ami

i have huge crush on Ami James right now. Sky Cable has this special preview of one of their Platinum channels every month. and this month, they're showing Discovery Travel and Living, which is the home of Miami Ink. and the show's really fascinating me, Ami being on it is just a bonus. so back to Ami --- he's someone who is totally crush-worthy:

• he's a business man. he owns that tattoo shop that is featured in the show, and a club as well. for me being business-minded shows he has guts and a high-level of maturity.
• he's really good at what he does. those tattoo arts are amazing! and i've always admired more the people who can do something that i cannot do.
• of course he's cute. i would not have a crush on someone who is not at least physically appealing. and biased ako sa mga kalbo na gwapo.
• he's funny.
• and he's a total bad ass. i haven't heard so much bleeps in one show. he also throws some things (like pencils) at people (like his buddies/work mates) at times when he's pissed... i think we'll get along pretty well. hehehe! :D

sayang wala sa totoo buhay si Ami. or at least wala sya sa totoo KONG buhay. so even when i have to render over time work on most days, i try to be home before 11pm and continue work at home if needed. 11pm is Miami Ink season 3 reruns on TLC. yes, that's how much i like the show. now, let's see if it would be reason enough for me to shell out 400-pesos extra per month just to upgrade my cable subscription.

yada yada yada yada

yay!!! i finally have internet at home again. i've been internet-deprived since Sunday, and i just got it back yesterday. i was getting so pissed at Globe already when it still was not available by Monday night. they came by on Wednesday morning and discovered that at fault all that time was the electrical wiring in my condo! some wire short-circuited on the 15th floor. and they had the gall to ask me to pay for the wire they used to replace the one that short-circuited. now i love Globe again, and i hate my condo again. and since it's nearly April, i think i will be entertaining the thought of moving out again... let's see. ------------------------------------------------------------ since a lot of people are still asking, yes i am still very busy. but i really really hope it will be over soon. when i say that, people try to console me by saying something like "well, that's ok. you're getting rich anyway". now just to put an end to all that nonsense, believe me that that is not the case. if you know me, then you know that i prefer to work, and work better during the night. it's easier for me to work until sunrise, than to come in the office before 10am. so when things matter, i give it my best. and what's best is for me to take advantage of my strengths, which translates to working at night. and unfortunately translates also to being late for work (i can't help it, i still love to sleep). and even if i get a lot of scolding for this behavior (though it's less now than before), i still believe that after all things considered, it's more beneficial than detrimental for my work. and of course, i pay for being late, literally. but i need money especially to pay for my outrageous rent. so i offset some of the salary deductions by getting paid for the extra hours i put in (at night, of course). and that's my financial story. so now, on the very rare times that i get to meet you, my other non-office friends, stop bugging me to treat you! ------------------------------------------------------------ i don't want to say that i'm workaholic. i'd rather say that i'm dedicated. ok, stop laughing. to prove that i am still not workaholic, i went out tonight (yes, friday night. social life. yay!). and that's considering i have to make a build tomorrow and i still have some code to put in. so clap clap for my efforts (please?). i finally got to watch twilight. i read the books (thanks Mapet!) so i expected to be disappointed even with my very low expectations. and guess what, i was right. what i hated:

• Rosalie, Esme and Jacob are ugly
• isn't Eric supposed to be nerdy and pimply, and not gay?
• the makeup. is it too much to ask to at least even out the pale white foundation/powder, and put some on the necks of those actors??? (and i usually don't care about this but it really bothered me)
• Jasper looks constipated
• Edward looks like he's smelling something really bad when he's supposed to be in pain, and he looks constipated also
• it could be the screenplay, or the directing, or the acting. but at least one of those is to blame for the bad story telling

what could be better:

• i wish Edward smiled more, he's supposed to have this really nice smile
• i wish Alice was more bubbly, and had more screen time
• i wish all of them Cullens would be more regal, and graceful. Edward was a slouch.

what i liked:

• the baseball scene
• Alice's pitch. did you see that right leg?!?!? she kicked so high, and her foot was pointed and all... it was so pretty.
• the dad. i think he's the only one who more or less satisfied the idea of what i had in mind when i was reading the book

the verdict: i don't regret watching it, but i won't buy the DVD (and that's a harsh punishment). however, i'll probably still watch the sequel/s if they come out. ------------------------------------------------------------ speaking of DVDs, i finally had the time to clean and reorganize my collection last Sunday (all 160 of them. no internet, what do you do? me, i cleaned my room). so now they are all so prettily arranged, and i have space again for more! yay! I HAVE SPACE FOR MORE! so now you have an idea of what you can get me for Christmas. hihihi! :D but ok, if you want specifics:

• Friends Season 8, 9 or 10
• Iron Man (i love the steel case version, so freakin' expensive though so i'm still undecided if i should it get it or not)
• Bourne Ultimatum (2-Disc), Hulk (the one with Edward Norton), Wanted (James McAvoy ftw!)
• i haven't updated it in a while but i still want these
• a revolving/rotating (?) DVD-rack
• Absolute Sandman Volume 4 (i'm waiting for Fully Booked to go on 20% off sale before i buy it)
• Fables Volume 11
• if you're rich and/or you love me, you can buy this for 11k at Fully Booked
• breakfast! (yes, i love breakfast food but not in the morning)
• and as always, i like things that are personal (handmade, personalized, one of a kind). but no paintings from J please, don't get any ideas. :P

(ok, back to work. advance merry christmas everyone!)

