My Trip to the US of A

“I Shall Return”

Traffic was heavy.., the mood was tense, sad & excited. Thanks to my husband’s not so reliable sense of direction we missed a turn and lost almost 30 minutes. Hug, kiss, teary eyes (nah!) And from all the mixed emotions and commotions I almost forgot my mac at the backseat of our car. Heavy luggage...And I mean really heavy luggage. The worst part of checking in is the security check. I hate the part where I take off my shoes, my belt, my watch and everything else.

After much deliberation, Eva Air was relatively better than most airlines. Cheap, reliable, and they serve good food. (which happens to be important thing on a long flight) The flight attendants were really nice considering my bad experience from Taiwanese-run aircraft. The connecting flights were all on-time. No long waiting periods. This was my 2nd time at a Taipei airport. As expected it was clean, unconveniently huge and the nearest Starbucks or decent sandwich at Subway was a mile walk inside the airport.

SO L.A dude!!!

The US immigration officer seemed perplexed at the idea of us going to New York. "It's too darn cold in New York! You should go to Florida." But I was allowed a max of 6 months stay in the US maybe after hearing that I’m staying only for 3 weeks.

Unlike my 1^st visit in the US, It was still cold in LA. Then we probably spent

most of our time on the freeway going one place to another. We crashed with

our high school friend Mitchie at a Best Western room in Pasadena with her friend Laronda. Old Town Pasadena was a great place to hang out. No rowdy shady characters. Sort of like Malate (in the old days) and Eastwood City without the commercial aspect.

Hollywood!!

Tourist haven Hollywood was almost an ordinary place, except it was like a mecca to showbiz fanatics the way the Inca & Mayan trail was like to modern civilization.. The Church of Scientology building that I almost ignored reminded me of Tom Cruise and his evolved weirdness from ideology. The Kodak Theatre felt like I was walking through the red carpet to accept my Oscar trophy, except I was surrounded by a giddy group of cheerleaders congregating for a cheerleading competition inside the theatre. The Chinese Theatre is where you can come closely to holding Matt Damon's hands and realizing they are quite small. (awww...)

LA Pinoys & Airport Hotels..

Call me crazy but I saw Jollibee (the mascot) at an LA pinoy community commercial place and got so excited. I ran to him like a deranged toddler and had my picture taken. For some reason we had lunch at Chow King. The local pinoy grocery sold all pinoy goods llike you’re back in Manila. Complete with a guy with ‘bisaya accent’ on the paging system. My goily friend Mars & I stayed at the Howard Johnson airport hotel for the night and it had a cinematic resemblance to that old Stephen King flick, The Shining. Buti nalang, coolest-of-cool friend Sally(dumay) treated us to dinner (at Denny's..not bad ha) and decided to hang out with us in our hotel room up to 3AM. No time to sleep!!! We hopped on the airport shuttle at 4:30AM for a 7AM flight to NYC. The sleep deprivation has made me a bit depressed and irritable. Thanks to the Chinese guy who used my seatbelt. Kaya pala ang sikip man!

New York here we come!!

The flight wasn't bad. It was almost 6 hours of mild turbulence. Once we stepped out of JFK airport, the wind chill was terrible. I hate the cold! T'was the final days of winter, and NY isn’t exactly hospitable.

We were at the Garden State mall in NJ on our second day with galpal Elaine and ol pal Sagun (Frances Sagun..but we call her “sagun”) It was a long night of shopping. Sagun dared the challenge for us to find our shirt size inside Abercombie and ended up paying for it. She treated us to a Japanese buffer dinner that defined the word Gluttony. Wished Marc was there!!

The NY Subway, 5^th Avenue, Central Park and the Met (March 2)

The long walk to the bus station was torture. Wind chill and -7 degree temperature were my everday challenges. (Sort of like Survivor Weekend in NYC). We got off at the last stop which was Union Station (aka the Union Turnpike) and waited sans rain and cold for my friend's Aunt. First time I was having coffee & doughnuts side by side with the NYPD. This was also our first walk to fame at 5th Ave. The Apple Store along the 5th was the biggest and the mecca to mac enthusiasts. I just had to stop by the NBA store to get my hubby a shirt that was on sale for$14. Pricey for an ordinary white shirt with an NBA logo. The NBC store was exciting and again really expensive stuff. I cannot resist getting a Conan O'Brien shirt (I'm a BIG fan of course) and an SNL mug for almost 40 bucks. Haaay! St. Patrick's Cathedral was beautiful. It was a sight to behold amidst the skyscrapers, shops and offices surrounding it. Lots of people still drop by and light candles. The highlight of the day was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hey, we missed out on the Guggenheim museum. I have no idea why we decided to walk almost 20 blocks from the Rockefeller center to that MMOA at the Upper East side of Central park, but it was like doing penance. Buti nalang, The Met was the best place in NY for me...(aside from the UN). Mars & I were really there for the museums. Again I missed Marc... he would've loved looking at civilization art. Awww...

The Clementes, the UN tour and top of the Rock!

Was finally able to get in touch with my uncle (a spitting image of my dad) and we visited his very posh place in the upper east side. Again it was a challenge to ride the subway. From the union station get off at Lexington Ave, ride the 6th train going uptown, get off at 77th. Walk 2 blocks, take the bus, get off at York and 79th. Walk another 2 blocks and voila! Gossip Girl neighborhood of Upper class Manhattan. My uncle was my dad's complete opposite. Reserved, OC-neat & quiet. But he was our gracious chaperone to our UN tour and Top-of-the-Rock visit. He & his wife (Tita Lil) bought us tickets to broadway show Mama Mia (adaptation of ABBA songs), saying our NYC stay would not be complete without..broadway!!! tantarantaran! Another treat wasdinner at Brasserie Ruhlman. (Was so looking forward to this..hehe). Had the NY Strip Poivre a/k/a NY sirloin steak...which was the best steak ever!!! (well, I still have many years to go & I'm not closing the doors).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARS (March 7)

Happy Birthday Mars!

