The Year That Was

During this time of year, while people make new resolutions, I usually do the opposite and look back at the things I learned, the things I have to be thankful for on the past year. These things will be my ammunition for the year ahead...something I don't really worry about because the future always lays out so many possibilities for me.

So my 10 happy thoughts for 2005:
1. Financial independence, with a little extra for small luxuries.
2. Old friends who are still around in one way or another, and new friends who have made my world so much bigger and smaller at the same time.
3. My family's health, steady and consistent.
4. Learning new things.
5. Getting saner and more patient in my personal life.
6. My best friend who showed me you never know when it will happen to you.
7. Talked about it for so long, can't believe I finally have him--- Max. Even if I'll be paying for him forever, its ok. Everytime I put my hands on the wheel I think, "Wow! He's mine!"
8. Knowing my value, and knowing they know it too.
9. The sea, sand and sky that just makes me forget the world and love it too.
10. Knowing there are still guys like that out there.

Happy new year everyone!

The Sunset Collection

I'll just never get tired of the view...

Mantigue Island, January 2004

Boracay, May 2005



Malapascua Island, April 2004

Mactan Island, November 2005

La Union, November 2005

Subic, May 2005

Puerto Galera, November 2005

Philippine Ad Congress

The few days I spent in Cebu for the Ad Congress was a blast, and a blast from the past! A veteran of only 3 ad congresses, the first I attended as a student volunteer, the 2nd only for the Araw Awards, its funny that only in a non-advertising company did I get to go as a delegate this time.  I ran into so many people from the industry, and the limits of my lousy memory were tested as I struggled to remember the names of a lot of people there ---  proof of my old age. The trip reminded me of things I missed, and things I am proud of...that my barely 3-year old career took the direction I wanted, as evidenced by the long lines at our trade exhibit booth also at the Waterfront where the Congress was held, the extravagant compliments I got from Ben's speech, MTV's tribute to our co-prod show in their speaking slot, and finally, people knowing what it means when I say I work in an online game company

Of course, ad congresses are never complete without the parties, and I got my fill hanging out with friends both old and new...

Going both to official Ad Congress functions like cocktails at Fort San Pedro, and unofficial congregations at Cebu's latest hotspots in Crossroads, with its dance club Vudu and billards-place Cues...

Drinking and dancing the night away (almost every night!) at new hotspot Formo...

Then a free day playing tourist at the Mactan Shrine, Magellan's Cross, a seaside sunset at Maribago Blue Waters.

Lunch at Sutokil and a dinner of Cebu lechon just made my last day better, but it was made more complete by a  stop at Sto. Nino Shrine (where I felt like I was in Rio de Janeiro) and offering a few candles in prayer.

Puerto Galera

How to get there: a 2-hour bus trip JAM Transit from Pasay passing through the very efficient Star Tollway, and not via the BLTB station which burned down in a fire 2 years ago --- that's how long I haven't been back to Galera. Then a 55-minute ferry (plus 30 minutes of waiting for passengers to load), MB Golden Hawk which deposits you straight onto White Beach. Wallet damage: P300 one-way.

Where to stay: Myra and Madelayns airconditioned rooms for up to 4 people for P1,200 a night. Would honestly have preferred the non-airconditioned beachfront cottages, but it was time to try a little more comfort for this trip.

What to bring: Cash, toilet paper and towels. Don't make Phil's mistake of thinking there are Boracay type accomodations on White Beach...he had to brave a 5-hour trip to Calapan to get cash from the ATM...and share a towel with his roomie.

Where to eat: Blue Marlyn's for a good corned beef breakfast, Ferdinand's Seaside Cafe for Banana-Peanut shakes, classic grilled favorites (and huge side order of flies--- urk), various seaside grills for great barbeque and Purefoods tender juicy hotdogs, some forgotten kubo-bar for the fabulous Mindoro Sling which sends you off to a deep and restful sleep and wakes you up way early in the morning for some serious sun-worshipping, and the best ever Italian pizza and pasta at Italian Corner Pizzeria on the main road.

What to do: Bake in the sun, ride a banca to go snorkeling in a nearby island, get a coconut oil massage, get hair braids, watch other people spend money on henna tattoos and banana boating, listen to live percussion and a great on-the-spot Spanish blues singer, take zillions of pictures of myself and camera-crazy friends, play with those crazy light wands, enjoy a beach bonfire, drink the night away and sleep far awaaaay from the city and reality.

