Perfect for the end of the school year --

The University of Blogging Presents to kiteflying An Honorary Bachelor of Self Deprication Majoring in Babbling Signed Dr. GoQuiz.com ®

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Blogging Degree
From Go-Quiz.com

* * *

I'm Chocolate! --

Your Icecream Flavour is...Chocolate!

You are the all time favorite, chocolate! Turning white kids black since the 1800s. Staining carpets, car seats, and bed sheets for centuries. One thing is for sure, you will never go out of style. You can't go wrong with chocolate!

What is your Icecream Flavour?

Find out at Go Quiz

* * *

Fun, fun, fun! --

Design your own room!

Cute Penguin! --



* * *

Discoveries --

1. I can spend an entire weekend with my J in a place without television or internet.
2. I really, really love my J.
3. I'm glad I'm marrying him.

* * *

Share ko lang --

This is something one of my students wrote about Murakami's short story:

"The hundred percent lover is a paraphrase of true love. But because of the world we grew up in, we always require a direct quotation...

(We) will always seek to be logical about the matter. Like the man in the story, he derives an explanation of the feeling from a story that did or did not happen. Man is like that. He always has in his mind that the concept of falling in love should not be that simple. He does not let himself just fall in love but overthinks the situation that, by the time he realizes that he should go for it, the opportunity is gone.

Is love really a fallacy?

It becomes fallacious to the logical but magical to the irrational.

Is man both? Yes." - C.L. Lit13-E8

And what might seem to be a series of unfortunate events,
may in fact, be the first steps of a journey.
- Violet Baudelaire, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

This is something I would have to remember --

My J and I saw it today at Galleria 1. It's a nice movie and a fairly good adaptation of the stories by Lemony Snicket.

* * *

How good is your English? --

A curious test.

This is how I did --
Extreme Special Case
You scored 0% Beginner, 0% Intermediate, 87% Advanced, and 77% Expert!

Your test results are extremely interesting. Though your test scores in the beginner and intermediate levels weren't very high, you got at least 75% of the advanced and expert level questions correct. Possibly you guessed very well in the advanced and expert level sections? I don't know what else to say. You puzzle me immensely.

And I took the quiz again (although G and I had a laugh at the original results -- yes, I am a puzzle. ^_^)

English Genius
You scored 86% Beginner, 86% Intermediate, 93% Advanced, and 77% Expert!
You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

I wish --

I wish I could find the words to talk about how much I love my sister and how she is my source of comfort and wisdom.

One of my happy thoughts --

Stress Test! --

From my boss:
The pics attached are used to test the level of stress a person can handle. The slower the pictures move, the better your ability of handling stress is.

Alleged criminals see them spinning around madly while seniors and kids see them still.


for a bigger image, click here.


for a bigger image, click here.


for a bigger image, click here.

The number of the day is 11 and the word for the day is Chabon --

My J and I are celebrating our monthsary today and, for some strange reason, we decided to get each other Michael Chabon's books -- I got him a copy of Kavalier and Clay and he got me a copy of McSweeney's Thrilling Tales.

It happened last Wednesday after another session of place-in-Katipunan hunting. We found ourselves in Aeon Books (which is still on sale, btw). Of all the books there, it was the Chabon books that were calling out to us and so we got them -- impulse buy talaga. ^_^

But we are pleased with our purchases. ^_^

* * *

Wise words from a 50-something --

Wednesday evening, my J and I stayed up past our usual time to finish watching the movie "In Good Company," which stars Topher Grace and Dennis Quaid. It's a movie everyone in their 20s should watch.

"You're going to be okay."

That's what Dennis Quaid's character tells Topher Grace.

I found this somewhat reassuring. Hearing someone older (albeit a fictitious character) say that we will be okay.

I think our generation has been pressured to, not just perform, but to excel and we drive ourselves towards these goals. Failure is not an option and that is our greatest fear.

We need to pass Ateneo. We need to pass DLSU. We need to pass UP.
We need to get into a good course. We need to get good grades.
We have to work for good companies. We want promotions and good jobs and great salaries.

Notice the proliferation of tutorial centers -- these days, it doesn't seem to be enough that students do their best. They need someone to help them do better than their best.

And even then, it isn't enough.

During one tarot reading session with A, one of the things the cards told me is that I shouldn't be afraid of failure.

I was pushing myself to achieve, no -- to overachieve and I was forgetting to breathe.

I try to do that now. Once in a while, I let myself hang back a little because, really -- if I relax for a day, what's the worst thing that could happen?

I was recently observed in my Lit class and (my J could attest to this) I've been very tense and worried about the observation for some time now. I was trying to figure out how to teach the novel properly and efficiently -- I had outlines and transparencies and notecards. I read the novel twice in the span of 3 days.

When I went to my class for the test run (I had a day to test out the method I was going to use), it came out really bad. I did everything that we're told is good teaching but that was, perhaps, my worst session for Lit13.

On the day of the observation, while walking through my path, I thought -- screw it. I'll teach it the way I teach it. I'll teach it and make sure my kids enjoy the novel and appreciate literature more. Screw observation. Screw efficiency and proper methods.

I went in class that day and had the best lecture ever. The insights were amazing! After a semester of discussing insights and ideas about literature -- everything that they've read and thought about has culminated into a really great discussion of the novel.

True enough, when it was time to discuss the evaluation, the observer said that more could have been done -- that I needed to motivate my students more. Bottom line, it wasn't very good feedback.

Normally, news like that would crush me. But, for that day, I chose to focus on the fact that I did my best and I knew that my students were enjoying their class and that they were enjoying literature.

I thanked the observer for the feedback and made a note of it to myself for future reflection.

But, for that day, I breathed deeply and patted myself on the back for a good job and went out to lunch with friends.

* * *

More thoughts --

On the ride home last Wednesday, there was this high school student (couldn't identify the uniform) and her two friends. They had occupied an entire bench on the lrt. The girl was lounging while texting and her two friends had their bags on the seats.

When people came in, they didn't bother to ask for the seats. Instead, they endured the trip standing up.

Bleh.

I was reading about this one person who has a really bad rep in the business. When asked to explain her behavior, she said she was going through a difficult time, which was why she couldn't make the deadline for certain projects.

She caused a lot of people a lot of grief and yet they're giving her another chance.

I'm glad we give people an opportunity to start fresh -- but, paminsan, we take it too far.

Even in government, di ba -- we are aware that some of our officials have a speckled past -- pero we still vote for them and trust them with running our country.

We are too forgiving as a people. We excuse bad behavior at our own expense.

Fun Fun Fun! Day with the D's --

Met up with G and her cousin M for lunch. M dreamt about KFC so we decided to eat there -- this is before we realized that it was blistering hot and we were in the other side of the world (National Bookstore in Katipunan). Along the way we passed by many other chicken establishments -- World Chicken, Chicken Inasal, Kenny Rogers, etc. And we were bickering like crazy, telling M that she should have just dreamt something generic so we could escape the heat na.

And we were laughing like crazy.

Lunch at KFC was yum. I really, really love their chicken and their gravy and I was glad to be with people who shared the some love for their gravy (so they didn't mind the frequent trips to the gravy thermos).

M treated us to Belgian Bites after she went down to find the water dispenser (only to discover that KFC didn't have that). She ended up purchasing Iced Tea, which tasted odd. According to M and G, it tasted like grass. I took a sip of it and told them I thought it tasted like Lemon Iced Tea but they used Kalamansi instead of Lemon. G wondered why I didn't just say it was Kalamansi Iced Tea. I told her that it was because it tasted like it was Lemon Iced Tea but that they used Kalamansi but they're still marketing it as Lemon.

Yes, we are this silly.

We then went to Ice Monster. Another fun fun experience. We discovered that you can order extra toppings for PhP35. ^_^

And then off to Aeon Books. So many really good books! I wanted to buy so many of them but I didn't have the cash! >_<

There's this books called "The Eloquent Short Story: Variations in Narrative" and discussed the Short Story as Memoir, Short Story as Epistolary, etc. etc. Cool book.

There's this other book on poetry that I wanted to read.

~sigh~

Fun Fun Saturday. Thanks M and G! ^_^

What happens when you view the world from a different perspective? --

So my J and I watched Sideways last Thursday.

There were a lot of inconveniences that led up to watching the movie -- suffered the infernal afternoon heat, had to walk to Theater Mall because traffic was unbearable, my J had to rush from work to get home to QC and then rush to Greenhills for the movie (after coming from a 9-hour shift). We sat in the theater and, as the music started, I was thinking, "This movie better be worth all that trouble."

And it is.

Charmed. That's the word. I was charmed by the story and by the characters. You won't feel that 2 hours plus has gone by and, when the light goes back on at the end of the movie, you kinda wish it didn't yet because you want to see more.

