Happiness is

Laughing heartily to funny emails.

Being amused by silly inane websites such as this, this too and check if you can spot the difference between the pictures in this one!

Watching "Before Sunrise" DVD on a rainy Thursday evening tucked under my quilt. As a preview to watching the sequel tomorrow at Rockwell.

Knowing that Amazing Race 6 is about to start soon.

Planning out of town trips in the coming months!

Yes I know it's kinda boring but I'm happy ... So there!

LSS
I've always known about this song.
I've heard different versions of it.
But after watching "Love Actually" 4 times now, Joni Mitchell's version consumes me.
The lyrics are piercing words to a calming melody.
Her voice is enchantingly haunting.
The song floats lingering in my mind!

Both Sides Now
Bows and flows of angel hair
and ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere,
I've looked at cloud that way.
But now they only block the sun,
they rain and snow on everyone.
So many things I would have done
but clouds got in my way.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now,
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall.
I really don't know clouds at all.

Moons and junes and ferris wheels,
the dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real;
I've looked at love that way.
But now it's just another show.
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know,
don't give yourself away.

I've looked at love from both sides now,
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall.
I really don't know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud
to say I love you right out loud,
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds,
I've looked at life that way.
But now old friends are acting strange,
they shake their heads, they say I've changed.
Something's lost but something's
gained in living every day.

I've looked at life from both sides now,
From win and lose, and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall.
I really don't know life at all.

Does it hurt??
I kept asking my sister that question.
You see I've never had a facial in my entire 36 years of existence.
I've neglected and abused my skin through the years.
Pimples marks, UV rays of the sun have wreaked havoc on my skin.
So today armed with a Forever Flawless gift certificate, I said to myself ... It's time to try it. There is always a first time for everything.
I like to believe I have a strong threshold when it comes to pain.
After all I pluck my eyebrows without using any cream. Boy was I wrong!
She starts by applying creams and massaging the face. Then steams it up opening my pores. Wrapping it with a warm towel.
After covering my eyes with thin white cotton like paper, she switches on something.
A bright white light blaring over my face, she proceeds to scrape deep into my open pores.
The forehead part was still tolerable.
Although I was already wincing and grimacing not to cry.
She attacks my nose, pushing deep against the cartilage.
Digging, scraping out the black heads.
It was VERY painful!!!
I was clenching my teeth and grinding them to a powdery form.
Every single muscle in my body tensed up!
It was pure torture for 45 minutes.
But I persevered and endured the agony.
And I survived to blog about it.
Now my face is shiny and glowingly clean.
It tingles a bit but I feel thoroughly cleansed.
It might take me another 36 years before I have another facial.
With the amount left, I will opt for either the body scrub or the intensive foot therapy, next time.
Anything that doesn't involve the use of blunt instruments!

It is rather ...
preposterous of me to actually fall in love (or is it merely lust) with a guy who I know is geographically incompatible.
And there is no way in hell (or earth for that matter) for us to be together.
And yet I still did fall for him.
I know I should have stopped mid way.
But I didn't.
So I simply roll my eyes everytime he talks about the women he intends to pursue or when he talks about his dates.
I listen patiently while he laments that some girl is bailing out on him.
I even give him pieces of advice on how to woo a woman.
I know it isn't healthy.
But on the other hand, I haven't felt this way for someone in ages.
And I like the way he makes me feel.
So if only for that little tingle in the pit of my stomach, I would endure in silence.
While trying not to bang my forehead against my computer's monitor.

New Layout!
Yes new look, I got bored.
I notice I've been getting really restless these past days.
I wonder why!
Oh wait, I think I know why.
But I rather not blog about it.
I got some inner turmoil I'm dealing with at this moment.
Either that or just blame it on PMS.
As usual.
So for now I'm satisfied with this template.
I just might change it again, soon.
I know ... I know!
I'm a fickle minded babe.
Geez I'm not making any sense now am I?
I better go ... munch on something.
I'm craving for chocolate cake.
And thankfully there is one with my name on it.
In the fridge.
My birthday cake! Woot!
Laterz!

