"May I take your order?"
After surviving on leftovers, cup noodles and spam the whole of last week.
I told my sister let's just order takeout today.
Most of the numbers stored on my cellphone are take out deliveries of every kind of eateries.
So after much deliberation, we settled for Tapa king.
I ordered 2 Tapa Queen for lunch.
2 boneless bangus later for dinner.
I normally use my real name when I call for take out.
Otherwise the security guard downstairs won't let the guy up.
I was delirious with hunger so I didn't spell out my name.

Delta
Alpha
Papa
Hotel
November
Echo

Yes I use the international codes. Hehehe
Something I learned from taking that IATA course eons ago.
Guess how they spelled it out this time.
DHAFNIE

Signs
Saturday morning I was about to shut the windows close when I saw a tiny brown butterfly hovering on the window sill.
It fluttered its wings and flew to the right side of the windows.
I didn't know it was possible for a butterfly to fly that high.
All the way up to the 12th floor.
Well obviously they can. It was there.
I wanted to take its picture but by the time I go all the way up to get my digicam, I know it won't be there anymore.
Besides I was in a hurry because I was leaving for my parents' house.
Yesterday after a full lunch of home cooked meals, I wandered outside to water the plants when lo and behold I saw another butterfly.
It was the same color and pattern as the one on my 12th floor window sill.
If I didn't know any better, I would say it was the same one!
So I start to freak out.
You see I don't really believe in signs.
The last time I actually asked for one and got it, I cried for a whole week.
Well not the sign itself but the reason why I asked for it.
Oh I guess you get the picture.
No, I didn't ask for a butterfly. I asked for a blue rose.
So I stopped consciously or unconsciously to seek them out.
Now it seems everywhere I go ... I see butterflies.
On National Geographic when I was flipping channels.
On a website when I was researching for some technical stuff.
Even one on a junk mail in my mailbox.
And of course on my very own blog.
I wonder if it is indeed a sign.
A sign of what. I have no idea.
I didn't really ask for anything in particular.
Now I'm obsessed or rather I'm restless.
And when I get restless, I either cut my hair or dump boyfriends.
Yes! Indeed that's what I did/do.
But I like my hair the way it is right now.
And I don't have a boyfriend to dump.
I will just satisfy myself with html codes and scripts.
And scout for a new layout.
Naturally it would feature butterflies.

Expired Miles
I make it a habit to check my financial statements online on Fridays.
You know to see if my cheques have been credited.
As well as view with sorrow my dwindling bank accounts.
That way, I can schedule my expenses for the coming week.
But it has been a while since I checked my frequent flier accounts.
Well ok account I only have one!
Skywards from Emirates airlines.
I forgot and let 9,242 miles expire just like that!
Plus I have 500 miles expiring Sept. 30, 2004.
Yikes!!!.
My current available balance is 10,076 miles.
Not nearly enough to fly to the nearest sector.
I need 25,000 Tier miles to claim a free ticket within the region.
Zone 11 sector = China, Indonesia, HongKong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia.
Horror of horrors!
I was hoping I could go to Singapore this coming October for my birthday.
My sister and I are both October born.
She wants to watch them on October 18 at the Indoor Stadium.


I want to watch Mamma Mia, the musical which starts its season on September 21.
This got me thinking how ironic I am.
I can't afford to watch concerts here in Manila.
I absolutely wanted to see Sarah Brightman perform at the Ultra a few months ago.
But I was in brokeville.
I can't find anyone to accompany me watch Lea Salonga perform in Baby, the musical currently ongoing at the Meralco theater.
YET.
I'm willing to fly all the way to Singapore to catch The Eagles.
And soak in cultural artsy stuff like musicals at the Esplanade.
Silly silly silly me.
I guess I'll just stick to my original plan for my birthday.
Go to Subic Bay and watch the dolphins show.
Here's hoping I accomplish either one of my plans.
If not well it isn't the end of the world.
I'll live. :)

