Confessions

Have I mentioned before that I have a certain liking for Krispy Kremes?  Yep, those original glazed donuts are simply to die for!  Ever since their debut in Manila last December, I see to it that I bring home at least a dozen everytime I had a chance to go to Megamall. 

And now that my flight is less than a week from now, I just had to know if they have a branch up in Malaysia.  And so far — nada.  Unless Google failed me on my recent fact-find…  Waaaah!  How could they not have this sweet babies?! 

Nevertheless I learned that Go Nuts Donuts had a branch there… Yey!  Their amazing glaze is a good alternative…  And that made me a little proud knowing that Go Nuts is a Pinoy original.  And they had beaten KKs to open there first hihi!  I could live with that for a while.  But I do hope KK open a franchise there soon!

Red

Let's paint the town RED…

Happy Hearts' Day!

Call Times

For almost a year and half I've been using a sleek Sony Ericsson K750… having bought this unit with my friend Rica at Megamall last September 16, 2005 with excitement and some kind of urgency to replace my old Nokia 3660 unit.  Looking at my phone right now made me appreciate the times it helped me nurse myself from a bad breakup.

Anyway,  as all my friends know, during those times that communication is a bit crucial (READ: meeting times, or  out of depression or just to simply gossip), I rather call them than send an SMS.  Maybe it is the bossy side of me that want answer, or reply of some sort as soon as possible.  And yes those calls cost me some fortune.  That is why I don't subscribe to postpaid packages, I can't trust myself due to lack of control.

And then I just noticed this morning the Call Timers option in my phone's setting:

        Total call time: 162:19:19   

        Outgoing calls: 24:06:03

I don't reset my call timer ever since I bought my phone.  And calculating based from the current call rates, I had just spent Php 10K for those calls! And that doesn't include those overseas calls and NDDs yet.  The fact that my incoming calls are much much longer than the outgoing ones felt good though…

Thank goodness I stick to prepaid… 

Heart’s Day Jitters

[Warning: Highly emotional post]

OK.  Based from my previous post last December I should be ranting by now either how much I miss everyone in Philippines or how I am faring with the job I took in Malaysia or whether or not I am nursing a homesickness every night wishing I stayed in my last job.  But, uhmm,  things went rather different. 

WE WERE DELAYED.  Those crappy people our government hire to sit in several positions abroad in our embassies do nothing but cause delay.  It is a shame, really.  Imagine how it felt when you are corresponding with your future bosses, asking them details of what the hell causes our work permits not to be released on time and then learning from them that it is our own kababayans who apparently think it is oh-so-great to be so paimportante.  Imagine, a normal transaction of work permit application only takes 3 days — according to their website — but ours took a good 4 weeks.  My colleagues were downright suicidal!  I can't blame them if they almost thought we weren't going to make it abroad.  My supposedly 2 weeks of cramming last minute goodbyes were stretched to 2 months.

Honestly, 2 months of bumming in our home?  Not that bad, hehe.  At least now I know I am actually good at doing bumwork.  Sarcasm aside,  I took it as a blessing in disguise.  I had never spent a vacation this long with my family in two and a half years.  Mostly I am grateful to take part in my brother's upbringing for once.  Well, not that I am being irresponsible before.  It's just that I haven't been able to personally oversee his schooling lately because I am working.  My aunts and grandmother do the job that I am supposedly doing.  So I just did these past 6 weeks.  So far I could say this is our most intimate 4 weeks of our orphan life. 

And just last tuesday, on our way home from buying chocolate sundaes at Jollibee, my brother and I were talking about my upcoming flight, which is next week.  It was a short walk though… since the nearest branch is just a block from our house.  And then he told me something very adult-ish:

Carlo: "Ang daya."
Me:  "Alin ang madaya?"
Carlo: "Ang laki ng gap ng age natin."
Me:  "Ano ang madaya dun?  Bakit, mas gusto mo maliit ang gap ng age natin?"
Carlo: "Hindi naman, OK lang."

There.  I felt good after that.  That means he's already grasping how complicated our situation is.  That means he is actually thinking.  I mean, he's concerned about us and I appreciate it.  God I am so thankful my brother is warm-hearted and kind enough.  See, he's 12 now.  Making it an 11-year gap between us.  Thinking that he is a boy and thoughts like those doesn't come normally often from them out loud make me appreciate him that very moment I wanted to hug him.  Sigh.  I just love my brother.

An overdue survey…

What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Visit Cebu.  Visit Zambales.  Play paintball.  Be silly in a mudslide.  Watch a comedy flick in a comedy bar (yes and I'm 23).  And something else (",)

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't have any, and didn't thought of one for this year either. 