No title post
So here I am 36 years of age.
I think I'm still in denial.
I still write 35 by mistake.
Like when I play the lottery.
Yes I do bet.
I just might hit the jackpot one day.
And win millions of pesos.
Ah to dream the impossible dream.
I usually play the following numbers.
10-19-7-23-34-35.
The biggest I've won were 4 numbers.
A measly P600 but I was so happy that day, I splurged on VCDs.
Who knows?
36 just might be my lucky number!


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

I was really surprised when I got gifts for my birthday.
All the while I thought that the trip would be my only present, this year.
I got VCDs of movies:

I love ["Love Actually" - Hugh Grant is hilarious!]

I like ["Troy" - Eric Bana in a short skirt gave me wet dreams for 3 days!]

I always wanted to see but ran out of time/or was too broke to see it. ["Kill Bill"]

a DVD of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" courtesy of my best friend Pinky who sent it all the way from the US. She knows I adore Johnny Depp.

Today, I watched "Ladder 49" at Rockwell. Not bad but not good either, it was just Ok. Therefore, I didn't break my tradition of watching a movie on the occasion of my birthday!

I also bought "Ash Wednesday" for only P199 at Tower Records. It stars Edward Burns. I love the guy and have seen most of his independent movies. They mostly focus on being an Irish Catholic guy in New York City.
This whole week has been a really great film festival showcase of my favorite actors.


*************
It's weird because when I was basking in the sun at Caylabne.


I came up with quite a few topics to blog about when I came back.
Contemplating on them now, it seems quite tedious to compose my thoughts coherently to come up with posts that would keep the readers interested.
Not that I blog for the sake of other people.
I write so I can think out loud some matters which cloud my mind.
Maybe, too much sunlight fried my brain. Either that or I got writer's block.
I hope this is just temporary!
In the mean time, click here if you want to see more of my pictures.

I'm back!


2 days of calm and serenity spent at a beautiful place.
Caylabne Bay Resort was breathtakingly peaceful.
I cannot find the words to express how magical it was.


I was expecting the Black Pearl with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) sail into view from behind that cliff!

I received SMS from places as far off as Pakistan, Kuwait, Sweden, Dubai and Bahrain from friends I've cherished through the years!
My online friends in Wales, Canada and France (via Japan) sent me e-cards.
My barkada here messaged me.
And fellow bloggers left their comments.
To everyone, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart!


But most especially to my parents and my sister.
A million thanks for spending those 2 days with me.
It truly will be one of my most memorable birthdays ever!

Happy birthday to me!
Marhaba!
Aujourd'hui, I'm 36!
Trente six is one of my vital stats.
Unfortunately not my bustline.
I pray my waistline won't reach 36!
Yup it's la taille of my hips.
So I got 1 out of 3! Hurray!

I will be off for a couple of days.
I'll be here to celebrate the advent of my spinsterhood. LOL

I'll leave you with this quip from Johnny Depp:
"Nowadays, it's all a question of surgery isn't it?
But I think it's great fun growing old."
Well said ... Johnny baby!!

Maraming salamat to all those who greeted me already.
The rest can wish me courtesy of Haloscan. :P
Hasta la bye bye!

My Life in Flashback

1. I made my grand entrance into this world after my mother was in labor for 12 hours.

2. I was named after Daphne du Maurier, my mother's favorite author and Saint Laura who was the patron saint of that day.

3. I have 1 sister who is 3 years younger than me but she is the true "ate" in this family.

4. I was barely 5 years old when we first got posted overseas - New Delhi, India.

5. I started my schooling at a Catholic school, the Holy Child Auxillium under the hospices of a very strict Mother Superior.

6. I started wearing glasses at the age of 8.

7. I have a grade of 700 in my left eye and 750 in my right eye. With a case of slight astigmatism. Thank God for contact lenses.

8. We moved to Brussels, Belgium in 1979.

9. There I studied at L'Enfant Jesus Institute (The Infant Jesus Institute) and Ecole de Saint Joseph (St Joseph School) for my elementary education.

10. I was an active participant in events which showcased the Philippines. I danced the itik itik (duck dance) together with the kids of the embassy staff at an Asian fair.