Rainy Days
Days like these, I'm thankful I work from home.
The last thing I want is to be wet, stranded in the floods, waiting endlessly for public transport.
I haven't taken public transport in ages.
But I've been through all kinds of situations involving jeepneys and buses.
Back in the days when there were no FXs, MRT and LRT. I remember one particular day.
I was still studying at UST. The university that transforms into a raging river whenever it rains. I took the red Antipolo bound bus from UST and got down at Sta Mesa.
My usual stop from which point I'd take the Boni-Stop&Shop jeep home. But it was a rainswept day complete with flooded streets. So even if I waited forever, I won't be able to find a ride. That was the time when we didn't have cellphones. Heck we didn't even have a landline at our house. So I couldn't call my father at his office to pick me up.
I had no choice. I had to walk. And boy did I walk! I walked in ankle high water from Santa Mesa till I reached the Lourdes Hospital. Here is where it gets interesting because the water had reached up to my waist. For someone as tiny as me, it was very frightening.
As I waded through the streets I truly thought I was going to drown!
By the time I reached Kalentong, the water level was chest high.
I told myself ok here we go: "I'm going to drown and die a virgin!" LOL
But I strived on till I reach Acacia lane, the water by now up to my waist.
I don't remember how long it took me to get home that day.
I was in the filthy dirty water in my white UST uniform with an umbrella, trying desperately not to lose my shoes, hungry, tired and very scared - the whole stretch from Santa Mesa to Boni Avenue near the Municipio!
So thank God I never have to go through that again, ever.
The flood control situation in this country is pathetic. Every year, we KNOW we will experience monsoon rains, typhoons and flooded streets yet our drainage system isn't up to par.
But then I watch CNN and see countries like Germany or France experience torrential floods as well. I am somewhat relieved that it isn't unique to the Philippines.

Arabian nights
Here I am on a very wet stormy night, the wind is howling and the rain is splashing against my windows ... But I'm going to post about the desert.
The Arabian desert specifically off the outskirts of Dubai.
The pit stop for this leg of the Amazing race.
It brought back pleasant memories.
Watching the teams race through one of my favorite cities in the world.
They did all the normal 'weekend' activities I'd indulged in Dubai.
Except of course for the sky diving.
I wasn't crazy enough to try that.
Desert safari, driving through the sand dunes, riding a camel as well as sleeping under the stars on the sands in a sleeping bag is so much fun.
Of course there are other nocturnal activities I can talk about which you can do in the desert.
But I won't go there. ;)
I won't incriminate myself. LOL
This episode made me miss Dubai more than I care to admit.
Anyways, I wished:
They locked Colin up in that African prison.
The way he treats Christie is really awful.
My God, what a jerk!!!
That the twins were the ones eliminated this week.
Instead of Mirna and Charla last week.
I hope they show more of Dubai, the city itself next week.
Now I'll go watch it again on AXN at midnight.
It's great that I can watch the Amazing Race several times during the week.
I always do. I love this show!

P.S.
I just want to add a few points I missed earlier:

The Burj al Arab hotel is spectacular in terms of design and architecture. But it is way too expensive and only heads of states and filthy rich Arab sheiks can afford to stay there. I personally think it is way too gaudy and too flamboyant for my taste.

Riding a camel is not very comfortable, the hump rubs against your back and you need to hold on tight so you don't flip over. The ride is jerky and it is only ok for short distances.

Desert Safari is not for the faint hearted. Those sand dunes are very soft and if your driver isn't experienced, the vehicle can topple over.

I prefer wadi bashing which is a drive through a valley. A 4 wheel drive vehicle is used to navigate through narrow passage ways leading to an oasis between the mountains. It can be quite shaky because you are driving over stones and pebbles. But it really rocks! Literally :)

Favorite quote for this episode:
Colin [at the police station in Tanzania] asks the officer:
"Do you speak English?"
The police officer replies back at him:
"Do you speak Swahili?"
That was hilarious!!! LOL

Que sera sera

"Que sera sera
whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera sera"

I got this song playing over and over in my head.
I even sang it while washing the dishes after lunch.
All because I watched "In the Cut" last night.
Well early Tuesday morning. In the dark.
By myself while eating Nestle yogurt.
It was supposed to be a thriller/suspense type.
But I wasn't on the edge of my seat este couch.
Only thing that made it worthwhile was a naked frontal shot of Mark Ruffalo.
Well for me that was the highlight. LOL
I even paused the film and stared at his ehem.
Ok, I'm bad. ;)
It ended without fully explaining why the serial killer murdered those women.
And boy was I wrong about who the killer was.
I thought it was Kevin Bacon.
Or Meg Ryan's student, Cornelius Webb.
Meg Ryan in a more realistic role instead of the perky, too.good.to.be.true characters she has played in the past, did good acting wise.
I read that the director originally wanted Nicole Kidman for this role.
I believe it suits Meg Ryan more.
Nicole would be too much of a distraction.
I'll watch it again before I return it to the video store later.
Well not the entire movie, just a 3 minute shot of you know who! ;)

Toilet humor
Words of wisdom from bathroom signs. LOL
From my inbox courtesy of S, the king of forwarded emails.

Bad mood attack
I have a friend who only SMS me whenever she needs money.
No hi, how are you?
Just straight to the point.
She even specifies the amount.
Her excuses:
She used up her budget and needs to buy school supplies for her kids.
Or she needs to buy medicines for her youngest child.
I don't know how on earth she thinks I'm rich.
I don't even have a regular paying job for God's sake.
Yet she thinks I can produce money like magic.
Well I don't indulge her anymore.
But this morning, she was pretty insistent.
8 missed calls on my cellphone hounded me incessantly.

