8 for '08

One month late I know. ^^ This is usually the post where you'll expect heavy collages. Hehe. :P

1) Travelogue. Sorry naman for making it such a biggie. It's just that well, I worked hard for it. :-p As always if you have ample time, you can start it all here. ;-)

the justice-loving side of me dictates that I should come up with a picture for this since each bullet has one so I searched for that!! Very brilliant of me, nyahaha!!!


2) Lem. I can definitely say it was my brother's year. He scored a lot of lead role in TVCs and just recently his Voice Combo Sandwich "Zipper mo bukas" is making a comeback. :)

Voice/ McDo/Master Eskinol

3) Samsung Events. Aaah yes! The glamorous moments and rubbing elbows with celebs - very memorable indeed!! But of all those, I specially love the Samsung Ultimate Race and all the exposure that came along with that. Hehehe.

Soul/ Roadshow/ Ultimate Race/ Garden of SINS

4) Dancing. I'll never thought I'd fall for it even more. :) Thanks to Fitness First. Of course with it came the pledge to lead a healthy lifetstyle and gaining more friends. Kite kite being one of them. :)

As for this one, the cam whore me swears that this year I'm going to have a very "astig" picture of me while dancing!! Haha!! KC in action!! Wahaha!! :D

5) Friends/Gimmicks. More friends meant more people to hang out with. Late last year you saw a lot of party girl KC - atleast somehow I lived up to everybody's first impression on me. Duh?!?! *rolls eyes* Atleast not the hard core type, just simply enjoying Fridays. ^^

Me with different gimmick buddies :)

Reunited with some friends that might take a long time for me to see again,

Mae/ Mark/ Tyts and JT

6) Travel. Sentosa/Melaka and another round of Singapore before the year ends. Of course I can't miss out Quezon during the early part of the year and surviving Sagada!!

7) S.O. - Such a blessing (or is it really such?? haha!!). I hope to stay long in my new company. :)



8) Fashion statements. So do I really have to make this as the finale?? Hahaha!!! Last year saw a lot of yellows/mustard, trench coats, vests, high-waisted everything etc. etc. These are just some of the get-ups. ^^



So far having a great '09. May it continue for the rest of the year. :)

Singa-four

Although the arrival wasn't that good coz I waited for Chek in Fullerton where she's staying, she nevertheless made up to me the next day by treating us in a hawker. ;) I also had initial good vibes like for example being upgraded to the execute suite in the hotel for the same rate as the original reservation, receiving a gift from Ade (a bag from Bandung, Indonesia Ű) and many more. :)

Now here's some stories after the cruise. :-p

Joy & I went to Orchard Friday night. There's also a mall-wide sale ongoing just like in the Phils and of course we will never miss this shop Charles n Keith where as usual Singaporeans are going gaga on the shoe sale. :P I therefore conclude, I'm a Singaporean. Wahaha!!

that's my bugs bunny look..wahaha!!!

Saturday night was spent dinner with Mac. I called him up in the afternoon and asked "O, kelan mo ako ililibre?" (When are you going to treat me?) P.S. This is with his wifey's consent. (Hi Xie!!) He replied if hawker will be fine and I said no problem with that. A few minutes later, he texted and said he'll make a trip up Sembawang and meet me in Sun Plaza. I therefore conclude: Men who just got married are soooo generous. We ate at Pasta Mania instead. Thanks Mac!! Ű

Me & Mac @ Sun Plaza

For Sunday, I get to converse with locales there while doing the field ministry. I observed that after exchanging a few pleasantries, they always attack me with the same question: How do you find Singapore? - which I always answer timidly with a smile and the very common line "I like it here." Nyay, anlabo!! Haha!! Of course I'll elaborate myself a bit by stating the obvious like the city's so clean and the people are very disciplined blah blah blah which of course they'd have to agree as some positive points of their country. But as they kept on prodding about the city, I noticed that the conversation's veering towards some negative side of it.