11. I was very fluent in French back then because it was the medium of instruction. Now I stutter whenever I try to speak the language and only use French when I talk with my sister about other people behind their back!

12. Growing up in Brussels, I've come to love winters. I thrive in cold climates because I tend to sweat profusely and melt during summers.

13. On weekends, we went on road trips to neighboring countries like France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland. Armed with our passports and "Tercie", our first car. A silver metallic liftback Toyota Tercel.

14. The longest time I ever lived in a country was 10 years (1982-1992). Here in Manila during our "freezer" years. Despite my father's valiant efforts to get reassigned, we were 'stuck' here for some unknown reason.

15. I studied at St John's Academy for my high school education. I didn't speak a single word of Tagalog only English with a French accent. I was utterly miserable in high school.

16. University days were a breeze. I graduated from UST (University of Santo Tomas) with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree majoring in Business Administration.

17. My prayers were answered because right after my graduation, dad finally got assigned. This time to Singapore.

18. My first job was a consular clerk assistant at the Philippine Embassy in Singapore. But I wasn't paid. I volunteered while waiting for firms to reply to my numerous job applications. So if your passport was issued from the Philippine Embassy, Singapore sometime in 1992 - 1993, I was the one who 'scripted' it.

19. I landed a job as secretary of a trading firm owned by a Filipino. The pay was good and I worked my butt off to save for my future. No social life just work work work!

20. In 1995, we moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A very modern Arab city, our last foreign posting stint.

21. Here I discovered booze, sex, guys of various nationalities and rekindled my wanderlust tendencies.

22. 6 years aka as my 'debauchery years' - days of drunken stupor, one night stands, pregnancy tests and recklessness. Living it up like there was no tomorrow. Being every inch a 'diplobrat'.

23. I traveled with my friends and/or my sister. We went to Athens, Cyprus, Istanbul, The Maldives, Israel, Jordan, London, Bahrain and Bali, Indonesia.

24. The most solemn was a 5 day pilgrimage to the Holy Land in March 2000 with the whole family. Just in time for the Pope's visit and before the Intifada uprising.

25. I met the ONLY guy I ever wanted to marry. We wanted 2 kids, Daniella Marie & Carlo Yousef. Our plan was to live in Dubai for a few years then relocate either to the US or to his beloved Palestine.

26. But I didn't marry him. It's rather complicated. No, it had nothing to do with his race.

27. My longest trip was an entire month. My sister and I availed of an Eurail pass and hopped across Europe. We went to Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Vienna, Salzburg, Venice, Rome, Pisa, Assissi, Florence, Milan and our last stop was Brussels. To revisit our childhood haunts.

28. Alas, "some good things never last"! On August 22, 2001, my father had to retire at the mandatory age of 65. After 40 years of service to the government as a commercial/trade attache.

29. We arrived back home 'for good' September 8, 2001.

30. I bought and paid for in full this condo unit in February 2002.

31. I took up a 6 month course in web design/webmaster at the Web Academy.

32. I now work on a freelance basis.

33. And have turned into a domestic goddess and a homebody. Shopping for household items makes me giddy with excitement. It is very unfortunate there is no Ikea in this country.

34. I am single by choice. Perhaps I've set too high standards. But let's face it. Guys are like parking slots, the good ones are taken. The ones left are handicapped.

35. I have been celibate for over a year now. I might as well enter a convent!

36. I am turning 36 years old in a few days.
I look 23. I feel 28. I act 35.
My waistline is ... oh never mind that.
I am comfortable in my own skin, with warts, sagging breasts and curly wavy hair to boot.
I love the life I've experienced and I have no regrets.
Except maybe for not visiting the pyramids when I had the chance.
I live each day as it comes and I constantly tell myself

"There is a tomorrow and the best is yet to be. And somewhere in the world, I know there is a place for me".

I did say a couple of posts, here's the second one
I am mortified that my supposedly green thumb has failed to work its magic.
The picture below was taken sometime in May 2004 when I first bought those plants.
They hold prominent position along my staircase.
But now several months later, they both are dying a slow death.
One has completely dried up so I had to throw it away earlier this evening.
The second one I'm keeping around.
It can still be salvaged.
I hope!