Then she gets angry and texted me:
Ganyan ka naman palagi, sasabihin wala kang pera pero nababakasyon ka sa Dubai, Bangkok at Singapore.
Translation:
That's how you always are! You tell me you dont have money but you travel to Dubai, Bangkok and Singapore.

Well excuse me!
Sure I can afford to go on trips.
I can go on shopping sprees.
I don't have tuition fees to pay.
I don't have children to feed.
This is my lifestyle.
I chose it and it's my money!
It's not my fault, she has 4 kids!
It's not my responsibility to assure her kids have school supplies or medicines.
Who told her to have kids when she clearly can't afford to provide for them???
How dare she lecture me on how I spend my money!!!
It ruined my mood the entire day.
It got my blood boiling.
I was totally pissed off!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!
We drove all the way to Antipolo to surprise them.
I actually set foot in a church to hear Mass ... today being a special occasion.
We had lunch at Tony Roma's Glorieta.
Their baby back ribs is to die for!
We watched "The Stepford Wives".
It was entertaining in a freaky sort of way.
If you have seen the movie, you will know what I mean.
I'm just too exhausted right now to review the movie.
Then we went to Greenhills.
The place where finding parking is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
I used to hang out alot at Greenhills during my high school days.
But it has evolved into a melee of tiangges (bazaars), the buying and selling of second hand cellphones, and the place where you can buy fake imitation of well known brands.
I really don't like what they have done to this shopping center.
Only reason I still venture there - the restaurants.
We had a sumptuous buffet dinner at Kamay Kainan where we stuffed ourselves to the brim. We came home with just enough space in our tummies for the birthday cake.
Some peppermint tea and the opening of his gifts.
We got him a blue Lacoste t-shirt and a VCD of this movie.




Happy Birthday Dad!
Thanks for being such a great father!

Greetings
Congratulations, Carr & Manny.
She gave birth yesterday to a baby boy.
A bouncing 8 pounds 9 oz.

I want to greet Donna.
My dear friend through the good & bad times.
A friendship which started online.
She was in London. I was in Dubai.
It progressed to 'sisterhood' when we were both in Dubai.
A friendship that still endures.
Now that we are on different continents.
She's in Kuwait. I'm in Pinas.
I could call her to complain, whine and rant.
Pour my heart out to. Cry over her shoulders.
A really great friend.
I'm thankful I have her in my life.
Happy Birthday Sis.
I miss you.

Look Alike
According to this website, I look like a Miss World, a model and an actress. Yeah right! Jamais dans ma reves! Oops I meant - not even in my dreams! :D It's cute and it serves to boost your ego, go check it out!

50 questions
1. Your name spelled backwards.
arualenhpad
2. Where were your parents born?
Manila, Philippines
3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
Text Twist. Yahoo! Games
4. What's your favorite restaurant?
Italianni's
5. Last time you swam in a pool?
I don't swim.
6. Have you ever been in a school play?
Yes in university.
7. How many kids do you want?
None.
8. Type of music you dislike most?
Rap & Heavy Metal.
9. Are you registered to vote?
Yes.
10. Do you have cable?
Yes.
11. Have you ever ridden on a moped? No.
12. Ever prank call anybody?
Yes once.
13. Ever get a parking ticket?
I don't drive, so no!
14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
No.
15. Farthest place you ever traveled.
Well from here it was to Dubai.
16. Do you have a garden?
No.
17. What's your favorite comic strip?
Beetle Bailey.
18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem?
Yes.
19. Bath or Shower, morning or night? Shower - morning and evenings
20. Best movie you've seen in the past month?
The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
21. Favorite pizza topping?
Anchovies.
22. Chips or popcorn?
Popcorn.
23. What color lipstick do you usually wear?
Brownish hues.
24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
No. What are they?
25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
No.
26. Orange Juice or apple?
Orange juice.
27. Who was the last person you went out to dinner with and where did you dine?
My dumb/boring date at Piu Pazzo, Rockwell.
28. Favorite type chocolate bar?
Kit kat.
29. When was the last time you voted at the polls?
May 10, 2004 presidential elections.
30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
Never ate one.
31. Have you ever won a trophy?
No.
32. Are you a good cook?
I try my best not to burn down the kitchen. :D
33. Do you know how to pump your own gas?
No.
34. Ever order an article from an infomercial?
Yes.
35. Sprite or 7-up?
Neither.
36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work?
No.
37. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy?
Zyrtec.
38. Ever throw up in public?
Yes I was very drunk.
39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love?
Hmmm true love.
40. Do you believe in love at first sight?
No.
41. Ever call a 1-900 number?
No.
42. Can ex's be friends?
Yes.
43. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital?
My mother.
44. Did you have a lot of hair when you were a baby?
Yes. LOL
45. What message is on your answering machine?
"Please leave a message after the beep" - it's automated with the cordless phone!
46. What's your all time favorite Saturday Night Live Character?
I don't watch it.
47. What was the name of your first pet?
Polly but she wasn't my pet she was my sister's pet parrot.
48. What is in your purse?
Wallet, keys, flashlight, Wet wipes, mirror, lipstick, coin purse.
49. Favorite thing to do before bedtime?
Check my emails.
50. What is one thing you are grateful for today?
That my sister has now finished taking her comprehensive exams for her Masters in International Relations.

