Watched the Lifehouse concert at the Big Dome yesterday. It was awesome :) It wasn't as lively or as jam-packed as the Neyo concert, where almost everyone was singing along, but it was awesome in its own right. Lifehouse can really rock. I loved the guitar sequences and how they blended it into the songs. My fave performances were Hanging by a Moment, You and Me, Whatever It Takes, and Broken, which is currently on my iPod playlist. I'm just really happy I got a chance to see them perform live.
Just finished reading Twilight. Reminds me a bit of Buffy and Harry Potter, but Twilight's more in the romantic genre. It's a good read, something you can breeze through in one setting. It's absorbing but I find Bella and Edward's relationship to be a bit too intense. It just seems unreal in a way. But it's a captivating story and I'm starting on the second book in a bit, after I check out the Twilight trailer on the Apple website.
Recently read Garden Spells, which I found really sweet and magical :) - the next novel looks promising as well - and Comfort Food, which is a fun summer read.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
You complete me
Watched The Dark Knight yesterday with Ni. Heath Ledger turned in a brilliant performance as the Joker. He was a worthy nemesis for Batman. I was more than a little disturbed by the Joker's schizophrenic, psychotic, anti-social personality. His cold disregard for rules and lack of empathy left me chilled to the bone. I couldn't help but wince and cover eyes when he stuck a knife in his victims' mouths and asked them, "Why so sad?" I can still hear his threatening snarl as I type those words. But watching all that darkness, anxiety, fear, and emotional trials left me drained as I left the movie house. Couldn't help but think of my abnormal psych lessons on anti-social personalities. What does a lack of empathy invoke in a person? How does it feel to be completely free of societal rules and morals? Unbridled freedom can trigger the animal instincts in man.
*~*~*~*
Got to talk with the sales department head, a Japanese, yesterday. The conversation was interspersed with English and Japanese. He was nice enough, just made me realize how much I still have to work and study before I can talk Japanese at a native speaker level. Maybe I should stay in Japan for two years straight. That should do wonders. I guess most of my work has been email-based although there were phone calls and telecons. But it's different from using it in all business meetings, using it in sales pitches. If I can't do it in Chinese (which I consider to be more of my native tongue), then is it possible to do it in Japanese? Will just have to work harder. Gambaru.
*~*~*~*
Last Saturday, hung out with Achi Arlyne, Stella, and Ni. Achi Arlyne came home from Hongkong so we took the opportunity to hang out together. Watched Mamma Mia at Rockwell. The songs are so catchy and lively. I still find myself humming them from time to time. I loved the movie. Pierce Brosnan sang! And Colin Firth! Hehe. I totally enjoyed the movie. Had a quick snack at The Ice Cream Shop afterwards, Achi Arlyne's treat. I had the mint chip parfait. It was yummy, if you're a fan of mint and pistachio ice cream. I'd like to try their frozen yogurt varieties next time :) It's always fun to hang out with your cousins :)
*~*~*~*
Watching the Lifehouse concert later!
*~*~*~*
Got to talk with the sales department head, a Japanese, yesterday. The conversation was interspersed with English and Japanese. He was nice enough, just made me realize how much I still have to work and study before I can talk Japanese at a native speaker level. Maybe I should stay in Japan for two years straight. That should do wonders. I guess most of my work has been email-based although there were phone calls and telecons. But it's different from using it in all business meetings, using it in sales pitches. If I can't do it in Chinese (which I consider to be more of my native tongue), then is it possible to do it in Japanese? Will just have to work harder. Gambaru.