Memorable Quote: When Miles (Paul Giamatti) talks to Maya (Virginia Madsen) about why he likes Pinot so much.

"Um, it's a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It's uh, it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's, you know, it's not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it's neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they're just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and... ancient on the planet."

Leftovers --

Comics Garage

We'll be posting more in the next few days. ^_^

* * *

This is exciting news for the siblings --

PCK the Musical!!!

Valentine's come and gone --

My J and I decided to spread our Valentine's celebration throughout the week -- yesterday was dinner at Chateau Verde. Then we're watching Constantine some time this week.

Dinner was amazing -- it was my first time there and my J had been promising to take me there for quite some time now and we finally got a chance to do so yesterday.

They had a special Valentine menu and we had their oysters (OMG, yum!) and seafood chowder (OMG, yum!) for starters. I had a salad and my J ordered the beef tenderloin. Everything was absolutely delicious. I didn't realize I was doing a commentary of the entire meal (which my sibs and I are inclined to do when we're in a new restaurant) until my J pointed it out.

I want to go back there on a regular day to try out their paella.

* * *

On a discussion of Murakami's "On Meeting..." --

My students had a blast! I never realized just how many questions this story would raise until we did a close reading of it in class. And the answers and insights -- galing!

We discussed the "problem" of the narrator's confession -- it begins "Once upon a time..." and we had to figure out whether that was real or not.

I got the best answer of the day from a student in my afternoon class (my more cerebral class, di ba E?) --

"The author is trying to capture the experience of falling in love and what we do when we are in love -- the reason for the "once upon a time" is to include the magic that happens when we fall in love. It is that moment of being real and, at the same time, unreal that those words try to contain. And it is up to the readers to believe in the magic or not."

Galing lang -- was so pleased with the discussions that day. ^_^

Am so proud of my Lit classes. *sniff*

So it's February 14 --

This time last year, I was getting ready to take the second (and last) part of the comprehensive exam for Lit.

It feels like time has contracted and bent itself so that February 14, 2004 and February 14, 2005 were just a day away from each other --

It doesn't feel like that much time has passed --

At 1:30 on February 14, 2004, my friend F and I were at Natural Spa in Katipunan treating ourselves to a post-compre steam and massage.

At 1:30 today, February 14, 2005, I'll be meeting students for their En11 consultation and preparing for my Lit13 class in between consultations.

In truth, I really don't know what to make of Valentine's Day. I was telling E last Friday that I feel this "pressure to perform" today -- as though I need to do something different, especially because I'm with someone.

I have a Starbucks coupon that gets me and my J two drinks for the price of one -- guess that's a start. ^_^

* * *

More on my J --

Friday, I was so tired after watching TA's 3PO -- I fell asleep and he tucked me in, leaned over to kiss me and turned off the lights.

Sunday, he surprised me by visiting early and accompanied me and my sister while we did our errands in the morning.

^_^

* * *

This person's thoughts on "Love and Heartbreak" --

E challenged me to think of this topic and come up with 101 insights about it.

I told my J about this and he said it's a bit hard to list 101 -- he suggested I do Top 10 lists on everything related to love and heartbreak.

I think I will try to come up with the lists later.

* * *

This is for my J --

"I Love You"
by Sarah Mclachlan

I have a smile
stretched from ear to ear
to see you walking down the road

we meet at the lights
I stare for a while
the world around us disappears

just you and me
on my island of hope
a breath between us could be miles

let me surround you
my sea to your shore
let me be the calm you seek

oh and every time I'm close to you
there's too much I can't say
and you just walk away

and I forgot
to tell you
I love you
and the night's
too long
and cold here
without you
I grieve in my condition
for I cannot find the words to say I need you so

oh and every time I'm close to you
there's too much I can't say
and you just walk away

and I forgot
to tell you
I love you
and the night's
too long
and cold here
without you

<-- I like the line about the world around us disappearing. It does that you know -- when I'm with you. I love you, hun. ^_^

For my hun --

If I had words to make a day for you
I'd sing you a morning, golden and new
I would make this day last for all time
Give you a night dipped in moon shine
- "If I Had Words" from Babe OST

* * *

Wanted: Interior Decorator --

If anyone knows anyone who's:
a. really good
b. affordable

I'd really appreciate getting his/her name and contact number.

Interesting Weekend --

Saturday:
Accompanied more members of the entourage to have their measurements taken. Fun people -- P and A, C and my cousin, S.

Went home and then went out with sister, my J and our friend C -- had dinner at AA, which serves really yummy inihaw and crispy hot squid.

Then I brought them to Kohikan where I urged my sister to try the super yummy Banana Shake. My J and C were a bit hesitant and they ordered other drinks -- my J got the Honey and C got Milk Oreo.

For people who find themselves in Greenhills Shopping Center, go to Kohikan and spend the PhP95 for the Banana Shake. ^_^

Sunday:
Spent the morning watching the Screen Actor Guild awards --

Was very happy to see CSI win for Best Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series.
Was surprised to find that Natalie Portman and Clive Owen were not nominated.
Was happy that Kate Winslet got recognized for her work in Eternal Sunshine.
Was sad when she lost to Hilary Swank.
Was pleased that Sideways won for Best Ensemble Cast in a movie.

And am now very, very curious to watch it.

In the afternoon, my J and I went to Galleria to watch A Very Long Engagement.

In a word? Wow.

In three? Go see it.

I wanted to watch it in a theater with Caramel Popcorn and the choices were limited: Galleria, Powerplant and Glorietta 4. Of the 3, Galleria is closest to my house and we figured that not a lot of people would be watching it because it was:
a. an art film
b. in French
c. very long (2hours++)

Some pleasant discoveries:
The Galleria Cinema 1 is very nice. The seats are comfy.
We got drinks from Taka's Tea Bar and we tried the Kiwi Green Tea and the Taka's Original Yogurt. I thoroughly enjoyed the Original Yogurt and my J loved the Kiwi Green Tea.

* * *

And today --

Is Monday and a holiday for Ateneo. I don't really know what I want to do today.

Will probably read and prepare for my classes on Wednesday.

Whee! --

My bro arrived from India yesterday and he got me the funkiest pair of shoes ever! And a new leather journal.

And then, this morning, I got a notice from the Post Office -- it turns out my friend C in Shanghai sent me some stuff -- wedding magazines and really, really cute keychains and a postcard.

To me bro and to C!!! Thanks!!!

* * *

Oh, and --

Watched Elektra with my J today. Not bad, but not that good either -- there were "cringe" moments when the dialogue didn't work --

Sayang, the film had such promise pa naman.

I loved that Typhoid Mary scene --

Remember? --

I think I'll just walk right up to that little red-haired girl and introduce myself. I think I'll introduce myself and then I think I'll ask her to come over here and sit next to me. I think I'll ask her to sit by me and then I think I'll tell her how much I've always admired her... I think I'll flap my arms and fly to the moon.

HAPPINESS

CHARLIE BROWN:
HAPPINESS IS FINDING A PENCIL.

SNOOPY:
PIZZA WITH SAUSAGE

LINUS:
TELLING THE TIME.

SCHROEDER:
HAPPINESS IS LEARNING TO WHISTLE.

LINUS:
TYING YOUR SHOE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

SALLY:
HAPPINESS IS PLAYING THE DRUM IN YOUR OWN SCHOOL BAND.

CHARLIE BROWN:
AND HAPPINESS IS WALKING HAND IN HAND.
HAPPINESS IS TWO KINDS OF ICE CREAM.

LUCY:
KNOWING A SECRET.

SCHROEDER:
CLIMBING A TREE.

CHARLIE BROWN:
HAPPINESS IS FIVE DIFFERENT CRAYONS.

SCHROEDER:
CATCHING A FIREFLY.
SETTING HIM FREE.

CHARLIE BROWN:
HAPPINESS IS BEING ALONE EVERY NOW AND THEN.

ALL:
AND HAPPINESS IS COMING HOME AGAIN.

CHARLIE BROWN:
HAPPINESS IS MORNING AND EVENING,
DAY TIME AND NIGHT TIME TOO.
FOR HAPPINESS IS ANYONE AND ANYTHING AT ALL
THAT'S LOVED BY YOU.

LINUS:
HAPPINESS IS HAVING A SISTER.

LUCY:
SHARING A SANDWICH.

LUCY AND LINUS:
GETTING ALONG.

ALL:
HAPPINESS IS SINGING TOGETHER WHEN DAY IS THROUGH,
AND HAPPINESS IS THOSE WHO SING WITH YOU.
HAPPINESS IS MORNING AND EVENING,
DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME TOO.

CHARLIE BROWN:
FOR HAPPINESS IS ANYONE AND ANYTHING AT ALL
THAT'S LOVED BY YOU.