What I learned: How to take good pictures of myself (thanks Pao!), the wrong way to put a hair braid, and a disturbing story about someone's past.

This year's Galera cast: Patrick, Karen, Boj, Phil, Pao, moi, Tricia, Trisha and Marj.

Hi Daddy

Ok, I know the picture's a little morbid to post, but I'm very glad that this year, after a longtime absence from daddy's graveside during the All Saints Day, the family trooped to the Sta. Cruz, Laguna cemetery to spend some time remembering someone we love very much.

He was born in India where they cremate the deceased, but he asked to be buried here becaused he loved the Filipino tradition of remembering the dead every year with a candle and flower fest. Sta. Cruz is where my mom's family is buried...when we changed our lifestyle it became hard for us to go back as often as we used to. I don't like the place, and don't really appreciate the people there, albeit for some good souls. This year, we made it a point to go back even it was difficult. I also fulfilled a promise to change the name on his grave to his correct name...Amitabha. The solution was temporary (just a few dabs of gold paint), but I think he was very happy that his three girls finally dropped by to do this. We also spent time together to buy flowers, arrange (along with Tita Vilma at her riverside house), bringing them to his grave, lighting some candles and saying a little prayer to say hi. After our evening meal on the 1st of 2 days we were there, my mom said she smelled flowers that she's only smelled when she was in India. I guess he dropped by to say hello too.

Don't Rain On My Parade

At last, the sun broke through the clouds for me both literally and figuratively. Its been dreary and raining over the last few weeks and I wanted to jump off our building when so many things fell through for what we'd been planning for ages. Rain on an outdoor event would've been the last straw.

But the sun came to party that day! The feat was made even more amazing by the rain all the way til 11pm of the previous night, and it started again soon as we closed shop at 10pm. Despite the mud, and the long weekend, so many people came. The reviews have been glowing, the program really got talked about. No matter what results we get out of it, I will always remember that.

In other news...I've been really happy lately, so much so that I'm stuck with a perpetual smile on my face. I had to go to mass last Sunday (for the 1st time in a while), for a big resounding THANK YOU.

Thanks to everyone who made the sun come out for me(yes, I'm thanking YOU too even if you don't know I mean you hahah).

Thought for the Day

Success
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often & much.
To win the respect of intelligent people & the affection of children.
To earn the appreciation of honest critics & endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty.
To find the best in others.
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition.
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

Not an original but its been passed to me twice and its really striking. Only hope to experience success like this someday.:)

Most Wanted ---Not!

At least if I ever have to urge to commit a crime and go into hiding, thanks to my new discovery Makeover-o-matic, I know which looks not to attempt as a disguise:

1) Nancy Drew. Yep, my dream job when I was a kid doesn't look so good in the adult reality.
2) The flip. Very normal looking actually, maybe the fact that its floating on my head is what bothers me.
3) The afro. I've always fantasized about big curly hair...but I guess there's such a thing as TOO curly.
4) Blonde bimbo anyone? My extremely pinoy features just make it a disappointment haha.

Deepa and I stayed up many a night to play with the site. The main website iVillage has tons of other interactive activities to entertain the kikay surfer. Besides getting to try on regular AND celebrity hairstyles, you can try on the latest make-up, headgear and eyewear. Here the eeeevil part...the stuff is actually branded so if you like how it looks on you, you may actually find yourself running to the nearest store to by that new Shu Uemura brick red lipstick or that Benefits amethyst eyeshadow. Simply sinful! The site also has My Virtual Model, where you can try on the latest styles on a virtual mannequin you can program to have similar body type, decorating tips, make up tips, fitness advice, quizzes (what's your ideal body weight?-->nice to know I'm still underweight, which celebrity's body are you closest to?) and the latest celebrity chismis (best and worst dressed at the emmy's, the break up of Paris and Paris)....

Argggh! Enough kakikayan. I have to get back to work now.