I've been 'tweaking' a project so I haven't blogged much. I'm just taking a break before my mind explodes! I'm posting something which caught my attention while blog hopping.

100 Things about ME
1. I was born on a Saturday.
2. I'm a Libra born in the year of the Monkey.
3. I have a very unique foreign sounding surname.
4. But I am 100% Filipino.
5. My names are always mispronounced.
6. It vexes me when that happens.
7. I've lived in 5 countries.
8. I've visited 25 countries all for pleasure.
9. I've never been to the USA.
10. Nor do I have a burning desire to go there.
11. I grew up without any maids.
12. I have naturally wavy hair.
13. No way I'm getting it straightened.
14. I am ninang (godmother) to 7 kids.
15. But I'm not maternal at all.
16. I have made a lot of acquaintances.
17. But can count on one hand, my closest friends.
18. I don't like pets.
19. I'm not sure if I'm allergic to dust.
20. But when I itch, I take Zyrtec.
21. My favorite fruit is a banana.
22. I don't eat ampalaya and papaya.
23. I have a BSC degree major in Business Administration.
24. Accounting was my Ist choice, but I failed the entrance exam.
25. I took a short term course in ticketing.
26. Because I wanted to work in a travel agency.
27. The school burned down, I never got my diploma so I lost interest.
28. I'm petite and don't look my age.
29. I have very tiny feet.
30. I have a difficult time finding shoes that fit me.
31. I never had a manicure.
32. I can speak English, French & Tagalog.
33. I love winter.
34. I have very active sweat glands so I hate summers.
35. I love to watch movies.
36. All kinds except horror & sci-fi.
37. I wrote the blurbs of all the films I saw in my filofax.
38. I lost my filofax, now I just rely on IMDb.
39. My favorite film is City of Angels.
40. I adore Johnny Depp & Edward Burns.
41. I collect magnets of all the places I visited.
42. I was attacked on my way to work in Singapore.
43. I didn't tell my parents the truth about it.
44. That I was almost raped.
45. Same traumatic incident in Dubai but I called my best friend instead of my parents.
46. I am an eyeliner and lipstick kinda gal.
47. I only have 2 pairs of jeans.
48. I prefer gold jewelry instead of silver.
49. My black pearl earrings is my favorite accessory.
50. Opal is my birthstone.
51. I fully paid for the place I live in now.
52. It is a loft on the 12th floor with a lovely view.
53. I assembled all the DIY furniture in this house.
54. I love shopping for household items at Ikea.
55. I don't drive but I named all our cars.
56. Tercie, Ceecee & Cutie.
57. I was a huge fan of the group Westlife.
58. "Flying without Wings" is my favorite song.
59. I've had numerous relationships.
60. Only one was with a Filipino.
61. I have huge commitment issues.
62. Beards or goatee on a guy turns me on.
63. But moustaches alone don't.
64. I always wear my sunglasses.
65. To protect my contact lenses from particles.
66. I never go out without a bag.
67. I don't like being massaged.
68. I love lavender scented candles.
69. I sing in the shower.
70. Because all my bathrooms have radios.
71. I first went online in 1996.
72. I used to chat endlessly.
73. Longest was 3 days straight with no sleep.
74. Now I don't chat at all.
75. I have a sweet tooth.
76. I love chocolate ice cream.
77. And chocomint flavor.
78. I'm a diet coke addict.
79. My booze of choice is gin & tonic.
80. I'm a beer drinker as well.
81. Now I drink water like a fish.
82. I went to Catholic schools all my life.
83. Now I don't go to church regularly.
84. I am an insomniac.
85. But I like to sleep.
86. I'm partial to the color BLUE.
87. I used to play tennis until I fainted from dehydration.
88. I'm a couch potato.
89. I love watching the Amazing Race & Survivor.
90. I'm a loyal fan of NYPD Blue & CSI.
91. I like long flights.
92. I always want a window seat on the plane.
93. Paris is my favorite city.
94. I also like long scenic train rides.
95. I always book a city tour on the first day.
96. I read the Time Magazine from cover to cover.
97. I watch CNN all the time.
98. I'm a huge fan of soccer.
99. I know that true love & soul mates exist.
100. But I don't believe in marriage.

