unpredictable

yes, life is simply unpredictable. yesterday, we spent the day at rockwell, one of my parents' favorite malls. it really is a nice mall and it wasn't too crowded. i was able to get two new shirts and my sister got two new pants. cool ^o^

but the best thing about this particular mall trip was the piano-playing man. we were passing by the body shop when this beautiful melody caught my attention. lots of people were standing by the railings. curious, i looked down and saw the source of the spirited christmas songs. there was an old man and a younger man playing the piano together - one was accompanying the other. the two were even dancing while playing. they really felt the music, the beats. it was a wonderful listening experience. traditional christmas songs were given more upbeat interpretations. music can truly warm the soul.

so there we were walking aimlessly around. when we saw karen and kym ong with their mum. it was from her that we heard the news of the earthquake and tsunamis in malaysia, thailand, and indonesia. when i watched cnn later that night, i found out that india and sri lanka had been badly affected too.

the thing is we (together with my relatives on the mother side) were going to go on the cruise to phuket and langkawi. my aunt called up my mom and said that phuket was badly hit by the tsunamis and thank God we didn't push through with our plans to go on the cruise. these past few days, i have been thinking about God's plan and stuff like that. how unpredictable life is. karma. we have no control over our lives. sure, we have control over our actions and how our lives will turn out. but when it comes to life and death, we are simply pawns in a chess game. indeed, God works in mysterious ways.

this holiday season, for me, has given rise to such a number of catastophic events - both personal and worldwide. these events have urged me to see past the materialistic objectives of life and to pay more attention to values and God. i offer my prayers to the people who have been affected by the quake and tsunamis. may they have the strength and faith to overcome such adversitites.

rose-colored glasses

do i see the world through rose-colored glasses? do i refuse to see the pain and suffering surrounding me? today is christmas day and i have a thousand thoughts running through my head.

an uncanny incident happened today. fear is the primary emotion i felt. how weird that people, humans can be so inhuman(e). blinded by materialistic goals, people can do anything.

this christmas, i realized just how important family is. the greatest gift i received is that my family is by my side. and for that, i am eternally grateful to the Lord. may i remember that material things are temporary and that life is too fleeting, too unpredictable to be taken for granted, to be wasted...

on the lighter side of things, we went to sm today. i got a laptop ^o^ pretty cool. i'll probably be tinkering with it for the next few days or so.

over the break, i've been watching a few korean movies. too beautiful to lie was thoroughly enjoyable. i also found reversal of fortune to be entertaining. the way home was quite touching, about a young city boy who gets stuck living with his mute grandmother in the rural area. it juxtaposes the two different generations and concentrates on family values without being preachy.

on the 23rd, we had dinner at brazilian restaurant in rockwell. i really love rockwell. the place is so soothing and mediterranean-y. the food was okay. couldn't partake of the specialties as they were all viands. went to fully booked and bought two books. one by a scandinavian author with a beautiful cover of what looked like an island resort. book's about the relationship between a grandmother and her 7 year old granddaughter. i just love being in a bookshop. rows and rows of books. speaking of which, harry potter book 6 out in july!!

saw chynna ortaleza and railey valeroso at body shop. my sister's a fan of chynna. she kept mentioning how pretty chynna was...and i do believe we became semi-stalkers. hehe.

my cousins were acting out "mulawin." pretty entertaining ^o^

so far, the christmas holidays have been a mix of everything - the good, the bad. it's been a learning, enlightening experience. it taught me to appreciate life more. i truly hope that the epiphany never wears away...

終わりました

今日の試験は少し難しいだ。わたしは遅かったと思います。すみだ先生はしけんが九時始めると言いました。でも私の友達早くラサールへ行きました。7時55分につきました。遅くなかった！＾ｏ＾ラサールに入ったとき、ジュウーヂトさんを見ました。ながい先生、すみだ先生、ズルエタ先生も見ました。試験を終わってから、疲れました。そしておなかがすいた。かぞくとノートパークで昼ごはんを食べました。おいしいですね！今かがくのレポートを書きます。

試験

私は明日日本語の試験があります。きのうは練習しました。日本語は上手になりましたか。まだだと思います。でも今私は日本語がすこしわかりました。いいですね！日本語が上手なる時、日本へ行きます。人と話します、日本の食べ物を食べます。。日本の生活はどうだとおもいます。

cousins unite!

i've posted pics of my cousins and my sister, eizel. during family gatherings, they're the liveliest, rowdiest bunch. eunice and i are far older than them, obviously but we enjoy being their "achis." we went to saisaki just last friday (nov. 19th) for my grandmother's post-bday celebration. but i don't have pics of the kiddie squad. so the pictures here are pictures from my uncle lyndon's bday party at gloria maris, from the countless out-of-town trips and family dinners. i love taking pictures of them although they're usually restless when it comes to posing. their exuberance, camaraderie, and playful antics always make family gatherings more enjoyable and memorable ^0^ and yeah, they've grown quite a bit...

girl power! 

journey to ocean adventure 

strike a funny pose! 

gloria maris: laugh it up! 

of superheroes, exams, and taking chances...

