...Is all I feel like doing now. I'm feeling very low today. And just for today, let me tell you how much I am disappointed with President GMA. This entry in Katie's blog said it all for me.
I hope I'll feel better come tomorrow morning. And yeah, salamat nga pala sa 3-day weekend, Madame President!
Friday, April 29, 2005
To whine...
that's what Mama said at 11:45 AM
________________________
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
The Culprit
Happy Birthday to my dear Mommy, the reason why Bruks and Brukikay (a.k.a. Me and my Mini-Me) were born in this world. May you have more happiness, more health and more blessings in this life.
that's what Mama said at 8:44 AM
________________________
Monday, April 25, 2005
Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever
Through the years, I've seen friends leave and have left friends behind for a lot of different reasons. It's a fact that as we age, we tend to see people come in and go out of our lives. There are those who permanently leave our lives. But there are still a lot who stay in touch, who, despite the distance, make their presence felt in our lives.
So long
Last week, I said goodbye to my dear friend Larah, who went off to the US, to undertake a new journey in her career. I will sorely miss our eating sprees (I told her I'll go on a diet while she's away) where we go on our endless laughing and whining at our lives. I will miss this person who shouts my name 10 meters away to ask me to get up for our bathroom breaks. I will miss the way she blows me a kiss, usually on Friday afternoons, or whenever she feels like it. More than anything else, I'll just miss having her around, even when there's nothing to talk about.
How long she'll be gone, or how long till I'll see her again, I am not certain. But I have faith in our friendship, and for now, that's enough to hold on to.
Welcome home
Around the same time last week, I had lunch with my friend Karen (and her hubby), who finally came to visit from Sydney after 3 long years. Despite the change in the physical appreance, she's still the same warm and cheerful person I know. She may look very sophisticated now, but she still talks in this cute little way that I have grown so fond of. It brought back good old memories of the almost 2 years we worked together, both fresh out of the university. She was witness to my colorful personal past, and cheered me on when I made my career jump into IT.
So much has happened in each of our lives since we said goodbye. She's happily settled into her married life in Sydney, while I have a young family of my own. We many not be as frequently in touch as ideally we should be, but I belive that true friendhip, like ours, remains even though we don't get to talk that often. I miss her more now. We vowed to see each other again soon--I'd surely like to see the place she now calls home.
So long
Last week, I said goodbye to my dear friend Larah, who went off to the US, to undertake a new journey in her career. I will sorely miss our eating sprees (I told her I'll go on a diet while she's away) where we go on our endless laughing and whining at our lives. I will miss this person who shouts my name 10 meters away to ask me to get up for our bathroom breaks. I will miss the way she blows me a kiss, usually on Friday afternoons, or whenever she feels like it. More than anything else, I'll just miss having her around, even when there's nothing to talk about.
How long she'll be gone, or how long till I'll see her again, I am not certain. But I have faith in our friendship, and for now, that's enough to hold on to.
Welcome home
Around the same time last week, I had lunch with my friend Karen (and her hubby), who finally came to visit from Sydney after 3 long years. Despite the change in the physical appreance, she's still the same warm and cheerful person I know. She may look very sophisticated now, but she still talks in this cute little way that I have grown so fond of. It brought back good old memories of the almost 2 years we worked together, both fresh out of the university. She was witness to my colorful personal past, and cheered me on when I made my career jump into IT.
So much has happened in each of our lives since we said goodbye. She's happily settled into her married life in Sydney, while I have a young family of my own. We many not be as frequently in touch as ideally we should be, but I belive that true friendhip, like ours, remains even though we don't get to talk that often. I miss her more now. We vowed to see each other again soon--I'd surely like to see the place she now calls home.
that's what Mama said at 8:23 AM
________________________
Thursday, April 21, 2005
A Mid-Week Gimik
Last night, I had an impromptu gimik with hubby, his client and the wife of the client. There was a lot of confusion before we got settled in for the night, due to repeated change of plans, courtesy of hubby (who said women are the only ones who are malabo?).
Finally, hubby decided on having dinner and a few drinks at Trellis in Market! Market!. Knowing that I wouldn't like the feel and aftertaste of beer the morning after, I passed on the drinks and just delightfully feasted on sisig. In between bottles of beer and pulutan, the 4 of us talked about work, our kid/s and family life in general. It's always nice to get to know people we work with on a more intimate level. However, there are also clients who become too close and too friendly-user (a play with the term user-friendly), who casually ask whatever favors (like, borrow money on a pay-as-you-can terms), which if not obliged with, will be detrimental to the business relationship. Hmm...ok I should not talk further about that, enough of that side comment. Mabait ako, sa blog at least. Heehee.
