Miracles Happen

unloading.... travel

2010-03-02T17:28:00.005+09:00

Travel is the movement of people between relatively distant geographical locations for any purpose and any duration, with or without any means of transport. Travel also includes relatively short stays between successive movements. Movements between locations requiring only a few minutes are not considered as travel. As an activity, "travel" also covers all the activities performed during a travel (movement). - Wikipedia

Travels I should have blogged about:

FAMILY TRIPS:
Hundred Islands

When: Mar28-30, 2008, 3D2N
Head count: 5pax
Accommodation: Refinne JG Apartelle; email: refinne_jg@yahoo.com.ph or refinnejgapartelle@yahoo.com.ph (refer to Northern Luzon section below for addn'l info)
Transportation: Innova ni Papa
Total Damage: tig-P5,000 kme ni ate, sagot ni Mama ung food, sagot ni Papa transpo

Singapore/Indonesia

When: Mar21-24, 2009, 4D3N
Head count: 5pax
Accommodation: Hilton Hotel Singapore, buffet breakfast included. great way to start the day ;)
Transportation: Cebu Pac. day tour side trip to Batam, Indonesia
Total Damage: tig-P50,000 kme ni ate... halos sagot nmin ni ate len ung expenses. let's leave it to that...

Vietnam

When: Aug14-17, 2009, 4D3N
Head count: 5pax
Accommodation: House ni Papa in Vung Tao. Crystal Hotel in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh.
Transportation: PAL.
Total Damage: sagot ni Papa! weeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! minsan lng to :))

AWS TRIP:
Palawan

When: May29-31, 2008, 3D2N
Head count: Company
Accommodation: Dos Palmas
Transportation: Cebu Pac
Total Damage: ALL-EXPENSE PAID! lalala.... (^__________^)

DEV1 TRIPS:
Baguio

When: Jul11-13, 2008, 2D2N
Head count: 11-15pax
Accommodation: Tom's Place, very cheap. Not that accessible if you don't have your own transpo.. well, if you don't mind the ascending part to exit the subdivision haha :D
Transportation: Victory Liner bus. Taxi.
Total Damage: Can't remember. Went there to attend a wedding.

Tagaytay

When: Nov15-16, 2008, 2D1N
Head count: 6pax
Accommodation: Tagaytay Heights Villas. Rate is P5,000 per day when we rented it,nagtaas na ata sila ng rate ngyon. we were just after the swimming pool :D weee... swimming in Tagaytay! anyone?!?! :))
Transportation: Innova ni Iggy. paid P2,000 for the gas
Total Damage: with all the pampabata foods (i.e. bulalo and crispy pata), P2,000-P2,500

Zambales

When: Nov28-30, 2009, 3D2N
Head count: 14-15pax
Accommodation: Bakasyunan Resort and Conference Center
Transportation: Van Rental P10,000. Allot additional P2,000 for gas, toll, meal, parking, etc.
Total Damage: P2,000-P2,500

Batangas

When: Nov28-30, 2009, 3D2N
Head count: 18-20pax
Accommodation: Les Caraibes Beach Resort
Transportation: Van Rental c/o Jhun 0939-644-6844; Nissan Urvan, khit ilan pwede basta kasya (imagine squeezing 19 passengers inside the Urvan!), Price: P8,000 2-way (drop-off/pick-up rate). Allot additional P2,000 for gas, toll, Jhun's meal, parking, etc.
Total Damage: P3,000-P3,500

BATCH6 TRIPS:
Bohol

When: Jul18-20, 2008, 3D2N
Head count: 7adults, 1child
Accommodation: Isis Bungalows. Went to Bohol Bee Farm during the tour and I'm really considering of trying the place when I visit Bohol again :)
Transportation: Cebu Pacific, PAL; I forgot the name of our tour guide but here is his number: 0906-732-9566
Total Damage: P6,000-7,000 ideally. May reach P10,00 if you miss your flight back to Manila, and have to purchase PAL tickets in the airport :(

Sagada

When: Dec26-31, 2008, 6D6N
Head count: 8pax
Accommodation: Rock Inn and Cafe. Must experience the Orange Picking! :D
Transportation: Opel ni Jeff, at Pajero ni Jami. Paid P2,000/pax for the gas
Total Damage: P6,000-8,000

Northern Luzon

When: Feb21-28, 2010, 7D7N
Head count: 6pax
Accommodation: Kylah Transient in Hundred Islands, the place is widely known as MK by the locals so I think it is still better to refer to it as such. Near Lucap Wharf, big room (P3,000) has 6 queen size beds! Contact number: 09107091505. Grandpa's Inn in Vigan, walking distance to the plazas and Calle Crisologo. Explore Mang's small canteen beside the Inn, and get acquainted with the locals ;) Hannah's Beach Resort in Pagudpud, along the Blue Lagoon/Maira Ira beach! One of the two resorts located along the beach, the other one is the Kapuluan Vista Resort. Buy fresh seafoods in the wet market and have them cooked by Nanay Yolly which is situated near the resort. The good thing about Hannah's is they allow foods and drinks to be brought inside the resort without corkage :) Contact number of our Pagudpud tour guide, Ed: 09208274972. Balay da Blas in Laoag. Free WiFi, 'nuf said.
Transportation: Bus, the fink Florida Bus is much cheaper than Partas Bus. boat. Riding non-airconditioned bus from Laoag to Pagudpud might double your time spent travelling :(( kalesa, tricycle, tour vans, etc.
Total Damage: P9,000-10,000

any inquiries re budget, itineraries, transportation, or accommodations are welcome.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines

2010-03-02T09:22:00.001+09:00

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, 'The night is starry
and the stars are blue and shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
The night is starry and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight tries to find her as though to bring her closer.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. As she was before my kisses.
Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.

-Pablo Neruda

327907247

2008-09-25T23:23:00.001+09:00

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puzzle

2008-09-07T00:31:00.009+09:00

"what can i do to make you love me?"

HAH! of course she knows that song! she used to sing that with her girl friends during recess time during her 2nd year in high school. but still, she finds it sweet.. and she can't help the kilig feeling that started creeping on her toes right now.

now, if only she could figure out who left the note on her table.

she can't help glancing on her 2 o'clock position, sort of a knee-jerk reaction. as if he would be there already when it's still 1hour until his time-in.

is the note intended for her other officemate and was just carried by some unknown forces to her table? somehow, the flower would have prevented that right?

yes, there's a flower. just a one long stem red rose, nothing much. not that special. or that's what she keeps telling herself.

she looked around and saw the few early birds like her, but no one looks suspicious enough (2 ladies, 1 married guy, 2 guys w/ gf's and 1 guy she barely know).

for someone to leave the note intentionally on her table, he has to, either, go to office early then leave/hide, or leave it late last night (and disable the guard downstairs).

He IMs her:

stealth_is_good: hey, good morning :) kindly tell sir that i wouldn't be able to come to ofc because im not really feeling well. dont think abt me too much ;)
shes_nameless: ohhhhh.....
shes_nameless: ok... ill go tell sir "dont think abt me too much ;)"
stealth_is_good: haha! nice one :P
stealth_is_good: that's for you :P
shes_nameless: yeah
shes_nameless: right
shes_nameless: as if
shes_nameless: get well
stealth_is_good: you'll miss me :->
shes_nameless: d'oh

there goes his chance, or is it, her chance? she somehow feels disappointed, and realized that she wanted him to be the giver. she was taken aback by this sudden realization.

another unanswered question.

between coffee and work

2008-09-04T10:40:00.003+09:00

can you tell a person, "how dare you make me fall in love with you"?

movie tagline

2008-09-02T22:39:00.002+09:00

What's more dangerous to a longing heart....

a playful undecided man...?

or a serious unstable one....?

jUmpstArt

2008-08-13T12:48:00.004+09:00

i found out from my very yasashii officemate, Gel, that Multiply browsing is allowed during 11:30-12:30pm, thus, applying to all blocked website!! WHOAAA!!! it's like the Color Coding scheme being lifted in Makati during weekdays! BWAHAHA! >:)

i'm itching for some blogging again... :->

office romance

2008-01-16T10:22:00.000+09:00

"I know you're looking at me ;)", was the letter's first line.

she looked over at his place, 2 o'clock position, and saw that same towering stature as if the 4ft divider and the two occupied cubicles between them do not exist.

during lunchtimes, she always had the feeling of someone staring at her back, boring a hole in her head. but when she would turn around to look for that person, the same busy cafeteria scene would meet her searching eyes, while on the next table, the guys from her department are laughing out loud, including him.

there were also times when he would find any possible opportunity to tease her, something that did not escape her friends' radars. it was always a debate during girls night outs whether he indeed like her, but somehow, they could not get a concrete grasp of evidence for this.

she actually like the thought of him-liking-her. would like to believe it, matter of fact. but the snob persona choose to ignore the signs, since, well, she's not into the flirting idea anyway. she wouldn't bother herself with this mind-boggling, emotional turmoil game.

whenever he passed by her place, which isn't a big deal since her table in on the way to the door, he always has some reasons to stop by and make a chat, may it be about work, food, weather, the coming company activity, or just to make a quick remark that would make her frustrated and mad the whole day.