i watched the incredibles last night! awesome movie! uber cool! there were parts that were a bit lagging but overall, wow! i loved the scene when the mom became a speedboat. and i'd sure love to become invisible and give off force fields. i wonder what it'd be like to have superheroes in our midsts. pixar is a genius. i'd love to go to their studio one day and see what goes on behind the scenes...but maybe i'd just be bored with all the technical stuff. i'll leave the techie stuff to eunice. ^o^

i've been reviewing for the japanese proficiency exam and i find it quite hard. some terms just can't stick. i look for the same terms over and over again in the dictionary. the test isn't super hard. it's just that each number is worth like 3 points so a few mistakes and uh-oh! and the listening part is kinda confusing. i'll just have to work double time.

speaking of japanese, i've been thinking about going there to study - foreign exchange. i'll apply, then see what happens. i dunno. i've never done anything out of this world, anything exciting. the most exciting thing i've done would probably be parasailing but it wasn't that exhilarating. i don't want to go out partying, i don't like staying out late (i prefer watching TV over going out). basically, i'm a boring person. i guess i just have a different idea of having fun. i feel that i think too much, that i'm not impulsive enough. i worry too much. i should just let life flow...not be imprisoned by it. generally, i'm just afraid to take chances and now, i think that it might be time to change my perspective...

oh yeah, i love taco bell's bean burritos. basically, since it's the only thing i've tried coz it's the only thing i can eat but it's yummy ^o^ and i got another box of macaroons from biZu yesterday - sinful. and starbucks' peppermint mocha coffee (i think that's what it's called) is refreshing too.

am currently looking for attic cat's OST. the show just ended thursday. happy ending ^o^ now, i'm content with watching lovers in paris. i wish someone had the vcd collection of this series so that i could watch it at my own pace, which on second thought, wouldn't be so good. i'd be watching it all the time and it would be my priority which would lead to a backlog of schoolwork. sigh. prioritize school. repeat that like a mantra. prioritize school.

and i bought books yesterday. sale at powerbooks. mostly books by indian authors. jhumpa lahiri's the namesake, amulya malladi's serving crazy with curry. also, fischer's an egg on three sticks. it's been a while since i bought books. it was fun! i'm back to my old self again. there are times when i get tired of buying books, then again, there are moments when i can't get enough of them. in the future, i should set a budget. i might spend all of my earnings on books. hehe.

another day at the hotel

this month seems to be full of long weekends...not that i'm complaining. it's just gonna be hard to adjust back to those full-week school days. this week, i only have three class days coz of ACP. next week, back to 5 days a week. bummer. so yeah, we hiked over at the hotel again. and ni and i actually slept there. 'zel kept kicking me in her sleep though so i was tossing around quite a bit. the atmosphere was cozy and warm though. the bathroom was really nice - sparkly and big and all.

we walked around greenbelt where i bought a book (the namesake) at powerbooks. i feel happy every time i buy a book. books are my natural high. ^o^ then, we headed off to the foodcourt which my mom likes. she just likes to sit there and walk around to check out the different food stalls.

basically, the weekend was spent in a relaxing manner. at night, my dad had a heart-to-heart talk with ni and i - about his life, his problems, i can't think of a better word but 苦衷. i got to know my dad more, understand him more. it was pretty memorable.

in the morning, ni and i gorged on the buffet. i love the pastries, esp the ones with the strawberries ^o^ yum! then we headed over to national to buy some supplies and we encountered some japanese kids..i actually understood a few snatches of their conversation. cool! hehe.

so now, it's back to studying. i'm still scared of organic chem, getting the hang of polsci. same old, same old.

i'm watching lovers in paris. funny show ^_^ sigh. when will i get to go to paris?

long lines: breakfast buffets and reading glasses

it's funny how one thing can bring forth two different memories, two different emotions. on nov 2, i went to makati shang to see my parents and eizel (after i dropped ni off at csb). being that i woke up in the wee hours of the morning (around 5), i got lost at the hotel and couldn't find the elevators, not seeing the big sign with an arrow pointing towards the lifts, which was a few feet away. to cut a long story short, i found the room without any more mishaps and safely plopped myself in front of the television.

it's really fun watching television in a hotel. i switched through the different channels - japanese first, then french, afterwhich i moved on to chinese, then taglish. when i watch tv at home, i make it a point to listen to all the languages - korean, japanese, etc etc and in a way, i feel like i'm in a hotel in some foreign place ready for adventure. kinda cool. so there i was, in front of the tv, staring intently at the screen, pretending to understand every word. that went on for about half an hour before my parents were fully awake and dressed.

off to the breakfast buffet. no long lines here. but well, it's a given that in buffets, you line up when there are people. there were so many pastries! i loved the one with the strawberries on top. and the potatoes were yummy too. i love potatoes cooked any way. i haven't really indulged in hotel breakfasts before, at least here in the phil. even on trips abroad, breakfast was a quickie because tours started early. breakfast was just a quick bite, a sip here and off to the bus! so it was a bit unnerving, surprising even to be enjoying breakfast at a leisurely place at a hotel. i had time to sip coffee, go for seconds, talk, and enjoy the whole experience.