PED XING: A PSHS Fund-raising concert

Poster grabbed from Dac's blog

THIS IS IT! November 29, 2008 5pm - 12am PSHS Gym, Agham Road, Diliman, QC It's finally tomorrow! Please come and support us. For more details, check this out.

achooo!!! sniff sniff...

i can't remember when is the last time i had a cold AND cough at the same time. i'm miserable. my nose hurts. when i cough i sound like a dog. all day i feel like sneezing pero syempre hindi natutuloy. can you imagine how much that hurts? my eyes are tearing like crazy. and it's very hard to sleep. i have to be half-sitting just to get some shut-eye (as in 45-degree angle. thank goodness for my 5 pillows). and i miss food! or rather, i miss tasting food! did i say i'm miserable? i'm sooo miserable. and i'm hungry. anyway, just ranting. be careful to not catch what i have.

friday

i really need to unwind. dinner. movie. videoke. dvd marathon. jamming. not all of the above, just whatever. i really don't want to drink. or rather, i'm still avoiding it. :D coffee would be okay though. and i just want to get out of the "office/work" mode. so even if i like hanging out with my dear officemates, especially my teammates, well i'd prefer some other company (sorry office friends, i know you'll understand.). question is, where are my other friends? anyone interested to hang out? otherwise, i'll end up finishing the Twilight series. because yes, i am also in love with Edward Cullen. :D

shameless plug

My not-so-secret alternate life, yung medyo "real life" and hindi lang work. November 29, 2008 7-11 pm Pisay Diliman grounds We're having a fund-raising concert for our Alma Mater which unfortunately was hit by fire recently. More than 15 bands will be performing, which includes Soupagetti! So please come and support us, and help us raise the much needed funds.

I missed this pictorial last Wednesday due to, guess what, work. Got this pic from Jem earlier, taken by Vicki Abraham of Batch 82. Not sure if i can post this though (sabihan nyo na lang ako para matanggal ko).

See you then! :)

parang may meaning...

i'm having the weirdest dreams lately. it's not really something that's recurring. different people are involved each time, under different settings/environment, but basically the same... errr... genre? subject? (heheh! ewan, ano bang tawag dun?) funny thing is i really remember all of them. even after i wake up. even that weird dream i had about a month ago. nakakahiya lang pag biglang naalala ko sila in the middle of the day. or worse, when i am talking to someone and i realize they were in or semi-involved in my dream/s. wala lang. just sharing. heheh!

i hate this day

there were some decisions made that do not make sense to me AT ALL. how did it end up this way? it's also very hard to be left behind. i don't know how to deal with this.

public service announcement

i remember a friend telling me once that he needed a new pair of rubber shoes. but i can't exactly remember which friend. kaw ba yun Jam? (parang ikaw naalala ko pero di ko sure eh, sorry!) so anyway, the Nike outlet store (or whatever you call it) in our office building is having a sale this week. most of my officemates already went shopping during our lunch break and ended up with new pairs of shoes, bags, etc. most of which were already being worn/used during the afternoon. heheh! and well, just to give you an idea of the sale, i heard that most of the shoes cost about 1500 only. so, i'm going there tomorrow to check it out and maybe buy something i don't really need. i've been itching to do some shopping lately. if you want me to check some items for you, give me a call. :)

dahil nami-miss ko nang mag-blog

sobra sobrang toxic lately. tinatawanan na nga ako ng friends ko kasi nag-remark ako minsan, "pumasok ako ngayon (holiday) para di ko na ako papasok sa sabado." apparently maraming mali dun sa statement na yun. anyway, iniisip ko na lang na dapat matapos na ito kaagad at naghihintay na ang aking 1 month leave. ------------------------------------------------------------ i miss my friends. a few weeks before nung homecoming, i meet up with friends almost everyday. di bale nang magastos. but since busy lately, i barely get to see anyone anymore. pag may oras kasi, kelangan yata itulog ko na lang. nami-miss ko na rin matulog eh. ------------------------------------------------------------ hmmmm... mukhang kelangan ko na uli maggupit ng kuko. sana matuloy. excited na ako! :D ------------------------------------------------------------ sigh.. mukhang hindi na ako makakapanood ng west-side story. sorry ola and lino. ------------------------------------------------------------ speaking of musicals, at dahil sa kapapanood ko ng Animax, gusto ko sana makapanood ng Muscle Musical. unfortunately, sa Japan at Las Vegas lang may show. ------------------------------------------------------------ "o kay tagal din kitang minahal..." - Burnout by Sugarfree ayan, tapos na.

it's october...

