The Mill 2012

Very well said, Mr. Wilde.

2012-01-03T20:22:00.000+08:00

Oscar Wilde struck a chord with me with this quote, "One is not always happy when one is good; but one is always good when one is happy."

This makes me realize that while Happiness Project is not about being a GOOD person, it will be an eventual result of me being in a better state of being. Whoopee! On a less lofty note, it also implies that no matter how begrudgingly, I need to always choose to do good not because it will make me feel good or happy, but just because it is the right thing to do.

Easier said than done? Definitely. I, myself, struggle between being happy and doing good everyday as I am sure most people do. Everytime I will come upon this fork on the road, I will simply go back to Mr. Wilde's statement and remind myself that this Happiness Project should never serve as an excuse for me to do bad just for the happiness it brings me.

It is always a treat to come across a quote that resonates with you. This quote does not really tell us anything new, but it reminds us of concepts or ideas forgotten or conveniently swept under the rug.

Tonight, I (re)set an intention to be the best version of myself that I can be and I manifest it out to the universe with the hope that the energy of those with the same intention help me fulfill mine.

A McDonald's Big Mac Epiphany

2012-01-02T18:27:00.003+08:00

I woke up this morning feeling miserable. My cough has been keeping me up for almost a week now, but I did not mind because I was busy savoring "il dolce far niente" during the holidays. This morning, knowing I had to get up and work drove me insane. I just did.not.want.to get up. I was in such a sucky mood I think I spent my morning meditation focused on my pouting and not my breathing.

By noontime, I was feeling slightly better, thanks to my funny friends who chatted me up on OCS. Laughter really is the best medicine, as they say. Still, I needed something to cheer me up a bit more. A little pick-me-up. Totally sinful. Completely hedonistic. It took me a while to figure out how to get my fix. Until 4PM came and a light bulb just turned on inside my brain - or my tummy. I wanted a Big Mac. So, I dialed 8-MCDO and ordered a Big Mac meal for myself.

The thing is, the high from the burger lasted a mere two hours before I started to feel sick. I then remembered that I just downed a glass of prune juice this morning because I just felt horrible about all the meat and junk I ate over the break. Then I finished that double-decker burger. Ack! You see, when I do my Eat, Pray, Love bit, I tend to fixate on the Eat. Tsk.

To summarize what I learned today - A Big Mac can and will give you a euphoric high most specially when paired with french fries and a Coke. However, this simple joy - like all other things that you can get hot and fast - can only give you a fleeting sense of joy. Quick fixes are convenient, but they do not stick. And my 2012 quest for happiness is not about the temporary high. It is about that sustained, daily sense of happiness and contentment that just won't leave you alone.

I must not lose sight of my goal, no matter how bloody good the burger is.

My 2012 Happiness Project

2012-01-01T17:22:00.001+08:00

After a couple of carafes of calimocho with Ninz and Rax at Skye, we headed over to Fully Booked for what was supposed to be a chance to sober up a bit before heading home. Turns out, it would be during this unplanned trip to the bookstore that I would pick up a book that would revive my passion for blogging.

I now have, on my nightstand, Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. Quite an inspiring book, I must say. After the first couple of chapters, it already had me thinking about what MY happiness project would be like. What was important to me and my state of mind? What can I change or work on to become happier?

Just like the author, I would not say I was UNhappy. This made the project a tad more challenging since I had to think hard about those little things that could make a big impact on my happiness. It was not one big thing - they might turn out to be the nuances of my routine that I need to take a closer look at. Kinda tedious, yeah?

Yet, I decided, it was worth a shot. Armed with an old notebook and a hotel pen, I came up with my own list for 2012. Right now, I am still highly confident that I would be able to see each item on my list to fruition, but then I did just work on them last night. The adrenaline is still pretty high. Plus, it is only January 1 today. Let's see how this goes.

I will be using my blog to document my success and challenges in sticking to my "resolutions". I won't reveal what I am working on right away; thinking it would make sense to share what it is at the end of every month. This way, if anyone really does follow my blog, they will not be too conscious about what I am working on when dealing with me. Actually, I am still debating whether or not I will share them at all seeing how that would open me up to judgment and critique. What do you think?

Well then, wish me luck on this life project. Should anyone of you be working on your own Happiness Project, share your experiences with me as well and best of luck to you.

Ciao for now.

Facebook Killed the Blogger in Me.

2010-01-31T14:11:00.003+08:00

Seriously, I am so addicted to Facebook that as soon as I open my eyes in the morning, I grab my phone to check if someone has posted something on my wall, poked me, or commented on my photo. I also check on my favorite people to see what they are up to. The live feeds are so up-to-date that by the time I have finished reading what has happened since the last time I checked, new entries have come in! One can never catch up, it seems...

Let's see. Since the last time I wrote a blog entry, what has happened to me?
Well, there was that trip I took as a birthday gift to myself. I went to Paris, Den Haag, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Venice, Rome, The Vatican (hey, it's a different country!), and Madrid. I won't talk about it in length in this post. I have enough photos posted on Facebook to tell you the story of that journey. But to sum it all up, it was AMAZING. :)

When I got back, I sort of threw myself back into work. Nothing happening socially which has, sadly, always been the case with me. I have been trying to change things, though - i.e. going out more, reconnecting with friends, etc. Most of you who've known me from way back when wonder what I mean by "going out more" because I used to go out loads. Well, see, I mellowed out quite a bit for a time. I think I partied myself out that going out became a chore. Then, I started to miss it...

And now, voila, I have been going out quite alot. Big thanks to Jeff and Drew who makes it way to easy for me to find reasons - or excuses - to step into a bar. Every Saturday night is like a step back into 2006, sans the loopiness of falling in love with the guy from the wrong side of the tracks. Oh. Wait. Hmmm. Okay, yeah, sans that.

It's 2010. Gosh, how time flies. I have given up on making concrete New Year's Resolutions as I only disappoint myself everytime I fail. So, I have set up goals for myself instead. Tessa will know what I am talking about when I say my goal for 2010 is loosely based on one of Lady Gaga's song titles... and NO, not Bad Romance.

Really, the main reason why I blogged again is to let the world know how ecstatic that I am going to have a niece!!! Yes, my dear friends, I am about to become an aunt to what I know would be a darling baby girl. This blog started because of Aidan. I just had to share to the world how happy I was to find out about him. This blog got revived because of my niece. I love her already - as much as I love Aidan.

My heart just got a little bigger to make space for you, sweet baby. Like I promised your brother, I will be one heck of an aunt to you. Funny, I miss you and you aren't even here yet. Can't wait to meet you, sweetheart...

First Step Towards a Dream Come True

2009-10-27T14:09:00.000+08:00

First Step Towards a Dream Come True

I always knew i would go to Europe. It was not something I "wished" for, but something I believed I could make happen. In uni, I was surrounded by the kids of the wealthy rich businessmen of the Philippines who spoke in their distinct "conyo" taglish about having gone to europe multiple times for summer break. �Listening to their stories made my resolve to eventually tour europe even stronger. I was not content just hearing about the place - i wanted to experience it myself.

My idealistic college self set 25 as the age i was gonna see Europe. Well, when i was 25, i was in the US, working and NOT saving my money. Hence, i missed my target. So, i re-baselinex my workplan due to changes in ETC (hahaha!!!) and vowed that by 30, i will get to see Europe.

As I sit here in the airport now, i have an incredible sense of fullfillment. I have made my dream come true. �At the risk of sounding cheesy, i do think that the saying is true - if you want something bad enough, it will happen.

I cannot wait to start my European tour. I sit with butterflies in my stomach from the (strong brewed coffee I just drank) and the excitement of finally getting to do what i have long been waiting to happen.

In true awards night fashion, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mom and my dad for being so supportive of everthing - from visa application to ticket purchase to dropping me off at the airport. You guys are my heart and my soul. To my kuya who, despite his intense worry, has also been supportive. Dont worry about me, Kuya. I'm old and wise... I hope. To everyone at Scorpio Travel, esp. Miss Tess and KC- without your help, i probably wont be sitting here. Thanks for coming in that stormy saturday to meet me about my visa application, for replying to all of my text messages and phone calls, and for going above and beyond what a travel agency does to make me feel taken care of. Thanks to sch for all the travel advices and for hooking me up with Vivi. Thanks to Rob for allowing me to crash at his place while im in NL. Thanks to Emmy and Jenny for the Bon Voyage lunch. Thanks to Hannah for the Bon Voyage dinner and for all the travel tips, too. Thanks to my boys jeff, ken, and andrew for sharing my excitement. Thanks to Ros and Meiks for approving my leave during the purchase. Thanks to liza and jake for "holding my hand" As i wAited for the visa decision. Thanks to Ridge for keeping me sane as well. Thanks to everyone who has sent me their well wishes. Very much appreciated!!!

Lastly, thank you to Ronald. Seriously. Without you, this would be a different and probably less amazing trip than what it is now. From the bottom of my heart, a million trillion billion thanks. See you soon.

Done with my coffee. I better end this entry. Check in with you all again later.�

As Parisians say it... Au revoir! :)

God's Plans

2009-08-04T22:58:00.001+08:00

I turned 30 two days ago and was a little disappointed to find out that it feels exactly the same as being 29. Thing is, I have always thought I'd know God's plan for me by now. I'm getting stir crazy. What is planned for me?!

It's 3am and I am blogging from my phone. Indicative of my state of mind? Probably. I still have it in me to wait, though. There really are worse things in life than simply waiting for God's plan to be revealed.

I've taken up praying the rosary again, by the way. Thanks to Tita Cory and the truly inspiring way she lived her life. Maybe praying more than I currently do will lead me closer to where I need to be. We'll see. Oh boy, the sisters of St. Paul of Chartres would be so proud. Sr. Victoria-1, Post SPCP Existentialist Influences-0.

Aidan Visits my Second Home

2009-07-27T18:29:00.000+08:00

The neph made it to The Windy City to attend a wedding. He's soooo grown up now! I miss the little rascal.

Step It Up and Dance: Man in the Mirror

2009-07-06T22:59:00.001+08:00

Love, love, love this.

Philippine Easter Getaway 2009 - Capitano Farms, Anilao, Maricaban Island, Sombrero Island

2009-04-16T23:22:00.001+08:00

A video made by Ryan and Scott of a Holy Week trip I took with them, Han, and Flo. Super relaxing. :)

REAL Lady Gaga Poker Face American Idol Season 8 HD Live

2009-04-05T17:07:00.001+08:00

Uhm. Wow.

O.N.T.A.W. 4: Body Detox!

2009-03-22T17:06:00.000+08:00

If you read my previous entry, you'd know this week didn't end with a happy whoop. I felt weighed down by my grief not even a McDonald's cheeseburger meal cheered me up. My Saturday passed by quickly with me in bed majority of the day with an annoying migraine.

Today, I asked my mom to go with me to try out this treatment I read about called Body Detox. I badly wanted to do something different not only for my O.N.T.A.W. but also to so rid myself of the negative feelings. The treatment seemed appropriate.

So, off we went to the salon to try it out and I was amazed, if not a little perturbed, by the change in color of the water I soaked my feet in. Talk about a tub of toxins! However, I'm still skeptical. I mean, the color seemed to be coming from the appliance they put in, not my feet. Also, the feet? Really?

It was a good experience overall. A warm footsoak is always a good prelude to a pedicure. Also, at least I tried to do something good for my body for a change, right? Something to counter all that fastfood I eat all week long. :)

I'll miss you, Ate Marie.

2009-03-20T21:34:00.000+08:00

She's just 36. That is what keeps popping into my head: she is TOO young to be gone.

I knew she was horribly sick and that in her condition, she could leave us anytime. Even as I went about living my own life, the reality of her condition was always a worry that nagged at me incessantly. Some mornings, I'd wake up and be afraid to check my phone, thinking it might be the morning I get the news. Some afternoons, her frail image would flash in my head and I'd sit in the office in a daze, wondering how she was doing at that moment. Some evenings, my mind would open itself up to fleeting images of her in her sickbed, weak, bone-thin, blind, and in pain, and I'd wonder if she was better off.... you know.

Now that she is, I want to believe that she is in a much better place, ree of pain and suffering and able to see again - she so wanted to be able to see again - but it is hard to accept that she is no longer around. My heart is broken. Shattered even. She was the closest thing I had to an older sister. Now, she's gone and no matter how much I cry, she isn't coming back. I know the feeling of loss will subside and I will soon stop crying, but now, allow me this moment of weakness as I struggle to accept life without my Ate Marie.