First of all, Mars was my travel buddy. And I am, her ultimate test of patience. She would wake up at 7am and since I would regain conciousness at around 9ish, she usually ends up doing the laundry. And I... well I colored her hair.

So I offered to cook Caldereta for her birthday party. Madaming sabaw... Not my best caldereta but Elaine’s kids loved it... hehe.

Confessions of the shop-a-holics!

Forget Macy’s or Sears. The Tanger designer outlets in Long Island is the best place for shop-shop-shopping. RLs, designer shoes, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Nike, and the list goes on. It was raining like mad and it was terribly cold, but we didn’t seem to mind. (ok I did a bit..)

I bought Marc his Friday work clothes at RL for $39. That would cost me at least 4K pesos here. Most expensive buy was probably the Coach hobo bag for $96. That was P4K+ but that was a steal considering lacoste wallets here costs almost the same.

Broadway, Times Square, the Financial District at 8PM, WTC and my cousin Vince!

Reunion with cousin Vince. I’d say he’d make a great GRO..hehe. Very gracious and always entertaining. He knew right away that I hate the cold torture of the commuting process, so offered to be our chauffer-con-tour-guide for the day. He treated us for lunch and brought us to the theatre to watch broadway show ‘Mama Mia’. After that we walked to Times Square where Vince figured this was the best place for a photo op. Yes pipol he is a professional photographer (check out his site www.vincentlopez.com for his work) and Mars & I were the pinoy supermodels (shrimp version). Too bad we were late for fashion week. Thanks Vince!!!

Back to Cali…

March 12. We hopped back on the plane to LA. The flight was terrible. It was so bumpy I had to hold on to the walls while sitting on the toilet seat. It was a good thing we chose Delta and it was a straight flight. The last week was our stay in at BFF Mayen’s house and it was a long 3 - 4 hours drive to Fresno. Menggay and her ‘Tart’ Edwin were the most gracious hosts. Talo ang VIP treatment ng Shangri-La Hotel!! They have this big beautiful house (that most pinoys will drool for) in Fresno California, home of fresh strawberries, oranges and almonds… tama ba to Yems? More outlet shopping and a trip to San Fransisco. San Fo was cold and wet. We were drenched in rain as we hopped on the tram for an hour tour of the city. I loved SF, and I might make that part of my itinerary when I decide to go back for another vacation.

It was a great experience to be out on my own. Travel with friends, see the places I always wanted to visit over and over again (think NY..yeah baby). Too bad it was just too cold to walk around Central Park with my uncle. Next time I’d probably stay with him and my aunt in their cool Upper East Side apartment where I could walk across the street and grab a sandwich at the local deli. Or maybe stay with Vince and hang out some more with him and my other cousins. Or maybe wake up at 6am to see the Today show at Rockefeller center. I’ll definitely find more time to see Abe in D.C. at the Lincoln Memorial, or take a photo of my feet on the same ground where Martin Luther King made his famous speech for Civil Rights on August 1963.

But for the short stay I still loved New York. I loved the Met. 5^th avenue, the NBC studios, Times Square, and Soho. I loved San Fo, Fresno’s laid back atmosphere. Most of all I enjoyed the time with old friends. Getting to know them all over again and enjoying all these places with them. It’s weird but I felt renewed and energized after this trip. This trip, was FOR ME. It reminded me to let go and loosen up. Then maybe, a self realization that challenges like a nerve-wracking NY subway trip will be similar to the ones I have to overcome later in life.

What's Left of Radio Music...

99.5 RT played the widest array of music. They played the Kinks, The Smiths side by side with Kenny Loggins and James Taylor. Even the old 89.9 played mainstream jazz 1 hour before midnight long before 105.1 Crossover took over the airwaves.

This morning on my way to work I was listening to the new 99.5 Hit FM which took over the RT station since it signed off on December of 2006. 2 lady DJs and a guy DJ talking about the Grammys. Amy Winehouse snagged 5 grammys, and the 2 DJs had to mention she did not deserve the win. Why? “Oh she looks like a drug addict. And for what song? Rehab?”. Oh honey this isn’t the Kid’s Choice Awards. It’s freaking Grammys.

Then the lady DJ goes on to say, “At least she (Amy Winehouse) didn’t win Album of the Year. It was won by some Herbie Hancock”. What do you mean “some”? This girl shouldn’t be working in a radio station. (The guy DJ though was quick to defend the legend… maybe not out of respect but out of embarrassment to the listeners who know what music is all about.) The “some” is Herbie Hancock. He reinvented jazz music. He is an innovator, jazz pianist extraordinaire. He played electronic music way before the Chemical Brothers or Moby.

But this isn’t about who deserves the Grammy. This is about respect for music. The DJs from the old RT would never say, “Dude, Nirvana did not deserve a grammy because they’re all sick on crack”. Amy Winehouse created a new genre of music, it was an artistic cross-section of Billie Holiday, The Pretenders, Soul, and Punk Rock. Sure she has issues and she’s all messed up. But her music came in first and music listeners are intelligent enough to know that.

Radio DJs should learn variety, and an appreciation for all kinds of music. Look beyond the superficial and the commercial appeal. Not just... to the left, to the left…
Eve

Sick Sick Sick

Literally. Been sick since December. Just like a corny relationship... my contagious coughing would go on and off. Diagnosis? Bronchitis, rhinitis, back to bronchitis, acute allergic rhinitis, upper respiratory tract infection, with viral complications. Which means... I've been jumping from mucolytics, expectorants, antihestamines, phenylpropanolamine, and all sorts of antibiotics.... then steroids, bitter dirt tasting steroids. To be honest, I don't think I have strong lungs. This makes me me highly vulnerable to viral diseases and throat or lung infections. And really... I have never coughed this way before. It almost sounded like tubercuosis. I was cleared from TB though and even from a lung infection. I tried eating yummy pasta.. but again,,thanks to the kidney basin I was relieved for about 1410 minutes. hahaha.