A couple of posts before I sleep
Ok so Survivor has taken a spin and liven things up a bit. Thank goodness for that. It was starting to bore me to death. The women and men are now dispersed in two teams. Still the same names, Yasur & Lopevi.
My current favorite is Chad, the teacher with the artificial leg. He's keeping a low profile and I guess that's his strategy.
He seems like a genuinely sincere guy.
Plus I have this thing for bald men. ;)



here's another picture of Chad.


Isn't he yummy?

Low waist jeans
Yesterday I was at the Globe telecom branch in Galleria.
To pay bills.
Not to canvas for a new cellphone.
I have come up with a plan to buy my sister a new one.
So I can get hers.
Talk about hand me downs. LOL
I know she needs one with more features like WAP.
Since I only send SMS and call people.
I will be satisfied with her older one.
Yes, I'm that thoughtful.
More like practical.
Anyways I digress.
I was waiting for my number to be called so I could pay.
Seated beside me was this girl around 20 years old or maybe younger.
Her number is flashed so she approaches the customer service area.
As she sits down her jeans pull down and reveals her underwear.
You know how it is with low waist jeans.
Your entire behind is on display.
The thing is her undies were worn inside out so the tag was visibly sticking out.
It was hilarious!
Everybody noticed it.
Some snickered among themselves.
Others tried not to stare.
But come on, you know you just have to stare, right?

Moral of the story.
Be sure to check you are wearing your undies properly.
Or at least wear a longer top to cover your butt!

Yadda Yadda Yadda

I'm beginning to hate my cellphone. It hangs up and switches off frequently. I don't appreciate it when I get cut off right in the middle of a steamy conversation. I know I can't really expect an obsolete Nokia cellphone to be up to par. But still!

I called a friend of mine because I wanted to go watch the Spanish film festival at Greenbelt. She tells me that kinda shit (her words not mine) were for artsy fartsy people. Well hello a little culture wont kill you, would it? Gosh

Speaking of Spanish films I finally sat down at 2:30 am to watch "Before Night Falls" the controversial biopic of the Cuban author Reinaldo Arenas. Excellent acting from Javier Bardem and of course Johnny Depp.

My mother called asking me what I wanted for my birthday. I really couldn't come up with anything. I just said I wanted to be out of town.

My plans of going to Singapore faltered since I don't have enough miles on Skywards for a free ticket. So it's either Tagaytay, Subic or Caylabne. We'll see how it goes. I like the spontaneity of it all.

To get myself in a cheerful mood I've been listening to my collection of French cds. The ones I've had since forever. Artists like Claude Francois, Michael Sardou and Herve Vilard crooning about l'amour, la mer et les etoiles. Artists who were at the peak of their careers way back then and I'm not sure if they are still 'sikat' till now. I doubt it.

So my sister is back from Cebu with pasalubongs of danggit, otap as well as dried mango strips. I'm currently munching on otap as I write this post.

Today she's in Bulacan. Tomorrow she's off to Calapan and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro. She will be back Monday, the day before my natal day. It isn't R & R ... it's WORK! But I'm glad she gets to explore places I've never been to.

Oh I'm coming up with a post which chronicles my 36 years of existence. It's harder than I thought it would be. A truck load of memories filters my mind with nostalgia and mushy sentiments of yonder days. *sighs*

So I transport my restless mind to idyllic places through these pictures taken by my sister in Cebu. Enjoy!

Cordova Reef Village Resort


Cebu Island and Sun Resort  

Generation Gap
A Y!M chat I had with my sister who was in Cebu

Me: How's Cebu?
Sis: Hot & humid
Me: How's whatshisname?
[I was referring to the guy she was working with.]
Sis: Oh the kid?
[We refer to people under 30 as kids :D]
Me: How young is he?
Sis: Only 20.
Me: Oh geez
Sis: Yeah the typical kid with the arrogance of youth
Sis: And demented illusions of his own grandeur.
Me: Ack! Poor you
Me: Babysitting a kid.
Sis: He does makes some sense though
Sis: When he doesn't talk about himself.
Me: Oh ok so he's redeemable.
Sis: Yes thank God, just think about it.
Sis: In a decade's time, these kids would be running the country.
Me: "shudders" at that thought! Dios mio!