The first one I talked to lost her job on that week. She was informed Monday and had to leave on the Friday - of that same week!! So sad to hear about that!! :,( Then she explained to me why everything in Singapore is clean. How they have to pay for the parking, the cleaning, gardening, well basically everything!! Tell you what, she's a woman in her 50s. Some of the Filipinos here on that age can already get something from the company or the government. But they don't have that there. That's why it breaks my heart to see those grandma's and grandpa's mostly working for the restaurants - asking you to finish off your sodas in cans or trays so they can collect it already. :(

The other one I conversed with is a mother, asked me the same question which I replied to with my standard answer. Haha!! We toured almost all of the flats in Sembawang and well as you can see below, they all look the same. On the first floor you can find there's a playground for the kids, some exercising equipments, small area for sports (badminton/basketball) and a place if you want to hold some group activities. Honestly for me, it's okay that everything is well-provided but then again I'm baffled that for her she feels that the government treats them as toys. It's like hey you live here and I will provide for everything you need. To some point I agree that freedom is very limited specially if you don't own the land you're living in but then again with the standard of living who could afford those properties there? * sigh * I therefore conclude: I'm changing my mind on working for SG in the future. Hahaha!!! :P

Singapore @ 7 PM

And these are the kids that I will miss the most: Kalay & Ryan

Kalay (eating french fries) & playing Lego with Ryan Ű

My Royal Caribbean Cruise pics are available DITO!! ( para maiba naman, haha!! DITO means here. :-p) and I'm still thinking if I'm going for a day by day post. Hmmm...

Tagaytay Highlands

Too bad it was already night time when we arrived. No more view at night let alone time to sneak around. I mean the scene is always and will always be captivating but cam's not good enough to perfectly capture it. Mental note to self: must really buy an SLR. Tsk!! Any donations from your babies couz Will? Haha!! :D So we only get to tour the country club and the sports center. :P Add up the fact that I'm the only first-timer in the group coz as y'all know that place only caters to members or residents of the area so special thanks to Cathy's friend Hans for the access. :D This is my only "good" shot that Saturday night.

pool area

My, my, my. It was freezing cold in that place!! And the very "smart" KC was wearing a tank top and a vest!! And please give credit to her by managing to bring a cover - a very, very , very thick scarf! (as can be seen below)!! Yes, she's very much informed as to where they're heading. Obviously, this is an absobloodylutely brilliant choice of her!!! WAHAHA!! :D

Charm, Geoff, Cathy and Me :)

So okay, I might have figured it out all wrong. Because I remember a cold December here (some 2 years ago methinks), I survived the cold even with a sleeveless top. Promise!! But really, thanks to my savior Cathy for bringing an extra jacket and sparing me from the fever or whatsoever sickness. :P

The gang's goin' for a different kind of trip. After dining @Antonio's Grill, I wanted to have another cup of coffee but they opted to have ice cream on a 14ºC temp. Of course, the only path to take was that of with less resistance. In fairness, I enjoyed my Banoffee Sundae.

After Fruits in Ice Cream, we headed to Cafe Breton and stopped by Leslie's to say goodbye to Cat's friends.

with Philip this time

Charm: Oh, isa pang shot. Isa pa. Walang jacket!! (One more shot. One more. W/o the jacket)

Cathy/KC: HA??? Then follows.

Charm: O wacky ha, wacky!!

Geoff: Hindi pa ba wacky to? Nagtatanggal tayo ng jacket ng malamig?? (Isn't this wacky enough?? Us removing jacket in this cold!!!)

LOL!! So here are the wackos having fun!! Haha!!

Talk about taking advantage of the cold weather - wearing my stockings a lot! And I'm training my pet to pose too! Hahaha!! :D

Don't complain on the cold shower in the morning. :D You'll miss it when the heat comes. Summer is fast-approaching! :)

Intel - So Sad! :(

For those who are not yet in the know, it's in here.