(The cast filters out, waving "good night" to Charlie Brown, but Lucy stays, and and stands in silence for a moment before finally saying:)

LUCY:
You're a good man, Charlie Brown.

BOWS

ALL:
HAPPINESS IS MORNING AND EVENING,
DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME TOO.

CHARLIE BROWN:
FOR HAPPINESS IS ANYONE AND ANYTHING AT ALL
THAT'S LOVED BY YOU.

CHARLIE BROWN:
HAPPINESS IS ANYONE
HAPPINESS IS ANYTHING (repeated 2 times)

HAPPINESS IS ANYONE

SNOOPY:
OH, YOU'RE A GOOD MAN (repeated 4 times)

LUCY AND SCHROEDER:
YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN (repeated 4 times)

YOU'RE A GOOD MAN...

LINUS AND SALLY:
HAPPINESS IS A TREE TO CLIMB
SOMEONE LEARNING TO TELL THE TIME
ANYTHING THAT IS LOVED BY YOU

Tuesday was Jude Law day --

My J and I watched Alfie and then Closer --

Natalie Portman and Clive Owen deserved their wins for the Golden Globe and their nominations for the Oscars. (And I'm rooting for them to win)

Sayang lang because after Garden State and Closer, Natalie Portman's next "big" role is Star Wars Episode 3.

I'm a Star Wars fan but, bleh pa rin.

* * *

Movies to watch --

1. A Very Long Engagement
2. Elektra
3. Assault on Precint 13
4. Without a Paddle

I want a theater with caramel popcorn please ^_^

* * *

Plans for Valentines? --

On February 14, I'm letting my Lit classes read Murakami's "On meeting my 100 percent woman one fine April morning" --

This Friday, we're discussing "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" and next week, they get treated to a discussion on comic books and graphic novels (thanks, E!) and to Bradbury's "August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains"

I love my lit classes.

~sniff~ ^_^

A very, very interesting website --

Koreanfilm.org has a list of all the Korean films made in a certain year, plus a review.

* * *

New Mall! --

My J and I went to Robinson's Place-Pioneer yesterday. We decided to watch "Meet the Fockers," which I thought was hilarious!

The cinema was clean and the seats were very comfy. Tickets are PhP100 and they do free seating. I was a bit disappointed with the popcorn/snack bar: no buttered popcorn. Strange.

We had dinner at Lamesa ni Gracia -- yummy yung lechon kawali and the prices are very reasonable.

The mall itself is small -- and there really isn't anything interesting there, except for the main branch of Hot Loops.

And National Bookstore.

And that's about it.

A Tribute to Fr Galdon --

We’re giving Fr Bob Hope a Valentine’s party! JOIN US!

Date: 19 February, Saturday
Time: 3-6 pm
Where: College Cafeteria

No fee, no charge. Just have a chat with Fr G. It makes him happy to see and be with people who have been a part of his life.

We’ll have a microphone there. We hope you can make Fr G sing with you, as he used to do before.

* * *

Wackiness: 40/100
Rationality: 30/100
Constructiveness: 30/100
Leadership: 20/100

You are a SEDF--Sober Emotional Destructive Follower. This makes you a Evil Genius.

You are extremely focused and difficult to distract from your tasks. With luck, you have learned to channel your energies into improving your intellect, rather than destroying the weak and unsuspecting.

Your friends may find you remote and a hard nut to crack. Few of your peers know you very well--even those you have known a long time--because you have expert control of the face you put forth to the world. You prefer to observe, calculate, discern and decide. Your decisions are final, and your desire to be right is impenetrable.

You are not to be messed with. You may explode.

Of the 84293 people who have taken this quiz since tracking began (8/17/2004), 14.3 % are this type.

This and a bunch of other quizzes here.

Some peeps might be interested --

The 33rd Bi-Annual Conference carries the theme "Critical Thinkers, Readers, and Viewers: Revitalizing the Language Classroom Through Mass Media"

Date: Saturday, February 05, 2005
Time: 8:30am - 5:00pm
Venue: Walter Hogan Conference Center, ISO Complex, Ateneo de Manila University

Keynote Speaker, SHEILA S. CORONEL (Executive Director, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism), shares her ideas in a talk entitled "THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT THE MEDIA: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE MASS MEDIA AND THE MANUFACTURE OF MEANING."

Parallel Workshops facilitated by English teachers from Ateneo de Manila University and Xavier School follow the keynote address. These whole-day workshops will demonstrate how grade school, high school and college English teachers can use mass media texts such as news stories, print ads, film, the Internet, and other authentic materials as pedagogical tools and allow learners to interact more meaningfully with them.

For reservations and inquiries, please call VICKY CALDERON at telefax 426 4322 or trunkline 426 6001 ext. 5315.

Trying to make sense of it --

You know how sometimes a word can cause a spark and you try to make some sense of the "how" and "why" but you can't seem to do so?

<-- did that make sense? ^_^

Well, I had an episode of that this morning:
Over coffee with my cubicle mates, we were discussing current loves, current crushes, etc. and it was something one of them said that left an impression on me --
she was talking about how her current crush seems to have the qualities to contain her --

And that was the word "contain" --

A part of me identifies with that word -- there is something in me that has quieted and calmed because it knows it has found a safe place in my J.

I've been wandering and running away for far too long --

For the first time in a really long time, I'm feeling stable and secure and I can see a future and I know that it is a bright one.

I really love my J.

* * *

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABS!

Curious reads --
Why There's No Escaping the Blog

2004 Toy Wonders: The Music Aficionado

All from this month's issue of Fortune Magazine.

From one of M's LJ friends --

Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Practice wellness.
Play with abandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Appreciate your friends.
Continue to learn.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.

-Mary Anne Radmacher

... I did a search of Radmacher's other works and here's what I found:



And this:
"what can we ask of each other? to simply laugh - to love as deeply as possible - to trust as far as our hearts can willingly go - if there is more than this to ask of our love, we will choose the questions together."

Ah, serendipity! --

While looking for the lyrics to the theme song of "Barefoot in the Park," I came across this:

the jane fonda song
(barefoot in the park)
by: wm micah

i'd walk in the park with you
even barefoot if you want me to
and just like robert redford
i would marry you

i'd live in an apartment home
that's 4-by-4 or 2-by-2
as long as i can get through the door
i'll be there with you

i'd lose my tie for you
if you want me to
i'd climb to the chandelier
if i couldn't reach the moon
you be my silver-screen
rising young beauty queen
you be my jane fonda
and i will be with you

i'd deal with the neighbors if
they had to get to you
even put up with the hole in the roof
while the snow keeps coming through

i'd sleep on the couch
every other night if i had to
as long as i could spend my days
alone here with you

i'd lose my tie for you
if you want me to
i'd climb to the chandelier
if i couldn't reach the moon
you be my silver-screen
rising young beauty queen
you be my jane fonda
and i will be with you

Which I found from this website -- now if I could only hear how this song goes.

Busy, busy, busy --

Been haring around the city for the past few weeks and yesterday was the busiest yet:
- attended a bridal expo at The Fort
- attended a birthday party for a really beautiful 1-year old
- had dinner and dessert with two of my favorite people in the world

It's Sunday morning and about to go off for my morning walk (<-- a resolution for the year, which I'm glad to keep).

~sigh~

And my week is oh-so-full! ^_^

Don't get me wrong, I like it that I'm being kept busy by all these activities but, there's a part of me that's demanding that I stop to smell the roses.

I'm glad that everything is running smoothly right now -- and all the plans my J and I have are falling into place and I'm looking forward to the day when all the gears will just move along and we can just sit back and enjoy the whole show.

^_^

* * *

About the dinner --

Funny thing -- it was supposed to be a girls' night out and it was naman ... to a certain extent --

During the course of the evening, we had to contact our significant others to tell them where we were and where we were going next. It turns out that my cousin's hubby was somewhere around Greenbelt and Landmark walking around and waiting for my cousin and my J was watching a movie in Glorietta to pass the time.

Cute ng boys namin. ^_^

* * *

How can I forget? --

Sale season! Was in Galleria yesterday and treated myself to a really cool top from Topshop and a very girly, flirty, swishy skirt from Dorothy Perkins.

All on sale, btw. ^_^

Bleh --

Can't believe it -- am sick. I couldn't make it down the stairs of my house.

I think it's the weather.

~sigh~ I was looking forward to my student's presentations pa naman.

Check my sidebar --

<--- The Adventures of Stinky and Tin is our joint blog. That's where we'll talk about our plans for our big day.

* * *

Wonderful, wonderful movies --

Met up with my J in Makati and we decided to make a trip to Makati Cinema Square. With Virra Mall closed, this has become the place where we get our *ahem* "fix".

We got a copy of Napoleon Dynamite, which my J has been raving about for the longest time. My cousins from the US were in the country for the holidays and they also recommended this movie to us.