Ten on Tuesday
Ten Favorite Quotes from the Movies

1 .
"Love means never having to say you're sorry."
Love Story

2.
"Will you love me for the rest of my life?
No, I'll love you for the rest of mine."
Phenomenon

3.
"I love you without knowing how, why or even from where."
Patch Adams

4.
[on sheets of poster board]
"With any luck by next year,
I'll be going out with one of these girls.
[pictures of beautiful supermodels]
But for now, let me say
without hope or agenda
just because it's Christmas
(And at Christmas you tell the truth)
To me, you are perfect
and my wasted heart will love you
until you look like this
[picture of mummy]
Merry Christmas"
Love Actually

5.
"How come we don't always
know when love begins.
But we always know when it ends?"
LA Story

6.
"When you realize you want to spend
the rest of your life with somebody.
You want the rest of your life
to start as soon as possible."
When Harry Met Sally

7.
"Love won't obey our expectations.
Its mystery is pure and absolute"
Bridges of Madison County

8.
"I guarantee it won't be easy
I guarantee that at
one point or the other
One of us is going to want to leave
But I also guarantee that
if I don't ask you to be mine.
I am going to regret it
for the rest of my life.
Because I know in my heart
You are the only one for me."
Runaway Bride

9.
"I would rather have had
one breath of her hair,
one kiss from her mouth
one touch of her hand
than eternity without it!
One!"
City of Angels

10.
"If there's any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt
of understanding someone,
sharing something.
I know, it's almost impossible to succeed, but who cares, really?
The answer must be in the attempt."
Before Sunrise

In Memoriam
Christopher Reeve (1952- 2004)

Can you read my mind?
Do you know what it is that you do to me?
I don't know who you are
Just a friend from another star
Here I am like a kid out of school
Holding hands with a god
I'm a fool

Will you look at me
Quivering
Like a little girl
Shivering
You can see right through me

Can you read my mind?
Can you picture the things I'm thinking of?
Wondering why you are
All the wonderful things you are

You can fly!
You belong in the sky!
You and I
Could belong to each other

If you need a friend
I'm the one to fly to
If you need to be loved
Here I am
Read my mind



Farewell, Superman!

3 THINGS

3 THINGS YOU'RE WEARING RIGHT NOW
[1] glasses
[2] nightie
[3] lip gloss

3 THINGS ON YOUR DESK
[1] printer
[2] a book
[3] notepad

3 THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
[1] find my soul mate
[2] buy a vacation house in Europe
[3] travel extensively

3 THINGS THAT SCARE YOU
[1] losing my parents
[2] being alone
[3] cockroaches

3 THINGS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
[1] men
[2] racism
[3] narrow minded people

3 THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN
[1] swim
[2] play an instrument
[3] drive

3 BAD THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF
[1] insomniac
[2] not ambitious
[3] Procrastinator

3 PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE
[1] unique surname
[2] hard working ancestors
[3] mental instability

3 THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR BODY
[1] My eyes
[2] My lips
[3] My tiny toes

3 THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU
[1] I was part of the gymnastics team in 5th grade
[2] I was engaged once
[3] I was attacked viciously, twice

3 THINGS YOU SAY THE MOST
[1] gosh
[2] merde
[3] kewliosis

3 PLACES YOU WANT TO GO TO
[1] somewhere I can experiece a White Christmas again
[2] revisit places of my childhood
[3] Paris

3 NAMES YOU GO BY aside from Daphne
[1] Daph
[2] Lau
[3] Net

3 WAYS TO PISS YOU OFF
[1] by asking me why I'm still single
[2] by being extremely stupid
[3] not falling in line like everyone

3 PEOPLE YOU WANT TO MEET
[1] Johnny Depp
[2] Hilary Clinton
[3] Queen Noor

3 WAYS TO MAKE YOU SMILE
[1] compliments
[2] make me pose for a picture
[3] giving me gifts

3 THINGS THAT MAKE YOU CRY
[1] mushy love songs
[2] death scenes in movies
[3] getting my heart broken

3 PEOPLE YOU RESPECT A LOT
[1] my parents
[2] my sister
[3] my paternal grandfather

Prank Call
Normally I don't answer the phone after 11pm.
I let the answering machine pick it up.
But since my sister is out of town, I thought she was the one calling at 11:24pm.