It was too late before she realized that he had looked up.

Their eyes met.

They smiled.

James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing

2007-12-20T12:04:00.000+09:00

after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book, concluding the final chapters of Harry Potter's life, i was cynical about any spin-off books regarding the Wizarding world. typical fan concern: that i wouldn't be satisfied with it. unless JK Rowling would write it, but she dismissed any possibility of, at least, writing Harry Potter's books - not sure though about the other characters, i might have missed some news...

get the copy of the completed James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing book now! (*.*) (the book was released in separate chapters you see.. one chapter/day which started last dec1, so i compiled it, hehe)

reference: http://www.elderscrossing.com/

there are some differences/inconsistencies compared to the Harry Potter series (it's been 15years since You-Know-Who's death), but you'll eventually get the hang of it ;)

don't want to put any spoilers here, but i say, i guessed some of the important parts in the story =))

not bad... not bad at all!

(^________^)

gratitude

2007-12-15T00:03:00.000+09:00

yeah
there are worse things in life than what you're going through right now

so cheer up
somewhere
someone's dying to be in your shoes

Pooh's 45 Minutes Around the World Adventure

2007-12-08T23:31:00.000+09:00

my dear friend Pooh just had a tour around the world yesterday. he's been to U.S.A, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Russia, Vatican, France, Netherlands, England, Spain, Iran, Cambodia, India, and back to Japan all in 45 minutes! check out the pictures he's sent me ;)

*lucky him.. no plane tickets, immigration, or visa needed for his whole trip :))

Ang Alamat ng Paboritong Prutas ng Unggoy

2007-12-06T14:54:00.000+09:00

corky: kwento ka
2:19:24 PM: joie: noong unang panahon
2:19:30 PM: joie: me isang unggoy
2:19:33 PM: joie: na nagugutom
2:19:52 PM: corky: tapos?
2:20:14 PM: corky: mangkota ang amo para mag damo:P
2:22:01 PM: joie: kaya sinubukan nya maghanap ng mansanas
2:22:12 PM: joie: pero wala syang nakita at gutom na gutom na sya
2:22:32 PM: joie: hanggang makita nya ang isang puno na me dilaw na bunga
2:23:23 PM: corky: tapos tapos?
2:23:54 PM: corky: anong ginawa nya after nya makita ang puno na me dilaw na bunga?
2:26:04 PM: joie: biglang nagliwanag ang dilaw na bunga na para bang inaanyayahan sya na tikman ito
2:28:06 PM: joie: pinitas nya ang prutas at isinubo ng buo ang bunga
2:28:17 PM: joie: ganun nya kse kinakain din mansanas
2:28:46 PM: corky: wow buo nya kinain?
2:28:58 PM: corky: di cya na choke?
2:30:13 PM: joie: isinubo pa lng, nde pa kinain
2:30:27 PM: joie: sinubukan nyang nguyain ang bunga,
2:31:24 PM: joie: subalit naisip nya na medyo matigas ang ibang parte ng bunga
2:31:27 PM: corky: sorry po
2:31:32 PM: joie: ngunit meron din nmang malambot
2:31:47 PM: joie: kaya iniluwa nya ang prutas
2:31:55 PM: corky: yucks:O
2:32:02 PM: corky: groooossss
2:32:43 PM: joie: nakita nya na mayroong puting bahagi ang bunga, bukod sa dilaw na bahagi nito
2:33:03 PM: joie: nalaman din nya na nde pala maganda ang amoy nito
2:33:30 PM: joie: kumuha ule sya ng bagong prutas at inamoy amoy ito
2:34:57 PM: joie: nalaman nya na wala nman palang amoy ang prutas, ngunit bkit nde maganda ang amoy nung bunga knina...
2:35:19 PM: corky: ...hmmm....
2:35:24 PM: corky: bakit kaya?
2:35:31 PM: corky: so anong nga yari?
2:35:59 PM: joie: tinitigan nya ang bunga at hinanap ang puting bahagi nito
2:36:05 PM: joie: ung malambot na bahagi
2:36:27 PM: joie: kaya pinisil nya ang bunga, at nadurog ito sa kanyang kamay
2:37:39 PM: corky: so binuksan nya yung bunga?
2:37:57 PM: joie: iba ung pinisil sa binuksan
2:38:42 PM: joie: nakita nya ang puting bahagi at sinimulan nya itong ilagay sa kanyang bibig ng dahan dahan
2:39:52 PM: joie: nalasap nya ang sarap na nde nya pa nararanasan sa buong buhay nya
2:40:17 PM: joie: naubos ang prutas sa ilang iglap lamang
2:40:31 PM: joie: at kumuha na nman sya ng bunga mula sa puno
2:41:07 PM: joie: magmula noon ito na ang kanyang naging paboritong pagkain
2:41:12 PM: joie: the end
2:41:29 PM: corky: :))
2:41:39 PM: corky: ah paano mo na laman ang story na yan?
2:41:57 PM: corky: yan ang alamat ng paborintong prutas ng unggoy?
2:42:10 PM: joie: oo
2:42:18 PM: joie: akda ni: joie cariaga
2:42:19 PM: corky: galing mo mag kwento
2:42:22 PM: joie: :D
2:42:23 PM: joie: =))
2:42:24 PM: corky: :))
2:42:45 PM: corky: yan yung pam patulog ng mom mo nong bata ka noh?=))
2:42:53 PM: joie: nde noh :p
2:43:12 PM: joie: nde mo alam kung bkit mabaho ung unang kinain nya? :D
2:43:34 PM: corky: dnt knw...:((
2:43:36 PM: corky: bakit?
2:43:44 PM: joie: sloooowwwwwwwwwwwwww
2:43:51 PM: joie: kse galing na sa bibig nya un eh :D
2:43:53 PM: joie: =))
2:43:58 PM: corky: =))
2:44:13 PM: corky: u mean di nagtoothbrush ang ungoy?:O
2:44:16 PM: corky: yucksss
2:44:22 PM: corky: kakadiri....eeeewww
2:44:25 PM: corky: :))
2:45:06 PM: joie: :D
2:45:07 PM: joie: =))

excuses

2007-12-02T09:46:00.000+09:00

unfortunately, my blogging skill cannot keep up with all my activities these past few weekends =D
will try to post updates as soon as i got the time (and inspiration, and pictures...)

btw, i just got my perm last saturday, Dec1. kulot kulot :-"

lalala (^________^)

hitori de Kamakura he itta

2007-11-19T12:02:00.000+09:00

after much contemplation two weeks ago whether i should go to Odaiba or Hakone last weekend, my wandering soul brought me to Kamakura instead :))

i was home alone, again, last Saturday because my housemates went to Hadano English festival (wherein i failed to register). had my day started around 10am, still undecided where i would spend the rest of the day. by the time i had completed my Odaiba itinerary it was already 12nn, too late to proceed to the Odaiba plan :-< (the biting winter air and the short daylight hours kept me from spending more than 6hrs outdoors)

i only wanted to see the Daibutsu in Kamakura, and i thought that i could just ask the locals for directions on how to get there from the train station. how easy was that? :D so with no concrete itinerary, map or even directions, i was off to Kamakura in an hour, which is technically just 3stations away from my apaato. from the station, i saw these two cute girls with their family and decided to follow them, since i know they will be going to some temple or matsuri. they were also being followed by some foreigners so i tagged along :)) after around 10mins of walking, we reached Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine, then i decided to part from the group.