... which means that the year is about to end. and i have not yet done or achieved anything that makes sense this year! if i try to answer these questions again, wala akong masasagot na maganda. what happened to my 2008?

anlabooooooooo

kung wala kang pakialam, eh bat sobra mong pinag-iisipan? leche flan!

looking for a date

well, not really a date date. i just thought i'd get more attention with that title. and now that you're reading this, anyone there interested in watching West Side Story with me? :D

another list

more than 2 years ago, i made this list. six months after that, i got to this point. scratching off 5 items out of 10 was indeed a very good sign. but then i did this, and it all went downhill from there again (bye-bye list). over the weekend, Jam and I had this conversation about things we want to do. actually, it's been a series of conversation i've been having with some friends, and mostly they are items i've been meaning/wanting to do but as usual, never got around to doing. but with Jam's encouragement (and now a possible "partner-in-crime" in these activities), i'm making a new list. 1. pay credit card debts 2. take driving lessons 3. get braces (still on the fence with this one though, but i'm putting it in!) 4. join a gym (instead of dance classes) 5. learn to swim yes, unlike Jam i am only putting in 5 items. because unlike him, he has proven he has great will power and self-control. so far, i've only proven that those are almost non-existent traits of mine. also, in case you didn't notice, these things would require some money. and getting that money would require that i change certain parts of my lifestyle. now these changes are the tougher ones, and form the second part of my list: 1. find a cheaper apartment 2. limit splurges on very good but very expensive food (ergo, find a new stress reliever) 3. start cooking again (no more to everyday take-outs for dinner!) 4. limit DVD and book purchases (i guess i should avoid malls now) and the hardest one of all... 5. avoid being late for work and working "for free" (no idea whatsoever how i'd even begin to do this) that's it. wish me luck!

i just wanna gloat

pagbigyan nyo na ako please... :D 12 or 13 years ago, i was able to fulfill one of my secret ambitions in life. and that is to rock! back then, digicams and video cams are not very common things for a high school student to have. so you'll barely see proof of the coolest moments of my life. except maybe for very unflattering shots such as this: now, they are all very well documented! (and can be edited. :p) i enjoyed our performance so much. and i hope we'd be able to play again soon. for now, enjoy our version of "Ang Huling El Bimbo". we originally did not plan to play this, and was about to play Plush instead. however, we were so inspired and touched by the Eraserheads reunion concert that we just had to play something they never had the chance to play. about 3 hours worth of practice for this, hope we did it justice at least. :) ok, now i am done gloating. i promise to post a more sensible homecoming post later. but for now, i have to sleep... and continue dreaming.

one bright and sunny day...

... as i was on my way to the office, i noticed someone in the underpass wearing a semi-orange shirt which says "SORRY, but i am TAKEN". it was the shirt that i saw first, and after which, i can't help but think how some people have the courage to wear those kinds of shirts. i still think it is funny. but i also find it a bit embarrassing and awkward since it is sort of presumptuous. then i looked up and saw the wearer... and damn was he cute! so apparently, he deserves that shirt. wala lang, nakakatawa lang. hehehe!

quick survey: if...

... there's only song that you can play, which came out between 1994 to 1998, what song would that be? i am freaking out here! our batch was tasked (or should i say "forced"?) to play as an opening act to the hired band for our homecoming on Sept 6th. given the very little time that we have left, and considering that we could only get a handful of people to be involved in this mini-project, i found myself filling up some "holes" again (like acting as participant in our last mini-project). well, the hole this time is a slot on the batch band. i used to play the drums in my high school band, Invictus. and i enjoyed those times tremendously. but i'm hesitant this time because i haven't touched a drum set in 9 years!!! and i'm supposed to learn 2 new songs in two weeks??! *panic attack, hyperventilating* what's more scary is that the drums is the only loudest instrument in the band. if i mess up, it's going to be very very VERY obvious. huhuhu! the pressure. and it's not like i really know how to play the drums. i can play some beats but that's all. before, when our band will be playing a new song, i always get the "lessons" from old classmates like Crisanto and Joel (and from my kalayaan roommate Astrid when i played once in college). now, where are my mentors??? well, i've been trying to get out of the band and looking for a way to help them in just some other manner. i'm trying to get someone else to play the drums, or maybe i could play some other instrument (but like what? i haven't played the guitar in a long time too, and i can't sing... anyway, different issue). but anyway, worst-case scenario is that they settle with me. anyway, enough rant and back to the survey... our batch band is supposed to play one song of our choice, and another song requested by Batch 83 (head of the jubilarian committee). personally, i want to play something that came out when we were in high school. but i cannot seem to think of one song where most of the batch could relate. i even revisited one of my oldest blog to get some ideas, but most of these songs are not really "band-playing material". and our first jamming session is about one hour from now. nuninu.... so what do you think? any suggestions?