so fast forward to about a week later and i'm in a line - sadly, not for something as fun as a buffet - but to get stuff photocopied. sigh. yes, sembreak is indeed over and it's back to deathly long photocopy lines, stacks of reading materials, temporary heart attacks (due to surprise quizzes and recitations), and irregular sleeping hours. this sem seems to have way lots of work. i'll get used to it after two or more days - the monotonous, routine stuff.

funny how perspectives change so fast. happy one moment, tired/sad the next. in just a week (sometimes even a day), we experience so many ups and downs and we survive it all. it amazes me to see how strong the human person is - equipped to battle life, struggle with emotions, deal with bittersweet stuff. we're just eveready for the next impossible thing to happen. never be too happy coz something'll happen that'll counterbalance that happiness but we can't help but choose to feel happy and to deal with the sad part when it comes. i dunno. my point is just that human emotions are such a volatile thing.

of course tv is my school de-stressor. i'm watching attic cat/rooftop romance nowadays on xingkong. korean drama. chinese subtitles. kim rae won and jung da bin. story's really cute. but i'm too lazy to elaborate. just check out http://geocities.com/kdramas3/atticcat.html for a synopsis ^0^

currently enjoying: cheetos, superstar by S.H.E., philosophy class, staring at our christmas tree, white houses by vanessa carlton, explosive by bond, and lalala by lee soo young

all saints' day

spent the whole day (almost) at ever memorial. we got there super early and dad forgot to bring the keys so we were stuck outside with di-pe. we waited a while before the rest of the clan started coming 'round. as usual, most of my cousins got sunkissed - including me and my two sisters. but this year was more fun compared to before. sure, it was way boring waiting for the time to pass, doing nothing but folding "kim" and eating and drinking, and watching the thick and tall red candles burn and melt. but this time, i talked to my cousins - che, cherrie, rowena, jun, eric - we whiled the time away.

in the end, che, cherrie, and i talked about shopping - going into stalls and wanting to buy everything if not for our paltry wallets and the humongous price tags. oh well - you can't have it all. we talked about tequila and vodka, and how not to get drug. we talked about sneaking out and freedom and independence and trips abroad. we talked about the future and expectations and careers. we talked about being born chinese and all the traditions and mindsets we have. we talked about marriage and boyfriends and cross-cultural marriages. we talked about being set up and how we were neither chinese nor filipino but stuck in between. we talked about dramas and languages and music and downloads. indeed, as the sun's rays pierced through the relatively clear sky (and the huge parasol-covered table), we talked about anything under the sun. of course, with a few breaks and snatches of food.

so there. basically, that was how the day was spent. my parents and eizel are at makati shang now. they're sleeping over there. me and ni didnt' go coz ni has class tomorrow. so we're home alone. wahahaha!! hehe.

i finished 100% senorita a few days ago. i miss having something to watch. class will start anyway. it was fun to be part of the imaginary world for some time - courtesy of drama series. looking forward to the next time.

cha, aileen, charlene, raech, and i went to rp last friday. it was basic girl bonding. we went to the boutiques and saw some uber cool stuff with matching cool price tags. i so need to save money. i want to go shopping!!! so lin tried on some stuff at guess while i perused and browsed, wishing i could take all the stuff home. hehe. we talked over dinner at sorabol - topics ranging from going abroad to ghosts (what with halloween and all). but it was pretty fun ^o^

right now, i'm kinda tired. i want to just lay back on my pillows and stuffed toys and rot in front of the TV, yawn, and rejuvenate my aching bones. hay...wednesday and it's back to school. this sem is way too much work - i think - really loaded. this too shall pass though it hasn't exactly come yet. 加油!

last night, we went to market market. we went to the mall though - metro. wasnt' quite finished yet. we ate at good earth afterwards. food was okay - a bit expensive though. nice interiors. statue looked like shang from mulan. ^o^

collage of pictures from twin sisters (taken from http://www.cts.com.tw/prog/drama/twins) 

swept away

this sembreak, i have been a complete slob - doing nothing but loafing around. i reviewed a bit of japanese and i still have jap lessons but it has been pretty boring. at least, i finally took a jeep. maek accompanied me. we took a jeep from nicanor garcia to greenbelt. it was pretty fun ^o^ monday, i met up with germaine, charissa, and laurice. we had a fun get-together. we talked so much and laughed till our bellies hurt and cheeks sore. time just seemed to fly by.
aileen lent me a drama series 千金百分百. so i've been watching it these past few days. really enjoying it. getting involved in other people's drama. sometimes, watching shows like these help me escape the drudgery and boredom of real life, sometimes the problems of life, sometimes it's just plain fun to be transported somewhere else for a few hours and imagine the what if's...

breakfast at UCC

yesterday, we had breakfast at UCC (Tomas Morato). the place is really lush and plush and fancy. it felt like having breakfast at a hotel. i loved the place! i've always been an avid fan of UCC coffee ^o^ So, it was kinda my birthday treat - having breakfast there. it was fun. we got to bond as a family. and the breakfast wasn't bad too. overall, i'd just like to remember the feeling of having breakfast there - leisure, comfort, relaxation. the place really was quite charming. i think i'm gushing. hehe.