We watched it this afternoon. (I'm bad at reviews -- sorry ^_^;;;) -- I liked the movie. It's very well written and intelligent. Quirky yung characters but they're all so charming. Basta, fun movie siya.

At 845pm, we started watching Garden State. This is a "wow" movie -- grabe. One of the reviews for this movie compared it to "Lost in Translation" and that was what intrigued me about this movie. I don't know why, but the statement that comes to mind right now is this: I was charmed by the movie.

It's just so lovely!

Freaky/fun thing about the movie -- it's about 26-year olds. (Which was our age a week ago ^_^)

And Zack Braff is a cutie.

... Oh, we also found a copy of "Irreversible", but I was too scared to get it. I don't know if I'm ready to watch it. (This is also the same reason why I haven't seen "The Passion of Christ" yet.)

* * *

A reason to go "yay!" --

I went for a haircut today -- a very expensive one. But it was soooo worth it. I haven't felt this good about my hair in a very long time.

I have bangs! ^_^

Variation On The Word Sleep
by: Margaret Atwood

I would like to watch you sleeping,
which may not happen.
I would like to watch you,
sleeping. I would like to sleep
with you, to enter
your sleep as its smooth dark wave
slides over my head

and walk with you through that lucent
wavering forest of bluegreen leaves
with its watery sun & three moons
towards the cave where you must descend,
towards your worst fear

I would like to give you the silver
branch, the small white flower, the one
word that will protect you
from the grief at the center
of your dream, from the grief
at the center I would like to follow
you up the long stairway
again & become
the boat that would row you back
carefully, a flame
in two cupped hands
to where your body lies
beside me, and as you enter
it as easily as breathing in

I would like to be the air
that inhabits you for a moment
only. I would like to be that unnoticed
& that necessary.

<-- wow, di ba? ^_^

Weird curved notched thing

You're this weird curved bar with a tiny flat plate
with a single peg. No one really knows what to
do with you, and usually end up trying to throw
you into some avant-garde looking thing where
you stick out like one of a dozen sore thumbs.


What Lego piece are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Whee! --

Had a fun (but hectic) weekend and an even better Monday --

Saturday, I had lunch with two of my closest friends from college -- J and F and I told them my big news. They were both so happy and excited for me. ^_^

We had lunch at Pagliacci in Podium. The food there is decent and the service is great. I would want to try their gelato next time. ^_^

Sunday was nice and restful -- spent the day at home with my J. Late in the afternoon, we walked to church and then to Starbucks where we shared a Toffee Nut Latte Frapuccino and tried some stuff from that fried snack place near it. It was a great way to prepare for the week ahead. ^_^

Met up with M for lunch on Monday. Ahh -- this was wonderful. It's always great to be around someone with so much energy and love for life. We had lunch at Fruit Magic and then had dessert at Starbucks. Finally got to try the bread pudding -- yum!

He's letting me "borrow" one of his songs for my day. ^_^ Thankies M!

ONE BOY
from Bye Bye Birdie the Musical

Kim:
One boy
One special boy
One boy to go with
And talk with
And walk with
Kim and Girls:
One boy
That's the way it should be
Yeah, yeah!
That's the way it should be
One boy
One certain boy
One boy to laugh with
To jump with
Have Coke with
One boy
Not two or three
Kim:
One day you'll find out
This is what life is all about
You'll need someone who
Is living just for you
Kim and Girls:
One boy
One steady boy
One boy to be with
Forever and ever
One boy
That's the way it should be
That's the way it should be
That's the way it should be

Rosie
When will he find out
This is what life is all about?
Will he ever see
I need him and he needs me?
One guy
One special guy
One guy to live for
To care for, be there for
One guy
That's the way it should be,
That's the way it should be...

we met up with some of my J's friends for a movie at Glorietta 4. Finally got to watch Kung Fu Hustle -- fun fun movie -- go watch it peeps! ^_^ Had dinner at the food court and got to eat World Chicken. I love World Chicken. ^_^

When I got home, some books that I ordered online finally arrived! The first two books from the Mary Poppins series, David Lodge's The Art of Fiction: Illustrated from Classic and Modern Texts, A Reader's Guide to AS Byatt's Possession and THE RENT ORIGINAL JAPANESE CAST CD!!!!!

The CD contains three songs: Seasons of Love, Another Day and Rent. Grabe -- even in a foreign language, goosebumps galore pa rin. ^_^

Today promises to be fun also. Meeting up with my J for lunch in Makati and then we're off on more of our adventures. ^_^

* * *

Oh --

and I love my J.

And she said yes --

And the deal came with a lovely ring and the promise of a lifetime of warm hugs and laughter galore.

You get your answers from the strangest places --

Here I am, wishing in my head to read something reassuring and then --

My horoscope today:
Daily Couples:
Full speed ahead -- as long as your seat belt's fastened. Before barreling ahead to the finish line, grab your sweetie's hand and let it be a tie race.

Extended Forecast:
On the one hand, you're feeling just about uncontrollably excessive and lavish and extremely (uncharacteristically) unconcerned with the bill that will inevitably arrive next month. On the other hand, your ordinarily frugal nature is tugging desperately at the back of your mind, just about begging you to at least try to stop yourself. Forget that. It's the time to play. Why play halfway? Go ahead. Have the fun you're after. All of it.

... Thank you Yahoo!Astrology. ~sniff~

The plan --

Blade Trinity (Cinema 3) at 2:30
Kung Fu Hustle (Cinema 2) at 5:10

Hurrah!

Happy Birthday to us --

Tomorrow, we turn 27. My J was born at 8:43 am and I was born at 10:00 am.

* * *

On the tragedy --

This morning I was confronted with just how devastating that tragedy was -- one of my cubiclemates' students was a victim in the tsunami. She was a sophomore Bio student. She and my cubiclemate were very close and would usually have a chat every MWF when my cubiclemate comes out of her 8:30 - 9:30 class.

Today was the first time they did not meet.

It made the return to school a bittersweet event -- not only do you come back to welcome your students, but also to check who's there and who isn't and wonder whether they were in one of the places hit by the tsunami.

I spoke about my thoughts on the tragedy during my En11 class. I was on the verge of tears as I spoke about how it's strange to be greeting each other a Happy New Year when there is this happening outside us.

~sigh~

~Sigh~ --

Where did the time go? I have to go to work in a bit. Bleh.

Gads, if I'm feeling this way, I wonder what my students must be feeling right now.

And I have a medium-sized pile of papers that is still waiting for me. ~Haaaaaaay~

And with the store gone, I have to figure out how to commute home at the end of the day. Bleh.

* * *

Treat last night --

Getting to watch "There She Goes" performed by The LA's and then by Sixpence on MYX. Really cute song.

End of the Year Survey

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Took a leap of faith and fell in love.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
The most important one, yes -- the rest are a blur.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yup. My friend J last December 27 to a daughter.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
Hong Kong. (My answer last year, too -- Bleh. Need to make plans na for the summer.)

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
Determination to complete my Master's. The ability to slow down.

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March, 2004 - 50 First Dates ^_^
March 17, 2004 - Lovers' Concerto
March 25, 2004 - the walk from Galleria to Podium
late May, 2004 - getting a job
December 22, 2004 - the store closed; I got a pretty little present from my J ^_^

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting to teach in Ateneo. Getting very good feedback/evaluation from the teachers and students. Passing the compre.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Lots! -- but I don't want to dwell on them. <-- my answer last year ^_^

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, thank God. I'm more conscientious now about taking my vitamins and staying healthy.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My Sony Ericsson K500i. My 2 pairs of rubber mary janes.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
<-- still don't know how to answer this one.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
<-- see no. 12

14. Where did most of your money go?
Clothes. VCDs and DVDs. <-- my J is educating me on film appreciation. ^_^ Books!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The prospect of the coming year and the many many changes I will be encountering. Getting to teach Intro to Fiction. My J.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
"Obvious" by Westlife <-- although, my J wishes otherwise. Wahahahah! XD
"Crash into Me" by Dave Matthews Band
"The Way You Look Tonight" <-- no particular singer. I usually sing a few lines from this when I'm out with my J.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? Same.
iii. richer or poorer? Same.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Write. <-- *sigh* same answer last year

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worry. Give in to insecurity.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it with my family and my J. ^_^

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Yes!!!

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Iron Chef. Nigella Lawson's shows on Lifestyle. Amazing Race.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really hate -- more of "not like"

26. What was the best book you read?
Mike Gayle's books. Wendelin Van Draanen's Flipped. Jasper Fforde's stuff.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
-- The Broadway Musicals Wicked and Avenue Q.