I can still remember the sound of her laughter, how she always squeezes my arm when she sees me and calls me healthy (malusog). I can still remember how I always looked for her in the afternoons and wanted nothing but stay by her side and listen to her joke around with our other cousins. She was such a character.

I remember when we were eating taho while standing out on the street, I finished mine and didn't know where to put my empty mug. She said with a serious face, "Pasok mo sa bahay, andun naman si Tatay, eh." Her dad's been dead for years.

I remember when we were so bored one summer afternoon, I asked my mom for some money to buy alot of instant noodles so we could have a "noodle party". She was our host for that party and she happily ladled noodle soup into bowls for a group of unruly children.

I remember seeing her right after she gave birth to MJ, all tired and sweaty, but still smiling. She reached out a hand to me and squeezed my arm in her usual way, and introduced me to her baby, "Pamangkin mo."

I remember how much I loved going to her house even if there was nothing to do there. I just liked being around her because she was fun and funny. Always in the middle of the room, mimicking someone or just making a complete fool of herself for our amusement. They had to shoo me home sometimes, because I usually didn't want to leave.

There are so many more... snippets of memories of her from my childhood and from my adult life. And even if her passing has put a stop to us creating new ones, I am happy to have all those chances in the past to spend with her. I wouldn't trade those for the world.

I will really miss you, Ate Marie. I'm so sorry that you had to go through so much pain during your last days with us. I hope that you are not too bummed about being gone. They all told me you really didn't want to go. I can imagine that. I know you didn't feel like going yet, but it was time. You didn't deserve that much suffering and maybe God wanted to relieve you already.

Rest in peace, Ate Marie. See you again someday.

Shoe-ology.

2009-03-16T01:30:00.010+08:00

Love shoes. That isn't a sin, is it? I don't care much about brand or price as long as they are pretty and comfortable. I had an awesome time shopping today and I am happy about everything I bought. *sigh of contentment* :D

O.N.T.A.W. #3

2009-03-15T11:01:00.001+08:00

I met up with Cla and her brother, Elgin, for lunch at Salcedo Market of yummy mussels, rice, and cran-apple iced tea. We were sitting next to a group of rich Makati housewives talking about their make-up which, of course, they bought in the U.S. This was an interesting way to start off our day.

We then went around the booths at the morning art bazaar - the one where all art pieces had a price ceiling of Php20,000. Lala, a college friend, had a booth, but too bad she didn't have her pieces on display. It would've been cool to see her works.

After a couple of hours being surrounded by rich people and interesting artists, off we went to Pier 13, South Harbor, to check out the World's Largest Library, the MV Doulos. It was fun, except for the fact that each square inch of the bookstore was packed with people. Sweaty people. Some of which push. It was a surprise I didn't get into a fight. Nevertheless, it was a fun experience overall.

Then back to Salcedo Market for more art - now, there was no price ceiling and the expensive sculptures were out. I was afraid to swing around and have my big bag topple over a breakable vase... "vahz".

Gosh, this O.N.T.A.W. thing is awesome. I wouldn't have done these things if I didn't open up myself to new experiences. I really think people should get into the program if they feel bored with the routine of their lives. It is an awesome way to spice up life.

What did I learn from my Art Day Saturday? That art is not frou-frou. That I could actually enjoy art and how each piece make me feel (or not feel) different emotions when I look at them. There is art out there for everyone and you just have to find what speaks to you. To me, it's modern to pop pieces. The rougher, the better. :)

Check out photos I posted in the Art Day Saturday a.k.a. ONTAW #3 album as well.

Summer Has Arrived

2009-03-07T20:10:00.001+08:00

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Summer has indeed arrived and it has been pretty impossible to ignore these past few days. The sun has been scorchingly hot, the air humid, the ground steaming. I'm pretty sure that it will remain this way up until late June if this year is anything like 2007.

As much as I love, love, love summer because of all the happy summer school break memories I have, it is easy to feel sick in this heat. Just today, I had a nagging headache all afternoon and I had a strong suspicion that it is weather-related. After downing copious amounts of water, the headache went away. I can't help but wonder (writes Carrie Bradshaw), was I actually dehydrating as I lazed around in bed this afternoon without me knowing it?

I recovered early enough to hit Bonifacio High Street to have dinner and drinks with my college friends Cla, Les, and Lala. A couple of ice cold glasses of Madras kept me cool during dinner, but as we cam-whored around the strip in the warm evening breeze, I found myself wishing for a second... I take that back, I wished for a split millisecond... that I was neck-deep in fresh Chicago snow. It was *that* hot.

I feel compelled to give some summer survival tips. I think it's because I have always thought of myself as a summer expert. A 100% Tropicana Girl. Here are several things I live by that I think helps me through the Manila summer months.

1) Drink plenty of water. I'm no doctor, but I don't think the recommended 8 glasses a day is not going to be enough if you need to live in this heat. I'd say drink more than that. Also, don't wait until you are thirsty to take a drink. Thirst is already your body telling you it is running low on water - Oprah's doctor friend said so! Haha! Make a conscious effort to drink something every hour and maybe you would be able to avoid heat headaches like me

2) Wear sunblock. There are tons in the market now that isn't think and sticky and doesn't give you that whitish cast on the skin like the old school sunblock lotions used to. Find something that protects you from UVB and UVA rays and has a pretty high SPF. I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunblock SPF 70 for my face and body. A friend swears by Spectraban SPF 60 which is hypoallergenic. Another friend says the Maxi-Peel sunblock is pretty good, too. Bottomline is that there is a product that would suit your skin type and budget, so why continue exposing yourself to the dangerous rays of the sun? Oh and boys, putting on sunblock won't make you gay. Please be a man and protect your skin, too!

3) Wear light fabrics. This is not the time for fleece, cashmere, or argyle unless you would be in an airconditioned office all day. Opt for comfortably light tops in cheery colors which will keep you looking cool and happy even if you are sweating buckets. If you would be switching from hot to cold (a.k.a. overly a/ced indoors) locations, still wear something summery, but make sure to bring a jacket, cardigan, or a wrap with you so you won't freeze to death when you go indoors.

4) Listen to Tiesto. Pretty random, but his music just screams summer to me. I play his music in the car sometimes when I'm driving in the middle of the afternoon and imagine that I'm at the beach... which brings me to my last piece of advice.

5) Hit the beach. The summer heat feels suffocating when you are in the city, but it is 1000x easier to tolerate when you are next to the water with a ripe mango shake in your hand. Hello Boracay....

I hope there is someone out there who would find my 5 little tips useful. They are in no way expert opinion, but they are effective for me. :)

Enjoy the summer everyone. Maybe I'll bump into some of you on some beach. No to baking. Yes to SPFing.

"Kayeology"

2009-03-01T10:02:00.000+08:00

Let others know a little more about yourself, re-post this as your name followed by "ology"

***********FOOD-OLOGY***************

What is your salad dressing of choice?

The vinaigrette dressing at Kitchen.

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?

Right now, CYMA.

What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it?

Ripe mangoes.

What are your pizza toppings of choice?

Cheese, tomatoes, and basil

What do you like to put on your toast?

Cream Cheese or Strawberry Preserve (the kind with huge strawberry chunks)

**********TECHNOLOGY***************

How many television sets are in your house?

What color of cell phone do you have?

Black

***************BIOLOGY******************

Are you right-handed or left-handed?

Right-handed

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?

Teeth. I’ve had 4 tooth extractions, plus all my wisdom teeth were also taken out. Oh and that bit of skin under my tongue. It was too thick when I was younger and it gave me a slight lisp. Now I can thpeak thuperbly!

What is the last heavy item you lifted?

My Luggage. The manager of my apartment in Chicago didn’t want their employee to help me with my bags because if they hurt themselves, the building needs to cover the medical costs. It took my 15 minutes just to get my stuff onto the trolley.

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?

Nope.

************BULLCRAPOLOGY**************

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you are going to die?

Yes. I want to be given the chance to prepare me and my loved ones for that day.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

Change Francis to Frances.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?

I have gastritis. The $1000 might not be able to cover my medical bills, but if the price money was a little bigger, I am not above doing a stunt like this.

************DUMBOLOGY******************

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?

Too many. I live in flip flops.

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?

Never. I still believe the MAPSA is not part of the police force despite the uniform. They are still traffic aides. :P

Last person you talked to?

My mom.

Last person you hugged?

Jeff because it was his birthday.

**************FAVORITOLOGY****************

Season?

Spring. Maybe because it is such a welcome change from winter.

Holiday?

Christmas

Day of the week?

Sunday. Time with the folks.

Month?
December

***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************

Missing someone?

My brother and my nephew. I miss them incredibly and think about them everyday. It literally feels like something is missing in my life because I am not with them.

Mood?

Pensive. This questionnaire is making me think!

What are you listening to?

The sound of the leaves rustling in the breeze (there is a huge tree next to our house and my room is on the second floor, so I can really hear the leaves… pretty relaxing sound) and the television set.

Watching?

ASAP. I’m waiting for Billy Crawford’s dance number. WHOOHEE!

Worrying about?

My mom. She’s sick and can’t keep her medicine down.

***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************

First place you went to this morning?

The Lavatory

What's the last movie you saw?

Yes Man

Do you smile often?

I’m always smiling.

Do you always answer your fone?

When it’s with me, yes. I never screen. I cringe and make faces, but I never screen.

It's four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?

Hannah asking where I am and why I’m not out partying with her.

If you could change your eye color what would it be?

Hazel. Might look nice with my dark skin.

What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?

I only tried that Orange Cream Crush drink – it was okay. I’ve only been to Sonic once with my cousins out in Orange County. They didn’t have it in Chicago, I think. We definitely don’t have it here in Manila!

Do you own a digital camera?

Yup.

Have you ever had a pet fish?

No. You can’t really pet a fish, so what is the point? I still don’t get it. It’s like owning a plant. Sorry fish lovers!

Favorite Christmas song?

“Weeweeshu a Meri Krismas” the way the street carolers here in Manila sing it because it sounds so rushed as they try to end their song number and wrap up with the “Thank you” song.

What's on your wish list for your birthday?

All the visas I need for my European Tour. J

Can you do push ups?

Yup, but it’s hard. I can just do the plank.

Can you do a chin up?

Gawd, no.

Does the future make you nervous or excited?

Highly excited.

Do you have any saved texts?

I used to. I saved a lot of messages I got from this person, then when I left for the US, my mom used my old phone and saw the messages. Thank goodness most of them were written in a language my parents can’t speak!

Ever been in a car wreck?

In college, my two guys friends thought it would be a good idea to race down Katipunan Avenue. The car I was in hit a HUGE boulder that was on the side of the road, flew high up in the air, and landed – fortunately – right side up. The car’s radiator blew up, but everyone was alright. The people in the other car said we were so high up in the air they saw the underside of the car.

Do you have an accent?

Hard question to answer. I don’t think I have an accent, but other people say I do.

What is the last song to make you cry?

Summertime by Brianna Taylor

Plans tonight?

Rest. It’s Sunday and I need to psych myself up for the work week.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?

No. I hope to never feel like this.

Name 3 things you bought in the last week
Someone came to the house and started out with a story about his husband’s death, then showed me a catalog for the things she was selling. I ordered sandals and panties. I also bought birthday gifts for Jeff and Alvin.

Have you ever been given roses?

Yes.

Current worry?

None. Worrying is bad.

Current hate right now

Hate is bad, but I still dislike how muggy it is outside.

Met someone who changed your life?

Not one particular person, but those people that I still have as super close friends now all shaped my life. You guys know who you are.

How did you bring in the New Year!

Japanese for dinner at Kaiseki and then the fireworks display at The Fort with my parents. It was pretty poignant. It made me so happy to be home.

What song represents you?

Pretty Woman? LOL!

Name three people who might complete this?

I’m hoping Tina Beran would. Maybe Tessa and Des?

What were you doing at 12 AM last night?

Celebrating Jeff’s Birthday with him and his friends.

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?

I’m thirsty.

O.N.T.A.W. #2

2009-03-01T08:22:00.000+08:00

I knew that when I started with my O.N.T.A.W. program that there was the risk of it turning into an excuse to try one new restaurant after another. Eating in new places with good friends is just something that I enjoy thoroughly. However, I really am exerting effort in coming out of the box and actually trying new experiences and not just new places to do old things at.

But cut me some slack and allow me to just do one resto-related O.N.T.A.W.

Okay, so you'll be surprised to know that I would be writing about Pho Hoa. This place has been around for quite a number of years and I have been going there to eat vietnamese spring rolls for as long as I can remember. However, I have never tried the vietnamese coffee until yesterday.