based from the crowd that afternoon, i knew that it's probably one of the popular shrines, but i didn't realize that Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine is the most important shrine in Kamakura. i'm glad those two little girls led me there. the ground was spacious to host takoyaki, masks, cotton candy stands, etc :) i was also lucky to witness two Japanese weddings that afternoon (not the actual ceremony though). i'm not sure what the occasion was, but i saw a lot of kids wearing kimonos with makeup. they were sooo cute that i wanted to take a picture of each but i was afraid the parents would mug me. i managed to steal some shots though =P after spending some more time looking around, and eating takoyaki, i gathered some courage to ask a lady where the Daibutsu is (i was just hoping to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation regarding the Daibutsu but my 007 facade failed me...) the lady asked another man, and here's how the conversation went:

(in Nihongo)
man: from here to train station, 20 mins. you can take the bus from train station to Daibutsu.
lady: how about by walking?
man: hmm.. around 30mins
me: ok. thanks.

i wasn't in a hurry so i decided to walk. i just retraced my steps back to the station, but i had no idea which direction is the Daibutsu. however, we're talking about Japan here and even 5-year-old kids can navigate around the area, unattended. even so, i forgot that when they told me that it was 30min-walk from station to Daibutsu, they were referring to 30mins Japanese walk, aka fast walk :)) i must have walked my way to my next destination (not the Daibutsu, not yet...) for40mins...? =))

i was willing to get lost/explore so i tried not to ask for any more directions. the thing is, i also didn't read signs so i, again, ended up in another temple, the Hasedera Temple. turned out that Hasedera temple houses the Buddha with eleven faces. the temple garden's really nice, visitors can enjoy a view of the coastal city of Kamakura, as well as cave, and this very cute statue (about 5ft in height).

it's starting to get dark and i cannot leave Kamakura without seeing what i came there for, so i decided to check the sign post for direction already (should have done that earlier). the Daibutsu at the Kotoku-in Temple's really impressive, and the Kamakura trip was completed! despite its height, towering all those beneath it, the Buddha does not elicit an "intimidating" feeling. Buddha's statue is hollow, and visitors can view the interior but it was already past the viewing time so i did not get the chance to see the inside. i just spent the rest of the daylight hours taking pictures of Buddha, and when my jacket was unable to protect me from the cold winds already, i decided to get my well-deserved rest :)

i am not actually a fan of temples because i find them pretty boring but walking alone in an unknown place, seeing a lot of people, with my loaded mp3 player brings out a peaceful, even serene feeling...

Fish are food not friends

2007-11-10T22:32:00.000+09:00

"Fish are friends, not food."
- Bruce, Finding Nemo

good thing i'm not a shark.

Not the rain, nor the 2-hr-15min-waiting time, not even Bruce was able to hinder us (with Selah, Kai, Jiss) this time on having our sushi lunch meal in Sushidai Tsukiji Market. first plan was cancelled due to storm, and second plan was cancelled because it's a holiday.. that makes this the third plan (@.@)

my day started this 5am (waaayyy earlier than during weekdays!) because we planned on meeting Kai in Chuo-Rinkan station by 7am (Jiss was still undecided last night). bad news is Kai's late by 30mins. good news is Jiss was able to make it albeit also being late by 20 mins :))

we arrived in Tsukiji station by 8:45am, and reached Sushidai by 9am. we bought snacks along our way to prepare for the long wait, which according to Kai, based on his experience, would take around 3hrs :-O we didn't get that bored while waiting since we had a lot of things to talk about (pinoy? chinese? american? hawaiian? =D) we're just sleepy, wet, tired, and hungry....

when it was finally our turn to be served, around 11:15am, we chose the Omakase set (see right picture), and when the first sushi touched my lips, i knew the whole trip was WORTH IT!!! (ok, the "touched my lips" thing was exaggerated =P) the happiness and contentedness must have shown on our faces (or was it hunger..?) because we ate the first two sushi in silence (*^.^*)

there were 3chefs in Sushidai, let's call them Chef A, B, and C (gosh, i am so creative =D) Chef B was the one who served us. he told us the name/kind of the sushi, if it should be eaten without soy sauce, or if the topping is still alive. yes, alive. it's even moving when he served it, and Selah even exclaimed that she felt the "thing" moved in her mouth (though i'm not sure if she's just tricking me..) Chef C is the genki chef and he's trying to make a conversation with the store's customers. he asked us where we came from and we told him that we're from Philippines. we were sooo surprised when Chef A suddenly said "Masarap?"! you know how "cute" it is when non-pinoys talk in filipino? =)) hahaha! we just stared at each other and laugh! of course we said that it is "Masarap!" =D the other chefs asked what that means, and we said "Oishii!" :) Chef A also knows "maganda" and "pogi" :)) at which Chef C pointed at me and said "maganda" :"> hahaha!! =)) we asked them how Chef A knew those words and Chef B stick his pinky out (Jiss said that Chef A must have have a relationship with a pinay =D) they also called another person in the kitchen and when they told him that we were from Philippines, this guy said "Maraming maraming salamat"! KULET! (^_____^)

after having a great lunch (as Jiss put it, "saikou desu!"), we headed to Ginza for some sightseeing and shopping, again. by 2:30pm, Jiss and Kai convinced us to go karaoke =D after singing, and dancing, our hearts out for two and a half hours (this should be for only 2hrs, but we decided to extend) we hangout a little in Starbucks (to rest our vocal chords), then headed back home :)

*UPDATE* 11-14 posted pics :)

Headlines \(^_^)/

2007-11-03T22:24:00.000+09:00

i have this unofficial vow that i would not be posting ANY youtube videos in my blog, but special circumstances call for special measures (or was it, "desperate times call for desperate measures"?) niwei, i AM a big fan of the Spice Girls, and i am soooo hoping to catch their Hongkong concert.... (*^o^*)

here's their latest single "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" ENJOY!!! d=(^o^)=b

Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)

Emma:
The time is now or never, to fit the missing piece
To take this on together, you make me feel complete
We fall into the future, and through the looking glass
The light shines over our heads, and so it comes to pass

Geri:
To go beyond the surface, to reach into your soul
This love is not demanding, my heart has told me so
I hold onto my heroes, with faith enough to fly
The power to imagine, will keep this love alive

Everyone:
Let’s make the headlines, loud and true
I wanna tell the world I’m giving it all to you
Let’s make the headlines, loud and clear
The best things suddenly happen when you are here
And if I lost my way you’d carry me home
Take me all the way to heaven, never leave me alone (everything)
And it’s just like everything matters when you are near (matters when you’re near)

Mel C:
And it feels so good every bells gonna ring
Your love is alive and it’s making me sing
I could fly, wanna cry, want the whole world to know
We are together, come on baby let’s go

Victoria:
And words yet to be spoken
Will fall upon the page
Spelling out true devotion
Is all we need to say

Everyone:
Let’s make the headlines, loud and true
(Say you love me and I’ll say I love you too)
I wanna tell the world I’m giving it all to you
(Just remember what simple words can do)
Let’s make the headlines, loud and clear
(All that I have I give to you my friend)
The best things suddenly happen when you are here
(Just remember friendship never ends)
And if I lost my way you’d carry me home
Take me all the way to heaven, never leave me alone (everything)
And it’s just like everything matters when you are near (matters when you’re near)
(Say you love me and I’ll say I love you too)

Let’s make the headline true this time
(Just remember what simple words can do)
There’s no hiding from this magical state of mind
(I feel loved with you, I feel loved with you)
And if I lost my way you’d carry me home (I know, you take me, all the way to heaven)
Take me all the way to heaven, never leave me alone (everything)
And it’s just like everything matters when you are near (matters when you’re near)
(Everything matters, it really matters)

Lets make the headlines, loud and true
(I feel loved with you, I feel loved)
Lets make the headlines

Mel B:
‘Cause I’m giving it all
Yeah I’m giving it all to you

i felt "funny" when i first watched the video (maybe because it has been a looooong time...) but i started liking it on the second, and third and... nth time :)) the song's a classic! (*_*)

2500hr

2007-11-03T14:55:00.000+09:00

long walks
watching movies
having coffee
sleeping
reading a good book
sky gazing
listening to good music
biking
crying my heart out on sappy movies
taking a long hot bath
singing
arguing with myself
writing
praying

blah

2007-10-30T17:21:00.000+09:00

this is a sllooowwww news day........