i watched shark tale on saturday. i took a jeep from french school. so, i now know how to take a jeep to get somewhere. wasn't that bad either ^_^shark tale was okay. it didn't blow me away. i didn't particularly enjoy it either. it was just...ok..hehe. but i liked angie (renée did a good job with her voice). plus the song "car wash" was pretty cool too.

oh yeah. i got my grades today. was kinda shocked. i did better than i expected. wow. thank you God \(^o^)/

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a classic act

昨日妹とＢｏｎｄの音楽界へいった。とてもにぎやかでおもしろくてたのしかった！音楽界の切符は父にもらった。私の誕生日のプレゼントだ。Ｂｏｎｄはバイオリンの弾くことが上手だ！引くことがとても早かっただ。多い火とはコンサートを見た。Ｂｏｎｄの音楽はクラシクだ。しかしそのクラシクのおんがくはあまりつまらなかった。Ｂｏｎｄがひくとき、もダンスをした。よかったね！すてきな経験ね！
今年私もう十九歳だ。Ｂｏｎｄの音楽界を見たで聞いたことがあった。すごいね！とてもうれしかった！コンサートへいきたい。よくて楽しくておもしろおい経験から。でも時々コンサートがうるさくてつまらないと思う。多分コンサートは遅く終わるから。－ｏ－ｚＺｚ
overall, the concert truly was an awesome experience. the beats, the noise, the violins, the atmosphere - truly unbelievable! i enjoyed their music more performed live. and i didn't get sleepy! ^0^ i'm really happy to have been able to see this superb quartet perform. i so wish i could as musically talented...sigh..i guess you can't have it all. Musical talent truly is a gift.

music overload

we went to sm city today - to buy tickets for the Bond concert on Wednesday. The tickets were almost sold out! Good thing, ni and i were able to snag two tickets. Thanks dad! ^o^ Concert tickets are so expensive nowadays. But there have been lots of concerts recently and lots more to come - Vienna boys choir, then the toyota series, i think usher's coming over too.

after brunch at superbowl, we three sisters went to radio city where i bought a lot of albums. i got the maroon 5 album, alicia keys, usher - to mention a few. i'm listening to alicia keys' album now ^_^

it feels fun - buying stuff. hehe. as a child, i marvelled at the exchanging of money for goods. i wanted to be a cashier before. seemed fun. playing grocery as a kid.

i live by the tower records slogan. no music, no life. absolutely true!

i saw a korean drama starring jang na ra and kim rae won last night. kim rae won's cute! he also starred in my little bride and attic cat. i want to see attic cat. it's supposed to be good. should go korean/chinese drama hunting sometime...

the "peanuts" in me

You are Schroeder!


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chopping onions makes me cry

theo finals on friday but i haven't really studied yet. i've been downloading songs. se7en's album's good! korean r&b. i'm listening to lee soo young now and some japanese and chinese songs. kitchie nadal's wag na wag mong sasabihin is equally ear-pleasing. i've been listening to a lot of music these past few days. with the songs echoing through my mind when i took the finals. i breathe music. i live music.

i just helped my mom cook dinner. chopped up some tomatoes and onions. onions, no matter how many times i rinse them with cold water, they make my eyes sting terribly and i always end up crying. sometimes it's a great stress reliever. chop chop sob sob. hehe. ^_; (supposedly a tear). i used to pretend i was on tv when i cooked. i'd gesture elaborately and explain the cooking procedure. waving the wooden spoon around while i threw in the onions for the tomato sauce. telling the invisible audience how many minutes to simmer the sauce then slowly tasting the sauce and declaring it Delicious!! i've always liked watching cooking shows. rachel ray. ming tsai. alton brown. i like the ones that showcase cookies and cakes and sweet treats too. they make food seem so homey and yummy and classy. with the sparkling kitchens, beautiful dishes (the plates and stuff), fresh ingredients, and how the oil cackles and pops when food is thrown in. yeah, cookTV is my sweet indulgence. *sigh* ^o^

Bond is coming next wednesday!! i want to go watch if i can buy tickets. my parents don't want to go coz they might fall asleep. my sister's sticking by me (^-^)/ so she'll be accompanying me if i ever do go and watch. house of flying daggers is showing already! i'll have to make time to watch it. yes! it'll finally be sembreak after friday. i am so relieved...until the grades come out. hehe. next sem is going to be a major pain. OrgChem, be nice!! but then, before the next sem rolls in, it'll be uber nice to just kick back and relax!!! \(^o^)/

hot chocolate with marshmallows on a snowing winter dusk

You're a Winter. You very much enjoy your time
alone but do like other people's company
sometimes. You just need your space. You have a
few priviledged friends who saw past your
colder exterior to find the true you. You can
have pretty bad mood swings (though you hate to
admit it) so you could be soft one second then
storming around the next! But over all, you're
a very pleasant person once people take the
time to get to know you. You're a good friend
for in-depth talks. You're very talanted when
it comes to creative things.


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was always a fan of lighter pastel colors ^o^

Your aura shines Orange!