Before we called it a night, my cousin in law and her date joined us in Trelllis. Her date is a practising doctor (ENT) and incidentally, hubby has another terrible episode of colds. And what do you know, there was an instant consultation right there and then. Free pa (nagalit pa kunyari sa mga friendly-user)! And even more amusing was that he wrote the prescription at the back of the restaurant bill. Valid pala yun. So next time you see a doctor in the mall or in a restaurant, go and corner him! Hahaha
It was indeed a nice evening, hanging out al-fresco in Trellis on a breezy summer night. I guess I had way too much of sisig though, because when I woke up this morning, my tastebuds felt weird, like i still taste all the fats in my mouth. Worse, the mere thought of sisig makes me want to throw up. And guess what? I'm scheduled to have a lunch get-together today at Trellis again. Aaacckk!
Finally, hubby decided on having dinner and a few drinks at Trellis in Market! Market!. Knowing that I wouldn't like the feel and aftertaste of beer the morning after, I passed on the drinks and just delightfully feasted on sisig. In between bottles of beer and pulutan, the 4 of us talked about work, our kid/s and family life in general. It's always nice to get to know people we work with on a more intimate level. However, there are also clients who become too close and too friendly-user (a play with the term user-friendly), who casually ask whatever favors (like, borrow money on a pay-as-you-can terms), which if not obliged with, will be detrimental to the business relationship. Hmm...ok I should not talk further about that, enough of that side comment. Mabait ako, sa blog at least. Heehee.
Before we called it a night, my cousin in law and her date joined us in Trelllis. Her date is a practising doctor (ENT) and incidentally, hubby has another terrible episode of colds. And what do you know, there was an instant consultation right there and then. Free pa (nagalit pa kunyari sa mga friendly-user)! And even more amusing was that he wrote the prescription at the back of the restaurant bill. Valid pala yun. So next time you see a doctor in the mall or in a restaurant, go and corner him! Hahaha
It was indeed a nice evening, hanging out al-fresco in Trellis on a breezy summer night. I guess I had way too much of sisig though, because when I woke up this morning, my tastebuds felt weird, like i still taste all the fats in my mouth. Worse, the mere thought of sisig makes me want to throw up. And guess what? I'm scheduled to have a lunch get-together today at Trellis again. Aaacckk!
that's what Mama said at 10:39 AM
________________________
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
What It Takes To Be A Girl
Due to Mike's subtle hinting, I am here typing away to give you my dear readers something to read. Honestly, I haven't been inspired to write in the past days, apart from being too busy at work.
Anyway, today I decided to give myself a break and went to Hugo's right here in our office building to have my hair 'fixed'. You see, I've decided to grow my hair to medium length, but in the process, it has to go thru the bad-hair-months stage. So I went there just to have it trimmed a bit in different spots. But while discussing my hair-plans with my stylist, and after knowing that the hair relax that I intended to do next month is actually the same as the hair rebond--which I don't want to do because my Papa's not rich (hehe) and I feel that flat hair will just emphasize my round face--we finally settled for a hair spa.
The result: my hair feels softer and more manageable. And with the not-so-measly amount it cost me, I hope the effects will last for some time. I sensed a bit of disappointment in hubby's voice when he heard how much I paid for it, but I hope when he looks at me later, he'll forget all about it. Heehee.
Anyway, today I decided to give myself a break and went to Hugo's right here in our office building to have my hair 'fixed'. You see, I've decided to grow my hair to medium length, but in the process, it has to go thru the bad-hair-months stage. So I went there just to have it trimmed a bit in different spots. But while discussing my hair-plans with my stylist, and after knowing that the hair relax that I intended to do next month is actually the same as the hair rebond--which I don't want to do because my Papa's not rich (hehe) and I feel that flat hair will just emphasize my round face--we finally settled for a hair spa.
The result: my hair feels softer and more manageable. And with the not-so-measly amount it cost me, I hope the effects will last for some time. I sensed a bit of disappointment in hubby's voice when he heard how much I paid for it, but I hope when he looks at me later, he'll forget all about it. Heehee.
that's what Mama said at 2:19 PM
________________________
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
A Happy 31st Birthday
Birthday Treats
My birthday officially started when midnight struck. I woke up some minutes before 12mn and realised that hubby wasn't home yet from his badminton game. I was starting to feel pissed because he might be actually missing the chance to be the first one to greet me on my birthday--and I'm such a sucker for this, it's important to me that he'd be the first one. He finally called me 5 minutes before 12, started to sing happy birthday, and sulkingly I said, "You're not yet here". He said he's already in the subdivision and was delayed looking for a small candle. He proceeded telling me that my birthday cake this time is a piece of North Park siopao asado, my favorite ;). He finally arrived when midnight struck, and true enough, he was the first one to greet me on my 31st birthday. Buti na lang, umabot sya.