Bei Pink

2007-10-27T00:23:00.000+09:00

i would like to introduce you to my speaker, Bei Pink :D

i purchased Bei Pink online a lil more than a month ago (i know it's long overdue, hahaha!!) he was introduced to me by my housemate Selah through CNET Crave and we eventually drooled over it.. =P~ got the pink piggy, and Selah got a black one, Bei Black. here are some pics of my Bei Pink USB Piggy Speaker (Bei Bei's Pig).

semi-top, semi-side view	the snout
side view	the rear aka butt

unfortunately, when the package first arrived, we discovered that Bei Pink's (he was still unbaptized during that time though..) audio connector was missing, and Bei Black's (also, unbaptized) sound isn't that good, basag ung sound. so we decided to report Bei Black's problem to the store and, voila, they sent us another Bei Black, free of charge! now, that's what you can call customer service! (^___^) now, Bei Black is actually the 2nd black piggy, and i am using his audio connector :D

sound's ok. if you're an audiophile, you know you can't settle with USB speakers, but for common applications, it's decent enough :) and of course, seeing a pink piggy on my table's always priceless :))

mindless

2007-10-12T11:20:00.000+09:00

why is it that even though you keep telling yourself not to expect the best case, but the worst case, and the thing you've been expecting turned out to be the worst, which is what you really should have been expecting, but instead you still anticipated the best case, you still get hurt... and lost... and disappointed... and sad... that you ended up craving for chocolate cake...?

*sigh*

exercising has never been this enjoyable!!!

2007-10-09T10:19:00.000+09:00

Here are the MR. RABBIT EXERCISES FOR THE OFFICE: (Madali lang sundin mga friends para pampababa ng timbang, blood sugar, blood pressure and pampawala ng antok, stress and anxiety! )

1 ^st : Warming up

parang nagsasayaw lang..

2^ND: Stretching

istretch-istrech

3^rd: the upper body exercise

gwaping pose

4th: lower body exercise (moving to left and back)
circle, circle, slide, slide..

5^th : lower body exercise (moving to right and back)

again...

6^th : Head exercise (make sure to do the 2 ^ndpart, it works!)

LV1:
hiluhin ang sarili, den sumuka..
LV2:
para tumalino

7^th: whole body exercise

LV1
parang bangag lang..

LV2
parang tanga lang..

LV3
para kang nasaniban..

8^th: Jumping exercise: The Pose is the key! but remember to jump!
go!! abutin ang kalangitan!!

9^th: relax

LV1
exorcism of emily rose.. madali lang yan.. effortless..

LV2
maghanap ng kasama.. ung papayag na pareho kayong magmumukang tanga..

LV3 over: Well done!
sumayaw sa galak.. dahil you complete the exercise of the day.. tomorrow ulet..

when all i want now is to stare at the night sky

2007-09-24T21:19:00.000+09:00

i'm a fan of the night sky.

may it be the plain black sky, or the bright sky with the whole cast of clouds, stars, and the moon; the cloudless starless sky, or the sky that threatens another rain coming; with the moon hiding from everyone else's glance, or the full moon boldly showing its dynamism to all beneath it; sky when the moon seems to be out of my reach, or when it seems its just within an arm-length's grasp; may it be when it seems that it accompanies me in all places, or when it leaves me on my own; when the sky does everything for my blissfulness, or when it's shedding its tears for me.

to just lie down in darkness and let the sky unveil its night's special treat to those of us waiting for its present.

would you like to join me...?

What my Days are Like Without Him

2007-09-20T20:05:00.001+09:00

the other side of the bed

2007-09-15T07:03:00.000+09:00

the wrong side:
when anxiety and insecurities attack
when i long for a kind word and a warm touch
the right side:
for me to realize that i am able to make "lambing", and not a cold-blooded monster

the wrong side:
when disappointments were abundant and "little" things get me down
when sensitivity is accepted
the right side:
for me to accept each person's individuality and uniqueness, and a little understanding and compromise wouldn't hurt

the wrong side:
when i feel that i don't belong
when a simple appreciation would be enough
the right side:
for me to realize that i am surrounded by people, and that making friends means working more on my people-relation skill

the wrong side:
when KSP mode is activated
when attention is required
the right side:
for me to realize that Sun is center of the Solar System, not me; and that instead of whining for attention, i might just use the time to give the attention

the wrong side:
when i feel so vulnerable to everyone
when i want to feel that i've been taken good care of
the right side:
for me to appreciate my ability to love; and that i put my walls down to let people come in to my life

i hate PMS

121 Unread Stories

2007-09-04T11:48:00.000+09:00

121 unread Chicken Soup for the Soul subscription stories.

it's been a while (ok, make that a long while...) since i last read any Chicken Soup story. i can still remember how each stories have touched my life, inspired my soul, and put a smile upon my face... yet the procrastinating part of me conquered my reading-thirst persona, which, i totally regret.

when i had 45 unread stories, i said i would wait til it gets 50, then read 10stories/day so i could finish everything in 6days.

when i had 98 unread stories, i said i would wait til it gets 100, read 10stories/day so i could finish everything in 11days.

and now, i'm having my big serving of Chicken Soup

happy... quite happy... (^v^)

* with, "This offer is for a limited time only! So what are you waiting for? Call now!!!" by Home TV Shopping, playing in my head (=.=)

Thinking Aloud

2007-08-30T13:06:00.000+09:00

"Kung liligawan ka ba nya, sasagutin mo sya?! (If he were to court you, would you say 'yes'?!)"

"errrrrrr...... come again..?"

"Kung liligawan ka ba nya, sasagutin mo sya?!" (thinking: kulit nman nito oh...)

"can you repeat that once more for the second time all over again from the top?"

(you're feeling that your brain cells have died, and your brain's turning into gooey....)

WAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kidding aside. this is one of the most common questions asked in the boy-girl dating prelude, which, is totally POINTLESS... read my lips, P-O-I-N-T-L-E-S-S. honestly, is it even logical? is there a correct answer to that? ahhhh.... it's a trick question isn't it? i mean it appears to be a yes-no question, but it actually isn't! let's take a look at both cases..

- if girl answers 'no' & the guy involved somewhat discovers her answer, then he probably wouldn't even try because he already knew that he would be turned down (basted na, nde pa nanliligaw... tsk,tsk,tsk...)

- if girl answers 'yes' & the guy involved somewhat discovers her answer, then he'll probably be "on the move" ASAP because he already knew that he has THE chance (feeling... hmpf!)

sooo.... is this supposedly a basis question..? a reference before courting the girl?!

dammit! if the guy himself asks this POINTLESS question then that is sooo soooooo sooooooooo COWARD of him......... where's the risk, man?? or manliligaw ka lng kung sigurado ka na sasagutin ka? where's the point of vulnerability when you're in Love (*.*)?

this is a trick question. it has to be.