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stutter mutter schmuck

philo orals are finally over!! yehey!! of course, i only had notes for the first two thesis statements. and of course, i had to pick the thesis statement which i had no notes for. good thing i read the text. at least sir kept asking leading questions so i had some idea as to what the correct answer would be. i got stumped a couple of times. blank look. scrunched up forehead, i'm thinking look. damn! i don't remember a thing look. yes, a whole fall collection of looks. racking my brain for the right word was not an emotionally calming task. it was nerve-wracking (is that how you spell it? oh well) after a few minutes of what i'd like to think are clearly expressed intellectual answers, sir asked me what i lived by. i was like: huh? i went out mumbling some incoherent answer. then he repeated the question and tada!! i finally got the intent of the question. how slow can i get?! and my answer was that i was looking for direction. dramatic answer? heheh. i've got all these possibilities lined up and i don't know how to channel them. so it's that. i'm looking for direction 'coz frankly, i'm a little lost as to where my life is headed towards. help needed! anyone up for it? so, i'll find a way to work through the hazy foggy ground but as of now, that's what i live by - i wake up each day in high hopes that i will finally know what i want to pursue. i want to know where i'm headed. i want to know where this path i'm on will lead me to.

P.S. i don't think i stuttered that much during the orals. i was relatively composed actually. haha. except for this cold feeling that situated itself in my stomach and hands, i must say i did fairly well. *bow* \(^o^)/

life through a snow globe - distant yet unbelievably real

the last few weeks have been pretty hectic, busy, eye-opening, and heartwarming.

oct. 2 - my uncle's birthday. had a family dinner at summer palace. got to wear my mom's heels ^o^ sitting there, listening to the cheerful, homey banter of my aunts, uncles, and grandparents, it felt nice. a sense of belongingness washed over me. this is where i belong. this is my historicity. i watched my cousins and eizel running around, screaming, laughing. lyxen and lynford pulling my sleeve at times and grinning innocently. the angelic aura of children. sometimes i become wistful thinking back on times when everything was all about play and friendship. lynford supposedly fell from the escalator. he turned out to be stuck on the lower floor coz he was too scared to take the escalator alone. but the reflexes of the parents sure were fast. makes you wonder how being a parent changes your perspective of things. does life become crueler? does life become more special? wearier? or is it the same?

i've been asking my parents what to do with my life. they've been telling me to think for myself. the future seems so far yet it's such an impending thought. it scares me to think that i still have no certain direction. all i have are options and no choices have been made yet. impatience courses through me coz i can't seem to choose for myself. sometimes, i want people to choose for me - to make things easier. but then, at the end, i know that it's my life and i have to make choices by myself, learn to be more independent. naturopathology, tourism, diplomatic affairs, translator, teacher...which will it be? who knows?

so there, sometimes i feel so involved in life. in school, with papers and research. i'm immersed in it. but with regard to the things that matter, i'm always looking at them at a distant. i'm never fully immersed or am i? i see emotions and laughter and family and i opportunities realize how lucky i am to be me. sometimes, looking at things objectively makes you realize how much you already have. i guess all you gotta do is be satisfied. yearn to expand your opportunities. yearn to explore. but remember to keep rooted to the ground and to be satisfied and contented with the beautiful triviality of life. coz those trivial things are what hits the heart, making life meaningful, special, and real.

sometimes, you just have to step back and look at things objectively. remove yourself from the constantly spinning world. step back. open your eyes. and understand more. discover more. learn more.

personality check-up

I am a hybrid of: Girl Next Door Progressive Girl Click on the pictures below to read more: Take the 'What Kind of Girl Are You?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com

of french macaroons and romantic comedies

i am supposed to be writing the intro to the expe psy paper due tomorrow but decided to take a slight detour and write down what i did yesterday. why? just felt like jotting something down.

saturday - sept. 25, 2004

morning (around 7:45). can't bring myself to get up. got home late friday because of Gratia. then of course, i think i slept late too. so grumbling, i get up, telling myself that if i don't, i can say hello to a big fat F for the factorial expe psy paper. after splashing cold water on my zombie-like face, all goes well. i feel energetic even.

morning still (9-ish to around 12:30). research at the lib with karen. tried tons of keywords before i found anything relatively significant. i got lucky after some time (thank you Lord) and was able to find something related 100% to the topic - effects of labeling and behavior outcome on social cognition. baloney-phaloney. high-falluting titles.

afternoon (12:40). stopped by at jollibee because of a sudden craving for fries to go with my PBJ sandwich. a recent addiciton is fries with ketchup (tomato ketchup, that is). i used to hate ketchup. now, i find it oddly comforting - the tart sourness combined with the ripe sweetness of tomatoes...yum!

afternoon (1:00 - 1:45). got to French class in time. no traffic. yey! i fell asleep though and the driver didn't wake me up. somehow, i snapped out of that dreamy nap and found myself situated in front of alliance. nice. checked to see if there was (icky) dribble on my mouth - none..whew. then i gingerly disembarked fearing the scorching sunlight and shielding my sleep-deprived eyes from the sun's unforgiving rays. i went to the front desk to inquire about enrollmet. they weren't accepting enrollments for module 8 yet. bummer! have to come back again.