Sad. :( Oh well.

How timely that the schedule of our reunion (Intel NEO Batch June '04) fell yesterday. Our Madam, Joanne, is here for a month-long vacation. :) Si Madam, pretty pa rin! :)

Me, Joanne,Daisy and Fely@ Cafe Bola Greenbelt 3

Well, it's not like this is already the whole batch. But this picture would've made complete as the CMO PEE Girls of our batch had someone just showed up.

I must say the seating arrangement was good. These two are getting married next year. WOOHOO!!

Mama Dais & Pele pele :P

And as for us, well pretty singles but who would've thought?? Hmm, that's more like it! Haha!! And I have no compuction whoring out Joanne to all of you. Hahaha!! Kidding! :P

Joanne & fatty KC..LOL!

It's always nice hearing from everyone back there from Mama Dais who's "for now" still there. *Sigh* But then again, nobody's really safe in this time of economic crisis. :(

We touched on some of the folks (very interesting was that of two sets of lovers who exchanged partners then both got married on the same date!!), products (Krofton/Little River and bells went cling-clang in my head :P) and status of the office back there in Cavite ( they provided videoke for entertainment - my goodness why didn't they put that when I was still there???? With the simple answer of course, I will just neglect work and sing all day long, wahaha!!). We still memorize our WWIDs (worldwide IDs) and Daisy's still injecting new foreign Intel jargons to us, (ILH, haha)!! No matter what, we're still proud we worked for Intel!!

Safe trip to Madam on your Tuesday flight back to SG. Thanks for the treat. :)

Royal Caribbean Cruise: Formal Dinner @ Romeo & Juliet Hall

Pardon the lack of stories. But that's what albums are for (I provided captions). Right?? I thought the formal dinner is worthy of a separate album that's why everything during the said event is posted HERE!! Check out my

1) different escorts (aka counterparts). Hahaha!!
2) my piece de resistance (aka my watch) and the whole ensemble. Oh, with my slightly curled hair coz my iron's out of kilter i decided to go for the wet look (aaargh!!) Hehehe!!
3) Rebecca & Donnovan of Brit's Got Talent. Amazing!! They're Guinness World Record Holders. Youtube them and be impressed!!
4) Food/ Dining hall and some parts of the ship - the others of which will be released in another album pretty soon. :)

Hmm, yeah. That's all for now. You know when I'll post next right?? ;-)

Back @ 5 AM: Cruise Summary

Oh dear. It’s been 3 days since I stepped off from the ship but I still can feel that shaky feeling everytime I move roughly. I can still recall the last time I was aboard a ship and although it was a stormy night sail to Manila from Aklan (where many passengers puked because of the ship’s movements), I felt normal after. Well, it was only a 12-hr sailing as compared to this 3d/4n cruise. Aaarrrgh!! When will this go away lah??

Dull. There was one realization that I forgot to include in my second to the last post. This is about, uhmm MEN. Hahaha!! :D During my last shopping before I left, I saw this Tonton Gutierrez look-alike when I was on the train going home. My oh my he’s so handsome. I even thought he was really Tonton, I tried to look around if there’s a camera and he’s shooting since he’s in a uniform. He’s not. Just one handsome man that I don’t get to see everyday. The feeling is heavenly, hahaha!! It’s like having a new crush all-over again. Been a long while I must say. :P Some guy offered to send me to the airport, another guy in SG offered to fetch me in Changi, (both of which I did not take, hahaha!!) the guy flight attendant is quite cute – all of these I believe were good vibes during the cruise you know. Oh and I also realized that Aga’s name in the movie is Samuel Gonzales - the exact name of the still record holder of “Most Handsome Man” for me. (I wonder how he’s doing now?? * dreamy eyes * Hahaha!!) Well it’s not like I expect meeting some handsome stranger during the cruise. Duh?! * rolls eyes * It’s just like I thought I will see more inspiration or something like a Samuel part 2 will happen to me. Hahaha!!! But I was wrong. I never thought that cruise are for uhmm, old age people. I dunno, it’s like 50% of the cruisers were men and women in fifties and beyond. Promise!! Maybe I should just stop interpreting some happenings in my life so that I’ll stop expecting. Tsk!