On this rather gloomy rainy Sunday afternoon, I decided to post this.
I came up with more than a 100 so I had to edit it. LOL

"Do I really have to go out with him???"
I can't believe I went out on a date last night.
A blind date at that!
I won't go into the details.
Simply because it was forgettable.

2 sentences to describe the night.
1. Saying "oh cool" to everything I said does not constitute a conversation!
2. Half way through dinner, I lost my appetite and completely blanked him out. I just wanted to go home to end my misery.

Yes.
It was terrible.
Please don't ever set me up again EVER.
I know my friends mean well.
But you obviously don't know me at all.

P.S.
Stop texting me if I will go out with him again.
I won't.

The Amazing Race, movies, bills & the Olympics

Current pit stop - Crocodile Island, still in Egypt.

Donkey rides are NEVER pleasant. I should know I rode one while exploring the ancient Nabatean City of PETRA in Jordan. I was utterly terrified I would fall off and break my neck. They do have a tendency to start braying so loud ... you'll get deaf!!

I acknowledge the fact that Marshall was in agonizing pain but I'm glad they are no longer in the race. Good riddance!

Nothing really great about seeing a shirtless Brandon. Too skinny!

I think it is unfair for the last team to go penniless in a non elimination round but hey I don't make the rules.

What else? Oh yeah ... Colin? He's a good racer but he should lighten up a bit.

Movies
So yeah I've been catching up on some movies. Or least trying to. This despite the fact that I'm totally broke!
I totally don't care that I missed the following films:

Spiderman 2

Imelda

Ella Enchanted

Cinderella

Garfield

a whole bunch of horror flicks

.
I'm hoping to see

Catwoman - mainly because of him

The Village - just to see what the whole fuss is about! LOL

Sylvia - a bit depressing but contemporary history.

I Robot - mindless fun.

Bourne Supremacy - although the first installment was really disappointing.

Oh, by the way - King Arthur was horrible! I didn't bother to review it.

Bills
Alright so I paid my credit card[s] bills, today. Since most of the purchases were in Singapore Dollars and Thai Baht, I was prepared for the huge amount!
What I didn't see coming was the increase in the parking slots dues.
From P1,615 to P2,000! per month/slot. And I pay for 2 slots. WTF???!!! No explanation, no warning! Just like that ... BAM! I called this morning to inquire. Their reason ... rising oil prices!!! WHAT??? I'm the one with 2 cars they don't pay for the gasoline so what kind of a reason is that??? But useless arguing right?

Olympics
Is it just me or do we really don't give a damn about the Olympics nowadays? A total waste of money and effort! And did they know that August 13, 2004 was going to be a Friday the 13th?

"Guy gets on the MTA here in L.A. and dies;
think anyone will notice?"
Vincent (Tom Cruise) uttered that line right before he dies in "Collateral". Most of the time, I could barely hear the dialogue. No idea if it was the bad sound system at SM Megamall Cinemas or the movie itself. This is the second time I see Mark Ruffalo on the silver screen. The first was a small part in this movie which I saw last Tuesday.





I expected it to be more fast paced and found it a bit dragging at the beginning. I like the rapport between the two main characters. I would never credit Tom Cruise for his acting abilities nor his looks. He's not my type, ok? But his portrayal of Vincent as the hired hitman made me see the personality of the character. Not as Tom Cruise portraying just another role. I hope that made sense. The fact that the main character dies also made me accept the somewhat vague ending. Call me realistic, and/or sadistic but "City of Angels" is my favorite movie because Meg Ryan dies at the end. Speaking of Nicolas Cage, they showed a trailer of his new movie, National Treasure today. It looks like a cross between Indiana Jones, The Mummy and Lara Croft: Tomb Raiders. Hopefully they show it just in time for my birthday. It's now traditional to watch Nicolas Cage movies on my natal day. I saw "Matchstick Men", "Windtalkers", "Gone in 60 Seconds", "Snake Eyes" all on October 19 albeit different years. Maybe it's more coincidental rather than traditional. LOL

Theater Thursday
Week 13 - What's Old is New Again
Remakes - we see them more and more frequently. Taking an old movie and completely reshooting it with a new cast, new effects, new styles and even new genres can be a hit or miss proposition. This summer we've seen several remakes already, from The Stepword Wives (original and remake) to The Manchurian Candidate (original and remake), plus there's even an Alfie remake in production (original and remake).