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.

Did anyone close to you die?
Nope.

What countries did you visit?
Just our own.  I decided to tour Philippines this year hehe. 

What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Money! Haha.  A new laptop.  A driver's license.

What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 8, November 11 and December 15.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
To have been able to complete the 7 month-long project with flying colors that was commended in many ways in my last months in GXS… And to accept the job offered to me that is based in Malaysia. 

What was your biggest failure?
That harddrive that crashed last October.  'Twas too sudden that I barely had my backups.  Precious files huhu..

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Illness - Bad bad case of flu the moment I arrive in Manila from our 3-day vacation in  Cebu.  Salamat sa nag-alaga ng dalawang araw (",)

What was the best thing you bought?
Waaah.  Can't keep track.. But it must be the new desktop for my brother (which I'm using for the time being hehe).  Oh and those pair of shoes and slip-ons, too.  Always the best things!  Especially the beige gamuza 'friendship shoes' — 3 of my friends also have a pair, just differed in color hihi… And the Diesel sneakers that I bought last March and the Chuck Taylor last June.  Basta silang lahat.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine and Joane's. Nuff said. 

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
No one, this year's been a happy year through and through.

Where did most of your money go?
Food and clothes.  And I'm not surprised at all. 

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The separate trips to Cebu and Zambales.  And the company outing last April to Virgin Beach.  Those beach outings were really fun.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2006?
Collide by Howie Day and Tulog na of Sugarfree 

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? — happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? –  fatter and I'm telling the truth.                                                                          iii. richer or poorer? — poorer.  truth hurts. but so what.  I'm happy anyway.

What do you wish you'd done more?
Rest during free days.   Exercise.  Save money. 

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Drinking.  Lurking online and being a hopeless romantic (1st quarter of 2006) 

How many one-night stands?
Zero. 

What was your favorite TV program?
My Name Is Earl.  Prison Break baby!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No one.  Which is good. 

What was the best book you read?
The Alchemist!  And Youngblood^3 

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Reggae. The band called Sugarfree.  I just luv them!  And the very special rising band called Null Condition.  

What did you want and get?
To be loved no matter what. 

What was your favorite film of this year?
Hmm.  I've seen too many films this year but can't pick of a favorite. 

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Spent the day with my loved ones.  23!

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not missing that Black Eyed Peas concert. 

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Ho-hum.  I need a wardrobe make-over.

What kept you sane?
Friday coffee sessions with Au, Rica and Joane. 

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Carlo Aquino. 

What political issue stirred you the most?
Those ghost employees crap. 

Who did you miss?
George!! and Nian!

Who was the best new person you met?
My soon-to-be SO. 

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
"What goes around comes around."                                                                                                              "When you want something so deeply, everything in the universe will conspire to help you achieve it."

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
That I was someone larger than life.  And all those parting messages my former colleagues left me with. 

The most touching experience you've had this year?
Hmm I'd rather keep it to myself. 

What did you like most about yourself this year?
My being optimistic. 

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
My being too optimistic haha!  Seriously I hate those times that I was being impulsive. Tsk. 

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
<insert lyrics of Kwarto by Sugarfree here> 

Was 2006 a good year for you?
Yes.  Very very good indeed.  One of the most memorable for sure.

What was your favorite moment of the year?
Friday nights with friends and all of third quarter. 

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
That day when my harddrive crashed. 

Where were you when 2006 began?
At home in my grandmother's house. 

Who were you with?
Belesina clan. 

Where were you when 2006 ends?
At home in my grandmother's house. 

Who were you with when 2006 ends?
Belesina clan.  Whoa I just had a deja vu. 

Do you have a new years resolution for 2007?
None. 

What was your favorite month of 2006?
August and December.

How many concerts did you see in 2006?
Just one.  Heart Songs of Jay-R and Kyla. February 11 at the Aliw Theater. 

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2006?
Yeah I think I did.  But tolerable still. 

Do a lot of drugs in 2006?
Not at all. 

You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Mm not that I could think of as shameful… 

How much money did you spend in 2006?
LOTS. Darn. 

What was your proudest moment of 2006?
Sometime in May when the project I'm leading for 7months was commended by our client. 

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2006?
That I don't keep track.

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2006 and change something, what would it be?
Nothing really..

What are your plans for 2007?
To earn as much as what I spent last year (or more than).

How are you different now that the year has ended?
More mature.  You may hear it often from people nowadays but this year definitely has made me think and act older.  I think hitting 23 came with too many realizations. 

What are your wishes for the new year?
That I could live up to my own expectations.  That I could adjust as soon as possible in MY.  That everything will work out fine.