The next day, my birthday celebration took off via a lunch treat at Tempura Misono Buffet in Hyatt Regency Manila. Hubby and I feasted on maki rolls, sushi, tempura and misono. I'm not sure anymore how many trips we made back to the buffet, but it was a day to just splurge and be merry, after all it's my birthday! As a gift from the restaurant, we had a cup each of ice cream. The green tea flavor was quite nice, but the red bean one was, well, "lasang hopia". Heehee.
After lunch we went to the Palacio Arsobispado, hoping to have the Princess's baptismal certificate annotated. However, we were told the the office is closed for the rest of the afternoon as there is a funeral mass for the Pope in Luneta that same afternoon.
We then made our way to Pan Pacific Hotel to our favorite massage and foot reflexology place--Regent Foot Spa. The place, as I heard, initially only offered foot reflexology services, but eventually ventured into other reflexology services. During the first time I went here last year, I immediately liked the body massage service and vowed to go back. For a price of 600 pesos, I got a 1 hour and 15 minute foot and whole body massage, plus endless supply of hot chinese tea. Let me clarify though that ambience-wise, this is not your typical spa place. The hallways are dimly-lit, that you'll think it's some sleazy girly bar. Well, most of the customers are Japanese businessmen, but rest assured, the place is clean. Each room has 2 lazy boys and a TV set. The oil they use is just baby oil and this mint-smelling lotion, efficascent-smell wafts throughout the room. Guests are asked to change into generic button-up polo shirts and gym shorts--both for male and female (male guests are not allowed to be shirt-less). However basic the facilities maybe, they give the best massage service out of all that I have tried. Having a massage here always makes me want to come back for more. And I definitely will.
In the evening, we brought Max's fried chicken, pancit canton (what's a birthday without pancit) and lumpia to take home.
These welcomed me when I reached home.
The cute card is from my friend Ces from Perth and the gift (the wrapping is so nice that I took my time before I finally opened it), Chocolate for a Woman's Courage, is from dear Tin.
Fast forward to Monday, I was welcomed by this gift from my friend Larah, on my desk at work.
The card read "hope this brings you closer to Him", and I immediately knew it's a Holy Bible. Yey, one more wish off my list!
I am quite excited about this year. I don't know...But I just feel that this year has a lot of good things in store for me. Yes, I am 31 and loving it (to borrow the title of my previous post).
Wedding at the Park
Last saturday, we attended my hubby's friend's wedding at Paco Park. Hubby became an instant candle sponsor, as the one who's supposed to do it didn't make it. The priest-celebrant was an old teacher/friend of hubby at Don Bosco Makati, and we had a good time catching up with him and updating him on our married life. Let these pictures tell the rest of the story.
Have a good week everyone!
My birthday officially started when midnight struck. I woke up some minutes before 12mn and realised that hubby wasn't home yet from his badminton game. I was starting to feel pissed because he might be actually missing the chance to be the first one to greet me on my birthday--and I'm such a sucker for this, it's important to me that he'd be the first one. He finally called me 5 minutes before 12, started to sing happy birthday, and sulkingly I said, "You're not yet here". He said he's already in the subdivision and was delayed looking for a small candle. He proceeded telling me that my birthday cake this time is a piece of North Park siopao asado, my favorite ;). He finally arrived when midnight struck, and true enough, he was the first one to greet me on my 31st birthday. Buti na lang, umabot sya.
The next day, my birthday celebration took off via a lunch treat at Tempura Misono Buffet in Hyatt Regency Manila. Hubby and I feasted on maki rolls, sushi, tempura and misono. I'm not sure anymore how many trips we made back to the buffet, but it was a day to just splurge and be merry, after all it's my birthday! As a gift from the restaurant, we had a cup each of ice cream. The green tea flavor was quite nice, but the red bean one was, well, "lasang hopia". Heehee.
After lunch we went to the Palacio Arsobispado, hoping to have the Princess's baptismal certificate annotated. However, we were told the the office is closed for the rest of the afternoon as there is a funeral mass for the Pope in Luneta that same afternoon.