afternoon (2:00-5:00). French class. it was a lot of fun. did phonetics (manu, manou, mani etc.) then we tackled indefinite pronouns (i think that's what they're called..hehe). but basically, it wasn't tensing (is there such a word?! oh well). my dream is to become fluent in french by the time i reach module 10. sounds unbelievable. haha =) doable though, i think.

evening (5:20). went to breadtalk. bought some apple-filled bread and rocky milk bread. yum! my mom bought some floss bread. i love breadtalk! their bread melts in the mouth. so soft. reminds me of the bread in canada. perfect comfort food. *sigh*

evening (6:00-8:00). watched 13 going on 30 with my mom and sisters. i cried. sniff sniff. and i never cry. it wasn't that touching. i was just touched for some reason or the other. and it felt so good to laugh and enjoy myself after weeks of non-stop studying and working (for Gratia). i liked the movie. it wasn't spectacularly brilliant but hey, it wasn't bad. jennifer garner's so pretty! i wish i had a closet like that! and mark ruffalo was perfect as the leading man. wish i could fast forward in time too...

afterwards: stopped by bizu. bought a slice of strawberry shortcake to take home (a whopping 230 or 245 per slice) plus 200g of french macarons. they were sinful. the pistachio was so yummy!! ube and lemon weren't as delightful though. i'll be sure to get some more to get home the next time i go to glorietta. we had dinner with my dad at banana leaf curry house. i love the roti there! and i got to try samosas, which i didn't get to try in canada. triangular-shaped things with vegetable fillings - kinda like curried mashed potatoes with raisins and veggies - dipped in yoghurt. it was yummy ^o^ of course, after that filling meal...we had to eat again. eunice and eizel were craving ice monster so we headed there. ice monster's pretty yummy as well. refreshing but really filling. i want to try strawberry ice.

around 1030-ish. eizel stopped by timezone and shot some baskets and pounded some alligators. timezone is a noisy place..kinda like whimsyland..i remember my long lost childhood. *sigh* hehe. my dad stopped by musicone to buy a jim brickman CD. he like angel eyes- the piece i play on the piano but haven't memorized yet.

of course by this time, i was falling asleep. i was sooooo sleepy. as soon as i sank into the plush leather car seat, i was off to dreamland.

all in all, it was an enjoyable day. no stress. enjoyment. relaxation. fun. family bonding. can't wait for another day like this.

jumping in the air

that was what i did as soon as liz did so. Gratia was finally over! the weeks of preparations and sleepless nights finally culminated in the Gratia Awards Night. Though I felt that it wasn't a slamming success, I felt content, even fulfilled in a way. I worked for it and it worked out. Thank you Lord!! It just felt so great hugging and being hugged and tapping and being tapped by everyone on the back. a sense of overwhelming relief washed over me...despite the tons of schoolwork awaiting me. now, i have something to call mine. i worked on a project. i met lots of new people. i went through frustrations and roadblocks but there were more than made up or compensated for by happy light funny moments in meetings (with dice, vincent, and liz - the super trio - best project heads!! love you all!!), in the booth (with elaine, kalen, and angel!! they were constantly calling to people to come over and vote!!). it was, for me, quite a learning experience. i did something on my own (in a way). i initiated the action. coolness! (as dice would say. hehe) and somehow it was scary coz i didnt' really have anyone to fall back on. tension, adrenaline, fear - i think i felt it all. but surprisingly, i was able to do it. though i don't think i exactly worked past the tension, adrenaline rush, and fear, i think i was somehow able to sidestep it. it's hard to explain how i'm feeling right now - proud, sad, bittersweet, tired, relieved. i'll miss all the meetings and chuckles (vincent & dice squabbles, liz "hirits") but i'm glad that all this, Gratia, is over. it's an achievement and i believe i'll remember this achievement for a long time...nothing beats the feeling of jumping in the air after all the hard work is done...it is bliss, relief, and freedom...

the calm after the tumult

yep, my project for Celadon starts today. and naturally, i was panicking this morning. my heart constricted, pulse beating, beads of sweat on my brow, rush of adrenaline. i had no idea how i was gonna set up the booth, much less how to go about getting votes from people. sitting in the car, i prayed and asked for strength and guidance. i felt calmer and more in control. my heart relaxed and i didn't feel suffocated anymore. and the celadon room was locked! which i took as a good sign (like Jules) coz more people could help out with the booth. and they did!! thank you thank you!! mic helped me with the board and the tarps. elaine helped lay out the booth plan. enzo, jic, tang, and so many more helped get the voting started. thanks to julie!! who served as a guiding rock =) hehe. she seemed so calm and collected and patient. i was so nervous and after today, things finally fell into place. yep, i know what i'm supposed to do now and i feel comfortable and at ease. i thank God for giving me strength, peace of mind, and courage. all in all, it was a fun experience. members showed up and helped man the booth...meloy, monique, joy, malerie, pinky!! and of course spike who was the first to offer to help. i guess, in some weird way, the forces of nature colluded to make this day worthwhile and happy. that this morning, i felt like a complete mess, disoriented, scared, and nervous..at the end of the day, all was well. everything fell into place, everything fit. it's like writing a paper. you stare blankly at the screen for an hour or so..but the next day, you're printing something and you have something to pass. it's amazing how we manage to fill up that piece of paper. like it's amazing how after the tumult, things fall back into place. which is evident that all things are subject to something more powerful, more grand. and that we are mere beings in the grander scheme of things. yet as mere beings, we are able to achieve something in the bigger, grander world. and what we do, though it may not be life-shattering or groudnbreaking, gives each of us a sense of fulfilling, happiness, and inner peace that is unequalled, unparalleled, and incomparable in value. that's how i feel right now...valuable ^o^