Boy, have I been missing out! A special treat for those with a sweet tooth, their vietnamese coffee can almost qualify as a dessert. They serve it in a clear mug with the coffee beans in a small metal filter thing set on top of the mug. The hot coffee then filters onto the condensed milk inside the mug. What is produced is a sweet smelling, sweet tasting coffee that is just strong enough to give you that caffeine buzz without the heart palpitations!

If asked for a recommendation, hmmm, I would recommend it to coffee drinkers who like sweet treats or those looking to diversify their coffee experience. I don't think this drink is for everyone, though.

Thank you, Cla, for introducing me to vietnamese coffee. My sweet tooth thanks you. :)

O.N.T.A.W. #1

2009-02-23T17:19:00.000+08:00

My officemate, Rhon, and I attended a workshop about innovation. One of the take-aways from the workshop is to feed our heads with "mind junk" in order to foster a culture of innovation. One of the ways suggested is a program the trainer called "O.N.T.A.W." which stands for "One New Thing A Week".

I did my O.N.T.A.W. #1 last Sunday.

I've always had shoulder pains and I just shrugged it off as a part of my life as a chick with an 8 to 5 desk job. Usually, I seek relief by getting massages, soaking in hot baths, and swiping on tons of Bengay. Last Sunday, I finally succumbed to my mom's insistent urging that try Nugabest at Market! Market!

Click here to find out about Nugabest.

All I can say is that it was a pretty interesting experience. The jury is still out as to whether it is a better than a massage in getting rid of the kinks in my shoulders in the long term, but I did feel pretty good after the treatment. Bottomline, the whole process - the heat, the kneading, the tense pad - is something I will try again.

So, She Blogs...

2009-02-06T18:06:00.002+08:00

The other day, I was talking to my officemate about how cool Facebook is and he asked me if it was the reason why I have neglected my blog. Neglected! The word used to describe kids whose needs are not provided by their parents; to describe something that is forgotten because it is no longer valuable. Poor blog. So here I am, about to jot down a few paragraphs worth of thoughts on this thing just so I can say that no, my blog is definitely not neglected.

I was distracted with life. It has been good with putting things in my way to keep me busy lately. I'm not complaining, though. The current pace of my life is fast enough to keep my mind off what I don't have, but slow enough to give me ample time to appreciate what I do, and boy, I have alot.

Also, I have not been reading much lately. As those of you who have been reading my blog from the start know that I need to take in words to write. Either I need to make a trip to the bookstore or read that self-help book I bought months ago. I have been meaning to read that book on saving money, but I was too busy shopping. Ha. Ha.

I definitely need to get back on my bike. Or do yoga. Or simply stretch. What I know is I need to move much, much more. Down with the sedentary lifestyle.

Speaking of sedentary, I really should get some sleep. This work week has been so busy, I barely felt the nights breaking up the days. I will try to write more often and will post photos. For now, good night.

I miss my brother.

Pasko 2008

2008-12-27T10:35:00.001+08:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging. It's just been so hectic lately, and I am not just talking about work. I am talking about how life has been going at what seems like lightning speed since I got back from the US. Thank goodness I have finally settled back in. I better - it has been three months!

I just hopped off my bike and I am still feeling a little wired from the exercise (it isn't used to not moving), so I can't seem to think of too many things to write about. I just wanted to greet everyone who frequent my blog a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thanks so much for staying interested in what I have to say. It is my pleasure to let you into my head and give you a glimpse of how cuckoo I am.

Here is my Christmas Wish, in case any of you out there is still thinking of what to get for me. I know it is slightly reminiscent of my wish from Christmas 2007, but see I didn't get my wish that year. So, I'm hoping I would get it this year. If not, I will keep wishing for the same bloody thing until I get it. As the song goes, "Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you...."

"Revival"

2008-12-02T10:15:00.000+08:00

When I was in Chicago, I kept thinking about all my friends and family that were here in Manila and how I missed them all terribly. Now that I am back here, I have been obsessing about making sure that I get to see them all. All, all, all. I have this nagging need to be able to catch up with what they have been up to and what their lives are like right now. I feel like I really missed out on alot when I was away, even if it was just a year.

When I really think about it, I have not seen some of my friends and family for a long time even before I left, and it didn't use to bother me. I don't know if it's me getting older that's making me realize how important it is to spend as much time as I can with the people I care for... while I can.

Dark comment, I know. It's just that I am quickly learning how true it is that life is fleeting and insanely unpredictable. I will not pull you guys under my little black cloud, trust that me and my family are okay and it is just the people in our periphery that are having more than just a tough time with life. I am still my happy self, still ready to laugh over the silliest things. Nothing changed there. :)

Since I got back, I have been doing alot reconnect with people. I have been trying to revive communication lines that I've lost and friendships that have weakened. It is both fun and tiring to keep making plans, but this is something important to me. I don't think I'm going to give up anytime soon. I'll just sleep when I'm tired, I guess.

To those that have already taken the time to meet up with me for dinner, coffee, or drinks, thank you. It means alot to me to just know that you still value our friendship enough to take time out to be with me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Happy Halloween 2008!

2008-11-04T17:43:00.000+08:00

The first time I met up with Hannah for dinner when I got back from the US, Hannah already made me promise to party with her on Halloween. She knows I tend to get lazy after work, so she sent a daily text message to remind me that I am not supposed to back out. She had nothing to worry about. That Friday, I was in such a good party mood, that I couldn't wait.

I did my hair and make-up and still had 30 minutes to wait until she arrived to pick me up. I was that excited.

So, Hannah picked me up and we drove to Makati to pick up Ryan and Scott, the handsome couple in black. Next was Angela, the gypsy/fortune teller. Then we picked up Arnie who came as an Army guy, sexy arms and all. Then it was party time!!!

We went to two rooftop parties and then to a club called Ascend. It was alot of fun and it sucks that Halloween only comes once a year. I'm not all that worried, though. I'm pretty sure this crew would find a reason to party every weekend anyway.

It's so good to be home. :)

Simply No Place Like Manila.

2008-09-26T04:46:00.007+08:00

September 26, 2008, 6:30AM MNL

I’ve been home for four whole days now. I stepped onto Philippine soil at precisely 10:30pm last Monday, September 22. The days seem to fly by so fast despite the fact that I have been getting up really early since I got back home (No, I have not magically turned into a morning person. It’s just the time switch.). The good thing is, I’ve managed to get a lot of things done in the past 3 days and should have most done by today. Hurray for Paid Time Off!

People have been asking why I haven’t blogged about what it’s like to be back and what I’ve been doing. So, below is a brief summary chronicling what I have been up to since I got back home.

Day 1 (Tuesday)
After a sleepless night, I gave up on trying to catch some Zzz’s and rolled out of bed at 6am. I went downstairs and decided to fix myself some breakfast. I boiled some water for coffee (yep, the parents are into instant coffee), then fried some eggs and red hotdogs. Parents got up around 7am and we all sat down to have our first meal together. Finished eating around 830am. I started looking around the house and planning my unpacking strategy. After realizing how much stuff I need to go through when I saw a boxed labeled “Kaye 29”, I just went back downstairs to chill in front of the tv. It is too much to deal with too soon.

After flipping through the cable channels from our new provider, Destiny Cable, I realized that I wasn’t feeling groggy. Half the channels were really speaking a foreign language! The awesome thing is that it has TVE and I am hoping to get a glimpse of Rafa on it once in a while.

I had planned to go get my nails done on Day 1. Thing is, my head was swimming after lunch. I was so sleepy I was incoherent, so I did what all women my age do when they need to recharge: I curled up into a ball next to my mom and napped in her arms. Woken up by my mom at 8pm because my dad wanted to go to sleep and I was on his side of the bed. I was then force-fed dinner by the maternal unit, before being shepherded upstairs to continue my sleep.

I woke up at 2am feeling sheepish because I had let jetlag spoil my plans for Day 1. Read a book, then slept again until 7am.

Day 2 (Wednesday)
Got up with a little bit more resolve to get things done. First item on the agenda, set up the wireless router so I can stay connected to the cyberworld that I have grown to love. Once I was done with setting it up, I had to spend around 30 minutes of my morning answering my dad everytime he asked if there was connection in different parts of the house.

“Sa study table mo, meron?”
“Aba, sa kama mo meron din?”
“Sa baba, meron?”
“Sa kitchen ba?”

The thing is, he genuinely just wanted to know. As much as I wanted to jump off our new veranda, I just tried to stave off a screaming fit and just kept nodding until I felt my neck muscles cramp up into knots.

Then I unpacked my suitcases. There is something extremely relaxing about unpacking that is directly proportional to the stress involved in packing. It took me the rest of the morning to put everything where I wanted them. Then it was lunch.

The afternoon was spent with the mom at the salon where we got manicures, pedicures, and a footspa. I still can’t stop marveling at how much better professionally done toenails look compared to how I haphazardly just swipe on polish. Afterwards, I went to my dentist for a check-up and a professional cleaning. Healthy teeth? Check. Healthy gums? Check.

Dinner at Chowking at around 9pm. Despite the fact that I was walking around in a zombie-like state at this point because I was so tired, I was still ecstatic about dinner at Chowking. I had rice, siomai, and kangkong. Yum.

Slept at 10pm.

Woke up at 2am and chatted and surfed until 5am. Tried to get some more sleep and managed to get 4 more hours until the mother hen barged into my room (note to self: lock door) at 9am with a high pitched morning greeting of “Kayeeeeehhhh!”

Oh, Lordy.

Day 3 (Thursday)
My books are staring back at me, asking me why I have not yet taken care of them. I stare back at them with shame, asking them to wait patiently as I am still unnerved by the fact that I have a ton of shi… stuff to unpack.

I ran downstairs to find suman (a form of rice cake) on the table with some coco jam. I wolfed down one and a half before someone could remind me I had a lot of “Popeye’s Chicken Weight” I needed to lose. After breakfast, I called Forex to track the boxes I had shipped home. Then I called The Spa to schedule an appointment with them. Then I called my hairstylist to make an appointment with him as well.

He will not like the fact that I colored my own hair or that I cut my own bangs. He will not be happy that the US haircut I got was not layered enough and had no swing to it. He will throw a bitch fit over the state of my hair with a tantrum reminiscent of Jack McFarlin from Will & Grace… then proceed to talk about his girlfriend. As long as I walk out with nice hair, all is cool.

I just chilled out the rest of the morning, then had lunch with the parents. Their never-ending stream of conversation is starting to get to me a little bit. I guess I got used to living alone afterall. I just grin and bear it because I know they just missed me and have all these things they couldn’t wait to tell me. Still, I was starting to feel the familiar throbbing of a headache at my temples.

I locked myself in my room for some solace. Took a bath and got ready to leave for the spa. It was going to be a glorious afternoon. I had waited for this day for one full year. A massage. Finally. Since my driver’s license expired this year, the father had to drive me Bonifacio High Street. He dropped me off at the driveway in front of Gaudi, so I had to walk the two whole blocks to The Spa. I could not believe what I saw. The strip mall now has Calvin Klein, The Gap, Aldo, and a lot of other extremely familiar brands. I will take some photos when I go back there for you guys to see. Except for the extremely thick tropical air and the extremely friendly security guards (“Hi ma’aaaaaaam.”), it was almost like the US.

Finally, I step into The Spa.

The foyer of the spa was done in dark wood, metal, and glass. On the wall beyond the staircase that led to the lobby was a waterfall structure that looked and sounded soothing. This is how cheesy my mind works. As I walked up the stairs, I can’t help thinking I was on the Stairway to Heaven. Damn you, Led Zepplin.

I got the Refreshing Start Spa Package for myself. It included a full body massage, a foot massage, and a facial. I swear to God, I could not stop smiling at this point. When I opened the door to the actual spa area, I was hit by the smell of aromatherapy oils that I have missed so very much. Someone handed me a white robe, white towel, and white Croc-like rubber slippers, then someone else in white asked if I wanted some ginger tea. My minded drifted off again, this time wondering if this was how the wives of the ancient Japanese lords were treated.

Wrapped in a towel, I headed off to the steam bath. Oh. My. God. I missed the feeling so much, I wanted to break down and cry as the hot steam rolled over me in waves. When I stepped out to cool down a bit, someone served me a glass of ice cold water. Japanese lord. Wife. Nice. Snapping back to reality, I went for another stint inside the steam bath.

20 minutes later, I was ready for my Swedish massage. I was wrapped in a robe and was escorted by my masseuse to the massage room. Then she asked me to lie face down on the bed and proceeded to knead away a year’s worth of muscle pain. There are no words to capture just how wonderful it is to get a massage after not having one for a year. All I can say is that I felt so thankful for the way the masseuse was making me feel that I wanted to put her through college. I was THAT grateful. She kept at it for a full hour, massaging me as if she was put on this Earth with the sole purpose of making me feel good.