Me: Hello?
Caller: Hi puwede kay lambot?
Me: Ay wrong number.
Caller: Wala ba si lambot dyan?
Me: wala
Caller: Eh ikaw malambot ka ba?
I hang up!

I won't bother translating it because it sounds alot more hilarious in the vernacular. I couldn't stop laughing.

Luzon rocked by strong quake
Updated 01:25am (Mla time)
Oct 09, 2004
Inquirer News Service, INQ7.net, GMA7, Agence France-Presse

(5TH UPDATE) A strong earthquake struck Luzon at 10:36 p.m. Friday, measuring magnitude 6.2 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter was located 67 kilometers southwest of Tagaytay City, government seismologist Leonila Bautista said in a radio interview.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement it was of tectonic origin and originated from a depth of 94 km.
It was caused by the movement of the so-called Manila trench.
Click here for the rest of the story.

Alright so this is the second earthquake in a span of a few months!
But this one lasted longer than the one last September 16. I was helping my sister pack for her weekend trip to Cebu when the earth started to shake. I first noticed the little angels chime which hang from our ceiling start to sway and dangle. Then I had to sit down because I thought I was having a fainting spell. But no it was another earthquake! Is God perhaps sending us a sign? Gosh I hope not! It is starting to freak me out big time.

"I'm in shape. Round is a shape!"
For as long as I can remember, I've had weight issues.
Don't we all?
My parents deemed it right for my mother to be on a diet while she was pregnant with me.
So when I came out, I was so tiny.
During my early school days, I was thin as a rake.
I had thick curly hair.
I wore thick glasses.
My ugly duckling phase.
I only got to be this 'healthy' once I started working.
My daily routine entailed that I sit on my butt for 8 hours in front of a computer doing things a secretary had to do.
No exercise except for a few tennis games.
Nights of drinking and getting wasted.
Feeding on nuts, nachos with dip and potato chips.
It was tolerable.
I was still petite, I just had more meat to my bones.
It didn't really make me feel bad.
I was living abroad.
During those days and in those places, being fat wasn't exactly a crime.
I came back home for good, September 2001.
That's when I started ballooning to my now less flattering figure.
I blame it all on our local cuisine.
Of course on my sedentary lifestyle.
But still it doesn't really bother me at all.
I don't think I can be qualified as obese.
My problem area is just my waistline.
But now I live in a country where the first thing people say when you first see them is:
"Wow you've gained weight!"
I think we are the only country in the world where it is the norm to comment on a person's weight quite openly.
That it is ok to tactlessly criticize a person's weight.
I never made a big fuss about my looks and/or my weight.
If I did care I would have rebonded my hair a long time ago, right?
But it is starting to affect me in more ways than one.
My weight not my curly wavy hair, ok?
I've tried dieting. It doesn't work.
I've tried exercising but I'm too lazy to get all sweaty.
Now I'm trying the latest fad.
Drinking 2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil,daily.
So far it's working.
I don't feel so bloated. I eat less.
It claims to increase one's metabolic rate.
Whatever that means.
Only hitch is you have to spend the first few days cooped up in the bathroom.
But hey I believe it's worth it.

For a moment
I thought I was back in Singapore.
Yesterday when I got back home from watching "Raising Helen", the stench of this fruit was lingering and permeated all over the condo.



I never liked durian.
The aroma itself makes me nauseous.
So despite my valiant efforts of spraying air freshener all over the living room, I could still smell it.
Thus making me lose my appetite!
So I went upstairs to my bedroom and locked myself inside falling asleep by 10pm.
I woke up around 3:30 am terribly hungry and just when I thought it was safe to go back down the smell was still in the air.
Ack!