We then made our way to Pan Pacific Hotel to our favorite massage and foot reflexology place--Regent Foot Spa. The place, as I heard, initially only offered foot reflexology services, but eventually ventured into other reflexology services. During the first time I went here last year, I immediately liked the body massage service and vowed to go back. For a price of 600 pesos, I got a 1 hour and 15 minute foot and whole body massage, plus endless supply of hot chinese tea. Let me clarify though that ambience-wise, this is not your typical spa place. The hallways are dimly-lit, that you'll think it's some sleazy girly bar. Well, most of the customers are Japanese businessmen, but rest assured, the place is clean. Each room has 2 lazy boys and a TV set. The oil they use is just baby oil and this mint-smelling lotion, efficascent-smell wafts throughout the room. Guests are asked to change into generic button-up polo shirts and gym shorts--both for male and female (male guests are not allowed to be shirt-less). However basic the facilities maybe, they give the best massage service out of all that I have tried. Having a massage here always makes me want to come back for more. And I definitely will.
In the evening, we brought Max's fried chicken, pancit canton (what's a birthday without pancit) and lumpia to take home.
These welcomed me when I reached home.
The cute card is from my friend Ces from Perth and the gift (the wrapping is so nice that I took my time before I finally opened it), Chocolate for a Woman's Courage, is from dear Tin.
Fast forward to Monday, I was welcomed by this gift from my friend Larah, on my desk at work.
The card read "hope this brings you closer to Him", and I immediately knew it's a Holy Bible. Yey, one more wish off my list!
I am quite excited about this year. I don't know...But I just feel that this year has a lot of good things in store for me. Yes, I am 31 and loving it (to borrow the title of my previous post).
Wedding at the Park
Last saturday, we attended my hubby's friend's wedding at Paco Park. Hubby became an instant candle sponsor, as the one who's supposed to do it didn't make it. The priest-celebrant was an old teacher/friend of hubby at Don Bosco Makati, and we had a good time catching up with him and updating him on our married life. Let these pictures tell the rest of the story.
Have a good week everyone!
that's what Mama said at 12:39 PM
________________________
Monday, April 11, 2005
I'm 31 and loving it!
Let me start off my birthday (belated) blog with a post listing all the things that I want to achieve for the rest of my lifetime here on earth. I got the inspiration for this post from a story written by John Goddard in Chicken Soup for the Soul. He wrote his "My Life List" when he was 15 years old, which contained 127 things he wanted to achieve in his life.
I would like to share with you my own My Life List. I think it will be an ongoing endeavor on my part to update this list--for additions or better, for an item successfully achieved.
1. Build my dream house (in the city)
2. Buy a rest house in the province
3. Work abroad at least one more time (Singapore maybe)
4. Have another baby
5. Travel around Europe and takes lots of photos (especially in the Vatican)
6. Learn how to swim
7. Engage in a sport that I can be passionate about
8. Learn and master all types of ballroom dancing
9. Play honest-to-goodness basketball
10. Design my own webpage (and for other people)
11. Go up the Statue of Liberty
12. Ride a yellow cab in New York
13. Master photography
14. Sit on top of the Grand Canyons
15. Have a picture with Piolo Pascual
16. Climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge
17. Learn to snorkel
18. Snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef
19. Go on a relief mission for calamity victims
20. Sponsor a kid (not a relative) thru school
21. Go to Palawan
22. Go to Camiguin
23. Go to the tip of Aurora Province, where the Pacific Ocean touches the land
24. Sunbathe in Hawaii
25. Visit Beijing and the Great Wall of China
26. Go up the Petronas Towers
27. And up that building in Taiwan
28. Get a special tour inside the US Air Force One airplane (I have yet to figure out how)
29. Have a TV and DVD set all to myself
30. Meet Manny Pacquiao
31. Watch a U2 concert
32. Sing with a band in front a crowd
33. Do a Da Vinci Code tour
34. Learn a new language
35. Take an Asian cruise
36. Appear in a print or TV ad (paging Anne and Dez - pwede ako labandera!) -- partially accomplished when our wedding pic appeared in Merlene Marcelo's ad for a bridal magazine
37. Have a personal weight trainer
38. Go to Disneyland, US and HK (even when I am old and gray, magpapakuha ako with Mickey Mouse)
39. Watch a play in Broadway, NY
40. Visit Vigan and Pagudpud
41. Take a Carribean cruise (memories of Love Affair)
42. Have a second car (I want an Altis!)
43. Get married again in church--to the same man
On another note, I celebrated my birthday with a date with my hubby last Friday, details of which will be elaborated here when I have time.
Thanks to all my friends, online and otherwise, who took the time out to greet me on my special day.