Trying Something New

Voila! My first attempt at Photoshop, immediately following my impulse buy for new Canon Powershot (may my old Epson camera rest in peace).   Now I feel a burning need to go back over ALL my past photos and start using that "healing brush", haha! Obviously I was bored and had nothing to do yesterday evening, even though I would have preferred to be in the same state yesterday morning. Instead I had to drag my ass to Valenzuela for work.  But things have been strange for me lately. No matter how busy the day gets or even if someone craps on my parade, I always fall asleep with a smile.  Its nice to be in a state of contentment (or maybe I could just be going crazy).

Have a good week ahead!

IT girls?

While shooting this...

Krissie and I found time to strike a pose with props from the other layouts...

Here's where I realized that professional photography has really got to be helped by professional styling. Who would ever have believed I was actually prom queen in high school?

I miss shoots! But I don't miss advertising. :)

Interesting links

Some interesting sites from friends (i.e. things to read/do when you're bored):

1. Date a geek. Sounds like a lot of guys in this business I've found myself in.
2. Which celebrity do you resemble? For anyone who dreams of stardom. Warning: Really bad English.
3. Watch me change. Dream closet...but not dream dance moves!
4. Plaxo. Create your own very professional looking signatures.
5. Technorati. Who's linked to your blog? Find out how popular your blogsite is getting by counting number of links to it.
6. Bloglines. Too lazy to read all your friends blogs from different sites? Check out this blog management system.
7. Statcounter. Find out how many people bother to read your blog and where they're from. I use it on my blog and who knew that I could get visitors from Uruguay?
8. Triumph the Comedy Dog and his piece on Star Wars. Hilarious! His other stuff funny too.

Happy surfing!

Jeepney Life

I'm always pleasantly surprised by the code of conduct that governs the Philippine jeepney. I used to be a much more spoiled brat than I am today, and never rode a jeepney til I was in college. And I think my first jeep was the UP Ikot (ah, you never forget your first jeep!). As I became more and more a woman of the world (with less and less access to my own car) I rode jeeps more and picked up so much stuff which probably seems common to early adaptors to jeepney riding but amazing to a late bloomer like me.

*People know better than to the driver on the shoulder or touch him in any way when giving payment. The driver has eyes at the back of his head to see you hand over payment, and an extra pair of hands holding on to the steering wheel to actually get payment even as he swerves to avoid traffic.
*Passengers develop undending patience as they wait without complaint for grandmothers, handicapped, little kids and people bringing everything from sacks of rice to bags of wet market purchases to board the jeep. In other cases they wouldn't be as forgiving.
*Passengers don't mind alighting in the middle of a busy street from a jeep and therefore holding up traffic behind them, but when given the opposing viewpoint of being part of the traffic that was held up, they can be extremely vicious.
*The driver always knows who hath not paid, and passengers always seem honest enough to pay and count out exact change for fellow passengers.
*He who sits nearest the driver has the lousy job of handing over everyone's payments and returning change. Its a never a steady job, so mostly you just take your turn.

Financials aside, it must be interesting to be a jeepney driver and see this sort of thing every day, although I'm sure they're bored with it already. I'm glad I'm not...yet.

Moments

The newlyweds Josh & Grace with friends from Level Up!

Two years ago I attended a spate of weddings of friends (8 in a year I think!), then it dwindled down to a score of christenings the suceeding year, and as a testament to my old age this year the 1st wedding I attended was of a staff member.  He was nice enough not to ask me to be ninang, but rather part of the entourage as the veil sponsor. It was a small and beautiful wedding, made even more meaningful by the fact that you could really feel that the vows spoken were straight from the heart.  The groom sang the vows through a self-composed song, the bride uttered them as heartfelt words.  Seeing someone I met years ago grow and develop into a mature individual pledging to share his life with someone was touching indeed.

Funny enough the other moment that struck me was when the minister lectured the bride that now, she could no longer live the single girl life and she would have to share everything with her husband, and consult him on all decisions.  I actually laughed out loud thinking of myself following that kind of advice.  It would be damn hard! Hmm, maybe I'm not ready?

PS - I caught the bouquet. Took pity on the poor flowers which were getting abused from landing on the floor because no wanted to catch them.