2007.....Year in Review

2007 Year in Review

Sa Pinas.

ZTE-NBN Broadband Deal. 329 million dollar contract signed in China between the Philippine Government & Chinese telco giant ZTE during the time the government was not allowed to sign contracts due to the upcoming elections. More scandal ensues when Joey deV III claims COMELEC chair Ben Abalos bribed him 10M pesos to backout from the project in favor of ZTE. More scandal!!! During his testimony at the Senate, Joey named Mike Arroyo (lo & behold) who also asked him to back out from bidding the contract.

More Bribery Scams. Where? Malacañang of course. P 200K – P500K in envelopes to local officials and congressmen in support of GMA against another impeachment attempt at the House of Representatives.

Pulse Asia Survey’s Most Corrupt leader in Philippine History. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo 42%. Ferdinand Marcos 35%, Joseph Estrada 16%.

Erap Convicted of massive plunder by the Sandiganbayan’s graft & corruption court. Then after 6 weeks… (after bribery scams & Broadband deal blowups)..Estrada was granted a full pardon by GMA.

Glorietta 2 Blast. Killed 11 and injured more than a hundred people right after lunch break. Turf war between different groups created different conclusions to the source of the blast. Methane gas leaks ignited by sparks in faulty wiring…or real Terrorist bombing?

More Blasts. This time at the Batasan (House of Representatives). Investigations say target was Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar, who was killed in the blast along with his aides. Some say it was a threat to divert attention away from a pending investigation on the Arroyo administration.

Whats UP?

On the lighter side of things. Patent is back. Now I recall I used to own a patent shoe back in Grade School, c/o Otto & Greg. It actually came back in the early & late 90s, and has re-emerged in shocking hues and different Croc-style designs.

Plastic! Plastic! From the ‘I’m not a Plastic Bag’ canvass totes for the environmentally conscious(??) fashionistas, to plastic shoes. Plastic jelly-type shoes are back on the shelves. Jello or Alsa gulaman on your feet. While Crocs has been around since 2006, everyone even the kwek-kwek vendor has it. It looks comfy yes, hideous, and cute on your kids…stops there.

Place to be & be seen. Serendra and Bonifacio High Street.

Epol-epol. Apple macbooks & the Leopard OS launched October 2007. Andito na si iPhone at last! Plus if you think you’ve had enough of your itsy-bitsy Nano, there’s iPod Touch,

Chika.

Britney back in trouble. After showing her noo-noo to paparazzi, losing custody of her kids, acting high & drunk in public, she’s making a comeback in the music scene. Weird thing is, she’s making better music now.

I Loooovvvee the movies! The best were seen this year. Heartwarmingly funny animation Ratatouille, much anticipated as ever - Shrek the 3^rd, who could miss… Spiderman 3 and Harry Potter in Order of the Phoenix, cinematic senses overload – Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, sexy buff Persians in ‘300’, sexy action man Jason Bourne back in ‘Bourne Ultimatum’, and alien robots kick each other’s ass in ‘Transformers’.

Personal.

Definitely better than the previous year, still a lot of personal struggles but were necessary to build character and strength. Again it ends there...(Now I have more character than Jay Leno and superstrength powers that will put Superman to shame..)

Best things to happen:

- 3-day weekend with Marriage Encounter at Manresa. Change and revelations?

- A reunion with friends, most especially bestfriend Mayen, her most anticipated visit to the RP.

- Lopez reunion – our first Christmas day together at Moncada Tarlac with Ninang Jean Stacey and her family who came home from the UK.

- Ethan’s first day in school! Pre-Casa (equivalent to Jr Nursery) at Mothergoose Playskool. He is Señor Kulit and Monsieur Likot. But he is a quick thinker just like his dad, firm and very decisive at a young age. We made sure he did not miss the World Pyro Olympics, Sesame Street Live, and his first day in school. His first orientation of what his life will be like in the years to come. Yayks!

To conclude this year... I might not have received a bagful of goodies, boxes of ham or a 2000 peso gift check, but just for the spirit of Christmas (yeey!) at least I have given more to my loved ones. Had some fun with my closest friends, spent early Christmas day on the road to be with relatives out of town, had a great time choosing gifts for the people who mean most, and the kids who are always glad to open one. (awwshucks) Yes and because of all these,I did suffer from a bad flu and pharyngitis due to the complete destruction of my fun-capable immune system...but who cares. Lastly, a meaningful year for our little boy Ethan and so far the most rewarding one for my hubby Marc. Cheers to the New Year!

Bookworm Adventure

I have this sudden interest in going back to reading books and suddenly losing interest in glossy fashion magazines that has somehow given me frivolous ideas on material possessions. Probably that sense of guilt when our son asked if the book he was holding was mine, to which my husband replied. “That’s daddy’s book. Mommy only has ONE book.” Beep-Beep! What-the-@#**#@!!!! I found myself justifying the lack of literary interest, “excuse me but I just had a child. I don’t have the luxury of time. I don’t spend hours inside the bathroom to finish 10 chapters. I’d rather spend my money for worthwhile things than spend on something I don’t have time for. Etc. etc.”

You “have one book is equivalent to”, you don’t read. You’re not feeding your mind. It’s static. Immobile. It has become just plain gray matter. Meatball that has turned to mush.

Or has pregnancy and hormonal changes made me more sensitive and emotional?

Months ago I have started on a handful of titles by Stephen King and Tom Clancy. I got bored, I was distracted, I stopped reading and wasn’t able to finish any of them. Unusual since I love the mystery and suspense of espionage and bizarre frightening stories of once lovable pets coming back from the grave. When I was younger I used to love my Agatha Christie mystery novels, I was a sucker for good ole reference books that my dad brought home from his trips abroad. I owned a shelf-full of Nancy Drews, graduated from that and went through a Stephen King phase. Misery, The Shining, Pet Sematary, and Carrie were the first titles sold at National Bookstore.