*~*~*~*
Last Saturday, hung out with Achi Arlyne, Stella, and Ni. Achi Arlyne came home from Hongkong so we took the opportunity to hang out together. Watched Mamma Mia at Rockwell. The songs are so catchy and lively. I still find myself humming them from time to time. I loved the movie. Pierce Brosnan sang! And Colin Firth! Hehe. I totally enjoyed the movie. Had a quick snack at The Ice Cream Shop afterwards, Achi Arlyne's treat. I had the mint chip parfait. It was yummy, if you're a fan of mint and pistachio ice cream. I'd like to try their frozen yogurt varieties next time :) It's always fun to hang out with your cousins :)
*~*~*~*
Watching the Lifehouse concert later!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
energy
Most relationship books would say that a relationship involves give-and-take. You don't always get what you want. Sometimes, you have to compromise, to settle for less in order to meet at the middle. While it is effective most times, it's truly draining. It's like having your emotions suspended on a thin rope, not knowing how and when things are going to get better, not knowing when the next brouhaha will be. And so, as the song by keri hilson says, "this love is taking all of my energy." I need to learn to be immune, learn not to care. I can't live in this emotional pendulum anymore.
In less emo areas of my life, i'm reading Jennifer Weiner's Good in Bed. It's a funny read. I've just started but cannie, the main character's humor :)
Watched Journey to the Center of the Earth yesterday with Zel and Mom. It was a nice adventure movie - a good way to take your mind off less pleasant things for an hour and a half. The movie seemed like a Disney amusement ride made into a full-length movie, which isn't entirely a bad thing. And it wasn't too scary and had just enough action scenes for Zel. She falls asleep in movies with long dialogue :P
Wednesday, as I was about to fall in line by the serpeant's tail at the MRT station, I saw a teacher at Alliance, Clemente. Of course, he was hard to miss given his six-foot build. I went over to say Hi and he let me cut the line :P Hehehe. He asked how work was and then he started to talk to me in Mandarin when he confirmed I was Chinese. Apparently, he lived in Taiwan before for a couple of years. He even spoke in TaiGi (the local Taiwanese dialect, quite similar to Fookien except for the accent)! And he didn't have a French accent! It was really cool :) I should work on my French hehe. Reminded me of this German guy who stayed at our dorm in Nagoya before. He was German but he spoke perfect Mandarin. He was brushing up on his writing but he had speaking down pat. He called himself A-de. Heard that he's studying in University of Taiwan now. I guess that's proof that you've mastered a foreign language, when even native speakers are impressed with how well you speak the language.
Friday, had dinner with Char at Banana Leaf. Checked out The Ramp at Crossings. They have cute accessories and nice clothes :) Will visit again when I'm in the need for new additions to my wardrobe. Went home with Che via MRT. Good thing the line wasn't as long.
Ni and I are going to surprise Zel later with tickets to HSM The Ice Tour. Hope she'll like it.
Have a great Sunday :)
In less emo areas of my life, i'm reading Jennifer Weiner's Good in Bed. It's a funny read. I've just started but cannie, the main character's humor :)
Watched Journey to the Center of the Earth yesterday with Zel and Mom. It was a nice adventure movie - a good way to take your mind off less pleasant things for an hour and a half. The movie seemed like a Disney amusement ride made into a full-length movie, which isn't entirely a bad thing. And it wasn't too scary and had just enough action scenes for Zel. She falls asleep in movies with long dialogue :P
Wednesday, as I was about to fall in line by the serpeant's tail at the MRT station, I saw a teacher at Alliance, Clemente. Of course, he was hard to miss given his six-foot build. I went over to say Hi and he let me cut the line :P Hehehe. He asked how work was and then he started to talk to me in Mandarin when he confirmed I was Chinese. Apparently, he lived in Taiwan before for a couple of years. He even spoke in TaiGi (the local Taiwanese dialect, quite similar to Fookien except for the accent)! And he didn't have a French accent! It was really cool :) I should work on my French hehe. Reminded me of this German guy who stayed at our dorm in Nagoya before. He was German but he spoke perfect Mandarin. He was brushing up on his writing but he had speaking down pat. He called himself A-de. Heard that he's studying in University of Taiwan now. I guess that's proof that you've mastered a foreign language, when even native speakers are impressed with how well you speak the language.