Oh. I unintentionally moaned out loud. I guess I really, really, liked the massage. I was so embarrassed, but she didn’t react to it at all so I just took her cue and pretended nothing happened. Then I had ginger tea.

After the full body massage was the Oriental foot massage and the facial. Four hands directing me to paradise all at the same time. The treatment room for this is different. They sit you on these plush lazyboy-like chairs and as if that wasn’t comfortable enough, they put a really nice smelling soft sheet to cover your arms and chest. Cooooozy. Once I was done with the foot soak, my seat was reclined and the girl started to massage my feet and legs. One. Full. Hour. As this was happening, another girl was giving me a facial. It wasn’t the dermatologist-visit-blinding-pain kind of facial. It was soothing and was more about relaxing than treatment. I was steamed, massaged with creams, wiped clean, and massaged some more. It also came with a head, shoulder, and back massage that just about undid me. It felt sooo good. By the time I was done, I felt like a princess. A really relaxed princess. And I then understood why those women agreed to become one of the Japanese lords’ wife. Then I had ginger tea.

Sidebar: There is absolutely no historical data to back up my metaphorical references to Japanese lords and their treatment of their wives. Don’t send me links to Wikipedia explaining how it really is. These are just my thoughts. Kayepedia.

I then met up with the parental units at Hap Chan for dinner. I was quiet and lethargic and was not able to be my usual chipper self. It was still good food, just the same. I’ll make it up to them today and be more fun.

Shortly after dinner, I met up with my triplets Jeff and Phiney. It was amazing to see them after a year and we just fell back into our easy pattern of talking and laughing… as if we were never apart. I love these two to death and I loved them even more so after we finished the
three pitchers of sangria at Gaudi.

I didn’t have keys so we had to call it an early night. We hailed a cab at 11pm and as usual, we all jumped in and asked the driver to make multiple stops. Oh, trivia – Manila cabs now require an additional Php10 on top of the meter as a fuel surcharge. Awesome, just like Chicago with the $2!

So, I made it to my bed at midnight, thinking the red wine in my veins must surely buy me at least 8 hours of deep sleep. Boy was I wrong.

My eyes opened at 5am.

Day 4 (Friday)
Got up and freshened up, but I did not feel like starting my day just yet. I did walk down to check if I was in the mood for a little early morning chow, but wasn’t. My lack of hunger then gave birth to this blog entry you are currently reading. At this point, it has been two hours since I started and I have chatted with RJ, Denise, Neo, Janice, Tessa, and Adam at the same time. Later this afternoon, I will go to the bank then the salon. Should be a fun day!

My stomach just grumbled, so I shall head down and foodificate. If you are still reading this entry up until this point, thanks. But seriously, don’t you have better things to do with your time? J

I will be posting photos of the new house soon. I want to get everything just right before I show you guys how it looks. It’s smaller than the old one, but I like this one a lot. My room has orange walls. How can I not like it?

Geez. Stop reading already.

Big Boy AJ!

2008-09-04T05:46:00.001+08:00

Aidan is such a big boy now! I will see him in 13 days and I can't wait. I miss this little sucker!!!

He Blogs!

2008-09-03T07:52:00.001+08:00

Turns out, my little Rafael blogs. Funny how the English version of his blog is alot less detailed than the Spanish version! I guess he (or his English Blog ghost writer) cannot be bothered to translate everything word per word.

This is such a fun way to practice my Spanish, I tell you.

If you are curious, click here to view Rafa's blog. It is a pretty interesting peek into his psyche. Not everyone will appreciate it, of course, but this is my blog and I love it so I posted it. Claro? :)

Trance.

2008-08-30T12:29:00.001+08:00

Breakeven, The Script

2008-08-29T08:25:00.000+08:00

What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?

Click here to listen to the song, Breakeven, from my newest favorite band called The Script. They are three guys from Dublin who people say sound a little bit like Maroon 5. Their songs just resonate with me.

Doctor, why does it hurt here? *points to chest*

The Science of Sleep

2008-08-28T09:18:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, I stayed home, curled-up in a ball, as my body was wracked with my monthly bout with womanly issues. I was having cold sweats, a tummy ache, and a back ache. The sad part was that at the end of the day, it still hasn't come. If that was a sneak peak, I don't think I want to see the movie. Speaking of movies...

The silver lining about the staying home sick was that I was able to catch a movie On Demand. I watched a French movie which only means it was created in France by a French production company. However, the story was told in the most interspersed mixture of heavily accented English, oh-so-sexy Spanish, and frou-frou French. It stars one of my favorite actors, Gael Garcia Bernal (of Y Tu Mama Tambien fame) which was the reason why I wanted to check it out in the first place. I mist say, deciding to divert my attention from my pain with a little cinema therapy and ending up picking The Science of Sleep has got to be one of the better decisions I've made in a while.

Click here to see the trailer.

It is a very funny film, but not the type that would have Hollywood laughing. It is soaked in imagery and alternates between seriously heavy lines of script and hilarious vulgarity. Here are a couple of quotes from the movie:

Stephane: That's for two people. Love, friendships, relationships... and all those "ships", together with songs you heard during the day, things you saw, and also, uh... personal...

Stephane: It's like touching your penis with your left hand.
Stéphanie: I don't have a penis.
Stephane: But you have a left hand.

The artistry is awesome, too. It was a pretty cool visual experience that went really well with the colorful language of the film. Here is a cool still from the movie:

I want to say that it is like Big Fish, but without the strong Hollywood feel and commercial after taste. It takes you on an adventure that you don't necessarily want to go on, but can't get out of because it is just too much fun. Don't overthink the movie. It is fast and confusing and you might be tempted to analyze and decrypt symbolism. I say don't. Just go with the flow and enjoy the quick-changing scenes and cooky characters.

Check it out. It's worth the 105 minutes.

Is it time to leave blogspot?

2008-08-26T09:39:00.002+08:00

So, I was checking out blogs of my friends in Manila to get a peek of what I am missing in their lives. A friend of mine who used to have a space here on Blogspot has moved over to LiveJournal, so I checked out her thoughts'new home. It is pretty! It has alot more things you can do. Now I'm torn...

Should I stay or should I go?

Monkey Business

2008-08-26T06:27:00.001+08:00

I purchased this at a store called Beyond The Wall here in Chicago. It is going up on my bedroom wall. I plan to buy some more pop/deco art pieces for the new house. I'll post them, too, when I get to buy them.

Me and My Cheesecake!

2008-08-20T13:27:00.001+08:00

Happy Birthday to me!!! Thanks for the photo, Bananalou!!!

The Man Who Can't Be Moved

2008-08-18T09:06:00.002+08:00

Click here to view the music video of a song by a band from Dublin called The Scripts. I would hate to say that I could relate to the song, but I guess I can. Give it a listen.

Marry Me!

2008-08-16T12:20:00.003+08:00

Ojala.... Ojala...

Rafael Nadal: Estoy enamorado

2008-08-16T10:36:00.003+08:00

Cute. He is totally adorable in this clip. I hope he becomes number 1, no offense to Roger The Federbear.

Marry me, kid. Hahaha!

Paris Hilton for President!

2008-08-07T07:45:00.000+08:00

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

Cool Birthday Gifts!

2008-08-06T01:08:00.001+08:00

My two rockstar friends gave me really cool gifts this year. I feel really blessed to have friends like them. :)

Denise, whose ears have bled from having to listen to me quote from Family Guy time and time again, gave me a Talking Stewie Doll. I am majorly psyched about it, and can't stop laughing everytime I look at it. My favorite phrase that the doll says?

"You are a filthy girl, aren't you?"

My favorite Dutchie, Marco, sent me a Gavin De Graw CD. Extremely sweet of him to do so. I really appreciate the gesture and I am honestly loving the songs. How can you not love lyrics that go...

Listen up destiny
I know that you want to get pressed to me
So don't be such a stone
When I call you on the phone
Or I won't be using that number again

Hmm.... *smiles* It is clever and the melody is very De Graw which I love.

My friends are awesome. Thanks Denise and Marco for the gifts! They both really made my day.

Chicago Crew

2008-08-04T08:34:00.001+08:00

The kids who float my boat.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-08-04T08:00:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, I spent another birthday here in Chicago.

The first one was my 25th birthday back in 2005. I was given a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake by my project team of around 20+ people. After work, we all went to Monks together with my other FIlipino friends and got so drunk that I barely remember what REALLY happened. What I do remember was waking up the next day and trying to smile through a blinding headache and a cottony mouth. Good times.

This year, I celebrated by 29th birthday differently. Alot less crazy. Alot more calm. There was no cake, but there was an ice cream run to Dairy Queen with my dwindling team of nine people. There was no crazy bar night, but there was a quiet Filipino dinner at the Oakwood rooftop with a few friends. My friends gave my a birthday card that plays a recording of them singing "Happy Birthday" and then culminates with a song that says "You've Got The Power!" (how apt). They also got me the best tasting strawberry cheesecake with the prettiest candles I've seen (I will post photos when I get them from Ana Banana). Talk about feeling special. Lastly, there as no hangover, there was just me, waking up with a feeling of immense happiness at not only having survived, but at having lived yet another fruitful year. At the risk of sounding conceited, I can honestly say I am lucky to be me. Happy birthday, lucky Kaye!

Here is the greeting I received from my project team:

So, eventhough I am in the United States and miles away from majority of my friends and family, I still felt so special and loved on my special day. Thanks to all who greeted me:

My parents who insisted that I celebrate my birthday Manila time since I was born there. Thanks for eating Pancit Lucban to ensure my long life! I can't wait to see you both real soon. Take care and stay healthy!

My kuya who wishes my the best every single time we speak, but still managed to make his birthday greeting sound extra special. I miss you and Aidan alot. See you very, very soon!

My Irish Lad and boy biatch, Ronald, who has spent the last of his phone credits on an overseas call to me to greet me on my birthday from a beachside campsite. I miss you, Baby Belz!

My Triplets, Jeff and Phiney, who managed to make me miss them even more by just greeting me a happy birthday. This, after I thought it was impossible to miss them more than I already do. Gosh, what I would give to have dinner with you two...

My crazy twin friends, Liza at Jake. Thanks for the ten peso text messages. I did get both and appreciated them very much. You guys are two of the most thoughtful people I know.

My favorite dutchie, Marco, who can make me feel like the hottest OLD WOMAN there is with his special brand of smooth talking. Thanks for the greeting and I look forward to your gift. You are awesome!

To everyone who left me messages on Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, Bebo, etc, THANK YOU.

And to you, for reading this blog entry up to this point, thanks for caring enough about what I have to say to have read up to this point. You also made my birthday special just by doing so. :)

Well, okay. I don't know how to end this blog entry gracefully, so I'll take my cue from The Sopranos and just -

Ouch! Goes my Heart

2008-07-13T04:12:00.001+08:00

I was watching Real World Hollywood on MTV and this girl was singing a really nice song. I only caught maybe half a verse before I totally fell in love with the melody. I looked up the lyrics and my heart stopped.

Who wrote this song and how did he pull all those words and feelings from deep inside my heart?

Listen to the song and I hope that all those who could relate to it in the same way I can are not within arms reach of sharp objects.

Sand In The City

2008-06-30T07:39:00.002+08:00

I'm such a beach bum. Sleeping under the sun on the sand kicks my joy level up 10 notches. Here is a photo of Oak Street beach from my prime piece of Boracayesque real estate.

Summer Chi-town Style

2008-06-30T07:09:00.000+08:00

I know that for the past few entries, I have done nothing but whine about how homesick I am. Yes, I miss home and cannot wait until I make it back on Manila soil. I am counting down the days until I can be with my parents and friends again. But as the sun shines brighter, so does my mood. I think Happy Kaye is back. :)

My family here in Chicago is an awesome support system. They have been a great help in my effort to stay sane. Last Wednesday, I got an invite from Ryan to go to the Goss Farewell party. Thursday night, I got an invite to play tennis with the Sterling boys. Saturday morning, my gal pal, Denise, and I went to the beach to chill and laze around on the sand. Saturday night, I grabbed dinner at Ra with my sweet little family - Denise, RJ, and Ana - then, I got to see my Northside friends, Stewie and Sandy, again.

I hope that my good mood doesn't waver. It certainly feels alot better to wake up and know I don't have to fake smile my way through another workday.