Sick. Did you know that I got sick during my first two nights in the ship?? Must be the cold wind on top of the ship where we usually stay. But then, even with fever I get to party. Hehehe. It’s just that most of my colleagues would hang around in the bar on the 11th deck and the only way for me to feel better is to sweat it off by uhmm grooving on the floor. Hahaha!!! Funny how at one time you're making a move and then all of a sudden you'll go wobbly because of the ship's course. Haha!!

Fat. Someone already told me that food is round the clock (buffet style) during the cruise. Ugh!! So I was not able to control my eating for this week. No work-out also thank you very much. Yay!! Hahaha!! I was ready for swimming but I can’t take the strong wind in the pool area and I didn’t wanna worsen my fever also. But I was able to do a 1-hr swimming during the last day.

Meetings. The cruise has 2 destinations: Port Kelang in MY and Phuket. Telco team did not disembark at Port Kelang because of our meetings. But it’s okay. I mean, work must come first. :P Wushu!! Hahaha!! Well, I enjoyed Phuket and I already posted the album HERE you might want to check it out. :P

Lucky Draw. I dunno what happened. I was already there in the top 5. All 41 of us have prizes and draw was made from the 41st. Of course prizes get bigger and bigger as it climbs up to the 1st spot. There were digital frames, Ipod touch, Armani watches, gift certs in Tangs/Robinsons/ Takashimaya in different values, travel packages, etcetera and I was wondering why I came fourth and my prize is a drum roll please, a coffee maker!! Well, it must be expensive since the prizes are arranged according to price of course but the 1st 3 prizes are all in cash amounts. In the interest of full disclosure the 1st prize being almost a thousand USD cash prize!! Tsk!! Too bad huh?? I love coffee but it’s an espresso maker. I like it with cream!!

Don’t get me wrong of course I enjoyed the cruise: the amenities and entertainment in the ship, meeting my counterparts finally from all over Asia and Australia, bonding with the Sagem people, dressing up (hahaha!!), Phuket, everything!! :) Will probably blog about everything soon.

It's currently 5:20 AM here in Manila, I'll just sleep a bit and back to work later. Missed everyone and everything here. ;-)

Phuket

Fun, fun, fun!!!

Tom Cruise..Yiheeeeee!!!!

Hahaha!! Is it obvious that I’m sooo excited on the upcoming cruise?? :P :P :P Last Friday night (Saturday early morning actually) I even watched “All My Life” that movie of Aga and Kristine where they were aboard Star Cruise just to check what’s happening around or get some dress inspirations. Hahaha!!! But ours is the Royal Caribbean although the destinations are pretty much the same lah. ;-)

I tried coming up with something yesterday but I was so tired with all the last minute preparations. Like yesterday I have to squeeze in some facial treatments and foot spa (no time for massage, ouch!!) and I keep on wondering why I always am the last minute traveler. Well if I really include shopping with the last minute preparations and what with the sales ongoing then there must be really no time for doing anything else. Wahaha!!

Wardrobe update: Nothing specific again. It’s a mixture of different styles, stockings, plaids, prints and formal wear. There’s gonna be a cocktail party on Friday!!! Aaaah just to be glamorous once again. Haha!! But there’s one thing I noticed everytime I come here in SG. There’s always a statement bag for every visit here.

Aug 07/ Mar 08/ Dec 08

While shopping the other day, I was already prepared to ditch that realization but then I stumbled upon this bag the other day. Reduced to 70%. Aaaarrrrggghhh!!!