1) What is your favorite remake of an older film? Did it actually improve on the original?
Ocean's Eleven. Yes it did because the original ended quite abruptly.

2) What remake was handled so poorly even if the original was not great it would've seemed Oscar-worthy?
Sabrina, Carrie and Wuthering Heights.

3) Are there any classic films you feel would cause the fabric of space/time to rip apart were a remake made of it?
Gone with the Wind, The Maltese Falcon & Casablanca, The Sound of Music.

BONUS) What film would you most like to see remade, and what would be your dream cast?
Love Story starring Hugh Grant & Kate Beckinsale

SEVEN DEADLY SINS
Cut, copied & pasted it here from her blog.

ANGER
1. Who did you last get angry with?
Myself for being so stupid.

2. What is your weapon of choice?
I'm harmless.

3. Would you hit a member of the opposite sex?
Not violently maybe just a nudge when I'm amused.

4. How about of the same sex?
No I'm too tiny they would probably bury me alive!

5. Who was the last person who got really angry at you?
It was a long time ago, he uttered directly to my face "I hate you"!

6. What is your pet peeve?
People who talk incessantly while watching a movie at the cinema.

7. Do you keep grudges, or can you let them go easily?
I let them go easily useless stressing myself out.

SLOTH

1. What is one thing you're supposed to do daily that you haven't done in a while?
Have sex? LOL

2. What is the latest you've ever woken up?
3 p.m but I slept at 10 a.m. so ....

3. Name a person you've been meaning to contact, but haven't.
a French dude

4. What is the last lame excuse you made?
"It makes me hungry" when I was asked if I took my vitamins.

5. Have you ever watched an infomercial all the way through (one of the long ones)?
No I can't be bothered.

6. How many times did you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock today?
I don't use an alarm clock.

GLUTTONY

1. What is your overpriced yuppie beverage of choice?
Oreo Smoothie for P95!!! at Dome Cafe

2. Meat eaters: white meat or dark?
White

3. What is the greatest amount of alcohol you've had in one sitting?
I didn't have a gauge to measure it ok? But it was enough to drown a small village.

4. Have you ever used a professional diet company?
No.

5. Do you have an issue with your weight?
Not really. It's like a friend once told me -"you are not fat but you are not skinny either. You are just cute in a meaty kind of way." Hehehehe

6. Do you prefer sweets, salty, or spicy foods?
Sweets

7. Have you ever looked at a small housepet or child and thought, "LUNCH"?
Absolutely not! Ewwww

LUST

1. How many people have you seen naked
(not counting movies/family)
Starts counting ... ooops I've ran out of fingers to count ;)

2. How many people have seen YOU naked (not counting physicians/family)?
Ehem let me just say no one LATELY as in for the past year or so. Tsk tsk

3. Have you ever caught yourself staring at the chest of a member of your gender of choice during a normal conversation?
My gender of choice is male and I rather feast my eyes on something else instead of his chest.

4. Have you "done it"?
*nods*

5. What is your favorite body part on a person of your gender of choice?
Eyes

6. Have you ever been propositioned by a prostitute?
No

7. Have you ever had to get tested for an STD or pregnancy?
STD no, pregnancy tests, yes- thank God they were all negative!


GREED
1. How many credit cards do you own?
3

2. What's your guilty pleasure store?
I usually shop abroad so it's indeed a guilty pleasure because I have to pay for the fare!

3. If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?
Probably invest in real estate.

4. Would you rather be rich or famous?
Rich

5. Would you accept a boring job if it meant you would make megabucks?
Yes ... show me the money!!!

6. Have you ever stolen anything?
NO

7. How many MP3s are on your hard drive?
About 75 the rest are all stored in a zip disk and I haven't loaded them yet.


PRIDE

1. What's one thing you have done that you're most proud of?
Buying and paying in full for this condo unit I currently crash in.

2. What's one thing you have done that your parents are most proud of?
My parents will love me no matter what I've done or rather NOT done.

3. What's one thing you would like to accomplish in your life?
Absolutely no idea what to do with my life so I cannot give a solid response to this question.

4. Do you get annoyed by coming in second place?
Yes

5. Have you ever entered a contest of skill, knowing you were of much higher skill than all the other competitors?
Yes a spelling contest in French and I won first prize.Woohoo!

6. Have you ever cheated on something to get a higher score?
Never!

7. What did you do today that you're proud of?
I cleaned the 2 bathrooms armed with Domex, rubber gloves and a tiny toothbrush this morning after my shower and now it is spiffy clean ... good enough to be in a detergent commercial. Geez I'm so domesticated now! I could just cry at the thought that cleaning the bathrooms would constitute as something I'm proud of, today!

ENVY

1. What item of your friends would you most want to have for your own?
Nothing really except maybe their flashy cellphones but thinking about it why on earth would I need a phone with a camera?