bad craving

ever since i started living alone, i got into this bad habit of just leaving the TV on while i continue doing other things (like working at home... another "bad" habit but i think that's a completely different issue). my channel of choice is Animax. i don't really pay attention to any of the shows when i'm doing something else, but every now and then i'll get a glimpse of what's showing. too bad when i looked up this time, the anime was showing one of the main characters eating a pizza. the pizza was badly drawn though, and for some reason that badly-drawn pizza reminded me of cheese pie. and now i am craving for cheese pie! (what the heck?!??!) do you guys know this cheese pie? it's a thin pie. it's texture is similar to the bottom part of the egg-pie (so the dough mainly). and i don't really know if they even use cheese to make it, because i don't remember the "cheese taste" very well anymore. i think the last time i had one was way back in high school or early college. and i think it comes from some province somewhere. it's not even that good, but i find it addicting. and i am really craving for cheese pie now! and what's even worse is i don't know where to get it so i have no way to abate this craving. :( does anyone know where i can get cheese pie???

10 things i know about me (but you probably don't)

so after excitedly asking mapet to tag me, it still took me more than 3 months to do this. why? because i could not come up with 10 interesting things that people don't know about me. this realization has brought me to the conclusion that my life is either very uninteresting, or too much of an open book (or maybe both). hehe! anyway, let me still try this:

1. i now own 137 all-original movie DVDs.
2. i have a lot of quirks when it comes to food. for example, i really love mangoes but i don't like and don't drink mango juice. i don't eat hotdog that is served as topping in spaghetti. i hate ketchup but when it is "cooked" or used as substitute for tomato sauce like in spaghetti sauce, then it is alright.
3. i was already 13 when i first got to eat pizza and (non-homemade) hamburgers. that is because i thought the tomato sauce in the pizza is ketchup, and that all hamburgers have ketchup. it was in first year high school that i discovered Wendy's and their bacon cheeseburger.
4. speaking of burgers, i've never had a Big Mac nor a Champ.
5. i only like to cook when i'm cooking for someone.
6. i am attracted to guys who look good with a shaved head (carefully not using the word "bald" here. hehehe!) or someone who can sing really well without looking gay. :D
7. one of my guilty pleasures is the movie "A Walk to Remember". like the movie, hate Mandy Moore, love Shane West's character. but i don't have it on DVD.
8. sleeping with the aircon is not enough, i need to have an electric fan as well to direct the cold air to me.
9. i really really like musicals. and one of my greatest ambitions is to be part of one (but i cannot sing).
10. sometimes i wish i am taller. but sometimes i am frustrated for being "too tall" since i can't dress cute (errr, something like with ribbons and curls? :P).

Ayun lang. Anyone wants to be tagged? :)

still wide awake

damn it, my sleeping pattern/body clock is really really messed up now. ------------------------------------------- i miss my friends. yun lang.

signing on again to real life

yes, i am still alive. and i'm trying to go back to "real life" again. however, i still don't have enough time and so before i get back to work (yes, on this sunday afternoon), let me just blog about the last weekend where i last had non-professional social contact. the speed dating event we were organizing is finally over with last July 25. we didn't get the amount of participants we were hoping for, but at least we got enough participants to gain profit. i ended up being one of the participants because initially, there weren't enough females to even out the number of guys. so i went on a date with 20 guys, half of which i already know. well, what can i say?

1. going on 3-minute dates with 20 guys is very tiring. it's like you're talking non-stop for one-hour. and you have to talk loud enough to be heard over 19 other pairs talking at the same time.
2. i'd say i got my little share of weird dates (just a little because the other weirdos in the bunch were the guys i already know. :P). i think the most "unusual" SERIES of questions were "are you single?", "how old are you?", and "have you had a boyfriend before?". i was pretty sure the next question would be, "so what's wrong with you? why are you still single?". and i did have an answer prepared, he just didn't continue and ask.
3. lastly, i still enjoyed myself very much. and i would like to try speed dating again, i just don't want to be the organizer for it anymore. maybe next time i'd give different names or professions to every guy i meet. that would be more interesting.

what i loved most about it also was it became a venue for a mini-reunion with my high school batchmates. thank you to everyone who helped making it work, especially to Jae, Allen, Jeng, Urk, Ria and Dacs who were basically there from start to finish. also thanks to Mapet and J for helping me get participants. and to everyone else who i share a mailing list with for keeping up with my nagging emails. :D anyway, on to the next event... i watched the lifehouse concert in araneta last Saturday, July 26. it's the first time i've seen a foreign band perform live. and i love lifehouse, so it was a very good place to start (kahit ano pang sabihin mo, jae!). my only regret is not spending 1k more to be in the front row seat. i wish i caught at least one of the sweaty towels and drumsticks they used. yes, this is my best fan girl mode. thanks to my friend lino who took notes and the little videos i took during the concert, we managed to recreate their set list.