Blueberry Cheesecake

2007-08-26T21:19:00.000+09:00

after my futile attempts of searching for the right cheesecake to satisfy my appetite, i decided to create my own Blueberry Cheesecake. i did not find that much cheesecakes here, nor that much varieties either except for New York Cheesecake which Starbucks has, but the price (400Yen) kept me from eating my heart out, and the taste fell short of my expectations. i also tried New York cheesecake(did i not tell you that they lack varieties here?) of another cafe, but the cheesecake was somewhat dry and the texture wasn't smooth, so i wouldn't disclose the cafe's name in order to protect its reputation (+_+)

here is the final product of the joined efforts of the HonKugenuma Girls (Joie, Selah, Alaine), aka HonKugenuma Girls Blueberry Cheesecake Project (^___^)

we created this cheesecake last thursday after ofc hrs, and invited Onin and Corky over for desserts last friday (we also invited Kai, but he wasn't able to come...) Anne also came last weekend to get her new laptop :)

*crust - Selah and Joie; filling - Alaine and Joie; topping - Alaine;

Comments:
"hmmm.... sarap....." - Alaine, in bedroom voice
"isa pa, isa pa!" - Selah
"masarap!" - Onin. thinking, "pwede isa pa?"
"hmmm.... lasang blueberry cheesecake!" - Corky
"yum yum! saraappp!" - Anne

i'm very satisfied with the outcome of our little project in terms of taste and price (^____^) i'm so glad they they were able to enjoy it, as much as we enjoyed creating it! hahaha! :-$ we'll just have to work more on the presentation to make it more DROOOOLLLIIINNNGGG........

blame it on the weatherman

2007-08-23T09:46:00.000+09:00

the sky is gloomy
i wonder if it's shedding it's tears for me

the insensitive side of me was at full speed last night
until it came to a halt
i did not slow down
i stopped

when the rain started falling
i stopped

where have all the cheesecakes gone (^___^)

2007-08-21T15:34:00.000+09:00

is it just me, or is cheesecakes haunting me?

haven't tasted any good cheesecakes here in JP, aside from the Oreo Cheesecake that i created months ago (created, not baked, since that was a no-bake recipe).

i need a cheesecake which i could indulge my cravings into, and i haven't found the right place that could satisfy my appetite when this kind of craving attacks.

aren't they wonderful..? (*.*)

i'll get myself another cheesecake once this toothache's gone...

How Good is Your Wink? ;)

2007-08-20T00:17:00.000+09:00

Have you..

(a)ever practiced winking in front of the mirror?
(b)or just give random-teasing-winks at anyone?
(c)or a flirting wink to your love one? (ok.. just a flirting wink will do =p)

Rating:
0-Yes : Noob Winker! It may be that winking is not in your vocabulary, you had trauma when you once saw your wink ages ago, or you just haven't discovered the art of winking yet.. Either way, practice makes perfect! So why don't you just grab the mirror on your table and flash a wink for a start! go on... don't be shy.... ;)

1-Yes : Cool Winker! While winking may not be part of your itinerary, you certainly are not afraid to strike one of those winks once in a while! Just don't keep it to much to yourself or you're depriving others of their happiness ;)

2-Yes : Playful Winker! You sure know how to charm your most effective winks when certain circumstances call! Smooth talk your way then finish it with a wink and they'll come gushing over you ;)

3-Yes : Expert Winker! You might have enchant almost everybody with your winking prowess! Winking is surely one of your innate talents! Make good use of it and you could make a fortune out of that ;)

===============================================

winking has never been one of my "innate talents", but just as some people would practice that model pout or Monalisa smile in front of the mirror, i also flash some winks once in a while (*_-)

reaction on such action would of course depend on who is giving me the wink =p like a "flirting" wink from a person i REALLY have no interest whatsoever, would probably leave me puking on the ground, gasping for breath... (i probably wouldn't give even a point for the effort...)

i would probably smile or laugh on a playful wink from one of my girl friends =) having a good laugh over it wouldn't hurt/offend them, since their intention isn't to make me blush right?? errrr......... :-S

now.. a seductive, flirting wink from my baby IS a different story (and yes, he can do that :">) that kind of wink would earn him, let me see... a tight hug, at least 3 kisses, and the "ang cute-cute talga ng baby ko..." and yes, i couldn't do that without even blushing! :">:">:">

now you Noob Winker, let me see that wink again! haha! =))

interesting conversation

2007-08-17T10:35:00.000+09:00

may you have a Blessed day!!! (^________^)

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, the Almighty.

He asks one of his new Christian students to stand and.....

Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son?

Student : Yes, sir.

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student : Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student : Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student :Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student : No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student : From...God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student :Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student : No , sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student : No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We
can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe
the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light,flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God.You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? .....No one appears to have done so. So,according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith,son.

Student : That is it sir.. The link between man & God is FAITH.
That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

Tooth Fairy, where art thou?

2007-08-16T16:44:00.000+09:00

i planned on posting another blog entry today but my toothache's been bugging me since yesterday ='(

should i call on Tooth Fairy now? hmmmmm... probably no.. i "think" i've already lost all my baby teeth years ago, so the Tooth Fairy could not make me any Yen/Pesos richer now.

i've been blaming this on my sleeping position since yesterday, by lying on my right side all night, that is. never did it occur to me that it could be a wisdom tooth until Diane told me that it could be the reason. to think that i have lunch/dinner plans at Red Lobster this Saturday and i'm the one who organized that lunch/dinner!! huhu...don't want to think about missing it... =((

it wouldn't be too bad if i could call on to the Tooth Fairy...

Yokohama Fireworks Display

2007-08-15T12:52:00.000+09:00

花火 (ha-na-bi) - fireworks. classified as a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. the most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display - Wikipedia

my snapshots couldn't capture the real beauty of the hanabi due to limitations of the camera (Fujifilm Finepix F31FD), and my photography skills =P allow me, however, to share some of them, hehe.. ( as if you have a choice >:) )

terrible case of headache....

2007-08-15T03:58:00.000+09:00

been a bum yesterday, reading blogs(and having a good laugh! my officemate kept glancing my way, hehe), HP2 (yes, again...) and a daily dose of flirting :">

now, been up since 2:30am, updating my blog, posting a very pathetic entry...

i feel like
...clinging unto the last piece of a 12" x 12" wood floating in the midst of the pacific ocean, fighting my way through the storm
...falling from a 100ft height after my hot air balloon's been a tragic victim of a stray shotgun bullet, with my life flashing right in front of me
...being swallowed by Pacman, with my left hand sticking out of its mouth
...eaten by the "anacondas" i've been nurturing inside my tummy, from the inside, that is. barely leaving the skin attached to the strings controlled by the puppeteer marionette-style

help....please..........
could use a warm hug. not that tight, or i might cry......

or a lullaby... need to go back to sleep before 4:30am or the sun's gonna turn me into ashes in no time...

(DOA) 'Death Or Action: Take 1'

2007-08-14T17:24:00.000+09:00

by: Terri de la Cruz

Action fans from all over the world are now waiting with unrivaled anticipation for the movie-adaptation of 'Killed In Action'.

Famous action star Rhaniel 'Borj' Borja shall appear beside the action king, Philip Gripo for their upcoming movie, 'Death or Action' coming summer 2007. According to the sources from the Marasigan Studios, action queen Joie Cariaga (from the Academy Award winning film 'Done With the Action') shall have a major role, along side the action king. The movie is said to be directed by the renowned action and horror director, Nep Tee (Best Director, Academy Awards 2003).

Last month, the most famous producers in the action business, Chua and Kung Brothers (C), released a statement that they shall generously produce the movie together with the big-time executive producer, Anne Basilla (owner of Basilla Creative Pictures, Inc.). Anne has expressed her support on this production in last week's interview, saying that she has been an all-time fan of Action movies from the great Nep Tee.

The movie has already started with its production this October and fans of the action king (Gripo) and the new action star (Borja) were already speculating on the projected ending of the movie. 'Death Or Action' was based on the book 'Killed In Action' (Makati Times Best Seller for 2006) written by the local novelist, L. Carbonell (who also wrote 'Who's That Beside Kuya Dick').

Scriptwriter Anthony Machacon, promised that the script and storyline would very much be faithful to its beloved novel. Machacon especially noted that the key scenes were those that contructed the whole beauty of the story. Unfortunately, the novel was too long to be summarized, so Machacon did give hints that 'Death or Action' would be the first part of the 'Action' Trilogy.

