we've just moved!

today’s our third-month stay in our new home.  the adjustment is still not over considering that the house is still in its work-in-progress state.  more so, the commute to and from work is more excruciating than ever.  i suddenly thought how did we ever survive commuting to and from a town farther from where we are now, about eight years back?

i haven’t invited friends over since there’s not much to show at present.  it’s quite taxing for me to explain over-and-over the state of our house without going into much detail.  anyhow, since we’re a lot closer to where my relatives, from my mama’s side, live, we often have small gatherings at home.  it’s very casual and laid back and requires no preparation at all.

there was this one instance, when we all ended up playing patintero.  it was so much fun to see the oldies having loads of laughter and playing with us.

the house (and our block) reverts to its usual quiet state when they all left.  though it’s so quiet and sometimes eerie, our humble abode no longer feels empty and devoid of human interaction.  i think the laughter still resounds long after.

i turn 31 on 30.

woahhh! that’s a little gutsy for me since i’m so coy when it comes to the number game.  i do not hide my age but certainly do not volunteer the information. it’s the mystery that we, women, will forever keep.

as days draw near, i am hopeful for something extraordinary to happen. a nice surprise perhaps.  it doesn’t matter who it will come from.  but knowing the people around me, i always get the surprise of not having a surprise nearly year after year!  not complaining, just stating a fact. a known fact.

better yet, i should think of my agenda for my special day. what worthy thoughts i should be having in preparation for a year of more blessings and triumphs.  i think i have accomplished quite a few over the years and am truly proud of those.  but i will allow myself to become pensive and nostalgic this year as this will be my first without my father.  this, they say, is one of the “firsts” that a person has to endure with the passing on of a beloved.  i’m slowly preparing myself for the sudden plummet of my usually high spirits, the pang of loneliness and longing and for the what-ifs running on my thoughts.

nevertheless, i vow to make my birthday a special one as i mark another glorious year of being me.  salut!

pretty woman.

i have watched this movie a number of times to date but still has the same appeal as it had when i first saw this. 

i was drawn to the movie because of the typical cinderalla-like storyline.  who wouldn’t be?

i think julia and richard were at their “prettiest” in this film.  their acting was so believable that i hardly associate either of them with any of the characters they’ve portrayed down the line.

i have a familiarity over the movie, not only for the actors’ lines, memorable scenes or catchy soundtrack but for its location.  the city’s so familiar as if it was you who was walking down rodeo drive or driving around beverly hills.  i’m sure most of us who have had the pleasure of visiting these landmarks could relate perfectly well.

i only wish that i had the opportunity to watch this when it was shown in cinemas. that would have completed the entire pretty-woman experience!

photo grabbed from google images.

the basics of writing.

do you find my writing a little bit stiff?  my sister even commented that it’s impersonal.  perhaps i’m always too conscious of my grammar and writing style.

i envy my friend abie who writes incredibly fast and still maintains the lightness of each of her stories.  she can write as many as 10 entries a day with each entry as interesting as the other.  it makes me wonder if i can possibly achieve that speed! lol!

when my sister brought out all her books on grammar and composition writing, i suddenly realized that brushing up my writing skills is not a bad idea!

to get the ball rolling, i’ve listed a number of topics to work on.  i aim to write as fast and interesting as i could.  i hope not to worry too much of my sentence construction as i know it makes my entries stiff and impersonal.  i want to keep the adrenaline pumping and my creative juices working freely. 

i hope to get results as i write more.  there’s just a lot going on around me that it will be a waste not to develop good stories about those.

the usual daily grind. what’s my day like?

i work in a foreign mission and am fortunate to be at the office only 37.5 hours in a week!  fridays are the best because i get off at noon! i’m always the object of envy of my friends.  i can’t help but gloat.

this makes me think of how well i spend my work days and what a typical day is like.

my alarm sets off at 4.45 am but i get up at around 5.15 to 5.30am.  i allot about an hour and a half for travel time.  i spend that precious ninety minutes to say my morning prayer, collect my thoughts, take a power nap and again to collect my thoughts.  if i’m lucky to be wide awake as i get off from public transport, i’ll be in the office in one piece and unharmed.  but there had been minor and major mishaps in my 11-year stint as a “working girl.”  what are those? will do a separate entry for that. :d

i always arrive ahead of time, except for those crazy mornings when public transport has suddenly gone berserk.  this allows me to spend a few minutes choosing which breakfast option will sustain me until lunch, to chat with office buddies or play games in my ipod.  the office is literally locked down until one of our foreign-national officers opens the chancery for business. 