I would like to share with you my own My Life List. I think it will be an ongoing endeavor on my part to update this list--for additions or better, for an item successfully achieved.
1. Build my dream house (in the city)
2. Buy a rest house in the province
3. Work abroad at least one more time (Singapore maybe)
4. Have another baby
5. Travel around Europe and takes lots of photos (especially in the Vatican)
6. Learn how to swim
7. Engage in a sport that I can be passionate about
8. Learn and master all types of ballroom dancing
9. Play honest-to-goodness basketball
10. Design my own webpage (and for other people)
11. Go up the Statue of Liberty
12. Ride a yellow cab in New York
13. Master photography
14. Sit on top of the Grand Canyons
15. Have a picture with Piolo Pascual
16. Climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge
17. Learn to snorkel
18. Snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef
19. Go on a relief mission for calamity victims
20. Sponsor a kid (not a relative) thru school
21. Go to Palawan
22. Go to Camiguin
23. Go to the tip of Aurora Province, where the Pacific Ocean touches the land
24. Sunbathe in Hawaii
25. Visit Beijing and the Great Wall of China
26. Go up the Petronas Towers
27. And up that building in Taiwan
28. Get a special tour inside the US Air Force One airplane (I have yet to figure out how)
29. Have a TV and DVD set all to myself
30. Meet Manny Pacquiao
31. Watch a U2 concert
32. Sing with a band in front a crowd
33. Do a Da Vinci Code tour
34. Learn a new language
35. Take an Asian cruise
36. Appear in a print or TV ad (paging Anne and Dez - pwede ako labandera!) -- partially accomplished when our wedding pic appeared in Merlene Marcelo's ad for a bridal magazine
37. Have a personal weight trainer
38. Go to Disneyland, US and HK (even when I am old and gray, magpapakuha ako with Mickey Mouse)
39. Watch a play in Broadway, NY
40. Visit Vigan and Pagudpud
41. Take a Carribean cruise (memories of Love Affair)
42. Have a second car (I want an Altis!)
43. Get married again in church--to the same man
On another note, I celebrated my birthday with a date with my hubby last Friday, details of which will be elaborated here when I have time.
Thanks to all my friends, online and otherwise, who took the time out to greet me on my special day.
that's what Mama said at 5:05 PM
________________________
Monday, April 04, 2005
Ano ako, hilo?
I received this text message last week:
from 09282292317: SMART PADALA: U won a nokia 7610 from our network. To claim your prize please call toll free no. 09282292317. DTI NCR permit #2838 series of 2005. God bless.
To which i replied: YEAH, RIGHT!
About a month ago, my hubby received the same message on his phone, and I don't know what came over him (he probably got so focused on the first sentence of the message), he actually called the number. Luckily, he was told to call back, and he had a chance to call the Smart Customer Service to verify the message. According to Smart, they don't have such promotions and messages coming from Smart would be from 4-digit numbers.
Sorry for these scammers, I am not THAT gullible. And as for hubby, he may have been not prudent enough initially, but I know that if ever he would be asked to deposit money to a certain account in exchange for the phone, he'd be wise enough to back out altogether.
So if any of you Smart (or maybe even Globe) users receive a similar message, reply back with a sarcastic remark, such as that indicated in the title of this entry.
The nerve!!!
from 09282292317: SMART PADALA: U won a nokia 7610 from our network. To claim your prize please call toll free no. 09282292317. DTI NCR permit #2838 series of 2005. God bless.
To which i replied: YEAH, RIGHT!
About a month ago, my hubby received the same message on his phone, and I don't know what came over him (he probably got so focused on the first sentence of the message), he actually called the number. Luckily, he was told to call back, and he had a chance to call the Smart Customer Service to verify the message. According to Smart, they don't have such promotions and messages coming from Smart would be from 4-digit numbers.
Sorry for these scammers, I am not THAT gullible. And as for hubby, he may have been not prudent enough initially, but I know that if ever he would be asked to deposit money to a certain account in exchange for the phone, he'd be wise enough to back out altogether.
So if any of you Smart (or maybe even Globe) users receive a similar message, reply back with a sarcastic remark, such as that indicated in the title of this entry.
The nerve!!!
that's what Mama said at 9:19 AM
________________________
John Paul II, We Love You
A lot has been said, but I just want to have a say in my own way...
Thank you, Pope, for touching each of our lives with your greatness and with your humility.
Our generation has been very blessed to have known such man.
Thank you, Pope, for touching each of our lives with your greatness and with your humility.
Our generation has been very blessed to have known such man.
that's what Mama said at 7:24 AM
________________________