• Make Me Over
• Spin
• Am I Ever Gonna Find Out
• Simon
• Hanging By A Moment
• Blind
• Take Me Away
• Somebody Else's Song
• From Where You Are
• Bridges
• Better Luck Next Time
• Whatever It Takes
• You and Me
• First Time
• Disarray
• Broken

videos will be uploaded soon in my multiply site. :)

i need help!

my high school batchmates and i are organizing this speed-dating event as a fund-raising activity. i am currently looking for interested participants. please let me know if you're interested. i need to get the finalized list early next week. for more details about the event, please check this out! :)

525,600

sadly, not forgiven. definitely, not forgotten.

hero or fool?

Today, i was on my way to Starbucks in Valero as i was not getting any more work done at my apartment without coffee. I had my laptop, my bag, dressed very comfortably which may just indicate that i live in the vicinity, and i was alone. Just a few steps away from Starbucks, a guy walking on the opposite direction (towards me) stopped me and asked for help. He's asking if he was in Salcedo Village or Legaspi Village. Of course, i was willing to answer and give directions, saying that we're in Salcedo, and Legaspi is on the opposite side of Ayala Avenue, blah blah. He looked like a fairly decent and educated guy. He was talking to me in English the whole time saying he's a balikbayan and it's his first time in Makati. He seemed very distressed, saying he's been lost the whole time (since 9am, and it was already 5.30pm when we met). He introduced himself, Andrew Smith, and he said he's staying in Ayala Alabang. He was supposed to meet some friends and/or family in Legaspi park at 10am but he was lost. And he doesn't know how to contact them since he does not have their number and he's still using his Verizon number. And all this time we were talking, he seemed like he was about to cry. Ok, so my heart goes for the poor guy and i was thinking i'm even willing to walk with him to Legaspi park so he won't get lost anymore. But somehow i feel very uneasy with the pity story. Then he asked if i could lend him some money so he can just take a cab back to his place in Ayala Alabang. That's when the warning bells in my head started getting louder. He said further that he only had a "few useless Philippine coins" which he "does not even recognize". And he's going to pay me tomorrow, asking me what's my name and where he can find me. So what am i supposed to do? Sigh... I gave the guy 250 (or it could be 270) pesos, saying that's all the cash i had even though he was asking for about US $10. I think i even said "sorry" because that's all i can give, and he seemed grateful. And then i said good luck, and we parted. And so, now that i'm supposed to be working, i can't help but feel a bit guilty. I feel guilty that i was so distrusting. Although my common sense is saying that it may have been a modus operandi and he was just trying to swindle some money out of me, well what if it wasn't? What if he really needed help, and i helped so half-heartedly? About 2 years ago, an old roommate of mine met a mother and child pair near our place. The mother was begging for some money in order to buy some medicine for her child, and to buy a bus ticket back home to their province. He asked how much the ticket was, and if i remember correctly they said it was about 200 pesos. My old roommate only had a 500 bill that time, so he brought the mother and child to the Mercury Drug outlet near our place and fell in line to buy medicine. But the line was long and my roommate got impatient, so he just gave the money to the mother, wished them well and left them in the store. As he was telling me what happened later that day, i can't help but think that it was a modus operandi, and that as far as i know, it has been going on for a long time. But my roommate was proud and really happy that he was able to help, and i didn't have to heart to even suggest that he was just fooled. So which one of us is better? One who is either a complete hero or a complete fool, or one who is neither one? I don't care about the money that i gave away, whether that man's story was true or not. But i feel sad that i am so reluctant in giving help because i'm afraid to be fooled. And the even sadder truth is, it seems to be a relatively normal behavior now for people to be this skeptic. Why do we think this way? Why is it so hard to just give help?

everything

i have to watch the Lifehouse concert! is there anyone out there who's interested to join me? huwag lang Upper Box B, masaya na ako. :D i once said that i'd be willing to pay 10k just to watch this band. thank God the ticket prices are not that expensive. i'm still broke from my Hong Kong trip. this is probably meant to be! :D

i am back

... from Hong Kong and Macau. And i'm dreading the week-long meetings, trainings and discussions that is coming my way. I think i would need another vacation after that. I'll be doing a more detailed post about my trip later. For now, here are just some things i would like to get out of my system already!

• most of the people there keep talking to me in chinese. i cannot believe i look chinese.
• 4 days and 3 nights out of the country, 3 different hotels -- i am not doing that again!
• i am not drinking again for a month! i woke up this morning and i was still drunk. good thing i didn't have my laptop with me and i was on roaming, so drunk blogging and drunk dialing were not options.
• for someone who didn't pay for any of the hotels and rarely paid for the food and drinks, i spent waaaaay too much. i won't be eating for the rest of the year. thanks to my friend Richie for all the treats!
• but on spending again, i just want to say i love all the things that i bought. and of course, my "prized finds" were DVDs! wahahah! i bought When a Man Loves a Woman, When Harry Met Sally, Lost in Translation, and Il Mare. :D
• i gambled for the first time in Macau, and i actually won a bit. but again, i already spent all my winnings.
• while in Macau, i received a text from Bibliarch that Fables 10 and Absolute Sandman Vol. 3 which i reserved last week were already available. and they were on sale until Sunday (20% off!). so i asked my sister to claim them for me, and now they are here. triple yay! new babies. ;)