Another renowned producer from Makati Action Guild, Jeff Lui, expressed his expectation on the Nep Tee film. "I'm seeing much potential in the production of this masterpiece." said Lui, "Since Joie Cariaga did an astounding performance with teen actor Rhoy Ong in Done With the Action, I already see the movie's promising future in the Box Office."

The special effects and computer enchancements in the movie's thrilling action scenes shall be done by the company, Rex Entertainment, who also brought us the late action movie 'Enter the Action' and the documentary 'Swimming Synchronization'. Jairus Tetangco, the co-founder of Rex Entertainment, estimated that the movie would have a budget of nearly $3,000,000 USD.

For the musical score of the film, director Nep Tee has mentioned that he had a talk with one of the scholars of the Conservatory of Music in Pennsylvania. The scholar had advised that the movie soundtrack be created by none other than the music prodigy, Charles Grandeza. Grandeza, now at 22, has been a three-time Emmy Award winner for the past five years of his stay in the music business. Together with Pinoy Pop Idol, Aldwin Prudente, the two shall be writing the music and the soundtrack for the action movie, bringing back the color and emotion to the drama and the action of the story.

Former action king Harold Espallardo wished the production and Nep Tee all the luck and support for this year's most-awaited action movie. Cheers!

*reposted from Chasing Stars blog by terri (^_____^)

UPDATE UPDATE!

2007-08-14T17:09:00.001+09:00

opo na... mag-uupdate na =P

things they don't teach you at school

2007-04-20T11:09:00.000+09:00

"I've been making a list of the things that they don't teach you at school.

They don't teach you how to love somebody.
They don't teach you how to be famous.
They don't teach you how to be rich, or how to be poor.
They don't teach you how to walk away from someone you don't love any longer.
They don't teach you how to know what's going on in someone else's mind.
They don't teach you what to say to someone who's dying.

... Sometimes I feel. Shit. I don't know. Hollow. Mostly when I don't feel what I ought to feel, inside.
... How does that make me feel? Empty. That's all. Just empty."

Rose Walker. The Sandman, The Kindly Ones

*reposted from my old blog

j()!e¥'s FoRMuLa

2007-01-26T17:26:00.000+09:00

busog + antok = bangag

bow.

ps. Don't Worry, Be Sappy (^_____^)

A walk TO REMEMBER

2007-01-18T12:39:00.000+09:00

funny.. how long walks can make one reminisce and long for the old times...

i just realized last night, while talking my long walk from office to train station (ala Christina Aguilera in "I Turn to You" vid), how i spent my last five birthdays.. yeah, i don't know how it came out of my cerebral cortex, but i do know that each birthday celebrations are all worth to be looked back =)

17 - my dorm roommates, Jac, R-ar, Bambi, Byn, woke me up around 5am in the morning - lights-off, cake, and coke - with a birthday song :) why 5am? it's, sort of, a tradition in our room to "surprise" a birthday celebrant. now, the problem was HOW to surprise the celebrant, since we're sure that we would be receiving a "surprise" if it's our birthday, so we have to be creative about it :)) since i suggested,on previous roommate's birthday, to give our greetings at the end of the day, they decided to give me a dose of my own medicine, so they decided to delay it =D i kept my self from bursting into laughter when they started singing "Happy Birthday" and pretended to be sleeping because, the truth is, i was awakened by their alarm clocks =)) acted *really* surprised, and that i was awakened by their song =D

18 - i was, i think, "studying" for an exam, facing my computer, in the corner of our room, when my roommates, Bambi, Byn, Daizel, Kat, turned-off the lights and started singing "Happy Birthday".. when i turned around, they have balloons, cake, and 18 flowers :) they started giving me flowers, taking turns, while saying "i like joie, bacause...." i was sooooo touched..... :) i even joked if they would be completing all the 18 flowers, since they might run out of "bola" :)) they even said, "kulang pa nga yan eh..." :"> of course, i treated them that week, and we had picnic in the Freedom Park :)
later that day, i also had another celebration with Jo, Reg, Love, Keith, Niza, Jeremy :) they also bought me cake =D

19 - birthday with my teacher housemates, Mam Tin, Mam Jo and Mam Jas, and adviser Mam Dudai =D hehe, they gave me my first optical mouse, which i've been making "parinig" in the previous months :))

20 - ACTION days... Mam Tin, Mam Jo and Mam Jas spent Friday night and Saturday in our house!!! =D i met them in glorietta friday night, and went to Megamall the whole Saturday :) they bought their digicams, treated me for my birthday, and cake ule (i was only a trainee that time so i was penniless) =D nowadays, when we're talking about that day, they would tease Mam Tin that she was crying when i sent them off to the bus stop (trip back to LB). thought, i can still vividly remember the lump in my throat, and the stinging tears in my eyes when i was seeing them off :((

21 - Japan ni iru... spent my birthday away from Pinas.. though i already experienced spending my birthday(actual day) away from home, i was sure that i would be seeing them the following weekend, but my last birthday was different.. that was a Sunday, and i spent the Saturday wandering around Fujisawa thinking of what i would do for my birthday. i shopped for spaghetti ingredients and got my first Stitch pillow, sariling sikap =D Sunday, cooked spaghetti for lunch, window-shopping at Fujisawa, and my housemates, Alaine and Selah treated me for dinner at Saizeriya :) i also received call from my family (they celebrated my birthday in our house), which really surprised me, because usually, i'm the one to call them =D of course, i also called my kare later that day :">

though each celebration was spent quite differently each year, they sure brought a lot of memories and stirred feelings.. :) im already looking forward to another birthday (don't really care if that would make me older), though it wouldn't be till the next 11mons :)) !! looking back to those memories, at least i can tell myself, "hey, it wasn't that bad :)", knowing that i spent those days with my friends, family, and loved ones... ;)

New Year Holiday

2007-01-08T17:50:00.000+09:00

i just uploaded more Disney pics, Sea Paradise, and Ueno Zoo pics =)

i'm puffing smoke.. and no, not because i'm already a smoker, but because its freezing cold here(maybe i'm called puffer =D) though if i remember right, i could get the same effect in baguio, minus the aching muscles and joints, and the whirling sound of wind outside... i'd rather be in baguio now =)

we had a "long" new year holiday (dec30-jan3, though it would have been longer if dec30 is NOT a saturday..) niwei, we planned (with anne) to spend our holiday in our apartment in honkugenuma. she arrived dec30, night, thus, we already missed one day of gala =D

dec31 - we had lunch at kai's place, and we also decided if we would be going some place at night where there would be countdown to new year. we decided to have our countdown in bed.... later that afternoon, we went to fujisawa, with anne and selah, where anne also had her stressful haircut (with bangs, nihonjin style) hehe, we just chose (and pointed) from a magazine what style anne wanted :)) when anne's already seated and the stylist cut her bangs, she was like "OH....NO...." the haircut turned out to be fine, and we didn't have to chase the stylist with scissors in our hands ;) we ate at saizeriya, and bought chips and wine for our new year treat =D

jan1 - went to Sea Paradise and Torihama with Anne! you should know that this is a very important event for us because it was our first time to go to a new place with no sempais (in short, no tour guide)!! luckily, aside from minor confusion in changing trains and in what platform, etc, we didn't get lost!!!!! weeeeee!!!!!!! :)) (my other housemates went to disneysea with their friends, and since i'm in tipid mode, because of the laptop, we decided to venture, on our own, hehe) we arrived in Sea Paradise around 10am, and went to see the Dolphin Show at 11am. after that, we went to the Aqua Museum, and had our lunch at the Food Court (our lunch costed us 1K Yen each, grrrr....) we also went to the Pelican Feeding, and well, fed the pelicans =D
anne's been bugging me that we should ride the Blue Fall (she argued that Sea Paradise is all about Blue Fall..) but i was not in the mood for rides, and falling from 107m height scared me, so i'm not a least bit excited abt the ride! after the pelican feeding, we went to see a few shops, and i'm already asking anne that we should already go to Torihama (that means skipping the Blue Fall). after a few tugging/dragging we were already in front of the Blue Fall:(( anne, excitedly, bought the ticket for us, while i was just staring at the tall ride that we would be riding anytime soon (i joked anne that i cant move my feet because of fear =D)
each cab has for seats (older male, a young girl around 12, me, anne) when the ride was already gaining heights, me and anne were the only ones screaming! :)) ascending the ride anly took around 10secs max, and THE fall is around 5secs (announcer, before THE fall: 3,2,1, bye, bye)
after THE fall, we went to Torihama, where i bought a jacket (which i think is one of the cheapest items there) and a Starbucks tumbler with "Yokohama" label =)