Summer here in Chicago is something else. It has the effect of Prozac on my quasi-Valium induced mood. There are street markets, open air restos and bars, festivals, and a beach 5 blocks away. I cannot complain. I don't want to complain. I'm happy.

What do we have in common?

2008-06-19T08:01:00.000+08:00

Aside from bloodlines... photos with Mickey Mouse!

Home is Where the Heart Is

2008-06-02T03:59:00.000+08:00

I've been in a funk lately. I don't have energy and no drive to do anything. I have only one thing on my mind. There is only one thing I can think of.

Home.

I miss everyone in Manila and how it feels to be surrounded by people you love and genuinely love you back. I miss my dog, my car, and my books. I miss Serendra and M Cafe and Malate. I just long for home.

I know I am lucky to be here in the US, gaining the experience and earning the money that I do. I do appreciate the fact that I am an hour and a half away from my brother and Aidan and that I am now closer than ever to my US based cousins. Still, it isn't home.

Home, home, home. I already have plans for when I get back.

1) Get a puppy.
2) Buy a car.
3) Buy a treadmill or spinning bike.
4) Go to the beach with my family.
5) Go shopping in my favorite flea markets.

I cannot wait... but I must. Until then, I will try my best to get out of the fog that I'm in and enjoy my time here.

The Ultimate Cure for Homesickness

2008-05-04T05:50:00.002+08:00

At home sa Jollibee!

Bye Bye Bobby Boy

2008-04-22T09:06:00.001+08:00

All his bags are packed, he's ready to go....

Tomorrow at four in the afternoon, Central Time, Kidney Bean officially leaves the Midwest to try living and loving in the West Coast. I'm sincerely happy for him. He deserves to go on a journey that would let him spread his wings and be as content and appreciated as he can be. As he deserves to be.

At the same time, a huge part of me can't smile. I'm sad. Kidney has been a very big part of my life in and out of Accenture. For the past three years, he has been a steady presence. He was always, always there for me for the 1,095 or more days that we have known each other.

He was an awesome boss and I learned alot from him and he gave me all the opportunities he could find for me to grow and improve myself.

He was an awesome friend that never wavered in our friendship regardless of whether we were in the same country or not.

We have built a history together and a chapter in the story of our lives have inextricably merged. Even if distance and circumstance directs us down different paths the rest of our lives, the words and paragraphs that make up the happy tale of our friendship will never change.

I will miss you alot, Kidney. I will miss the lessons on the correct use of prepositions, dissertations about Family Guy, and just laughing and talking and laughing some more about the most random of things.

Take care. Keep in touch. Goodluck.

About a Boy

2008-04-11T08:17:00.003+08:00

I was looking at photos on my sister-in-law's site and saw some from Easter. I was surprised at how grown-up the neph is. He is no longer the laughing/crying baby in the videos I posted before. He is now.... well.... a boy!

I've fallen in love with this boy long before he even formed his sparkling eyes, pink cheeks, and unmistakable "Flores" bottom lip. This boy who has yet to really know me and understand how I figure in his life. This boy who is probably a couple of decades away from knowing what I am capable of doing for his sake and happiness.

I love him. It's as simple as that. I love him as I sit, stand, sleep, wake, eat, breathe. Even from afar, a piece of my soul resides in his heart and I have nothing but hope after hope that he has the best life he can have and end up being the best version of himself.

Grand Lux Cafe and Millenium Park with Tessa Wessa

2008-04-08T07:51:00.000+08:00

Had a BIG lunch with RJ, James, and Tessa at The Grand Lux Cafe, then tried to burn off some off the calories by strolling oh-so-slowly around Millenium Park.

Click the link below for photo ops.

Link

Shopping Trip at Kenosha, Wisconsin. Say cheese!

2008-04-06T08:44:00.000+08:00

Crazy Tessa is in town and we all decided to rent a car and drive to Wisconsin to do some hardcore shopping. We even made a trip to Gurnee Mills as if our wallets weren't crying uncle yet.

We took photos before, during, and after the madness. Click on the link below to see what shopping does to us. :)

Link

Furless Burberry

2008-04-04T02:15:00.000+08:00

China - Dog and Fur Trade

2008-03-30T13:44:00.001+08:00

Something to remind us of what it takes to put real fur on clothes. Watch and remember. Forever.

Oh My Good Friday!

2008-03-22T08:25:00.001+08:00

It's 11pm right now and it's Good Friday. If I were in Manila, I would either be in bed staring at the ceiling or looking at the night sky at some beach I decided to go to with my family or friends. Regardless of where I am, Good Friday has always been that time of the year when it felt natural to just sit silently and introspect. Not the cheesy kind of introspection that calls for a box of tissues, but just the kind that allows you to see just how closely you are living up to that Christian your parents hope that you become.

The verdict this year? I could make my parents alot happier by being more Christ-like, but to be honest, I believe that I I did my best - oftentimes - to be as good as I could be as a person. Yet, as this time of the year always draws out the little girl in me that was raised by nuns, I find myself making a promise to try even harder to become the best version of myself. I hope I succeed.

Here in America, it has proven alot harder to sit quietly and do my usual introspection. Someone is yelling at the top of their lungs outside. Given that it's almost midnight, I'd say it is someone who has alot to say and alot of alcohol in his blood.

I live next to a bar. Let me be more precise - my building has a piano bar, and right outside my apartment is a stretch of bars and clubs. There's McFadden's, then PJ Clarkes. You turn a corner and there's House of Beer, Mothers Too, Mothers, Finn McCools,then across the street, you have Leg Room, Bootlegger's, The Loft, then further down the street, you have The Hunt Club and Level. I know I missed some bars, but you get the picture.

It doesn't feel like Good Friday. I miss the quiet and stillness of Manila during Holy Week. Still, I know God is here among the revellers. He is here with me. And despite the fact that I have been watching tv all night, I still managed to get my moment of solace and that is all that matters.

If I don't get to blog on Sunday, Happy Easter everyone!

St. Patrick's Day Love

2008-03-19T06:32:00.001+08:00

This is my second St. Patrick's Day in Chicago. The first time was back in 2005 and I was wide-eyed in awe when I saw the river dyed a super bright green. This time around - 3 years after, and me 3 years older - I was still amazed at how beautiful the river is with all the green dye.

I spent good part of the morning walking around downtown taking photos by the river and at Millenium Park. You can see all the photos in the album marked St. Patrick's Day 2008.

Under the bean. Try and find me, but don't ask me where I am because I don't know either.

Denise @ the pubcrawl: Show Some Love!!!

Little Heartbreaker Flores

2008-03-14T07:16:00.000+08:00

As you can tell, the neph has the makings of a Flores Playboy. I wonder who the first girlfriend would be....

I miss you, Aidan. Thanks for saying "HAI!" when we talk on the phone. See you again real soon!

Chicago, Chicago....

2008-03-11T13:52:00.000+08:00

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Aging

2008-03-10T10:06:00.001+08:00

I was putting moisturizer on and noticed I had fine lines under my eyes. This cannot be happening... not yet!

This better just be because I got sick. Oh gawd.

Me and Aidan Jacob

2008-03-10T10:02:00.003+08:00

Hanging out with the neph.

Kuya and Aidan on Christmas Eve 2007

2008-03-07T04:34:00.003+08:00

Shattered Silence

2008-02-23T10:57:00.005+08:00

Okay, I admit, I have been a delinquent blogger. That is what happens when life throws a whole lot of stuff your way. Since the last time I wrote an entry, the things list below happened:

1) My team changed members and a whole lot of transitioning and learning and expectation setting happened.

2) I moved to a studio apartment closer to downtown. Shortly after my move, I had to have my heater repaired and get a bulb changed. I was growing more responsible by the minute.

3) Work got craaaazzzzy hectic. Don't really feel like subjecting my precious blogspot to having to hold details about work. Just take my word for it when I say it got busy.

4) Currently in San Jose. Yep. Again.

It is nice here in California. At least it looks nice from the window of the conference room where we have been cooped-up for the whole week. In fairness, we have had a few fun moments...

Denise and I went to the HP Pavilion to watch Pete Sampras' exhibition game against Tommy Haas during the SAP Open. Yup, SAP as in Information Technology SAP. Up here in Silicon Valley, SAP only means one thing and we realized that when the marquee flashed this message, "The best-run businesses run SAP." How geeky is that?

Pete is still a great tennis player and still pretty hot, but he is no longer the McHottie of his youth. His thick hair is gone and the stadium lights were not kind to his bald spot. Still, it was an awesome experience to see him play live after having countless dreams about him when I was a teenager.

Then the following night, we got into the hotel's hot tub for a relaxing soak. Neo didn't like it much and had a grimace on his face for majority of the time, but the rest of us felt like we were royalty.

The rest of the time, it's just work, free breakfast, free desserts, work, work, and more work.

We will be going to San Francisco this weekend. That should be a blast, specially since there's some sort of Chinese New YEar celebration (why it's a couple of week's behind, I don't know!). I can't wait until Friday ends!!!

More updates. Hopefully soon. :)

Don't Be Jealous, Frankie...

2007-12-21T09:14:00.003+08:00

I still love you more, of course.

Little Boy, Lollipop!

2007-12-20T14:00:00.000+08:00

Sweetest thing on earth.

Photographs and Memories....

2007-12-20T12:53:00.000+08:00

Posted photos in Memoirs from Days Past.

New photos below for Long, long, long Overdue entry, Halloween Party at our Flat. I'll post the rest of the photos next time. I need a shower right now. Enjoy them. More to come soon!

Equity Services, Chicago: AG, Ros, Emilio, me, Rob, Janice, and Liz. Jeff is taking the photo and Joyce and Joe were MIA.

It was a fun and relaxed night... at first.

We had music...

... and dancing.

There was some introspection....

... and a Jack-O-Lantern...

... with a nice bright candle.

THEN ALCOHOL HAPPENED!

AND THEN.... The legendary curly-haired, taz-like creature came into our apartment, screaming like hell, driving everyone crazy. The drunk vegetarian ate hot wings. HAH! Can you spot him in this photo with AG?

The end...

And so this is Christmas....

2007-12-20T12:25:00.001+08:00

Believe it or not, that was Christmas dinner at the Flores's last 2006. My parents and I slept in and woke up without any inclination to cook dinner, so we had KFC delivered. The only thing even remotely festive about the meal were the red and green candy sprinkles on the chocolate mousse. Would I trade it for a 6-course meal somewhere else? No. I mean, I'd consider it. I am, afterall, part glutton. But in the end, I'd stay home, of course... with the folks... and a bucket of KFC.

This year, I am spending Christmas away from home, but luckily enough, still with family. I would be with my brother and the neph, Aidan. It will be a different - being away from my parents for the very first time during Christmas - but hopefully, hanging out with my big bro and playing with my Jeopardy-addicted nephew will take the blues away. Besides, what is there to feel sad about? I have two healthy parents, an amazing brother, a baby nephew, a funny sister-in-law... all of whom I love with every fiber of my being. Just because I cannot be with all of them at once does not mean I am less lucky. On the contrary, just having them all in my life loving me back is a gift in itself, and makes me feel like the luckiest chick alive.... after Rachel McAdams because she is just perfect. Oh wow, my hair is awful in this photo.... I bet Rachel McAdams doesn't have bad hair photos. Hmph.

In case I don't get to check back in before Christmas, I wanna wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy the holidays and do all those introspective stuff they say is good for you. See you all in 2008!!!

My Grown-up Christmas Wish

Grammar Girl

2007-12-05T14:07:00.000+08:00

My good friend Tina shared this site with me. It has interesting tips on how to improve one's writing style. Very interesting and easy to understand. Go take a peek...

Not Everything Kaye Wants, Kaye Gets

2007-11-25T15:48:00.000+08:00

This is an important lesson that my parents have made a point of teaching me at a very early age. I had a good childhood where I never had to want for anything. My parents worked hard and was able to provide my brother and I everything we needed and most of the things we wanted. Well, most, but not all. I mean, I never got a pony so no, I was definitely not spoiled and my parents never hesitated to put their foot down and say no when we were asking for too much.

Although I've been hearing this mantra all my life, it is still difficult to accept sometimes that what I really, really want, I can't have. Specially when I feel like I deserved it. Him. Still, if destiny says that things are not meant to be, then things aren't and I am left without. No use trying to convince anybody that we belong together, and that it felt right when we were. All of that is in the past and I refuse to look back and pine for what I can't have.... Not everything Kaye wants, Kaye gets.

You know, just because I don't talk to you doesn't mean I don't miss you. Of course I do, but at some point, I need to learn that like that pony, you will just always be that dream I once had.