A quick short post
Earlier (Monday evening) today I was at this shop and read this book.
Afterwards I bought this DVD for only P199 from this store.
I just finished chatting online with him through this.
Even though his local time is 1 hour ahead of Manila.
I'm just glad he now resides within the same time zone.
Later today Tuesday, I'm going to this mall to watch this film.
Now I'm going to read this book before I doze off.

Perfect for a movie buff
I copied this list from his blog.
The game is you take the list of actors and actresses and put in the movie they starred in which you liked the best. At the end, you add another actor or actress to the list.

+ Tom Hanks - You've got Mail!
+ Jim Carrey - Bruce Almighty
+ Tobey Maguire - Seabiscuit
+ Mel Gibson - Signs
+ Ben Affleck - Paycheck
+ Nicole Kidman - Cold Mountain
+ Liv Tyler - Stealing Beauty
+ Harrison Ford - Clear and Present Danger
+ Natalie Portman - Leon
+ Ewan McGregor - Moulin Rouge
+ Edward Norton - The 25th Hour
+ Angelina Jolie - Girl Interrupted
+ John Cusack - Serendipity
+ Renee Zellweger - Bridget Jones Diary
+ Johnny Depp - The Nick of Time
+ Sean Penn - Mystic River
+ Will Smith - I, Robot
+ Meg Ryan - When Harry Met Sally
+ Catherine Zeta-Jones - Entrapment
+ Sandra Bullock - 2 Weeks Notice
+ Gwyneth Paltrow - Shakespeare in Love
+ Brad Pitt - Seven
+ Keanu Reeves - Sweet November
+ Cameron Diaz - There's Something About Mary
+ Christina Ricci - Casper
+ Drew Barrymore - Riding in Cars with Boys
+ Kate Hudson - How to Lose a Guy in 10 days
+ Marilyn Monroe - Some Like It Hot
+ Adam Sandler - The Wedding Singer
+ Arnold Schwarzenegger - Collateral Damage
+ Bruce Willis - The Sixth Sense
+ Eddie Murphy - Dr. Doolittle
+ Morgan Freeman - High Crimes
+ Sigourney Weaver - Ghostbusters
+ George Clooney - Ocean Eleven
+ Julia Stiles - The Bourne Identity
+ Jodie Foster - Silence of the Lambs
+ Sean Connery - First Knight
+ Christian Slater - Untamed Heart
+ Julianne Moore - The End of the Affair
+ Michael Pitt - Murder by Numbers
+ Uma Thurman - Pulp Fiction
+ Ethan Hawke - Before Sunrise
+ Elijah Wood - The Lord of the Rings
+ John Travolta - Basic
+ Denzel Washington - Glory
+ Kevin Bacon - Hollow Man
+ Milla Jovovich - The Messenger
+ Jake Gyllenhaal - Moonlight Mile
+ Russell Crowe - Gladiator
+ Michael Douglas - A Perfect Murder
+ Jennifer Connelly - Labyrinth
+ Peter Sellers - Pink Panther
+ Corey Feldman - Stand by Me
+ Kate Winslet - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
+ Grace Kelly - Rear Window
+ Maggie Gyllenhaal - Mona Lisa Smile
+ Alan Rickman - Sense and Sensibility
+ Lena Olin - Chocolat
+ Allison Janney - West Wing
+ Anthony Hopkins - Silence of the Lambs
+ Kathy Bates - Misery
+ Michael Caine - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
+ Steve Martin - Father of the Bride
+ Ashley Judd - Someone Like You

Hottie Alert!


He's the villain in the Bourne Supremacy.
Karl Urban who speaks perfect Russian in the movie is a New Zealand actor.
I didn't know he was the same actor who portrayed Eomer in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Till last night when I saw the special features edition of the LOTR: Return of the King DVD.
Such intensity in his eyes!
I think he overpowered Matt Damon in the film.