Patience is only a virtue for me if it entails waiting for my husband to down a few SMB rounds with the boys. But it’s not exactly a personal trait. Which means big thick paperbacks with titles like, Star, Mysterious Love, The Love Affair, are a turnoff. Ergo I go for short stories with political undertones, mysteries and haunting tales from F. Sionil Jose to Alfred Hitchcock. I’m not a big fan of Anne Rice but I wouldn’t be caught dead reading anything with Danielle Steele’s glittery embossed name on the front page. That movie ‘You’ve Got Mail’ didn’t even make me read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. But I’ve read all 3 Tolkien series of The Lord of The Rings to fully understand the 3 movies I was about to watch. Even the first 2 Harry Potter series. I read “Band of Brothers” by Stephen Ambrose, real life WWII story that follows E-Company, a young group of paratroopers from Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. Simply because I love war stories and the HBO movie had a good looking bunch of men in uniform. Just my type.

“You’re never going to finish that book” are his disheartening words that has pushed me to a chapter to chapter marathon until my eyes resemble a symptom of rubella. I’m down to 10 chapters of John Le Carre’s ‘A Constant Gardener’, and I will finish it.

Move on to Hannibal Rising or that new title from Nick Hornby. They say reading not only improves your comprehension, vocabulary and cognitive skills. Psychologists say it creates a sense of clarity and inner peace. Now I don’t know about that inner peace but, at least something up there is still moving. I’ll find that peace once I finish the story. LEVEL UP!

Sweet Revenge

I just saw him. Sitting like an old blob at the lobby of this high-end mall a block away from my office. This guy was a classmate back in the college. Well, he was in most of my classes. For whatever lame reason he is so fit to be taking Sociology. He'd usually sit at the back of the enthusiastic bunch and sometimes near the windows where he would sit and gaze at nowhere. He was the school jock who walked tall, talked like nobody's there and deliberately exuded a sense of superiority over the rural beings in this acclaimed university. My friend who sat beside me asked him a question and he just walked passed us like we were cockroaches hanging from the ceiling. Now, 15 years later, maybe he turned out to be that successful executive of a multinational bank driving a flashy beamer. Who cares? He has become the closest relative Jabba the Hut about to wait for Han Solo's execution. Abnormal abdominal bloating. Flat warts the size of 7 continents. I know, this is too much. But the point of all these is... You'll never know what the future brings, so be nice to your classmates? Be a nice chap for you may someday turn out to be a creature from Star Wars.

Getting to Know me...Getting to know all about me!!

PERSONAL HERO

Ninoy Aquino. The Filipino is worth dying for. My Dad. There should be an element of personal sacrifice in heroism. Though It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to die on the tarmac or thru firing squad. It’s selflessness. Generosity. My Dad is that kind of person. Putting others forward before himself.



CAN’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT
My Cellphone. The convenience of this gadget has made me overly dependent on it. My wallet of course.

WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY
My husband. My son. Family. My friends. Christmas.

FAVORITE PIECE OF CLOTHING
Right now…probably my straight jeans.

FAVORITE SLEEPING POSITION
I sleep on my back when really tired. But I’m usually lying on my side, especially when it’s me, my husband and our son on the bed. Likot matulog ng mga boys!

LAST BOOK READ
Band of Brothers – Stephen Ambrose.

BOOK OR MAGAZINES
Magazines. I’m a magazine freak. I have tons in my bathroom. I find them irresistible in the coffee shops.

MUSIC PLAYLIST
Absolute Beginners – David Bowie; The Man who sold the world – Nirvana unplugged; I Will Follow You – Death Cab for Cutie; Brick – Ben Folds Five; U2 – Stay; Tears – The Chameleons; This woman’s work – Maxwell;

LATEST DOWNLOADED SONG
Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes

WATERLOO
Math

5 PLACES YOU’D LIKE TO VISIT
5 isn’t enough actually…
1. The Louvre

2. Great Pyramids of Egypt
3. Venice
4. Florence, Italy

5. Machu Pichu

ON MY WISH LIST
1. Eat pasta in Rome and seafood in Venice. Try out the best cheeses & meat produce.
2. Bring my son & hubby to visit the Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
3. A date with my husband to corregidor on our anniversary. One of our common interests.
4. A week in a beautiful beach like Boracay or Palawan.
5. Climb the Inca trail to the ruins of Machu Pichu.
6. Visit the World War II beaches in Normandy and Bastogne memorial in Belgium.
7. Look at the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel.
8. See all the moaui stone statues in Easter Island.
9. Ok see all of of Europe.
10.

THINGS I’D LIKE TO SEE & EXPERIENCE…NO MATTER HOW IMPOSSIBLE
Not in order of importance…
1. The Aurora Borealis in the North Pole
2. King Penguins huddled together in a snow storm (still in the North Pole)
3. Touch a sperm Whale.
4. Meet the Pope.
5. A chat with Conan O’Brien.

FAVORITE SUBJECT IN COLLEGE
Humanities 2. Social Psychology.

FAVORITE DRINK
Brewed coffee in the morning and ice cold Coke.

LATEST PURCHASE
Haay! Columbia Triad computer tote, TKO hand wraps and Nike Air Max.

BEST DAY/S OF MY LIFE
My wedding day and the day our son was born.

DREAM PROFESSION
Comic artist. Storyboard writer for Sponge Bob Squarepants.

CREEPIEST NIGHTMARES
Anything with slimy worms, maggots, caterpillars.
Creepy aliens from The Sign and Martians from War of the Worlds
Running away from a Tornado.
Fire storm and lava floods like the end of the world.
Tsunami or tidal waves.

WHEN I TURN ON THE TV I ALWAYS SWITCH TO…
HBO or Discovery Travel & Living

SHOE SIZE
Size 6 or 7.