2. If you could be anyone else in the world, who would you be?
Just me, myself and I - I'm satisfied with my own skin

3. Have you ever been cheated on?
YES

4. Have you ever wished you had a physical feature different from your own?
I'm cute just the way I am but I wish I was a bit taller.

5. What inborn trait do you see in others that you wish you had for yourself?
Ambition - I admire people who are ambitious and never run out of ideas to reach their goals.

6. Finally, what is your favorite deadly sin?
LUST? LOL but by the way my life is revolving right now I would say SLOTH

"You can erase someone from your mind.
Getting them out of your heart is another story."


I wouldn't know how to begin reviewing this movie. But suffice it to say ... it is different from the usual Hollywood fare of boy meets girl, girl breaks up with boy and moves on with her life. In this case, Clementine erases Joel (hey I know someone named Joel :P) completely from her mind with the help of technology. It got me thinking if I would ever erase a painful memory from my mind. The answer would be a resounding NO. I believe that everything happens for a reason. We have bad relationships, we hurt for a while (or maybe forever, I guess it depends) then we move on. It is those little aches we feel every now and then that makes life worth living. We learn from our past mistakes and we strive to make each day worth while. Jim Carrey did a good acting job in this movie. He is more suitable with these type of roles instead of the Ace.Ventura.making.silly.faces variety. Although the theme and the setting was a bit dark, the movie was good enough for me to endure the freezing cold theater. Plus I had to control my bladder from exploding because I drank too much ice tea while munching on BBQ popcorn. LOL  

Sunday Brunch
Another This and That
1. How do you like your eggs?
Fried just right where the red part of the egg is still soft and liquid-y. I have my fried eggs with ketchup.

2. What do you collect?
Magnets of places I've visited as well as items with dolphins motif.

3. Do you carry a purse, backpack or briefcase on a regular basis? If yes, does it contain only the essentials or a whole lot of everything?
I'm a 'bag' lady. I have bags for every color of apparel that I wear. It contains my wallet, my cellphone, coin purse, tissue, flashlight, keys, pen, mineral water, sanitary napkins [just in case it decides to show up!], contact lens solutions and a whole ton of stuff!

4. When is the last time you've read a book, put together a puzzle, built something or did something crafty?
I finally finished reading "The Da Vinci Code" this weekend. I heard that Power Books has a sale. And sometime this month, there is a book fair at the World Trade Center. So I'm planning to buy a new book to read. I'm done with secret societies & conspiracy theories! Enough with that! I want a light novel to read during these cuddly rainy nights.

5. What was the highlight of your weekend?




I spent Saturday night at my parents' place.
I binged on home cooked meals because no matter how 'bloated' I feel, my mother always tells me I don't eat enough! Geeez!
I read all 3 back issues of Time Magazine, and "The Da Vinci Code".
I had a really good night sleep without the aircon because of the rain, it was cool enough. I like visiting "Palmera" because every little bric brac I find in that house brings back bucket full of memories of the good old days. I would have stayed the night but alas I got an early day tomorrow! So I'm back here at my place, my little cosy loft on the 12th floor.

Doll maker





2 dolls courtesy of this website . So cute I can spend hours dressing them up. Her face looks like me except for the fair skin tone. My hair is really that curly if I don't use a flatening iron. But I am not that thin. I'm much more 'solid' than that! It was amusing and now I feel a bit better.
Thanks Pinky for the e-card you sent me. I really appreciate it. And also to Donna my 'sis' for cheering me up through SMS. I'm truly blessed to have friends like you through the years and despite the miles that separate us! :))

Ponders at 3:40 A.M.
I've been staring at my computer screen for about an hour now.
Speculating & wondering as well as ranting:

whether I did something wrong to upset someone because it seems he is totally ignoring me. I sent emails, SMS even IM offline messages. Nothing! No reply. Even though I know for a fact, he has been online these past few days!

how on earth do I reply to an email from someone I barely know who starts his correspondence with "Dear Sweetheart"? I'm not really good in accepting terms of endearment from people I've slept with let alone people I barely know!

how come when guys do reply to emails ... their usual response to the question "Hi how have you been? How are things?" is a very terse "I'm ok, thanks" Just that! No details. Argggh

that despite my valiant efforts to make time and send personal emails to a bunch of people ... none of them have replied yet. People seem to be too freaking busy to say hi even if it is through emails. Either that or I got too much idle time to waste!

Yawns!
I better get some sleep before my head explodes from thinking too much!