fairy tale weddings

my cousin got married yesterday. sitting in the Church, one of my cousins and I talked about dream weddings, which got me thinking. I didn't really have a dream wedding. Sure, i have ideas and fantasies of how i want things to be like. But it's never been anything concrete, with specific details and all. all i know is that I don't want to get married in a big Church coz it won't get filled up anyway. Preferably, it be somewhere in the countryside, lots of greenery and colorful flowers reflecting iridescent hues in the sunlight. small chapel. kinda like a prairie scene. like the one from anne of green gables. anyway, my cousin's wedding wasn't as boring as i thought it would. the ceremony went fairly quick. and the weather was cooperative - cool breeze. but the one thing i enjoyed was the reception. it was really well thought out. i loved the long white draping curtains which glowed in dim lighting. i loved the chandeliers hanging majestically from the tall cream-colored ceilings, the candle holders on the walls seemed to give the place a royal, castle-y feel. the flower centerpieces were beautiful, with bright yellow and orange sunflowers unabashedly bearing their bold colors, the shy roses, and the calla from the church aisles were lovely as well. i loved the reception for its simple elegance. the host was good and even a trio "orchestra" serenaded the guests with songs from pachelbel and all sorts of sentimental love songs. it was just lovely, not really magical or enchanting...just lovely. speaking of weddings, i loved maimai's wedding. her dress was awesome and her shoes were specially made by manolo blahnik!! plus, she looked really lovely and elegant. weddings - i could consider a career in wedding planning =) seems like fun. creating weddings, making dreams come true. i sound so cheesy and girly. hehe. but anyways, it was just a really lovely experience. congrats to my cousin! *big grin*

shopping spree

today, my mom, two sisters, and i went shopping at shangri-la. it's been a while since we really shopped. most of the time, we just catch movie, have dinner, and buy pastries to take home, do some window shopping. today though, we bought lotsa stuff. i was able to get hold of lancome juicy tubes. the flavors are really cool and sweet =) yummy! then, we checked out some of the formal wear. the reason why we went shopping was because my cousin's wedding is next week and we had nothing spectacular to wear. so i bought a sequinned top. it's pretty nice actually. then we went shop-hopping. it was really tiring! my mom tried on lots of clothes at liz claiborne and finally found something she liked. the clothes there are really nice but expensive! then, we had lunch where we saw angel and her family. ^o^ we saw angel and her sister get huge ice cream cones and eizel wanted one too so she got a strawberry ice cream cone. afterwhich, the search for shoes was on! i like flats. mary janes...i think that's what you call them. but i haven't seen a pair i could fall in love with. i tried on some exaggeratingly high heeled shoes. wow! added height! hehe. but i didn't buy any shoes. i'll stick with my old ones for now. my absolutley fave store is Bayo. They have really nice clothes...a bit more expensive now but i like their jeans. a trip to the mall is incomplete without a trip to Bayo ^_^ seeing tons of clothes on mannequins and lots of really pretty clothes and shoes (with equally wonderful price tags) is a girl's dream come true (mine at least). clothes are just so fun! but then, not being able to buy everything is what makes saving and finally getting to buy what you want even more memorable and meaningful. after that "formal" clothes shopping, i strengthened the fact that i'm a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers kind of gal. i like skirts once in awhile and of course, it's fun to dress up but jeans are like a second skin. we had dinner at little asia. love their garlice spinach and jap chae =) yesterday, we went to ice monster (mango ice! want to try strawberry ice) and gloria jeans. so, this weekend was stress-free and i had a lot of fun. wonder when the next shopping spree will be...

night owl

just finished writing my two reflection papers for theo, typing the final theo survey, BUT i still haven't finished studying for my I/O midterms at 6pm today. gulp! this seems to be the trend nowadays. sleeping at around 2 am. getting used to it. circadian clock adjustment. well, i finally finished my ten jap journal entries. might continue writing in it though as it's interesting to clog my mind with ideas on how to say this and that in japanese. which reminds me that i have to check when the deadline for the submission of proficiency exam is...have to check my Post-iT later. i have officially become a Post-iT user although it isn't much help sometimes. makes me look like an authentic obsessive-compulsive though \(^o^)/ i've been thinking i have to memorize some more piano pieces. the only thing i can play confidently is pachelbel. have to get the right hemsiphere of the brain to work out. seems like my brain functions realtively better around 11pm to 2am. and it's september already which means my cousin's getting married. sigh...still haven't shopped for a dress and shoes. today, i attended a cell meeting. voica's been inviting me for three weeks now i think. i went and it was fun. escape from the stress for an hour and share your thoughts and problems and insights with people. it made me feel lighter and happier. happiness is a state of mind i guess and i believe stress is toO...i wonder what i'll do after college. hopefully, i'll have a sense of direction as to where i want to go already. as of this moment, i am officially transporting myself to another place...sitting in those big fluffy rich red armchairs in coffee bean & tea leaf. sinking into them...sinking...sinking...i'm gone...