It was tiring but it was also a fun vacation. Now, if only i can find my brain again and get my head out of the vacation cloud...

drunken post

so 3 months and 10 days later, i lost a bet i had with myself. what did i lose? damn pride. i blame my iPod which i recently "lent" to my sister. ------------------------------------------------------------ why is it so good to drunk dial? i always have the urge to drunk dial (whenever i'm drunk, duh). however, i've never ever went through with it. i always chicken out about 10 seconds after i press the call button. so it's either i don't get connected at all, or i hang up after a ring or two. ------------------------------------------------------------ sigh, it's so sad that a lot of my friends are sad. and i've always been the type of person who never knows what to say. i wish to be the kind of person who'll be able to say the things people want and need to hear. i wish there's something more i can do than just listen. bleh... grown up life. "bakit ang mga kaibigan natin, sobrang adult-type na yung mga problema nila? ako, pang-teenybopper pa rin yung mga problema ko eh!" says jae. sometimes i feel like that too. oh but really, i'd rather have teenybopper-type of problems. ------------------------------------------------------------ i've been watching too much anime lately... slam dunk, kyou kara maoh, and now fruits basket. by doing so, i realized i like the silent-and-bit-cold-hearted-bordering-on-mean-but-must-be-at-least-cute type of guy. i.e. Rukawa of Slam Dunk or Yuki of Fruits Basket. i wish they exist in real life. and i wish i was back in high school. ------------------------------------------------------------ i'm hungry, and sleepy. so i now choose to sleep... zzz... good night, world! P.S. i'm leaving for Hong Kong on thursday. now i'm a bit excited. happy independence day everyone!

i never thought i am already in that stage in my life...

... where you attend a sort-of family reunion, and your relatives ask you "aren't you getting married yet?". and when you say "no", you get that nagging "well you better hurry. it's going to be hard to get pregnant and be pregnant when you're older. you only have til you're 33... blah blah... how old are you again?". wtf?!??!

DVD Wish List

I've been on DVD-buying hiatus for about 2 months now. I need help finding/getting these DVDs. As far as i know, they are not available here. So if any of you is traveling and is in the mood to shop for DVDs, and/or you've recently been to a store and you saw any of these is already available, please please let me know. Of course there are budget constraints, so we'd have to talk about it first. If you're buying it as a gift though... well, i always love good surprises. :D Click here to see my full and current wish-list.

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Reality Bites (10th Anniversary Edition) Manufacturer: Universal Studios Price: $3.91 Learn More

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With Honors Manufacturer: Warner Home Video Price: $3.99 Learn More

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The Cutting Edge - Gold Medal Edition Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD) Price: $6.22 Learn More

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The Rock - Criterion Collection Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video Price: $18.50 Learn More

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Face/Off (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition) Manufacturer: Paramount Price: $10.44 Learn More

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Being John Malkovich Manufacturer: Universal Studios Price: $6.57 Learn More

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Flatliners Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Price: $4.20 Learn More

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Lost in Translation Manufacturer: Universal Studios Price: $2.65 Learn More

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Edward Scissorhands (Collectible Tin Anniversary Edition) Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Price: $14.49 Learn More

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Pretty Woman (15th Anniversary Special Edition) Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone Price: $9.48 Learn More

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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2-Disc Collector's Edition) Manufacturer: Universal Studios Price: $13.68 Learn More

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Gangs of New York (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Manufacturer: Miramax Home Entertainment Price: $4.93 Learn More

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Sideways (Widescreen Edition) Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Price: $3.94 Learn More

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Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (Box Set) Manufacturer: Miramax Price: $49.90 Learn More

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The Rainmaker Manufacturer: Paramount Price: $5.28 Learn More

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The Man in the Iron Mask Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD) Price: $5.17 Learn More

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Pulp Fiction (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Manufacturer: Miramax Entertainment Price: $10.42 Learn More

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Runaway Bride (Widescreen Edition) Manufacturer: Paramount Price: $4.49 Learn More

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Leon - The Professional (Uncut International Version) Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Price: $6.95 Learn More

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The Italian Job (Special Collector's Edition) Manufacturer: Paramount Price: $5.00 Learn More

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Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series) Manufacturer: New Line Home Video Price: $14.99 Learn More

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The Game Manufacturer: Universal Studios Price: $6.69 Learn More

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Mirrormask Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Price: $5.71 Learn More

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The Wedding Singer - Totally Awesome Edition Manufacturer: New Line Home Video Price: $7.69 Learn More