28. What did you want and got?
Someone to share my life and all that I experience with.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Incredibles. 2046. A Mighty Wind.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I'm 26 and turning 27 in a few days. Will be having a series of lunches and dinners with friends during the week ahead. On the day itself, my J and I plan to do a movie marathon at Shangri-la.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I thought it was a pretty good year for me. ^_^

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
More girly. I wasn't afraid to wear tank tops. Havaianas. This year, I'm going with sensible more-girly shoes. <-- found a really funky pair from Hush Puppies. Sooooo comfy!

34. What kept you sane?
My J. My sibs.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Still Tony Leung Chiu Wai.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Stupid Pork Barrel issue.

37. Who did you miss?
No one really. I wasn't very angsty this year.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
my cubicle mates sa English Dept. ^_^

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
Have faith in yourself.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"It’s a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
It’s a beautiful day"
- U2, Beautiful Day

* * *

First post of the year --

It was a season of taking chances -- literally! My J had to take his chances at the airport so he could be with me for Christmas. My sibs and I had to go through a very harrowing (but ultimately rewarding) experience just to get the earlier flight.

It was a season of taking chances -- at the start of the year, it was all about putting down walls and letting people in. It was about opening up to people and letting them share with you their lives and experiences. It was about letting go of everything and taking that great big leap into the unknown and saying "yes" to love.

It was all about learning to trust yourself and the decisions that you make and being able to look at the future and see its possibilities rather than its obstacles.

Bleh. So dramatic. ^_^

Basta. I'm excited for the coming year.

Yun lang.

Let's get interactive! --

Post a comment in reply to this entry and...
1. I will tell you what song reminds me of you;
2. I will tell you what celebrity/public/fictional person you remind me of, either personality-wise or looks-wise;
3. I will give you one word that I associate with you when I think of you; and
4. I will tell you what colors I associate with you.

Copy and post; spread the love.

* * *

Thoughts for the day --

So it's the last day of the year and, strangely enough, my last day here in Iloilo (I return to Manila tomorrow afternoon) --

We never really make plans for a New Year Eve celebration -- it's usually just church and then sleep. Yep, we know how to parteeeh~

Bleh.

I'm looking forward to going back to Manila (to my PC, my TV, my clothes, my J, etc. etc.) and I'm really excited about celebrating my birthday with my J this year.

I was planning to make a list of my New Year's resolutions and I decided to check my entries for January this year to see if I had fulfilled any of them. I guess I didn't write them down here. ^_^;;;

For the coming year, I think I can sum it up to this: To let go and be.

I don't want to bother myself about my weight.
I don't want to bother myself about negativity.
I don't want to bother myself with people who are deadset in bringing you down.
I don't want to bother myself with insecurities.
etc.
etc.

I just want to let it all go and be.

Life's too short to be bothered by all this. I just want to go and enjoy my life (and to have as much fun with my J! ^_^)

* * *

Happy New Year everyone!

From "A Mighty Wind" --

A Kiss At The End Of The Rainbow

Ohh when the veil of dream has lifted,
And the fairy-tales have all been told.
There's a kiss at the end of the rainbow,
More precious than a pot of gold.

In tales of ancient glory,
Every knight and maiden fair.
Shall be joined when the quest is over,
And the kiss is the oath that they swear.

And when the veil of dream has lifted,
And the fairy-tales have all been told.
There's a kiss at the end of the rainbow,
More precious than a pot of gold.

My sweet, my dear, my darling,
You're so far away from me.
Though an ocean of tears divides us,
Let the bridge of our loss span the sea.

Your kiss....
There's a kiss at the end of the rainbow,
More precious than a pot of gold.

<-- My J and I were so surprised to find a VCD copy of this movie in the local Astrovision for PhP99! I remember seeing this song performed during the Oscars the year it was nominated for best song --

When we were watching the movie -- goosebumps galore! It was so well executed and clever! I'm thinking of buying the rest of the copies here in Iloilo = 2 and will be giving them to friends who might like them. ^^

Oh ... and I think I would like this song played at my wedding. ^_^

An Amazing Race --

It started last Wednesday, when my J found out he was getting the 24th and 25th free instead of the 27th and 28th. He was planning to join me in Iloilo on the 26th -- but with that news, we had to scramble and find a ticket for him on the 23rd.

It's the Christmas season and all flights to anywhere would be fully booked. My J decided to try his luck and went to the airport as a chance passenger. He went there at 7am and, at 9, there were seats available on the Bacolod flight. (We checked all the possible connections: Manila - Bacolod; Manila - Roxas, etc.)

By the time he got to the counter, however, it was too late and the flight had already left.

~sigh~

He was able to make the 455pm flight to Bacolod, but missed the last ferry from Bacolod to Iloilo. He had to stay in a crap pension house for the night and took the 7am ferry to Iloilo the next day.

Oh what fun it is to have my hunny here for Christmas. ^_^

We went mad shopping for pajamas and shirts at SM Department store and the Surplus Shop. I took him to all the yummy food places here -- (oh, my poor waist. ^_^;;;)

He left for Manila yesterday evening.

~sigh~ I wish he could have stayed a little longer.

It was wonderful being able to spend the holidays with him. It was great to be able to share all these moments with him.

I wish I could have been there during his first plane ride --
I wish I could have been there with him to explore Bacolod --

But, like my sister said, this is one trip in a lifetime of trips that I will be taking with him.

* * *

Iloilo --

I love it here. I love being able to relax and just walk around with my J -- it isn't so busy here. One could go into SM Department store and take one's time browsing and trying on things.

And how reasonably priced everything is! My J and I went on a "date" and ate batchoy for lunch. Total cost = PhP98 for 2 extra super special batchoy and PhP30 for 2 drinks.

* * *

Bleh --

I think my J and I are both coming down with a cold -- our joints were aching yesterday, but we thought it was because of the weather. This morning, I'm feeling a bit weak and there's a slight tickle in my throat.

Am drinking loads of orange juice and taking Sinutab.

Poor hunny, had to go to work this morning --

* * *

Possibilities for January --

My J and I will spend our birthday doing a movie marathon --

On our list:
1. Kung Fu Hustle
2. Ocean's 12
3. Blade: Trinity

My mom and dad watched "Mano Po 3" and they say it's really nice. I'm still wanting to watch "Enteng Kabisote" for sentimental reasons. ^_^

* * *

Hope everyone's resting well and enjoying their Christmas breaks.

Take care all!

How can I forget? --

Books for the year:
5. Wislawa Szymborska's books
4. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3. Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
2. Angels and Demons & Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
1. Flipped by Wendelin van Draanen

* * *

Adventures! --

Monday, December 20:
Met up with my J's friends and finally got to meet P, N's girlfriend. We decided to have dinner at Super Bowl of China in Glorietta and went crazy over the suckling pig. *Yum!*

After dinner, we decided to go to Time Zone. (Can't remember when was the last time I visited Timezone. ^_^) I had so much fun! My J beat me at Skeeball. >_< We did that rafting/rowing game -- which was really silly of us.

Best part was when we decided to splurge and had a sketch of ourselves done by the "Van Gogh Machine" -- we had one done na caricature and another one na regular. Cute! ^_^

Tuesday, December 21:
Had some errands in Alabang -- yes, Alabang with my J and youngest bro. After the errand, we had ourselves dropped off at Little Tokyo because I wanted my bro to experience the place. We ended up at the same Okonomiyaki place my J and I ate at the last time. My bro loved it there and is planning a field trip there with his class.

We went to Greenbelt3 and then took the MRT to Shangri-la.

It is impossible to go anywhere these days -- with the traffic being what it is.

Wednesday, December 22:
Was packing a bag and discovered a box that leads to a great adventure -- potentially the greatest adventure of my life. Hurrah! ^_^

* * *

Online Comic Goodness! --

Gashapon Shop

<--- sooooo cute! ^_^

Something I got from M's blog --

Five Things You May Not Know About My Time in School:
1. I suffered a slight crisis during my junior year and didn't attend classes for an entire week.
2. I really enjoyed Chemistry.
3. I had to load rev out of a class on CS Lewis because I couldn't handle it.
4. I got delayed for an entire year because I wanted to take more of Prof. Torres's classes in grad school
5. Our speech teacher gave me a failing mark because she didn't like me.

Five Things You May Not Know About the Job/s I Have (or Had or Don't Have):
1. I cried in front of one of my classes.
2. I used to get paid in taho. (Summer job ^_^)
3. During an interview, when I was asked why I wanted to teach, I answered "because I want to be a man for others" and, when asked what salary I was expecting, I answered "pay me what you think my service is worth." -- napaka-idealistic ko dati ...
4. I used to write press releases for the Black Shop -- not sure if they ever used them, though
5. My current job is my dream job and one that I worked hard (and waited for so long) to get.