So there goes another bag story for you. * sigh * And combine it with the Dorothy Perkins and Topshop sale, KC is back with her old tricks on promising that she will ONLY spend (no, make that SPLURGE) during travel. Tsk! Maybe it’s also the reason why I spend less on my destinations coz I don’t have anymore money left. Wahaha!!

Anyways, I’ve also another observation. I started this year with a local tour up north (Alaminos, Pangasinan) and then followed by the cruise. I heard from a movie that however you started your year, then that will be it for the whole year!! So does this mean what it means?? Hahaha!!! I hope it’s gonna be true!! :P :P :P

The happenings last weekend: Meet-up with Tytana at Centennial Airport.
Meet-up with Chek. She's also here!!!!! Yehey!!!

Shopping with her and Joy in Chinatown:
We didn't buy the dresses. Hahaha!! And pictures are not allowed. Wahaha!!! But we bought identical maxi dresses. :P So cheap, only 10 Sing.

Dinner in Chinatown, first time for Chek to try the hawker:
The New Year in Chinatown:

We're boarding later so I already updated you with these. I'm not sure if I will be able to update this while aboard the ship. So, for my last pic

Welcome to SG!!! Yihee!! Hahaha!!!

We're Soooooooooooooooo Friends!!

She sits there comfortably in the couch in front of me and asks casually,

“Oh, kamusta na sila?” (How are they?)

Judging by her looks I know whom she’s asking about but I innocently replied,

“Sila? Sinong sila?” (Them who?)

“Sila. The father of all.”

Ookay. But where do I begin?? Has it been that long since I last updated her?? Oh yeah right!! But not my fault though, I’ve proven it later in our discussion. Haha!! :D

She then started enumerating them “active” men in my life (since my last update) while I, like a student in a recitation, promptly give her the stories why they are long gone and excised in my life.

“So, meaning to say wala ngayon.” (Wala – None. Ngayon – Now :P)

Shook my head.

“We’re sooooooooooo friends.” All my single ladies put your hands up!! LOL!!

Whatever is it she’s doing in her diet definitely works for her!! I think the rival gym to which she transferred to months ago yielded better results than the previous one. :P But sorry I’m a loyal to FF. Hmm, I think there are better boys there that’s why she’s inspired. Hahaha!!!

Took some long catching up before we finally ordered our lattes and when it’s time for the photo-ops, the topic transiently switched when she stated that she had this slight sulking about a certain event. Of course I noticed her being withdrawn sometime before but then I know she will understand the situation. Still sorry na girl, will make up it to ya next time. :)

I’m glad I had the chance to meet my girlfriends this week before I leave on Saturday. Last Wednesday I also met up Cathy in the gym since I’ve been frequenting the Manila branch now and after that I headed to Joy’s apartment to return something. Joy’s not soooooooo single anymore. Hahaha!! Finally, someone breaks the chain!! :P I will be also meeting Tytana in the airport this Saturday since we have the same time of flight in the evening, me bound to SG and her to AU. Nice!

I did some babysitting after meeting up with Lisa. Hehe. This is baby Aedan:

That little boy's such a sunshine!! It's Froi's son. Froi the W (insert him here) Y Z. :P :P :P Their place is quite near so I decided to drop by to personally meet his firstborn.

Although it's unusual for others, it's no showbiz that we're friends. Yes we are. We're soooooo friends!! Hehe.

Discovery Channel :P

Have I mentioned that I was with 6 men in Pangasinan?? Hehe. There were two 12-year old kids (Dondon & Oboy), 2 guys in mid-twenties (Dek and Jose), Kuya Jeff and Tito Gilbert. They’re all Joy’s relatives and family friends in Laguna. :)

Sunday afternoon we visited this open beach called (i forgot the name, haha! :P). Beyond this beach is already the South China Sea. We’re supposed to go to this white beach called Patar but we didn’t have enough time since we’re traveling back in the evening.