Mmmm, Dessert

I'm such a dessert junkie. I have a separate compartment in my stomach for dessert. Meals are not complete without dessert. Thanking Gigi for this yummy forward, reposted from another blog. Must try all...*slurp*

Strawberry Shortcake by Baby Yulo. "Mrs. Yulo from Forbes" is already a catchphrase among the well-heeled in Makati. Also known for her Turtle Pie but celebrated for her Strawberry Shortcake, this cake is close to eight inches high and is a sponge cake lightly spread with two layers of imported whipped cream and strawberry flecks. As a crowning touch, the top of the cake is decorated with a few large strawberries, definitely imported, definitely expensive at P1,300. Contact Number: 8124961/8108078


Polly's Chocolate Cake by Polly Garilao. It's a simple chocolate cake with a regular shiny icing and none of the frills and froufro associated with most cakes these days. Contact Number: 8247612


Nono's Chocolate Oblivionby Baba Ibazeta. Owner of the wildly successful Classic Confections, this cake is named after Baba's father. She dubs it as the "quintessential chocolate cake": layers of chocolate cake and ganache textured with walnut praline and dusted with cocoa powder. Contact Number: (Classic Confections) 8423969/ 7462773


Mango Torte by Tony Cuerva. A thin layer of meringue similar to sans rival without the buttercream, crowned with mango balls and decorated with whipped cream rosettes. Contact Number: 8509182


Macaroons by Bizu. One of the two commercial establishments on this list with two (or is it three?) branches, these macaroons are just like those found in French patisseries. Light and unassuming, in a variety of flavors and colors, this is a light and unassuming dessert.


Rum Cake by Joyce Aragon. A regular at bazaars. Contact Number: 09175232913


Chocolate Decadence Cake by Dennis Hipolito. This is a light chocolate cake in texture and flavor. Not too overpowering and perfect for those who don�t like their desserts too sweet. Contact no: 0917516578/(044) 8404082


Chocolate Carrot Cake by Melissa Lim. Contact Number: 9112329

Caramel Cake by Estrel's. Mouth meltingly light chiffon cake is artistically decorated with elaborate buttercream flowers in beautiful colors. This is one cake that is so light it practically floats off the table and into your mouth. Contact Number: 3722965


Banana Toffee Pie by Roselyn Tiangco. Contact Number: 8120908

Paris in the Spring

You Belong in Paris Stylish and a little sassy, you were meant for Paris. The art, the fashion, the wine, the men! Whether you're enjoying the cafe life or a beautiful park... You'll love living in the most chic place on earth What City Do You Belong in? Take This Quiz :-)

Online quizzes are hardly ever accurate but this last one I took reminded me that one of the most fabulous cities on the world for me is Paris. I've been there thrice but the time I've spent there has always been too short. I'm quite a travel junkie, and Europe has always had special place in my heart. But travel in general, as long as the place, the is culture different, the food is something I've never had in all its authentic splendour before, is something I've always looked forward to, something I wish I could do with unlimited vast resources. Following a path I've never traveled, people watching, sight seeing, food-tripping, having new and amazing encounters with people and places, almost nothing can beat the experience.

The last time I saw Paris was in the spring of 2002, when I luckily got myself in a slot with a team of young professionals headed for 5 weeks in Denmark. I cashed in my savings, convinced Chikki to join me post-Denmark on my well-plotted on Excel route around western Europe, and bought myself a $300 15-day Eurail pass.

Of course given my limited resources, I didn't exactly travel in glamorous style, but rather in back-pack mode, which I think made the trip even more of an adventure. A little help from a lot of friends came a long way. There was Tonichi's Frommer's guide to Europe and Kathy's best friend Valerie who put us up for our 3-day Parisian stint.

We took the TGV for from Barcelona-Sants to Paris-Austerlitz. Didn't know there were advance bookings to be made so we got stuck for a couple of hours at Montpellier and avoided a pick-up attempt by some weird guy by saying we were married and running fast in another direction. I was so proud of myself because I called Valerie's daughter at home to tell her we would be late, but she couldn't speak much English. I clearly recall my vain attempt, "Allo! Je m'appelle Sheila. L' train arrivez tardez, neuf pm. Merci!" The poor kid struggled to understand me while I patted myself on the back for listening to French conversational tapes when I was very young. In any case my message was understood, and the extremely accomodating Valerie picked us up at the train station at the right time.