Gifts and Food Galore
Yesterday, my sister's birthday started with a breakfast fare of Mary Grace mouth watering ensaymadas and coffee.
Afterwards, it was opening gifts time.
Mom gave her a sterling silver set of earrings and a chain with a pendant.
Dad bought her the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King DVD.
I gave a complete scrapbook kit which I ordered online from QVC.
Pinky, my dear friend in the US mailed it over just in time.
My sister was pleasantly surprised.
Birthdays are a big deal in our family.
So we give gifts on these special days not during Christmas.
Anyways, it was decided that we would have lunch at this place.
Feasting on delicious grilled food with a lovely view of Manila Bay was great.
Next stop - Power Plant, Rockwell.
Just in time for coffee at Figaro and the 3:05pm showing of "The Bourne Supremacy". The movie made us nostalgic about our trip to Berlin.
The city we visited in March 2001.
It provided an excellent backdrop to this thrilling film.
The girl behind us asked her date/bf/male friend or brother:
"Why does he have amnesia? Is it because he is under alot of stress???"
I found that extremely funny in the sense that I would never watch a sequel to a movie without seeing the first installment.
And even if I don't get to watch it, I would at least read up on it.
But hey that's me. :)
With some 3 hours to kill before dinner time, we decided to go check out the new mall at the Global City at Fort Bonifacio, Market Market!
The only good thing about this mall is the large parking lot and you don't have to pay a parking fee. Otherwise, it was totally chaotic with alot of people from the D - E crowd.
I don't fancy it at all. Someone described it as a mini Divisoria.
He's right although I've never been to Divisoria myself.
We ended up just buying fresh flowers and lanzones.
We couldn't wait to leave.
We decide to go all the way to Libis just to cruise around.
It's not really my favorite hangout place. I feel old mingling with the crowd there.
From Libis we proceeded to the Tomas Morato area to find somewhere to dine.
We ended up eating more grilled food at this restaurant.
We get home around 10:30pm and it was time for my sister to make a wish while blowing out the candles on her cake. No, I didn't bake it.
It was a delicious mocha walnut cake from Kookie Korner.
No matter how hard she blew them, it kept lighting back on.
It was hilarious because it turns out the candles I bought were magic candles.
I had no idea they were that way.
So we panicked and had to bring the whole 'burning' cake to the sink and dose off the 'fire'.
Thankfully the cake still tasted yummy.
After the parents had gone off to bed, my sister and I watched the LOTR DVD, at 2 am. Complete with San Mig lite and Lay's BBQ chips.
Well ok so I was the only one drinking.
But overall it was a great day celebrating the natal day of the person who means the whole world to me.
Even if I was the one who ended up drunk and woke up this morning with a hangover.

Let me tell you about ...

A little girl of 10 who utters loudly with the naive innocence only a kid can possess:
"Mommy ... are they the Gestapo?"
She was referring to the border control officers who were inspecting our passports while we were on a train to Cologne, Germany.

The girl who graduated from high school - top of her class.

The lady who graduated magna cum laude from UST!

The woman who spent 8 years on her own working in Singapore, traveling all over the world as a travel trade journalist/writer.

The admirable woman who balances her graduate studies with the daunting tasks of her job.

My confidante, my best friend, my 'ate' even though she is 3 years younger than me!

The only person who keeps up with my stubborness, my insolence, my sarcasm, my cynical nature and my failure to pursue lofty endeavors.

She is none other than my dearest sister, Ollie.

Today, she turns a year older.

I am extremely proud of her!

Everything she has accomplished in her young life through sheer guts
and determination.

I love her with all my heart and soul.

But most of all I respect the woman she has become.

The woman she is.

And the woman she will be in the future.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
Liebscien!!!

Woot! It's my birthday month!
Yeah so it's October already.
So I will irritate the 3 readers of this blog with snippets about me and my oh.i.m.boring.now.i.can't.believe.it life.
Yeah right.
As if it would be the first time!
And to start this new month, I can't believe I'm wearing PINK of all colors.
I've never been a pink outfit kinda girl.
Now I'm even wearing pink shoes.
Oh geez!
It just proves I'm growing in reverse. LOL