Five Things You May Not Know About My Online Life:
1. I enjoy blogging.
2. Some of my favorite stops are Amazon.com and Amazon UK and Amazon Japan.
3. My friend M got my started on blogging and was actually the one who gave me my online name: kiteflying.
4. I love having DSL connection.
5. The first thing I check when I go online is my mail.

Five Things You May Not Know About Where I Live:
1. I live on the loft of a condominium unit on the 4th floor of a 4-storey building.
2. The place where I stayed at during college had a "presence" and my sister actually saw it in a dream.
3. The most expensive item in this house is my computer table.
4. During the renovation in Iloilo, my mom decided to color coordinate rooms and had mine painted a god-awful peach.
5. I used to have a red bedsheet and it made me feel like I was lying on the fires of hell.

Five Things You May Not Know About My Home Life:
1. I love my sibs.
2. I used to cook and we would have theme nights (Mexican, Japanese, Junk Food, etc.)
3. Our yaya doesn't like me. =(
4. I love early mornings because that's when the house is quietest.
5. I had fun growing up.

Five Things You May Not Know that I Desperately Want:
1. The ability to be calm and not stress out when things don't go as planned.
2. A fast metabolism
3. Someone's forgiveness -- I want things to be as they were before.
4. the motivation to finish my thesis so I could graduate
5. i want to be less controlling of the things around me

Five Embarrassing Fannish Admissions I Have That You May Not Know:
1. I loved the Spice Girls and we would listen/exercise to their music.
2. I love watching the Sunday afternoon talk shows for showbiz chismis.
3. We actually followed the RENT-Manila cast around for all their performances. -- We ended up in Freedom Bar for Ugoy Ugoy gigs; Alabang for a play one of the cast directed, etc. <-- not really embarrassing, but very fangirl
4. During last year's C3Con -- when I was introduced to Carlos Pagulayan (who did the art for Elektra), I went "OHMYGODYOURECARLOSPAGULAYANIABSOLUTELYLOVEYOURWORK!" -- I started taking pictures and even took a 15s video clip of him drawing.
5. My hands were cold when I shook Q's hand the first time I ever met him. (Because I am such a fan of his work)

Five Things You May Not Know About What I Do in a Typical Day:
1. I check my calendar to see if I have anything scheduled for the day.
2. I exercise! <-- yes, this is true
3. Spend so much time with my J (and it's never enough time! I want more!)
4. Read the morning paper in the car on our way to work
5. Have a KFC Asian Chicken Salad on Tuesdays and Thursdays for lunch

* * *

And this one is from G's blog --

Top Five Life-Changing Experiences
5. passing the compre
4. getting a job in Ateneo
3.
2. the store closing
1. my J <-- bet you saw this one coming a mile away ^_^

Top Five Musical Finds
5. college acapella groups
4. benzxi and sofia / wholly grail
3. osts! (TRTL, etc)
2. joss stone
1. wicked and avenue q


Top Five Success Stories
5. my bro finding a job and getting his work visa in the US
4. my other bro completing his MA from NUS
3. completing my chapter 1 and passing the compre
2.
1.

Top Five Goodbye Stories
5.
4.
3.
2.
1. There really is just one entry here -- the store. So many things and people I will miss. ^_^

Top Five Favorite Things
5. staedler triplus fineliner pens (that come in soooo many cool colors!)
4. my credit card
3. my new cellphone
2. my rubber mary janes (white and black pair)
1. photos of me and my J and all the tickets we saved of all the movies we watched

Top Five Regrets
5.
4.
3.
2.
1. just one -- the one i need to ask forgiveness for. ~sigh~

Top Five Promises for 2005
5. lose weight / adapt a healthier lifestyle
4. read more books
3. write something
2. be a better teacher
1. finish my MA

* * *

A curious thing I got from a friend of a friend's blog --

Project: Person for the Day
Objectives:
1. to acknowledge people for the little things they do to make me happy
2. to help me recognize who makes my day

At this moment --

My sibs are playing VtES with my J and our friend C -- we've just had a grand dinner of Panciteria Lido take out and we've opened all our presents for Christmas.

It's always fun sitting around the tree and recounting the story of how we got a particular gift for a particular sibling -- there are always stories.

This year, there was the added element of my J and friend C --

The funniest thing -- my sibs and I got my J the same gift! Size difference lang! We couldn't stop laughing about it! It really just goes to show how we all have similar tastes and how alike we all are. ^_^ (I love my sibs)

Best gifts received so far --
5. Cash for an LCA -- yay!
4. A pair of funky shoes! (with a pretty flower design on the side!)
3. A Body Shop White Musk bath set!!! -- just in time, my current stash is running low
2. A Japanese-inspired photo album
1. A green house dress ^_^

I like this moment -- we're all in our pambahay and we're sitting around and playing and listening to music. It's so peaceful and right.

This is the best present I think -- this peace and rightness.

(I'm smiling right now.)

* * *

Interesting site --

Stumbleupon Review -- check it out

Look at this -- (by Mary Daniel Hobson -- thanks to the stumbleupon people)

Destiny, you are the oldest of The Endless, you are
eternally chained to a book that holds the
secrets of the universe. You are all business,
never have time to even crack a smile, and
always make sure you do not draw too much
attention. You do not want people hunting after
you!


Which Endless are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Still more of my lists for 2005 --

Things I did that I am most proud of
5. not giving up on my MA despite the oh-so-many things that are keeping me from finishing that damned thing
4. applying to Ateneo to teach and going back to teaching
3. reading all the books I read this year (i love books ^_^) -- discovering Young Adult Fiction (thanks to M)
2. taking that big, big leap and saying "yes"
1. living my life ^_^ (h'ray for me)

Discoveries for 2004
5. I love Andok's Liempo!
4. Knowing how to commute -- having to take a bus to the V. Mapa Station of the LRT2 and then taking the LRT2 to Katipunan 3 times a week
3. Booksale, Books for Less, etc. -- I was able to find so many cool books from these places. (This is thanks to my J ^_^)
2. UP Shopping Center -- a treasure trove of yummy food, cheap photocopying and more books!
1. my J!!! -- the bestest, greatest, most amazing surprise of my life! Gives the best back rubs and the tightest, warmest hugs. The absolute love of all my lifetimes.

Happy Thoughts
5. my students like me (particularly my Lit13 students) -- how their faces light up when we see each other in campus
4. new friends -- I love how my horizons are continually expanding because the people I am around share so much with me.
3. my life and the people I have in it right now (I want for nothing more ... seriously ^_^)
2. March, 2004 -- (I love my J!)
1. knowing that I am loved and knowing how much love I am able to give / my J <-- ultimate happy thought / my sibs (and how cool they are and how proud I am of them)

This worries me --

Remember Fr Bob Hope? SJ?
(Not the one who made American GIs laugh.)
The one who taught you English! (He also made us laugh.)
This is your last chance to laugh with him (again)!

Calling all ex-students of Fr. Galdon to
"A Tribute To Fr. Galdon"

For over three decades, he labored to teach us English…with mixed results…not because he was a bad teacher but because we were NOT so bright students! But we loved him…and as he nears the twilight of his years, we gather here to express that love…in appreciation of the labor of love he put in; in not giving up teaching us. Maybe he should have, but he didn’t!!!

Come to the first planning/organizing meeting on Saturday, 8 January 2005, at the Cervini Cafeteria, from 12 noon. You may eat (and pay) your lunch there.

Who’s inviting? That’s us:

Benjie Osias, coll70 (0916-5172715, artalaga@i-manila.com.ph) and
Perry Doroja, coll70 (0919-3078689, perrydoroja@yahoo.com, 727-9555),
both of En 11/12 in 1966.

...it worries me because I already lost Fr. Lahiff (and every mass I attend in Ateneo when all the Jesuit priests gather, I remember him and it always makes me cry.) and I would hate to lose Fr. Galdon --

~sigh~

* * *

Something to reflect on for the coming year --

God Knows Our Hearts

* * *

Wholly Grail! --

Wow! I finally got a chance to see them perform -- well, practice. They sound really great and, in time, am sure they will resoundingly ROCK. ^_^

Christmas Wish List --

I posted this list last November 1 --

Here's my *ahem* want list:
1. Gregory Maguire's Lost, Wicked (turned into a Musical) and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
2. Mike Gayle's His 'n' Hers
3. A watch (the Tintin watch from Swatch - is this available here kaya?)
4. A subscription to Real Living (haaay, my J got me hooked to this magazine >_<)
5. A new pair of Havaianas
6. A nice bag that I could use for work -- Egg has really cute canvas ones.