jan2 - Ueno Zoo with selah, anne, anne's college friends aiko and aly, aiko's younger brother carlo, and their teacher lloyed. we agreed to meet in Ueno station at 11am and then had yakiniku for lunch (which is much better than our lunch in Sea Paradise, but both costed us 1K yen each, awww..) and spent the rest of the afternoon in ueno zoo (im not going to talk abt the details of the zoo =D) the previous night, anne and I planned to go to tokyo tower after the ueno zoo, but since we're already too tired to do any more strolling, we decided to go home already :)

jan3 - fujisawa shopping, and early dinner with AWS people =D before the holiday, AWS organized this early dinner for Lenovo people (though we could tag other persons, semi-RSVP) i bought mouse (hirap mag-dota kpag touchpad =D), two turtle-neck blouses, and sweater :) anne, on the other hand, bought hair blower and hair brush (or something) for her new haircut, hehe =) i had to convince anne the previous night to go to the dinner coz she was worried if it's ok for her to tag along coz she might be a gate-crasher.. i told her that if she wouldn't come, i also wouldn't go (semi-blackmail >:)) after the dinner, she was very glad that she came along because, aside from the dinner's free, the food's REALLY good :) something that we wouldn't have tasted if it were just me and her =D

my holiday's been pretty productive :) one major drawback though, was that i couldn't connect to the internet, and cannot make phonecalls :(( jan4, back to work.. anne still had a day-off and spent the day with geiger and maezato sensei to work on their visas, but went back to shizuoka that afternoon . since anne wouldn't be leaving until 12pm (i couldn't have her thrown out of the apartment, though it did cross my mind *evil laugh* ) we had quite a dilemma if i should give her my house key since we had to find a way of returning my house key.. i wouldn't tell how we did it, but, let's just say that i got my key back =D

next plan would be around feb10, where we would go skiing =D sort of excited about it, but all im worrying right now is how to adapt to this COLD weather... brrrrrrrrrrr...............

MeRrY CHRistMas!!! <:-P

2006-12-25T10:38:00.000+09:00

MeRrY CHRistMas!!!

this is no time for sentiments (though, i'm far from my love ones, and spending my Christmas in a non-Christian country..) still, there are LOTS of reasons to be happy about, and thus, still calls for a celebration =D

aside from the FACT that today is Christmas(yes, it's a fact, and even japanese should know that!! hehe), today is also our bunso's birthday, Happy Birthday Chris!! pakabait ka huh.. try ko ung request mo ;)

also, my new laptop has arrived last Saturday!!! wooohoo!!! no more boring weekends =)) it is a Lenovo 3000 V100 model, which i got at a very affordable price (since they have discount offers for employees, hehe) i will just have to "acquire" English OS since the unit comes with Nihongo OS (not that i would have any problems regarding the "acquiring" process =D) as for internet access, i could just lich it from my neighbor >:)

basic specs of my laptop:

processor: Intel Core Duo 1.66GHz(so-so..)
RAM: 512MB (nice!)
HDD: 100GB (nice!)
fixed bay drive: DVD super multi - drive (nice!)
interface: USB2.0(3), RJ-11 (modem), a micro phone jack, a head phone jack, IEEE 1394 (four pins), RJ-45 (LAN), a monitor, a wireless LAN ON/OFF switch (nice! wireless means lich, harhar)
Bluetooth: yes (nice!)
Built-in Camera: 1.3 pixels (nice!)
ExpressCard/54: five-in-one media-card slot that supports Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, and xD formats
Weight: 1.99kg (portable enough =D)

Reviews on V100

there may be available laptops with better specs, but that is THE BEST deal i could get with my budget :)) let's say if Villman offers this laptop (may have variation with the specs) at 84,588 Pesos, i got it at a MUCH lower price ;)

and, three more days and monthsary na ule nmin....hihihi :">

niwei! i just watched "Just my Luck" yesterday (yes, i know, it is a Lindsay Lohan film, hehe) and there's a quote something like, if you dwell on the bad things you may not be able to see the good things...

so, Merry Christmas again!!! May God bless us all!!! and don't forget to give thanks to Him ;)

weee!!! Disneyland!! =D

2006-12-12T09:33:00.001+09:00

nitatamad pa ako kwento.. see the pics and vids na lng =D these pics and vids are from my camera, dagdagan ko na lng once i get the other pics.. i am no photographer (not to mention that it's been raining the WHOLE day, and camera limitations), so sensya na sa shots ;)

PICS HERE!
VIDS HERE!!

premature gloating =))

2006-12-01T09:50:00.000+09:00

i was flipping through the TV channels last night (like i always do), flipping, since i can't fully comprehend what they're saying and i feel like i'm not really missing something important =D, when i saw Jet Li's face on the the screen! after a few seconds, i realized that it's a film called Kiss of the Dragon (which i saw, at least, twice already), but then, the thought of watching an English film in Japanese TV made me REALLY excited!! hmmm... to put it bluntly, tumili ako =)) hey, it's not everyday that you could watch English film in Japanese TV (at least for the past, almost, 3weeks!) (+_____+) so ung naabutan ko ay action scene, watching Jet Li and i was awed with his cool-calm-alert-unworry-while-throwing-all-his-enemies-unconscious face =) of course, at the back of my mind, there was this nagging voice, saying that the film may be dubbed in Nihongo, but i refused to entertain the thought.....

when all his enemies were already unconscious (or probably with a few broken bones) someone spoke, and, great, JUST GREAT! it was dubbed in Nihongo!!! =(( i felt like my "happy hormone" (FYI: Progesterone is also called the happy hormone ;)) reached bottom rock........*sigh* *sniff* so much for English film in Japanese TV, and may I add, NOT dubbed in Nihongo......haaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....................................

i watched the film again, nonetheless, since i already know the story, and not really bothered with what they're saying........... maybe, i'll try again to look for English film in Japanese TV, and may I add, NOT dubbed in Nihongo this weekend (fingers crossed...) =D

(^_____________^)

to the MOON and BACK

2006-11-22T10:24:00.000+09:00

MENTAL NOTE: Don't sleep in an Express Train (unless you're with someone who wouldn't sleep too...)

* Please use this map for the graphical representation of the following story. Kindly refer to the lower-right side of the photo (just ignore the numbers, hehe =P)

our house is near the Hon-Kugenuma station, which is only two stops away from the last station (Katase-Enoshima), and my work is near Chuo-rinkan station. (kindly bear with me with the names, i also had a hard time with it =D)

morning: Hon-Kugenuma -> Chuo-rinkan
evening: Chuo-rinkan -> Hon-Kugenuma

last night, i rode the 7:02pm Express train at the Chuo rinkan station, planning to change to local train at Fujisawa, since the express train wouldn't stop at Hon-Kugenuma station.. vague idea of my plan (+______+):

Chuo-Rinkan -> Fujisawa
change to local train
Fujisawa to Hon-Kugenuma

now, the Express train only stops at 5 stations from Chuo-rinkan to Fujisawa, while the local train stops at all stations, total of 12stations from Chuo-rinkan to Hon-Kugenuma (work -> home). Please use this map.

local train stops: Chuo-rinkan->Minami-rinkan->Tsuruma->Yamato->Sakuragaoka-> Koza-Shibuya->Chogo->Shonandai->Mutsuai-Nichidai-Mae->Zengyo-> Fujisawa-Hommachi->Fujisawa->Hon-Kugenuma
Express train stops: Minami-rinkan->Yamato->Chogo->Shonandai->Fujisawa

ok, so i rode the 7:02pm Express train at the Chuo rinkan station, slept, and when i woke up, i was ALREADY at the Minami-rinkan station!!! not just the Chuo-rinkan -> Minami-rinkan stop, BUT the Chuo-rinkan->Minami-rinkan stop via Katase-Enoshima. Yes, in short, i had a round trip....*sigh*... i'm just one station short of where i came from...

good thing, is that, nde ako lumampas sa Chuo-rinkan kse mahaba-habang byahe kung nagkataon! >:) haaayyyy.....