playing in my head: kelly clarkson's breakaway

Baby the Musical

happiness is fleeting. the most trivial things can make one happy. there are those rare moments though that happiness comes in big bouts and will last you the whole week. that bout of happiness is what i got after watching Baby the Musical! the musical was fantastic, splendid, heartwarming, superb, wonderful, outstanding, funny, rib-tickling...the adjectives could go on and on. if the adjectives haven't said it, i thoroughly enjoyed, loved the show! lea is such a wonderful stage actress. her voice is just perfect! the entire cast was great! i loved the songs...sometimes i find myself humming to them. it was such a great relaxing experience. fun to laugh...to be mesmerized...to be trapped in the world of make believe...to be swept away by the melodic tunes, powerful voices. the orchestra was wonderful as well...the music was perfect! i saw the gokongwei family too. plus, the meralco theatre is really nice..majestic even. the play made me wonder about broadway, theatre, and life on stage. for a few hours, i was enthralled and captivated by the lives of lizzie and danny, arlene and alan, and pam and nick...*sigh* it was simply...magical.

adrenaline rush...

tomorrow's the mock proposal defense!!! oh no!!! but we've prepared...hope that i don't freeze when it's my turn to talk. i must ooze confidence. i'll just have to do my best...to deliver my lines coherently, not to panic, and to enjoy!! i must admit that it's a gonna be a cool experience!! ^o^ today was the japanese week closing ceremony. nagai-sensei played a koto, a traditional japanese instrument (kinda like what the chinese emperors play). she played "sakura." it was really beautiful, soothing. the music sounded wistful...perfect for relaxation. *yawn* but really, it was almost ethereal. and then the japanese exchange students performed a dance number and they sang a japanese folk song (furusato). it was really entertaining! so that was my day...endless research, brain-squeezing, and wacky times...hey, turned out to be pretty balanced! and now, i wish myself luck for tomorrow! (^人^) praying...

runaway

i imagine myself in a pavement corner. bright daylight. people rushing here and there. i look around, run my fingers through my hair, and start spinning round and round. round and round and round i go until everything becomes a blur. i spread my arms and feel the wind whiz past my fingers, sift through my fingers. i raise my face to the sky and bask in the sun-kissed heat. i spin. i twirl. i priouette. and caught up in that moment, i feel the pressures of the world drain away. i stop. stagger. dizziness overwhelms me. i fall down to the ground. rest my head on the lamp post. slowly, i open my eyes and watch people stride past me. caught up in their own life. the world contains tens of billions of people. i am one of the tens of billions of people. i have my share of havoc, bliss, and pain. that's what makes me human. and like others, i get tired of living life. the monotony can be tiring. sometimes, i just want to give up, drop everything, and run away. trap myself in a cocoon and be selfish. i stand up, akimbo, stare at the sky again. the leaves are rustling. the sun is twinkling. i've had my three minutes of peace. now i can go back and face the world. and when the pressure's too much to handle, i'll go back to my little corner, my escape from the tumult, and i'll stay there until my mind has cleared. rejuvenation. sometimes, i just need to runaway...

a nagging sense of boredom

no classes again! i wonder though if i should be happy or worried...oh well, at least i haven't run out of things to do yet, never mind if all the "things" are school-related. if all you're doing is related to school, you reach a point when everything just seems dull, repetitive, and boring zZz(-o-)zZz my main concern these days is expe psy. sometimes, the tediousness is overwhelming, plus i admit i am lazy so not much gets done. what could be done today will get done next week. that's me - avid fan of procrastination v(^_^) one word i'd use to describe my state of life is "humdrum" (which also happens to be a song by the corrs). also, recently, i found a korean school. i snagged a korean newspaper and saw an ad. now, i've got to save up! that's pretty much what "excites" me - languages, then of course, books also ^o^ haven't had a chance to go to powerbooks yet though. meanwhile, while i'm still situated in this scholastic ambiance, i'll content myself with listening to good music, downloading colorful desktop wallpaper, watching one tree hill and knockfirst. i'd really love to have my room redone! i'd want a canopy-style thing - lotsa drapes, lotsa shelves, colorful lampshades, and lotsa soft fluffy cushions. yep, my ideal haven

japanese week

this week has been really busy! on monday, i made onigiri ^_^ at first, i kept coming up with all these weird shapes...and finally, i got one in its proper triangular shape. The fillings were yummy. Who'd have thought that cucumber, mayonnaise, and wasabi would taste good together? the wasabi gives it that extra zing! The tofu-mushroom filling was sweeter but equally yummy \(^o^)/ とてもおいしい！then, the yukata wearing was successful! the people had a great time trying on the kimono-like robes and posing for the camera. i am definitely going to buy a yukata when (and if) i go to japan v(^o^)v that same day, i got to talk japanese visitors. it was really awesome how i could understand what she was saying! of course, i got a bit tongue-tied and was grasping for the grammatically correct way of expressing myself but i managed to communicate. talking in another language is really fun!