Thursday, November 26, 2015
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ElsewhereYou'll find me elsewhere soon--but this blog will stay up, but not updated (oh gosh, re-reading this line made me sad, for some reason. But then again, things change and I think I need something new. Besides, I haven't blogged since 2012. My last entry regarding Kate Middleton. I still love her).In any case, for now, my adventures--I like to call them such--can be followed here:
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Friday, May 04, 2012
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 Kate and Pippa were tagged in Time’s 100 Most Influential People this year. Kate might be understandable, but Pippa? In fairness, these two are becoming influential by being prudent on what they share to the public. I quote Time, “Latter-day Mona Lisas, they smile mysteriously and keep their mouths closed. In an age of bleating, tweeting, confessional celebrity, the middle-class Middletons show real class.” True, in the age of social media and instant celebrity, they’re defying the norm and pulling it off. Photo Credit: Getting Alive
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Friday, April 27, 2012
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Book Rant/Rave
(I haven't done this in a while!)
I
am back to reading chick lit. For a while, I stopped reading Sophie Kinsella.
My only chick lit options were Emily Giffin—I very much enjoyed her no nonsense
protagonists and clear style of writing. She’s a very straightforward writer
and I found that lacking in most writers lately. Although yes it was chick lit,
the heroines don't necessarily get into strange situations that can obviously
be avoided. As opposed to Sophie Kinsella's heroines who can get entangled in
the most incredulous situations and get away with it.
Take
the Shopaholic series. I got the first three because I was so curious about it. That was my first chick-lit venture and splurge—all three at once with
the same edition (I am OC like that). Becky was cute at first with all her
inanities, but she never learned! I kind of gave up already; if not for Luke
(Kinsella has this way of making her male leads really amazing. Well, duh, it's
fiction). But the last three books, I gave up already! I thought it was already
over. Her other books outside the Shopaholic series - Can You Keep A Secret?
(so so), Undomestic Goddess (I liked this because we were in the same boat at
that time), Remember Me (meh) – were not that compelling. I skipped Twenties
Girl – I thought the premise was too out there. Haha!
So
while looking for a book to read one Saturday last month, I chanced upon I’ve Got Your
Number on Amazon and National. The story seemed safe enough so I bought it,
much to my surprise since I unconsciously stopped buying Sophie Kinsella books as
I was more on the lookout for Emily Giffin (I digress: Emily G is coming out
with a new book!).
The
story is about Poppy Wyatt, a physiotherapist, who loses her engagement ring
and her phone on the same day during a fire drill. She finds a phone thrown away in a rubbish bin and
decides to use it. Apparently it belongs to businessman Sam Roxton’s PA and he
wants the phone back. What ensues is a comedy of errors of how Poppy and Sam
share the phone and learn much about themselves in the process.
Haha
okay I sound like the summary on the book’s jacket. I was never good in coming
up with book summaries. Anyway, I actually got into the story and found Poppy
not as ditzy as the other heroines (I thought Becky was the worst, followed by
Can You Keep A Secret’s Emma Corrigan). She had her dubious moments like the
“Singles Ladies” bit (although I did LOL there) and SMSing Willow, but her
character definitely had more brains and heart than I thought.
And
let’s get into Sam. Oh my why does Sophie Kinsella have a way of making her
male protagonists so… perfectly flawed? He may have been brash at first, but
OMG when it came to the ending, I CRIED. Haha! Seriously.