ADHD post

with the birthday and the celebration over, i've been a very very bad blogger. i've been meaning to write and i have several blog drafts to prove it. but somehow, after writing the title and the first paragraph, i always get a very very strong feeling of laziness. --------------------------------------- some people are asking if i managed to find a new apartment already. sadly, the answer is "no". and so yes, i am staying in my current apartment... yes, the one which is smack down the middle of salcedo village... and yes, the one with the very very high rent. and for some reason, when people ask and i answer this, they laugh at my face. --------------------------------------- since i'll be staying in my apartment, i've finally decided to sell my gigantic sofa. it just proven itself to be too big and useless for someone living alone. i want to get rid of a lot of my other stuff also, but this is my priority. it's about 2 years old, and it could easily seat 10 people. it's composed of 4 pieces which you could put in any way you like (just like lego!). i'm selling it for 8500 pesos, but if you could take care of delivery or transport, then i'll give it to you for a cheaper price. :)

selling that big sofa in the background (not the bed). the fourth piece is not in the picture. but see how much space it's taking already??? :D

please help me find a buyer. i just really need a lot of space right now, literally. ;) --------------------------------------- another "happening" in my life which a lot of people find very amusing is the number of weddings i have been, and will be attending this year. so far for this year only, i've been invited to 9 weddings and only 2 of which i have declined. (and i already have 2 more weddings to attend to next year). due to this, i have often been compared to Katherine Heigl's character in 27 dresses, which is not very funny because even if i'm attending all these weddings, i am not a bridesmaid! so just to clear the air, i don't have 27 dresses... only 7. the last one of which is cursed and had me ending up with the bouquet, which i managed to successfully avoid in the last X weddings i've been to (where X is positive number greater than 10 and less than 30). whoever said that the one who will catch the bridal bouquet will be married next is in for a long wait.

partey!!!

as you prolly noticed, i have been looking forward to my birthday (umm.. let's count how many blogs i made related to it...). obviously, i wasn't excited about getting old. i was actually very much excited to the celebration i have been wanting to have for years. and last night, it finally happened. :D my "party" was held in the Top Grill restaurant in Jupiter Street, Makati. i chose it because it was near and seems accessible, and when i was there once, i noticed that their prices are not that steep. the food isn't bad at all, and they also have videoke. only you would have to sing on the stage! :D i really really wanted to invite a lot of people. but there were still budget constraints since (as you know) i have no savings whatsoever, and i also need to keep some money because i will probably be moving again (which will cost about 3-months worth of rent). i'm really sorry about that. i originally had a guest list of about 50 people, and i counted 29 attended last night. it was too bad though that lots of people couldn't make it, and some even canceled the last minute (too bad since i could have invited more people if i only knew... :P). by the way, you guys would still HAVE TO make up for it (paging Jonas, Novis and Tami). hehe! :P but anyway, i am really really thankful to all that came. my birthday has really been special because you were all there with me. my favorite moment was when everyone sang "happy birthday" when the clock struck 12mn. it was expected, but it was still special when it happened. thanks so much again! :'D

my pisay friends. they turned on the smoke machine that is why the picture is a bit blurry.

my college "wehehe" friends.

my friends from work.

someone needs to start using the videoke and sing on stage. but no one was gonna do it first. so i requested Oliver to do it with me. and after that, the dam was wide open. :D me with my best and longest friends. my birthday "loot". the gift from J has gone missing though. waah! i'm sorry. i wonder where it went. :(

overall, i'd say the party was a success. most of the people i wanted to be there were there. there seems to be enough food and drinks for everyone, and still i didn't go over budget. i had so much fun and i hope everyone else too. and by the end of the night, i was wasted. :P see you all again next year. :) more pics will be available in my multiply site soon. check them out. :)

my 26th year

most people try to "analyze" the year that was around New Year's. but i thought it would be nice to have a look back to my 26th year instead. it was a pretty interesting year as i got to try and experience a lot of something new and different. and i want to sort of "immortalize" those memories here in my blog. i found this new year's blog from Rea's multiply site, and i thought it would be the perfect way to look back to the year that was. ------------------------------------------------ 1. Did you do something you thought you would never do? ~ Yes. Run a marathon. 2. Did you visit any countries? ~ Yes! Been to Oslo, Norway and Madrid, Spain. :D 3. What would you like to have this year that you lacked last year? ~ Hmm.. a really good investment or some savings. :P 4. Will any date from last year stay attached in your memory forever? ~ July 9, 2007 is a good candidate. :P 5. What was your biggest achievement last year? ~ Finishing the Urbanathlon! 6. What was your biggest failure? ~ Does "getting fat" qualify? 7. Did you suffer illness or injury? ~ Well, i learned that i have hyperthyroidism. 8. What was the best thing you bought? ~ My DVDs. :D 9. Where did you spend most of your money? ~ DVDs, comic books and food. 10. Are you happier than this time last year? ~ March 2, 2008 is definitely better than March 2, 2007. So i guess, yes. :) 11. Did you get your heart broken last year? ~ Yes. 12. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? ~ Yes, though "hate" is a really strong word. "Indifferent" is much much better. 13. Who was the best new person you met? ~ A new friend. 14. Who will you never forget? ~ I never forget. ;P 15. What will you always remember about being 26? ~ That it is a year of "firsts"... first time i've been out of Asia and been to Europe, first time i got a travel visa, first time i've been cheated on, first time that i am completely and undeniably single, etc. :P ------------------------------------------------ thanks to everyone who has been there and was part of my 26th year here on earth. I wish you'll still be with me now and many more years from now. last year has been great, but i am still hoping 27 will be much much better. :)

my first birthday gift

i was out to lunch with some officemates when i received a phone call. i wasn't sure that i heard it correctly, but i thought it was from a flower shop and they were asking me in what unit my office was. when i got back, there was a commotion in the office. i got some box on my desk. which contains this... and just in time, i had the same color on too. :D of course, my "ever-supportive" officemates, who are always fans of non-existent love lives, won't let this "event" die down without a BANG!