the morning will pass by with a blink of an eye as i speed between phone calls, emails, quick or long meetings and few trips to the ladies room in between.  lunch is either spent alone, with my door closed or with good old office friends in the pantry.  i neither do coffee nor yosi break.  i only take synthetic (3-in-1) coffee once a day at the comfort of my room and i value my lungs and oral health much to do yosi.

the afternoon goes a lot quicker than the morning with more phone calls, emails, troubleshooting, meetings, last minute requirements and lesser trips to the ladies room in between.

official work hours stop at 4.30p but i sometimes stay longer if needed.

i reserve meeting with friends and other activities on fridays as my travel back home is another story.  it’s like another day at the office, when you’re not supposed to, altogether!  that’s why i catch up more on my emails on my way home—good thing that i have remote access in my blackberry, make those promised return calls, wind down and think of how accomplished i am for that day.

(i had originally ended this entry with my usual humour but chose not to the last minute.  *wink*)

music list: jazz.

i found this list in my notes app in my ipod. this one was dated 11may2009. i suddenly remember that i was supposed to research about jeff club and download his songs but i guess i didn’t find time to do so. 

here goes my list:

1.    grand central 2007

2.    temptation 2005

3.    soul sessions 2003

4.    do it again 2002

5.    dangerous curves 2000

6.    out of the blue 1999

7.    nightlife 1997

8.    naked city 1996

9.     avenue blue 1994

10.           unspoken words 1988

i had grown to love the sound of jazz when i first watch “that thing you do.” the unique combination of percussion and wind instruments relaxes me. the sound is so pure that you can hear clearly each shift in notes.   i have in my playlist idris muhammad, kenny g, maxim and vanessa mae.  i will write another entry to review and share if jeff club’s a treasure or not. ",)

knowledge is power.

ignorance of the law excuses no one.  and as a matter of argument, ignorance is no excuse at all.  more so, if one refuses to learn.

what am i getting at? it is as simple as trying to know and understand things before complaining.  know the reason behind the circumstances before passing on judgments.  and truth be told, a wise man makes full use of his faculties before opening his mouth.

i’m writing this not to disparage anyone.  i, myself, sometimes fell victim to this vicious trap.  who hasn’t? but if ignorance becomes the reason of not being informed, you are depriving yourself of your rights and the opportunity to act intelligibly on things of greater importance.

love begets love.  so does knowledge.

food trip, laugh trip.

a good way to end a stressful work night is to hang out with good friends and share a good meal and laugh.  around 13 of us from the office trooped to chic-boy in jupiter street to celebrate the promotion of two of my colleagues.
chic-boy’s menu is mostly lutong-buhay, the ambiance is very relaxed and the service is good.  this upscale carinderia is not in the least out-of-place considering that it is located along the rows of pricier restaurants.
beer-drinking customers are seated outside—alfresco dining, but my colleague was able to persuade them to sit us inside.
all of us were rolling with laughter after a hearty meal and several buckets of beer.  we attracted quite a handful of glaring eyes because of this.  the group winded down a bit after the food servers approached our table. it was just about time to go anyway, so we decided to finish the remaining bottles outside.  it’s not a friday night but it felt like weekend because i had so much fun. two thumbs up to chic-boy!
:-)

me as seen by me.

the more i write down things about myself, the more i realize how unusual some of my habits really are.

i sleep with my eyeglasses on. i stack all my pens’ tips up.  i use only blue-inked pen. i always write on lower case.  i rarely eat fish dishes not prepared by my mother. i pour sauce or dips over rice.  i write down dates of when i started using something. i leave shoe boxes behind whenever i buy a pair.  would you like to know more? lol!

some of these i’m aware of, most not.  it’s a force of habit i guess.  but i sometimes feel embarrassed and get conscious if somebody notices.

september, september, september!

this month is special not only because it officially signals the onset of the christmas season but more so, it’s my birthday month!

i have never outgrown my excitement for any upcoming birthday despite me having a handful. don’t ask my age, please! lol!

i think fate was on my side when i was born on the last day of the month. imagine, i have the entire month for anticipation and preparation and my birthday at month end to perfectly cap september.

how good can it get?!

a birthday surprise is not a must but is definitely welcomed.  my birthday wishlist continues to grow and will forever be insatiable but a warm birthday greeting will mean so much more. for all my quirkiness, i’m not that different from everybody else.

nowablogger is now singing the happy birthday song to self! lol!