In addition --
1. A new blog template -- that's mine and mine alone
2. Judy Moody books (my J and I saw them in National Bookstore - Shangri-La) -- it looks cute ^_^
3. Grown-up shoes -- I'm always in my rubber mary janes and birks, even in school. I think it's time to learn how to walk in heels. ~sigh~
4. A button maker <-- wanted one since last year pa
5. An LCA <-- but I think I'll get one for myself as a birthday present (I also got my Supersampler as a birthday present for myself ^_^)

* * *

I finally got it! --

That Starbuck's annual journal -- it's mine, all mine! The secret pala is having your boy get the drinks you don't like (I'm sorry world, I really don't like that peppermint mocha).

Explanation --
Every year, I look for one of those diaries and I place it in front of my computer screen. It holds a record of everything I've done for the year -- who I met where for what, movies I watched, etc.

It's a lovely record of my year and it's always fun to look through them.

The first one ever was the diary from HP, which my bro (who used to work there) got as part of their Christmas package.

Last year, it was an insurance company's diary -- I panicked eh -- it was already December 31 and I couldn't find the right one. Thankfully, this one grew on me.

So, this year -- it's the Starbuck's one. Hurrah! ^_^

* * *

In the continuing adventures of J and T --

Yesterday, we found ourselves in Shangri-La wanting to buy the last of the Christmas presents and ended up watching "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" --

The movie was at 715 so we decided to have dinner first. We had originally planned to eat at Mongkok (which we both love), but decided to look at the menus of the restos beside it.

We ended up eating at C2 (Classic Cuisine), which serves Filipino food. Everything there is delicious and amazingly affordable for Shangri-la -- their food is good for two and, trust me, it is enough. We took pictures (using my k500i -- now I just have to figure out how to upload them.

My J and I tried their Adobo Rice and Spicy Pork Barbecue, which were both oh-so-yummy! ^_^ We were supposed to have their Bibingka Souffle, but we were informed that it would take 15 minutes to prepare -- and we had a movie to watch.

We will definitely go back there for that Bibingka Souffle (and for the Ensaymada Bread Pudding).

We made our way to the cinema -- stopped by for some popcorn first.

Side kwento: We ordered popcorn from the snack bar, and, while waiting for my J's Sour Cream popcorn to be prepared, these two girls also arrived to get their popcorn. We were standing a little after the cash register and we were blocking their way. One of the girls gave me this look, which I took to mean, "why are you blocking our way". Siyempre, ako naman, I step aside so they could pass through. And then that I realized that the moron had walked in from the exit of the queue. (I am that OC -- even if we're the only people there, I would always enter through where they have the sign "Line Starts Here")

I loved the movie -- and so did my J. We were both laughing our heads off at some scenes. There were times I couldn't breathe na from all the laughing. I loved Colin Firth's character (and I even turned to whisper to my J that I wanted Mark Darcy for Christmas). There were parts of the movie that I felt were rushed -- parang it was strange how they contracted time -- one year na pala yun and I didn't feel it or see the change.

But I came out of the theater inspired (to lose weight -- Renee Zellweger gained so much for the movie and she's lost it all again! I will try to do the same -- erm... the losing part and, hopefully, none of the gaining part ^_^;;;)

* * *

From Avenue Q --

(Thanks to E and C for multiple copies of this. ^_^)

There's a fine, fine line
Between a lover and a friend
And there's a fine, fine line
Between reality and pretend
And you never know till you reach the top
If it was worth the uphill climb
There's a fine, fine line
Between love and a waste of time

There's a fine, fine line
Between a fairy tale and a lie
And there's a fine, fine line
Between "you're wonderful" and "goodbye"
I guess if someone doesn't love you back
It isn't such a crime
But there's a fine, fine line
Between love and a waste of your time

And I don't have the time to waste on you anymore
I don't think that you even know what you're looking for
For my own sanity I've gotta close the door
And walk away

There's a fine, fine line
Between together and not
And there's a fine, fine line
Between what you wanted and what you got
You gotta go after the things you want
While you're still in you're prime
There's a fine, fine line
Between love and a waste of time

and

PRINCETON:
Why does everything have to be so hard?

GARY COLEMAN:
Maybe you'll never find your purpose.

CHRISTMAS EVE:
Lots of people don't.

PRINCETON:
But then- I don't know why I'm even alive!

KATE MONSTER:
Well, who does, really?
Everyone's a little bit unsatisfied.

BRIAN:
Everyone goes 'round a little empty inside.

GARY COLEMAN:
Take a breath,
Look around,

BRIAN:
Swallow your pride,

KATE MONSTER:
FOr now...

BRIAN, KATE, GARY, CHRISTMAS EVE:
For now...

NICKY:
Nothing lasts,

ROD:
Life goes on,

NICKY:
Full of surprises.

ROD:
You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes.

CHRISTMAS EVE:
You're going to have to make a few compromises...
For now...

TREKKIE MONSTER:
For now...

ALL:
But only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now!

LUCY:
For now we're healthy.

BRIAN:
For now we're employed.

BAD IDEA BEARS:
For now we're happy...

KATE MONSTER:
If not overjoyed.

PRINCETON:
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid, for now...

GARY COLEMAN:
For now...

TREKKIE MONSTER:
For now...

KATE MONSTER:
For now...

ALL:
But only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now!

Only for now!
(For now there's life!)
Only for now!
(For now there's love!)
Only for now!
(For now there's work!)
For now there's happiness!
But only for now!
(For now discomfort!)
Only for now!
(For now there's friendship!)
Only for now (For now!)
Only for now!

Only for now! (Sex!)
Is only for now! (Your hair!)
Is only for now! (George Bush!)
Is only for now!

Don't stress,
Relax,
Let life roll off your backs
Except for death and paying taxes,
Everything in life is only for now!

NICKY:
Each time you smile...

ALL:
...Only for now

KATE MONSTER:
It'll only last a while.

ALL:
...Only for now

PRINCETON:
Life may be scary...

ALL:
...Only for now
But it's only temporary

Ba-dum ba-dum
Ba-dum ba-dum
Ba dum ba-dum
Ba-da da da da
ba-da da-da da da-da
Ba-dum ba-da, ba-dum ba-da
ohhhh-

PRINCETON:
Everything in life is only for now.

So I just wished someone dead a few hours ago --

Couldn't help it. The man was just so fucking obnoxious and rude. And his daughter was no better.

My sister told me about them last week -- how they insisted that everything be discounted, including the ones that were just released. They were insisting on getting special treatment because he believes we're from the same place (I refuse to believe that these morons come from Iloilo).

This morning, they were back. The daughter kept coming back and forth from the manga shelf asking for how much the discount was for each volume when they were all clearly labeled anyway. She kept asking for a higher discount because "suki" na daw siya -- (uhm -- no.)

And they kept speculating that we would lower our prices next week because it's our last week. When we told the father that, no -- there would be no final reductions for manga (because, seriously, we don't mind keeping a set of the good ones ourselves) -- he's like "well, what are you going to do with all these?" -- like it's his business in the first place. My sister tells him that we plan to keep them and perhaps give some away to friends in the future -- and the guy tells us that we are now friends with his daughter and that we should give them some now. (uhm -- no.)

When they finally made a purchase they insisted on getting the FF characters on display as a freebie. I politely tell the guy that those were gifts from friends and it would be RUDE <-- I really put emphasis on this word when I said it, if I gave it to them.

Then the guy interrupts me mid-sentence and asks me who my parents were. The fuck. I looked familiar daw.

Here's how he said it: Sino parents mo? Parang kilala kita.

To which I reply: I don't know you so I don't think I should tell you who they are.

Not satisfied, he bothers our yaya -- thinking he could bully her into spilling.

Uhm -- no. Our yaya is so wary of them as well kaya she would rather sound disrespectful to him than to tell him.

Wahahahahahahahaha <--- my most evil laugh

I don't understand how some people can be so rude.

I don't understand why people think they deserve special treatment just because you speak the same language. If anything, they should be the people who would support and understand you more.

~sigh~

Apologies for the rant.