Visual DNA

Received this email from a colleague few weeks ago.

Just keep picking the pics that appeal to you, one screen at a time, and in the end it will give you a profile of yourself... Have fun !!! http://dna.imagini.net/friends/


Personality profiles are fun. It’s fun to read them over and over…even if its all about you and realize how truthful it can be. Elicits the …”oohs..aahs..and oh yeah definitely” reactions.

Fave Eats

I have a weird mix of food cravings... It may depend on the weather, my mood, probably even my hormones. Something sweet, salty or spicy. Something fried, overly deep fried and oily. Something hot and comforting like chicken macaroni soup. The taste of parmesan on pasta, the greasiness of Chinese fried dumplings and noodles, the spice of Pad Thai, the weird taste of burned pig intestines on a stick.





1. I looovee lots of ice on my Halo-Halo. Best for hot sticky days at home.

2. The dreaded Isaw. Frederick's BBQ in Marikina (San Roque) still has the best Isaw. I'll give another thumbs-up to that orig BBQ stand along Panorama St. in SSS Village.





3. Sbarro's Baked Ziti. Ok, so Sbarro is fast food and it's not really one of those classy Italian restaurants. But the taste of hot baked mozzarella with parmesan on top of fresh tomato sauce is just heaven.



4. Haw Flakes. A weird but favorite snack. Brings back childhood memories.


5. Salmon sashimi. Yes I eat 'em raw and I can eat platefulls until I eventually breathe underwater. Best bought fresh from Farmers Market in Cubao. If there's an alternative, of course it's Tuna.

6. Oysters. Yes, I'm a self-confessed talaba monster. Once in Pangasinan, I ate 2 kilos. So I'm after those places like, Oyster Boy, Seaside, Marina, Fresca, Something Fishy etc. I don't like them with cheese or anything else. Just plain fresh oysters.

7. Tummy Ticklers at 4th Level Shangri-La Mall (just outside kiddie clothing store Big & Small) has cute bite-size hotdogs dipped in cornflour mix and deep fried. Sort of like a mini corn dog. Yum!

8. Inihaw na pusit a/k/a Grilled Squid at JayJs. It's just below Elorde's boxing gym, so its the best meal after a workout.

9. The best value meals are found at KaBero's, Teachers Village (a few blocks away from Bayantel office). They serve 2 sticks of grilled squid, garlic rice & rich sinigang broth for P75. The friend Tilapia meal is also priced the same, and the Tilapia is huge. Best with their inihaw na talong (grilled aubergines) and bagoong (shrimp paste).

10. Fried addidas (chicken feet). Best at Rasa Singapura. I don't think the resto still exists though.

11. Best Tacos at Pancake House. Yes aside from the Roast Beef, I go back for the Tacos.

12. Clams.. or Halaan. My mom used to buy giant Halaan, we'd put half a teaspoon of margarine on top, with minced garlic and onions, then place them on the grill. Superb!!!

13. Beef Enchilada plate (with rice and salad) at Mexicali. It's a good meal after a hard day's work when you feel like pigging out.

14. Cajun (Baby) Potatoes. Pre-boiled potatoes, olive oil, tons of paprika, crushed pepper, salt.

15. Smoked Salmon. Expensive, yes. But one should at least try it once. Smoked salmon+blue cheese+crackers. Smoked Tanigue at Pen Manila is delicioso.

16. Crostini and spinach pesto at Pasto. My son Ethan loved it. Takes after mommy. hahaha!

Where did the colors go???.... Elmo's Coloring Book

Our son Ethan had a blast. He's a big Elmo fan and mommy's a big Ernie fan. My hubby was just happy that we're enjoying the show. hehehe. He wanted to make sure Ethan would have a good view of the show so he bought front row VIP tickets, a whopping P1,891 each. But hey, anything for our one and only...It was all worth it after seeing Ethan's face light up as the Sesame Street gang went on stage. It was a great musical performance, mostly never-heared songs except for a piece of the Sesame Street anthem and a rendition of Cindy Lauper's True Colors. It was expected though since the musical was all about Elmo's Coloring Book. The gang also went down to the center aisle to interact with the kids. It was a bit bitin though, and after the show there was blast of confetti that the kids kept as souvenirs. My son was clenching it like hanging on to dear life. I was kinda expecting balloons or tokens to be given out to the kids. Well... anyway, Ethan brought home the experience...plus a box of happee toothpaste.

Boxing at Elorde

I've observed a drastic change in my friend's figure after taking up boxing for a couple of months. Being asthmatic, she claims boxing has also improved her strength and stamina. An ex officemate also recommended it as the best exercise to trim down my bulky mid section. (wtf girl!) I figured boxing is a way to release stress and all angst and getting fit at the same time. Elorde boxing at Julia Vargas Ave., just beside Home Depot is the nearest fitness place and haven to boxing enthusiasts. The annual membership fee is P1,000 and P 200 per session. If you opt not to pay for membership, you have to pay P350 per session. This is a one-on-one training. If you are unsure about enrolling, you can try out one session. You fill up a form about yourself, indicating any health concerns. I don't think the trainers read your file though. Since my only form of exercise is walking to SM Megamall or walking nonstop inside the mall, my first boxing session was quite a shock. My trainer was too enthusiastic and too eager to find out how far I can go. The first few minutes were for warm ups. Stretching exercises etc. (Ok I was panting & catching my breath doing the jumping jacks). Then the footwork and punches. I never knew there's a method to this, just thought you just jab at the opponent anyway you can. I'm sort of good at choreography thus was able to get the movements quickly, then we were off to the ring. (Inaaaay!) But surprisingly I did love the punching. Love the contact of the sport. After a while we tried the huge punching bags. I was thrown off a bit from the weight. (Bigat pala pare!) The speedball was even harder. Of course nobody there expects you to be a pro on your first day. My trainer would always ask, "kaya mo pa?". Ako naman, yup! And he was giving me that look.. ah ganun kaya pala ha. I was subjected to more torture with 3 sets of 3 minutes each with the jumping rope. Then the most dreaded situps and abdominal exercises. Yes, I bought 2 boxes of salompas that weekend and I smelled of eucalyptus all day. It was the place to wear your most comfortable outfit. This is not fitness first where the place smells like perfume and cologne, and people wearing expensive gym outfits. This is going down and dirty. Hahaha! But is it worth it? Yes. Never mind that the place has no airconditioning. That once you step in inside, the place has the temperature resemblance of a sauna. Never mind that it is a long 15 minutes walk from my office. Never mind that you get the feel of JayJ's kitchen exhaust pipes when you go up and down the stairs from Elorde's main entrance. Yup it's worth it.
(Thanks Roly!!!)