thank you very much to my dear bestfriend Faye! i have always loved yellow flowers (and as Mapet said "hala! nagiging babae na si cherry"). this is definitely one of the best gifts ever. i wish you were here to celebrate it with me. love yah! mwah! :)

smile! it really is a good day! :)

moving.. yet again

yes, i have to move again. and this thing in my life happens almost as often as my birthday. no one is "kicking" me out this time though. and i can still choose to stay... but at the expense of a 10% rent increase. and it's not like i'm not paying big enough already! freakin' capitalism. well i thought that with what i am paying now plus the increase, i might just get a better place. something good and cheaper will also be great. but that also means pain-in-the-ass-apartment hunting again. sigh... how i wish i am just insanely rich (or someone who knows how to save) and could just buy a place, and rid myself of this "problem" once and for all! anyway, i'm looking for a place, and housemates (i just need a room of my own. but i still prefer people around). however, i doubt that you could uproot me from makati, so a place in makati is a requirement. hehe! anyway, help please!! oh also, i intend to just enter some condominiums here in the area and directly ask if there are any units available and such. anyone wants to have a walk around salcedo village with me? :)

disappointment

i've always been a fan of the Amazing Race. and i religiously follow the series once i find the team to root for. i remember that for the finale of the Amazing Race 5, Faye, Lorie and me all took leaves from work just to watch the direct (?) telecast at 9am. back then we were all rooting for Colin and Christie to win. and damn it, they were beaten by Chip and Kim who luckily got an earlier flight back to the US. and what's more irritating is that they sort of lost because they were not as "animalistic" as with the previous legs. this year, i've been following the Amazing Race Asia 2, and obviously i am rooting for Marc and Rovilson to win. it has been very fun watching them goof off, and win almost all of the legs. but since they've been winning most of the legs too, i was already preparing myself to the idea that they might lose (just like what happened with Colin and Christie). however of course, i was still hoping and wishing that they'll win. and now after watching the finale, i am more disappointed that not only did they lose, they only came third! :( well, i'm sure they are disappointed too. and i am definitely not irritated AT them ("hindi ako naiinis sa iyo, naiinis ako sa sitwasyon", sabi nga ni Lloyd dati). but what's irritating is that out of all the times/legs, it is in the final leg that they have to lose their "luck". anyway, they really performed well in the race, a far cry from both Philippine teams from the previous season. and i am very happy that they were there proud and waving the flag of our country, even though they are not pure (or at all?) Filipinos themselves. to Marc and Rovilson, thanks for being great representatives of the country and congratulations on all your achievements in the race. :) now, if i were like J and see any of them, that's what i would have said. :D

valentine post

since it is valentine's day, and i feel like a girl with what i'm wearing, then i'll be sappy and do something i haven't done in a while... post a song! tee hee hee! i used to accompany each blog post with some lines from a song. i don't remember anymore when and why i stopped doing it. but anyway, i just think this is quite fit for the occasion, and i am in the mood to be un-cynic for this day. ;) ------------------------------------- Staying home alone on a Friday Flat on the floor looking back On old love, or lack thereof After all the crushes are faded And all my wishful thinking was wrong I'm jaded, I hate it I'm tired of being alone So hurry up and get here So tired of being alone So hurry up and get here Get here Searching all my days just to find you I'm not sure who I'm looking for I'll know it, when I see you Until then, I'll hide in my bedroom Staying up all night just to write A love song for no one I'm tired of being alone So hurry up and get here So tired of being alone So hurry up and get here I could have met you in a sandbox I could have passed you on the sidewalk Could I have missed my chance And watched you walk away? Oh no way I'm tired of being alone So hurry up and get here I'm so tired of being alone So hurry up and get here You'll be so good You'll be so good for me - Love Song For No One by John Mayer ------------------------------------- but seriously, what if your person is someone you've sat next to in a restaurant, or someone you've passed by at the mall? how will you meet them then?

i want one

i have no idea where to get or buy it. but i saw it in Neil Gaiman's blog and i want it. obviously i will not use it as bookends, but still! help, anyone? this is one of the many birthday gifts i intend to get for me. :D --------------------------------------------- below is not the exact transcript of how our conversation went. but the "joke" is still the same. et: che, di ba favorite mo si sandman? me: yep. bakit? et: itong regalo sa akin ni j, sandman eh. gusto mo palit tayo? i would have said yes but he was referring to the stuffed toy version of this sandman: :D