*UPDATE: i rode the Rapid Express Train not the Express train.. too much texts to edit, haha! - 8.15.2007*

SiGHTSeeiNG.shOppIng. UFOcatcher.longing...

2006-11-20T12:18:00.000+09:00

CHECK OUT THE PICS HERE!

Me and my friend Anne agreed that when you are in a very nice place, you want your kare(boyfriend) or koibito(lover,sweetheart) to be with you so you could share the experiences with him; plus the samui atmosphere, and the cuddling, and the holding hands ek-ek (^___^)

last saturday i went to akihabara et.al. with the AWS Cebu pips(i wouldn't try to enumerate everyone coz i might miss someone =P). we (with my housemate Selah)left our house around 8am, and arrived at the Akihabara station around 10am to meet the others. i met Anne (batchmate in ACTION) and literally stick with her since everyone is talking either in Nihongo or Bisaya (both of which i can't really comprehend, hehe)

we first went around Akihabara(like divisoria of techie stuffs). i just bought a new digicam, olympus μ710, while the others bought HDD or video cards,etc. it's amazing how you could see laptops, LCD, or computers ALONG the streets without the fear of being shoplifted! we also saw 3persons wearing costumes(bioman, power rangers, not sure!) and a LOT of anime "adult" stores. some of the Cebu pips also looked for PS3, for personal (and business purposes, i think).
we had our lunch at a sushi bar at the Akihabara station(the others ate at different resto). prices are ¥126/normal plate, ¥200+/sushi on top of wooden something, and ¥300+/blue plate, and in fairness, i enjoyed eating sushi(and i wouldn't tell how many sushi servings i ate =P)! after lunch, we met Maezato sensei at the station, but she's also in a hurry(so we let her go). a little more walk around Akihabara, and then we went to Okachimachi to look for clothes, shoes, perfume, etc...

by 5pm, we headed to Chinatown to buy buta siopao, (hehe, at least it's not neko...) and UFO catcher. we also saw this cute dog (which i feel like kidnapping, if only no one's around). and then we're off to Yokohama. Queen's Square, first stop at Yokohama; then Yokohama Cosmoworld (ride pics) where we did a LOT of arcade (UFO catcher costs around ¥200/play, ¥500/3plays), went inside a haunted house (they said, as initiation), and Roller Coaster Vanish! hehe, i enjoyed the roller coaster ride more than the haunted house since i'm not really a horror fan. during the roller coaster ride, it felt like Anne and I were the only ones screaming! :))

we planned to have our dinner at Hard Rock cafe but we don't have any reservations, thus putting us in the waiting queue, so we decided to have dinner at American House instead. i commented that the waiter, named Tetsu, is really good in English (you can say it's an American resto..) what we didn't expect, is when he said "Masarap yan, kain na"!! hehe, quite funny, and surprising really =D (we suspect he's really Filipino, pretending to be Japanese) >:)

we parted ways around 10pm at the eki. arrived at our house by 1130pm, then kwentuhan galore ni Anne(sa room ko natulog si Anne, since sa bukid pa house nila)! HAHA! we slept around 1:30am since nde matapos ung hiritan, kwentuhan (at sumbungan) nmin ni Anne... we needed to sleep "early" because we planned to do shopping the next day (later that day)at Fujisawa (one station away from our house) (O__O)
------------------------------------------------------------

Next day(later that day): woke up around 7am, had breakfast, then left for Fujisawa to do some shopping! =D it was our first time (with Anne) to navigate our way around the place with no senpai's(seniors)! fortunately, we didn't get lost =D and we REALLY had a great time! i got myself a coat(around ¥4,000), and a scarf(for ¥570). as for Anne, let's see... she got 3pairs of shoes, bonnet, and scarfs :) we ate at Pepper's Lunch (it was our first time; they have vendo machine for taking orders!), for lunch. and then Starbucks.

Since uwi pa sila sa bukid, they had to take the 3:17pm train ride home (Anne came together with her officemate, Geiger). after they left, we (with Alaine, my housemate, and Kai) went to Bikku Camera (ビックカメラ) to buy camera casing, did our groceries, and finally went home..............

EPILOGUE:
finally, home... place where we could rest our tired bodies... (did i say it was raining the WHOLE day?) =D funny thing is, instead of resting, or getting sleep immediately, we still had the energy to do the laundry(Alaine), iron clothes(me), vacuum clean the house (Alaine, me), and watch Failure to Launch (Alaine, me). i also finished reading the book Stardust by Neil Gaiman that night..........(^_____^)

hehe, glad to say that my first weekend here in Nihon is really enjoyable! been to a lot of places already ;) also made me realize how much i miss my kare already... (been hoping he's here with me) *sigh* *sniff*...

rAndOm chUvAnEss (^____________^)

2006-11-17T14:35:00.000+09:00

the highschool-girls-in-their-sailor-uniform,
and the highschool-boys-in-their-gakuran-uniform,
30mins walk from uchi-eki, and eki-ofc. one-way.
looks like all the animes that i've watched popped out of life.

nihonjin wa ooi ne.
to think that the most number of nihonjin i see at a time would be at most 10..
NOW, the most number of Philippinejin i see at a time is at most 10..

the LOWEST temperature i experienced in the philippines is 20C in Baguio..
temperature here is around 15C and getting lower... and then it will rain and the the wind blows....*chill*

i used to have 1-hr Nihongo class, thrice a week, with quizzes
exams (listening, reading, grammar) once a month, i think
i now have exams (listening, reading, grammar) for at least 10 hrs EVERYDAY

it's been my fifth day here in Nihon and i'm looking forward to the coming weekend for some exploration galore in Aki Habara! weeee!!! planning to acquire a new cam and Stitch stuff toy >:) and do groceries and eat japanese food and meet with other AWS members and do the laundry (ok, im not really excited about the laundry bit) :D and bili ng pasalubong =P

i'm still getting used here, but at least i already know my way from uchi(house)-kaisha(company) and vice-versa, unlike when it was my first time to travel alone last tuesday :)) i "almost" got lost at the eki(station) when i changed trains in Fujisawa on my way to the office (something like i was late, by mins, to catch the express train in Fujisawa, and i had to take the local train, thought i was gonna be late for work!) here's the railmap of the train that i'm taking (8mins walk from house to Hon Kugenuma station, change trains at Fujisawa, then orimasu sa Chuo-rinkan station, 15mins walk to office)

let's see.... since last sunday, i already bought ¥10,000-worth-of-phonecards, called my family, and my baby :"> visited the 2 Filipino stores in Minami-rinkan and had combination of tuna, maling, and egg for dinner (hoping for a decent dinner this weekend).... also, since last monday(except nung Wed, coz there was a fire-drill; fire drill when it's 15C here?!), my "great-grandfather" (team lead=father; project manager=grandfather; manager=great-grandfather, i think =P) has been inviting me and Diane for coffee/ice cream in the cafeteria(he pays!)

one more thing i realized here in Japan, that garbage segregation is not that hard to do... ohhh... if only Filipinos would do the same, that will be the day! =D

have to pretend to be working now >:) translate docs and everything :))

btw, my housemates bought brandnew ThinkPad X60s for about ¥100K only! X60 costs around P120K at Villman so happens that they have discount offers for IBM/Lenovo employees.... *thinking of buying a new one too.... (but not too soon)*

missing my family and my baby and my friends........................... *sigh*