The corrupt way of life....

I am gravely dispappointed at our law enforcement. Be wary when you ask for help or assistance. Things might just turn and work against you. This is exactly what happened months ago when we filed a police alarm against the sedan that hit our car and sped off.

Weeks after this incident, we received a complaint for a different hit&run incident that same night. This one involving a "pedestrian" who was crossing the same road and accusing my husband of reckless imprudence resulting to injury. Yes, asking for the sum of twelve thousand pesos in return. Fabricated evidences, circumstances patched together and a bunch of cops pushing conclusions.

12K isn't much compared to lawyers fees and all the time-consuming court hearings. I was even advised by a friend to just pay out and it will go like everybody has amnesia. That's the reality of life in the RP setting. What?! It is apalling to condone this practice. Principle? Yes. I was raised by a family of fighters. I was surrounded by ideas of freedom and political struggles. My relatives fought against something more than just a group of corrupt policemen, but the whole government and the powers that be. Times changed, and some have grown tired of fighting for corruption and greed and simply imbibed it as way of life.

There is a thin line between poverty and greed. On a tight fix, people would grab on to any opportunity to be able to eat or live. At the same time, people with power and authority would grab any opportunity to their advantage like milking a golden cow for a pail of gold coins. Is 12k enough? No...To add insult to injury, the disadvantaged are wrongly accused, humiliated and judged for something they did not commit. But hey, It's easy to jump off to the other line and say, heck I don't earn enough as a cop to feed my kids. In our case, there's always something darker behind it probably more than just a case of corruption. It may pull us down to something deeper. But what do we hold on to? Our principle. The things we belive in. The truth.

Can't Do Without...

I can't do without my family. Can't do without the 2 Marc's in my life (Marco Fernando --nope not a Latino hunk & Marc Ethan). Can't do without my friends. Can't do without God and Faith. Can't do without Love (oh yeah!), Can't do without many things, some even too superficial. But aside from the most importatnt people & beliefs in life, there are still small suerpficial things that make make my life run in smooth operation.

1. My Sony Ericsson K500i. Simple phone, good enough camera & mp3 for my ringtones. It's cheap & yet has better features than it's Nokia counterpart. I know... it's time to upgrade. But so far, it serves its purpose.

2. Cherry Kiss Lip balm, gel foundation & Kohl eye pencil - A girl can't live without her makeup! 3 simple things that transforms a zombie-like complexion.

3. My 216x218mm Green Apple Notebook - It's not a fancy notebook with artsy hard covers & fillers. For 45 pesos, It's smooth & white enough to write all my daily reminders at work, notes and contact numbers. The neon green covers makes it easier to spot 10 feet away within a pile of papers & files on my desk.

4. Deodorant - Must I say why? It has always been a 'Secret' though.

5. Coffee in the morning. Doesn't matter whether it's brewed or instant.

6. Cable TV .... once you've experience cable, there's no going back...

7. Cocoa butter lotion - Smells like "latik", but it holds back nasty stretch marks. The cheaper ones from Lander can already work wonders.

8. Internet Connection. Used to be a priviledge. My first post paid connection was for P800 a month, 25 hours surfing time (+ 2 email addresses). My ISP, Quantum Internet. I'm hooked to the net all throughout my stay at the office. Nobody could function without the connection. Everybody is dependent on the emails, the system reports, the instant messaging services. It was the most convenient thing since the telephone.

8. My MP3s. Music moves, period. It may be U2, old 80's alternative (otherwise known as New Wave), The Clash, The Smiths, The Cure.

9. My 1995 Toyota Corolla GLi. My first car, my own car. It was my baby. Spent most of my savings in car accesories, new tires, the works. 55 series 16" Dunlops, Alpine stereo, 4 way speakers, viper security. Drove it to Baguio, up the demanding stretch of Kenon Road. Endless out of town trips. Nightouts with friends. Boy if this car could talk... it would reveal all my dirty secrets.

10. My new macbook. Yeeey! Finally! Thanks to my hubby, I have my own. Why a mac? Why not?

Elevator Blues Vol I.

Going to my office, I have to ride the elevator at least 10 times a week. From there you'll get to see the most exciting breed of people.

Call Center boys
guy1: Pare si Jason Webb tatakbo samin this election.
guy 2: Sheet pare, talaga. Daming barkadang goons yun.
guy 1: O nga pare. Pati si Roselle Nava, tatakbo din.
guy 2: Hahaha, talaga? E di iboboto mo yun?
guy 1: Hindi ah. Batukan ko pa yun.
chorus: hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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A Staff and senior employee from a prestigious culinary & hotel management school in our building.
Girl: (complaining in megaphone mode from the lobby to the elevator)
" And I'm like, hello? Don't you know how to say it correctly? I mean, it's like, so elementary really. "
Senior Guy: "uhm"
Girl: "They're like stupid terms in her report I can't understand it. Like she's trying to be smart or what but she's not really.. like she's a graduate of what school.. it's Ivy something whatever.."
Senior Guy: Ivy League?
Girl: Yah something like that. Is that even a school?
Senior Guy: smirking & shaking head.
Me & all passengers: eyebrows raised / eyes rolling (like..duh!)
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More Call Center boys:
Guy1: Man, I'm sooo thin.
Guy2: O nga pare. You're what the girls call it..anorexit?
Guy 1: O yeah.
(e baka Bulimit...)