Boissy St. Leger was on the outskirts of Paris, so daily Chikki and I would take the RER Line A to the heart of the city. We had extremly hilarious and pathetic attempts to save our money by jumping the subway gates so we wouldn't have to buy tokens, and squeezing in paid toilets meant for 2 so we wouldn't have to pay a 2nd time. We were frequent lunchtime patrons of a European fastfood chain that had an end of the spring promo --- cheeseburger meals buy one, take one! We walked everywhere, but I really couldn't complain because it was sensory overload.

During our first day as we were walking down the Champs-Elysees, two Chinese women came up to us and asked us to buy 3 Louis Vuitton bags each at the nearby shop. We almost refused because it seemed like we would be scammed, but then we figured what the heck, you're only in Paris once, and the experience of shopping at a Louis Vuitton store at the Champs Elysees would be hard to repeat unless I became extremely well-off! They handed us 700 Euros each and asked us to meet them at the corner after we were done. I half throught of running away with the cash, but I had dropped my heavy suitcase on my foot the day before (the trials of not affording to store my luggage at the Frankfurt airport), so I couldn't make a fast getaway. We spent 45-minutes getting top service at the shop, walked away with about 5 bags each which we handed to what we guessed to be counterfeiters, and later on got a $100 dollar tax exemption on our total purchases at the train station leaving Paris.

Other fun episodes --- buying bread and cheese with and picinicking near the Eiffel Tower as we jokingly turned our noses up at Parisiennes who vainly sunbathed near the fountains amidst cold spring air and a weak sun, thinking that Pinoys just have to drive an hour or so to sun-worship a gorgeous beach. Visiting the Notre Dame and arriving at the Louvre just in time to find out that it was too late to take a tour, but scoring a gorgeous Sephora lip gloss anyway (good thing I've seen the Mona Lisa before or I would've gotten dearly disappointed). Traipsing through cobble-stoned streets and finding a store that sold Naf-Naf items for just a Euro apiece (I got a dress and a shirt). Taking a photo outside the Moulin Rouge to commemorate my being there after the hit movie was shown. Looking out at the beautiful Seine River and watching the boats go past. Walking up to Montmarte and seeing a glorious (and free!) view of Paris. Bargaining down a hot artist to just 10 Euros for my Parisian portrait...and getting asked out after my portrait was done. Driving from the RER train station to Boissy St. Leger in Valerie's cute little car and getting a bit lost, then a car of cute guys stop to help us out. My only regret about my last trip to Paris was not seeing the nightlife because we had to go back to the house every day before the trains closed. But then there's always next time!

This year I've done a lot of local travel but I'm saving for a major purchase which is why I've held back on crossing the Pacific. The way things look, I think next year will be different.

The world is a book and those who don't travel read only a page.- St. Augustine

Facing a Challenge

Although life has been hard at times for me, many things have actually come amazingly easy. Its only now that I've gained some maturity (hopefully), that I've come to realize how lucky I've been throughout my life. In high school and college, I made above average grades without parental pressure. I've never lacked job offers. When the bottom fell out of things at home, I never really fell down on my knees...I tripped in a major way but things righted itself pretty soon. Not to say that I didnt work hard for it, but many people work harder but don't get the same results. Even when I entered the corporate world, I moved faster than quite a few who started off on the same footing. Again I didn't kill myself to make it happen, it just did with some investment from me.

I was quite surprised last year when I was told I seemed to be too nice for my job, that I wasn't hard or aggressive enough, that I couldn't seem to handle everything even if I was doing a good job. For the first time someone questioned my abilities and it really bothered me. I almost thought of just packing up and leaving. But I couldn't admit defeat. So I grew up, and thought I proved them wrong in a matter of a few months. Actually it was a good experience for me. Taught me many things and I walked out of that experience a different person. I still had the nagging feeling though that I still hadn't proven myself enough.

Recent events have proved otherwise. Though I refused to accept things at first, I should finally give up on humility...for a brief moment please allow me to indulge. I've proud of what I've accomplished and the trust not only I've been shown, but something publicly announced. And once again fate handed me an answer to my growing indifference and gave me something to throw myself into. Something scary but exciting. Wish me well on this new adventure!