Friday, had dinner with Char at Banana Leaf. Checked out The Ramp at Crossings. They have cute accessories and nice clothes :) Will visit again when I'm in the need for new additions to my wardrobe. Went home with Che via MRT. Good thing the line wasn't as long.
Ni and I are going to surprise Zel later with tickets to HSM The Ice Tour. Hope she'll like it.
Have a great Sunday :)
Sunday, July 06, 2008
recaps
I didn't realize that I hadn't posted anything in a month. i've gone into semi-hibernation.
I started work at weserv last July 1st. While I still haven't completely warmed up to the people and the ambiance, I think i'm getting there. One step at a time (as Jordin Sparks says). The first week wasn't particularly busy. In fact, I wasn't busy at all. That was really a change of pace. I guess I was used to having piles of work to do. I could work from 8 to 8 non-stop without taking even a lunch break. Now, lunch is kind of mandatory as they turn off the lights from 12-1, so that's a good thing. At least, you won't forget to eat or delay lunch for 3 hours.
I'm working on a project, although I'm not exactly sure as to how I'm to participate. Let's just see how the next few weeks turn out.
****
Noteworthy recaps:
- Watched AveQ with Char at RCBC. Then met up with Mic, Malt, Jerome, Lin, Cha, and Sherry for dinner at La Maison in Greenbelt 5. Interesting conversation, mostly Mic sharing med school anecdotes =)
- Transitioning my HR work to Louie & RJ and PJ. Tough work but had to be done. Have yet to finish my clearance. Should do that next week.
- Watched Kung Fu Panda and Wanted. Both cool movies but in very different genres.
- Found the time to watch dramas again. Currently watching Hotaru no Hikari which Sharmane lent me and Que Sera Sera which Josa lent me. Have yet to watch the last two episodes of Zettai Kareshi.
- Ama's birthday party with everyone in red :) and Achi Sharon giving birth to a beautiful baby girl - Stacey Arianne. Welcome to the family!
*******
Just got back from a Tagaytay weekend getaway.
Went to Tagaytay after work last Friday with Ni, Che, and Ste.
Had a nice dinner at Secret Kitchen in the Fort. Their Marble Cheescake is to die for. And the Chocolate Indulgence is not half bad either. Yummy!
Went quick grocery shopping at S&R before leaving for Tagaytay.
Went to Caleruego (I think that's the name of the place), which has a small chapel on top of a hill, overlooking a scenic part of the city. It's a retreat place, thus it's very peaceful, quiet, and charming.
Then, went to the market and Olivares to buy some ingredients for dinner. Cooked a shabu-shabu meal, with fishballs, shrimp balls, corn, and other veggies. I liked the soup :) Was actually surprised it turned out not half bad. Hehe.
Then, of course, we had cheescake for dessert. This time, it was strawberry and blueberry cheescake from Bag of Beans. I like the blueberry better.
We talked a lot over dinner, from work to family to career expectations. It was a fun way to unwind and share.
Sa-em and Co-co and Brian came over Sat night, and then today we had breakfast at Antonio's (the vegetable fritata was yummy) and dropped by a coffee shop which sells barako coffee. The coffee smells divine. Too bad we don't have a coffee grinding/blending contraption.
And so ended our short weekend escape from the metropolitan. We did bring home pasalubong though (apple pie and cheesecake hehe).
I started work at weserv last July 1st. While I still haven't completely warmed up to the people and the ambiance, I think i'm getting there. One step at a time (as Jordin Sparks says). The first week wasn't particularly busy. In fact, I wasn't busy at all. That was really a change of pace. I guess I was used to having piles of work to do. I could work from 8 to 8 non-stop without taking even a lunch break. Now, lunch is kind of mandatory as they turn off the lights from 12-1, so that's a good thing. At least, you won't forget to eat or delay lunch for 3 hours.
I'm working on a project, although I'm not exactly sure as to how I'm to participate. Let's just see how the next few weeks turn out.