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Pregnant employee from multinational shipping company and her co-employees at lunch time:

Guy: May bago ka nanaman baby. Last year kaka 1st birthday lang ng panganay mo, may bunso ka nanaman.

Buntis: Aksidente nga ako eh. Ewan ba ko ano nangyari.

Guy: Ganon? Tinanong mo ba asawa mo?

Buntis: Oo, sa phone lang. 2 years na sya sa Dubai e.

(huh???!!)

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More Call center dudes:

Guy with headphones, singing to Devo's Whip It.

"So wiff et, wifet gowd!!"

Sows! Accent training pa pls

Music Inventory

I went thru my old "baul" and discovered I have collected a roomful of casette tapes and vinyl records of music I grew up listening to. After 2 hours of inventory, I can now say that I've owned almost all of Duran Duran's albums in the 80s. Mostly in casette form. Aghast! (And yes, I admit those were the days I wore lavander eye liner, crimped my hair ala Boy George and pretended I was a Brit) A few vinyll records include, Rolling Stone's 'Tatoo You', a hand-me-down gift from a cousin. For some reason, I also have a copy of an Ikabod Buwit album. Ah, my music influences...hahaha. "Best of Blondie", "Lotus Eaters" and the "Xanadu" soundtrack. The first LP I bought for P20. Yes, watched the movie and folded my frilly skirts ala Olivia Newton John's alien-cowgirl look. ELO's contributions to the album were quite impressive as well. I used to borrow my cousin's records since I obviously could not afford them. We listened to Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones and The Pretenders. I figured she was trying to veer me away from disco and the emerging bubblegum pop music. Chrissie Hynde became one of my icons, it was quite unexplainable why I wanted to look like her & not Pat Benatar. I did buy maroon boots & wore it over my pants. Shagged & gelled my hair like I missed bath for 5 days.

I did own single 45s of Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" (don't ask), KC & the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way..", Devo's "Whip It"... (& danced to them as well).. Just like candy, I would write down the song titles and ask my dad to buy them.

The bulky & flimsy casettes were a mix of New Wave, punk, rock, R&B,..pop, dance.. Billy Idol, Duran Duran, Prince, Jackson 5, The Cure, Liz Phair, The Breeders, Coolio, ELO, Van Halen, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queen, The Police, En Vogue, Janet Jackson, Enya, Frank Sinatra, Modern English, Maxwell, Pearl Jam, STP, Seal, Pet Shop Boys, REM, U2, Tori Amos, B52s, the Pretty in Pink soundtrack, Clueless soundtrack, Pret a Porter soundtrack, Moby, Fat Boy Slim, Gabrielle, Diane Reeves, Lisa Stansfield, Manhattan Transfer, Salt n Pepa, TLC, Depeche Mode, George Benson, OMD, Sheryll Crow, Veruca Salt, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies, The Clash, Nirvana, Erasure, Lords of the New church, The church, Eurythmics, Marc Almond, Style Council, Ella Fitzgerald, Stephen Duffy, George Benson, Yoyoma, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, Aztec Camera, EBTG, The Chameleons...and the list goes on of course. Quite a selection...

HOW TO RECRUIT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB

HOW TO RECRUIT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB?

Put about 100 bricks in some particular order in a closed room with an open window.Then send 2 or 3 candidates in the room and close the door. Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours and then analyze the situation.

If they are counting the bricks, Put them in the accounts department.

If they are recounting them, Put them in auditing.

If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks, Put them in engineering.

If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order, Put them in planning.

If they are throwing the bricks at each other, Put them in operations.

If they are sleeping, Put them in reception.

If they have broken the bricks into pieces, Put them in information technology.

If they are sitting idle, Put them in human resources.

If they say they have tried different combinations, yet not a brick has ! been moved, Put them in sales.

If they have already left for the day, Put them in marketing.

If they are staring out of the window, Put them on strategic planning.

And then last but not least...

If they are talking to each other and not a single brick has been moved, Congratulate them and put them in Top Management.

- Raibow Terton Jag Gy (HR Phils e-group)

To dye for...

I'm not really that vain. Although no matter how I try to be high-maintenance, there's still a certain sloppiness which makes me...well,... me.

Few weeks ago I noticed that my self-dyed hair has grown out and since I'm attending a wedding weeks from now, I've decided to buy another home hair-dye kit and this time a different color from what I normally use. Sunday afternoon, I prepared all my kikay paraphernalia & proceeded with the operation inside fort knox (my bathroom). The direction reads 25 minutes but for some reason I decided to leave it on for another 1o minutes, then another 5 minutes... After the rinse & tons of conditioner, I faced the mirror with unexplainable horror. My once tame dull hair is now mandarin orange. It looked horribly worse than a cheap dye from a bottle. More like self-inflicted bathroom chemical dye... and I wasn't exactly aiming for an 80's punk look...
My husband was shocked but like a true gentleman that he is, assured me that the hair was fine. Love him.

I called my "suki" hairdresser & after a queer-eye-for-the-straight-girl moment, he demanded that I see him immediately. Of course I ended up shelling out more cash but I do look better in it. Now maybe next time I'll try it with my brows.

Crash

"No such thing as bad luck". I assured my husband on our way home from work.

Flashback. Sunday, 6:10 p.m.
Hubby & I figured in a minor car accident on our way home from church. My beloved hubby Marc was all relaxed and singing old baduy 70's tunes when the owner-type jeep ahead of us suddenly stopped at an intersection. Hubby was jolted from his 70's tralaland, hit the breaks just when our hood hit the jeep's rear end. Now a stainless jeep exterior to a 2003 Altis is like comparing arctic iceberg with leche flan. So obviously the jeep was completely unscathed. I, on the other hand, was able to test the seatbelt's effective break-sensor capabilities. Hmm very impressive, while my hubby was rattling away his temper.