Cold and Colds

2007-11-24T15:12:00.000+08:00

Shortly after the temperature dropped to the low 40s to mid 30s, I started sneezing. I was on vacation at this time in New Jersey, visiting my brother, so I didn't pay any attention to it. 4 days of sniffles and sneezes that left me red-nosed and teary-eyed, my brother made me take NyQuil. It made me feel better and I slept like a log that I felt 100% better when I hit New York with Roslyn.

The day we went to tour Liberty and Ellis Island, the wind was blowing pretty good and it was in the mid 30s, so just imagine how cold it was on the ferry, in the middle of the water. Ros and I, being suckers for photo ops, spend a good amount of time at the top tier of the ferry, braving the whipping winds to get a good shot of Lady Liberty. Needless to say, Mr. Sniffles welcomed me with open arms at O'Hare Airport.

Another day of rest is what I did last Tuesday, making sure I stayed warm and dry the whole time. No longer armed with NyQuil, I popped a couple of Sinutabs and napped. Woke up feeling refreshed, yet congested. It was as if my colds were just waiting for me to make one wrong move - like to the coffeeshop downstairs wearing only a shirt and shorts to buy a cookie *ahem* - before it rears it's ugly head again... out my nostrils.

Wednesday was good, no sniffles and no sneezing, although my throat was still very scratchy. Then that afternoon, the cookie beckoned.

Thursday morning, woke up to snow and sniffling. We went to Joyce's house for Thanksgiving lunch and stuffed our faces full of food - all in observance of the holidays, of course - then sat around snacking afterwards. On the way home that night, my sinuses were giving me a head/face ache and I knew a full blown battle with colds was just a few hours away. Went to bed wearing socks, took a Tuseran (no more Sinutab) and wished for the best.

Apparently, I didn't wish hard enough because I woke up Black Friday feeling like I was breathing through needle holes all night long. I was winded and exhausted and worst of all, I missed the sales. *pouts*

As much as I like playing around in snow and learning how to ski (next, I attempt snowboarding), I hate cold weather. I hate it precisely because my body can't handle it. I always, always get sick when the temperature drops. I hope I shake this cold off soon and that it doesn't get any worse. I hope my combination of nasal spray (the dry air is making my nose hurt real bad), cold tablet, oranges, water, and vitamin C will help me recover 100% soon.

Real soon before I miss any more sales.

Bleargh, I miss my mom. If she were here, I wouldn't be blogging. I'd be drinking hot soup and getting Vicks Vapor Rub massaged onto my back and chest. Oh gosh, I hear her voice in my head telling me to shutdown my laptop and get some sleep. Makes sense.

Good night, now.

Long, long, long Overdue

2007-11-21T13:02:00.000+08:00

I've been busy. That seems to be the theme of my life here..."busy". It isn't all about work either. I just came back from a 2-week PTO, but even my vacay was busy, busy, busy! So, here I am trying to find the time to update you guys with what has been happening in my life since I last wrote a decent entry.

I haven't written in so long that it feels trifle odd to be attempting to come up with a new entry again. Although I have been working all day - writing emails and chatting with colleagues, the keyboard suddenly feels alien under my fingertips as I try and put my personal thoughts into words.

(I got sidetracked. Aren't all thoughts personal since no one can think up thoughts but one's self? Hmmm....)

So, let's see. What has happened?

First of all (deep inhale), theloveaffairwiththebossmanhasendedbutthatisokayi'mokayanditisallgforthebestsinceifwearenotonthesamepageinlifeitwon'tworkanywaysothere (exhale).

Aside from the daily hustle bustle of living independently and going to work to get a sense of self-fulfillment in the arena of corporate success, there have been a few highlights worth sharing. Read on if you are interested, stop if you get bored. It's a free country, afterall.

1) The Halloween Party at The Ashland.
It's a sad thing that Halloween is not a big holiday back in Manila, because I majorly enjoyed celebrating it here in the U.S. We went to this bar that we frequent (like that fab bar in Malate) called The Ashland and there was a costume party. In our crew, only AG wore a costume (he went as The Crow), but the other party-goers were dressed to impress. I had photos taken with Spiderman *swoon*, several Roman soldiers, a cowboy, a guy from the '80s, Megatron, a guy with white make-up who looked somewhat like Beetlejuice, etc. Met a few interesting people that night, but chose to wrap-up the night with a laugh-fest with my good friends, the bartender/DJ, and this guy named Quincy who has a thing for my roomie, Janice. I'll post the photos from the party as soon as I get copies from Jeff.

2) The Halloween Party at our flat.
We had some co-workers over to the apartment to celebrate a collection of milestones: R22, ASR8, a myriad of production runs that Support pulled off, and Halloween! So, Rob, Liz, E, Ros, and Vince came over to the flat to eat up and booze up and just go crazy. We bought a pumpkin and AG made a cool Jack O' Lantern. Half the Chinese Food and a third of the alcohol supply later, people were sliding across our floor on their knees/butt, doing handstands, and just dancing. Again, I will post the photos soon... when I download them from my camera.

3) San Jose, California trip.
I flew with Janice to Silicon Valley for the ESPP Purchase. It was a week of hard work day and night, weekdays and weekend. Overall, though, it was still an awesome trip. We got to see Pier 39 in San Francisco, we watched Maroon 5 (I know... again!), and hit a few bars around the city. KC, a member of the Global Equity Services team, took us to Santana Row for dinner. It was good fun and I can't wait to go back there again. *hintRobhint*

Oh, I wasn't able to check out the Tech Museum, but since the Body Worlds Exhibit will be there until January 26, I still have a chance... *hintRobhint*

4) Parsippany, New Jersey trip.
Right after the week in the West Coast, I flew all the way across America to the East Coast to see my one and only brother and his family. Finally, I met the neph, Aidan Jacob. He is a little bundle of joy and I spent practically my whole stay thinking of ways to make him laugh. I got to play the doting aunt for 8 days and learned alot about child-rearing. The most important lesson being that I am not ready to have a kid of my own. Not YET, but eventually, I probably would learn to love waking up early to feed my own baby. For now, I am happy to play auntie to Aidan, the cutest tyke in town. I will post some photos soon... I promise.

It was good to see my brother again. I do miss having him around to talk to and do things with. I am actually considering moving to the US to be closer to him and Aidan... but then I miss my mom and dad more.

5) New York City, New York trip.
Finally, I met up with my friend Ros in New York City for 4 days of sight-seeing around The Big Apple. We did a whole lot of sightseeing since it was Ros' first time there. We did the whole tourist schtick and then some - Central Park (including a carriage ride), Time Square, Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building, American Museum of Natural History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ground Zero, and the Statue of Liberty. Photos. Soon. You know what I mean.

You dare ask what the "and then some" stuff I mentioned earlier meant? Well, see, our plan to watch Lion King on Broadway was foiled due to the labor strike, so we decided to catch an off (way off) Broadway show - Naked Boys Singing. It is what the title is. Seriously. No photos for this one, sorry.

This entry is way too long. I'll try to write shorter entries more often, but for now, I hope you enjoyed my run-down of the past few weeks of my life. Photos. Soon. Promise.

Katie Knows the Way to San Jose....

2007-11-01T08:33:00.001+08:00

Got to San Jose last night, a few hours after the earthquake which, we were told, measured about 5pts on the Ritcher Scale. The downtown area is really pretty and our hotel is awesome. Pictures to follow...

Inside my Head

2007-10-18T12:31:00.000+08:00

Here's a song that's been playing in my head... What Do We Mean To Each Other?

Memoirs from Days Past

2007-09-29T08:45:00.000+08:00

Lately, I haven't been feeling inspired to write. I don't know why that is. but I'm thinking it's because I don't have a book to read. I need to stop by Borders and pick something up. If I find time this weekend - between Emilio's barbecue and the trip to visit Tony out in Indiana - then I will. In the meantime, I will just post some photos here to keep you guys entertained.

I got bored during a cab ride home and pulled out my camera. I started experimenting with the Color Accents setting. Here are a couple of photos I took that day, setting the camera to pick up the green.

Me and Jada in the cab, trying to make most out of the rush hour traffic. We were bored as heck and tired from a long work day, but we tried to ham it up for the camera.

We were all walking around one day, then ended up having dinner at a sports bar in a bowling place. It was pretty cool - each table had a tv. They were showing all sorts of games, but we watched The Family Guy instead. Another time I was tinkering around the camera, making it pick out the brown.

I was trying to go for coy...

Jeff was going for pensive...

AG works on the rebel with a heart look...

Jada with the far-away gaze...

Me and Jepoy, missing a 1/3 of the triplets (miss you Phiney, MWAH!)

In true Filipino fashion, no one ate the last Jalapeno Popper.

This photo is super random, but I thought I'd put it in as well. It looks like a fun photo, doesn't it? That's me hanging out with the other two Rs in my life, Rob and Ryan. The third and most important R (after my parents, Rose and Roman, of course!), Ros, is the one who took this photo.

I'll post more photos from our teambuilding activity. We played Whirlyball with GES people because Tyler (curtsies) was in town. Tyler (another curtsy) is a Senior Executive in our project. It was fun and despite the multiple bruises and unbelievably sore arm, I would not have missed it for the world. Pictures from that soon... :)

HERE ARE THE WHIRLYBALL PHOTOS (posted 12/19/2007)!!!

Ready... Set.... Go!

Yellow Team

Red Team

It was a pretty big court!

It was fun driving those little buggies around.

Rob hangs out.

Emilio rams into Tyler *curtsy* in an effort to score a point on the court. I wonder how it affected his score off the court/in the office?

Saturday Night and the Lights Were Low 2

2007-09-19T12:37:00.000+08:00

More photos from Saturday night courtesy of my newly purchased digital camera. There aren't alot because I like posing for photos more than I like taking them. We went to Hooters for dinner before we went to do all those crazy things kids these days do. Enjoy!

AG, Janice, and Rob (a.k.a. Chief MW)...

Vicente Carlos in the haus! I missed this guy.

Luy Sisters.

Vince's crazy face!

Saturday Night and the Lights Were Low

2007-09-18T22:18:00.000+08:00

I just realized that this might quickly turn into photo blog. I just want to share some photos from Saturday night. From my previous entry, I mentioned that Ros's sister was in town. The photos below are from that night, when we went to Fado's and John Barleycorn to show the 21 year old girl how to party, Liaison-style...

L-R: Janice, AG, me, Vince (back), Rob, Abigail (aka Shobe).

Gangstah Love.

Rob wears my scarf and turns girly... or turns girly and wears my scarf. I can't tell which happened first.

Me with the Luy sisters. I can't pretend to be a sister. I'm too brown and my eyes are not narrow enough!

... a Jager-bomb after.

I will post more photos from the Hooters dinner that night. Those photos are in my camera, and I plan to upload them a little later.

Note: Where is Jepoy? Ask him how he spent this weekend. The guy is an enigma.

Maigayang Happy!

2007-09-17T14:16:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday, Mother Dear! I hope you had a great birthday. Eventhough we're apart, know that you are always in my heart (copyright: Hallmark). Love you heaps!

Walking Around Town

2007-09-16T00:59:00.000+08:00

Here are a few pictures of me and my roomies walking around Clark and Diversey. This was last September 2, 2007.

Camera shy AG, taking a break on a bench.

The boys, AG and Jeff, pretending to walk into an adult bookstore. They didn't really go inside. They wouldn't pay for porn because they said they can download stuff for free.

Me and my girl roomie, Janice. We like having our photo taken, can you tell?

The boys pretending to look tough in gangster town. They are really a couple of softies, though.

No, this isn't our apartment complex, but I wish I lived here. It was a really nice place that is only about 5 minutes from downtown.

Janice doing a Paris Hilton impersonation.

A candid shot of AG.

A supposedly candid shot of Jeff, but I can never seem to catch him off guard.

Just taking a photo break after 30 minutes of walking... AG took the photo.

More to come soon. I need to get ready to go out and meet my roomie from 2005, Roslyn. Her younger sister is in town for a couple of days and we will show her around. Time to be young and fun... Ciao.

Yes, I am still alive.

2007-09-15T11:56:00.000+08:00

I know this blog entry is long overdue. I just want you all to know that yes, I made it to Chicago in one piece. Fortunately. Or unfortunately. It really depends on who's reading this entry.

As much as I would like to regale you with stories of everything that has happened to me since I started this journey, I know I would have forgotten some parts. Still, I would try to remember as much of the highlights as I can remember. Let us begin...