Lists! --

Yep, it's that time of year again --

Actually, am starting a bit late this time. ^_^;;

1. List five things you'd like to accomplish by the end of the year.
- revise my thesis proposal so I can defend the damned thing by next year
- work out a timetable/lesson plan for Critical Thinking and the Argumentative Research Paper
- finish reading the Jasper Fforde books
- write a poem (kahit isa lang -- for the end of the year)
- take my sibs to Little Tokyo for lunch or dinner

2. List five people you've lost contact with that you'd like to hear from again.
- Abbie, a good friend from high school
- Cheng, another good friend from high school
... sad lang, they were on my list then last year --
- friends from college
- friends from Xavier
- friends from Iloilo

3. List five things you'd like to learn how to do.
- to relax and take things as they come
- to learn to let go of things from the past and to live in the present
- to lose weight and keep it off ... forever!
-
-

4. List five things you'd do if you won the lottery (no limit).- give some to the victims of the recent typhoon
- set up funds for people who need it (people with great ideas, etc.) / pay for my godchildren's education
- travel!
- set up a retirement fund for all of my teachers and yayas
- save the rest

5. List five things you do that help you relax.- talk to my J (great stress reliever)
- read / write down thoughts
- stay quiet and reflect
- go to Fresh and do the grocery
- ask for hugs (from my J) ^_^

* * *

Top 5s! --

Movies watched on video (VCD/DVD/VHS)
5. Vatel
4. Triplets of Belleville
3. Before Sunset *koff*
2. Lost in Translation / Love Actually
1. Fahrentheit 9/11 / Bowling for Columbine / Amelie / Turn Right, Turn Left


Movies watched on the big screen
5. Last Samurai / Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind / Imelda / Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. National Treasure / Shrek 2
3. House of Flying Daggers
2. 2046 / Lost in Translation
1. 50 First Dates <--- super-special significance to me and my J ^_^ / Incredibles


Movies that I wanted to watch but didn't/haven't (and are either not out on video or I just haven't gotten a copy)
5. The Merchant of Venice
4. A Very Long Engagement
3. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
2. Kung Fu Hustle (Stephen Chow!!!)
1. Ocean's Twelve
... there's also Batman Begins, Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events


Cartoon shows
5.
4.
3. The Wild Thornberry's
2. Fairly Oddparents (Nickelodeon)
1. As Told by Ginger (Nickelodeon)


Comic Series
5. Hopeless Savages
4. We3
3. Demo
2. Runaways
1. Fables


Gadgets I lusted over
5. Dell Insprion 700m (which one of my bros got -- soooo cute! I don't need it, but I want one ^_^)
4. Honda Jazz <--- wahahahahaah! Is this a gadget? XD
3. SE K500i (which I got), K700i and S700
2. Ipod or any MP3 player
1. Lomo cameras! <-- there are new ones! (and I still want an LCA >_<)


OSTs
5.
4. Kill Bill vol 1 OST
3. 2046 (I don't have it, but I want one!)
2. Turn Right, Turn Left
1. The Royal Tenenbaums / Wicked

Songs
5.
4. Breathe by Michelle Branch
3. Fell in Love with a Boy (Joss Stone's version)
2. Defying Gravity from Wicked (and For Good)
1. She Will be Loved by Maroon 5 (and Sunday Morning)

* * *

Over coffee and cake --

Comes enlightenment. Thanks, G! ^_^

Song --

I've been browsing for a nice meaning for the word "song" and none of them seem to capture that element of singing that seems to involve and affect your total being.

I don't know if that makes sense --

Maybe I can explain it better through some more random thoughts --

Father Galdon always believed that singing was the purest prayer one can offer up to God. There is something about singing that inevitably involves your emotions. You can't possibly sing and not feel it in your heart.

During the lunch masses in Ateneo when I was still a student there, he was known to say, "That was so good, we'll sing it again." And the campus choir would indulge him.

At mass yesterday, while listening to the ACMG choir (they changed their name), L turned to me and said something about how our religious songs are actually love songs -- so different from the soul/gospel music of other places.

They sang one of my favorite songs yesterday -- "Huwag kang mangamba" -- the first time I heard this song, it was just the choir singing it at a concert but, yesterday, it was the entire church singing it.

Huwag kang mangamba
Di ka nag-iisa
Sasamahan kita
Saan ka magpunta...

Something in me recognized the promise that HE (and by "He" I mean God) made and it was so wonderfully comforting. And when it's a lot of people singing it at the same time -- you realize that you aren't alone.

And that thought just made me smile.

* * *

...and there was no light in the world but you --

I love my J. ^_^

* * *

This is cute. Trust me --

My J and I love toy stores and we went crazy going through all the new toys at Kidz Station in Shangrila. The other day, we were with out friend C and spent almost 2 hours inside Toy Kingdom.

Anyhoo -- at Kidz Station, we discovered this nifty little toy (and I thought it would make a perfect gift for one of my bros). See here. ^_^ As you can see, you can make one and have it play in your desktop.

My J and I might "adopt" one later. ^_^

* * *

2046!!! --

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that Wong Kar Wai's latest movie was going to be in local theaters today. Siyempre, we watched it (at Shangrila -- which is really nice and comfy. And they have great popcorn)

Ang galing talaga ng vision ni Wong Kar Wai -- there is something about his movies that leaves you breathless and speechless at the end.

Hmmm -- maybe this is because in one scene in the movie, we get to see Tony Leung Chiu Wai's naked behind!!!

OMG! (I clapped through it -- much to my J's dismay ^_^)

Watch it, peeps! (The movie -- not Tony Leung's behind ^_^)

On the question of whether there is still magic in this world --

We just wrapped up our discussion of the traditional modes of narrative in my fiction class and I assigned my class a paper. I asked them to consider these traditional modes in the face of (post-)modern fiction and to answer the question -- "Is there still magic in this world and do you believe in it?"

I'm reading through 46 essays and they all pretty much say the same thing -- No and No. Many of my students cite science and technology and this awareness of reality as reasons why they don't believe in magic anymore.

I don't know if I gave them the impression that I didn't think it existed anymore and they were just writing to please me or if these are really their thoughts.

I'm hoping it's the former --

Because it would just be sad if it were the latter.

What a day! --

Had a really busy day yesterday -- had to make a trip to Makati on very short notice. I originally planned to make the trip to do the errands today, when it's my J's day off but everyone I needed to see was more available on Saturday than on Sunday.

Traffic was terrible and the heat was unbearable. Ugh!

It was a hectic haring around Makati to make all the needed stops. At around 6, our feet just gave in and we had to make a stop at Starbucks to rest and refresh ourselves.

And then had to go to Makati Cinema Square to find my bro's gift -- he's really into watching these series and, since r!'s been raving about it, I wanted to get him a copy of "The Office"

Sayang it was sold out na.

But I was able to get him Mr. Bean the Animated Series plus CSI Season 3. Yay!

* * *

Dinner! --

Was sooooooo good! My J's been wanting to visit Little Tokyo near Makati Cinema Square for the longest time and we finally made the trip.

The area is a "little" Tokyo -- the path that leads to the restaurants really sets the mood for the place. We settled into an Okonomiyaki place (Kagura) and had to sit at the bar (because the booths were full -- sayang, cool pa naman sana to sit on tatami at a low table).

The food was amazing and the prices were fairly reasonable.

We ordered the Okonomiyaki with Shrimp and Yakisoba with Pork.

Here are the yummy pics!


It is excellent with the Japanese mayo, which we had them serve on the side for *ahem* diet purposes. =P



* * *

Some realizations --

1. I really get cranky and whiny when I'm tired. Yesterday, I was sulking most of the time. My J is very patient about this, which is good. Brat din pala ako. ^_^

2. Am accident prone. Yesterday, I managed to:
a. make my thumb bleed (stubbed it on the zipper of my bag)
b. make my littlest toe bleed (stubbed it on the leg of a table at Mcdo)

3. Big wounds scare the bejesus out of me. The wound on my littlest toe is icky and I couldn't bear to look at it or take off the band-aid we used to cover it from the elements. My J was very nice and very gentle with the whole thing.

* * *

Sun! Sun! Sun! --

Don't you just like how things sound better in threes? ^_^

I sort of made the switch to Sun Cellular na. My J and I bought prepaid simpacks and the 24/7 card.

Assessment:
1. It's hard to load the 24/7 -- I guess this is because a lot of people are using this same service and Sun really hasn't updated its systems to cope with the 1 million subscribers they have. We had to try about 6 to 8 times to load it.

2. Paminsan, the signal does die in certain areas.

3. It's a bit of a pain to send messages paminsan -- you keep getting the "Message Sending Failed" message.

I guess Sun will improve naman in time.

This is curious, though -- it's printed on the back of their card:
Sun Cellular reserves the right to disallow or discontinue 24/7 Unlimited Service at any time and at its sole discretion without encurring any liability whatsoever. This service is strictly for the exclusive private and personal use of the individual subscriber only.

Hmm -- I don't seem to be doing a good job convincing people to switch --
It's biggest pull talaga is the whole "unlimited" thing -- and this is true. My J and I were texting and calling each other like crazy early yesterday trying to coordinate for our errands in Makati.

I'm giving myself a month to try this out, which is why I'm not giving out this number muna. You guys can still contact me through my old number.

Not bad --

I'm worth $1,755,586.68! How much are you worth?

It's a big one --

See here --

We had no idea there was such a storm coming so, when we woke up this morning and everyone was talking about "storm signal no. 4," we went to my bro's website and saw the huge storm system coming our way.

* * *

New discovery! --

Got this from r!'s blog -- good place to get books. Check it out. ^_^

* * *

There is no escaping --

Shaun of the Dead!

My J's been wanting to watch this movie for a long time and today's the day. ^_^;;;