Having a Nice Day

I fished myself out of bed on SONA day to take myself off to the ER of Medical City, the new hospital-slash-hotel, to check on the state of my never-ending cold and cough.

Hoping to see a cute doctor or 2 around the place, I got disappointed. My attending physician though told me that he doubted I had pneumonia since I "looked too good." He just gave me paracetamol and cough medicine prescriptions and told me to come back if I still wasn't recovered in 5 days.

I waited for a cab to take me to Metrowalk where I was supposed to meet Mylinda and as I hung around the driveway, the guard struck up a conversation and asked me "Ma'am, do you work out?"

At Metrowalk, I found a copy of the elusive pirated DVD set of Smallville Season 4 which I have gotten extremely addicted to.

Then I also texted the friend who had offered a consultancy project through a Friendster message the night before. We set a meeting for few days later, which could actually mean extra cash.

I had a nice Monday!

Changes

There was a time a couple of years ago when me and my two best friends sat down for a "studio portrait" at a local Kameraworld, believing it to be one of our last photos as best friends in Manila. One of the trio was scheduled to leave for Hongkong for work, while the other planned to move to Holland to get married.  As always, I was slated to stay.

Six months later, everyone was back in town as the work thing and the relationship thing didn't work out...and we had many more photos and adventures again. But after that period, it seemed like things had changed.  Though we were close as ever, there was no longer a need to spend every minute together either in person or on the phone.  We all had our own lives, and we were pretty different people, which actually made the friendship even richer. 

Recently we had dinner at Nuvo (in the midst of my raging cold) and met Mylinda's fiance, their relationship a very inspiring product of her last visit to the United States to become a bridesmaid at a childhood's friend wedding.  He was the best man. It happened so suddenly it seemed to be cause for worry for me, but the inspiring part was this time everything was perfect.  From someone who's seen her experience so much crap from relationships through the years, she miraculously met and is going to marry her Mr. Right.  The last time she and I were in Nuvo, we half-seriously thought of this happening to us, but never really thought it would happen so soon. That just goes to show you never know what fate has in store!

She's leaving for Philly this September, to get married and settle there.  This time I think the change will be rather permanent.  I used to think I couldn't imagine what it would be like when people close to me wouldn't be around anymore.  But know I know although there may be changes in geography or in lifestlyle, relationships don't have to end...they just change, and its up to you to make it change for the better, to grow into something different and unique.

So very soon, i'll have an excuse to travel and visit her, which I think is going to be a lot of fun!


Kwon, Mylinda, Tricia and me.

Spread the love

Its 7th day anniversary of my virus.  Happy week-sary!  I have no idea why I haven't gotten significantly better after taking oodles of antibiotics and Tuseran Forte and extra virgin coconut oil (the home remedy system at work).  Well at least the whole weak knees and fever faded as of last weekend, but my cough and colds continue to persist in the face of extreme medication.  It could also be the late nights I insist on having, feeling as if I don't need rest at all (the Superman complex!).

Fabulously enough, I have also shared the wealth among numerous officemates who started coughing and sniffling soon as I looked in their direction.  Ain't that great?  That's how killer my virus is.  I've been so blessed to be visited by one of the most powerful entities in the virus-which-cause-colds-and-cough world.

Thankfully its the weekend and I hope that I get enough vegetating time in to get over this.  GMA has also cooperated by declaring a National Holiday so people can be enthralled by her State of the Nation Address.  It must be her way of making up for the horrid tax she's imposed to curtail my shopping habits.

Have a good weekend and wish me a speedy recovery please!

****************************************

Check out a copy of HP Book 6 bought from Thailand.  Oooh, a different cover! This copy belongs to the San Diegos, and I was quite entertained to open it and read that HP is also available in Welsh, Irish, Latin and Ancient Greek (gasp, say it isn't so!)

In Bed with Harry

Crawled out of my sickbed today to grab a copy of this:



I prided myself on never getting sick (except for the occasional bout of ulcer) but I guess there's just so much a body can take. That must have been an amazingly strog virus that took me down with the flu because it got Gigi too considering we spent less than 2 hours breathing the same air.

At least being sick gives me time to read Harry Potter, and get much needed rest as well. Although I used to be such a TV addict, and a bookworm, I haven't found myself in bed with a book for some time now. Nice to go back to the good old days.