The Sphinx located at the Giza Plateau in Cairo, Egypt is the current pit stop for this leg of the Amazing Race. Wow! Magnificent! The PYRAMIDS!
I always wanted to visit Cairo. It is just a 5 hour flight from Dubai. If I remember right, I had at least 3 real chances to explore these ancient wonders.
1) My friends Ruby & Marian invited me to go with them but something came up so I declined.
2) My sister who was visiting us in Dubai from Singapore where she worked at that time, was supposed to attend a press junket there. But it got cancelled at the last minute.
3) My last chance was through an ex boyfriend. He was/is Egyptian. Every 6 months, he would go home for his annual leave and each time he would invite me to go with him. He would regale me with tales of horse back riding along the pyramids at sunset, a Nile river cruise and all those ancient museums we could explore together. Endless stories of a very rich culture. I was simply in awe. I used to tease G (the ex) that he was really cool because he is the descendant of a Pharaoh.
His answer - "Well not really I have this vision that I was just a slave and not a King. It explains why I serve you habibtie with my very soul" Hehehehe I still laugh out loud when I remember that line!
But alas I never went. That is one of my deepest regrets ever, travel wise. To have missed the opportunity! Oh well I'm not losing hope ... someday, somehow, somewhat I will have my picture taken with the Sphinx and bury my feet in the sands in the land of the Pharaohs! :))

From my inbox



Great Picture! I wonder if the guy made it ... how scary!  

There I was watching the season 3 finale of "Six Feet Under" when my cellphone rang. It was my mother. Apparently while she was watching the same episode, HBO went off the air. At their place. So I starting kidding her that maybe they forgot to pay their Telmarc (cable TV) bill. She said hush just tell me what is going on right now. So I had to tell her that Ruth married George after dating him for only 6 weeks. That Nate got the dreaded phone call regarding a body which matches Liza's dental records. That Nate got himself beat up at a bar and ended up at Brenda's doorstep. That Claire had an abortion. That Keith & David are on the verge of a breakup but seem willing to make their relationship work. It is kinda hard to watch TV while being on the cellphone. Especially my mother, she kept asking alot of questions. I was hesitant to tell her the part where Federico was getting some 'action' in his car. So I skipped it and told her he was fooling around. I was amazed my mother was still up because it was way past her bedtime. But she loves this show and always watches it without fail. Even if she is already half asleep towards the end and completely misses the last part. She would call me up the next day and ask me what happened. So you see, being a couch potato runs in the family!

Memes
The Tuesday Iffers
Zest Fully Clean...
Question provided by Daphne Laura.
Stop by On The Wings of a Butterfly and say hello!

Yes that's me!!! :))
If you could be soap for a day who would you want to bathe?
Johnny Depp of course who else? I would get him all soapy with foam and lather him up really good. Give him a good scrubbing!


Tuesday Twosome
Be Real:
Your two favorite....
1. Brands of shoes:
Via Venetto & Tangerine (available only in Singapore)

2. Brands of clothes:
Kamiseta & Apple & Eve (Galleria)

3. Restaurants:
Italianni's & Chili's

4. Brands of electronic equipment (Sony, Toshiba, JVC, etc.):
Pioneer (sound equipment) & Canon (printer, digital camera)

5. Department stores:
Rustan's & SM Department Store (because you can find almost everything you need there!)



Daily Dirt
Birthdays...
1. When is your birthday?
October 19

2. If you could change when your birthday was, would you?
Nope

3. What was your favorite birthday party you ever had?
When I turned 30 ... a million years ago LOL

4. Do you have any original birthday traditions?
Well I ALWAYS watch a movie on my birthdays

5. Do you do any of the unoriginal birthday tradions, such as adding an extra
candle for good luck, being the first to cut the cake, or smearing your name on
your cake and putting it on your nose?
No

Royalty News
Princess Masako seen here with her daughter Princess Aiko. The poor princess isn't really living a fairy tale life right now. She is said to be suffering from "adjustment disorder" brought about by stress. She is pressured to produce a male heir for the throne, has abandoned her very thriving career as an accomplished diplomat and cannot adjust to life as a princess. A life based on age old traditions of the Japanese royal family. Well nobody said it was easy to live the life of a princess! I do wish she makes a full recovery.  

What a difference a year makes!
Time does fly!
A year ago today I just came back from Dubai.
For a short vacation.
A week reunited with my partners in crime.
Pleasant conversations over drinks.
Hanged out at my previous haunts.
Frolicked in the sun and sand.
In the arms of a great guy.
Not minding the heat and the killer humidity.
But now, no emails from my friends there.
I'm thankful I'm not in the midst of an Arabian summer.
I still believe he is a great guy.
But we are no longer together.
And I'm single yet again.
Life is about making decisions and choices.
I keep telling myself it is for the best.
I know I made the right decision.
I would only be kidding myself if I say I don't miss him.
I do miss him and it hurts.