We decided not to charge fron the insurance and instead pay P1500 for our car's bumper alignment & hood repainting-adjustments.

Fastforward.
Last night, hubby on his way from office hit another car's rear end. This time the owner (woman driver with PMS) was furious. We ended up at the police station, now with cool heads, exchanging numbers & sharing Marlboros with the owners of the AUV.
Now is this pure bad luck?

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I don't want to judge my husband's driving skills. I think it's more than just driving. I have this theory...
Good driving is a combination of skill, patience and self-control. Skill, of course, the first step is to learn how to drive. After driving for 17 years, the act of driving itself comes natural like walking or running. You don't think about the gear shift or the clutch and looking at the rear view mirror becomes a natural reaction. Patience, because anger will get you nowhere. Road rage is a major killer. Self control? There's always an urge to push the pedal and go over that 100kmph limit. You don't really need to unless you're driving a Ferrari at F1 racing. Control that pride. You are not the king of the road.

My dad always say, "you'll die defending your right of way". You drive thru a major road and ignore the crossing traffic because you think it is your right of way. You are hit by a truck and suddenly your rights are burried in a grave.

2005...The year in review...

Every January issue magazine has a list of the most intriguing and memorable events of 2005. Personally, It was an exciting year. We moved in to a new office, hired new people, and maybe for the first time..my performance was appraised and I got a raise! But the most important part is that my efforts were appreciated.
Nah! That's not it...

This year also made me cringe and laugh with Tom Cruise's antics and unnatural behavior, Furious and panicked by the rollercoaster price of gasoline, Saddened by Punongbayan's death by chopper crash and overwhelmed by the return of 80's and bohemian fashion.

Here's a rundown...

1. BOHO LOOK
Everbody's going bohemian. The gypsy skirt paired with plain shirt, flat thongs, long stringy necklaces or dangly earrings were everywhere. Gold and silver flats and who would forget the white flats everyone bought at 5th Ave Robinsons Galleria. My mom's 70's necklaces and paisley runched skirt suddenly looked cool.

Catherine Malandrino skirt
2. THINK GREEN & PINK

Everything is green and pink and I'm not talking about Bayani Fernando & his mayor wife MCF. Lacoste shirts and imitations, girlscout green and shocking pink-fuschia leather bags, shoes and everything else.

Marc Jacobs bag

3. BALLERINA CHIC & ROMATICISM

From ballet flats in every color to frilly skirts and shirts. Ribbons and lace. Twinsets, knits and crochets. Although I do own a pair of ballet flats I have yet to find the courage to wear that tutu & frou-frou.

PEOPLE, EVENTS & EVERYTHING ELSE

1. WORLD PYRO OLYMPICS

So much rave about this event but I missed it. So why put it in my list? It's still worth mentioning. Considering that thousands flocked to the reclamation area sans 4 hours traffic just to see the less-than-10-minute spectacle.

2. TOM CRUISE AT OPRAH & LENO

What the f--- really... I mean, it was so unnatural. Like a soap opera and everything was scripted. I do like seeing spoiled celebs inlove like maybe Will Smith & Jada Pinkett or Brand & Angelina, but to see Tom going bonkers jumping up and down Oprah's couch was too much. It made me cringe to my bone. Now that Katie's preggers, I stand by the fact that it's all planned and packaged. Tommers, yes, you may hate me!

4. MAJOR BREAKUPS

Okay this is all about Brad & Jen. I guess every guy is looking for excitement, strong woman-of-the world, with substance & a purpose in life,..and yes a woman to bear his children.

3. HELLO GARCI!

'Hello Garci' was played repeatedly on radio, television and everybody's mobile phone. The scandal has prompted call for GMA's resignation and sparked the worst politcal crisis to hit RP in recent years. GMA denied but later apologized in somber mood to the outraged pinoys.

4. MR. PINATUBO

Dr. Raymundo Punongbayan became famous after the 1990 Luzon earthquake and Pinatubo eruption. He tried so hard to explain to the common pinoys the cause of volcanic activity and earth crust movement. I must admit he did made me panic after announcing that Marikina is lying over a faultline that cuts thru the Ateneo campus, Marikina River area down to Libis and Pasig.

Punongbayan while serving as a member of the Philippine National Red Cross Board of Governors died in a helicopter crash along with four members of Philvolcs and four air force crew members. They were out on a mission to assess the government's disaster preparedness operations and possible resettlements for people displaced by floods and landslides.


MY LIFE

1. NEW HIRES!

2005 I interviewd almost 75 candidates for different positions in a span of 2 months. Some of them had to wait for 4 more months before being hired officially by the company. I'm glad for the positive direction (I think) but I suddenly miss my old colleagues who were affected by previous re-structuring. They're irreplaceable.

2. ETHAN TURNS 1

We celebrated our son Ethan's 1st birthday at Jollibee Libis. It was the most tiring but the most memorable event since my wedding and his baptism party.

3. ETHAN MILESTONES

I was getting worried that Ethan hasn't started walking at 11 months. But after a few weeks from his 1st birthday, he made his made his first step. After a while he has started running and the list goes on. Counting 1-13, (though mostly in random order), singing the alphabet song, bahay kubo, happy birthday and old McDonald. He showed clear interest in music. Singing along with a microphone and dancing. Now my fear has shifted to his future in entertainment.

He has started communicating more clearly by saying things like "Ayaw!", "C'mon!" (when he wants to go out & play or leave the room), "Open" (obviously when he wants to open something),"Upo","Moon","Good Morning - How are you?","Hi","Thank You". It's surprising to hear him say out loud the things he would see around him. He's growing up real fast and we're proud of how he's turning out to be.