August 31, 2007, Manila, Philippines
Following an extremely exhausting week trying to complete the clearance checklist for the extremely delightful Global Careers Program (which kept me so busy, I didn't even have time for a farewell dinner with my parents!), I was finally packed and ready to go. I was up at 230am, in the airport by 3am, checked-in by 5am, boarded by 615am, asleep by 630am. By 645am, we were airborne and on our way to Nagoya, Japan.

August 31, 2007, Nagoya, Japan
I generally don't like airports, but I particularly don't enjoy Japanese airports. No offense to the Japanese people, but their language over the PA system does not exactly constitute an auditory pleasure experience. I can only hear "Continental/American/Philippine Cuckoo (sp?)" so many times before I go nuts. Two hours and six thousand "cuckoos" later, I board the same plane and sat on the same seat for my 13 hour flight to Detroit.

When I got back on the plane, I was assigned a middle seat, but was lucky enough to not have someone sit next to me, so I ended up getting to move to the aisle seat. As per usual, I was once again asleep before the plane took off and only woke up when the smell of food started wafting from the galley.

I was preparing to eat my dinner, removing the saran wraps and foil covers ,and tearing open plastic bags when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Uh oh, can't be good. I turn around and this old American guy asked if we could switch seats. He had a bad leg and was sitting in a full 3-seat row, in the aisle seat. This means everytime one of the other two had to go to the loo, he had to stand-up (good job, whoever was at the check-in counter). How could I say no? I'm not saying I didn't want to say no, but how could I? Saying no to an old guy with a bad leg is like stealing money from a beggar. It just isn't right! So, with a fake smile and a heavy heart, I switch seats with him and guess who I end up sitting next to? A middle-aged Filipino couple. No, I don't think sitting next to a couple is bad, but you should have seen the look on their faces as I prepared to sit down. I knew from their temple-to-temple smiles that I will hear about how they met and know each of their children's blood types and birthmarks before the flight was over.

Oh boy, was I right about that... Just for kicks, I actually asked about their children's blood types.

For those who have flown with me before, they would know that I really fall asleep in planes easily. If by "easily", I mean within 20 seconds after the plane starts to taxi, yes I fall asleep easily. At one point, the guy in the storytelling pair was in the middle of telling me about how his friend was stealing from him when I just zonked out and fell asleep. That was pretty much how the rest of the flight went: the couple taking turns to tell me about their lives and me alternating between sleep and torture.

August 31, 2007, Detroit, USA
When we got to Detroit, the Sharer of Tales duo asked if I would like to go to Virgina Beach with them for the weekend instead of flying straight to Chicago. I say thank you with an embarrassed smile and then politely declined. After tucking their business cards into my bag and then profusely thanking them for their kindness and generosity, I made my way off the plane and into America.

Nothing eventful really happened in Detroit. No extra checks for me, and no questions from the immigration officer. Too bad because I actually had a 5-hour wait and a brief interrogation would have actually been enjoyable. After I checked in my luggage (which probably gave the guy who helped me a hernia), I was free to bore myself silly.

To kill time, I walked around the airport and thought about doing a little pre-arrival shopping. I walked into Borders and decided that a good book would make time fly. My pick: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max. Hilarious book about a guy who lived in Chicago. I wouldn't even tell you about him, just Google the guy or go to TuckerMax.com. After my book purchase, I went to Mickey D's to get myself a fillet-o-fish meal, then went to my gate to wait for my last plane for the day. 30 pages into my book, my plane to Chicago arrives.

August 31, 2007, Chicago, Illinois
Finally, I arrived. I dragged my jetlagged self towards the luggage carousel and looked for another guy to give the gift of hernia to. A pretty good looking college boy helped me and gave me a pained smile afterwards, so I flashed him a toothy cheerleader smile and thanked him perkily for his help. I even threw in a "You are a savior!" for effect.

I was as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve to get to my new home, shower and change, and go out and meet my friends for dinner and drinks. But my anti-climactic friends (don't worry Jada and Jeff, I won't name you guys) were both an hour late - despite the fact that both were within 5 minutes of the CTA Blue Line train which leads them directly to the airport. Thanks for picking me up at the airport, guys. ;)

So, that sums up my journey across three countries in one unbelievably long day. It ended with dinner and drinks at Four Shadows and The Ashland with my very good friends who all came out to see me and celebrate my roomie's birthday, too.

It was a good day, over-all.

September 1, 2007
Lazed around during the morning, then it was off to Target to buy myself a bed. I ended up buying an airbed (so I could ship it home, like my housemates plan to do, too), two pillows, a comforter set, and a cube ottoman (my desk/nightstand).

Our apartment is money. It is a 3-br brand-new unit with a veranda and a jacuzzi. Our building has a nice little cafe at the ground floor, and the bus stop is right across the street. Did I tell you I have the master's suite? Let me end this entry by uploading some photos I took of our apartment.

View from the windows in the living room. If you look closely, you will see the bus stop sign at the left side of the photo. That is where we stand everyday to catch the 76 bus to Milwaukee.

My bedroom, the master's suite. It is a very good amount of space and I plan on buying a few more things to make my life a little bit more comfortable. To the left are the sliding doors that lead to the veranda. Pretty good view, too. I will take some photos one of these days.

Clothes...

... and more clothes.

I will continue my updates in another entry that I plan to create tomorrow, if I would be so inclined. Until then, know that I am doing fine and adjusting fairly well to my independent life here in the US.

I miss everyone back home. I hope you all know that.

Is Your Date Fashion Style Classy, Sassy, or Trashy?

2007-08-26T13:56:00.000+08:00

Your Style is Classy

You've got class, and you know how to put together a guy catching outfit
You're more likely to shop at Bloomie's than bebe
For you style is looking like a million bucks...
And you're always do with your fantastic yet feminine wardrobe

Is Your Date Fashion Style Classy, Sassy, or Trashy?

Hafi Verthday, Dadee!

2007-08-24T21:20:00.001+08:00

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, happy birthdaaaaaaaayyyyy..... Happy Birthday to you!!!! MWAH!

Accenture Spice

2007-08-21T21:57:00.001+08:00

Introducing the Accenture Spice Girls from left to right: Liza a.k.a. COBOL Spice, Pure a.k.a. C++ Spice, me a.k.a. VB Spice, Jenny a.k.a. SAP Spice, and Tina a.k.a. Testing Spice.

Spice up your life! :)

Life Theme #28

2007-08-11T15:24:00.000+08:00

For my 28th birthday, my life theme was to reconnect with old friends.

So far, so good. I've gotten in touch again with seven old friends already, and it has only been 9 days after my birthday. I plan to keep and foster these seven rekindled (and in some cases, "revived") friendships and make sure I don't lose touch with them again. A couple of things nudged me towards this life theme...

First, a few weeks before my birthday, I met up with my friends from the gym/dance class. It reminded me of how lucky I am to have met so many cool and great friends in my life. Ones who share the same interest as me - i.e. modern jazz, power yoga, pilates, etc... and good food.

Then shortly after, I was able to meet up with another good friend of mine, Hannah. I've known her since college and we have gone through the happiest times of our partying youth together, and it was really good to be able to hang out and spend time with her again.

These two separate instances made me realize that I would like nothing more than to know, once again, where all my wonderful friends are. At one point in my life, they were people whose lives intertwined with mine. That means something. That means alot, actually. I believe it is a worthwhile effort to see if some of those are worth maintaining.

Okay, so maybe ALL is an impossible goal, but it is a nice thought, no? I'll give it a shot... who knows, I might pull of the impossible. :)

Note: I thought I'd keep a running list of who I've gotten in touch so far. This same list will be updated everytime I get in touch with an old friend. Just to be clear, "get in touch" doesn't mean having them add me or vice versa to their Friendster/Bebo/Facebook. There has to be some personal inter-action to make it to the list. ;)

1) Gym chicks: Mona, Mara, Abelle, Macel

2) Hannah

3) Joel

4) Neri Neri

5) Gracey

6) Remco

7) Jason Z.

8) Chyn

Gains

2007-08-07T19:41:00.000+08:00

Today, I bought a couple of things when I went to the mall. Well, my mom bought me a pair of really cute ballet flats - a belated birthday gift. Then I bought myself a new gold and silver bangle. Cute stuff. Check out the photo below:

It looks nice on my still sunburnt foot, too. Whoopee! Thanks, mom! :)

Losses

2007-08-07T01:51:00.000+08:00

What a day. I thought the non-stop rain was a reason to pout, but within a space of 2 hours, I learned about two devastating losses.

A friend of mine lost her baby.
A friend of mine has friends (who I also consider my friends, actually) who lost their baby.

Are there right words to use when expressing sympathy? If there are, those words escape me right now. Sad since I would like them to know I share their loss, but I'm scared to say the wrong thing.

Of course, I can't even begin to imagine how they must be feeling right now. I can only pray that they all make it through this event in their lives and see the sun shining again soon.

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down.

2007-08-06T13:29:00.000+08:00

Today, I get both. It is a rainy Monday and I am feeling the blues creeping over me. I keep telling myself that the crops need the rain (my attempt at selflessness), but I still can't help but feel like I'm being punished by Mother Nature. I have so many plans for today!

1) Go buy a book in Powerbooks using my gift cheques. Whoohoo! Thanks R3.

2) Get the two dresses I had dry cleaned from the cleaners.

3) Get the two pants I had made from the tailors.

4) Go to the bank.

5) Get some ID photos taken for my onshore paperwork.

It looks like #4 will need to be rescheduled for tomorrow. I don't like going to the bank close to closing time. The tellers are crabby with fatigue and they are more prone to making mistakes. Since I need to be very careful of my hard-earned moolah, I think I would just go to the bank early tomorrow morning. Everything else, I can still do before I meet Phiney for dinner tonight at Alexa's Deli.

I hope the skies clear up soon. Isn't this supposed to be a short shower burst from the cloud seeding? Why the thunder and lightning?

Okay, I'll keep reminding myself that we need the rain or else we die. But if I'm stuck home all day anyway, am I really living?

Dramatic much? :)

Tropical Dreams

2007-08-04T20:18:00.000+08:00

Still dreaming of the beach... Look at the sand and the sea! Why can't we have beaches closer to the city? *sigh*

I forgot to mention in my earlier entry that it turned out that the resort we were staying at is owned by the family of daddy's tennis friend. Small world, eh? Thanks, Mr. Chit, the corporate bigshot turned beach bum. We really had a good time. :)

A Sunny 28th

2007-08-03T22:16:00.000+08:00

For my 28th birthday, all I really wanted was to get out of the city and spend some solid quality time with my folks. So, on the morning of August 2, 2007, my parents and I loaded my little hatchback with the beach essentials and headed to Balai sa Laiya in San Juan, Batangas.

The resort was so nice and the beach was breath taking. Take a look at the photo I took of the view from our villa. The huts are free to be used by the resort guests. Not too shabby since the place provides cushions as well. I actually napped twice on those things!

There was a big al fresco dining area at the second floor of the reception area. There were around 15 tables, an area with lounge chairs, a wooden coffee table, a book shelf with loads of magazines and pocketbooks (there were even 2 French paperbacks!), and three comfy swings. The swing was so comfortable I spent a good couple of hours on it, reading a murder-mystery novel I borrowed from their mini-library (I didn't finish the book, so I don't know who killed Lauren Teague!). Oh by the way, all meals were eat-all-you-can buffets that had me stuffing myself silly. Little porker me... look at my tummy! Oink!

The parents also enjoyed themselves a lot. They really laid back and let their hair down. In the photo below, my dad reminds me of Aidan, strapped in his car seat... Haha! As you can see below, the folks quickly adjusted to the vacay-vibe of the resort. Dad, who is half a sea-creature, spent majority of his time in the water. My mom, scared of the water, spent time laughing from the shore as the waves splashed at her. No photos of those, though, as I was often in the water with dad (yes, I'm a quarter sea-creature by virtue of bloodline).

Onto the beach essentials I was talking about earlier... Here is a photo of what a girl needs for an afternoon of beach bumming: 1) an ice cold drink, 2) a bag of chips (preferably, your favorite), 3) sunblock, 4) a sarong, 5) a fully-charged IPod, 6) cellphone (a birthday girl still needs to stay connected with city-bound friends), 7) and a good (i.e. trashy) tabloid.

It was a good trip and I'm happy I got to spent my birthday with my awesome parents at an awesome beach resort. A good start to my 28th year of life. I'm really sunkissed and happy (and sweaty)... My feet are happy, too, that they came. Get it? Happy Feet? Haha... Happy Birthday to me! :)

"When we were 22..."