So
yes for some brain candy, I reco this book! It may have been one of those incredulous
situations—especially the ending scenario—but the characters are relatable
enough to root for and love. Labels: rant-rave
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Friday, February 17, 2012
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I haven't been blogging nor journaling, although I can be found on Twitter a lot. I find Twitter more engaging than Facebook and I update always what I do or think about. How dangerous! Haha! But since I've been blogging and updating in Facebook for quite sometime now (actually more of the former, never got so involved in updating my FB), I've learned the art of being careful. My posts aren't so much about what I do but more of what's on my mind now. So yeah, pretty filtered and studied, but that's okay. I'm also a pretty reserved person in real life, except to those who know me well. :) My blog is beginning to look like a series of answered surveys! Yes, this week's 5 is coming up and this is only because there are things I want to sort out in my life... and I don't know how to express them yet. So I don't know exactly know what to write about. My journal has been blank as well since January because plenty of thoughts and concerns are cluttering my mind and I'm just too distracted to write them down. I need some quiet time to sort out and write, but I'm just not in the mood. Writing is my refuge, but right now I am running away from that because it's going to make me confront and study some issues I don't want to deal with just yet. Not right now, the first quarter. This quarter is what I have always said, something I have to get through first. And so I will. Oh yeah, I also need that nice Muji pen I am obsessing over. Ack. 1. What’s your favorite green article of clothing? It's not a favorite favorite, but it's an old, fail safe blouse (that I hope to retire soon). 2. What could you do with a little bit of extra spending green this weekend? I hope I understood this question! "Little bit of extra spending green," as in extra money? Then I'd buy books! I need something new to read. 3. In what way are you conservative of natural resources? It's not so much, but I really try to reuse scratch paper. I also bring an reusable bag when shopping so that at least it cuts down the use of plastic. 4. When did you last shoot some pool? Ahaha! College! It's not really our thing. 5. Of whom are you envious lately? People who are confident and know their place in the world.
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Monday, January 30, 2012
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I tweeted today that I needed to get through the first quarter of this year. It's a tough one until March - financially, work-wise, personally, emotionally. This quarter is sort of like my new year: I posted something on Twitter regarding how new year's resolutions might work better if you start in February. January is for getting over and detaching from the past year, as well as preparing oneself for the goals for the year ahead. Makes sense for me because it can be overwhelming during the holidays then trying to force new habits all of a sudden in January. It's a transition month, so to speak. So this January has been pretty steady, but still strangely tiring. It looks the same for the next two months, which requires me to stretch a bit, especially financially. It seems that I have been adjusting for the past six months already to a different quality of life and I can never get used to the changes just yet. For once, so many changes in my life - I still can't seem to recover from each blow, but maybe that's what makes life interesting now and I'll try to roll with the punches. January will be ending already and I'm already prepping for the new year resos to implement in February. It's not easy and I have to say this, I have a lot for food-related resolutions! And I have continuing plans for the second quarter. I just need to pull through February and March. In Tagalog, kailangan ko lang itawid ang first quarter. Very challenging, but holding on to the hope that this year will finally be so much better! Hey, it's supposed to be better for the Monkeys! But aside from that, I sincerely believe it is so. We really deserve this year for all the good things to carry forward. :)
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Thursday, January 05, 2012
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Finally, 2011 in review. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before? Moved to a new industry, new company. From banking to telco. Most interesting and challenging. Fly out internationally. I haven’t done that before because I always travelled with my family or friends. This time, I had to go out on my own. I hate the fact that being a single girl flying alone is such a flight risk! But I loved the feeling that I was alone and had to find my way around on my own. Travelling alone is still taboo with my parents but we shall see how we can work that out! Since I was new at work, I had no leaves yet so I went straight from my flight to work. So that’s about 48 hours with only four hours sleep. Good thing I was able to pull through with lots of coffee! Failed in my life. As in. Opened up to the universe and let it take its course (carefully). Learned to say no albeit I was so stressed. Veil sponsor fail! Haha it was my first time to be a veil sponsor and at my first destination wedding --- my cousin’s. Mastered driving in Quezon City to get my brother’s immobilizer. Attend project management and process/quality improvement workshops. Swim at 3am. Act like a rock star and “performed” in front of people during the Christmas party. I can’t act to save my life. Goodness. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Well. Okay. I said last year I would pray regularly. I did try to keep that up, it's a work in progress especially what happened last year. So that reso will still carry over to this year. Praying, trusting. For this year, let’s see. I plan to detox and visit the derma every quarter. Have a hair cut every one month and a half. Buy new clothes! Be able to go on retreat or at least a recollection and confession once a year. Check out the life coaching thingy (will see if I can budget that within the year). Have an exercise plan beginning second q of the year. Being sedentary is not a good thing. Cut down on snacking and McDonald's breakfasts. Be more responsible with my finances --- achieve the 1st q goal. Did anyone close to you give birth? My Mommy Pam (to Isaiah Zachary) and Ate Ina to twin girls! These girls are my "family" and I couldn't be happier for them. Did anyone close to you die? Not very close, but in the family. What countries did you visit? Singapore. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? Ahahaha, I will say this again, TRUE LOVE! Wahaha! But yes, true love and more travel (not opportunities na kase dapat travel talaga. As in actualized). Every year talaga! What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I sealed my fate (work wise) on August 1, 2011! Even if it was the beginning of the Ghost Month and Mercury Retrograde. Also, I opened to the universe then. Heehee! What was your biggest achievement of the year? I will have to say my being able to move from one industry to another. Very different industries and slightly different function too. So far, I like to think I am surviving! I also came up with a different, newer vision of myself already. Let's see if I can get there (I know I will!). What was your biggest failure? That I was not able to have good closure for something. That's it. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yes, a lot of colds and cough. I was such a sickly clam in the latter part of the year. It must be exhaustion or adjustment, I don't know lang. What was the best thing you bought? I always like to say anything to do with travelling is the best thing! Travel is really the most worthy investment for me. So even if it was a budgeted trip to SG (hostel, promo ticket to Universal, trains, bus, lots of walking), it’s still the nicest. Whose behavior merited celebration? Mine! My friends! Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I think I want to celebrate the good stuff now. Where did most of your money go? Coffee, milk tea, gas, parking, SG trip with friends. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to SG with my friends! Second time with Karina, first with Soul and Crissy. Beginning a new job in an industry I knew I wanted to get into, but I didn't know how to. Especially in the social media field --- I was super, super excited. What song(s) will always remind you of 2011? Adele’s Someone Like You, Rollin’ in the Deep Any The Script song, especially after their concert! Love You like a Love Song by Selena Gomez. Really like this song! Guilty pleasure! The World as I see it, I’m Yours by Jason Mraz We Fell in Love in a Hopeless Place by Rihanna Firework (again), Last Friday Night, The One That Got Away by Katy Perry Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 Super Bass by Nicki Minaj Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO Give Me Everything by Pitbull Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? Hmm. Tricky. Decisions I made this year were double-edged. ii. thinner or fatter? The same --- neither here or there. (But I honestly think fatter.) iii. richer or poorer? Financially poorer because I was in transition for two months and a half. What do you wish you'd done more? Enjoy and let loose. Chill. What do you wish you'd done less of? Complain! Rant! Bitterness! How many one-night stands? None. Did you fall in love in 2011? No! (Violent reaction! Bitterness! Ahaha!) What was your favorite TV program? Since there was a time the past year that I had a lot of TV time on my hands, it became a habit to watch any season available on TV of ANTM, Junior MasterChef, MasterChef and Pretty Little Liars. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Not anymore. Changes equate a lot of forgetting and consequently, forgiving. What was the best book you read? Still very much into Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy earlier this year. I also liked Ken Follett’s World Without End. It was an epic set in the Middle Ages, but I didn’t feel it was a chore to read through around 1,000 pages in tiny font. Other than that, I haven’t read all that much this year. Boo. On the other hand, I was so disappointed with Jeffrey Archer’s latest offering Only Time Will Tell. I know it’s the first of a trilogy, so I will suspend further judgment until we get the next books. Haha okay I could not resist ranting, he’s my favorite author so I felt so bad hating his book. What was your greatest musical discovery? Hmm none really? I just learned to appreciate Jason Mraz more after watching him live. What did you want and get? A new... life(style). Knowing how much I was addicted to working, being in a new job and company changed much of my lifestyle. I am still adjusting, but I am learning now to appreciate "work life balance." What was your favorite film of this year? I was going to say Crazy Stupid Love, X-Men: First Class (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender FTW) and/or Harry Potter 7.2 (it’s an end of an era!), but then I saw The Adventures of Tintin last November! I looooved it!! Growing up with those books/comics/classified-as-graphic-novels, it was a treat to watch it on the big screen. Intro pa lang, winner na. At first, I thought it was weird to have it as cartoons, but now I can't imagine it being a live action film. I love how Spielberg et al paid tribute to Herge by having a cameo in the movie. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? It was a Saturday. OH GOD I don't remember --- I think we had lunch and dinner as a family out. Lunch at Burgoo. I don’t remember the dinner. Haha! Nothing wild. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Lotsa travel sana, having a good closure and *coughTRUELOVEcough* (yes, Tea-tas, this is me trying not to be bitter). How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? Boring! Corny! Ano ba. What kept you sane? My friends. Super super kept me sane in the insanity I cause myself. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Strangely, none. What political issue stirred you the most? It's not really an issue... I just hated the whole NBI clearance system. So pathetic. The fact that the previous service provider wasn't able to turn over easily caused much trouble for everyone having their clearance done. For someone like me who had the luxury of time, it was very inconvenient already, what more the OFWs who have limited time here in the country. Who did you miss? I immensely missed my friends from my old job. I still do! Who was the best new person you met? My new officemates! Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011: It takes patience, a lot of verbalizing to the universe, believing and praying very hard to get through a lot of things. What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself: If I could remember what my friends told me last May... it was all good and left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling that I was a good person, after all. The most touching experience you've had this year? My send off. What did you like most about yourself this year? I took a leap into the unknown. What did you hate most about yourself this year? My quick temper. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: The dog days are over, the dog days are done. Was 2011 a good year for you? It was an interesting year. Very surprising --- I'm still reeling from it. What was your favorite moment of the year? I know this isn’t much for a lot of jetsetters, but it’s a big deal to me. :) After passing through Immigration and security in NAIA, I was supposed to go to the waiting area already. At that moment, I was alone in that hallway. It was already 10pm plus and there was no one around. I felt a burst of independence, fear, excitement, nervousness and amusement all at once that I had to stop and smile at myself. What was your least favorite moment of the year? January to August. A bit of a low point there. (A bit lang? Ang tagal ah.) Where were you when 2011 began? Home. Who were you with? Immediate family. Where will you be when 2011 ends? Home. Who will you be with when 2011 ends? Immediate family. How many concerts did you see in 2011? Two: The Script and Jason Mraz. Filipino audiences rock! The Script had so much fun with the sing along of the Pinoys. So did Jason who was overwhelmed with the crowd. We have the best crowds in concerts! Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2011? No, not really. Just during my send off. Do a lot of drugs in 2011? Nope. You do anything you are ashamed of this year? Yeah well. How much money did you spend in 2011? I don't exactly know --- not as much as last 2010, though. What was your proudest moment of 2011? That I had a choice, I made a choice, I stood by it. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2011? Wahaha! I do not have a rock star or acting bone in my body! Our department's Christmas party. I had to "be" David Bowie. Sadly, I did not pull it off. I hope there are no existing videos of that performance! If you could go back in time to any moment of 2011 and change something, what would it be? This is a funny question. There are plenty of moments, especially in the earlier part of the year that I wanted to change so many things! Things I regret I did. What are your plans for 2011? Wahaha buy new clothes! And per the Tea-tas' suggestion, dresses because I am always in jeans. Wahaha! Aside from that, travel a lot this year. Maybe shape my career more. How are you different now that the year has ended? I must have said this over and over --- I am still reeling from the past year. I thought I was content and settled at the end of 2010, but then things started to change in 2011. Now I'm still in awe at how things are turning out. If anything, I am believing even more so now in better things and possibilities ahead. What are your wishes for the new year? I hope that 2012 will be the start of better years full of love, laughter, friendship, happiness, contentment, travel and just all the good things! :)
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Monday, January 02, 2012
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Oh my! I have not given up this blog for Twitter -- no way will I give up this blog, it's almost 10 years old -- but I've been having a hard time reviewing 2011. I had been hemming and hawing over how to do my usual year-in-review. The past year was pretty much... surprising. At the end of 2010, I thought I was settled and ready to continue where I was; after all, I had learned to accept plenty of things. All of a sudden, and I mean that, I made a big decision (without really thinking it through, I will admit that now) and then, boom! My life was... not really in shambles, but I was in the middle of big changes that I was caught off-guard. And I thought I was already set where I was! It's crazy. Now I'm still marvelling where I am and maybe I am heading to be where I am supposed to be (let's see about that). That is my fervent wish. I sincerely believe now that things are beginning to change for the better and I will do my best to be a better person too.
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