh! This is the life!

Click for more pics here and here.

Happy Anniversary!

---Yan ang sabi ng blog ko.

It's been one year since my first blog entry. Haaay. Never thought that it would last this long...
Anyway, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving comments. Flattering ang dating e. Pag ganun kasi alam ko may nagbabasa ng blog ko. hehehe.
I admit, I am not a good writer. Erase, erase. I admit, I am not a writer. Dito sa blog ko, I just write things kung pano ko siya sasabihin.
Ang wish ko, sana, magkalat si Lord ng "good writing skills" at ma-ambunan ako *yipeeeee*

Superhero Movie

Ok lang...

Movie poster from empiremovies.com

Shameless!

Shameless plugging that is.

I have been using Bath and Body Desserts Eau de Vanille Moisturizing Cologne Mist since January. All I can say is...sobrang bango, sobrang sarap niya. Kung pwede lang siyang kainin, kakainin ko. Pramis! Everytime I use it, lahat ng katabi ko nagtatanong kung sino yon. hehehehe!

You should also try their Eau de Pomme. Nakakagutom rin.

Clarification, cologne ang mga ito, hindi desserts. hahahaha!

Marami pang items, just check out their site.

http://bathandbodydesserts.multiply.com/

Okay din siya as gifts ;)

Going to order again soon =)

New Toy!

Pathetic na yung Casio digicam ko.

Kaya...

...Red na Sony Cyber Shot T100 na New Toy ko!

T100 pics from www.sony.com.ph

20 Questions

1. At what age do/did you wish to marry? 25 (sinong may comment dyan? ha?)


2. What color do you like most? Orange


3. If you can have a superpower, what would it be? Supergirl


4. If you can travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go? Europe!


5. Which part of you that you have the most? All over! demmet!


6. When you get sad, what do you do? I shop!


7. What are you afraid to lose the most? My family. My friends.


8. If you win $1 million, what would you do with the money? Pay all utangs. Put up a business. Invest on land. Buy several condo units.


9. What do you love the most last year (2007)? Lost weight...but gained them all back in the last quarter =(


10. What is your New Year's resolution? Save more, spend less (fingers crossed)


11. What is the moment you regret most? None.


12. What type of person do you hate the most? Bitches! Assholes!


13. What is your greatest asset? My family and friends.


14. If you had one wish, what would you wish for? Good health to all the people I love.


15. How did you celebrate the New Year? With my family


16. Name the one body part your hubby or boyfriend tells you he adores. Sabi...yung hair ko...oo nga noon yon, di na ngayon! demmet!


17. It's 2008. What are you looking forward to this year? Saving more! Loving more!


18. Anything in your life that you wish weren't so awful? Hmmm...parang ala naman...


19. What's the shallowest thing you intend to do this year? Hmmmm...di ko pa naisip yan


20. What is the one thing you can't give up? People I love.


Am tagging...anyone who's interested to do this.


Cheers!

Prayer For Patience

O Lord, grant me this day the grace to be patient

in every difficulty that I may face
with regard to my work and my relationships.
Help me not be upset when things do not turn out according to my expectations.
Let me offer my disappointments and discomforts to you

so that I may avoid murmuring and complaining about my troubles.

No matter what comes my way, help me to carry on.
Amen.