2007-07-29T12:38:00.000+08:00

Last night, I had dinner with my good old friend and confidante, Hannah. It has been a long while since we last had the chance to hang out and talk. The last time I saw Han was when Fredrik Norberg, our cool Swedish friend was here. Before that, it was when Paul Coffey, our fun Australian friend, visited. Before that, it was when Joseba, Han's ex-novio was still in Manila. We were certainly not hanging out enough considering we used to be together every weekend - including some weekdays - when we were 22.

"When we were 22...", this was the catch phrase of the evening. We kept reminiscing about how we were when we were younger, and analyzing how much we've changed since. How different our clothes, decisions, and tastes are now from when we were social neophytes 5-6 years ago. Now, we are almost... vintage. Not a bad thing, vintage is in.

Last night was like our typical Saturday night back in the dark ages. She came over, we put on make-up together, went out and had dinner, and she brought me back home... just like when we were 22.

Biggest difference: there was no random guy, no drunkeness, and no crazy stuff involved. We have grown-up indeed.

Hello, Mr. Glowy.

2007-07-24T22:10:00.000+08:00

Remember how I said that there's someone who is keeping me in this freakishly glowy phase (see January 17, 2007 entry, Rollercoaster)? He is still around, brightening up my days. However, those days have become few and far in between since the season's changed. He's been travelling alot and has become busier than ever. I got used to having him around everyday and he became a part of my life's landscape. Now, I really miss him when he is not around.

Geez, Mr. Glowy, what have you done to me? Should I quit you before you become a full-fledged addiction?

What Language Should You Learn?

2007-07-17T13:31:00.000+08:00

You Should Learn Spanish

For you, learning a language is about career advancement and communication.
Knowing Spanish will bring you tons of possiblities for jobs and travel. Bárbaro!

What Language Should You Learn?

What Your Latte Says About You

2007-07-17T12:41:00.000+08:00

What Your Latte Says About You

When it comes to what you like, you have your own unique tastes. And people don't really understand them.

You can be quite silly at times, but you know when to buckle down and be serious.

You have a good deal of energy, but you pace yourself. You never burn out too fast.

You're addicted to caffeine. There's no denying it.

You are responsible, mature, and truly an adult. You're occasionally playful, but you find it hard to be carefree.

You are dramatic and intense, but you are never moody.

What Does Your Latte Say About You?

Burning the Midnight Oil

2007-07-14T23:44:00.000+08:00

If my little black dress could curse at me for wasting her on a 4-hour dinner, it would have. Also, my 8-hour mascara has not yet done a full lap around the party when I already had to go home. Go home and work. What was amazing is that I didn't feel bad about it. I wasn't exactly jumping for joy when I had to leave my friends for the laptop and the landline phone, but I wasn't near tears either. I didn't feel any particularly strong emotion about this Saturday night's work.

Is this a good thing? Does it mean I have grown into my role and I'm actually ready to take on more responsibilities and not feel overly-burdened? Or is this a sad, pathetic sign that I have turned into a workaholic who would rather not have a social life that would intefere with round-the-clock work?

Nah, I'm still social. Right after I finished typing up the last paragraph, I already wanted to go get my fair share of the sangria they had on the table after dinner. I guess I'm both - a social hardworker. Whatever, I'm babbling. Let me go back to work...

Who Are Your Celebrity Sisters?

2007-07-14T15:02:00.000+08:00

Your Celebrity Sisters Are Mary-Kate and Ashley

Funky, eccentric, and offbeat
You're not a good girl or a bad girl, just a weird girl

Who Are Your Celebrity Sisters?

Are You Id, Ego, or Super Ego?

2007-07-14T14:44:00.000+08:00

You Are the Ego

You take a balanced approach to your life.
You definitely aren't afraid to act out on your desires - even crazy ones.
But you usually think first. Morals drive you as much as hedonism does.
You've been able to live a life of pleasure... without living a life of excess.

Are You Id, Ego, or Superego?

What City Do You Belong In?

2007-07-14T14:38:00.000+08:00

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern.
A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.
A unique soul like you needs a city that offers everything.
No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

Rolled to a Stop

2007-07-11T23:11:00.000+08:00

For several days now, I've been trying to write a new entry, but can't come up with a good topic to write about. Nothing particularly interesting has been happening lately... except maybe developing an almost pre-pubescent crush on Alex Karev of Grey's Anatomy. Not a surprise since I did a 3 season DVD marathon in like one week. Other than that, though, it seems like my world rolled to a stop.

What happened? I am on pause and someone has stolen the bloody remote control. See, a DVD metaphor... sad.

I think it's because I am adjusting to not being overly busy (i.e. 60+ hour work week kind of busy), Nivel 6 of Spanish classes being cancelled (Los cabrones de IC no le gusta pagar los profesores si un clase es menos de 10 personas...tsk!), and Bossman is not around to keep me entertained. My parents like it that I have a little free time because I get to have decent conversations with them and not fall asleep or rush off in the middle of a conversation. Still, I need stuff to do, think about, talk about, obssess about. I'm not used to a slow-paced kind of life. I'm not on vacation and I'm a city girl who needs problems to solve and crises to live through. Somebody, get my world rolling, please.

PBB Big Four

2007-06-19T23:04:00.000+08:00

At the risk of being labeled as totally corny and hopelessly absurd, I still would like to use my blog to encourage people vote for who I think deserves to be this season's Pinoy Big Brother BIG FOUR: Mickey, Gee-Ann, Bea, and Bodie.

What I won't do is tell you why you should not vote for the others. If you are a tv junkie like me, you do not need to be told anyway.

Please, reaffirm my faith in the saying that "good triumphs over evil". Throw out the bad apples. Pull out the weeds. Put the trash where it rightfully belongs.

Whooo! Serious...

Best of Stewie #5

2007-06-16T01:03:00.001+08:00

Funny stuff.

The Great Soul Search

2007-06-09T22:47:00.000+08:00

Lately, I've been having lengthy talks with a good friend about finally entering a relationship and settling down. Although we are speaking from different corners of experience - for her, it was years of the wrong guy expressing interest in her while she was looking for the right one; for me, it was not sticking around long enough to find out if he was the right one - we both already want the peace and security of a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship at this point.

I'm at a stage in my life where the appeal of endless partying and meeting new people at every single turn is waning. Of course, a fun soiree once in a while still tickles my fancy. I am a social person after all. Still, what I would like right now is to know who would receive my last phone call or SMS at the end of the day... everyday. To have that somebody who would appreciate my funny little story about what happened to me during my morning commute. To know that there would be somebody to whine to in case I had a bad day. And most importantly, I would like to be all that and more to somebody as well.

What has spurred all this for me? A combination of things, really. One, alot of my friends are getting engaged or married. Second, the last guy that I fell for - the guy that swore he was not made to be in a relationship - has found somebody. Although I have gotten over my infatuation with the fellow, it still bothers me alot that he is now in a relationship. If he who thought he was not built for commitment is now in a committed relationship, what does that say about me?

I've gotten similar answers to my last question from friends and family: I'm a free-spirit. I'm too focused on work. I have other, more important, priorities. Seriously though, does being all those things really have to conflict with my wanting to someone's girl? Is it too much to hope that there is a man out there who could look at me and realize that I'm all that other people say I am and think that I am a good catch?

I think I am. Perhaps, I didn't use to be. No wait, I'm sure I wasn't because I wasn't ready back then. I was having too much fun being single in the big city. Seeing that I am ready and willing to settle down now, I can shamelessly self-advertise and say that, heck, I AM a great catch. :)

I'll end my ranting here. It is not lady-like to reek of desperation, is it? Is this what they mean by quarter-life crisis? If it is, then I wish I'd wake up and be 30 tomorrow and have all these iffy, restless, panicky feelings all disappear. Either that or send me Mr. Right. At my doorstep. Tomorrow...

Oh, and make him ring the bell, so I'd know to fix myself up and be pretty for the moment when my life will turn rightside-up again.

Hi, I'm Meredith.

2007-06-07T13:27:00.000+08:00

According to the Grey's Diagnosis, I am a Meredith. True?

You don't always make the right choices, but you get points for trying, bouncing right back, and starting over. For being so "dark and twisty", you have a surprisingly sunny outlook on life. You're quick to jump into new relationships but just as quick to jump out. After the example your parents set, learning to trust someone else takes just abot everything you've got.

Click here to take the test-> http://abc.go.com/primetime/greysanatomy/quiz/greysdiagnosis/index

Nerd? Geek? Dork? Test.

2007-06-04T23:03:00.000+08:00

Your Score: Pure Nerd

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Congratulations!

Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Professional Wrestling

Love & Sexuality

America/Politics

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Me and My Brother

2007-06-03T20:32:00.000+08:00

I dug up some photos of my brother and I when we were younger. Forgive the low quality, they are just scanned prints circa 1980s and 90s. Have a look, have a laugh. They were good times.

Yeah, someone had the bright idea of getting me as a flower girl for their wedding.

Me, my brother, and my favorite doll.

Six gallons into my swimming lesson care of Kuya.

Far cry from how we looked when I visited him in 2005, huh? This is a photo of us in New York City, taking in the sights and sounds of the Big Apple. Looking forward to seeing him again in November!

Foolish and Fluish

2007-06-02T20:28:00.000+08:00

Last tuesday, the skies turned gray and it rained really hard for around two hours. Since I commute to work every tuesday, I had no choice but to stay in the office and wait until the heavens stopped crying. Still, when I walked out of the office 2 hours later, there was a slight drizzle and I got a bit rained on as I waited for a cab. Little did I know that those tiny drops of water that fell on my head, shoulders, and face would land me in bed for 3 whole days.

It's already saturday now and I am still sneezing and coughing. Last year around this time of the year, I was in bed with the flu for a week. Does that mean I am still 4 days away from totally getting rid of this flu? Sucky.

Seriously, I have been religiously taking my multivitamins plus an extra dose of vitamin C because I read in the Feng Sui book that I would be blessed with success this year, but that my health would suffer. Gah, how true. A sty, then a flu. Sigh.

Anywho, any tips on getting rid of a cold-cough combo faster?

Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder Full Video

2007-05-26T20:05:00.001+08:00

Uhm... Yeah. Adam Levine. Yes. Right. Okay.

The Mill 2012

Very well said, Mr. Wilde.

A McDonald's Big Mac Epiphany

My 2012 Happiness Project

Facebook Killed the Blogger in Me.

First Step Towards a Dream Come True

God's Plans

Aidan Visits my Second Home

Step It Up and Dance: Man in the Mirror

Philippine Easter Getaway 2009 - Capitano Farms, Anilao, Maricaban Island, Sombrero Island

*REAL* Lady Gaga Poker Face American Idol Season 8 HD Live

O.N.T.A.W. 4: Body Detox!

I'll miss you, Ate Marie.

Shoe-ology.

O.N.T.A.W. #3

Summer Has Arrived

"Kayeology"

O.N.T.A.W. #2

O.N.T.A.W. #1

So, She Blogs...

Pasko 2008

"Revival"

Happy Halloween 2008!

Simply No Place Like Manila.

Big Boy AJ!

He Blogs!

Trance.

Breakeven, The Script

The Science of Sleep

Is it time to leave blogspot?

Monkey Business

Me and My Cheesecake!

The Man Who Can't Be Moved

Marry Me!

Rafael Nadal: Estoy enamorado

Paris Hilton for President!

Cool Birthday Gifts!

Chicago Crew

Happy Birthday to Me!

Ouch! Goes my Heart

Sand In The City

Summer Chi-town Style

What do we have in common?

Home is Where the Heart Is

The Ultimate Cure for Homesickness

Bye Bye Bobby Boy

About a Boy

Grand Lux Cafe and Millenium Park with Tessa Wessa

Shopping Trip at Kenosha, Wisconsin. Say cheese!

Furless Burberry

China - Dog and Fur Trade

Oh My Good Friday!

St. Patrick's Day Love

Little Heartbreaker Flores

Chicago, Chicago....

Aging

Me and Aidan Jacob

Kuya and Aidan on Christmas Eve 2007

Shattered Silence

Don't Be Jealous, Frankie...

Little Boy, Lollipop!

Photographs and Memories....

And so this is Christmas....

Grammar Girl

Not Everything Kaye Wants, Kaye Gets

Cold and Colds

Long, long, long Overdue

Katie Knows the Way to San Jose....

Inside my Head

Memoirs from Days Past

Saturday Night and the Lights Were Low 2

Saturday Night and the Lights Were Low

Maigayang Happy!

Walking Around Town

Yes, I am still alive.

Is Your Date Fashion Style Classy, Sassy, or Trashy?

Hafi Verthday, Dadee!

Accenture Spice

Life Theme #28

Gains

REAL Lady Gaga Poker Face American Idol Season 8 HD Live