****
Noteworthy recaps:
- Watched AveQ with Char at RCBC. Then met up with Mic, Malt, Jerome, Lin, Cha, and Sherry for dinner at La Maison in Greenbelt 5. Interesting conversation, mostly Mic sharing med school anecdotes =)
- Transitioning my HR work to Louie & RJ and PJ. Tough work but had to be done. Have yet to finish my clearance. Should do that next week.
- Watched Kung Fu Panda and Wanted. Both cool movies but in very different genres.
- Found the time to watch dramas again. Currently watching Hotaru no Hikari which Sharmane lent me and Que Sera Sera which Josa lent me. Have yet to watch the last two episodes of Zettai Kareshi.
- Ama's birthday party with everyone in red :) and Achi Sharon giving birth to a beautiful baby girl - Stacey Arianne. Welcome to the family!
*******
Just got back from a Tagaytay weekend getaway.
Went to Tagaytay after work last Friday with Ni, Che, and Ste.
Had a nice dinner at Secret Kitchen in the Fort. Their Marble Cheescake is to die for. And the Chocolate Indulgence is not half bad either. Yummy!
Went quick grocery shopping at S&R before leaving for Tagaytay.
Went to Caleruego (I think that's the name of the place), which has a small chapel on top of a hill, overlooking a scenic part of the city. It's a retreat place, thus it's very peaceful, quiet, and charming.
Then, went to the market and Olivares to buy some ingredients for dinner. Cooked a shabu-shabu meal, with fishballs, shrimp balls, corn, and other veggies. I liked the soup :) Was actually surprised it turned out not half bad. Hehe.
Then, of course, we had cheescake for dessert. This time, it was strawberry and blueberry cheescake from Bag of Beans. I like the blueberry better.
We talked a lot over dinner, from work to family to career expectations. It was a fun way to unwind and share.
Sa-em and Co-co and Brian came over Sat night, and then today we had breakfast at Antonio's (the vegetable fritata was yummy) and dropped by a coffee shop which sells barako coffee. The coffee smells divine. Too bad we don't have a coffee grinding/blending contraption.
And so ended our short weekend escape from the metropolitan. We did bring home pasalubong though (apple pie and cheesecake hehe).
Personality Type
Your Personality Type: The Harmony-Seeking Idealist
Harmony-seeking Idealist (HI)
Harmony-seeking Idealists are characterised by a complex personality and an abundance of thoughts and feelings. They are warm-hearted persons by nature. They are sympathetic and understanding. Harmony-seeking Idealists expect a lot of themselves and of others. They have a strong understanding of human nature and are often very good judges of character. But they are mostly reserved and confide their thoughts and feelings to very few people they trust. They are deeply hurt by rejection or criticism. Harmony-seeking Idealists find conflict situations unpleasant and prefer harmonious relationships. However, if reaching a certain target is very important to them they can assert themselves with a doggedness bordering on obstinacy.
Harmony-seeking Idealists have a lively fantasy, often an almost clairvoyant intuition and are often very creative. Once they have tackled a project, they do everything in their power to achieve their goals. In everyday life, they often prove to be excellent problem solvers. They like to get to the root of things and have a natural curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. At the same time, they are practically oriented, well organised and in a position to tackle complex situations in a structured and carefully considered manner. When they concentrate on something, they do so one hundred percent - they often become so immersed in a task that they forget everything else around them. That is the secret of their often very large professional success.
As partners, harmony-seeking idealists are loyal and reliable; a permanent relationship is very important to them. They seldom fall in love head over heels nor do they like quick affairs. They sometimes find it very difficult to clearly show their affection although their feelings are deep and sincere. In as far as their circle of friends is concerned, their motto is: less is more! As far as new contacts are concerned, they are approachable to only a limited extent; they prefer to put their energy into just a few, close friendships. Their demands on friends and partners are very high. As they do not like conflicts, they hesitate for some time before raising unsatisfactory issues and, when they do, they make every effort not to hurt anyone as a result.