When the elders went off to buy some food in the wet market, I was basically left to attend to the two kids. The sun was still high and I’m not that eager to swim so as only to burn my skin so I stayed there in the shore observing what was left off in the rocks after the high tide. – That is the good enough version. Haha!! Tell you the truth I was more like those street children picking up anything rubbish and checking them out. Haha!! When I started collecting these little creatures called “Umang”, the two kids followed suit.

Honestly, I don’t know what they’re called in English. From what I understand “Umang” also means “Abang” in Tagalog which is associated to the behavior of these crustaceans (this class to which they belong, that I’m certain! :P). They’re like the sea version of the “Makahiya plant” – quickly hiding in their shells whenever they sense something foreign moving in their surrounding. (Naks, I really made some observations as to its etymology! Hahaha!!)

Now Oboy started picking up quite bigger “Umangs” in the sea and placed them in one of the cans scattered by the shore. Hahaha!! We were entertained just by observing them and their behavior like for example how they have a hard time standing when the shell is turned upside down or how they pick up a fight with each other until we noticed the grossest thing these creatures can ever do – one of them quickly went out of his shell to move to a bigger one.

“Kadddddddddiiiirrrrrrrriiiii!!!” (Yuck!) Dondon and I both screamed that earned turning of heads from some of the folks there. Hahaha!!!

Ok, we actually waited for that moment. I mean since only half of their bodies are exposed when they’re inside a shell, part of us were curious as to what their whole package really looks like. And when it was already happening right before our very eyes, we can’t help but cringe. I don’t know I can’t help but see a tarantula in them. Eeww!! They’re better off hiding in their shells! Hahaha!!

So I googled it yesterday and learned that they’re what they call hermit crabs in English. My bad, really sorry!! I'm such a moron! :P When I found a certain website about an enthusiast of these animals, I recalled a certain informative show featuring on some persons domesticating them and treating them as their very own pets!! I mean yeah it was quite fascinating observing them from that dirty can (see pic below hahaha!!) but I don’t think I’ll ever own one of those for a pet. :P Further clicks on the search engine also revealed that there are uploaded Youtube videos when one crab changes shell to another. Eeeeccckkk!!! Haha!! Well of course, it’s a natural process for them as they grow bigger but I think you seldom see them naked (w/o a shell that is) and that’s why it was captured. :P


And that was my learning last Sunday. Hahaha!!! Anyways, the other day we visited the Bolinao Marine Laboratory where they keep giant clams for study and here’s the biggest they’ve got held by Kuya Jeff below. There’s actually one the size of a basin but it was removed I’m not sure.

Then there’s the sea urchin - held by Dek:

Sea cucumber and my big pimple, aaaarrrggghhh!!!

Does anyone of you have a cat for a pet? Well, there's this Pusakal (street cat) who's been residing in our rooftop for sometime now and ever since Papa started setting aside food for him or her few weeks ago, he felt like he's part of the household already. Well, he stays in the 2nd floor since Choi Choi growls at the sight of him. Haha!!

One time, I looked at him and saw that look similar to Puss In Boots in Shrek and started calling him Muningning in that tiny voice and he responded by meow-ing and rubbing its head against my legs. Well, okay that was quite affectionate and I was ready to open my heart to love the animal.

He started following me when I walked towards the comfort room he started following me which was okay until I felt a sharp pain in my legs and saw it bleeding!! I don't know if it's a bite or the kneading of the paw but just to be sure I started nursing the wound and observed myself for any rabies infection. Thankfully, I didn't feel any abnormality up to this day. I mean, up to this point, you believe I'm sane right?? Haha!! BAD PUSSY!! At different times in our household, we've nurtured about 7 dogs and puppies already and none of them did this to me!!

And that's the reason why I will never have a cat for a pet again - and hermit crabs! No offense to lovers of these animals. :P

Counting Islands

Can you see all of the 100 in here?? Hehe. :P

A panoramic shot from my cam:

And this is me wondering just exactly how much is an island here so I could name one for myself.:P

More news as and when. :)