Posted using ShareThis
Harmony-seeking Idealist (HI)
Harmony-seeking Idealists are characterised by a complex personality and an abundance of thoughts and feelings. They are warm-hearted persons by nature. They are sympathetic and understanding. Harmony-seeking Idealists expect a lot of themselves and of others. They have a strong understanding of human nature and are often very good judges of character. But they are mostly reserved and confide their thoughts and feelings to very few people they trust. They are deeply hurt by rejection or criticism. Harmony-seeking Idealists find conflict situations unpleasant and prefer harmonious relationships. However, if reaching a certain target is very important to them they can assert themselves with a doggedness bordering on obstinacy.
Harmony-seeking Idealists have a lively fantasy, often an almost clairvoyant intuition and are often very creative. Once they have tackled a project, they do everything in their power to achieve their goals. In everyday life, they often prove to be excellent problem solvers. They like to get to the root of things and have a natural curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. At the same time, they are practically oriented, well organised and in a position to tackle complex situations in a structured and carefully considered manner. When they concentrate on something, they do so one hundred percent - they often become so immersed in a task that they forget everything else around them. That is the secret of their often very large professional success.
As partners, harmony-seeking idealists are loyal and reliable; a permanent relationship is very important to them. They seldom fall in love head over heels nor do they like quick affairs. They sometimes find it very difficult to clearly show their affection although their feelings are deep and sincere. In as far as their circle of friends is concerned, their motto is: less is more! As far as new contacts are concerned, they are approachable to only a limited extent; they prefer to put their energy into just a few, close friendships. Their demands on friends and partners are very high. As they do not like conflicts, they hesitate for some time before raising unsatisfactory issues and, when they do, they make every effort not to hurt anyone as a result.
Posted using ShareThis
Saturday, May 31, 2008
new start
i tendered my resignation this monday. it was liberating. i'm looking forward to facing new challenges and new experiences. aja aja!
i watched my girl this past week and found it surprisingly entertaining. the role of jasmine fits kim chiu to a T. it's nice to see the twists they added to give it a more pinoy feel. speaking of which, it's been a while since i've watched any korean dramas. maybe i should take a trip to divisoria one of these days hehe.
sex and the city, 21, and caregiver are showing! ni and i will probably watch two movies in a row tomorrow. happiness =D
dropped by the dessertcomesfirst.com website today and fell in love with the strawberry charlotte cake of sweet bella. it's so beautiful and it seems to be as good as it looks. yum!
i watched my girl this past week and found it surprisingly entertaining. the role of jasmine fits kim chiu to a T. it's nice to see the twists they added to give it a more pinoy feel. speaking of which, it's been a while since i've watched any korean dramas. maybe i should take a trip to divisoria one of these days hehe.
sex and the city, 21, and caregiver are showing! ni and i will probably watch two movies in a row tomorrow. happiness =D
dropped by the dessertcomesfirst.com website today and fell in love with the strawberry charlotte cake of sweet bella. it's so beautiful and it seems to be as good as it looks. yum!
Monday, May 12, 2008
押忍！闘え！応援団！
That's the power quote Cat left us with in her farewell and thank you message. It was her last day at work today. I'll miss her unique brand of sarcastic humor and the advice and encouragement she's offered me over the past year. Thanks Cat for making work easier for me and for sharing with me your bright and practical outlook in life. Continue to make cute bentos and don't forget to tell me of any interesting DS games you come to play =P You will be definitely be missed. Good luck! Gambatte!
In other news, my grandpa's feeling better now. He'll be discharged tomorrow =)
...I still haven't gotten around to writing my French poem. I managed to write Filipino poems in one hour before, so writing a poem in french shouldn't be that hard right?? Alors, je commence comment?
In other news, my grandpa's feeling better now. He'll be discharged tomorrow =)
...I still haven't gotten around to writing my French poem. I managed to write Filipino poems in one hour before, so writing a poem in french shouldn't be that hard right?? Alors, je commence comment?
Sunday, May 11, 2008
companionship
It's been a good weekend. Just got back home - went grocery shopping at S&R then had dinner at San Jacinto. The place brings back childhood memories for my mom =)
Mothers' Day was pretty slow-paced. Had breakfast at Lido, then headed off to the Heart Center to visit my granddad. He's still in the CCU (Coronary Care Unit) because the doctor noticed he had an irregular heartbeat after the angioplasty. It's kind of strange to see my granddad lying on a hospital bed 'cause he's always walking around or playing sports. He's not the type to stay idle. The doctors are going to monitor his heartbeat for a few more days. Hopefully, with the medication he's taking, he should be able to get discharged this coming week.
Seeing my grandma take care of my granddad these past few days has allowed me to witness her strength of character, patience, and dedication. I see my grandparents, and I realize that despite - or perhaps it is precisely because of the ups and downs and trials of their married life - that they have grown to share a certain connection, to have a subtle understanding of one another. I also feel that more than love, marriage is about companionship and sacrifice. It's about being there for the other through thick and thin.
Lynford and A-ku also dropped by to visit Angkong. Had fun chatting with Lynford about basketball camp. It was fun watching him play DS as he made lots of sound effects =D
Stayed at home the rest of the day. Listened to Yui's 3rd album - I Loved Yesterday - and Grand Corps Malade's album Midi20. We listened to "Midi20" - which is a song from the album of the same name - in French class the other day. GCM is a slam-mer. Slam is more poetry reading than music, as the music - mostly soft piano music - merely serves as an accompaniment to the poetry. It's a softer, more lyrical type of rap, I suppose. "Les voyages en train," "Midi20," and "Toucher l'instant" are my favorite tracks as of the moment. I have to listen to the tracks a number of times though before I can really make out the lyrics but so far so good. The prose is quite thought-provoking. As for Yui's album, the songs are actually her trademark style - a mix of pop rock and ballads. My favorite tracks are "Laugh Away," "Find Me," and "Namidairo."
Mothers' Day was pretty slow-paced. Had breakfast at Lido, then headed off to the Heart Center to visit my granddad. He's still in the CCU (Coronary Care Unit) because the doctor noticed he had an irregular heartbeat after the angioplasty. It's kind of strange to see my granddad lying on a hospital bed 'cause he's always walking around or playing sports. He's not the type to stay idle. The doctors are going to monitor his heartbeat for a few more days. Hopefully, with the medication he's taking, he should be able to get discharged this coming week.
Seeing my grandma take care of my granddad these past few days has allowed me to witness her strength of character, patience, and dedication. I see my grandparents, and I realize that despite - or perhaps it is precisely because of the ups and downs and trials of their married life - that they have grown to share a certain connection, to have a subtle understanding of one another. I also feel that more than love, marriage is about companionship and sacrifice. It's about being there for the other through thick and thin.
Lynford and A-ku also dropped by to visit Angkong. Had fun chatting with Lynford about basketball camp. It was fun watching him play DS as he made lots of sound effects =D
Stayed at home the rest of the day. Listened to Yui's 3rd album - I Loved Yesterday - and Grand Corps Malade's album Midi20. We listened to "Midi20" - which is a song from the album of the same name - in French class the other day. GCM is a slam-mer. Slam is more poetry reading than music, as the music - mostly soft piano music - merely serves as an accompaniment to the poetry. It's a softer, more lyrical type of rap, I suppose. "Les voyages en train," "Midi20," and "Toucher l'instant" are my favorite tracks as of the moment. I have to listen to the tracks a number of times though before I can really make out the lyrics but so far so good. The prose is quite thought-provoking. As for Yui's album, the songs are actually her trademark style - a mix of pop rock and ballads. My favorite tracks are "Laugh Away," "Find Me," and "Namidairo."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)